2023 WWE NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS PREVIEW

As I do every month, it’s time to look at this weekend’s Night of Champions Pay-Per-View and see the history of all of the participants. Even though WWE has Night of Champions & Clash of Champions in 2 separate sections on Peacock/WWE Network, I will continue to combine them, since Clash replaced Night and has the same theme. This goes on the same line as Taboo Tuesday being replaced by Cyber Sunday. To see the entire history of Clash/Night of Champions, visit the Clash/Night of Champions History HERE. And for any feedback or comments about this, comment below or tweet me (@hbkid718). Thanks.

Brock Lesnar, Rhea Ripley, & Seth Rollins are the only wrestlers to wrestle on every PPV in 2023. This will be the 1^st ever Clash/Night of Champions to have 3 1-on-1 Women’s Matches & the 1^st PPV since Money In The Bank on July 2, 2022 to have 3 1-on-1 Women’s Matches.

This year will be the 1^st Night of Champions event since 2020. Even though there was no Night of Champions in 2021 or 2022, if someone competed in 2020 & 2023, I will count it as consecutive since they competed on the 2 most recent Night of Champions events. This will be the 1^st Night/Clash of Champions in History to not have a United States Championship Match & the 1^st PPV since the Royal Rumble on January 28 to not have one. This will be the 1^st Night/Clash of Champions since 2017 to not have a Universal Championship Match & the 2^nd PPV in a row in 2023 to not have one. This will be the 1^st Night/Clash of Champions since 2020 to not have a Women’s Tag Team Championship Match & the 5^th PPV in a row in 2023.

Since no opener was announced, here are the facts about it. The only wrestlers on the card to wrestle in a Clash/Night of Champions opener are Sami Zayn & AJ Styles (2020), Seth Rollins (2019), Kevin Owens (2015), Cody Rhodes (2009, 2013 & 2014), so if Rhodes wrestles in the opener, he would tie Kofi Kingston for most Clash/Night of Champions openers. A Women’s Match has never opened a Clash/Night of Champions event. The Intercontinental Championship has opened Clash/Night of Champions in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, & 2020. Tag Team Championship Matches have opened Clash/Night of Champions in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016, & 2019. The United States Championship, which isn’t being defended at Night/Clash of Champions opened in 2017. No other Championship Match & no Non-Title Matches have opened Clash/Night of Champions.

WWE is promoting that Night of Champions will have 3 Main Events. But for me, whatever match closes the show will be the official Night of Champions main event. Here are the facts & stats about the main events. If Cody Rhodes VS Brock Lesnar main events, it will be Cody Rhodes’ 3^rd PPV main event in a row in 2023 & Brock Lesnar’s 2^nd PPV main event in a row in 2023, Rhodes’ 1^st Clash/Night of Champions main event, Lesnar’s 2^nd Clash/Night of Champions main event & 1^st since 2014, & the 1^st Non-Title Match to main event Clash/Night of Champions since Triple H VS CM Punk in 2011, which was the only time that a WWE, World Heavyweight, or Universal Championship Match did not main event Clash/Night of Champions. If Seth Rollins VS AJ Styles main events, it will be the 12^th time that a WWE, World Heavyweight, or Universal Championship Match main evented Clash/Night of Champions & the 9^th event in a row, both Seth Rollins & AJ Styles’ 1^st PPV main event of 2023, Rollins’ 4^th Clash/Night of Champions PPV main event after 2015, 2016, & 2019, which would tie John Cena for most Clash/Night of Champions main events. If the Tag Team Championship Match main events, it will be the 1^st Tag Team Championship Match to main event a Clash/Night of Champions, Kevin Owens’ 3^rd PPV main event of 2023 & 1^st since WrestleMania 39 on April 1, Sami Zayn’s 3^rd PPV main event of 2023 & 1^st since WrestleMania 39 on April 1, Roman Reigns’ 4^th PPV main event of 2023 & 1^st since WrestleMania 39 on April 2, Solo Sikoa’s 1^st PPV main event of 2023, Kevin Owens’ 2^nd Clash/Night of Champions main event & 1^st since 2016, Sami Zayn’s 1^st Clash/Night of Champions, making him the 1^st since Kevin Owens in 2015 & 2016 to go from the Clash/Night of Champions opener to the following year’s main event, Reigns’ 2^nd Clash/Night of Champions main event in a row, making him the 1^st since Seth Rollins in 2015 & 2016 to wrestle in 2 Clash/Night of Champions main events in a row, & Sikoa’s 1^st Clash/Night of Champions main event, making him the 1^st wrestler since Braun Strowman in 2019 to make his Clash/Night of Champions debut in the main event & will be the 1^st time ever that 2 brothers main evented the same PPV in back-to-back years.

