The “City of Lights” is about to witness some serious fireworks as WWE brings Clash in Paris to the LDLC Arena this Sunday. And let me tell you something – this card has more layers than a croissant from a Parisian bakery.
We’re getting the final bow from John Cena (well, one of his final bows anyway), Roman Reigns looking to reclaim some dignity after getting his designer shoes stolen, and Seth Rollins trying to survive what looks like a mathematical nightmare in the form of a Fatal 4-Way match.
But here’s the thing about WWE in 2025 – nothing is ever as simple as it seems. Triple H has been cooking up storylines that would make Gordon Ramsay jealous, and this Paris show feels like the perfect place for some genuine surprises.
Look, I’ve seen some ridiculous storylines in my time covering sports entertainment, but watching Bronson Reed parade around with Roman’s Jordans like he’s collecting championship belts? That’s peak WWE storytelling right there.
The Tribal Chief has been humiliated not once, but twice by the Auszilla, and you can bet your bottom dollar that Roman isn’t walking into Paris to take another L. This match screams opener to me – get the crowd hot early with some hard-hitting action between two absolute units.
Reed has been an absolute monster since his return, and his Tribal Thief persona has given him the kind of edge that makes you believe he could actually topple Reigns. But here’s the reality check. Reigns doesn’t lose clean very often, especially when he’s looking to build momentum for bigger feuds down the line.
The smart money says Reigns gets his revenge here, probably with some post-match carnage that writes Reed off television for a bit. Sometimes in wrestling, the story is more important than the surprise, and Roman needs this win more than Reed needs the upset.
Now THIS is what I’m talking about. You want to talk about two guys who were born to beat the absolute hell out of each other? Sheamus and Rusev are going to turn the LDLC Arena into their personal playground of pain.
At 47 years old, Sheamus is having the kind of career renaissance that would make Tom Brady jealous. The Celtic Warrior has been putting on bangers left and right, and a Donnybrook match is basically his natural habitat. It is like putting a fish in water, except the fish has a mohawk and hits harder than a Dublin pub bouncer.
But here’s where things get interesting. Rusev is still finding his groove after his return, and WWE has been positioning him as more than just a nostalgic comeback story. The Bulgarian Brute has that “I’m here to prove something” energy that usually translates to some serious motivation in the ring.
The booking logic here favors Rusev. Sheamus is bulletproof with the fans right now, which means he can afford to take a loss to help elevate someone who needs it more. Plus, the creative team seems to have bigger plans for Rusev moving forward.
Becky Lynch defending against Nikki Bella is one of those matches that looks better on paper than it might play out in reality. Bella has been on fire since her return, showing she’s still got that championship-level intensity that made her a star.
But Bella’s been away from singles action for seven years. SEVEN. That’s like asking a retired quarterback to come back and throw for 300 yards against the league’s best defense. The rust is real, and ring timing is something you can’t fake.
Lynch retains here, but if Bella can shake off the cobwebs and deliver a performance that reminds everyone why she’s in the Hall of Fame, that’s a win in itself. Sometimes the story isn’t about who wins – it’s about proving you still belong.
This is where things get really spicy. Seth Rollins walking into a Fatal 4-Way against CM Punk, LA Knight, and Jey Uso should be like walking into a lion’s den covered in barbecue sauce. The numbers don’t lie, and they spell disaster for the champion.
But here’s what separates good champions from great ones – the ability to find a way to win even when the odds are stacked against them. Rollins has been playing the devious heel perfectly since his Money in the Bank cash-in, and heels are at their best when they’re finding creative ways to escape with their titles intact.
The storytelling here is beautiful in its simplicity. You have three of Raw’s biggest fan favorites all gunning for the same target, but Fatal 4-Ways are chaotic by nature. One perfectly timed interference, one moment of miscommunication between the challengers, and suddenly, The Visionary is walking out still champion.
Expect some serious shenanigans involving Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, maybe even a Reigns appearance to muddy the waters. Wrestling 101 says the heel champion should probably drop the belt here, but Wrestling 201 says sometimes the best story is the one where the bad guy finds a way to survive another day.
And here we are – the match that has everyone talking, and not necessarily for the reasons WWE would prefer. John Cena, the 17-time World Champion and legitimate legend, is squaring off against Logan Paul, the YouTube sensation turned surprisingly competent wrestler.
I’ll be honest with you. This match shouldn’t work on paper. The age difference, the experience gap, the completely different career paths. But that’s the beautiful thing about professional wrestling – sometimes the most unlikely combinations create the most memorable moments.
Paul has proven himself as more than just a celebrity dabbling in wrestling. The guy can go in the ring, he understands how to work a crowd, and he’s developed into a genuinely effective heel. That Friday night SmackDown segment where he got the better of Cena? That was some quality sports entertainment right there.
But let’s be real – this is one of Cena’s final matches. The man is winding down one of the greatest careers in WWE history, and you don’t send a legend out on his back to a part-timer, no matter how talented that part-timer might be.
The French crowd is going to be absolutely nuclear for Cena, and that energy alone should carry this match to heights it has no business reaching. Paul will get his spots in, probably create a viral moment or two for social media, but the night ends with an Attitude Adjustment and a Cena victory.
Here’s where my wrestling journalist senses start tingling. Nick Aldis mentioning that he’s “heard from” Brock Lesnar ahead of this event? That’s not throwaway commentary. That planting seeds for something big.
Lesnar attacking Cena at SummerSlam and then disappearing into the night is classic Beast Incarnate behavior. The man operates on his own schedule, and when he shows up, it’s usually for a reason that pays off down the line.
A Lesnar appearance in Paris makes perfect sense from multiple angles. It gives the international audience a legitimate “holy crap” moment, it sets up a potential Cena vs. Lesnar match for Wrestlepalooza on ESPN (talk about a debut main event), and it gives WWE another layer of unpredictability for their social media highlights.
The reaction of the Clash in Paris crowd alone would be worth the price of admission. Lesnar in a foreign market where WWE doesn’t tour regularly? That’s the kind of moment that trends worldwide and reminds everyone why he’s still one of the most compelling figures in all of sports entertainment.
This card might not have the star power of a WrestleMania or the stipulation madness of a Hell in a Cell event, but it’s got something potentially more valuable – the element of the unknown. International shows have a different energy, and WWE has been doing some of its most creative work when they’re playing to audiences that don’t get to see them live very often.
The Clash in Paris crowd is going to be hot from the opening bell to the final pin, and that energy has a way of elevating performances across the board. Don’t be surprised if this ends up being one of those sleeper hits that people remember fondly years from now.
Reigns gets his revenge, Rusev continues his comeback tour, Becky proves she’s still The Man, Seth finds a way to survive the numbers game, and Cena gets one more moment in the spotlight he’s earned through decades of dedication to this business. And if Lesnar shows up to close the show? Well, that’s just the cherry on top of what should be a thoroughly entertaining Sunday afternoon in the “City of Lights.”
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