WWE Clash of Champions 2017 Results: Top Takeaways from Latest PPV Event

WWE Clash of Champions 2017 was a night of conclusions. Rivalries reached their end, leaving fans to speculate what will come next on SmackDown Live, and further alliances seemed to crumble with the promise that change is on the horizon.

With every championship on the line for SmackDown, it was inevitable there would be many important moments. Dolph Ziggler's title win took everyone by surprise, while AJ Styles' victory was more or less assured but certainly satisfying.

Both the women's and tag team divisions showcased the dominance of the titleholders as Charlotte Flair overcame the onslaught of the largely heel lumberjacks, and The Usos defeated The New Day, Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin, and Rusev and Aiden English to prove their superiority.

While the night was not overflowing with great matches, it was a show many will remember for the decisions made. Even the general manager and commisioner of SmackDown may be forever affected by the events of the night.

These are the top takeaway from Clash of Champions, focusing on where the SmackDown roster looks to be heading thanks to the results of the big pay-per-view.

Mojo Rawley Is Finally on Fast Track to Success

At Clash of Champions, Mojo Rawley ran through Zack Ryder in an impressive display of ferocity which may have been the beginning of a push that should have come after WrestleMania.

For whatever reason, Rawley has been waiting almost the entire year for his Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal win to be a jumping-off point in his career.

Who are the top mic workers in WWE right now? There are obviously the usual suspects including The Miz, John Cena and Kevin Owens, but Rawley has quietly proved himself among his peers with his intense personality and radiating charisma. Few wrestlers sound more natural on the mic.

Rawley may not have the same standing as an in-ring performer, but he is still solid in that regard and waiting for a chance to work with higher-profile wrestlers. He might just be one of WWE's most talented untapped performers, and his heel run should be the catalyst for him finally to gain some real attention.

It is just as possible he disappears again, especially when his feud with Ryder was only deemed worthy of the kickoff at Clash, but that would be a true waste. SmackDown is in need of fresh blood right now.

Dolph Ziggler Is Still Relevant

Ziggler has been running on fumes for about a year now, particularly since the end of his rivalry with The Miz. His heel turn was supposed to give him new life, but instead he has done nothing with the new direction.

After some time away, WWE tried to rebrand him as a performer who didn't even want an entrance just to show he's the best in-ring worker.

It looked like nothing would come of that either until Ziggler ended the year with a title win, taking the United States Championship off Baron Corbin in a shocking result.

It is possible the move was a bargaining ploy by WWE to convince The Showoff not to leave, but it will now be hard for Ziggler to spends weeks on SmackDown without an opponent.

As champion, Ziggler should be competing against a variety of rivals. Corbin and Bobby Roode will be gunning for the title as long as their own rivalry does not distract them. It is also possible stars such as Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder will step up to the challenge. Maybe even Tye Dillinger will finally get his shot.

The (self-proclaimed) Greatest In-Ring Performer in WWE History will get a chance to prove his statement accurate, and we have all seen enough from Ziggler to know he should be able to run with this title reign as long as he has the opportunity.

This reign could easily determine the future of Ziggler's career.

SmackDown's Women's Division Must Move Past Relying on Natalya

The only reason Charlotte battled Natalya at Clash of Champions was because the latter had a contractually obligated rematch.

The feud had already run its course, and Charlotte had basically moved on to her next rivalry with Ruby Riott and the Riott Squad. This made the match on Sunday unexciting at best.

It was clear throughout the focus here was on the lumberjacks and the dynamic between the old roster and the Riott Squad. Now that the path has been cleared, Charlotte vs. Riott should be SmackDown's big feud, which is exciting because it is a fresh matchup on a roster that has been quickly worn out with multi-woman clashes.

Natalya has been in WWE for nearly a decade in a career that has been filled with ups and downs. It was nice to see her get some time at the top again after a rough few years, but she should now step back and let other women take up that responsibility. Her promo after Clash of Champions felt like she was moving in a new direction, which is welcome.

Natalya certainly should not disappear, though. One of SmackDown's weakest aspects has been the infrequency of actual feuds in the division. She could pair up with Naomi or Becky Lynch while Charlotte deals with the Riott Squad, adding more depth to the division especially with a Royal Rumble match on the horizon.

