It’s been a difficult few months for WWE, much like everyone else in the world. With no live crowds and some major stars absent (Becky Lynch via pregnancy, Roman Reigns via quarantine, and who knows where Bray Wyatt has gone) things have not been going to plan. Ratings are down, and the writing teams have been streamlined with Bruce Prichard, now overseeing everything and Paul Heyman no longer helming RAW. It’s been tumultuous, but the in-ring action has mostly been very good.

As such, with Backlash rolling around and some unusual marketing for the main event, it seemed like this show could be a good litmus test for what WWE might look like in the coming months. Could Edge and Randy Orton actually pull off the “Greatest Wrestling Match Ever” or would those incredibly lofty expectations make whatever they did a disappointment? Yes, but not by much. However, before tackling the lengthy, eventful main-event, there’s the undercard to discuss.

WWE Women’s Tag Title match: Sasha Banks and Bayley (c) vs Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross vs The Iiconics

Backlash kicked off (unless you count the actual kick-off show, where Apollo Crews defeated Andrade to retain his US Title in a pretty forgettable affair) with Sasha Banks and SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley defending their tag titles against two sets of former champions. The pre-match backstage interview with Sasha and Bayley, as well as the commentary, did a good job of sowing the seeds for a potential clash between the two friends, but that didn’t materialise here, or at least not yet. The match was pretty action-packed for the short time it got, with some pretty standard three-way spots to start the bout with all six women getting moments of shine in the early going. Peyton Royce showed some improved ring work throughout, while Billie Kay did some great character work with her verbal exchanges. At one point, Alexa Bliss showed a lot of fire on a hot tag, although in comparison to the very slick booking tag team manoeuvres of The Iiconics, Bliss and Cross did have a couple of sloppy moments when they were on combined offence. The finish was somewhat abrupt, with Sasha rolling up Bliss following a Twisted Bliss for the win. Perhaps it wasn’t that abrupt, but the lack of organic crowd reaction made this  Not a bad opener all things considered.

In between the first match and the second, Braun Strowman was shown arriving earlier in the day, before it was announced that WWE Extreme Rules would be happening on July 19th, and the show has a brand new logo, which is very fetching.

Sheamus vs Jeff Hardy

WWE has never shied away from angles that might be considered distasteful when it has been deemed necessary to forward a programme, but the whole Jeff Hardy sobriety story has been very close to the knuckle in terms of what feels appropriate. Presumably Hardy himself signed off on it, but it still feels a bit wrong. When he came out for the match it was quite noticeable that Hardy looks in great shape, and with the face paint, it would be hard to differentiate between his look now and a decade ago. Likewise for Sheamus, who aside from a slight tan and bigger beard has barely aged. Much of the match featured Sheamus in the dominant position with Hardy fighting from underneath, selling a knee injury. The match was slow and methodical at points, with a Sheamus running knee, and Hardy hitting a Whisper in the Wind as the bigger moments. Hardy made various comebacks, but Sheamus would always snuff them out. Eventually Hardy would make a comeback attempting a Swanton, but Sheamus cut him off with a White Noise followed by a Texas Cloverleaf, again targeting the knee. Eventually, Hardy would hit a Swanton only for Sheamus to get a foot on the ropes and shortly after a devastating Brogue Kick on the floor, and a second in the ring for the victory. Having Sheamus win clean feels like an odd move given this seemed positioned as a Hardy redemption story, but perhaps this is not the end of the programme between these two.

RAW Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs Nia Jax

From the outset, Nia Jax and Asuka set out their stall, telling a simple story of Jax’s power and size against Asuka’s striking, speed and submissions. Jax would hit some big power moves throughout with a vicious looking spinebuster, and what Samoa Joe (in the first of many great calls on this show) referred to as the “Jax Hammer”. Asuka would continue to break up these periods of dominance from Jax with flurries of offence including a beautiful guillotine transition and a stiff-looking hip attack. Much of this felt very similar to previous matches between the two, but it was certainly solid enough. Eventually, Asuka would hit a brilliant flying armbar on the outside that Jax escaped, but as they continued brawling the referee counted both out. It was a cheap finish that keeps this feud moving but I’m not sure there wasn’t a better way to do that without doing a double count-out. The rematch is set for RAW tonight.

