SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…
WWE CLASH IN PARIS REPORT
AUGUST 31, 2025
PARIS, FRANCE AT PARIS LA DEFENSE ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON PEACOCK (U.S.), NETFLIX (Int.)
Announcers: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
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On the PWTorch YouTube Channel tonight, PWTorch’s Brandon LeClair & Paul Weigle will go live right after the WWE Clash in Paris. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
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-They started with a preview video package. Michael Cole introduced the show as a camera panned the audience. He touted a crowd of over 30,000 and said they were in the largest indoor arena in France and it was the first-ever live PLE in France.
(1) ROMAN REIGNS vs. BRONSON REED (w/Paul Heyman)
Fans sang Roman’s name after his ring entrance. The announcers noted that Reigns says he wrestles for championships, not sneakers. The bell rang 14 minutes into the hour. Fans chanted “OTC!” before they locked up. Heyman had sneakers hanging around his neck as he watched from ringside. Cole said Heyman accompanied Reigns during his long title reign.
They locked up. Reed shoved Reigns and then flexed in self-satisfaction. A couple minutes later, Reigns lifted Reed onto his shoulders. Reigns feel backwards and Reed landed on him. Reigns rolled to ringside. Reed then took a running leap off the ring apron and shoulder tackled Reigns at ringside. Then he slammed him on the announce desk. Reigns fought back and rammed Reed into the ringpost several times at 7:00.
Reed took over in the ring and settled into a head twist on the mat. When Reigns escaped, Reed switched to a chinlock. The announcers said Heyman has coached Reed to anticipate and counter all of Reigns’s moves. Barrett talked about Reed’s growth since he first arrived in NXT. Reigns powered out at 14:00 and then avoided a corner splash by Reed.
Reigns hit Reed mid-ring with some standing lariats. Reed absorbed them, but eventually Reigns knocked him to the floor. He pursued Reed and landed a Drive By and then rammed him into the ringpost. Reigns went for a Suyoerman Punch, but Reed countered with a uranage and a senton for a near fall at 16:00.
Reed countered a Superman Punch into a Death Valley Driver for a two count. When Reed dove through the ropes, he swung at Reed with a Superman Punch. Cole said he wasn’t sure if he got all of it. Reigns landed a mid-ring Superman Punch for a two count.
Reed came back and went for a Tsunami at 20:00, but Reigns moved. Reigns then went for a spear, but Reed stuffed it and landed a sitout powerbomb for a dramatic near fall.
Reigns caught Reed on the top rope in the corner. Reed headbutted him. Reigns came back with a Superman Punch in the corner. He followed with a Samoan Drop off the top rope. Reigns popped up and played to the crowd. He followed with a spear for the three count.
WINNER: Reigns in 22:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Really effective rudimentary match where everything counted, the match had chapters that led the crowd rise and then settle and then rise again. They each got in signature moves in logical spots in the match. Reed looked competitive and formidable against an established top tier star, but it made sense for Reigns to get a clean win. This would have been a bit of a slog for a main event, but it was solid for an opener, especially with a hot crowd reacting to everything,)
-Reigns stood on the announce desk and saluted the fans afterward. Cole said Reigns that if “you come for the king, you best not miss.” Heyman consoled Reed afterward and complained that it wasn’t a three count. Reigns entered the ring behind Heyman. Heyman stood and turned around and begged off. “Wait a minute!” he said. “I love you, my Tribal Chief. I acknowledge you, my Tribal Chief. The world is yours.” Reigns asked him to hand over the sneakers around his neck. Heyman did. He smiled and applauded as Reigns held them up. Reigns then put Heyman in a guillotine. Heyman frantically tapped and then Reigns dropped his limp body to the mat.
As Reigns stood on the announce desk and held up the sneakers as fans cheered, Bron Breakker showed up and leaped off a announce desk and tackled Reigns. They cut to Jelly Roll looking on concerted at ringside. Officials ran out and warned Breakker to retreat. Reed then checked on Heyman in the ring. Breakker joined him.
Reigns was shown struggling to stand. Just when it seemed things had calmed down, Breakker charged down the aisle toward the ring and speared Reigns, who was gingerly making his way to the back. Breakker yelled at Reigns, “You understand, you are in my way!” He threw him into the ring where Reed landed a Tsunami. Reed told off booing fans and gave them the up yours gesture. Reigns was strapped to a backbrace and carried to the back. Cole said he hoped it was “just precautionary.” Reed ran back to the ring and landed a Tsunami on Reigns while he was on the backboard.
