Bayley & Sasha Banks (c) vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs. The Iiconics (Peyton Royce & Billie Kay) – Triple threat match for the Women’s Tag Team Championships

Background: Bayley and Sasha Banks recently defeated Alexa Bliss and Bayley for the women’s tag team championships. The Iiconics were number one contenders and the previous champions wanted a rematch so a triple threat match was made between the three teams.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time triple threat match between these three teams.

Backlash Record: Alexa Bliss is 0-2, the other five girls wrestle at Backlash for the first time tonight.

Match: Bayley and Sasha Banks are interviewed before their entrance by Kayla Braxton and they confirm their friendship will not be affected if they lose the titles. The match begins with Bayley, Nikki and Billie Kay. There will be three girls in the ring at once during this match. It’s not long before all six girls are in the ring. The crowd is now made up of performance cneter talents. Sasha is the first girl to get a near fall, pinning Peyton Royce for two. Lots of pin attempts between those two and Alexa Bliss. All six girls get involved again and all hell breaks loose. Bayley and Sasha double team Billie Kay with an elevated running knee for a near fall. Alexa gets a hot tag and fires up against Peyton Royce and Bayley. Peyton Royce hits a cross body on Sasha and Alexa which takes out most of the field. All hell has broken out now with all six girls. Alexa hits twisted bliss on Peyton but then Sasha rolls up Alexa out of nowhere for the three!

Result: Bayley and Sasha retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships by pinfall.

Review: This was a good way to kick off the show. It had a good pace to it and was good fun from the beginning to the end. Sasha and Bayley retain the titles which was expected, they’re getting a lot of screen time at the moment and it makes sense for them to be across both shows.

Rating: 6.75/10

Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus

Background: Jeff Hardy was framed for a hit and run on Elias with witness claiming that someone of Sheamus’ description fled the scene. Sheamus has been calling Hardy an alcoholic and a junkie ever since and made Hardy do a urine test prior to the contract signing. Jeff used the great line of “sometimes it’s better to be pissed off than pissed on” and then threw the glass of urine all over Sheamus.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Backlash Record: Jeff Hardy is 3-2, Sheamus wrestles at Backlash for the first time tonight.

Match: Sheamus tries to use his power in the early going whilst Jeff counters with speed. Hardy targets the left knee of Sheamus. Jeff knocks Sheamus out of the ring and then takes the fight to the outside. Back in the ring and Sheamus drops Jeff’s knees on the ringpost which I’ve never seen as a move before. Sheamus dominates for a while, hitting two Irish curse backbreakers for a near fall. Jeff starts to fight back, hitting a side suplex but can’t gain enough momentum. Jeff hits whisper in the wind for a near fall and attempts twist of fate but Sheamus counters. Jeff ducks a brogue kick and hits slingblade before heading to the top but Sheamus gets to his feet and heads to the top too. Jeff shoves him down but Sheamus knocks Jeff off the top but Jeff kind of lands on Sheamus. Sheamus then hits white noise for a near fall. Sheamus locks on a cloverleaf but Jeff gets to the bottom rope. Sheamus hits ten beats of the bodhran but Hardy side steps a shoulder charge, hits twist of fate and then a swanton bomb but Sheamus gets his foot on the bottom rope during the pinfall attempt. Sheamus hits a brogue kick on the outside and then one on the inside of the ring for the three.

Result: Sheamus wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a really good match. The psychology was excellent and this could easily have been a pay per view main event. I really enjoyed it. There was false finishes-a-plenty and I genuinly believed it was over at least twice. Sheamus gets the win tonight though and I do think that this is a fued that will continue.

Rating: 7.5/10

Asuka (c) vs. Nia Jax – Raw Women’s Championship match

Background: At Money in the Bank, Asuka won the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. The following night on Raw, Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch revealed that she was pregnant and announced a hiatus for maternity leave and that the ladder match was actually for the title instead of a contract that granted a championship match, thus Asuka became the new Raw Women’s Champion. On the May 25 episode of Raw, Nia Jax, who was also in the ladder match, defeated NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and Natalya in a triple threat match to become the number one contender against Asuka for the title at Backlash.

Previous PPV matches: These girls have wrestled once on pay per view before and Asuka won that one at Elimination Chamber 2018.