UNDISPUTED WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: UNDISPUTED WWE TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS KEVIN OWENS & SAMI ZAYN VS THE BLOODLINE (UNDISPUTED WWE UNIVERSAL CHAMPION ROMAN REIGNS & SOLO SIKOA)

Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn VS The Bloodline will be the 5^th Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship Match of 2023, the 1st since Smackdown on April 28 & 1^st on PPV since WrestleMania 39 on April 1. This will be the 15^th at Night/Clash of Champions & 13^th event in a row, the 4^th Raw Tag Team Title Match in a row, the 4^th Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match in a row, & the 1^st time since 2017 that there will be only 1 Tag Team Championship Match at Clash/Night of Champions. This will be Kevin Owens’ 4^th Clash/Night of Champions & 1^st since 2017 & 1^st Tag Team Championship Match at Clash/Night of Champions. This will be Owens’ 3^rd PPV in a row in 2023. This will be Sami Zayn’s 4^th Clash/Night of Champions & 2^nd event in a row & his 1^st Tag Team Championship Match at Clash/Night of Champions. This will be Zayn’s 4^th PPV in a row in 2023. This will be the 1^st time Owens & Zayn are teaming up at Clash/Night of Champions since they defeated Shinsuke Nakamura & Randy Orton in 2017. This will be Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn’s 2^nd Raw Tag Team Championship Defense, so if they would lose, they will be the 1^st since Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler who lost to The Viking Raiders on Raw on October 14, 2019 to lose in their 2^nd Defense & will be their 2^nd Smackdown Tag Team Championship Defense, so if they will lose, they will be the 1^st since The Street Profits who lost to Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler on Smackdown on January 8, 2021 to lose in their 2^nd Defense. As of Night of Champions, Owens & Zayn’s Raw Tag Team Championship Reign has lasted 56 Days, so if they lose, they will be the 3^rd to lose in 56 Days after Charlie Haas & Rico (4/22/04 – 6/17/04) & The Alpha Academy (1/10/22 – 3/7/22). As of Night of Champions, Owens & Zayn’s Smackdown Tag Team Championship Reign has lasted 56 Days, so if they lose, they will be the 2^nd to lose in 56 Days after The New Day’s 3^rd Reign (8/21/18 – 10/16/18), which is the 9^th Shortest Reign of All-Time. This will be Roman Reigns’ 6^th Clash/Night of Champions event & 3^rd in a row & will be his 2^nd Tag Team Championship Match at Clash/Night of Championship & 1^st since 2013. This will be Reigns’ 1^st PPV since WrestleMania 39 on April 2. This will be Reigns’ 1^st 2-on-2 Tag Team Match since he & Sami Zayn lost to John Cena & Kevin Owens on Smackdown on December 30, 2022, his 1^st on PPV since he & Daniel Bryan defeated Luke Harper & Erick Rowan at Hell In A Cell on October 6, 2019, his 1^st Tag Team Championship Match since he & Seth Rollins lost to The Bar on Raw on February 5, 2018, his 1^st on PPV since he & Rollins lost to Goldust & Cody Rhodes along with The Usos at Hell In A Cell on October 27, 2013, & 1^st 2-on-2 Tag Team Championship Match on PPV since he & Rollins defeated The Primetime Players at Night of Champions on September 15, 2013. Reigns will be the 1^st WWE Champion to challenge for the Raw Tag Team Championship since Bobby Lashley when he & MVP lost to RK-Bro on Raw on August 30, 2021, the 1^st to challenge for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship, the 1^st Universal Champion to wrestle for the Raw Tag Team Championship since Seth Rollins when he & Braun Strowman defeated The O.C. on Raw on August 19, 2019, & the 1^st Universal Champion to challenge for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship. This will be Solo Sikoa’s Night of Champions debut, making it the 2^nd Clash/Night of Champions in a row after Andrade & Angel Garza in 2020 that someone will be making their Clash/Night of Champions debut challenging for the Raw Tag Team Championship & the 3^rd Clash/Night of Champions in a row after The Revival in 2019 & Gran Metalik in 2020 that someone made their Clash/Night of Champions debut challenging for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship. If The Bloodline wins, Roman Reigns will be the 1^st 2-time Raw Tag Team Champion since RK-Bro in 2022 but 1^st since The Alpha Academy in 2022 where only 1 member of the team was a 2-time Tag Team Champion. It will be the 1^st time that he will be Tag Team Champion since 2013, marking 3,513 Days between Tag Team Championship Reigns, which is the 2^nd longest gap between Tag Team Championship Reigns after Shelton Benjamin (6306 Days, 9/16/03 – 12/20/20) & ahead of The Usos (2556 Days, 5/22/15 – 5/20/22), & The New Day (1395 Days, 12/18/16 – 10/12/20). Reigns will be the 1^st to be Universal & Raw Tag Team Champion twice & the only wrestler to win the World Heavyweight, WWE, Universal, United States, Intercontinental, Raw Tag Team, & Smackdown Tag Team Championships. If The Bloodline win, Sikoa would be 2^nd 1^st time Raw Tag Team Champion in a row, but 1^st since Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin in 2022 where only 1 member of the team would be a 1^st time Champion & will be the 1^st to be a former NXT North American Champion. Both Sikoa & Reigns will be the 2^nd 1^st time Smackdown Tag Team Champions in a row. Sikoa will join his father Rikishi & brothers The Usos as the 1^st time that a father & 3 sons were all Tag Team Champions. The Raw Tag Team Championship has changed hands once in 2023 when Owens & Zayn defeated The Usos at WrestleMania 39 on April 1. It has changed hands 89 times in History. The Smackdown Tag Team Championship has changed hands once in 2023 when Owens & Zayn defeated The Usos at WrestleMania 39 on April 1. It has changed hands 28 times in WWE History. Tag Team Championships have changed hands 7 times at Night/Clash of Champions, with both the Raw & Smackdown Tag Team Championship changing hands in 2019, when Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler defeated Seth Rollins & Braun Strowman for the Raw Tag Team Championship & The Revival defeated The New Day for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship, but the Raw Tag Team Championship has only changed hands once in 2019 & the Smackdown Tag Team Championship has only changed hands once in 2019.