Jey Uso charged out for the save. “Enough is enough,” said Cole. Barrett said Jey is wrestling for the WWE Title later, but family comes first. Reed and Breakker took care of Jey. Security and officials entered the ring. Reed leaped over them and landed another Tsunami. “You’re going to kill him!” exclaimed Cole. Reigns was carried on the backboard to the back.
(Keller’s Analysis” That ate up a lot of time, so WWE really wants that to be a big moment this year. I think a lot of fans will see this through the lens of it being a storyline to explain Reigns taking another hiatus. It played out really well in terms of Heyman and his guys seeking to wipe out Reigns as a force to mess with their goals.)
-A commercial aired hyping WWE and ESPN joining forces starting with WrestlePalooza.
(Keller’s Analysis: WWE always acts like “new money.” I get promoting a new home for events, and I understand the historical and legacy value of the ESPN brand, but they act so giddy about it like this is the validation they’ve been looking for. Fans love WWE and just want to watch it, and the loyalty to or excitement for the logo of the app they click to play it is greatly overestimated by WWE, I think. Even ore overestimated by WWE is how much fans care about the value of the rights-fees they’re getting paid with each new deal.)
-They showed Jelly Roll and Post Malone at ringside.
-G.M. Adam Pearce was yelling at Breakker and Reed to leave the arena. He ejected them both and he said if he smells them near the building, he’ll suspend them both without pay.
(Keller’s Analysis: Honestly, give how heavy the post-match angle was, what is stopping Pearce from suspending them without pay already? I mean, not leaving the arena seems like a small thing compared to what he just witnessed them do for 15 minutes after the last match. That said, this is a case where Pearce being red-faced and yelling is called for.)
(2) THE WYATT SICKS (Dexter Lumis & Joe Gacy w/Erick Rowan, Nikki Cross, Bray Wyatt) vs. THE STREET PROFITS (w/B-Fab) – WWE Tag Team Title match
Cole said Bray Wyatt was trying to get it the heads of the Profits by suggesting Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford aren’t as close as they portray. Cole said he was told Reigns was being taken to the hospital and Heyman may be headed there too. The bell rang 2 minutes into the second hour.
Ford wanted to start, but Dawkins reached out and insisted he start. They had a tense moment. Barrett said they should work that out in the back. Lumis and Gacy controlled most of the early minutes.
Dawkins leaped over the top rope and took down Gacy and Lumis at 7:00. He rallied in the ring. He landed a twisting neckbreaker and then leaped off the top rope with a swanton for a near fall. Ford landed a Blockbuster on Gacy off the top rope off Dawkins shoulders. Lumis broke up the cover at two. Gacy tried a comeback, but Dawkins landed a spinebuster. Ford then leaped with a frog splash, but Gacy moved. Gacy gave Lumis a Death Valley Driver on Ford. Dawkins broke it up.
The action spilled to ringside. Rowan got in Dawkin’s face. Lumis hit Dawkins from behind. Ford landed a running flip dive over the top turnbuckle onto Rowan and Lumis at ringside. Nikki held Ford’s boot at ringside. Wyatt gave him a Sister Abigail. Then Gacy and Lumis hit their Plague finisher for the three count on Ford.
WINNERS: Lumis & Gacy in 13:00 to retain the WWE Tag Team Titles.
(Keller’s Analysis: Solid tag match with early small teases of issues between Ford and Dawkins. Will they actually break up this time? Will they both go singles or will one or both pick a new tag partner, if they do break up. I don’t think fans are rooting against the Wyatts with any passion, so the emotional investment in this match wasn’t strong.) [c]
(3) BECKY LYNCH vs. NIKKI BELLA – WWE Intercontinental Title match
Barrett said Nikki is desperate to prove she can hang in the current era. He said no one knows what to expect from her. The bell rang 26 minutes into the second hour. Cole noted this is their first singles match ever.
After some back and forth early exchanges, at 2:00 Becky landed an exploder suplex. She yelled down at Nikki, “This is my ring.” Nikki fought back. Becky took over and scored a two count. She settled into a chinlock next.
They wildly swung at each other at 5:00. Becky got in sustained offense. Cole said Becky has been a fighting champion. Fans chanted for Becky. Becky landed a superplex for a two count and then quickly shifted to an extended armbar attempt. Nikki resisted and then leveraged Becky’s shoulders down for a two count. Nikki applied her Fearless Lock.