WWE Universal Championship: Braun Strowman (c) vs The Miz and John Morrison 

Since John  Morrison made his return a few months ago, he has done a fine job in not only portraying a comedic mid-card heel, but he has also revitalised The Miz as a character in the process. As such, seeing the two of them thrust into a programme with Universal Champion Braun Strowman isn’t hugely surprising. However, this felt like a stop-gap and that meant that the winner of this bout was never in doubt. This was a pretty run-of-the-mill handicap match featuring Miz and Morrison utilising quick tags and double-teaming to overcome the huge power advantage of Strowman. In addition, this mirrored (as was noted by the commentators) the handicap match where Braun lost the Intercontinental title in February, which was a small, but important touch. Although he’s great in the role, it was also noticeable here that John Morrison is probably a bit too good in the ring to be cannon fodder for Strowman, and probably should be further up the card (which is a paradox of sorts when discussing a main-event title match). Strowman sold more here than expected, but eventually Miz and Morrison would have a dispute over who would get the pin and win the belt which allowed Strowman to get the win. Surprisingly, there was no appearance from “The Fiend” in the post-match, although you would imagine that is where Strowman goes next at Extreme Rules.

WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) vs Bobby Lashley

After a quick interview with the new Intercontinental champion AJ Styles backstage, Bobby Lashley made his way to the ring flanked by MVP for his first WWE title match in thirteen years. Although, in fairness, he was away from the company for a number of those years, so perhaps that is slightly misleading. As Drew made his way out to the ring Lashley attacked before the bell and locked in the full nelson, which was a great way to get that hold over even further and to reinforce that this is a very strong, very motivated Bobby Lashley.

Once things got underway this was a very physical encounter with Lashley in the driving seat from the start. Lots of big power moves and hard-hitting strikes from both men, and Drew continuing to stay alive by kicking out at the count of one despite Lashley battering him from pillar-to-post. Perhaps the biggest spot in the match featured Lashley countering an attempt at a Claymore Kick into a spear for a very, very convincing near-fall. It also seemed very interesting that McIntyre teased a Tombstone and executed a Kimura, both of which might be hints of possible programmes with The Undertaker (if he indeed does come back) and a return match with Brock Lesnar at some stage.

While Lashley was presented really well here, it felt like McIntyre was always going to retain the title, and when Lana wandered out to ringside the finish was clearly imminent as the distraction gave Drew the opening to hit the Claymore for the win. A very strong showing from both men, Lashley especially, and a built-in excuse for a rematch.

RAW Tag Team Championships Match: Street Profits (c) vs Viking Raiders

Technically, after the WWE title match, it was time for the RAW Tag Team championship match. However, what we got instead was a bizarre, mini-movie with The Street Profits and The Viking Raiders brawling through the backstage area with weapons that were played for laughs. Then a series of comedy spots with a bowling ball, and Ivar smashing through a glass door with Angelo Dawkins. However, weirder was Akira Tozawa and a group of ninjas inexplicably appearing on motorbikes which caused the formation of the “Viking Profits” as the two teams formed a singular unit to fight the ninjas in something that could easily have been featured in a 1970s kung-fu movie. However, both teams eventually ended up on the roof of a production truck and fought until everyone crashed into a dumpster, only for a mysterious tentacle to appear and freak everyone out to end this utterly bonkers segment. Still, it was a nice change of pace, and there were some very fun gags.

Greatest Wrestling Match Ever: Edge vs Randy Orton

Obviously, the main event of this show was always going to struggle to love up to the billing, but WWE did go out of their way to try and make this feel special and different. Before the match started there were introductions from the late-great Howard “The Fink” Finkel and a graphic that looked like the old Madison Square Garden logo. It was a bit disjointed, but the overall effect just about worked. In addition, the audience was introduced to a number of unique camera angles and audio effects that definitely enhanced the contest overall.

