After seven years, WWE has brought back the Backlash pay-per-view name. Originally used for the event after WrestleMania, this is the first SmackDown!-exclusive event since the brand split back in July.
It’s a stacked card as two brand new champions will be crowned as the inaugural SmackDown! Tag Team Champions as well as the first SmackDown! Women’s Champion. Also on the line are the WWE World Championship with Dean Ambrose facing off against the new face that runs the place, AJ Styles. The Miz will go against Dolph Ziggler for his Intercontinental Championship and Randy Orton goes one-on-one against Bray Wyatt.
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With such a stacked card, it’s set to determine the rest of the year for SmackDown! Live as this is where it can establish itself as a proper band with all the titles in place. With that said, let’s take a look at these six matches and our call for each victor.
Intercontinental Championship: The Miz vs Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler and current IC Champion, the Miz, have a storied history with that particular championship. Both men are former World Champions, but it’s the Intercontinental Championship that has kept them as major players in the WWE. The Miz is in his fifth reign as IC Champion and while Ziggler is coming off of an unsuccessful bid against WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose, it could be that Ziggler takes this one, but not without some assistance.
A few weeks back, Miz layed into SmackDown! Live General Manager Daniel Bryan after calling him a coward, and even though Bryan admitted that Miz “was right“, it’s doubtful that this is the end of this feud given the fact that it was one of the most talked about segments of the year.
SmackDown! Live is the perfect platform for both of these men to solidify their rank back into the main event circle and with his recent loss against Ambrose, Ziggler has the most to gain here. At the same time, Miz has held the title since April and is looking as strong as ever, but with the IC title off him, Miz can go back to concentrating on the main event picture.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt
It’s the Viper against the Eater of Worlds, but this isn’t just a case of who will go over, it’s more of who needs it more.
In this case, it’s Wyatt, but he won’t be getting the W.
With the returning Orton being the sacrificial lamb in keeping Brock Lesnar looking strong, it’s Bray Wyatt that hasn’t had a PPV singles victory since last July against Roman Reigns. Orton needed that win over Lesnar, but it was not to be, so where does this put these competitors when both need a win to go over?
It would be good to see Wyatt finally get a solid win over a guy like Orton, especially with this being the New Era and all, but the Eater of Worlds will most definitely be eating an RKO later tonight. There is the chance of the Wyatt Family making an appearance to assist their patriarchal figure, but coming off of such a one-sided fight with Lesnar, you best believe we’ll see some vintage Orton.
Winner: Randy Orton
Hype Bros vs The Usos
Given the recent heel turn of The Usos, you can best believe they’ll go over the newly-formed Hype Bros at Backlash.
After Jimmy and Jey Uso attacked the winner of the match, American Alpha, Chad Gable was injured and The Usos took Alpha’s place in the tournament. On Talking Smack, SmackDown! Live General Managers Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon announced that The Usos and The Hype Bros will face off at Backlash in a second-chance match with the winner facing Slater & Rhyno later that night in the tournament final.
Booking reason has The Usos going over or otherwise, why have them continue in the first place? It gives the scenario a proper bad guy to root against and it’s something that the team has needed for a while now.
There is the possibility of American Alpha showing up and costing The Usos the victory, but that’s something to build for later down the line between the two teams. This time around though, The Usos will make it to the finals of the SmackDown! Tag Team Championship tournament.
Winner: The Usos
Heath Slater and Rhyno Win The SmackDown! Tag Team Championship
Who would have thought that in 2016 Rhyno and Heath Slater would be two of SmackDown!’s biggest stars?
Slater has done a tremendous job of getting himself over, especially this last Tuesday as he introduced his “family” to the WWE Universe. With the New Era in full swing, wouldn’t it be interesting if Slater makes the comeback of the decade and wins not only the SmackDown! Tag Team Championship with Rhyno, but also the admiration and respect of fans.
The stipulation was that Slater has to win the championship to get the SmackDown! contract, and it would be the best way to not only get Slater on the roster but his first championship in years. He’s been with the WWE for about a decade, but it’s looking like his career is just hitting its prime.
There is the chance much like Shane McMahon losing at WrestleMania and still getting a contract with WWE, but there’s a much bigger story with him going over.
Winner: Slater and Rhyno
Six-pack elimination challenge for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
With the announcement of the creation of the SmackDown! Women’s Championship, it was apparent that the blue brand was ready to showcase some of the newer talents as well give the more established stars finally reach the ultimate goal in the WWE women’s division.
The biggest surprise in this match is the return of the longest-reigning Divas Champion in history, Nikki Bella. Bella made a surprise return last month at SummerSlam in her first match since undergoing neck surgery in January. Replacing the suspended Eva Marie in a six-woman tag team match, Nikki showed she hasn’t lost a step, winning the bout for her team after giving Carmella a TKO.
The thing with this match is that they have to make Carmella, Alexa Bliss, and Naomi look strong against the more established stars Becky Lynch, Natalia Hart, and Bella. At the same time, Lynch, Hart, and Bella have to look as equally great against the newcomers.
The story here isn’t Nikki though. It’s Becky. Lynch has failed to capture any Women’s Championship in both NXT and WWE. This is her time to shine and make the comeback she deserves as the top star she’s been billed at for two years. Odds are that Carmella will take the pinfall on this one.
Winner: Becky Lynch
WWE World Championship: Dean Ambrose vs AJ Styles
This is the main event that Dean Ambrose deserves.
Having a so-so match with Dolph Ziggler last month, Ambrose will have the fight of his life against AJ Styles tonight and with Styles’ already stacked resume, it’s an easy Match of The Year contender.
But who will come out on top?
Again, here’s a case of who actually needs it more. With Styles coming off a clean victory with John Cena at SummerSlam (that could actually win Match of the Year) it’s Ambrose that needs this victory to cement his first reign as WWE Champion. Ambrose has yet to have the match that vindicates him winning the championship in the first place and makes him seem like the company’s top guy.
This is the night that match happens.
While it’s only a matter of time that AJ will eventually win the WWE World Championship, tonight is not the night for the Phenomenal One and Ambrose will give his all to show the world why he’s the guy and not just some paper transitional champion. With the brand extension’s main goal is to make their stars shine brighter, what better chance to give to Ambrose than to prove his worth against a world-class athlete like Styles.
Winner: Dean Ambrose
So there you have it, readers. Do you think we’re on the mark with these calls or do you have different predictions of your own? Let us know in the comments below.