Becky reached the ropes to force a break on another submission attempt by Nikki. Cole said Nikki looked frustrated. Nikki rammed Becky into the ringside steps. Back in the ring, Becky avoided a Rack Attack. Nikki landed a Manhandle Slam against Becky right away for a near fall at 12:00. Nikki then attempted to put Becky in a Disarm Her. Becky escaped and then leeraged Nikki’s shoulders down with a backslide for a three count.
WINNER: Becky Lynch in 13:00 to retain the Intercontinental Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: Passable action most of the time and, all in all, an okay novelty match between top stars of two separate eras, even if Nikki seems to think she was a bigger deal in her era than she was. Nikki doesn’t look like she’s anywhere near Becky’s skill level and Becky carried this for sure.)
-They played back French commentators calling the post-match angle with Roman and Heyman’s crew.
-Pearce approached Jey backstage as he was being tended to by a medic. He asked if he could go. Jey said nothing will stop him, but he seemed to be pushing through pain.
(4) RUSEV vs SHEAMUS – Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook match
The bell rang 53 minutes into the second hour. Cole said it’s the rubber match in their recent battles. They brawled at ringside. Rusev took control with a kendo stick. Rusev bashed Sheamus in the chest over and over. Then he remove the top turnbuckle pad. Sheamus went for an Irish Curse backbreaker. The first one was flubbed. He landed the second. He then attacked Rusev with the kendo stick.
Rusev wedged a chair into a corner. Sheamus recovered and sat up, seething, almost inviting a Rusev attack. Rusev kicked him over and over. Sheamus yelled, “Come on!” Rusev swung a chair. Sheamus blocked it and then landed a running knee for a two count.
Sheamus landed his Ten Beats forearm series on Rusev. Rusev took over at ringside right afterward. Sheamus fought back and landed a barrage of forearms on Rusev’s chest on a bar set up at ringside.
Back in the ring, Sheamus set up White Noise. Rusev slipped out. Sheamus shoved him into the chair wedges in the corner. He followed with a Celtic Cross for a near fall at 10:00.
Sheamus leaped off the top rope at Rusev at ringside, but Rusev bashed him with a kendo stick. Rusev took over and slammed Sheamus through the bar at ringside. He stomped Sheamus in the ring and then applied his Accolade mid-ring. Sheamus lifted Rusev out of it and slammed Rusev backwards onto a chair mid-ring.
At ringside, Sheamus tried to pull Rusev onto four whiskey barrels. Rusev took over and put Sheamus in the Accolade on the barrels. Cole said a submission has to take place in the ring, so a tapout wouldn’t matter here. Sheamus powered out and then leaped off the barrels with a White Noise through two tables below.
Sheamus landed “a Brogue Kick out of nowhere” for a dramatic near fall at 18:00. They cut to gasping fans at ringside. They replayed the connection to Rusev’s head as Barrett said he’s never seen a more brutal Brogue Kick.
Rusev backdropped a charging Sheamus and then broke a shillelagh across Sheamus’s back for a near fall. Rusev followed up with an Accolade with a shillelagh jammed into Sheamus’s back and Sheamus tapped out. Cole said that’s only the second. Barrett said Rusev is a major player in WWE.
WINNER: Rusev in 20:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Wild, hard-hitting, fun brawl. A couple botched exchanges that seemed to be on Rusev, but no big deal as they recovered nicely. This feud feels very much an island unto itself without a sense of the winner hoping to move on to something else, so it was noteworthy that Barrett called him “a major player” after his win.)
-Cole plugged an 11 city tour in January 2026 back in Europe.
-They went to Cole and Barrett at ringside. Cole touted being acknowledged by the New York Times as a key sports voice of this generation. [c]
(5) JOHN CENA vs. LOGAN PAUL
As Logan made his entrance, Cole touted his social media stats. Barrett said stars are made in new way in this era and Logan has figured it out.
(Keller’s Analysis: I still don’t see how Logan’s social media following has anything to do with the storyline reason he is a star in WWE. Wouldn’t WWE want to make it clear that you become a star in WWE by winning matches and protect that essential core aspect of what their entire entertainment product is ostensibly built around, storyline-wise?)
Cena made his entrance second and got huge cheers. Fans chanted, “Thank you, Cena!” They showed a banner hanging from the upper deck that said, “Thank you, Cena!” The bell rang 29 minutes into the third hour.