Backlash Record: Nia Jax is 1-0, Asuka wrestles at Backlash for the first time tonight.

Match: This match starts with Nia’s power against Asuka’s striking. Asuka then locks on an octopus hold but Jax powers out of it. It’s all Nia from here as she hits clotheslines, avalanche’s and throws Asuka around the ring. Nia hits a spinebuster for a near fall. Asuka applies a guillotine but Nia counters into a jackhammer. Nia asks Asuka where her injured partner Kairi Sane is which causes Asuka to fire up. She hits strikes, a springboard dropkick and a hip attack. Nia absorbs it all and hits a powerbomb for a near fall. The fight goes to the outside where Asuka applies an armbar. Nia swings Asuka into the barricade but the two continue to scrap and are counted out!

Result: Double count out.

Review: This match was pretty good. I was actually enjoying it until the result. This feud will continue. Both are strong women who don’t lose cleanly a lot so this result made sense if they are to go again. Asuka retains her title tonight.

Rating: 6/10

Braun Strowman (c) vs. The Miz & John Morrison – Hanidcap match for the Universal Championship

Background: At Money in the Bank, Braun Strowman defeated Bray Wyatt to retain the Universal Championship. On the May 15 episode of SmackDown, Strowman teamed with Mr. Money in the Bank Otis to defeat The Miz and John Morrison. The following week, Miz and Morrison lambasted Strowman for teaming with Otis (whom they made fun of the week prior) and then stated their loss the previous week was unfair. Miz taunted Strowman about his match with Wyatt and questioned if Wyatt was actually finished with Strowman. Morrison then seemingly issued a challenge for Miz to face Strowman, who accepted and defeated Miz. Following the match, Morrison challenged Strowman to defend the Universal Championship against himself and Miz in a handicap match at Backlash, which was made official.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time handicap match involving these three men.

Backlash Record: Braun Strowman is 1-0, The Miz is 1-1 and John Morrison wrestles on a Backlash main card for the first time tonight.

Match: Before the match begins Miz and Morrison introduce their music video “Hey Hey Ho Ho”. It’s surprisingly catchy but unsurprisgly interrupted by Strowman. Miz and Morrison make quick tags in the early going but Strowman manages to fight off both. Anytime Morrison or Miz get any offence in it just makes Braun more angry. Strowman clears the ring of both opponents and looks to hit his shoulder charge but Miz and Morrison double team the Universal Champion to take the advantage. John Morrison is the only wrestler to hsve wrestled on every PPV so far in 2020. Miz and Morrison make quick tags and double team moves but only get one counts on the pinfall attempts. Strowman fights back but the numbers disadvantage proves too much again. The challengers hit a skull crusing finale/stomp double team. Morrison makes the cover but Miz breaks it up. Miz then realises he has made a mistake and puts Morrison back on top of Braun but Strowman kicks out. Strowman fires up, hits a running powerslam on Morrison and gets the three.

Result: Braun Strowman retains the Universal Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was ok. It was predictable and and went exactly as expected. A standard title defence fo Braun which couldn have happened on Smackdown to be honest. There could be questions about the Miz/Morrison relationship after Miz pulled Morrison off the champion.

Rating: 4/10

Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Bobby Lashley – WWE Championship match

Background: On the May 11 episode of Raw, Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP) approached Bobby Lashley backstage and praised him on his victory from earlier that night. However, he questioned why Lashley was facing a mid-carder while King Corbin was being invited over from SmackDown to face WWE Champion Drew McIntyre in a non-title match. MVP noted that Lashley had not had a WWE Championship opportunity since 2007’s The Great American Bash and questioned when Lashley would show his true self. Lashley then aligned himself with MVP, which also enraged Lashley’s storyline wife Lana. The following week, Lashley and MVP observed McIntyre’s match against Corbin from the stage. After McIntyre defeated Corbin, McIntyre stated he wanted to face Lashley, who was held back by MVP. On the May 25 episode, it was confirmed that McIntyre would defend the WWE Championship against Lashley at Backlash.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV singles maytch between these two men.

Backlash Record: Bobby Lashley is 1-1, Drew McIntyre wrestles at Backlash for the first time tonight.