The match itself started slowly with Edge and Orton feeling each other out, with Edge seemingly questioning whether he could still hang at the same level as Orton. Edge would hit several arm drags that were reminiscent of Ricky Steamboat, while Orton continued to outfox him. Several minutes of grappling followed with Orton in control until Edge gained momentum with a big boot on the outside of the ring. At this stage, Orton began to target the neck of Edge, which would be the story of the match for the most part, as they traded the initiative and control of the momentum of things back-and-forth, which included Orton being busted open at some stage.

During the middle portion of the match, things picked up considerably with Orton missing an RKO and Edge attempting a submission before Orton modified his usual signature backbreaker into a neckbreaker and Edge sold the move fantastically. It really made for a difficult watch and that is all down to Edge’s reaction the move, and some top-notch facial expressions. Orton dominated for a while after that, working the neck and extremities, and also doing a weird thing where he whispered into Edge’s ear which was creepy as anything. The Eddie Guerrero tribute with Orton attempting the Three Amigos, only for Edge to reverse and complete the trio of suplexes was a leftfield choice, but the commentators did a good job of pointing out that both guys had a history with Eddie. However, that was not the only “tribute” as Orton would hit an Olympic slam at one point, Edge would hit the Lo-Down, Orton would execute a convincing Pedigree, only for Edge to slap on a Rock Bottom.

Seeing Randy Orton hitting a dropkick is a rarity, but even seventeen years after debuting he still has a great leap. Orton also hit a picture-perfect superplex, which again Edge sold fantastically. Edge also dusted off some classics hitting the Edgecution DDT as a reversal to Orton’s draping DDT. As the match went on there were multiple breath-taking sequences as Edge countered an RKO-attempt with an Unprettier, only for Orton to counter into another RKO-attempt and Edge to turn that into an Edge-O-Matic (which is still a terrible name for a move.) Shortly afterwards, Edge would try for a Spear, only for Orton to turn it into a powerslam attempt that Edge countered into an Unprettier, which he delivered flawlessly. It really was fantastic.

As the match drew towards its end, Edge went for a series of pinning combinations, but Randy Orton hit an RKO for a very, very last minute near fall. The Edge countered an attempt at The Punt with a spear and a second for good measure. However, Orton would escape the pin for another ridiculously close near fall. In front of an audience, this would have been extremely high drama, and the NXT wrestlers did their best but it wasn’t quite authentic enough and that did detract from what was a brilliant effort here. Edge would attempt a springboard kick that Orton caught with an RKO for another close call before Edge went for the head-and-arm choke that is presumably called the “Anti-Venom” as Tom Phillips mentioned it repeatedly. Unfortunately for the “Rated-R Superstar” Orton opted for a low-blow and capitalised with The Punt for the victory.

There’s a lot to unpack with the main event. Was it the “Greatest Wrestling Match Ever”? No, not even close. Was it a fantastic match between two of the best of their generation with a great story? Absolutely. Would it have been a Match of the Year contender in front of a suitably engaged audience? Quite possibly. Randy Orton and Edge gave absolutely everything in a 44-minute epic that was easily the best thing either man has done in a decade (more so Orton than Edge for obvious reasons). The ending seemingly set up a rubber match, but unfortunately, reports have since indicated that Edge tore his triceps and will be out for eight months. This is a huge blow, especially given the hurdles that have unexpected appeared during his return, but I’m sure he’ll overcome this and perhaps Edge might once again return for the Royal Rumble if the prognosis ends up being not quite as bad as expected. Orton would also be injured, we’ll see tonight on RAW if that’s true.

However, the real MVP here was Samoa Joe, who seemed to be having the time of his life calling this match. Joe provided real insight, cogent and interesting points on strategy and motivation and rather than being overbearing or overpowering he chimed in when it was most impactful and effective. This sort of commentary adds so much to a match like this, and it’s difficult to say enough good things about Joe’s role here.

Overall, Backlash was a pretty decent show, but almost everything before the main event was fairy forgettable, aside from the madness with The Street Profits and The Viking Raiders. Everything was at least passable, all the in-ring work was of a very high standard, but ultimately this was a one-match card. It would be hard for a show not to be a one-match-card when that match is positioned as the “Greatest Wrestling Match Ever”.

 

Images courtesy of WWE

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