WWE Backlash Preview and Predictions

Backlash is here, and we can all relax. Gone are the high expectations of WrestleMania and Superstar Shake-Up, same goes for the polarizing experience that was the Greatest Royal Rumble. But for this weekend, we’ll be able to sink into a sleek, three-hour show stacked with intriguing matchups.

As WWE‘s first crack under their new co-branded manifesto, every match at Backlash feels necessary. The brand exclusives pay-per-views can be applauded for ambition, but now that things have condensed we’re in for better shows.

Here’s a breakdown of everything surrounding Backlash:

Should We Be More Excited About Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton?

Ryan Droste: I mean, it may very well be a good match. In fact, I’m sure it will be better than average. That said, Orton has been stale for what seems like a decade and Hardy has already started to lose his luster since his return. I just don’t think the fans in general care much about this match and very little has been done to give them reason to. 

Connor Casey: I remember really liking the pay-per-view match these two had… in 2008. Unless we get a crazy spot like Orton countering the Swanton Bomb with an RKO or he finally looses his cool and turns heel either during or after the match, I don’t think so. 

Jack Snodgrass: I think I’m the only Randy Orton mark in all of Pop Culture, but yes, we should be more excited about this. Granted, expectations are the root of all disappointment, but I think the winner of this gets Andrade Almas Jr—and that I don’t have to feign excitement for. 

Will The Miz Be WWE Champion This Year?

Ryan Droste: The Miz has certainly established himself as the top dog when it comes to the secondary titles over the last couple of years. You could very easily make the argument he is the best heel in the company. He also has a feud with Daniel Bryan on the horizon, which could end up being a WWE championship feud at soe point, though I don’t think it will be initially. I’m going to say no for 2018, though I do see him getting it back once again. 

Connor Casey: That’s a tough one. Miz is unquestionably one of the best personalities in WWE right now and his improvement from where he was during his first WWE Championship reign to now is something to behold. But the world championship picture is a little crowded on SmackDown right now between AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Samoa Joe waiting in the wings and Randy Orton biding his time until he’s back in a main event slot. 

But then there’s Daniel Bryan, and the rivalry between he and Miz has all the tools to be Feud of the Year. WWE has a habit of adding in the world championship to up the stakes of any major feud, and I could just as easily see them doing that here. I’ll say yes.

Jack Snodgrass: Yes, but it will be close. SmackDown is packed with stars who are ready to be champions. The Miz is one. So is Daniel Bryan. But WWE may want to save that for WM35.

What Are the Chances Big Cass Pins Daniel Bryan?

Ryan Droste: Very good. Cass is doing the best work of his career right now, and if you’re looking for an “out” for Bryan to lose, they’ve been going with the storyline on television that he’s been injured with a “possibly infected chest” from the chops he received from Roddy Strong at Greatest Royal Rumble. The fact that they mentioned that on SmackDown this week has me believing Bryan is going to lose and they’ll take this feud and run with it a little longer. If Bryan were to win at Backlash, the feud would effectively be over.

Connor Casey: They’re pretty good, though I’d say Cass gets the win after Bryan is distracted (or attacked) by an interfering Miz. 

Jack Snodgrass: I think WWE can go either way here and things will still work. Cass wins and makes a statement. Or Cass loses and makes a statement after the match. I think this may steal the show, too. 

Make a Guarantee

Ryan Droste: Seth Rollins will retain the Intercontinental title. With the U.S. title firmly on SmackDown (Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton are wrestling in that title match), it wouldn’t make any sense at all to move the IC title to the same show. RAW needs a secondary title, and even if it didn’t, you can’t justify taking the title off of Rollins right now. 

Connor Casey: AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura Part III will be the best of the series. The match at WrestleMania was a little underwhelming and the rematch at Greatest Royal Rumble was a noticeable improvement. Now that there’s plenty of heat between the two and the match can’t end like last time, we’ll see the two really cut loose. 

Jack Snodgrass: Backlash will be a great show. To me, this feels like WWE’s season opener, with ‘Mania, the Shake-Up, and GRR behind us. Even better it’s only going to be 3-hours of wrestling, a brisk walk compared to the content bombs that were WM34 and that thing in Jeddah. 

Which One of the Championship Matches Gets Spoiled by Interference?

Ryan Droste: I’ll have to go with Charlotte vs. Carmella. It seems like too early to take the belt off of Carmella, yet it would be unrealistic for her to win over Flair without some kind of goofy finish. Interference from some of her allies would make the most sense.

Connor Casey: Unless there’s a new program developing elsewhere, the IIconics interfering in the Carmella versus Charlotte Flair match seems to be the only one that makes sense. They want to keep Carmella looking like a cowardly champ, and getting one over on Flair via interference is an easy way to do it. 