Kevin Owens (3-0-0)

1. Defeated WWE Intercontinental Champion Ryback to win the title (9/20/15)
2. Defeated Seth Rollins to retain the WWE Universal Championship (9/25/16)
3. With Sami Zayn defeated Shinsuke Nakamura & Randy Orton with Special Guest Referees Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon (12/17/17)

Sami Zayn (2-1-0)

1. Lost to Chris Jericho (9/25/16)
2. With Kevin Owens defeated Shinsuke Nakamura & Randy Orton with Special Guest Referees Daniel Bryan & Shane McMahon (12/17/17)
3. Defeated WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy & AJ Styles in a Triple Threat Ladder Match to win the title (9/27/20)

Roman Reigns (3-2-0)

1. With Seth Rollins as WWE Tag Team Champions The Shield defeated The Primetime Players (Titus O’Neil & Darren Young) to retain the titles (9/15/13)
2. With Dean Ambrose & Chris Jericho lost to The Wyatt Family (Luke Harper, Braun Strowman, & Bray Wyatt) in a 6-Man Tag Team Match (9/20/15)
3. Defeated WWE United States Champion Rusev to win the title (9/25/16)
4. Lost to Erick Rowan in a No Disqualification Match (9/15/19)
5. Defeated Jey Uso to retain the WWE Universal Championship (9/27/20)

Solo Sikoa (0-0-0)

