Preview and Predictions for WWE’s ‘Backlash’
Even with two title matches on the card, the biggest attraction will be the return of Bad Bunny.
For the first time in nearly two decades, WWE is holding a pay-per-view event in Puerto Rico.
This year’s edition of Backlash will emanate from San Juan on Saturday night. The show is a homecoming for one of the hottest musical artists in the world, with Bad Bunny set to compete in his first WWE singles match. He’s facing Damian Priest in a street fight.
Celebrity involvement has been one of WWE’s biggest strengths over the past few years. The company has done a stellar job of identifying the right celebrities to work with. Instead of relying on tired names from the past, WWE has focused on choosing trendier celebrities who can help bring new eyes to pro wrestling. Bad Bunny, Logan Paul and Pat McAfee have all become more than just “celebrity wrestlers.” They feel like genuine members of the WWE roster at this point. All three have shown an obvious respect for wrestling. This isn’t just an easy paycheck to them—it’s something they’re truly passionate about.
Bad Bunny grew up as a WWE fan in Puerto Rico. That lifelong fandom is the reason he’s wrestling at Backlash. He doesn’t need the money or exposure. He’s prepared for this match while also headlining Coachella and attending the Met Gala in recent weeks. Despite all of the success he’s had elsewhere, Bad Bunny has called his in-ring debut at WrestleMania 37 the best day of his life. Backlash should provide some strong competition for that.
Priest, who is also of Puerto Rican heritage, was Bad Bunny’s tag team partner at WrestleMania 37. He’s since turned heel as a member of The Judgment Day. The friendship between Priest and Bad Bunny on WWE programming ended when Priest slammed Bad Bunny through the announcers’ table last month. Priest will undoubtedly have help from The Judgment Day at Backlash, but Rey Mysterio and the Latino World Order will be in San Juan to help Bad Bunny fight off their interference.
The Backlash card also includes a first-time matchup between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar. Plus, the Raw and SmackDown women’s championships will both be on the line. Bianca Belair is defending her title against Iyo Sky, while Zelina Vega is challenging Rhea Ripley.
Backlash will stream live on Peacock starting at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday. Here’s a full rundown of the lineup, along with predictions for each match:
San Juan street fight: Bad Bunny vs. Damian Priest
Bad Bunny was shockingly great when he made his debut at WrestleMania 37. There were no expectations for how good he would be in the ring then. This time, he’ll need to live up to the high standard that he’s set for himself. But there’s no reason to think Bad Bunny won’t deliver. He’s shown that he’s a great athlete and a world-class live performer. WWE always does a great job of preparing celebrities for their matches. This is going to be meticulously planned out to maximize Bad Bunny’s strengths.
Bad Bunny winning is the obvious call here. It will also serve as the ending of the LWO’s feud with The Judgment Day after the factions ended up on opposite brands in the WWE draft.
Prediction: Bad Bunny wins
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
It’s still surprising that Rhodes lost to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. This should be Rhodes’s first undisputed WWE universal championship defense, not a singles match with no official stakes. Rhodes may end up eventually being the person to dethrone Reigns, but WWE is taking a big risk by extending the story. WrestleMania felt like the right time for Rhodes to win the title. There’s no guarantee that you’ll ever get that perfect moment back.
The feud between Lesnar and Rhodes began when Lesnar turned against Rhodes the night after WrestleMania. It’s an intriguing matchup that could go either way. Beating Lesnar would be a massive victory for Rhodes, allowing him to immediately recover from his WrestleMania loss. If Rhodes loses again, it will be another obstacle he needs to overcome in his redemption story.
A longer road to redemption may be the best option for Rhodes. A rematch against Reigns shouldn’t happen until SummerSlam or next year’s WrestleMania. That’s the match that WWE needs to be building to. It would feel cheap if Rhodes just moves on to something like Raw’s newly created world heavyweight championship. Defeating Reigns is the story that needs to be finished.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar wins
Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky for the Raw women’s championship
This has the chance to be a breakout moment for Iyo Sky. She’s one of the best wrestlers in all of WWE but has never gotten to show that in a main-roster PPV singles match until now. Sky isn’t going to defeat Belair, but the objective of their match should be to elevate Sky into one of the top positions in the women’s division. It looks like Damage CTRL is going to split up in some form after Backlash. A babyface Sky feuding with Bayley and Dakota Kai would be a solid direction.
Prediction: Bianca Belair retains
Rhea Ripley vs. Zelina Vega for the SmackDown women’s championship
Vega makes a lot of sense as Ripley’s first SmackDown women’s championship challenger. With Vega of Puerto Rican descent, the crowd in San Juan will be heavily behind her. The match is also part of The Judgment Day vs. LWO rivalry.
Ripley is poised for a long title reign. She’s not going to lose her championship just one month after WrestleMania.
Prediction: Rhea Ripley retains
Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Matt Riddle vs. The Usos and Solo Sikoa
Tensions within The Bloodline have only continued to grow after WrestleMania. While Reigns was successful in defeating Rhodes, The Usos lost their tag team titles to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Failure is never an option for The Bloodline—and Reigns hasn’t been happy with his cousins’ losses.
Owens and Zayn have gotten some help against The Bloodline with Matt Riddle’s return to WWE television. Following a beatdown by Solo Sikoa in December, Riddle returned last month looking for revenge.
The Bloodline story has been one of the most compelling things WWE has ever produced, but it’s at the risk of getting stagnant without some significant progression. The cycle of teasing a breakup only for The Bloodline to stay together is becoming stale. Hopefully a loss here will lead to The Usos finally splitting from Reigns, at least for an extended period of time.
Prediction: Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Matt Riddle win
Austin Theory vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Bronson Reed for the United States championship
Austin Theory has two gigantic challengers at Backlash. Though Bronson Reed is a new addition to the mix, this should play out similarly to the triple threat match where Theory won the United States title last November. Bobby Lashley and Reed can dominate the entire match until Theory finds a way to pick up a cheap victory.
Prediction: Austin Theory retains
Seth Rollins vs. Omos
There had been no build at all when Seth Rollins vs. Omos was announced for Backlash. The introduction of WWE’s new world heavyweight championship has made the matchup make a little more sense. Rollins should be the favorite to win the new title—and defeating a giant in Omos is a great way to launch Rollins into title contention.
Having a world champion for both brands is a smart decision, but the new title faces a serious perception issue. It can’t be seen as a consolation prize for wrestlers who aren’t good enough to beat Roman Reigns. Rollins being the first champion would help combat that. Even though it was by disqualification, he actually won his last match against Reigns at last year’s Royal Rumble.
Prediction: Seth Rollins wins
More From Wrestling Observer: