WWE Backlash had a wild crowd courtesy of Lyon, France, but it also marked the end of an unbelievable streak with the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship.
Cody Rhodes put that very championship on the line against AJ Styles on Saturday and the battle became memorable in more ways than one. Not only did ‘The American Nightmare’ get a tremendous pop from the French crowd, but Rhodes actually retained his title by defeating ‘The Phenomenal One.’
However, Punk from the Burial Squad was able to dig up an insane statistic about Rhodes’ successful title defense. Backlash happened to mark the first time that specific championship was successfully defended on television without any outside interference in almost two years. The last time the title was defended without any interference had Roman Reigns beating Matt Riddle on the June 17, 2022 episode of WWE SmackDown.
Reigns’ reign became notorious for having constant interference in his title fights. While the tactic was certainly frustrating for fans (and his opponents), it did create for some memorable moments. Solo Sikoa made his main roster debut by interfering in his cousin Roman’s defense against Drew McIntyre at Clash At The Castle. Jimmy Uso also happened to stab his brother Jey in the back at WWE SummerSlam, allowing Roman to retain his gold.
Rhodes vs. Styles at Backlash also marked a new moment in WWE history. Their main event fight also happened to be the first WWE Undisputed Title match on PLE that was officiated by a female. Jessika Carr donned the zebra stripes for the battle between Cody and AJ.
History was made at Saturday’s WWE Backlash premium live event from a sold-out LDLC Arena in Lyon, France. Not only was it the largest gate for an arena event in company history, but we also saw new Women’s Tag Team Champions crowned. Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair captured the titles by defeating Asuka and Kairi Sane and ending their 99-day reign.
Backstage after their win, Cargill and Belair took a photo with Triple H. He congratulated them and hyped them as quite possibly the ‘biggEST storm’ to hit the women’s tag team division since it launched.
Quite possibly the biggEST storm to ever hit this division.
This marks Bianca Belair’s first time holding tag team in WWE and represents a new challenge for the 3-time Women’s Champion and (2021) Royal Rumble winner. It’s the first WWE championship for Jade Cargill, who previously had a long run with the AEW TBS Champion. Cargill has already made noticeable progress in the ring since joining WWE and will learn a great deal by teaming with a world-class worker like Belair.
After The Event
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair kicked off the WWE Backlash press conference. When asked about being role models, Cargill expressed that it means a great deal to her, especially as an example for her daughter. Belair highlighted the significance of representation for women and praised the NXT Women’s Division.
The pair were also asked about their experience winning in France. They both shared their happiness, with Cargill describing the victory as electrifying and unexpected, noting that their formation as a tag team was a surprise to many. They expressed ambitions to dominate the Women’s Division and discussed potential opponents from both the main roster and NXT.
When questioned about her switch from AEW to WWE, Cargill mentioned that the support from everyone has been overwhelming. She described the transition as unprecedented and expressed gratitude for the opportunities she has received in WWE.
????. I want to say this with my chest….and this is me being the most vulnerable…as a person who has a target on her back all the time. The ones who are happy for me. Thank you. This is such an amazing moment in my career…in 3 years. What I have accomplished. God is great.
Tanga Loa debuted as the newest member of Roman Reigns’ stable during WWE’s Backlash event in France. The Guerrillas of Destiny are now a part of the Bloodline.
Kevin Owens and Randy Orton took on Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga in the opening match of Backlash. They started the tag team match with chaos, which led SmackDown GM Nick Aldis to declare the contest a No DQ match. During the closing moments, Tanga Loa showed up to make his mark.
Loa’s unexpected debut helped the Bloodline secure a victory. Paul Heyman stood alongside the celebrating stable, but he didn’t have the most confident look on his face.
His appearance was a surprise since there were no prior reports of him signing a deal with WWE. Jacob Fatu has also signed a new deal, and it remains to be seen how he will be integrated into the storyline.
Real name Tevita Tu’amoeloa Fetaiakimoeata Fifita, Tanga Loa comes from a prominent wrestling family. He is the son of Haku and the brother of Tama Tonga and Hikuleo.
Guerrillas of dDestiny
Before his WWE debut, Tanga achieved significant success in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He won the IWGP Tag Team Championship seven times alongside Tama Tonga. So, the two have already done a ton prior to Loa’s Backlash debut.
Additionally, Loa captured the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship three times; twice with Bad Luck Fale and Tama Tonga, and once with Taiji Ishimori and Tama Tonga.
The Bloodline’s new incarnation added a seasoned tag team to the mix with Tanga and Tama. Jimmy Uso was ejected from the stable following WrestleMania XL, and it was later revealed that he suffered an injury that required surgery and a long wait until his return to the ring.
Roman Reigns still has a huge hand in the Bloodline’s creative direction, even though his absence. He is still setting the stage for the head of the table’s return, whenever that comes around.
Cody Rhodes isn’t just excited for himself as he defends his WWE Undisputed Title at WWE Backlash, but another person standing in the ring.
Rhodes will be taking on AJ Styles in the main event of the PLE taking place in France on Saturday. It will be Cody’s first world title defense on PLE, but ‘The American Nightmare’ noted someone else has a reason to celebrate too: WWE referee Jessika Carr.
“Wanted to mention this after the contract signing, (and forgive me if I’m wrong but I don’t think I am…) It’ll also be the VERY FIRST PLE Main Event for The Undisputed WWE Title officiated by a woman [Jessika Carr].”
Wanted to mention this after the contract signing, (and forgive me if I’m wrong but I don’t think I am…)
Two Georgia Boys: Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles At WWE Backlash
The Rhodes vs. Styles rivarly is a surprisingly fresh one as Cody and AJ have never faced one another, but now the two Georgia boys do it on the big stage. Styles earned his shot at the gold when he defeated LA Knight in a number one contendership match.
The two exchanged words of respect for one another during their contract signing but matters got tense when Styles went for a “from behind” attack on Rhodes after Cody defeated Carmelo Hayes.
The go-home episode of SmackDown that tension was even amped up further when Styles slapped Rhodes after the two talked their history outside of the WWE.
Rhodes and Styles happened to both share time as members of The Bullet Club, so although the two never competed in the ring, their paths are indeed quite similar.
Welcome to the Daily Drop for Saturday, May 4. WWE Backlash is this afternoon, and fans are waiting for that historic event. We have a lot of other things we must mention as well.
WWE released several NXT Superstars from their contracts on Friday. Aside from Drew Gulak, the biggest name that the company cut was Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson. Things just never panned out for him in the company, despite years of trying to get him ready for a massive spot that they wanted to carve out for him.
We have updated our 2024 WWE release and departure tracker, which you can check out here.
Let’s get into today’s Daily Drop!
WWE:
WWE Backlash is upon us, and the show will start much sooner for fans in the United States. The France-based event will start at 1:00 PM EST. You can find the card below.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill
Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga)
WWE Women’s Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton
World Heavyweight Championship: Damian Priest (c) vs. Jey Uso
Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c). vs. AJ Styles
WWE’s Noise Warning: The SmackDown fans received a noise warning in France. We can only imagine how loud it will be for Backlash.
WWE Speed: The company has a new champion after the first WWE Speed tournament is over. In the end, Ricochet pulled down the championship, which earned him a classic point pose photo with Triple H.
No Collision: AEW Collision will not air this week due to the playoffs. They will resume their weekly Saturday night schedule next week on May 11.
Christian’s HOF Stance: Christian Cage appeared at the Steel City Comic Con, where he was his trademark self. When asked about whether he wants to get into the WWE Hall of Fame, he replied: “I could give two sh*ts bout the Hall of Fame … when there is a Hall of Fame, let me know.”
Christian Cage at Steel City Con was asked about not being inducted in the WWE HOF yet:
“I could give two shits out about the Hall of Fame. When there's actually is a Hall of Fame, let me know.” pic.twitter.com/aw0DoMTVTX
Former WWE NXT Superstar Debut: During the recent ROH Honorclub show, Amari Miller debuted under the new ring name Camron Branae. She faced Nyla Rose in her first match for the brand. Although Branae lost the bout, she made a strong impression on the fans.
Julia Hart Return Timeline: We have an injury update on Julia Hart. She has already gone through a surgery and will be out of action for a few months from now. The earliest one can expect for her to return to the ring would be late Summer or early Fall.
Cody Rhodes has reached new heights after defeating Roman Reigns to become the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at WrestleMania 40. The year-long story finally ended after Rhodes overcame the odds to end the title reign of ‘The Tribal Chief.’ In the aftermath of his career achievement, Rhodes shared great advice that JBL had given him about being a champion.
“He said, try not at this point to focus on any numbers, because you’ve already broken every record that matters. And I thought, oh, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear at the time. It was just from a guy who’s not a soft man, not an easy guy to get to get that type of love. So much love for the Cowboy, former WWE champion himself, John Bradshaw Layfield,” said Rhodes.
Preview Of Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles At WWE Backlash
Rhodes will have his first title defense against Styles at WWE Backlash. The event will occur at the LDLC Arena in Lyon-Décines, France. At this time, Rhodes and Styles are expected to be the main event of the PLE.
Styles earned his title opportunity after defeating LA Knight on the April 19 episode of WWE Friday Night Smackdown. The matchup will also be the first time Rhodes and Styles have competed against each other.
‘The American Nightmare’ is coming into his first title defense with confidence after dethroning Reigns at WrestleMania 40. However, he can’t take Styles lightly as the challenger will try to push Rhodes to his limit to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes’s year is off to a great start after defeating Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. He finally earned a victory over ‘The Tribal Chief’ to win the title that eluded his family successfully. What made the win more remarkable was that he overcame many odds, including Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s interference in the match.
Despite being disadvantaged, ‘The American Nightmare’ landed his signature Cross Rhodes finisher to best reigns to win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Cody Rhodes On His Relationship With Dwayne Johnson
Rhodes spoke about his victory in a recent interview on the Cheap Heat Podcast with Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg. When Rosenberg asked Rhodes about his relationship with ‘The Rock’ before WrestleMania 40, the champion revealed that he didn’t have much of a relationship with Johnson prior to their feud.
“…We did some dark match stuff back in the day, but Wrestlemania in Miami, I gone into his locker room to thank him for the house, and that was something that I think he remembered, whereas for me, it was just the right thing to do. We had that previous moment, but other than that, I don’t think Rock respectfully was very familiar with me, said Rhodes.
The champion shared that he didn’t blame Johnson if he didn’t because the Hollywood megastar has too many important things to focus on. However, Rhodes shared that he enjoyed ‘The Final Boss’ getting to know him during the build toward WrestleMania 40.
“…I enjoyed him figuring out who I was in real time as moments were happening. For example, coming down the steps with Seth Rollins, with him and Roman in the ring, I think it’s the first time he had ever heard the crowd do the whoa. I think he really took to what was going on,” said Rhodes.
What’s Next For Cody Rhodes & Dwayne Johnson?
