WWE is on the verge of making history this Sunday, August 31, with its Clash in Paris premium live event. According to a report in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, 29,763 tickets have already been distributed for the show at the La Defense Arena. This figure guarantees it will be the largest audience ever for a professional wrestling event in France.
Given the ticket prices, the event is also expected to secure the largest gate in the nation’s history. Furthermore, it is projected to become the third or fourth largest wrestling gate for any event held in Europe. The venue, which typically holds up to 45,000 for concerts, is being configured to accommodate between 35,000 and 37,000 fans for the wrestling spectacle.
With a record-breaking crowd confirmed, the card for the first-ever PLE in the French capital features several high-stakes encounters from the Raw and SmackDown brands.
The announced card for Clash in Paris includes:
- World Heavyweight Championship — Fatal 4-Way Match: Seth Rollins will defend his title against CM Punk, Jey Uso, and LA Knight. The challengers have been unable to coexist, highlighted by a brawl between the three on the August 25 episode of Raw. On that same show, Rollins provided a distraction that helped Bron Breakker defeat LA Knight.
- John Cena vs. Logan Paul: As part of his ongoing farewell tour, John Cena is scheduled to face Logan Paul in what will be his final match in France. The feud intensified after Paul and Drew McIntyre attacked the 17-time world champion. Cena later teamed with Cody Rhodes on the August 8 edition of SmackDown to defeat Paul and McIntyre in a tag team match.
- Roman Reigns vs. Bronson Reed: As a battle between “The Tribal Chief” and “The Tribal Thief,” Roman Reigns will go one-on-one with a surging Bronson Reed.
- Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch is set to defend her championship against WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella. The rivalry began on the August 4 episode of Raw when a confrontation ended with Lynch sucker-punching Bella.
- Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook Match: Former partners Sheamus and Rusev will collide in a no-disqualification brawl designed to be the final chapter of their feud. A victory is considered critical for Rusev, whose return to the company has been seen as underwhelming.
- Women’s World Championship Picture: The originally scheduled title match between champion Naomi and Stephanie Vaquer was canceled. On the August 18 episode of Raw, Naomi announced her pregnancy and relinquished the championship, ending her 35-day reign. Raw General Manager Adam Pearce has since confirmed that Vaquer, who earned her shot in a battle royal at Evolution, will remain the number one contender and will face a future champion.