WWE Clash of Champions 2016: Best Finishes for Entire Match Card

Raw is poised to deliver great theater at WWE Clash of Champions 2016, should Sunday's pay-per-view take advantage of all the stories of triumph and tailspins waiting to be told.

Roman Reigns is on the verge of falling short in his quest for revenge. An old ally will loom as Seth Rollins seeks to become WWE universal champion. And Cesaro is one three-count away from completing a miraculous comeback.

The PPV must make use of those moments, producing maximum drama in each match.

The Clash of Champions card offers WWE a chance to showcase Cesaro's guts, deepen the schism between Rollins and his father figure and push Reigns' character in a more fitting direction. The night's best results should elevate stars and add wrinkles to several plots.

Let's dive into every Clash of Champions bout and lay out the ideal finish for each one.

Alicia Fox vs. Nia Jax

The pre-show match must be all about Nia Jax's destructive power.

WWE has built up the recent NXT draftee as an unstoppable monster. As Sean Rueter of Cageside Seats pointed out, "Jax has bulldozed every competitor Raw's put in front of her since she was drafted."

To end that now would be counterproductive.

Jax shouldn't just beat Fox; she should gobble her up. To play up Jax's ferocity, the match's best ending would see the heel pound Fox into the mat until the referee is forced to stop the bout. 

To create a lasting image, one that makes this contest a key one in Jax's rise, Fox should be so damaged by the end of the match that the medical staff has to cart her off.

Cesaro vs. Sheamus

The best ending to the Best of Seven Series is the most improbable one.

Cesaro was once down 0-3 to Sheamus. Even with an injured back, he has managed to charge back to tie the series, forcing a final showdown at Clash of Champions.  

It won't be the most surprising climax to this story, but it would be the most powerful one. 

The King of Swing should gut out a win, fighting on while his back kills him, managing to get up after a Brogue Kick. And to put an exclamation point on the victory, Cesaro should provide the PPV with a powerful visual.

A Neutralizer off the top rope would be a fitting way to put an end to this grueling back-and-forth battle.

T.J. Perkins vs. Brian Kendrick (Cruiserweight Championship)

Clash of Champions must be T.J. Perkins' coming-out party.

More fans already know Brian Kendrick from his previous WWE runs. The cruiserweight champ is the one in need of increasing his stature. His victory needs to be emphatic for that reason, with no asterisks.

Kendrick and Perkins should have a fast-paced, high-octane showdown that ends with a frenzied last few minutes.

Then the winner of the Cruiserweight Classic tournament can put the veteran on his back, knocking him out cold with the Detonation Kick. The exciting move would make for a good way to punctuate a well-earned win.

Sami Zayn vs. Chris Jericho

Sami Zayn's potential rise to stardom has to go through Chris Jericho.

Knocking off the future Hall of Famer would be a career-changing moment for him. And it's just the kind of victory he's been lacking. As John Canton wrote for Daily DDT, "Creative needs to start booking Zayn stronger."

That can begin with outlasting Y2J and later beating him at a future PPV.

At Clash of Champions, WWE can show off Zayn's toughness by having him survive The Walls of Jericho for a long stretch. Just when it looks like The Underdog From The Underground is going to tap, he can instead reverse the hold and roll Jericho up.

This is an easy way to keep the feud going. Jericho can claim Zayn got lucky. And the babyface can prove him wrong with a more emphatic win in the rematch.

The New Day vs. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson (Tag Team Championship)

The New Day's feud with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson has run its course. It has never clicked. Both teams would benefit from going in new directions.

A wise way to accomplish that is to crown The Club while forcing The New Day to deal with internal strife. The champions' third member and hype man Xavier Woods could inadvertently cost his team the win. Perhaps he'll simply get in the way or knock out his own partner with his trombone.

That ending would give the heels the titles and ammo for mocking the trio afterward.  

As for The New Day, the squad would suddenly have to face infighting and tension, an unfamiliar situation for the close friends. That would give Woods and Co. a new dynamic, opening new narrative doors for them. The team could either pull together or fall apart and dissolve.

Suddenly, a stale rivalry would birth a more intriguing direction for the current champs.

Charlotte vs. Bayley vs. Sasha Banks (Women's Championship)

The Triple Threat match between Charlotte, Bayley and Sasha Banks shouldn't be where WWE crowns The Boss again or gives Bayley her first Women's Championship reign. The better route is to give those women a less crowded stage for their big moment, to make that victory the apex of an extended feud.

For now, WWE should toy with Charlotte and her protege Dana Brooke's relationship. There is ample drama to harness there.

Charlotte has long been abusive to her lackey. The partnership is assured of an implosion at some point. Hinting at that during Clash of Champions would be a good move.

Brooke can aid the champion once more, but show remorse this time. After she trips up Bayley to allow Charlotte to retain, Brooke can grow guilty watching a heartbroken Bayley. Charlotte's lack of appreciation for what Brooke has done would only worsen the situation. 

The three-way feud has a long way to go. A finish like this would help it roll on with added animosity between Charlotte and her enemies.

Rusev vs. Roman Reigns (United States Championship)

To this point in the Rusev-Reigns feud, there hasn't been enough focus on the title. To now crown Reigns would deliver an unsatisfying story. WWE would be better off elevating Rusev instead.

Plus, a defeat could be the catalyst for the heel turn Reigns has long needed.

The Big Dog can be too focused on revenge and too blinded by his rage to be at his best during the contest. Rusev should take advantage of that and score a submission victory via the Accolade.

Reigns so rarely loses (and never by tapping out) that the ending would create big-time buzz.

WWE can then play with Reigns' frustrations afterward. After adding this to his recent list of failures, he would take a page out of his cousins The Usos' playbook and embrace his inner darkness. A vicious, fed-up version of the powerhouse would be a major improvement over the babyface who draws boos every night.

Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins (WWE Universal Championship)

Triple H is key to the battle between Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins.

The Game was the one who attacked his old protege Rollins to essentially hand Owens the Universal Championship. WWE has yet to follow up on this, leaving an unsatisfied feeling behind.

Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet tweeted, "Why hasn't Triple H explained himself for helping Owens win the title yet? So far, making us wait hasn't been very compelling."

WWE needs to add the missing piece to this narrative at Clash of Champions. Triple H can emerge once more, attacking The Architect and once again causing him to lose. As Owens and Triple H celebrate together, a fiery, vengeful Rollins should go on the attack.

Much like Roman Reigns did at the close of Tables, Ladders & Chairs last year, Rollins should leave ruin behind him. The match offers WWE a chance to present Rollins as a badass on a mission, a man cheated out of his rightful opportunity.

His transition into Raw's top babyface would then be a breeze.