The night after WrestleMania 40, Rhodes and Johnson had an in-ring segment on Monday Night Raw to tease a future matchup. ‘The Final Boss’ warned the champion that he was coming for his title in the future. Rhodes accepted the challenge and claimed he would hold the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship when he returned.
Rhodes is currently focused on defending his title against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash on May 4. The champion faces a tough matchup, and it will be the first time they will cross paths in the ring. WWE fans will unfortunately be forced to wait a little longer before they can get a dream match between Rhodes and ‘The Great One.’
The dates for WWE’s Money In The Bank and Backlash PPV events have reportedly now been decided.
PWInsider recently noted that Money In the Bank will take place on Sunday, May 16. Backlash is currently scheduled for Sunday, June 20.
Money In The Bank and Backlash will be the first two PPV events to take place from the WWE ThunderDome in Yuengling Center. This will be new ‘home ground’ for WWE after ‘Mania at Raymond James Stadium. The new ThunderDome will be housed on the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL.
WWE is expected to be at Yuengling Center until early August. It has not yet been confirmed if the company plans on having PPV events scattered around the country as everything begins to open up again following the year plus of lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
No other PPV events have been confirmed at the time of writing. SummerSlam is still expected to take place in August, but the venue has not as of yet been finalised.
The Viking Raiders faced the Street Profits in a fairly bizarre cinematic match at Backlash last night. The match played off the recent videos that have been airing on RAW pitting the two teams against each other in various competitions.
During their encounter last night, however, the two teams were forced to team up to take on a team of ninjas led by Akira Tozawa.
“The Viking Profits” managed to fend off Tozawa’s band of motorcycle-riding ninjas but then Tozawa motioned for someone to come forward. A ninja much larger than the rest then scared off both the Viking Raiders and the Street Profits.
The ‘giant ninja’ in question is WWE Performance Center trainee, Jordan Omogbehin. His height is listed at 7ft, 3 inches.
Jordan Omogbehin In WWE
Jordan Omogbehin is a former basketball player from the University of South Florida. He was born in Lagos, Nigeria in 1994. Omogbehin signed with WWE in the fall of 2018 and would make his in-ring debut the following year. He’s only wrestled in 6 matches for WWE, all on NXT live events.
Last November, Kevin Nash & Scott Hall commented on working with Omogbehin at the WWE Performance Center.
“And I saw this new kid they have down there, Jordan, big kid about 7’4’ about 440, just a monster, and I was there for his debut match,” Scott Hall said.
“I got to produce it. And it’s just that connection, you know how it is when you connect with a guy and when he doesn’t know anything and you teach him something.”
A new match has been announced for the upcoming WWE Backlash PPV.
During Friday’s episode of SmackDown on FOX, WWE confirmed that Sheamus would battle Jeff Hardy at this show. The two stars have been feuding for several weeks now to lead to this contest.
The two stars were part of the tournament to crown a new Intercontinental Champion but Hardy was removed when he was featured in a hit & run angle that also involved Elias while Sheamus lost in the semi-finals to Daniel Bryan. Both the segment and match took place last week on SmackDown.
WWE presents the Backlash pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 14, 2020 in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center that will air on the WWE Network. WWE will be announcing more matches for this show in the coming week. Here is the updated card:
Updated WWE Backlash Card
Edge vs. Randy Orton – Singles Match
WWE Champion Drew McIntyre vs. Bobby Lashley
WWE Universal Champion Braun Strowman vs. The Miz & John Morrison – Handicap Match
A new match has been announced for the upcoming WWE Backlash PPV and it’s Edge vs. Randy Orton.
Two weeks ago when WWE aired a video package hyping the returns of the WWE Hall of Famer and former WWE Champion for last week’s show, there was speculation as to whether this was a typo. It turns out that it wasn’t.
Instead, WWE is moving forward with their feud. Of course, Orton lost to Edge in a Last Man Standing Match at WrestleMania 36 last month. Many considered this to be the end of their feud that had started the night after Royal Rumble when Orton attacked Edge.
Last week’s show ended with Orton issuing a challenge to Edge to a wrestling match at Backlash. It ended with Edge not giving an answer and Charly Caruso stating that if it did happen it could be the greatest match of all-time.
Monday’s episode of RAW opened with Orton demanding an answer, which brought out Edge to accept the challenge and make the contest official.
WWE presents the Backlash pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 14, 2020 in Orlando, Florida at the WWE Performance Center that will air on the WWE Network.
We now know why two former WWE World Heavyweight Champions were backstage at the Backlash pay-per-view event.
On Sunday afternoon (May 6, 2018), a report surfaced online that stated WWE Hall of Famer Edge and Christian were spotted in Newark, New Jersey, which was the site of the Backlash PPV event.
This led to speculation that they could appear on the broadcast. As seen by watching the show that was not the case.
According to a report by Mike Johnson of PWinsider, the reason they were in town but didn’t appear on the broadcast of the show is to prepare for production of the second season of The Edge & Christian Show on the WWE Network, which is set to begin filming on May 25.
Do you plan on watching the second season of this show? Sound off in the comment section below.
People are still talking about Sunday’s (May 6, 2018) WWE Backlash pay-per-view event in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center on the WWE Network.
It was an interesting show that peaked with the opener that saw Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins successfully retain his title over The Miz in an entertaining bout.
The show had a controversial finish in the WWE Title Match between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura that saw the match end a double count out despite it being a No DQ Match.
Finally, the main event saw Roman Reigns beat Samoa Joe, which ended the three and half hour show.
Before the event went live, the match order leaked and revealed who was the producer of each match. You can see the order here: Tyson Kidd produced The Miz vs. Rollins for the Intercontinental Championship. Sarah Stock produced Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax for the RAW Women’s Title. Arn Anderson produced Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton for the United States Title. Scott Armstrong produced the Elias segment. Jamie Noble and Dean Malenko produced the match between Big Cass and Daniel Bryan. John Laurinaitis produced Charlotte Flair vs. Carmella for the Smackdown Women’s Title.
Jamie Noble produced AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Title Match. Mike Rotunda and D-Von Dudley produced Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Michael Hayes produced Reigns vs. Joe.
WWE Backlash 2018 took place on Sunday night from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. In the Kickoff Show, Bayley battled Ruby Riott. Before the match, Bayley asked Sasha Banks if she wanted to be in her corner tonight. Banks declined and was shown watching the match backstage. Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan accompanied Riott down to the ring. Ruby Riott wound up winning the match by hitting the Riott Kick after Bayley was distracted by Liv Morgan.
Seth Rollins Retained The Intercontinental Championship
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Seth Rollins defended the Intercontinental Championship against The Miz in the first match of WWE Backlash. The Miz started off the match in control and stomped on Rollins as the crowd booed. Miz bounced Seth’s head off the turnbuckle a couple of times, but Rollins battled back and connected with a Dropkick.
Rollins delivered a forearm to the face and sent Miz to the corner. Miz booted Seth in the face and Rollins crashed to the floor outside the ring. The Miz followed him out there and slammed his head off the announce table. Back in the ring, Miz bounced off the ropes and booted Rollins in the face for a two count. The Miz quickly applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring as the crowd cheered on Rollins.
Rollins broke the hold, but Miz knocked him back to the canvas with a boot to the midsection. Miz drove his knee into Seth’s back and applied the Chin Lock once again. Seth escaped and went for a kick, but Miz was ready and connected with a DDT for a two count. The Miz connected with a knee to the back of Rollins’ head while Seth’s neck was up against the second rope.
The Miz took a break to pose for the crowd, which allowed Rollins to regroup. Seth connected with a Facebuster to buy himself some more time. Rollins slowly got back to his feet and then slammed Miz’s face into the second turnbuckle. Rollins connected with a Slingblade and then Clotheslined Miz out of the ring. Seth followed it up with a Suicide Dive that sent Miz to the floor.
The action returned to the ring and Rollins planted Miz with a Blockbuster off the second rope for a two count. Rollins followed it up with a springboard Clothesline and then geared up in the corner. The Miz escaped out of the ring and tripped up Rollins on the apron. Back in the ring, The Miz went for a Crossbody but Seth caught him and slammed him to the canvas. Rollins climbed to the top rope and hit a Frog Splash for another two count.
Seth stomped on the mat a couple of times as the crowd chanted “burn it down!”. The Miz once again rolled out of the ring, but Seth chased him back to the inside. Rollins hit a Clothesline that sent Miz back out of the ring. Rollins went for another Suicide Dive, but The Miz was ready for it and connected with a forearm to the face.
The Miz went for a DDT on the apron, but Rollins blocked it and punched him in the face. Rollins went for the Revolution Knee, but The Miz dodged it and Seth’s knee slammed into the ring post. The Miz quickly locked in the Figure Four int he middle of the ring as Seth screamed in pain. Seth reversed the Figure Four and now it was The Miz in agony. The Miz once again reversed the hold, but Rollins was right next to the bottom rope and he grabbed it to break the hold.
Both Superstars traded haymakers in the middle of the ring. The Miz booted Seth in the knee and went for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Seth blocked it. Rollins connected with an Enziguri, but The Miz battled back and hit the Skull Crushing Finale for a two count. Miz decked Rollins with a Clothesline in the corner and started climbing up the turnbuckle.
Seth got back up and connected with a forearm to the face. The Miz booted Rollins in his injured knee, but Seth shrugged it off and hit a Superplex. Seth went for a Falcon Arrow but his knee gave out. Miz capitalized and planted Rollins with a second Skull Crushing Finale for another two count.
The Miz perched Rollins up on the top rope and punched him in the face. Miz set up for a Skull Crushing Finale, but Rollins fought out of it and Miz crashed to the canvas. Seth went for the Curb Stomp off the second rope, but Miz dodged it. Rollins then escaped a roll-up attempt from The Miz and connected with the Curb Stomp for the pinfall victory. Seth Rollins is still the Intercontinental Championship.
Opinion: Seth Rollins and The Miz put on an excellent match to start off WWE Backlash 2018. I honestly didn’t expect much from this match, but it completely delivered and it will be difficult for any other match to top this one tonight.
Nia Jax Was Booed After Retaining The RAW Women’s Championship
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter
Nia Jax defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss at WWE Backlash 2018. Bliss connected with a Dropkick to Nia’s knee to start off the match. Bliss went for a Sleeper Hold, but Nia quickly threw her to the canvas. Nia blocked a punch and started bending Alexa’s hand back. Nia connected with a couple of Splashes in the corner and then threw Bliss out of the ring.
Bliss connected with another low Dropkick and then followed it up with a boot to the face for a one count. Bliss stomped on Nia’s back and then her head a couple of times. Alexa shouted that Nia was a bully before slamming her face-first into the ring apron. Bliss slapped Nia in the face and continued to taunt her.
Nia got fired up and decked Bliss with a Clothesline. Nia went for a rolling Senton, but Bliss got out of the way and Nia crashed to the canvas. Bliss slammed Nia’s face into the mat and slapped her in the face again. Alexa kneed Jax in the face and unloaded a couple of forearms.