Jack Snodgrass: I can’t disagree with either of you gentlemen, so instead, I’ll toss up one that could be fun—Dean Ambrose costs Rollins his Intercontinental Championship.

How Does the Rest of 2018 Go for Seth Rollins?

Ryan Droste: Rollins is having one of the best years of his career. When looking at his best work, it’s easily his 2015 run as champion and 2018. Though he’s not carrying the company’s top title like he was in 2015, he’s finally connecting as a top-level babyface with the crowd. He deserves a long run as Intercontinental champion and should find himself back in the Universal title mix sometime after SummerSlam. 

Connor Casey: I’ll be honest, I was down on Seth Rollins for a long time after The Shield broke up. But ever since he got out of the tag team division and had that monstrous hour-long performance in that Raw gauntlet match he’s completely won me over. I could see him holding the Intercontinental Championship through the end of the year and even have a Champion vs. Champion program with Lesnar at some point. The future looks bright. 

Jack Snodgrass: I think he’ll be ready to be the face of WWE by year’s end. With Cena and Lesnar looking to have their most sporadic years yet, and Roman Reigns in a WrestleMania fog, that lane is open for Rollins. 2018 will be very fun.  

There’s Zero Chance Carmella Beats Charlotte Flair at a Pay-Per-View, Right?

Ryan Droste: Not cleanly, that’s for sure. See my comment earlier about this likely being the match that ends with some kind of interference. Carmella deserves a longer run, but there’s no reason she should defeat Charlotte clean. It’s not very often a heel beats your top babyface clean. 

Connor Casey: Beats her cleanly with zero interference from Billie Kay and Peyton Royce and no cheating? Not a chance. But this is how heel champions stay relevant, so she’ll walk out still champion one way or another. 

Jack Snodgrass: To be totally honest, I forgot the IIconics were a thing when writing this question. There’s actually zero chance they don’t cost Charlotte the match.

Tell Us Why Samoa Joe vs. Roman Reigns is Important for WWE

Ryan Droste: It’s been a rough month for Roman Reigns. I feel like this match is almost more about Joe than it is about Reigns at this point. Following Reigns failing to win the title from Lesnar twice this month, his stock has fallen drastically and he’s been done no favors by the booking committee. On the other hand, Joe has felt like a big time star since his return. His microphone work has been off the charts and he’s always solid in the ring. This is Joe’s chance to prove he should be in the main event mix, permanently, from here forward. 

Connor Casey: It isn’t. It’s a placeholder, a carryover from when the writers thought both men were on the same roster before the Shake-up. Remember when the House of Horrors match between Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton was quietly made a non-title match because Wyatt moved to Raw? Yeah, this is like that. Win or lose, Joe is probably next in line for whoever wins between Styles and Nakamura, and Reigns will continue to be despised on Raw. 

Jack Snodgrass: We’re about to how good Joe is. If he can elevate himself, while making Roman Reigns look like a hero, he could be WWE Champion by July. 

Who is the Next Person to Beat Nia Jax and When Does it Happen?

Ryan Droste: Looking at the RAW women’s roster, there seems to be three names that would have a legitimate chance at taking the title off of her: Ronda Rousey, Ember Moon, and Alexa Bliss. The Bliss program could continue for a while, or they could pivot to something new. Bayley and Sasha Banks are always lurking as outside possibilities, but they seem to be embroiled in their own saga for the foreseeable future. If I had to pick from the three names I mentioned, I’d go with Rousey. 

Connor Casey: Unless the creative team wants the title to be added into the Sasha Banks vs. Bayley rivalry, I don’t see anybody knocking off Jax until Ronda Rousey finally gets her shot. 

Jack Snodgrass: I’ll say Rousey at SummerSlam. Feel certain about the former, and stupid for the latter.

How Many Times Will Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles Fight for the WWE Championship in 2018?

Ryan Droste: Backlash marks the third high profile match between them in less than a month. I’d imagine that the third time is the charm for Nakamura and he will walk out of Backlash champion. That should ensure at least one more match, with Styles cashing in his rematch clause. After that, I’m not sure how much longer they can drag the feud on (as good as it has been) following a fourth match. If Styles cashed in his rematch at the next PPV (Money in the Bank), that would be three straight PPVs (four if you count Greatest Royal Rumble) where they have fought over the belt. That’s a bit too much. If Nakamura gets a run as a heel champion, a babyface Bryan would seem like a logical option to face off with him, perhaps culminating in a big match at SummerSlam. 

Connor Casey: Three more times. Styles wins on Sunday, Shinsuke wins Money in the Bank and cashes in on Styles after he manages to retain in a brutal match with Samoa Joe and the feud culminates at Summerslam, possibly with some sort of stipulation added in. 

Jack Snodgrass: I could see this being their last match for a while. Even though we didn’t the all-time classic we did get a thick layer of story—and WWE can call upon that later if they need.