WWE WrestleMania Backlash was much better than many expected
This weekend's WWE WrestleMania Backlash was a bit of a surprise for critics and observers of The Worldwide Leader in Sports Entertainment.
Heading into Sunday, many in the WWE Universe felt like the card was a little bit light. They also held the belief that the promotion had fooled them with a 'bait and switch' regarding the tag team unification bout between The Usos and RK-Bro.
Working Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre into the contest, making it a six-man match with no title stipulation, left the fans with a bad taste in their mouths - particularly since it came down to an almost last-minute decision.
.@DMcIntyreWWE is taking it to @WWERomanReigns! #WMBacklash https://t.co/Kc4hgfsJXE
A lot of the matches on the card were re-matches or re-hashes, and there just didn't seem to be much imagination or thought put into this event. Following WrestleMania 38 didn't help matters either, considering what a blowout weekend it turned out to be.
The odds were stacked against WWE WrestleMania Backlash, but it turned out to be an impressive evening after all
Despite the fact that we've now seen Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair enough times, their 'I Quit' match was a thing of sheer violence. It brought back some of the magic the pair had when Rowdy Ronda first burst onto the scene in WWE.
Bobby Lashley and Omos made up for what was a poor showing at 'Mania. While the match wasn't great, it was probably the best that The All Mighty is going to get out of the big man. MVP was there to lend a hand, which made this match and the ending credible.
Edge vs. AJ Styles was pretty much what you could have expected from these two living legends, but with a twist in the end. Rhea Ripley's surprise defection to The Rated-R Superstar's group was a nice touch and guarantees that this storyline is only expanding.
Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins may have topped their WrestleMania showdown. Maybe not in terms of pure emotion, but when it comes to down-to-the-mat, chain wrestling and counter moves. Hopefully, we will see the two of them continue this battle of wills.
The aforementioned six-man main event may not have been the match we were expecting, but it was the bout we needed.
What a battle! 🤯
#TheBloodline reigns supreme at #WMBacklash!
@WWERomanReigns @WWEUsos @HeymanHustle https://t.co/gMogmZp7xP
There were stories swirling that this booking was made to cover up for a slight injury that The Tribal Chief suffered against Brock Lesnar, but that hasn't been fully confirmed. Either way, this match helps set up a logical contest between the two tag teams, as well as Reigns and McIntyre for the Universal Championship down the road.
All in all, WrestleMania Backlash 2022 wasn't the best card that WWE will produce this year. However, it's certainly better than most pontificators thought it would be just a few short hours ago. It served its purpose of advancing storylines and moving the needle to begin the new booking year.
Turns out? There was more to this show than originally met the eye.
What did you think of WWE WrestleMania Backlash 2022? Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.