Jax caught Alexa’s Crossbody attempt and lifted her onto her shoulders. Bliss wiggled free and tried to lock in a Sleeper Hold. Bliss eventually applied the hold for a moment but Nia broke it up by slamming her into the turnbuckle. Nia then grabbed Alexa by the arms and whipped her across the ring from off the second rope.
Nia threw Bliss across the ring several times and then hit a Splash in the corner. Jax climbed up to the second rope, but Alexa got up and shoved Jax out of the ring. Nia hit the ring apron and crashed to the floor outside. Bliss slammed Jax’s face off the steel steps as the referee started counting. Alexa got back in the ring to make the referee start his count over.
Bliss finally got Nia back in the ring and wet for the cover but Nia kicked out at two. Alexa threw a temper tantrum and started slamming on the mat. Bliss went for a Crossbody, but Nia caught her and lifted her back onto her shoulders. Jax climbed up to the second turnbuckle but Alexa escaped again. Bliss kicked Nia in her hamstring and Nia tumbled to the mat.
Alexa climbed to the top rope and went for Twisted Bliss. Nia caught her and planted her with the Samoan Drop for the pinfall victory. Nia Jax is still the RAW Women’s Champion. After the match, Nia Jax dedicated the victory to anyone that has been bullied. The crowd didn’t seem to enjoy the match or the promo and Nia received some boos.
Opinion: Nia Jax & Alexa Bliss’ match at WM 34 was subpar and tonight’s wasn’t any better. Adult wrestling fans are going to reject Nia Jax cutting constant promos about looking different and overcoming bullies. The crowd would tolerate it and the negativity would go away if Nia was delivering great matches in the ring. Unfortunately, she is not doing that and her matches are consistently boring.
So, you have a women’s champion that is not delivering in the ring and then cutting promos that a majority of the live audience doesn’t want to here when they are trying to enjoy a wrestling show. I don’t see how this will ever work.
Jeff Hardy Is Still United States Champion
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter
Jeff Hardy defended the United States Championship against Randy Orton tonight at WWE Backlash. Orton started off the match in control as the crowd chanted “Brother Nero!”. Hardy battled back and knocked Orton out of the ring.
Back in the ring, Orton took back control and hung Hardy upside down in the corner. Randy unloaded a couple of stomps and Hardy fell to the floor. Orton connected with an uppercut that knocked Jeff out of the ring again. Orton rolled out of the ring and Hardy leaped off the steel steps and connected with a knee to the face.
Jeff bounced Orton’s face off the steel steps and then rolled him back into the ring. Orton got right up and connected with a Dropkick that knocked Jeff off the ring apron and back to the floor outside the ring. Orton slammed Jeff’s back into the top of the barricade three times and then brought Jeff back into the ring.
Orton applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. The crowd got bored and started chanting “Rusev Day!” Jeff broke the hold and connected with an inverted Atomic Drop. Hardy followed it up with a Dropkick for a two count. Hardy hit Whisper in the Wind off the top rope for another two count.
Hardy blocked an RKO, but Orton was able to hit a Powerslam for a two count. Hardy tried to boot Orton in the chest, but Randy got out of the way and Jeff crashed to the canvas. Orton draped Jeff across the middle rope and planted him with a DDT. Orton geared up for the RKO and started slamming on the canvas. Hardy countered into a roll-up and followed it up with a Twist of Fate. Hardy quickly scaled the turnbuckle and hit the Swanton Bomb for the pinfall victory. Jeff Hardy is still the United States Champion.
Elias came down to the ring with his guitar and told the crowd to hold their applause. The crowd instantly started to cheer and Elias said that he was not going to perform tonight. The crowd loudly cheered and then transitioned into a “yes!” chant. Elias threatened to leave, but ultimately sat back down.
New Day interrupted and came down to the entrance ramp with a trombone, a drum and a cymbal. New Day stated that they wanted to walk with Elias and then started dancing on the entrance ramp. Elias said that he was a solo act, but New Day started playing their instruments anyway.
Elias told them to stop playing and then tried to start his performance again. Aiden English interrupted and started rapping. English announced that it was Rusev Day and Rusev’s theme hit. Rusev posed on the entrance ramp before Elias shouted “cut the music!”. The crowd chanted “Rusev Day!” as the two walked down the entrance ramp.
Rusev said that there is only one person here that celebrated a holiday in his honor. Elias got pissed off and once again asked JoJo to introduce him. Elias strummed his guitar and was interrupted again by No Way Jose. No Way Jose danced down the entrance ramp and he was followed by Titus Worldwide and Breezango. The conga line danced around the ring until Elias shouted at them to stop.
Elias once again asked JoJo to do his introduction again and the lights dimmed in the arena. Bobby Roode’s music hit and Roode showed up in the ring behind Elias. Roode planted Elias with with the Glorious DDT and then posed in the ring. Everyone then danced on the entrance ramp as the segment concluded.
Big Cass battled Daniel Bryan tonight at WWE Backlash 2018. Bryan circled Cass to start off the match and connected with a series of kicks to Cass’ knee. Cass got pissed off and connected with a right hand to the face. Bryan knocked Big Cass of out of the ring and connected with a flying knee off the ring apron.
Back in the ring, Bryan connected with a Dropkick off the top rope. Daniel followed it up with a few Yes Kicks in the center of the ring. Big Cass lifted Bryan up over his head and slammed him to the canvas. Cass raised his fist and then posed in the ring as the crowd booed.
Big Cass delivered a chop across Bryan’s chest that echoed throughout the arena. Cass followed it up with a Body Slam and an Elbow Drop for a two count. Cass once again posed in the ring and it cost him as Bryan slammed his face into the second turnbuckle. Bryan unloaded some more Yes Kicks in the corner and followed it up with a Dropkick.
Bryan went for a knee to the face, but Cass lifted him above his head and dropped him to the mat. Cass then connected with a massive Clothesline for a two count. Cass walked over Bryan and decked him with another Clothesline. Cass raised his fist in the air once again before hitting a third Clothesline.
Big Cass continued to take his time and taunt Bryan before hitting another Clothesline that sent Bryan spinning to the canvas. Cass missed with a big boot and Bryan connected with a kick to the side of the head. Bryan applied the Yes Lock in the middle of the ring and Cass quickly tapped out.
After the match, Big Cass attacked Daniel Bryan as he was celebrating in the corner. The crowd chanted “you tapped out!” and Cass got pissed off. Cass hit Bryan with a big boot as Corey Graves called Cass an “insecure piece of garbage”. Cass raised his fist in the air and posed over Bryan. Big Cass exited the ring as the crowd chanted “a**hole!”.
Opinion: In the end, I guess this match accomplished what it set out to do. The crowd now hates Big Cass even more after his attack on Bryan following the match tonight. The match itself absolutely sucked. This was just a basic match that could have happened on SmackDown. The entire show has been on a steady decline following the IC Title match that kicked off the PPV.
Carmella Defeated Charlotte To Remain SmackDown Women’s Champion
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter
Carmella defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair tonight at WWE Backlash. Carmella strutted across the ring to start off the match and then turned around into a boot to the face from Charlotte. Carmella rolled out of the ring as Charlotte waited for in the ring.
Carmella asked for her title and shouted that she doesn’t need this. Charlotte stopped Carmella from running away and then chased her around the ring. Charlotte caught Carmella by the hair and slammed her to the floor. Flair brought Carmella back into the ring for a roll-up attempt.
Charlotte dragged Carmella across the ring as Carmella screamed. Carmella rolled out of the ring and once again Charlotte went after her. Carmella connected with a Superkick and then brought Charlotte into the ring. Carmella went for the cover but Charlotte kicked out at two. Carmella applied a Chin Lock and taunted her while maintaining the hold.
Charlotte eventually broke free, but Carmella connected with another kick to the face for a two count. Carmella once again applied the Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Charlotte broke free, but Carmella dragged her back to the canvas by her hair. Charlotte battled back with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Backbreaker.
Flair connected with a couple chops that knocked Carmella to the mat. Charlotte connected with a knee to the face and then missed with a boot on the apron. Carmella grabbed Charlotte’s hair and slammed her on the ring apron. Carmella continued to taunt Charlotte by smacking her in the face in the corner. Carmella hit a couple stomps and then moonwalked across the ring.
Charlotte exploded out of the corner and connected with a Spear. Carmella locked in the Code of Silence in the middle of the ring. Charlotte broke free and connected with a boot to the face. Charlotte missed with a Moonsault and tweaked her knee. Carmella then booted Charlotte in the knee and rolled her up for the pinfall victory. Carmella is still the SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Opinion: The crowd was dead for this match. The only thing you could hear was Carmella screaming every 10 seconds. There wasn’t anything entertaining about this match at all.
Nakamura vs. Styles Ended In A Double Low Blow
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter
AJ Styles defended the WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura in a No Disqualifications match tonight at WWE Backlash. Nakamura immediately rolled out of the ring when the bell rang.
AJ chased after him and Shinsuke retreated back inside the ring. Nakamura posed in the ring and told Styles to “come on!”. Nakamura went for a knee while AJ was trying to get back into the ring. AJ was ready for it and dragged Nakamura to the outside. Styles slammed Shinsuke into the barricade a couple of times before bouncing his head off the announce table.
The action returned to the ring with Styles in control. AJ slammed Nakamura into the turnbuckle and then booted him in the back of the head. Styles connected with a Suplex for a two count. AJ followed it up with a Backbreaker and shouted that this was his house to the crowd.
Nakamura jabbed AJ in the throat, but then ran into a Dropkick from Styles. AJ brought Shinsuke back outside and launched him into the barricade. AJ hit a Splash on Nakamura while he was leaning up against the barricade. AJ went for another one, but Nakamura got out of the way and Styles crashed into the barricade.
Shinsuke launched AJ into the steel steps beside the ring. Nakamura followed it up with a knee to the face while AJ was draped across the ring apron. Shinsuke leaped off the steps and dropped another knee on AJ’s head. Nakamura went for a cover in the ring but AJ kicked out.
Nakamura beatdown AJ in the corner with a series of kicks. Shinsuke shoved his boot in Styles’ face in the corner and then smiled as Styles fell to the canvas. Nakamura dropped another knee on his head for a two count. Shinsuke booted AJ in the face and Styles collapsed to the mat.
Shinsuke connected with a Back Body Drop and then casually put his boot on Styles’ chest for a two count. Nakamura went back to the knees to the face and then applied a Guillotine as the crowd chanted that they wanted tables. AJ broke free but Nakamura connected with a running kick that knocked Styles out of the ring.
Styles battled back with a forearm to the face. AJ hopped up on the barricade, but Nakamura booted his legs out from under him and Styles crashed to the floor. Back in the ring, Nakamura locked in another choke hold. AJ escaped and connected with a right hand. Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Shinsuke caught him and kneed him in the ribs.