Match: Bobby Lashley locks on a full nelson before the match even begins. Lashley locks it in and four referees come out to break it up, which Bobby does. McIntyre sells arm injuries but says that he wants the match to go ahead and so it officially begins. Lashley picks apart McIntyre who hasn’t eben had change to take his entrance gear off yet. Lashley pulls the jacket off for him. McIntyre hits a northern lights suplex out of nowhere but Bobby drops him right back down with a neckbreaker. Lashley has MVP in his corner and Lana watches from the back. Drew takes the fight to the outside where he rams Lashley into the barricade. Lashley hits a standing firemans carry and then rams McIntyre into the ringpost. The two men go back and forth in the ring, Drew comes off the top with a clothesline but it’s still back and forth. Lashley looks to lock on the full nelson but McIntyre fights him off and hits a reverse Alabama slam. Lashley applies a crossface but McIntyre counters. McIntyre counters a spear and locks in a kimura but Bobby gets to the bottom rope. McIntyre hits a superplex but Lashley counters the claymore with a spear for a near fall. Lana emerges from the back and gets up on the apron but McIntyre headbutts Lashley into Lana who crashes down into MVP. Drew then hits a claymore on Lashley for the three!

Result: Drew McIntyre retains the WWE Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a really solid match. With a live corwd it could have been better than it was but this was still solid. I’m not really feeling all the Lana stuff, they need to break away from her. McIntyre retains the WWE Championship and I think he’ll hold it until at least Summerslam. Decent match here.

Rating: 7/10

Edge vs. Randy Orton – The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever

Background: At the Royal Rumble, WWE Hall of Famer Edge, who was forced to retire in April 2011 due to a neck injury, returned during the eponymous match and eliminated his old Rated-RKO tag team partner Randy Orton; Edge was soon after eliminated. The feud became very personal over the next several weeks and culminated in a Last Man Standing match at WrestleMania 36, where Edge defeated Orton. On the May 11 episode of Raw, both men made their first post-WrestleMania appearances. Orton said that the better man won at WrestleMania, but questioned Edge if the better wrestler had actually won. Noting that both the Royal Rumble and Last Man Standing matches were non-traditional, Orton challenged Edge to a traditional singles match at Backlash; Edge accepted the following week. WWE then billed the match as “The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever.”

Previous PPV matches: This is the fourth PPV match between these two men. Edge has won two of the previous three and the other was a draw.

Backlash Record: Randy Orton is 2-4, Edge is 4-5.

Match: A recording of The Fink introduces this match. Referee Charles Robinson is in 80’s referee gear. It’s a pacey back and forth start to the match. Orton slows down the pace as you’d expect, targetting the neck. It’s back and forth from here with plenty of submissions from both men. The two men battle on the top rope where Edge hits a couple of headbutts which busts Ortons heads open. Orton looks for am RKO but Edge sidesteps. Randy hits his trademark backbreaker/neckbreaker and then shoves Edge into the barricade on the outside. The two men go back and forth with suplexes and chops. Randy hits a superplex for a near fall. Edge hits an Edge-o-cution for a near fall of his own. Orton avoids a spear but Edge locks on a crossface. Randy gets out of it and hits an olympic slam for a near fall. Orton hits a hangmans DDT and then motions for an RKO but Edge counters. Orton tries again but Edge counters into an Edge-o-matic for a near fall. Orton counters a spear but Edge hits the unprettier for a near fall. Randy hits a pedigree for a near fall. Edge hits a Rock Bottom for a near fall. Orton hits an RKO out of nowhere but Edge kicks out of the pinfall attempt. Orton backs up for a punt but not before Edge can hit him with a spear! Edge hits a second spear and hooks the leg but Orton kicks out. Edge looks to hit a springboard something but Orton counters with an RKO and once again Edge kicks out. Orton appears to hit a low blow and then follows it up with a punt before hooking the leg for the three!

Result: Randy Orton wins by pinfall.

Review: This was a really good match. Far from the greatest wrestling match of all time but a good match. Randy Ortion wins which means they’re 1-1 in their series. I can see there being a rubber match at Summerslam. It was a good match, it felt like a main event. I’m sure this isn’t the end of this rivalry.

Rating: 8.25/10