WWE Clash of Champions 2017: Updated Match Card, Predictions for PPV

It may be a B-show in the heart of a slow period, but WWE Clash of Champions 2017 promises to offer some noteworthy developments.

Sunday's SmackDown pay-per-view will feature a commissioner on the verge of snapping, a coming-out party for an emerging tag team and the threat of Ms. Money in the Bank leaping on a fallen champion. And AJ Styles will lead the way as the roster tries to exceed expectations from an in-ring standpoint.

After the latest happenings on SmackDown, the Clash of Champions match card is as follows, per WWE.com:

• Baron Corbin vs. Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler (United States Championship)
• The Usos vs. The New Day vs. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin vs. Rusev and Aiden English (SmackDown Tag Team Championship)
• Shinsuke Nakamura and Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (Shane McMahon as referee)
• Charlotte Flair vs. Natalya (Lumberjack match, SmackDown Women's Championship)
• AJ Styles vs. Jinder Mahal (WWE Championship)

English and Rusev defeated The New Day last Tuesday to earn their way into what is now a Fatal 4-Way. Owens and Zayn got on the card after McMahon sicced Orton on his enemies.

KO and Zayn also found out that if they lose, they are both out of work.

Ruby Riott and The Riott Squad didn't get the big-time opportunity they wanted, but their demands did net them a spot at ringside during Flair vs. Natalya. The women's title match has quite the wrinkle, as it is now a lumberjack match.

Who will shine in the tag team title contest? Who is closing in on a heel turn? And who will walk out of Boston's TD Garden as a brand-new champ?

Read on for a look ahead at the Clash of Champions PPV.

A Shift for Shane-O-Mac

Credit: WWE.com

In a match featuring three former NXT champs and two former world titleholders, the referee could well be the biggest story.

WWE continues to plant the seeds for a McMahon heel turn. The growing tension between him and SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan grows each week. It began when McMahon led an invasion of Raw without informing Bryan. More recently, Bryan seems to disapprove of the commissioner's strongarm tactics.

Something is clearly brewing between the blue brand's authority figures, and it makes sense for that to lead to McMahon moving over to the dark side.

The ongoing rivalry with Owens and Zayn has made McMahon harsher and angrier. He's liable to have a breakdown of sorts when he crosses paths with them in this high-stakes bout.

Perhaps he lashes out at Orton and Nakamura for not beating the heels, or the referee cheats in order to oust Zayn and Owens. However it plays out, it will be best for the audience to keep its eyes on the man in the striped shirt as the action unfolds.

Showcase Match for Aiden English and Rusev

Credit: WWE.com

Whether they nab the SmackDown Tag Team Championship or not, Aiden English and Rusev are going to force fans to talk about them at Clash of Champions.

The duo's chemistry will be on display at the PPV in its biggest match as a team to date. English is sure to sing some pre-bout bars. Rusev is going to add a physical and intense presence to the contest. And the fact that they seem to be having a blast together is going to seep into the action.

We've seen The Usos and The New Day clash several times over. English and Rusev add freshness to the title scene, something that will be made clear at Clash of Champions. There will be an added electricity here thanks to them.

After being mostly portrayed as a low-card comedy team, a standout performance on Sunday will leave English and The Lion of Bulgaria looking like legit contenders.

The AJ Styles-Jinder Mahal Sequel Outpaces the Original

Mahal had the match of his life in Manchester, England, when Styles beat him for the WWE crown. At Clash of Champions, The Maharaja will outdo himself.

For one, The Phenomenal One is unmatched for his ability to bring out his opponent's best. No one does that better in WWE right now. And if Mahal is going to have another standout match, the safe bet is that will be against Styles.

And this time around, he will have the benefit of more hype behind him.

Their last bout was a TV match announced a week beforehand. This time, SmackDown has built up the contest via video packages and promos.

Mahal also looked like something clicked with him on the first go-round. He had more presence and was smoother overall. It was the most he looked like the headliner WWE was trying to tell fans he was.

Now at the top of a card with a short list of matches, Mahal may get a ton of time opposite WWE's best in-ring performer.

Ms. Money in the Bank Pounces

Credit: WWE.com

The opportunity will be there. Thanks to the women's title match's lumberjack stipulation and the mercilessness of The Riott Squad, Clash of Champions is poised to be when Carmella strikes with the Money in the Bank contract.

Flair will not only have to get past Natalya at the PPV, she'll have a swarm of angry Superstars surrounding her. There's little reason to believe that things don't get out of hand with the lumberjacks at some point. A brawl not breaking out would be the most surprising outcome.

The Queen is liable to get caught up in it.

Should Natalya give her a long, grueling match and Flair then take some shots amid chaos created by The Riott Squad, she will be easy prey for Carmella. And WWE has been sure to hint at The Princess of Staten Island cashing in leading up to this bout.