Nakamura connected with a knee to the face off the top rope for a two count. Nakamura followed it up with the Landslide and went for the cover but AJ kicked out. Nakamura stomped on AJ on the ring apron a few times and then got out of the ring. Shinsuke grabbed a steel chair and grinned as he walked towards Styles.
Styles knocked the chair out of Nakamura’s hands and connected with a punch to the face. Nakamura quickly battled back with a reverse Exploder Suplex onto the chair for a two count. Nakamura went for the Kinshasa, but AJ grabbed the chair and launched it into Shinsuke’s knee. The chair bounced off Nakamura and hit Styles in the face. AJ’s face started bleeding as Nakamura connected with a kick to the face.
AJ locked in the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring. Nakamura reversed into a Triangle, but Styles escaped. AJ connected with a forearm to the face that knocked Nakamura out of the ring. Nakamura got back into the ring, but Styles was ready and connected with another forearm. Styles followed it up with a Neckbreaker for a two count.
AJ hit the Pele Kick and then went for the Styles Clash. Nakamura escaped and connected with a low blow. Styles then retaliated with a low blow to Nakamura as the crowd chanted “yes!”.
AJ and Shinsuke traded punches in the middle of the ring. Styles and Nakamura then connected with kicks to the groin at the same time and both collapsed to the canvas. Neither Superstar was able to get up before the referee counted to 10.
Opinion: I was instantly taken out of this match due to it’s placement on the card. A singles match between Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe is more important than the WWE Championship? The match felt insignificant before it even started. Again, this is an ending to a match on SmackDown, not a PPV. WWE has once again put on a disappointing match between Nakamura and Styles. This feud is personal. It had already been established. I didn’t need to see tonight’s finish to understand that.
Lashley & Strowman Dominated
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter
Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman faced Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens tonight at WWE Backlash. Lashley and Zayn started off the match. Lashley controlled the match early and leveled Sami with a shoulder tackle.
Zayn tagged out and said that he had vertigo again. Lashley kicked Owens’ ass for a minute and then planted him with a Neckbreaker. Zayn tagged in and got decked by a Clothesline. Sami rolled out of the ring and Lashley eventually followed him. Bobby launched Sami into the barricade and then Zayn retreated back into the ring.
Owens tagged in and connected with a Senton to Lashley outside the ring. Back in the ring, Sami tagged in and continued to beatdown Lashley. Bobby battled back and slammed Sami face-first to the mat. Owens tagged in and prevented Lashley from tagging in Strowman.
Owens went for another Senton, but Lashley was able to get his knees up this time and finally tagged in Strowman. Braun hit a couple of Clotheslines and then a Splash to Owens in the corner. Strowman chased Sami around the ring and leveled Owens with a shoulder tackle during the chase.
Braun launched Sami into the barricade and then leveled Owens with a Clothesline. Strowman charged at Owens, but Kevin dodged it and Braun crashed into the ring post. Sami went for a Helluva Kick but Strowman caught him. Sami ran out of the ring and told Kevin Owens to join him. Owens demanded that they stay and fight.
Sami agreed and rolled Owens into the ring. Strowman decked him with a Clothesline and then Owens rolled out of the ring. Kevin threw Sami into the ring and then the two started battling on the ring apron. Sami slapped Owens in the face and then rolled out of the ring. Lashley tagged in and planted Owens with a Spinebuster. Lashley lifted Owens up for the Suplex and then finally dropped him for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Strowman planted Owens with a Running Powerslam as Zayn looked on from outside the ring. Strowman then caught Zayn outside the ring and threw him back into the ring. Braun planted Zayn with the Running Powerslam and posed for the crowd.
Opinion: This was just garbage. It was another match that would have bored everyone to tears during an episode of RAW. Owens & Zayn are now a comedy act and Bobby Lashley is still a total bore. There has been so much useless crap on tonight’s show and for some reason the main event is starting after 11 PM EST.
Roman Reigns Defeated Samoa Joe To Close The Show
Samoa Joe attacked Roman Reigns before the main event started. Joe slammed Roman into the barricade and then connected with a Uranage through the announce table. Joe then launched Roman over both remaining announce tables before rolling into the ring. The crowd chanted “Joe!” as he continued to beatdown Reigns. Joe rolled Roman back into the ring and the match officially started.
Joe beatdown Reigns in the corner with a bunch of jabs to the face. The crowd chanted “Joe!” after every punch to Roman’s head. Joe chopped Reigns in the back and dropped a knee on his midsection for a two count. Samoa Joe slowed things down and twisted Reigns’ neck.
The crowd got bored and chanted “CM Punk!” as Joe maintained the hold for what felt like an eternity. Reigns bent back Joe’s fingers and broke the hold. Joe sent Reigns to corner and connected with a boot to head for a two count. Joe knocked Reigns out of the ring and hit an awesome flying forearm.
Joe brought Reigns back into the ring and applied another submission hold as the crowd got restless. The crowd chanted “this is boring!” as Joe taunted Reigns while maintaining the hold. Reigns finally escaped and the two Superstars traded punches. Roman connected with a big boot that knocked Joe out of the ring.
Reigns hit Joe with the Drive By while he was leaning on the ring apron. The action returned to the ring and Joe took back control. Joe hit a big boot and followed it up with a Senton for a two count. Reigns battled back and planted Joe with a Spine buster for a two count. Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch, but Reigns quickly escaped and shoved Joe into the bottom rope. Reigns went for another Drive By but Joe caught him and went for the Coquina Clutch again.
Roman escaped and connected with a Superman Punch for a two count. The crowd chanted “Rusev Day!” as Roman geared up for the Spear. Joe countered the Spear with a kick to the face. Roman then hit the Spear and went for the cover but Joe got his foot on the bottom rope to break up the pinfall at two.
Reigns went for another Spear but Joe caught him with a knee. Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch, but Reigns countered into a cover for two. Joe once again locked in the Coquina Clutch and wrapped his legs around Roman Reigns in the middle of the ring. Reigns’ eyes rolled back in his head for a moment, but Roman was able to get to the bottom rope to break the hold.
Samoa Joe brought Reigns to the corner and perched him up on the top turnbuckle. Reigns fought him off and leaped over him. Roman then hit a Spear for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: Simply saying this show was terrible doesn’t do it justice. The show was a disaster besides the opening match. The “main event” was a singles match with no stakes behind it. A PPV just closed with Roman Reigns winning a match to “get back on track”. Meanwhile, the majority of the crowd didn’t give a damn about the match and there was even a brief chant of “beat the traffic”.
This has escalated into absurdity that WWE continues to make Roman Reigns the center of the show. Tonight didn’t do Roman Reigns any favors, it made him even more intolerable to those that are sick of him. There was no logical reason for Samoa Joe versus Roman Reigns to main event a show that featured the WWE Championship being defended. There was no logical reason for this throwaway PPV to last three and a half hours. WWE put on an incredibly boring show that culminated in a Roman Reigns match that had nothing on the line. I don’t understand how anyone could have enjoyed this show. It was shockingly bad. I wasn’t expecting a good show and was still blown away by how terrible it was.
What did you think of WWE Backlash 2018? Let us know in the comments.
WWE fans should expect to see two former WWE World Heavyweight Champions appear at the Backlash pay-per-view event.
Pwinsider.com is reporting that WWE Hall of Famer Edge and Christian have been spotted in Newark, New Jersey, which is the site of tonight’s Backlash PPV event.
They were last seen on WWE programming when they inducted The Dudley Boyz into the 2018 class of the WWE Hall of Fame last month during WrestleMania 34 weekend.
There is speculation that they will be appearing at the event to promote the second season of their WWE Network series.
It always possible that they will be just filming stuff backstage for The Edge and Christian Show.
What are your thoughts on about these stars appearing at the show? Sound off in the comments section below.
The weekend is here and with it comes the latest joint-brand pay-per-view offering from WWE, as the company presents their WWE Backlash 2018 show from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey this Sunday, May 6th.
WWE Backlash 2018 will be the 14th event in the Backlash chronology, and the first Backlash since 2009 to feature both brands. The show will be headlined by a WWE Championship bout, with A.J. Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura squaring off for the third straight pay-per-view.
Also featured on Sunday’s card is a WWE Intercontinental Championship bout, with Seth Rollins defending against The Miz. The WWE United States Championship will be up for grabs in a singles match between Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton, and both the RAW and SmackDown Live Women’s Championships will be on-the-line, as Nia Jax defends against Alexa Bliss and Carmella defends against Charlotte Flair in one-on-one showdowns.
Ahead of Sunday’s PPV, a few of our top staff members have come together for a new ’roundtable predictions’ feature we’ll be doing for big shows moving forward. For this installment, Brad Davis, Ian Carey and Andy Ravens give their expert analysis and predictions for WWE Backlash 2018.
As always, hit up the Comments section of this article and share your own predictions.
