5 takeaways from WrestleMania Backlash
WrestleMania Backlash is done and dusted, with the show delivering some solid results as well as some unspectacular ones. The highs hit all the right notes and gave fans plenty of things to be excited about, while the lows had them scratching their heads.
Given how WrestleMania Backlash is supposed to be a fallout pay-per-view, the expectations were not sky-high for any of the matches or feuds. However, WWE did a good job of making the show seem like a big deal, and delivered with all their high-profile matches.
It is time to put the event under the microscope and analyze it on a deeper level. On that note, here are five of our takeways from WrestleMania Backlash.
#5. On our list of takeaways from WrestleMania Backlash: There may be a Lashley vs. Omos rubber match
With the MVP in his corner, Omos looked like a bigger threat and avenged his loss to Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 38. However, the way it happened suggests the two superstars are far from done with each other.
The two titans looked to be evenly matched until Lashley's former manager managed to attack him behind the referee's back. The cheap shot allowed Omos to capitalize and defeat The All Mighty.
We expect to see the MVP boast about the win and continue claiming that Lashley is nothing without him. With the score tied at 1-1, we can expect a tiebreaker perhaps at Hell in a Cell.
#4. Rhea Ripley brings Judgment Day closer
Even though their feud wasn't exactly red-hot, AJ Styles and Edge performed a high-quality match at WrestleMania Backlash. Like their WrestleMania 38 encounter, this one was dictated by outside interference, and that too by the person who was banned from ringside.
Damian Priest showed up to aid his mentor and drew out Finn Balor, who came to level the odds for Styles. However, it was the arrival of Rhea Ripley that gave Edge the victory, as she pushed The Phenomenal One off the top turnbuckle and allowed The Rated-R Superstar to take the victory.
The addtion of Ripley may be what the faction needs to establish itself with the WWE Universe. Styles is far from done with Edge and his disciples, and we may see a final match between the pair at Hell in a Cell.
#3. Cody Rhodes' unfashionable win keeps the feud going
Match This 👏 Match 👏
#WMBacklash @CodyRhodes @WWERollins https://t.co/H81c9bhJiL
The match between Cody Rhodes and Seth 'Freakin' Rollins was a masterclass in storytelling. It was a phenomenal contest from start to finish, with the lackluster ending serving as a key part of the matchup.
Having used the excuse that he wasn't prepared for Rhodes at WrestleMania 38, Rollins rolled into WrestleMania Backlash with an answer for everything his opponent threw at him. The finish saw The Visionary try to roll The American Nightmare up with a handful of tights, but he got a taste of his own medicine and ended up losing the contest.
Rhodes stealing the win by cheating suggests the feud is far from over. We are wagering the two rivals to have one final feud at Hell in a Cell, and we are all in for it.
#2. Ronda Rousey gets her revenge
After Charlotte Flair barely managed to scrape past Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 38, she didn't shut up about it for a month. She is no longer a champion as she lost the title to Rousey at WrestleMania Backlash.
Not only did Flair lose to The Baddest Woman on the Planet, but she was also forced to say the two most embarrassing words in wrestling - I Quit. This means Rousey is now the SmackDown Women's Champion and the new face of the brand.
With WWE reporting that The Queen suffered a broken radius on the show, the former UFC star will have a new set of challengers to face. It would be interesting to see who will be her next challenger.
#1. The Bloodline wins the battle, but not the war
.@DMcIntyreWWE is taking it to @WWERomanReigns! #WMBacklash https://t.co/Kc4hgfsJXE
In a mega six-man tag team match between The Bloodline and Drew McIntyre and RK-Bro, it was Roman Reigns' faction that prevailed. After an intense and closely-fought match, Reigns speared Riddle to take the win for his team.
From the match, it is clear that the next challenger for The Head of the Table is McIntyre. He had the champion's number throughout the match and proved to be a difficult adversary for him. Their feud could result in a match at Hell in a Cell and possibly even in Money in the Bank or in SummerSlam.
Things on the other side saw the rivalry between The Usos and RK-Bro intensify. There will most certainly be a championship unification match between the two teams at some point. Jimmy and Jey will look to emulate their cousin and unify the titles with the momentum they have from WrestleMania Backlash.