The Bludgeon Brothers Taking a Dominant Straight Path to Tag Team Titles

Credit: WWE.com

Luke Harper and Erick Rowan have long been an excellent tag team despite going through multiple changes. Their latest rebranding as The Bludgeon Brothers has worked in making clear they are an unstoppable force especially after they wiped out Breezango, their most credible opponents to date, at Clash of Champions.

It will be difficult for WWE to spend too much longer delaying the rise of the Bludgeon Brothers as everyone already knows how good they can be. The athletic big men have had great matches with The Shield and The Usos in the past, and they are likely better now than they were in 2014.

With The Usos recently taking out all their competition in one Fatal 4-Way, the path is clear for reigniting the feud between them and the pairing of Harper and Rowan. The SmackDown tag team division has been on fire lately, carrying the brand, and this is the match that can keep up the momentum.

If WWE is able to wait long enough, this might even be a big enough match to feature on the WrestleMania card, especially with all four of these men unfortunately missing out last year, only to come back and make a serious impact for the rest of 2017.

Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan Are Headed for a Breakdown

Credit: WWE.com

SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon has grown cruel and emotional, and general manager Daniel Bryan sees right through it.

These good friends were paired up in 2016 with the WWE draft, and they have been able to work together perfectly since. Eventually, authority figures need a change, though, and both Bryan and McMahon look poised for conflict.

At Clash of Champions, it was clear the two men had different motives as the special guest referees in the tag team match with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn's careers on the line. Bryan protected the duo, who have clearly outraged many on the roster, while McMahon actively pushed for their loss.

In the end, McMahon refused to count a pinfall for Zayn before Bryan fast-counted the win for Zayn over Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura.

It is possible Tuesday's SmackDown will instantly change this dynamic, leading to Bryan's firing. However, WWE may continue to slowly build to a climax here. McMahon has all the power, but the GM is in the right for the most part.

If McMahon does turn on Bryan, it will make him a heel for a long time to come. The GM has just about a year left on his contract with WWE, so it is likely his firing would not be permanent.

Still, it would be an effective storytelling tool, perhaps forcing McMahon to eventually step down from his role as commissioner when he sees what KO and Zayn have turned him into.

The Jinder Mahal Experiment Has Failed but Hopefully Won't Kill His Career

Credit: WWE.com

Jinder Mahal had the best match of his career against AJ Styles on Sunday, and it showed he has promise while also reaffirming he was never ready for the spotlight he gained.

While The Modern Day Maharaja got creative, opening up his move set, it was ultimately The Phenomenal One bumping for him that made him look great.

Now Styles has retained the WWE Championship, both men should move on, which likely means Mahal will crash back down to Earth.

The original attempt with Mahal was to create a new main event heel for the brand, but he rarely proved worthy of quite that much responsibility. He certainly failed to create excitement.

It is important WWE does not continue to try to force Mahal onto the top of the card, but it is just as important he does not completely disappear. His presence makes him feel like a star, and he is a solid mic worker. He just needs to be competing lower on the card from now on until he can put it all together.

Where will Mahal end up? No one really knows. Even former world champions are not always safe from misuse. Sheamus could tell Mahal that, given the road he has traveled over the years, and he's clearly a more complete performer than The Maharaja.

SmackDown Is Once More the AJ Styles Show and It's Absolutely for the Best

When Styles arrived in 2016, fans could have had high hopes for his future, but no one likely expected he would end 2016 and 2017 as WWE champion.

The Phenomenal One is hands down the best wrestler in WWE, and he may just be the best in the world. He continues to put on great matches with everyone to prove his worth.

SmackDown Live is a different show with Styles at the top because he can be paired with anyone and make it work. No one is clearly in line to feud with SmackDown's top champion yet, but WWE could go with anyone and he would make it work.

SmackDown must differentiate itself from Raw, and it should begin with Styles frequently headlining the show with quality matches. When he was United States champion, he had open challenges that could also translate to his WWE Championship run even if they are more infrequent to promote the importance of earning title shots.

From KO and Zayn to Rusev and Mojo, everyone should be considered a potential challenger to the title because The Phenomenal One will be able to make them look like contenders. He is once more the measuring stick for the whole brand to step up to and prove themselves.