WWE Backlash 2018 Card
Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass
Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe
Carmella (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (SD! Live Women’s Title)
Nia Jax (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (RAW Women’s Title)
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Randy Orton (WWE U.S. Title)
Seth Rollins (c) vs. The Miz (WWE I-C Title)
A.J. Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (WWE Title)
WWE BACKLASH 2018 STAFF PREDICTIONS
Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
Brad Davis: Lashley and Strowman are two men you probably would never want to be standing across the ring from. Zayn and Owens are great wrestlers and all, but it’s hard to see how they can topple these two giants. Strowman has been on a rampage and that’s not ending any time soon. Lashley has been back only a matter of weeks. I pick Lashley and Strowman here. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman)
Ian Carey: It’s too soon after his return to pin Lashley and it’s too soon after his GRR win to pin Strowman. With that being said, there might be an outside chance of Lashley turning heel here and leading into a feud with Strowman. All the same though, it’s more likely Lashley and Strowman squash the Amazing French Canadians here. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman)
Andy Ravens: In my opinion, this one is an easy pick, which is Lashley and Strowman going over. Although Owens and Zayn need a win, I can’t see Vince McMahon wanting to have Strowman suffer a loss at this stage of his career due to the way that the WWE has been pushing him on TV. Plus, you have Lashley, who hasn’t lost since coming back to the company. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman)
CONSENSUS: Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman (3-0)
Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass
Brad: Big Cass has been attacking Daniel Bryan and eliminated him from the Greatest Royal Rumble. Will Daniel Brynan get his revenge? Not a chance. If WWE’s previous booking of Daniel Bryan is any indication, he’ll get dragged through the mud and beat down a lot more before he gets his shine. Big Cass gets the win. (Prediction: Big Cass)
Ian: Now that Bryan has been medically cleared, fans will finally get to see the Daniel Bryan vs Big Cass dream match they’ve always wanted…wait, what? Not sure why Big Cass was put up against Bryan here. Both are returning from long sabbaticals (Bryan’s longer than Cass’) and could use a win. I’m going to pick the underdog to score a huge upset win here. I think Big Cass defeats Bryan after a run-in by the Miz. This might make some fans say, “you think they are going to beat Bryan in his first big single’s match back?”. Well, yes, yes I do. (Prediction: Big Cass)
Andy: WWE fans need to understand that this idea of Bryan being pushed as a top guy right out of the gate since being medically cleared is not realistic. Vince sees Cass as a big star and most likely thinks that having Cass get a big win over Bryan in their first match would get him even more heat as a heel with the hardcore fans by beating their favorite star. Cass wins the match. (Prediction: Big Cass)
CONSENSUS: Big Cass (3-0)
Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe
Brad: Poor Roman. After having the rug swiped out from under him at WrestleMania and the Greatest Royal Rumble, it’s pretty clear WWE has soured on Roman as “the guy.” To continue pushing him as a top babyface – at the expense of Samoa Joe, would be a big mistake. Joe gets the win. (Prediction: Samoa Joe)
Ian: It seems unlikely WWE would have Roman lose again here. On the other hand, it seemed unlikely Roman would lose at WM and GRR but that’s what happened. Still, safe money says Roman wins here. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Andy: Is there any doubt in anyone’s mind about the winner of this match? Reigns has been on a losing streak in big matches as of late (obviously both to Brock Lesnar). Joe is on SmackDown Live now and with this being a one-off match and the plans looking like Vince is still going to push Reigns as the top guy going forward despite backlash from fans, Reigns goes over. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
CONSENSUS: Roman Reigns (2-1)
WWE SmackDown Live Women’s Championship Carmella (c) vs. Charlotte Flair
Brad: Charlotte is the far superior wrestler, which is why a win by Carmella will go a long way in establishing the SmackDown Women’s champion as a legitimate threat. For that reason alone, I have Carmella getting the victory in controversial fashion. (Prediction: Carmella)
Ian: Unfortunately for Carmella, I think Flair ends her reign with the title on Sunday. I just can’t see them giving Carmella the win over Flair without a great deal of interference. It’s possible the Iiconics get involved and cost Flair the match but I think its more likely Flair wins back the title. (Prediction: Charlotte Flair)
Andy: Although I could see either star win the match, you could make the argument that it’s way too soon to take the title off of Carmella considering that she recently won it and I would agree. Flair can be champion any time that the company believes she needs to be, but Carmella at least has one more month with the strap. Carmella retains. (Prediction: Carmella)
CONSENSUS: Carmella (2-1)
WWE RAW Women’s Championship Nia Jax (c) vs. Alexa Bliss
Brad: I’m enjoying this feud, which says a lot, since I’m really not a big fan of women’s wrestling. Nia Jax has come a long way and Alexa Bliss is one of the best characters in WWE. Like Carmella, Nia just got the belt and is she’s still being established as a credible champion. For that reason, Nia keeps the gold. (Prediction: Nia Jax)
Ian: I suspect Jax is going to hold the title along time, possibly until she turns heel and Ronda takes it off her. It’s possible she squashes Bliss here. (Prediction: Nia Jax)
Andy: Bliss had a good run with the title, but WWE is behind Jax right now, especially since she just won the title at WrestleMania. I see this match being very similar to their contest at WrestleMania 34 with the same outcome. Jax retains. (Prediction: Nia Jax)
CONSENSUS: Nia Jax (3-0)
WWE United States Championship Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Randy Orton
Brad: Two WWE veterans. Former world champions, both over with the crowd. And I really couldn’t care less about either of them at this point. Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton are Hall of Fame bound workers, but without much of a program to speak of, this one is as “filler” as it gets. Hardy retains. (Prediction: Jeff Hardy)
Ian: This is a tough one. Beating Jeff Hardy so soon after his return seems like a poor idea but Randy Orton is not a guy the company has lose too often. The wildcard factor here is Shelton Benjamin, who has been involved in this angle on Smackdown. I’m betting Benjamin gets involved, somehow costs Orton the match and allows Hardy to retain. (Prediction: Jeff Hardy)
Andy: Hardy being pushed as a singles star has been refreshing but what excites me, even more, is the potential heel turn from Orton, which was teased this past week on SmackDown Live. I see Hardy retaining the title in this match but with Orton turning heel either right after the match or the next episode of SmackDown to continue this feud. (Prediction: Jeff Hardy)
CONSENSUS: Jeff Hardy (3-0)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (c) vs. The Miz
Brad: Seth Rollins has been killing it as Intercontinental Champion. The Miz has also been doing some of the best work of his career, but I just don’t see him getting the IC title back any time soon. Rollin burns it down and continues his hot streak. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)
Ian: One thought is that the Miz will win the title so he can break Pedro Morales’ record in a few weeks. For that to happen, however, Miz would have to bring the IC title to Smackdown. The United States title is already on Smackdown and only Smackdown wrestlers will be competing for it at Backlash, however. If you go by the reasoning that the two mid-card titles have to be on sepearate brands, then Rollins should win this match. That might be want WWE wants us to think, however. This match all comes down to whether or not the Miz vs Daniel Bryan feud will involve the IC title. I’m voting that it will not and Seth Rollins retains the title here. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)
Andy: Both superstars are on separate brands, and with the chances of the United States Title not going to Raw, it makes no sense for The Miz to win the title and have two mid-card titles on the blue brand. Rollins goes over and retains in an entertaining match. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)
CONSENSUS: Seth Rollins (3-0)
WWE Championship A.J. Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Brad: After coming up short at WrestleMania and Greatest Royal Rumble, I think this is where Nakamura captures the gold. Styles has been a strong champion and I have no doubt that he’ll be in the main event picture for years to come. Nakamura finally has some direction as a nut-cracking heel and I’m curious to see what he can do as WWE Champion. Nakamura makes history and wins the WWE Championship. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
Ian: I think Nakamura finally takes the title here. If not, it will be his 3rd unsuccessful title shot in a row against AJ and 5th total. Let us not forget he also dropped WWE Championship matches to Jinder Mahal at SummerSlam 2017 and then again at Hell in a Cell 2017. He’s 0-4 in WWE Championship matches but something tells me he’ll end the skid on Sunday. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
Andy: Styles and Nakamura have wrestled each other twice within the last month, and if WWE plans to keep this feud going for at least another month, they need to have a title change. I see Nakamura winning his first WWE Title as a result of this thinking, and we will get a fourth Styles vs. Nakamura match come June. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)
CONSENSUS: Shinsuke Nakamura (3-0)
What do you think of our WWE Backlash 2018 predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section.
The final match has been announced for this Sunday’s WWE Backlash.
The sports entertainment company has announced that Ruby Riott would take on former WWE RAW Women’s Champion Bayley in a singles match on the Backlash Pre-show.
Backlash is slated to have a one-hour Kickoff Show and three-hour pay-per-view event on the WWE Network in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center. There is also scheduled to be a 30-minute post-show.
Tag Team Match: Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
Pre-Show Match: Bayley vs. Ruby Riot
As a reminder, we have already posted our WWE Backlash Staff Predictions. Also, make sure to join us for our WWE Backlash Live Results & Discussion on Sunday night.
Do you plan on watching this event? Sound off in the comment section below.
There has been a big shift in betting odds for the WWE Backlash pay-per-view event.
Earlier this week, the odds called for no title changes, but on Friday (May 4) that all changed. Now, odds call for Shinsuke Nakamura to win the WWE Title from AJ Styles in what will likely serve as the main event.
Also, in the SmackDown Women’s Title Match, both champion Carmella and challenger Charlotte Flair are placed at -120.
The Backlash pay-per-view event takes place on May 6, 2018, in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center and will air on the WWE Network and some traditional pay-per-view outlets. Both Raw and SmackDown brands will be featured. Here are the betting odds:
WWE Championship – No Disqualification: AJ Styles (c) +160 vs. Shinsuke Nakamura -210 WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship: Carmella (c) -120 vs. Charlotte Flair -120 WWE Intercontinental Championship: Seth Rollins (c) -600 vs The Miz +400 Raw Women’s Championship: Nia Jax (c) -750 vs. Alexa Bliss+450 Roman Reigns -600 vs. Samoa Joe +400 Daniel Bryan -280 vs. Big Cass +200
What are your thoughts on these betting odds? Sound off in the comment section below.
The early betting odds for the WWE Backlash pay-per-view event have been released.
It should be noted that these odds call for no title changes. Also, the odds for the United States Title Match between Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy have not been released.
The Backlash pay-per-view event takes place on May 6, 2018, in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center and will air on the WWE Network and some traditional pay-per-view outlets. Both Raw and SmackDown brands will be featured.
Here are the betting odds:
WWE Title No DQ Match: Shinsuke Nakamura +150 vs. AJ Styles -180 Singles Match: Daniel Bryan -250 vs. Big Cass +210 WWE SmackDown Women’s Title Match: Charlotte Flair -150 vs. Carmella +130 WWE RAW Women’s Title Match: Alexa Bliss +300 vs. Nia Jax -350 Singles Match: Roman Reigns -250 vs. Samoa Joe +210 WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Seth Rollins -210 vs. The Miz +180 Tag Team Match: Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley -350 vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn +300
Do you plan on watching this event? Sound off in the comment section below.
The Chicago crowd sang along as Shinsuke Nakamura made his way to the ring. Nakamura went for a kick to start off the match but Ziggler was able to get out of the way. The crowd chanted “Nakamura!” as the two Superstars circled each other in the ring. Ziggler rolled Nakamura up for a two count and then locked in an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring.
Nakamura battled to his feet and reversed the hold but Ziggler made it to the ropes to break the hold. Nakamura dared Ziggler to charge at him and Dolph obliged. Nakamura kneed Ziggler in the chest and knocked him to the mat. Shinsuke then shoved his boot in Ziggler’s face and Dolph rolled out of the ring. Nakamura followed him out there and clubbed him across the back.
The action returned to the ring and Ziggler hit a Neckbreaker while Nakamura was hung up on the ropes. Ziggler took control of the bout and applied a Chin Lock in the center of the ring. Dueling “lets go Ziggler!” and “Ziggler sucks!” chants broke out in the crowd as Nakamura broke the hold. Ziggler connected with a big time Dropkick for a two count.
Ziggler hit an elbow to Shinsuke’s chest for a two count. Dolph then taunted Nakamura and shoved him to the mat. Ziggler referred to Nakamura as “boy” and headbutted him in the face. Nakamura connected with a kick to Dolph’s face and both Superstars fell to the mat. Nakamura connected with a series of kicks and then launched Ziggler into the turnbuckle. Shinsuke hung Ziggler up on the top rope and then kneed him in the midsection for a two count.
Dolph elbowed Shinsuke in the face and went for a roll up but Nakamura kicked out at two. Shinsuke quickly applied a Triangle submission but Ziggler’s foot was on the ropes and the hold was broken. Dolph planted Shinsuke with a massive DDT for a two count. The crowd once again chanted “Nakamura!” as the two Superstars got back up to their feet. Nakamura went for the Kinshasa but Ziggler avoided and hit the Fameasser for a two count.
