WWE Clash in Italy 2026 Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights

WWE rolled into Turin for Clash in Italy, the company's latest premium live event, headlined by world championship matches featuring Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes and bolstered by two WrestleMania 42 rematches.

Who emerged victorious from each of Sunday night's matchups, and how did they grade out?

Find out now in this recap of the May 31 extravaganza, including analysis for each of the five bouts on the star-studded card.

Lineup

Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images

Announced for Clash in Italy:

Tribal Combat for the World Heavyweight Championship: Jacob Fatu vs. Roman Reigns (c)

Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther

WWE Women's Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Jade Cargill

Women's Intercontinental Championship: Sol Ruca vs. Becky Lynch (c)

Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar

Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther

Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Cody Rhodes defeated Sami Zayn (SmackDown, May 22); Gunther defeated Royce Keys (SmackDown, May 15)

The top prize in the industry was at stake in Sunday's opening match, airing live on ESPN, as Gunther sought to do the one thing he has proven incapable of to that point in his career: defeat Cody Rhodes.

The action was back and forth early, with each man trading blows and neither being able to gain a sustained advantage. At one point, the champion delivered the Pedigree to no avail, and the challenger answered moments later with a powerbomb that also failed to net him the win.

Gunther kicked out of the Cross Rhodes as Michael Cole questioned whether it was too early for The American Nightmare to try and put his opponent away. Rhodes followed with a Cody Cutter attempt, but Gunther caught him with a sleeper, which the champion countered into a rollup for two.

The heel reapplied the sleeper, rolled over, and put his full body weight on top of the babyface, but Rhodes showed grit and determination in fighting out of it. The relentless villain, though, reapplied the hold, forcing the champion to look to the ropes for sanctuary and a mandated break.

An exchange of chops, then clotheslines, a Cody Cutter, and Cross Rhodes earned the champion the victory, despite a controversial finish that saw the official miss Gunther's foot under the rope.

Result

Rhodes defeated Gunther to retain the title

Grade

B

Top Takeaways

The crowd was extremely pro-Gunther, initiating several "we want Gunther" chants throughout the early portion of the match. Perhaps that is further indicative of Rhodes fatigue or a reflection of the European crowd's desire to see The Ring General win the gold. Whatever the case, it made for a hot setting.

This felt like a rushed, greatest hits version of some of the great in-ring content we have seen out of Rhodes and Gunther in their previous matches together. The finish was not executed spectacularly, either. It left fans confused and booing loudly at the outcome of the contest. Still, even a lesser Rhodes-Gunther match is still damn good and had the fans in Turin red-hot and invested from the beginning.

Gunther sold his outrage well, and that should earn him a rematch, while Rhodes flashed an unlikable smile as he embraced his championship, another small heel tendency to go along with what we saw out of him at WrestleMania 42.