Cena and Logan circled each other and then engaged in a test of strength. Logan methodically battered Cena for several minutes taking breaks to play to the crowd. Logan fended off a Cena comeback attempt and landed a neckbreaker for a two count. Logan landed a delayed vertical suplex next for a two count. Logan applied a side headlock. When fans sang, Cole said he hoped fans at home could pick up on the crowd passion.
Logan nonchalantly covered Cena with his foot on his chest. Cole said Logan is talented, but he’s not going to beat Cena that way. Barrett said Logan wanted a viral moment. Cole said he should stop screwing around and get a big win if he can. Barrett said he got his foot in the door in WWE because of viral moments, so he shouldn’t change who he is now.
Cena rallied with shoulder tackles and a slam. He signaled for the Five Knuckle Shuffle. He did “You can’t see me” and fans yelled those words. He then landed the fistdrop. He followed with an Attitude Adjustment set-up, but Logan pulled himself free using the top rope. Logan followed with slingshot flip clothesline for a two count.
Logan went for a top rope splash, but Cena lifted his knees and then landed an Attitude Adjustment for a near fall at 10:00. Paul came back with an Octopus. Cole noted Antonio Inoki made it famous. Cena powered out, but Logan rolled through for a two count. Cena then quickly applied an STFU mid-ring. Logan crawled over and grabbed the bottom rope. Logan charged at Cena, but Cena lifted his boots and then gave Logan a tornado DDT for a two count.
Logan came back with drove Cena’s head into the mat for a two count. Logan gave Cena a Zig Zag for a two count. Cole said Logan is doing things they’ve never seen him do before. Barrett even setting aside the showboating and arrogance, he is brilliant. Cole said he’s gaining a lot of respect for the work Logan is putting in to expand his in-ring game.
Logan snapped Cena’s neck over the top rope. He followed with a top roe swanton followed by a standing moonsault for a two count. Cena avoided a charging Logan in the corner and then landed a butterfly faceplant for a near fall. Logan landed a lift-and-drop uppercut for a two count at 18:00. Barrett pointed out the forearm landed on Cena’s chest instead of his chin.
Logan, face smeared in blood, went into Cena’s finishing routine. Logan took his time, so Cena recovered and surprised Logan with an Attitude Adjustment for a near fall. Barrett said “peacocking” like that is a major faux pas and can cost you. Cena followed up with a Code Red for a near fall. Logan caught Cena with his signature right punch for a near fall.
Logan kipped up and then climbed to the top rope and landed his top rope Fall From Grace splash. He followed up with a second top rope splash for a two count. Cena rolled out of Logan’s Attitude Adjustment attempt and then delivered a Styles Clash for a near fall.
Cena went for an Attitude Adjustment off the second rope, but Logan blocked it and then landed a crossbody press. Cena rolled through and hoisted Logan onto his shoulders and landed an Attitude Adjustment. Logan slipped out and landed a right. Cena ducked a second right. Cena then gave Logan an Attitude Adjustment for the win. “Just wow,” said Barrett.
Cena greeted his wife and some celebrities at ringside before returning to the ring to play to adoring crowd.
WINNER: Cena in 26:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Tremendous match. Logan did almost all of the work early and carried the match with his athleticism and heel mannerisms, but Cena definitely delivered a stellar effort and contributed to a dramatic final 10 minutes or so with a lot of dramatic counter moves and near falls. Logan is a lot of things, good and bad, but one of them is that he is one of the more gifted athletes and fastest-rising in-ring workers is on that list. He works the modern move/counter-move highspot dense style really well. Cena is going out with prideful efforts that shows he can hang with people like Cody and Logan.)
-They went to Cole and Barrett who said this is the final WWE PLE on Peacock, but NXT premium events would remain on Peacock. He praised working with Peacock. He then plugged A.J. Styles challenging Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Title on Raw tomorrow afternoon.
-Jackie Redmond interviewed Seth Rollins. She said Heyma is in the hospital and Reed and Breakker are banned from the building. Seth cut her off and said he’s all alone tonight, and she and other think that puts him at a disadvantage. He said he won WrestleMania. He said if he can’t keep his title by himself, maybe he doesn’t deserve to be champion.
-They went to Cole and Barrett at ringside to preview the main event. [c]
(6) SETH ROLLINS vs. C.M. PUNK vs. L.A. KNIGHT vs. JEY USO – World Title match
They showed Jey working his way through the concourse swarmed by fans and then to the ring. Knight came out next. Then Punk, who got in Knight’s face and had a tense exchange. Fans Punk’s song even after the music stopped. Seth’s entrance ended it. Fans applauded Seth’s song after it ended, then sang his song during formal ring introductions.