This will be Solo Sikoa’s Night of Champions debut

FINALS OF THE WWE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT: SETH ROLLINS VS AJ STYLES

Seth Rollins VS AJ Styles will be the 1^st World Heavyweight Championship Match of 2023. It will be the 1^st match for a new Men’s Singles Championship since Finn Balor VS Seth Rollins for the Universal Championship at SummerSlam on August 21, 2016. It will be the 23^rd WWE, World Heavyweight, or Universal Championship Match at Clash/Night of Champions & 13^th year in a row, but the 1^st time since 2017 that there will be only 1 WWE, World Heavyweight, or Universal Championship Match at Clash/Night of Champions. This will be Seth Rollins’ 6^th Clash/Night of Champions event, but 7^th match as he wrestled 2 matches in 2019 & 1^st since 2019, & 5^th WWE, World Heavyweight, or Universal Championship at Clash/Night of Champions & 1^st since 2019, which is the 2^nd most WWE, World, & Universal Championship Matches at Clash/Night of Champions after John Cena & Randy Orton (6). This will be Rollins’ 5^th PPV in a row in 2023. If Rollins wins, he will be the 1^st 1^st-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, making him the only wrestler to win the NXT, the old World Heavyweight, Universal, & the new World Heavyweight Championships. Rollins will also be the only wrestler in history to wrestle in the Finals of the NXT Championship Tournament, Universal Championship Tournament, & World Heavyweight Championship Tournament. This will be AJ Styles’ 4^th Clash/Night of Champions & 4^th in a row & 1^st WWE, World Heavyweight, or Universal Championship Match at Clash/Night of Champions since 2017. This will be Styles’ 1^st PPV of 2023 & 1^st PPV since he defeated Finn Balor at Survivor Series on November 26, 2022. If Styles wins, he will be the 1^st 1^st-time World Heavyweight Champion & the 1^st person to win both the WWE & the new World Heavyweight Championships. This will be both Rollins & Styles’ 1^st WWE, World Heavyweight, or Universal Championship Match since they were part of the Elimination Chamber for the WWE Championship on February 19, 2022. This will be the 6^th 1-on-1 Match between them after Money In The Bank on May 19, 2019 (won by Rollins), Raw on July 22, 2019 (won by Rollins by DQ), Raw on August 12, 2019 (won by Rollins by DQ), Raw on March 21, 2022 (won by Styles by DQ), & Raw on June 13, 2022 (won by Rollins), so Rollins won 4 & Styles won 1. This will be the 1^st World Heavyweight Title Change in 2023 & in History. WWE, World Heavyweight, & Universal Championships have changed hands 7 times at Clash/Night of Champions, with the last title change taking place when Daniel Bryan defeated Randy Orton in 2013 & the 1^st time in Clash/Night of Champions History that a Vacant Championship will be decided.

Seth Rollins (3-3-0)

1. With Roman Reigns as WWE Tag Team Champions The Shield defeated The Primetime Players (Titus O’Neil & Darren Young) to retain the titles (9/15/13)
2. Lost the WWE United States Championship to John Cena (9/20/15)
3. Defeated Sting to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship (9/20/15)
4. Lost to WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens (9/25/16)
5. With Braun Strowman lost the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship to Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler (9/15/19)
6. Defeated Braun Strowman to retain the WWE Universal Championship (9/15/19)

AJ Styles (2-1-0)

1. Defeated Jinder Mahal to retain the WWE Championship (12/17/17)
2. Defeated Cedric Alexander to retain the WWE United States Championship in the Kickoff Match prior to the PPV (9/15/19)
3. Lost to Sami Zayn along with WWE Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy in a Triple Threat Ladder Match (9/27/20)

CODY RHODES VS BROCK LESNAR

Cody Rhodes VS Brock Lesnar will be the 15^th Non-Title Singles Match at Clash/Night of Champions &1^st since Roman Reigns VS Erik Rowan in a No Disqualification Match in 2019, the 1^st Non-Gimmick Match since Zack Ryder VS Mojo Rawley on the Kickoff Show in 2017, & 1^st on the main card since Sami Zayn VS Chris Jericho in 2016. This will be Cody Rhodes’ 8^th Clash/Night of Champions event & 1^st since 2015, giving him a 8 year gap between Clash/Night of Champions, which is the 3^rd longest gap between Clash/Night of Champions after Jeff Hardy (7/26/09 – 9/27/20, 11 Years) & Brock Lesnar & ahead of Drew McIntyre (9/15/13 – 9/27/20, 7 Years). This will be Rhodes’ 1^st 1-on-1 Match at Clash/Night of Champions since 2011 & 1^st ever Non-Title Match at Clash/Night of Champions. This will be Rhodes’ 3^rd PPV in a row in 2023. This will be Brock Lesnar’s 2^nd Clash/Night of Champions & 1^st since 2014, giving him a 9-year gap between Clash/Night of Champions, which is the 2^nd longest gap between Clash/Night of Champions. This will be Lesnar’s 2^nd Non-Title Match at Clash/Night of Champions & 1^st since 2014. It will be Lesnar’s 5^th PPV in a row in 2023, which is the 1^st time since the Royal Rumble on January 19, 2003, No Way Out on February 23, 2003, WrestleMania 19 on March 30, 2003, Backlash on April 27, 2003, & Judgment Day on May 18, 2003, that he wrestled 5 consecutive PPVs in the same year, but 2^nd year in a row he wrestled 5 matches overall. This was the 2^nd 1-on-1 Match between them after Backlash on May 7, which was won by Rhodes, making it the 1^st match to be re-matched from Backlash, & the 1^st time that Brock Lesnar wrestled the same opponent 2 consecutive PPVs since he defeated Seth Rollins at Extreme Rules on July 14, 2019 & lost to Rollins at SummerSlam on August 11, 2019.