Ziggler was first to his feet and posed for the crowd. Dolph had a massive grin on his face as he stomped his feet on the mat. Dolph went for the Superkick but Shinsuke blocked it. Ziggler then hit the Zig Zag but Nakamura powered out at two. Nakamura connected with a kick to the back of Ziggler’s neck. Shinsuke went for a Suplex but Ziggler landed on his feet and connected with a Superkick to the back of Nakamura’s head for a two count.
Dolph elbowed Nakamura in the back of the head and kicked him the chest. Nakamura got back to his feet but Dolph spit directly in his face. Ziggler went to sweep out Nakamura’s legs but Shinsuke caught him and kneed him in the midsection several times. Ziggler was leaning on the bottom rope and Nakamura hit a knee to his face on the ring apron.
Shinsuke climbed to the second rope and went for a Kinshasa but Ziggler avoided it. Ziggler went for another Superkick but Nakamura was ready for it and planted him with an Exploder Suplex. Nakamura then geared up in the corner and connected with a Kinshasa for the victory.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Reaction: I thought this match was solid but I was expecting more. It was still an entertaining match, but I was hoping for something special. The match started off much slower than I anticipated, but the last few minutes were great. Shinsuke Nakamura is a rare talent and is already incredibly over with the WWE Universe. Hopefully, WWE has big things planned for Nakamura in the near future. I wouldn’t mind seeing Ziggler and Nakamura have another match because I think that it would turn out much better than this one.
Tyler Breeze came down to the ring in his janitor costume from “Fashion Files”. Fandango controlled the match early and danced around in the ring as Tyler Breeze mopped the ring apron. Breeze was then tagged in and started mopping the ring. The crowd chanted “mop!” as Breeze shoved it in Jey Uso’s face. Jimmy then connected with a right hand and knocked Breeze to the mat. The crowd then booed as Jey broke the mop and threw it out of the ring.
Jey climbed up to the top turnbuckle and Breeze rolled out of harms way. Jey hopped down and climbed to top of the other turnbuckle and Breeze rolled away again. This continued a few more times until Jey finally gave up. Breeze then connected with a kick to Jey’s head for a two count. Fandango was tagged in. Jey Uso was then also tagged in and Tyler Breeze changed his costume into an old lady with a cane.
Old Lady Breeze was then tagged in and the crowd chanted “lets go grandma!”. Breeze connected with a Dropkick to both members of The Usos. Grandma Breeze then hit the Bronco Buster on Jey Uso. Jey Uso then hit Breeze with a Dropkick of his own and launched Breeze’s wig into the crowd. Jimmy Uso got back into the match and continued the beatdown on Tyler Breeze. Jey Uso then threw Breeze’s dress out of the ring and it landed on JBL’s head.
Fandango was tagged in and he connected with a kick for a two count. Fandango followed it up by hitting a DDT for a two count. Tyler Breeze was tagged and Jey Uso accidentally Superkicked Jimmy Uso in the face. Breeze tried to flip onto both of The Usos outside the ring but was caught and thrown over the barricade. Fandango then flipped onto both of The Usos outside the ring. Fandango climbed to the top rope but was Superkicked in the face. The Usos then pinned Fandango to retain their titles.
Winners & Still Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Usos
Reaction: I have no idea what I just watched. First of all, the costumes were entertaining but it instantly turned the match into a joke. Half the time I had no idea which member of The Usos was in the ring. The entire match was chaos and I couldn’t help but be entertained by it. Having said that, I would have preferred an actual wrestling match for the titles. However, I’m not going to complain too much about JBL getting a dress thrown on his head. That was a wonderful moment.
Zayn knocked Corbin out of the ring. Zayn went to flip on him outside the ring but Corbin avoided it. Sami then bounced off the top rope and flipped back into the ring. Zayn then posed in the ring and Corbin mockingly clapped outside the ring. Corbin got back into the ring and beatdown Sami for a minute. Zayn then hit a Dropkick and knocked Corbin out of the ring.
Zayn was favoring his lower back as he rolled out of the ring. Corbin sent Zayn into the barricade but Sami leaped on top of it and hit a Moonsault onto Corbin. Back in the ring, Zayn connected with a right hand in the corner. Corbin lifted Zayn up and smashed him into the turnbuckle. Corbin then stomped on Zayn’s injured back and connected with a Backbreaker.
Corbin controlled the next few minutes of the match and the crowd started chanting “ole!”. Corbin yelled at Zayn to “stay down” and connected with a right hand. Byron Saxton said that Sami doesn’t know when to stay down. Sami leveled Corbin with a Clothesline. Zayn hit a Crossbody off the top rope for a two count. Corbin connected with a massive Clothesline for a two count.
Corbin hit another Backbreaker for a two count. Zayn hit a Sunset Flip Powerbomb for a two count. Zayn went for a Tornado DDT but Corbin blocked it. Sami went for the Exploder Suplex in the corner but it was also blocked. Corbin then planted Zayn with Deep Six for a two count. Zayn then connected with a Helluva Kick for the victory.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Reaction: Wow. I thought this was just going to be another typical Sami Zayn match where he hangs around and ultimately loses. The finish to this match completely caught me off guard. I hope that that means that Sami Zayn will actually get the push he deserves. Now, I’m completely confused as to what WWE is doing with Baron Corbin. I thought he was going to win the Intercontinental Championship at Wrestlemania and that didn’t turn out to be the case. I figured that tonight was a guaranteed victory Corbin and I was also wrong about that. I figured Corbin would have a title around his waist by now. Instead, he is losing on a regular basis.
— WWE Creative Humor (a sub of TKO Creative Humor) (@WWECreative_ish) May 22, 2017
Jinder Mahal pulled up in a car. The Singh Brothers hopped out of the car and laid down a rug. Jinder Mahal got out of the car and was immediately interviewed. Mahal said that Americans hate him because of the way he looks and the way he talks. Mahal said that he was going to turn that hatred into something positive. Mahal said that he will turn the doubters into believers tonight and win the WWE Championship.
Tamina and Becky Lynch started off the match. Tamina took control and headbutted Becky Lynch into the corner. Natalya was then tagged in and Becky beat her down. Charlotte entered the match and continued the beatdown on Natalya. Natalya grabbed Charlotte’s hair and slung her to the mat. Charlotte connected with a series of chops on Natalya and followed it up with a knee to the midsection. Charlotte then taunted Tamina and Carmella.
Carmella distracted Charlotte on the ring apron and Natalya connected with a Clothesline. Tamina got back into the match and stomped on Charlotte a couple of times. Tamina, Natalya and Carmella then took turns stomping on Charlotte in the corner. Carmella hit a couple of elbows to the neck of Charlotte and then applied a Chin Lock. The crowd got behind Charlotte as she battled out of the hold.
Charlotte tagged in Naomi and she immediately hit a Crossbody onto Carmella. Naomi then hit a series of kicks and knocked Carmella to the mat. Naomi kicked Tamina in the head while she was on the ring apron. Carmella capitalized on the distracted and beatdown Naomi. Carmella moonwalked in the ring and then yelled “woo!” at Charlotte.
Tamina entered the match and punched Naomi in the stomach and applied a Chin Lock. Naomi battled out of the hold but Tamina knocked her back to the mat and tagged in Carmella. Carmella went for a Bronco Buster but Naomi got out of the way. Tamina got back into the match and tried to prevent Naomi from tagging anyone else in. Naomi went to tag in Becky Lynch but Carmella pulled her off the ring apron.
Natalya was tagged in and Naomi sent her to the mat. Becky Lynch was tagged in and she knocked Carmella and Tamina off the ring apron. Becky planted Natalya with a Suplex and connected with a forearm to Natalya’s face for a two count. Lynch climbed to the top rope but Tamina shoved her off.
Becky knocked Tamina off the ring apron but Natalya knocked her to the mat and went for the Sharpshooter. Becky reversed it into the Dis-Arm-Her but Carmella broke up the hold. Charlotte threw Carmella out of the ring and then Tamina connected with a kick to Charlotte’s face. Natalya then applied the Sharpshooter to Becky Lynch for the submission victory.
Winners: Carmella, Natalya & Tamina
Reaction: This match was decent. The Welcoming Comittee was the right team to win this match. I’m glad Ellsworth didn’t get too involved in this match. Instead, Carmella, Natalya and Tamina picked up the victory on their own.
Styles controlled the match early and Styles rolled out of the ring to stop his momentum. Styles chased after him and Owens rolled back into the ring. The crowd chanted “stupid idiot” at Kevin Owens as he connected with a chop to AJ’s chest. Styles hit a Dropkick and knocked Owens to the mat. Owens slammed AJ’s head into the turnbuckle and followed it up with a massive Clothesline for a two count.
Owens applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Owens broke the hold to knee Styles in the back and then applied the hold again. Owens planted Styles with a DDT and hit three Sentons in a row for a two count. Owens went right back to the Chin Lock and barked at the referee to ask Styles if he wanted to quit. The crowd started chanting “AJ Styles!” as AJ made his way back to his feet.
Styles broke the hold but Owens knocked Styles to the mat. AJ got back up and connected with a kick to the side of Owens’ head. AJ connected with several strikes and then knocked Owens to the mat with a Clothesline. Styles then hit a flying forearm for a two count. Styles planted Owens with a Michinoku Driver for a two count. Owens hit a Superkick and a Pumphandle Neckbreaker for a two count.
AJ went for a Styles Clash on the ring apron but Owens blocked it. Owens then slammed AJ’s leg into the ring post and launched him into the steel steps. Back in the ring, Owens connected with a Cannonball as Styles was propped up in the corner. Owens then wrapped up AJ’s leg in the bottom rope and hit a Cannonball on AJ’s injured right leg. Owens then applied an Ankle Lock on AJ’s injured leg in the middle of the ring.
Styles was able to break the hold by reaching the bottom rope. Owens brought Styles up to the second turnbuckle and lifted him onto his shoulders. Styles reversed it into a Powerbomb and Owens went flying to the mat. AJ then got onto the ring apron and went for the Phenomenal Forearm but his injured leg gave out. Owens then planted Styles with a DDT for a two count.
Owens slapped Styles in the face and AJ countered with a Pele Kick and both Superstars fell to the mat. Styles went for a Superplex off the top rope but Owens reversed it into a Suplex of his own. Owens then went for the pin but AJ kicked out at two. Styles rolled to the ring apron and Owens joined him there. Owens went for a Suplex and Styles reversed it into a Suplex of his own onto the ring apron. Owens spine smashed off the ring apron and he screamed in pain on the floor outside the ring.
Owens threw Styles into the timekeeper’s area. Styles leaped off the barricade and hit the Phenomenal Forearm. Styles went for the Styles Clash on the announce table but his foot fell through one of the openings on the table. Owens then rolled back into the ring and AJ Styles was counted out.
After the match, Owens hit a Superkick to the back of AJ’s head. Styles then limped backstage after Owens left.
