Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga)

Background: Following his loss on Night 2 of WrestleMania XL, The Bloodline’s leader Roman Reigns went on hiatus. Solo Sikoa then began taking charge of the group by removing Jimmy Uso and then introducing the debuting Tama Tonga on the April 12 episode of SmackDown, much to the dismay of the faction’s special counsel Paul Heyman. The following week, the duo viciously assaulted Kevin Owens. On the April 26 episode, when The Bloodline again attempted to attack Owens, Randy Orton made the save. Later that night, it was announced that Orton and Owens would face The Bloodline (Sikoa and Tonga) in a tag team match at Backlash France, marking Tonga’s WWE in-ring debut.

Previous PLE matches: This is a first time ever tag team match between these two teams.

Backlash Record: Randy Orton is 3-5, Kevin Owens is 1-2, Solo Sikoa is 1-0 and Tama Tonga makes his WWE debut tonight.

Match: All four men go at it before the bell can even ring. The ring floods with security and officials to break it all up. Nick Aldis then comes out and makes the match a street fight! Randy and Solo fight into the crowd whilst KO and Tama Tonga scrap near the ring. We get a Picture in Picture so we can see both fights which are now in the crowd. The two teams swap opponents where Orton throws Tama Tonga on the announce desk. Owens and Orton destroy The Bloodline with trash cans, not letting them get into the match. Owens hits a frog splash on Tonga through a table. Solo hits a Samoa drop on Orton through a table. This gives The Bloodline the advantage for the first time in the match. Owens manages to launch Solo through a table but then gets dropped by Tama Tonga. Orton fired up against Tama with his trademark powerslam, hangman’s DDT and an RKO before the pinfall is broken up by Solo. Randy hits an RKO on Solo on the announce desk and KO lays into Tama Tonga with chairs. Owens sets up some chairs and heads to the top but Tonga goes up with him and Owens hits a brainbuster off the top through the chairs below! Owens hooks the leg but the pinfall is broken up by Tonga Loa! The brother of Tama Tonga who nails Owen and Orton with stairs. Solo then hits Owens with a urunage and Samoan spike for the win!

Result: Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga win by pinfall. 

Review: This was an amazing way to kick off the show. A really tag team match that the crowd were really into. I was surprised by Tonga Loa making his debut but it makes a lot of sense and just deepens The Bloodline. I have a feeling there’s a big Bloodline civil war coming. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see a heel turn from Randy Orton to give Cody Rhodes someone to feud with. 

Rating: 8/10

Bayley (c) vs. Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton – WWE Women’s Championship match

Background: On Night 2 of WrestleMania XL, Bayley won SmackDown’s WWE Women’s Championship. On the following episode of SmackDown, Bayley said she wanted to give new opportunities to the other women on the roster to challenge her for the title. Tiffany Stratton interrupted to accept the opportunity; however, Bayley said that she was talking about giving Naomi a chance. Stratton then insulted Naomi, prompting her to come to the ring. After a discussion between Naomi and Stratton, they faced each other in a match to determine who would challenge Bayley for the championship, which Naomi won. The title match took place on the next episode, but ended in a no-contest after Stratton attacked both Bayley and Naomi. Another match between Naomi and Stratton was then scheduled for the next episode to determine who would challenge Bayley for the championship at Backlash France, but ended in another no-contest after interference from Nia Jax, who had been drafted to SmackDown earlier that night. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis then announced that Bayley would defend the WWE Women’s Championship against both Naomi and Stratton in a triple threat match at Backlash France.

Previous PLE matches: This is a first time triple threat match between these two girls.

Backlash Record: Bayley is 1-1, Naomi is 0-2, Tiffany Stratton wrestles at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: It’s a quick start to the match with all three girls going at it. The crowd are so loud. Naomi sells the knee early on. Tiffany is so impressive but the crowd are behind Bayley. Tiffany and Bayley go at it and there’s a bit of ill timing between them and then Naomi who is slow to break up a cover. Naomi and Tiffany then go at it, fighting out of the ring. Tiffany disposes of Naomi over the barricade and then Bayley wipes out Stratton with a suicide dive. Naomi then hits Bayley with a blockbuster off the barricade. Naomi hits Tiffany with a split-legged moonsault for a two count. Bayley hits a Bayley to belly on Tiffany but can’t keep her down for a three count. On the outside Tiffany hits Naomi and then Bayley with Alabama slams on the announce desks. Stratton then looks for a double prettiest moonsault ever but Naomi and Bayley move, Tiffany rolls through and then Bayley and Naomi hit a 3D! Bayley and Naomi go at it, Naomi rolls up Bayley and then Bayley reverses the pin and gets the three!

Result: Bayley retains the WWE Women’s Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a really good triple threat match. It had a good pace to it, not letting the match breathe for long. Tiffany once again comes out of the match looking like a star whilst Bayley and Naomi show why they’re two of the best. Bayley retains on her first PLE defence. Tiffany is a future champion, no doubt.

Rating: 7.5/10

Damian Priest (c) vs. Jey Uso – World Heavyweight Championship match

Background: On Night 2 of WrestleMania XL, Damian Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to win Raw’s World Heavyweight Championship. The next night on Raw, Jey Uso won a fatal four-way match to become the number one contender for the title, which was scheduled for Backlash France.