The bell rang 23 minutes into the hour. Punk and Knight battled in the ring early as Seth watched from ringside. Jey entered and leaped at Punk, but Punk clotheslined him out of mid-air. jey and Knight battled next. Seth picked his spot to return to the ring. He was soon surrounded, though, by all three opponents. Punk yelled, “Jey, get the tables!” All three pulled a table out from under the ring. Cole said, “Completely legal in a Fatal Four-way.”
Jey superkicked Punk. Seth crawled to the ringside barricade where Knight clotheslined him into the crowd. Jey superkicked Knight. Jey brawled with Seth in the crowd. Barrett said Punk and Knight could slip into the ring and end the match without them. Punk leaped off the barricade with a clothesline on both of them.
Back in the ring, Punk leaped at Seth with a clothesline and then landed a neckbreaker. He then charged with a running kneelift. He played to the crowd and signaled for a GTS. Seth slipped free. Jey kicked Punk and then landed an enzuigiri.
All four took turns hitting moves on each other. Seth gave Punk a Pedigree for a two count at 10:00. Seth gave Knight a bucklebomb for a two count. Seth leaped off the top rope with a splash on Jey for a two count.
Seth trash-talked Knight in the corner and stomped away at him. Knight fought back and landed a flying clothesline followed by a Russian leg sweep. Knight fended off Jey and Punk, too, then played to a cheering crowd. He DDT’d Seth and then rolled to his feet. He followed with a step up flying elbow off the top rope. He set up a BFT, but Jey broke it up with a superkick.
When Jey climbed to the top rope, Knight intervened. Punk powerbombed both of them and scored a two count on Knight and then a two count on Jey at 18:00. Punk tried to launch Seth off the ring apron through a table, but Seth resisted. Seth then tried for a Pedigree. Punk slipped free and set up a GTS. Seth raked his eyes. Knight then knocked Punk off the ring apron and onto the table.
Knight then gave Seth a BFT. Jey broke up the cover at two. Jey and Knight battled next. Knight landed a slidekick, sending Jey into the announce desk. Knight cleared an announce desk and placed Seth on it. He fended off Jey and then leaped off the top rope, but Seth moved so Knight crashed through the table. Jey dove through the rope and hit Seth.
Back in the ring, Jey went for a spear, but Seth countered into a Pedigree for a two count. Jey avoided a Seth splash and landed superkicks and a spear. He followed with a top rope splash for a two count. Punk broke it up with a flying elbow on Jey. Punk gave Jey a GTS. Seth stomped Punk during the cover for a two count. Seth kneeled and told Punk he hates him and his stupid family and doesn’t want him to win another title or have another match. He grabbed a chair at ringside. Then he delivered a running stomp to Jey and then one to Knight.
Back in the ring, Seth placed Punk’s head on a chair set up in the ring. He went for a stomp, but Punk moved. Seth sold a knee injury. Punk set up a GTS and smiled. A masked person came up behind Punk and gave him a low blow. She unmasked and it was Becky. Cole said, “That’s Seth Rollins’s wife!” Seth landed a stomp on Punk for the win.
Cole said Seth claimed he didn’t need help, but he did get help.
WINNER: Rollins in 25:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Is this a one-off alliance with Seth and Becky or a sign Becky is going to join The Vision? The match was what you’d expect and hope for with these four when given a 25 minute window. Well-executed and exciting. The finish was legal in the sense that anything goes in a Fatal Four-way, but it wasn’t exactly clean in the traditional sense. The idea of Becky and Seth officially aligned in the ring felt novel rather than played out.)
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE WWE CLASH IN PARIS POST-SHOW…
On the PWTorch YouTube Channel tonight, PWTorch’s Brandon LeClair & Paul Weigle will go live right after the WWE Clash in Paris. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
If you can’t join us live on YouTube, stream the show on demand later at YouTube or listen or stream later on a podcast app. Subscribe to all of our free podcasts by searching “wade keller” and “pwtorch” in your podcast app of choice including Spotify and Apple Podcasts and most other iOS and Android apps. This Clash in Paris Post-show will be on the PWTorch Dailycast feed.
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Click that link during the post-show to enter the waiting room as “live video caller” (or just audio if you turn off your cam, which is fine). This is a private link, so don’t share. It’s just for VIP members at this time.
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