Cody Rhodes/Stardust (5-2-0)

1. (As Cody Rhodes) With Ted DiBiase defeated WWE World Tag Team Champion Hardcore Holly in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match to win the titles (6/29/08)
2. With Ted DiBiase as Legacy lost to WWE Unified Tag Team Champions The Big Show & Chris Jericho (7/26/09)
3. With Drew McIntyre defeated Evan Bourne & Mark Henry, WWE Unified Tag Team Champions The Hart Dynasty (Tyson Kidd & David Hart Smith), Santino Marella & Vladimir Kozlov, & The Usos (Jey & Jimmy Uso) in a Tag Team Turmoil Match to win the titles (9/19/10)
4. Defeated Ted DiBiase to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship (9/18/11)
5. Lost to WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz along with Sin Cara & Rey Mysterio in a Fatal 4-Way Match (9/16/12)
6. (As Stardust) With Goldust defeated WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jey & Jimmy Uso) to win the titles (9/21/14)
7. With The Ascension (Konnor & Viktor) as The Cosmic Wasteland defeated The Lucha Dragons (Sin Cara & Kalisto) & Neville in a 6-Man Tag Team Kickoff Show Match prior to the PPV (9/20/15)

Brock Lesnar (0-1-0)

1. Lost to John Cena by Disqualification (9/21/14)

WWE RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: WWE RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPION BIANCA BELAIR VS ASUKA

Bianca Belair VS Asuka was the 5^th Raw Women’s Championship Match of 2023, the 1^st since Backlash on May 7, & 3^rd PPV in a row in 2023. This will be the 16^th or 17^th Women’s Championship Match at Night/Clash of Champions & 13^th event in a row, will be the 3^rd year in a row that there will be 2 Women’s Championship Matches at Night/Clash of Champions, & 3^rd year in a row that there will be a Raw Women’s Title Match. This will be Bianca Belair’s Night/Clash of Champions debut, making her the 3^rd Raw Women’s Champion in a row after Becky Lynch in 2019 & Asuka in 2020 to make their Night/Clash of Champions debut as defending Raw Women’s Champion. This will be Belair’s 3^rd PPV in a row in 2023. This will be Bianca Belair’s 14^th Raw Women’s Championship Defense, which is the most Defenses of All-Time. As of Night of Champions, Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Championship Reign has lasted 420 Days, so if she loses, she will be the 1^st to lose in 420 Days, which is the Longest Reign of All-Time. This will be Asuka’s 2^nd Clash/Night of Champions & 2^nd in a row, but 3^rd match as she wrestled twice in 2020 & will be her 2^nd Raw Women’s Championship Match at Clash/Night of Champions making her the 1^st since Charlotte Flair in 2017 & 2019 to wrestle in 2 Women’s Championship Matches at back-to-back Clash/Night of Champions. This will be Asuka’s 1^st PPV since WrestleMania 39 on April 2. If Asuka wins, she will be the 4^th to be a 3-time Raw Women’s Champion after Sasha Banks, Alexa Bliss, & Charlotte Flair & 1^st since Bliss in 2018 & the 3^rd to hold both the Raw Women’s & Women’s Tag Team Championship 3 times after Sasha Banks & Alexa Bliss & 1^st since Bliss in 2022. This will be the 4^th 1-on-1 Match between them after Raw on May 9, 2022 (ended in a No Contest), Raw on May 30, 2022 (won by Belair), & WrestleMania 39 on April 2 (won by Belair), making it the 2^nd match to be re-matched from WrestleMania, so Belair won 3, Asuka won 0, & 1 match ended in a No Contest. The Raw Women’s Championship has never changed hands in 2023, with the last title change taking place at WrestleMania 38 on April 2, 2022, when Belair defeated Becky Lynch. It has changed hands 24 times in History. Women’s Championships have changed hands 5 times in Night/Clash of Champions History, with the last title change taking place in 2015, when Charlotte Flair defeated Nikki Bella. The Raw Women’s Title has never changed hands at Night/Clash of Champions.

