WWE’s “sequel” to WrestleMania 38,WrestleMania Backlash,hit the Peacock live stream on Sunday, May 8 from the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, highlighted by a thrilling, action-packed main event featuring a six-man tag team match with RAW tag champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) and Drew McIntyre versus WWE Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Smackdown tag champions The Usos, collectively known as “The Bloodline.”
Backlashserved as a rather subdued departure from the overstuffedtwo-night extravaganza of April’s “WrestleMania Weekend”, featuring a mere six matches on the card (and only one title match among them), but that distinct lack of filler, unnecessary or otherwise, allowed each of theBacklashmatches to be more fleshed out and gave the live audience time to breathe and become more emotionally involved as the night wore on.
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That, coupled with a number of straightforward finishes and a not-so-surprising but pleasant reveal, wouldmakeBacklashinto a stable, well-done event, something many fans and critics felt the WWE needed after the rollicking, but rather inconsistentWrestleMania 38.
1. “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins
WINNER:Cody Rhodes(20:52, via pinfall - Rhodes countered Rollins' roll-up with his own for the win)
THOUGHTS: This was a great opener to kick off the show. The psychological process for this match was nice and to the point, with Rollins demonstrating early on that he had every signature move of Rhodes scouted, negating any and all element of surprise that Rhodes might have had in their Mania match. It helped make for a more emotionally intense match, Rollins continually pushing Rhodes' buttons, while Cody became frustrated for perhaps the first time since his triumphant return to the WWE fold in trying to put Rollins away as soundly as he did atMania. Rhodes out-cheating Rollins at the end to win was also good (although it may very well open up yet another match with Rollins), showing Rhodes is not so squeaky clean that he won’t use heel tactics to pick up a win.
GRADE:A-
2. “The All Mighty” Bobby Lashley vs. “The Nigerian Giant” Omos w/MVP
WINNER:Omos(8:55, via pinfall - Omos pinned Lashley after a MVP cane shot and two-handed chokeslam)
THOUGHTS: There wasn’t exactly a great deal of finesse to this Mania rematch between the two powerhouses, but it accomplished the goal of highlighting how essential MVP is to Omos in their new alliance by not only telling him how to escape Lashley’s nigh-unbeatable “Hurt Lock” submission, but providing the opening for the Colossus to come away with a victory over the former WWE Champion. Given that the feud is tied at one win apiece, it’s only natural that a rubber match is likely right around the corner.
GRADE:C
3. “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles vs. Edge
WINNER:Edge(15:37, via submission - Edge made Styles pass out in a crossface sleeper hold)
THOUGHTS: This was a definite improvement over their Mania match, with the extended time period allowing Edge to do more work on Styles' injured shoulder and negate his Phenomenal Forearm finisher, giving Styles even more of an uphill climb than in their Mania encounter. The match overall was great, but the ending seemed to play out the same as before, with Edge winning due to unforseen interference.
Rhea Ripley being revealed as the masked assailant wasn’t the biggest of shockers, but it was nonetheless a pleasant one for WWE fans who felt Ripley was overdue for a turn back to the brooding, brutal force she was built up as in the original NXT. That said, it might have gone better with Styles getting his win back here and then have Ripley reveal herself during Styles and Edge’s eventual rubber match at the upcomingHell In A Cellevent to cap off Edge’s new unholy group “Judgment Day.”
GRADE:B+
4. SmackDown Women’s Championship - “I Quit” Match: Charlotte Flair (c) vs. “Rowdy” Ronda Rousey
WINNER:“Rowdy” Ronda Rousey(16:37 - Rousey used a chair-assisted armbar to make Flair say “I Quit”)
THOUGHTS: Given their lackadaisical affair at Mania, along with the substandard and plain awkward promo work going into this match, it almost goes without saying that both women had to overdeliver here in order to save what was quickly becoming another dull Charlotte Flair feud. Thankfully, Flair and Rousey did just that, fighting all over the arena, using kendo sticks, steel chairs, ring posts and anything else not tied down to absolutely debilitate one another to the point that one woman would utter those two fateful words. It was the brutal, technical and ultimately personal affair fans had been hoping for at Mania. Itfeltlike a fight, and the ending with Rousey going into full gear on Flair’s already-injured arm was perfect given that she was fed up with Charlotte’s completely condescending atittude going into and during the match. Where Rousey goes from here, no one can be sure, but she definitely needed this win.
5. Madcap Moss vs. Happy Corbin
WINNER:Madcap Moss(9:49, via pinfall - Moss defeated Corbin with a Sunset Flip rollup)
THOUGHTS: This was definitely the best choice of the bunch as the “breather” match before the main event, a simple grudge match with two former friends each looking to succeed over the other. Sometimes telling the simplest story works the best, and that was the case here. Moss gets a win over an established superstar and keeps his ball rolling.
6. Six-Man Tag Team Match: RK-Bro & Drew McIntyre vs. The Bloodline (Roman Reigns & The Usos)
WINNER:The Bloodline(22:14, via pinfall - Reigns defeated Riddle following a Spear)
THOUGHTS: A hard-fought, back-and-forth battle with multiple near-falls and a hotly-invested audience? That is how to do a proper main event. Reigns did his part perfectly, constantly teasing getting involved early on, only to tag out and incite the crowd with how he’s doing the match “on HIS time, not yours.” Regardless of his in-ring acumen, Reigns' character work has been nothing but top-notch in the last two years. Both pairs of tag champions were on point (especially Orton), and McIntyre maintained his laser focus on Reigns and an eventual championship match, at times dominating the Bloodline, which got more than a hot reaction from the Providence crowd.
The only real downside seems to be the outcome, as Reigns winning for his team over one of the RAW tag champs doesn’t do a whole lot, if anything, to set McIntyre up as a potential challenger. One of the Usos winning over Riddle would have at least continued the tease of unifying both sets of tag titles down the road, but that didn’t come to pass either. A bittersweet notion, given what an amazing main event this was.
FINAL THOUGHTS
WrestleMania Backlashwas certainly a step up from the roller-coaster affair that wasWrestleMania 38. The smaller match card, as indicated earlier in the review, helped to allow the audience to become more invested as the show went on, rather than feel bogged down and emotionally checked out. It also allowed each of the matches to flow more effectively and not be constrained due to time limits or unneccesary fluff and filler like the 24/7 title. Overall, it was a quality effort from WWE and one can only hope that trend will continue on into the upcomingHell In A Cellevent.
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