Winner & Still United Champion: Kevin Owens
Reaction: I really enjoyed this match and thought it was very well done.. Owens targeted AJ’s leg and in the end it ultimately cost Styles the match. The finish absolutely sucked but it made sense. I hope this leads to another match between these two Superstars. There was no reason to take the United States Championship off of Kevin Owens right now.
Rowan controlled the match early. Harper climbed to the second rope and Rowan knocked him off. Harper’s head bounced off the steel steps. Rowan then hit a Dropkick that sent Harper into the barricade. Rowan slammed Harper into the barricade and punched him in the head several times. The action returned to the ring and Harper hit a Splash for a two count.
The crowd became restless as Rowan continued to control the match. A faint “lets go Harper” chant broke out as Rowan slammed Harper to the mat. Rowan hit a Clothesline for a two count. Harper climbed to the top rope and went for a Splash but Harper rolled out of the way. Harper slammed Rowan’s head into the announce table outside the ring. Harper got back into the ring and then bounced off the ropes and hit a Suicide Dive onto Rowan outside the ring.
Back in the ring, Harper hit a Senton and a big boot for a two count. Harper then hit a Sideslam for a two count. Rowan connected with a kick and then Powerbombed Harper in the middle of the ring. Harper battled back and hit a Superkick. Rowan then started talking to his mask outside the ring. Harper then hit a Clothesline for the victory.
Winner: Luke Harper
Reaction: I’m not a fan of Rowan’s gimmick at all. Harper picks up the victory, but this match felt meaningless and will hopefully be forgotten about by Tuesday’s episode of SmackDown. I have very little interest in a feud between Rowan and Harper.
Orton attacked Jinder Mahal during the introductions. Orton threw Mahal over the announce table and then started punching him in the face. Orton then threw Mahal in the ring and the match officially started. Orton connected with right hands and went for an RKo. Mahal blocked it and rolled out of the ring. Orton followed him out of the ring and leveled Mahal.
The action returned to the ring and Mahal once again escaped to the outside. Mahal slammed Orton into the led board on the ring apron. Jinder threw Orton into the ring and applied a Chin Lock. Orton broke the hold and Jinder Mahal locked in an Arm Bar. There were dueling “lets go Jinder!” and “Jinder sucks!” in the crowd. Orton fought out of the Arm Bar and knocked Mahal to the mat.
Mahal battled back and connected with a knee to Orton’s chest for a two count. Orton launched Mahal over the top rope. Orton then slammed Mahal onto the announce table. The match returned to the ring and Mahal once again took control. Mahal applied a submission hold and continued to target Orton’s left shoulder. Orton finally battled out of the hold. Mahal charged at Orton in the corner but Orton got out of the way and Mahal slammed into the ring post.
Orton and Mahal battled on the top rope. Mahal knocked Orton down but Randy took out Jinder’s leg and he fell onto the top rope. Orton then hit a Superplex for a two count. Both Superstars got back up to their feet and traded punches. Orton knocked Mahal to the mat with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Powerslam. Orton grabbed his left shoulder in pain after delivering the Powerslam.
Orton hit a Fallaway Slam for a two count and once again grabbed his left shoulder. Mahal battled back and connected with a Neckbreaker for a two count. The crowd has been pretty quiet for the past 5 minutes of the match. Orton hit a DDT while Jinder was hung up on the second rope. Orton geared up for the RKO but Mahal rolled out of the ring.
Randy Orton followed Mahal out of the ring but the Singh Brothers got in his way. Orton threw both of them into the barricade, but Mahal capitalized on the distraction. Mahal slammed Orton into the ring post twice and then brought him back into the ring. Orton hit an RKO out of nowhere but the Singh Brothers dragged Mahal out of the ring before Orton could attempt a pinfall.
Orton then slammed both of the Singh Brothers onto the announce table. Orton hit a double DDT on the Singh Brothers while they were hung up on the second rope. Mahal then came up behind Orton and hit the Khallas to win the WWE Championship. Mahal brought the title into the crowd and posed as the crowd booed.
Winner & New WWE Champion: Jinder Mahal
Reaction: I don’t hate this at all. Yes, it is completely random for Jinder Mahal to become WWE Champion. It is also completely boring when Orton is WWE Champion. I love how pissed off people are that Mahal is WWE Champion. It is thoroughly entertaining. This match wasn’t anything special, but some of the angry faces on people in the crowd were priceless. Overall, Backlash was a decent show. I’m looking forward to this week’s SmackDown and seeing the reaction Mahal gets when he walks out with the WWE Championship.
Following this week’s SmackDown Live, the card has been finalized for the SmackDown brand’s Backlash pay-per-view from Rosemont, Illinois.
It’s a strong line-up that has Jinder Mahal working his first WWE PPV main event, Shinsuke Nakamura wrestling his first television match on the main roster and an AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens US title match that’s sure to deliver.
Here’s the card for Sunday night:
– Randy Orton defends the WWE Championship against Jinder Mahal
– Kevin Owens defends the WWE United States Championship against AJ Styles
– The Usos defend the SmackDown Tag Team Championships against Breezango
– Shinsuke Nakamura makes his SmackDown TV debut against Dolph Ziggler
– SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi teams with Charlotte and Becky Lynch to battle Natalya, Tamina and Carmella
– Sami Zayn challenges Baron Corbin
– Erick Rowan challenges Luke Harper
– Tye Dillinger and Aiden English go to war on the Kickoff Pre-show
Join us here this Sunday for our Live Coverage of WWE Backlash, which begins at 7pm Eastern with the Kickoff pre-show. Leave your Backlash Predictions below.
Corbin and Crews put on a very solid match to kickoff the show. Apollo Crews showed off of his athleticism but once again fell short. Baron Corbin put Crews away with the End of Days for the victory.
Main Card:
Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan started off the show with the promo. Shane McMahon thanked the crowd and the viewers at home for watching Smackdown each week. Shane McMahon also thanked everyone for mentioning Smackdown social media. Daniel Bryan then discussed the matches that were going to take place tonight at Backlash. Shane McMahon then announced that the Women’s Championship match would start off the show.
Six-Pack Elimination Challenge Match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch vs Natalya vs Naomi vs Alexa Bliss vs Carmella vs Nikki Bella
Nikki Bella went right after Carmella to start off the match but Carmella rolled out of the ring. As Carmella tried to get back into the ring, Becky Lynch kicked her off the apron. Lynch and Naomi then battled in the ring. Becky Lynch also sent Naomi to the outside of the ring. Carmella then hit Lynch with a Hurricanrana off the second rope. Alexa Bliss and Nikki Bella then fought in the ring. Bliss got the upper-hand and sent Nikki Bella to the outside of the ring. Carmella was showing off in the middle of the ring and Nikki Bella attacked her. Carmella went for the Code of Silence but Nikki reversed it into an Alabama Slam. Nikki Bella went for a Superplex on Carmella but Natalya hooked Nikki for a Powerbomb and they all went falling to the mat. Naomi sent herself flying onto everyone outside the ring. The crowd broke out into a “Naomi!” chant. Alexa Bliss was punching Natalya in the corner but Naomi got involved. Naomi and Natalya hit a Superplex/ Powerbomb on Alexa Bliss. Naomi then pinned Alexa Bliss and she was the first Superstar eliminated.
Natalya locked in the Sharpshooter on Naomi and she became the second Superstar to be eliminated.
Nikki Bella then eliminated Natalya. Carmella then immediately rolled up Nikki Bella to eliminate her.
Carmella and Becky Lynch were the final two Superstars in the match. Carmella started slapping Becky Lynch. Becky ducked on of the slaps and hit three Suplexes in a row. Becky Lynch then ran at Carmella but Carmella hit her with a kick to the face. Becky Lynch then grabbed Carmella and locked in the Dis-Arm-Her for the victory.
Winner and First Smackdown Women’s Champion: Becky Lynch
Reaction: There wasn’t an elimination until ten minutes into this match. The next five minutes contained all four other eliminations. I was worried that this match would be a cluster but it turned out to be very good. Becky Lynch was interviewed after the match and thanked the crowd. Out of all the Superstars in this match, Becky Lynch was the most deserving of becoming the first Women’s Champion on Smackdown.
Bray Wyatt was shown attacking Randy Orton backstage. Orton was holding his knee and I’m sure that will come into play in their match later in the night.
Smackdown Tag Team Championship Tournament Match: The Usos vs Hype Bros
The winner of this match will face Heath Slater and Rhyno later on the show to determine the Smackdown Tag Team Champions. The Usos came down to the ring wearing white hoodies and didn’t acknowledge the crowd in attendance. Mojo Rawley was rolling around the ring like a psychopath to start off the match. The Hype Bros dominated The Usos in the beginning of this match. Mojo and Ryder beat the hell out of The Usos outside the ring. Jimmy Uso sent Ryder flying outside the ring. Jey Uso then hit a big Clothesline on Ryder outside the ring. Jimmy Uso then beatdown Ryder in the ring. Jimmy and Jey had Ryder trapped in their corner and prevented him from tagging in Rawley. Ryder went to tag in Rawley but Jimmy Uso kicked him off the apron. Rawley was finally tagged in and he took out both Uso brothers. Rawley then tagged in Ryder who hit a Frankensteiner on Jey Uso. Jimmy Uso broke up the count at two. Jimmy and Jey then took out Ryder’s knee. Zack Ryder then tapped out shortly after and The Usos advanced to face Slater & Rhyno later in the show.
Winners & Advancing to the Finals of the Tag Team Tournament: The Usos
Reaction: The Usos are doing their very best at becoming hated by the WWE Universe. They were not flying around the ring during this match. Instead, they were very calculating and targeted Ryder’s knee. This match wasn’t anything special but it accomplished what it was supposed to.
Intercontinental Championship Match: The Miz (c) vs Dolph Ziggler
The Miz confronted Daniel Bryan backstage and demanded that his contract be restructured so that he could be paid like the A-list Superstar that he is. Daniel Bryan didn’t respond and looked aggravated. Zigger started off the match hot and attacked The Miz. Ziggler’s momentum didn’t last long as The Miz battled back and took control of the match. The Miz sent Ziggler outside the ring and The Miz celebrated in the ring. The match then really slowed down as The Miz dominated Ziggler. The Miz hit Ziggler with several Dropkicks in the corner and then taunted Daniel Bryan by doing the “Yes!” chant. Ziggler finally got in some offense and turned the momentum of the match. Ziggler went for a roll-up but The Miz kicked out at two. Ziggler hit a Fameasser on The Miz but The Miz kicked out at two. Ziggler then hit a Satellite DDT but The Miz once again kicked out. The Miz locked in the Figure Four on Ziggler and Dolph was screaming in pain. Ziggler was finally able to reach the bottom rope and break the hold. The Miz made sure to keep the hold on for an extra few seconds to inflict more damage onto Ziggler’s knee. Ziggler then hit a Superkick out of nowhere but The Miz got his foot on the bottom rope to break up the pinfall. The Miz then tried to crawl away outside the ring but Ziggler dragged him back. Maryse then sprayed Ziggler in the face with something and The Miz hit the Skull Crushing Finale for the win.