Bianca Belair (0-0-0)

This will be Bianca Belair’s Night of Champions debut

Asuka (2-0-0)

1. Defeated Zelina Vega to retain the WWE Raw Women’s Championship (9/27/20)
2. Defeated WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion Bayley by Disqualification (9/27/20)

WWE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: NATALYA VS WWE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPION RHEA RIPLEY

Natalya VS Rhea Ripley will be the 5^th Smackdown Women’s Championship Match of 2023, the 1^st since Backlash on May 6 & 3^rd PPV in a row in 2023. It will be the 16^th or 17^th Women’s Championship Match at Night/Clash of Champions & 13^th event in a row, & will be the 3^rd year in a row that there will be 2 & 4^th year in a row that there will be a Smackdown Women’s Title Match. This will be Natalya’s 3^rd Clash/Night of Champions & 1^st since 2017 & will be her 3^rd Championship Match at Clash/Night of Champions & 1^st since 2017, which was also a Smackdown Women’s Championship Match. This will be Natalya’s 1^st PPV since WrestleMania 39 on April 2, her 1^st match overall since she & Shotzi lost to Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez on Smackdown on April 7, her 1^st 1-on-1 Match since she lost to Shayna Baszler on Smackdown on February 24, her 1^st 1-on-1 Match on PPV & her 1^st Smackdown Women’s Championship Match since she lost to Ronda Rousey at Money In The Bank on July 2, 2022. If Natalya wins, she will be the 7^th 2-time Smackdown Women’s Champion after Bayley, Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Naomi, & Ronda Rousey & 1^st since Rousey in 2022 & her 1^st Championship since November 14, 2017, marking 2021 Days between Smackdown Women’s Championship Reigns, which is the longest gap between Smackdown Women’s Championship Reigns ahead of Charlotte Flair (10/11/19 – 10/22/21, 1016 Days) & Becky Lynch (5/19/19 – 8/21/21, 826 Days). This will be Rhea Ripley’s 1^st Clash/Night of Champions, making her the 1^st Smackdown Women’s Champion to make their Clash/Night of Champions debut as defending Smackdown Women’s Champion. It will be her 5^th PPV in a row in 2023, making her the only woman to wrestle on every PPV in 2023. This will be Ripley’s 2^nd Smackdown Women’s Championship Defense, so if she would have lost, she will be the 1st since Charlotte Flair who lost to Becky Lynch at Hell In A Cell on September 16, 2018 to lose in her 2^nd Defense. As of Night of Champions, Rhea Ripley’s Smackdown Women’s Championship Reign has lasted 55 Days, so if she would have lost, she would be the 2^nd to lose in 55 Days after Ronda Rousey (5/8/22 – 7/2/22), which is the 8^th Shortest Reign of All-Time ahead of Charlotte Flair’s 4^th Reign (5/19/19, lost on the same night), Charlotte Flair’s 5^th Reign (10/6/19 – 10/11/19, 5 Days), Naomi’s 1^st Reign (2/12/17 – 2/21/17, 9 Days), Charlotte Flair’s 3^rd Reign (3/26/19 – 4/8/19, 13 Days), Charlotte Flair’s 2^nd Reign (8/19/18 – 9/16/18, 28 Days), Alexa Bliss’ 2^nd Reign (2/21/17 – 4/2/17, 40 Days), & Becky Lynch’s 3^rd Reign (4/8/19 – 5/19/19, 41 Days). This will be the 3^rd 1-on-1 Match between them after Raw on July 12, 2021 & September 13, 2021, which were both won by Ripley. The Smackdown Women’s Championship changed hands once in 2023, when Ripley defeated Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 39 on April 1. It has changed hands 27 times in History. Women’s Championships have changed hands 5 times in Night/Clash of Champions History, with the last title change taking place in 2015, when Charlotte Flair defeated Nikki Bella. The Smackdown Women’s Championship has never changed hands at Night/Clash of Champions.

