A lot has happened since SmackDown last had a pay-per-view all to themselves.
After playing second fiddle for most of WrestleMania 34 and losing crucial talent to RAW in the Superstar Shake-Up, SmackDown has spent about a month licking its wounds.
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The Randy Orton Era as champion has been apathetic at best. The loss of Miz and Alexa Bliss left a chasm on the roster. The resurgence of Jinder Mahal has been questionable. And on top of it all, Mauro Ranallo is gone. Strange times, indeed.
However, Backlash is SmackDown’s first attempt to self-correct and reset their navigation towards SummerSlam. To their credit, this show is aligned nicely and should provide some good direction.
With that said, let’s take a deeper look at the card and find out what results will be best for business.
Randy Orton Should Squashย Jinderย Mahal
Look guys, as fans, this is our classiest moment. We held WWE accountableย for rolling out the old xenophobicย narrative, calling WWEย dated and out of touch. We empathized with Jinderย for being cornered into such rudimentary character. We even supportedย Mahal, saying “he’s actually doing OK!” What a weird, metaย world we live in.ย
Despite the goodwill of the people, it’s time for this Jinderย Mahalย thing to end. Yes, his story is good, but by no means are we dealing with Daniel Bryan 2.0. He’s played his part, and in reality, the WWEย Championship has suffered.
Let’s right the ship here and get back to business. To redeem himself and this championship, Orton needs to dominate this match. However long it takes to RKOย Mahalย and J & J Security, uh, I mean, Theย Singhย Brothers is exactly how long this match should run. This gives this most over finisher in the company its spotlight while elevating Orton. The betterย Orton looks, the better it will when he eventuallyย loses the title.
The question is not if Randy Orton will win, but if he wearsย Lexย Luger’sย USAย undies to do it.ย
6-Woman-Tag Needs to get us Closer to Beckyย vs. Charlotte
Under no circumstance can SmackDown’sย 2-hour airtime support all 6 of these women on a weekly basis. WWEย knows this and will use this amoebaย of a match to create room for deviation.ย
Even though Naomi is champion, she’s unfortunatelyย just background music for the real show – Becky and Charlotte. Eventually one of them will have to remove the title from Naomi, but the earlier WWEย gets started on this story the better.
Are we building to a SummerSlamย showdown? Probably so. Let’s establishย the roles and motives at Backlash. WWEย hasn’t had a meaningful women’s feud in, well, I’m not sure if they have in recent memory. Point is, WWE, not just Smackdownย needs Becky vs. Charlotte.
Win or Lose, AJ Styles has to Become a Bigger Babyface
This will be a great match. But the outcome it arbitrary. In what will likely be the first of 3 fights, it’s more important to re-iterate AJ Styles as a babyfaceย than him actually winning the match. The ways WWEย accomplishes this are abundant.ย
Both of these men are popular. If WWEย can, they need to further distinguish their characters. Let’s try to chip away atย KO’sย fan section by having him cheat to beat AJ Styles. That way, we like KO less and root for Styles more.ย
So as much as it may sting, it is important that Styles loses this match. It’s the best medicine for us and WWE.
Theย Usosย Narrowlyย Beat Breezango
For the first time since the brand split the SmackDownย tag division has some momentum. Since their heel turn, The Usosย have been the division’sย most attractive act. Their departure from face paint was long overdue.ย
Breezango, though, is SmackDown’s latest attempt for careerย Rennaissance.ย
And it’s going so well.ย
Well written humor goes a long way in WWE. Breezangoย and their Fashion Files series are intoxicatinglyย fun and serve as the lightningย bolt to bring Tyler Breeze and Fandango back to life.ย
With New Day absent, this division is one big free market. Teams like the Usosย and Breezangoย have taken this opportunity and should be rewarded; ย a fun, long term feud, with the winner squaring up with the new Day.ย
For that to happen, Theย Usosย need to retain at Backlash, but in a competitive, fiery match. It’s best for all parties to have Breezangoย ALMOST win their coveted titles. But for a start up like these guys, it’s best to let things percolate a bit longer. That way, we’re bound to get more episodes of Fashion Filesย
Shinsuke and Dolphย Should Mainย Event
With Orton and Mahalย so clearly being a one-off feud, there’s little reason for it to close Backlash. Instead, WWEย should entrust that time to a man they are rumored to be enamored with.
It’s hard to say anything original about Shinsukeย Nakamuraย by now, but the guy is special. Extraordinaryย talent should get extraordinary opportunities. If the plan is to make Shinsukeย a headliner,ย let’sย go ahead and send that message by having him main event his first WWEย pay-per-view. ย
Is it heavy handed? Maybe a little. But it’s not like he’s 20-something just breaking into the business. Nakamuraย is ready for take-off. Why waste time? Unleash!
