It’s nearly time for WrestleMania…Backlash!
Yes, it’s the show where we get to see a lot of the same matches that we just saw on WrestleMania, only this time…there are less stakes and it’s not as prestigious.
That’s not to say it’s going to be a bad show, but don’t expect to see loads of fresh matchups. Having said that, I have tried to think of a bunch of new matches that could be on the card as I predict the WrestleMania Backlash card.
This is of course just a prediction, so do not take any of this as a report or a confirmation that this will be happening. Enjoy.
7. Finn Balor (c) vs. Austin Theory – United States Championship
Poor Finn Balor wasn’t on the WrestleMania card. I mean, he’s only a former NXT and Universal Champion, so of course they couldn’t find space for him. They needed to get Omos on the card after all.
It doesn’t feel like his United States Championship run is going to last very much longer, and it seems the person who is likely going to beat him for the belt is Vince McMahon’s adopted child, Austin Theory.
While Theory lost to Pat McAfee at WrestleMania, it still feels like Vince has bigger plans for Theory, and a midcard championship would seem to be the perfect way of getting him on his way to stardom.
Unfortunately there have been reports that Vince isn’t Finn Balor’s biggest fan, so if he does lose his belt soon, don’t expect him to move up the card or be positioned in a new and exciting feud.
6. RK-Bro (c) vs. Street Profits – Raw Tag Team Championship
Yes, RK-Bro already defeated the Street Profits at WrestleMania 38, but the key here is that the Street Profits were not pinned, so they have an easy way of demanding a rematch.
Every week or so we seem to decide WWE is planning to split up Randy Orton and Riddle, but then we immediately decide they’re not going to break up when we see how great they are as a team.
I don’t know whether this is the time to take the belts off RK-Bro, but it feels like SummerSlam would be a good place to have a singles match between the two men if they are planning to break them up.
It could be that Randy and Riddle win at Backlash, and then lose their belts on a Raw or at Money in the Bank, therefore there are fewer weeks to fill ahead of their eventual blow off match at SummerSlam.
5. Bianca Belair (c) vs. Rhea Ripley – Raw Women’s Championship
There’s every chance that new Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair could face Becky Lynch in a WrestleMania rematch, but I hope that isn’t the case. It feels like that feud is over for now, with the ‘Mania match being a perfect end to their rivalry.
Bianca is currently defending her belt on live shows against both Becky and Rhea Ripley in triple threat matches, which makes me think they’re seeing how well Rhea and Bianca work together.
It’s far from the right time to have Bianca drop the belt having just won it, and it would be a shame to have Rhea lose, because she’s fantastic, but other than perhaps Alexa Bliss or a returning Bayley, it’s hard to think of anyone who would be a legitimate challenger for Belair.
4. Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey – SmackDown Women’s Championship
Arguably the most disappointing and flat match of WrestleMania 38. Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey promised much but delivered very little, unfortunately.
While it would have seemed obvious that Ronda should have won this match, the fact that she didn’t, and that there was referee controversy, makes me think Ronda is probably going to get her revenge quite soon…and what better place to do that than WrestleMania Backlash.
Well, actually there are lots of places better, but this feature isn’t about those shows.
The last thing Ronda should be is a babyface chasing the title, because she’s not an organically likeable babyface like Bianca Belair. What she is is former UFC star Ronda Rousey, who should beat everyone in her path with relative ease until someone is built up to defeat her.
3. Brock Lesnar vs. TBC
Brock Lesnar has been advertised for Backlash, so this has to be here.
Yes, Roman Reigns is the most likely option, but the thought of even more Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar matches makes my eyeballs sad, and so I’m not even putting it out into the universe.
As a result, I have put him here, but I honestly cannot think of anyone who he could face, unless it’s just a squash match.
However, here are some names of large humans who he could face. Gunther, Omos, Ryback, Butterbean, The Great Khali, and of course Vince McMahon.
Maybe he’ll just cut a promo or cost Roman the title, but as for an opponent…who knows.
2. Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens
This was a toss up between Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins in a WrestleMania rematch, and this match.
The reason I’ve gone this is not just that it’s another upper midcard heel for Cody to defeat on his triumphant return to WWE, but the match was also teased after this week’s episode of Raw.
Rhodes defeated Owens in the dark match after the show went off air, and during the match Owens mocked Cody with the Young Bucks pose, which would suggest there may be more to come from this feud.
WWE often likes to tease future feuds in dark matches, so there’s every chance this could be one of those moments.
1. Roman Reigns (c) vs. Drew McIntyre – WWE Undisputed Championship
So I think the idea is that Roman Reigns is now the undisputed champion, but that they will also be introducing another belt, which would then immediately make him not the undisputed champion. I guess both brands need a belt.
Thankfully, it seems Drew McIntyre has now escaped from the clutches of Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss, and other than perhaps Cody Rhodes, is probably WWE’s biggest babyface right now (Brock doesn’t count), so it makes sense for him to face the biggest heel in Roman.
I can picture it now. Roman comes out on Saturday to call himself the tribal chief and boast about the bloodline, and then Drew’s music hits, and he says “yeah, but I’ve got a massive sword”. He then immediately kills the Usos (kayfabe) and Roman spears the sword, breaking it and starting the feud.
I should be a WWE writer.
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