Natalya (0-2-0)

1. Lost to WWE Diva’s Champion AJ Lee along with Brie Bella & Naomi in a Fatal 4-Way Match (9/15/13)
2. Lost to WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair in a Lumberjack Match (12/17/17)

Rhea Ripley (0-0-0)

This will be Rhea Ripley’s Clash/Night of Champions debut

WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: MUSTAFA ALI VS WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION GUNTHER

Mustafa Ali VS GUNTHER will be the 5^th Intercontinental Championship Match of 2023, the 1^st since Smackdown on April 21, & 1^st on PPV since WrestleMania 39 on April 2. This will be the 11^th Intercontinental Championship Match at Night/Clash of Champions & 3^rd in a row, but 1^st 1-on-1 Match since 2019. This will be Mustafa Ali’s Clash/Night of Champions debut, making him the 1^st wrestler since Kevin Owens in 2015 to make his Clash/Night of Champions debut challenging for the Intercontinental Championship. This will be Ali’s 1^st PPV since he lost to Austin Theory at Hell In A Cell on June 5, 2022, & his 1^st Intercontinental Championship Match since he lost to Shinsuke Nakamura at Smackville on July 27, 2019. If Ali wins, he will be the 3^rd 1^st-time Champion in a row, the 1st wrestler since Ryback in 2015 to win the Intercontinental Championship as his 1st Championship in WWE, the 1^st 2-named wrestler to be Champion since Sami Zayn in 2022. This will be GUNTHER’s Clash/Night of Champions debut, making him the 1^st since Ryback in 2015 to make his Clash/Night of Champions debut as defending Intercontinental Champion, which was the last time a 1-named wrestler wrestled for the Intercontinental Championship. This will be GUNTHER’s 1^st PPV since WrestleMania 39 on April 2. This will be the 1^st time since 2015 that both the Challenger & Champion of the Intercontinental Championship Match made their Clash/Night of Champions debut. This will be GUNTHER’s 11^th Intercontinental Championship Defense, so if he loses, he will be the 1^st since Chris Benoit who lost to Rikishi on Smackdown on June 22, 2000, to lose in his 11^th Defense. As of Night of Champions, GUNTHER’s Intercontinental Championship Reign has lasted 351 Days, so if he loses, he will be the 1^st to lose in 351 Days, which is the 5^th Longest Reign of All-Time below The Honky Tonk Man (6/2/87 – 8/29/88, 454 Days), Pedro Morales’ 2^nd Reign (11/23/81 – 1/22/83, 425 Days), Randy Savage (2/8/86 – 3/29/87, 414 Days), & Don Muraco’s 2^nd Reign (1/22/83 – 2/11/84, 385 Days). The Intercontinental Championship has never changed hands in 2023, with the last title change taking place on June 10, 2022, on Smackdown when GUNTHER defeated Ricochet. It has changed hands 185 times in History. The Intercontinental Championship has changed hands 3 times at Night/Clash of Champions, with the last title change taking place in 2015, when Kevin Owens defeated Ryback.

Mustafa Ali (0-0-0)

This will be Mustafa Ali’s Clash/Night of Champions debut

GUNTHER (0-0-0)

This will be GUNTHER’s Clash/Night of Champions debut

BECKY LYNCH VS TRISH STRATUS

Becky Lynch VS Trish Stratus will be the 2^nd Non-Title Women’s Match at Clash/Night of Champions after Alicia Fox VS Nia Jax which was on the Kickoff Show in 2016. This will be Becky Lynch’s 1^st Clash/Night of Champions since 2019. This will be Lynch’s 1^st PPV since WrestleMania 39 on April 1, her 1^st Singles Match on PPV since she lost to Bianca Belair at SummerSlam on July 30, 2022, & 1^st Non-Title Match on PPV since she defeated Charlotte Flair by Disqualification at Fastlane on March 10, 2019. This will be Trish Stratus’ Clash/Night of Champions debut, her 1^st match overall since she & Becky Lynch lost to Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez on Raw on April 10, her 1^st PPV since WrestleMania 39 on April 1, & her 1^st 1-on-1 Match & 1^st 1-on-1 Match on PPV since she lost to Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam on August 11, 2019. This was the 1^st time since 2019 that Stratus has wrestled 2 matches in the same year.

Becky Lynch (0-1-0)

1. Lost to Sasha Banks by Disqualification (9/15/19)

Trish Stratus (0-0-0)

This will be Trish Stratus’ Clash/Night of Champions debut