Gunther to defend at WWE Clash at the Castle

The upcoming WWE Clash at The Castle event will see the WWE Intercontinental Title defended at a pay-per-view or Premium Live Event for the first time since WrestleMania 37.

WWE has announced that tonight’s 1200th episode of SmackDown will feature a Fatal 5 Way to determine the new #1 contender to WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther. The title match will then take place at Clash at The Castle on September 3 in Cardiff, Wales.

The participants for tonight’s Fatal 5 Way are Ricochet, Sheamus, Happy Baron Corbin, Madcap Moss and Sami Zayn.

The WWE Intercontinental Title has not been defended at a pay-per-view or Premium Live Event since Apollo Crews captured the strap from Big E in a Nigerian Drum Fight at WrestleMania 37 in April 2021. The 2021 Survivor Series event saw then-Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura defeat then-United States Champion Damian Priest by DQ in a Champion vs. Champion match, but the titles were not on the line.

Clash at The Castle will mark the third TV title defense for Gunther since he won the title from Ricochet on the June 10 SmackDown. While he’s picked up numerous non-televised wins since then, he retained over Ricochet in the rematch on the June 24 SmackDown, and retained over Nakamura on the August 12 SmackDown.

Below is the updated line-up for tonight’s SmackDown on FOX from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada:

* Ricochet vs. Sheamus vs. Happy Baron Corbin vs. Madcap Moss vs. Sami Zayn to determine who challenges WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther at Clash at The Castle

* The Viking Raiders host a Viking funeral for The New Day

* Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne. Natalya and Sonya Deville in a first round match in the tournament for the vacant WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. The winners will advance to the next week’s SmackDown to face Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez

* Drew McIntyre and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns face off for Clash at The Castle

SmackDown is at 8 PM EST tonight.