Winner & Still Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Reaction: This was another good match. The Miz is a good Intercontinental Champion and there really was no reason to take the belt off of him right now. It will be interesting to see who will be chasing The Miz’s title after this. It looks like Ziggler will be heading back to the bottom of the card and will once again have to work his way up.
Bray Wyatt vs Randy Orton
Randy Orton was deemed unable to compete due to the injury he sustained during the attack by Bray Wyatt earlier in the night. Bray Wyatt celebrated his victory but another match was made.
No Holds Barred Match: Kane vs Bray Wyatt
Bray Wyatt beatdown Kane with a steel chair. Kane recovered and hit Wyatt with a DDT on the chair. Bray Wyatt hit a Senton on Kane through a table. Before performing the move, Bray Wyatt mocked Randy Orton by posing for the crowd. Wyatt went for the Sister Abigail in the ring but Kane countered it into a Chokeslam. Bray Wyatt kicked out at two. Randy Orton then limped down to the ring and Wyatt became distracted. Randy Orton then got in the ring and hit Wyatt with an RKO. Kane then hit a Chokeslam on Wyatt for the victory.
Winner: Kane
Reaction: Even though Orton wasn’t cleared to compete, he played a pivotal role in this match. The WWE simply cannot keep asking the WWE Universe to take performers like Wyatt and Ziggler seriously if they constantly lose matches. This was essentially a throwaway match so it most likely won’t have any negative effect on Bray Wyatt. Having said that, it would be nice if the guy actually win a match or two in the near future. Randy Orton was ruled out of this match before Backlash started so the WWE did the best they could with the situation at hand. The feud between Orton and Wyatt will most likely continue.
WWE Tag Team Championship Match: The Usos vs Rhyno & Heath Slater
Heath Slater and Rhyno started off dominant in this match. Slater tagged in Rhyno and the crowd greeted him with a loud “ECW!” chant. The Usos quickly turned the momentum in the match and hit Slater with a Suplex onto the LED ring post. The Usos then spent the next several minutes beating Heath Slater up. Slater tried to tag in Rhyno but was moving slow as molasses and The Usos easily blocked it. Slater finally was able to tag Rhyno in and he took out both Uso brothers. Rhyno hit a Belly to Belly Suplex on Jimmy Uso and went for the Gore but went flying into the turnbuckle. Heath Slater then tagged himself in and hit a Neckbreaker on both of the Usos. Jimmy Uso then hit a Superkick on Slater. Rhyno then hit the Gore on Jimmy Uso while the referee wasn’t paying attention. Heath Slater then rolled onto Uso and got the pinfall victory.
Winners & New Tag Team Champions: Rhyno & Heath Slater
Reaction: I thought The Usos would win this match and American Alpha would chase them for the titles. Slater and Rhyno wound up winning and Slater finally earned his Smackdown contract. I think Slater and Rhyno are a fun team but I’m not sure how long the WWE will keep the tag titles on them. I wouldn’t mind seeing them hold the titles for a little bit because the crowd is heavily behind Heath Slater. The Usos and American Alpha can still have an excellent feud without the tag titles being involved.
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/775153132883935232
WWE World Championship Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs AJ Styles
This match started out back and forth. Ambrose went to dive on Styles in the corner but Styles got out of the way and Ambrose dove into the turnbuckle. Ambrose recovered and regained control of the match. Ambrose then hit an Avalanche Belly to Back Superplex on Styles that looked extremely dangerous. The action spilled outside the ring as Ambrose hit Styles with an elbow of the top rope. Ambrose then followed it up by hitting a Facebuster on Styles in the middle of the ring. Ambrose went for the cover but Styles kicked out at two. Styles then hit a vicious Suplex on Ambrose into the turnbuckle. Styles locked in the Calf Crusher but Dean Ambrose was able to make it to the ropes to break the hold. AJ Styles then once again locked in the Calf Crusher but Ambrose grabbed Styles’ head and bounced it off of the mat several times to break the hold. Styles went for the Styles Clash but Ambrose was able to avoid it. Ambrose then catapulted Styles into the LED post outside the ring. The action continued in the ring as Ambrose hit a Bulldog on Styles but AJ kicked out at two. Styles then regained control of the match and hit a Springboard 450 Splash but Ambrose kicked out at two. Ambrose then fought back and Styles got caught up in the second and bottom rope. Ambrose then hit an impressive running Dropkick on Styles that sent him flying to the outside of the ring. Ambrose then went flying onto Styles outside of the ring. Ambrose sent Styles over the barricade into the crowd. Dean Ambrose then ran across two announce tables and hurled himself onto Styles. The action spilled into the ring and Styles hit Ambrose with a Pele Kick but Ambrose bounced off the ropes and hit Styles with the Lunatic Lariat. The referee then got knocked down and Styles hit Ambrose with a low-blow. Styles then hit the Styles Clash and won the match.
Winner & New WWE World Champion: AJ Styles
Reaction: Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles put on a very good match for the WWE Championship. I’m glad that the WWE decided to put the belt on Styles now, rather than prolong this storyline. AJ Styles absolutely deserves to be the WWE World Champion. As for the PPV in general, it was a decent show. It was a very small card and it got even smaller with Randy Orton not being able to compete. The Kane and Bray Wyatt match was clearly the weakest part of the show but they had an okay match. The show ended at 10:40 PM and the first match started at 8:15 PM after the opening promo by Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan. This was a very short show that had some entertaining moments. It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be heading into the show but it certainly wasn’t a great event. The match of the night was Dean Ambrose versus AJ Styles. The low-blow finish gives Ambrose some fuel to continue with this feud and I have no problem with that.
AJ Styles is the new WWE World Champion after defeating Dean Ambrose in the main event of WWE Backlash. After a hard fought match that saw the crowd strongly favoring Styles, the Phenomenal One got the pinfall after a ref bump, low kick and Styles Clash to Ambrose.
AJ Styles made his WWE debut earlier this year at the Royal Rumble. In 8 short months, he’s solidified himself as one of the best workers in the company and now holds the richest prize of the game.
Randy Orton will not be able to compete at tonight’s WWE Backlash PPV, as first reported by James McKenna. We have since independently confirmed the news. Orton was scheduled to face Bray Wyatt in one of the top matches on the card. Randy Orton has reportedly been dealing with an undisclosed injury and has not been medically cleared.
As of this writing, WWE is still promoting the match. This indicates WWE might run an injury angle this afternoon or even during the show to explain the situation. Whatever they decide, it’s looking like Orton will not work a full match. Based on betting lines headed into Backlash, Orton was favored to defeat Bray Wyatt.
Randy Orton returned to WWE in late July after missing 9 months due to shoulder surgery. He’s wrestled only a handful of times since then, most recently at SummerSlam against Brock Lesnar. Orton is scheduled to have a rematch against Brock Lesnar on September 24th at a live event from Chicago.
Check back later tonight for our live WWE Backlash Results and live discussion.
WWE Backlash is tomorrow and it is Smackdown’s first exclusive PPV. The build has been pretty uneventful leading up to this show. I’m hoping it is not just a throwaway PPV and that something memorable actually takes place on Sunday. As of now, there are only 6 matches on the card. That can be either good or bad. It could indicate that that every match will be given some time on Sunday night. If you take a cynical approach, it could mean that Sunday’s PPV will clock in at 2.5 hours and will stink. Another possibility is that there will be a random match thrown in there or a pointless promo to fill time. For example, Kane gives a Chokeslam to some someone you’ve never heard of.
Smackdown Tag Team Championship Tournament Match: The Usos vs The Hype Bros
The Usos turned heel on Smackdown last Tuesday when they brutally attacked American Alpha after they lost in embarrassing fashion. It would make zero sense for the Hype Bros to win this match. The Usos need to win and advance to face Rhyno & Heath Slater in the finals of the tournament.
Predicted Winner: The Usos
Intercontinental Championship Match: The Miz (c) vs Dolph Ziggler
This is a tough one. Personally, I don’t really see the point of giving Dolph Ziggler the IC title right now. The WWE spent the last month building Ziggler up and he lost every big match. It doesn’t make sense to me to just give him the Intercontinental Championship. Ziggler should hold the IC title again in the future. However, now is not the time. I think that the title should stay on The Miz until the WWE elevates someone fresh to take it from him. The Miz will win this match in cowardly fashion and retain his title.
Predicted Winner & Still Intercontinental Champion: The Miz
Smackdown Women’s Championship Six Pack Challenge: Becky Lynch vs Naomi vs Alexa Bliss vs Nikki Bella vs Natalya vs Carmella
The most likely performers to win this match are either Becky Lynch or Nikki Bella. Total Bellas is premiering next month and Nikki Bella is returning from injury. It would make sense to have Nikki Bella be the first Women’s Champion on Smackdown. I’m hoping that is not the case and Becky Lynch wins this match and becomes the first Women’s Champion for the Smackdown brand.
Predicted Winner & Women’s Champion: Becky Lynch
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Match: The Usos vs Rhyno & Heath Slater
I believe that The Usos will have won their qualifying match earlier in the show and that they will win this match as well. Slater and Rhyno would make entertaining champs but I think it makes more sense for The Usos to become Tag Team Champions. This would then allow American Alpha to chase the belts and eventually defeat The Usos for the titles down the road. Heath Slater will have to get his contract some other way.
Predicted Winners & Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Usos
Bray Wyatt vs Randy Orton
Bray Wyatt simply has to win this match. If Wyatt loses yet another match, how can anyone take him seriously? It just becomes silly if Wyatt loses. Bray Wyatt cuts a promo every week on Smackdown and has seemingly never backed it up. I hope that he gets the victory on Sunday and defeats Orton clean. It is more likely that Wyatt will get the victory with the help of outside interference. Luke Harper may make his return or Erick Rowan may get involved. I’d much rather see Wyatt simply defeat Orton on his own but odds are that will not happen. Randy Orton does not need to win this match and it would accomplish nothing if he did.
Predicted Winner: Bray Wyatt
WWE Championship Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs AJ Styles
I have a bad feeling about this match and I hope I’m wrong. It just feels like the WWE is going to try and prolong this feud. I haven’t been that entertained by Ambrose’s title reign so far. I’m not completely against Ambrose retaining. However, if this match ends in a DQ or something along those lines it will be pretty disappointing. Unfortunately, I think that is exactly what is going to happen on Sunday. I think Styles deserves to be WWE Champion. He has made an incredible impact in the short amount of time he has been in the WWE. I just have a hunch that Ambrose will somehow retain his title on Sunday.
Predicted Winner & Still WWE Champion: Dean Ambrose
What do you think will happen tomorrow night at WWE Backlash? Share your predictions in the comment section below.