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

Backlash Record: Damian Priest is 1-1, Jey Uso is 4-1.

Match: Jey Uso has a bit of fun with the crowd early on with angers Priest. The fight goes to the outside where Damian takes control. He uses strikes and submission holds to slow down the pace. Jey fights back and looks for a running butt-splash but Priest gets to his feet. Jey hits a high cross body for a two count and then a suicide dive. JD McDonagh then comes out and cheap shots Jey allowing Priest to hit a spear for a two count. Damian doesn’t look happy to see McDonagh though and tells him that he doesn’t need his help. Jey Uso takes advantage of the distraction, hitting superkicks to both men and then a splash to Priest for a near fall. Damian hits a Razor’s Edge for a near fall and then looks for the south of heaven by Jey fights out and hits a spear for a near fall. Jey goes to the top but out of the crowd comes Finn Balor. Jey sees him coming and takes him out with a superkick. Priest then hits Jey with a clothesline and south of heaven for a near fall. The two men exchange kicks and then Jey hits a superkicks and a splash but as he pins Priest it’s JD McDonagh that puts the champions foot on the bottom rope. Uso dives out at McDonagh and then spears Balor before going to the top but Priest crotches him and hits south of heaven off the top for the three.

Result: Damian Priest retains the World Heavyweight Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was another good match. The outside interference worked for this match and was a little reminiscent of the attitude era. The two men had decent chemistry but again it was the crowd that really raised the energy. I wonder if this could be the beginning of the end of the Judgment Day. A good defence for Priest tonight.

Rating: 7.25/10

The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill – Women’s Tag Team Championship match

Background: On Night 1 of WrestleMania XL, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill’s team defeated Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane) in a six-woman tag team match by way of Cargill pinning Sane. On the April 26 episode of SmackDown, after a confrontation between the teams, it was announced that The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Sane) would defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against Belair and Cargill at Backlash France.

Previous PLE matches: This is a first traditional tag team match between these two teams.

Backlash Record: Asuka has lost and drawn a match at this event, Bianca Belair is 2-0 and both Kairi Sane and Jade Cargill wrestle at this event for the first time tonight.

Match: Bianca Belair and Asuka kick off the match where Belair hits right hands but is met with strikes from Asuka. Belair hits a suplex and both girls make tags. Kairi uses her speed but Cargill’s power prevails. Bianca tags in and the challengers launch Kairi in the air. Asuka hits a cheap shot in the outside and Kairi hits a massive cross body off the top to the outside to take control for her team. The Kabuki Warriors make quick tags, keeping Binaca from tagging out. Lots of smooth double teaming from the champions. Jade Cargill finally gets the tag and hits a double springboard cross body. Cargill continues to show off her strength with a chokeslam and inverted death valley driver. There’s a bit of confusion with who the legal person is for the champions. This completely ruins the match. Kairi and Asuka both apply armbars both the challengers power out. Bianca and Jade hit a double DDT/German suplex type move for a near fall on Sane. Asuka and Sane hit their double team inverted DDT/elbow on Bianca for a near fall. Cargill then hits Jaded on Sane and Bianca hits the KOD on Asuka for the victory!

Result: Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships by pinfall.

Review: This match started really well but with the confusion over who was the legal women at one point it completely threw out the match. Kairi had to tag Asuka who then had to tag Kairi back in and everyone lost where they were. It still wasn’t a terrible match but it honestly ruined it. Jade looked disappointed about it all but it wasn’t her fault.

Rating: 5/10

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. AJ Styles – Undisputed WWE Championship match

Background: On Night 2 of WrestleMania XL, LA Knight defeated AJ Styles, while later that night in the main event, Cody Rhodes won SmackDown’s Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. On April 12, it was announced that Rhodes’s first challenger for the title would be determined by a tournament that would begin on that night’s SmackDown. Knight and Styles subsequently won their respective triple threat matches. The following week, Styles defeated Knight to earn the championship match against Rhodes at Backlash France.

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

Backlash Record: Cody Rhodes is 3-0, AJ Styles has won 1, drawn 1 and lost 2.

Match: The crowd are really into this one. It’s a cagey start but breaks down with slaps. Rhodes is definitely the more popular, he hits a dropkick and then cartwheels and poses like Stardust which causes a “Stardust” chant. From here it’s back and forth with both men getting offence in. They battle outside the ring and then back in with plenty of counters along the way. Styles hits a brainbuster on the apron and both men go down on the outside. AJ looks for a flying knee but Cody catches him and powerbombs him through a table. Both men get back in the ring and fire up resulting in Cody hits a bionic elbow for a two count. There’s some countering from both men before AJ suplexes Rhodes into the corner. Styles hits a springboard 450 for a near fall and then hits a burning hammer but Rhodes kicks out at 1 and fires up! Rhodes hits a Cody cutter for a two count. AJ looks for a phenomenal forearm but Rhodes counters with a superkick. Cody then applies a kamora before breaking it and hitting a Cody cutter. Cody then hits Cross-Rhodes for the three!

Result: Cody Rhodes retains the WWE Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a good match. It was back and forth and the crowd were really into it. If I’m being honest I think they had more in the tank but for what it’s worth this was still a good match. Cody Rhodes retains as expected and AJ Styles was an excellent first opponent for him. I wouldn’t be too surprised to see these two men meet again at the next PLE.

Rating: 7.5/10