Credit: WWE.com
Championship bouts and personal vendettas dominate the card for WWE’s Backlash pay-per-view Sunday night, live from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
The event, featuring the Superstars of Raw and SmackDown Live, is the first one post-Superstar Shake-up and an opportunity to see competitors face off against former brand mates for the last time.
With the potential for several storyline developments and maybe even a title change or two, the show could prove to be the jumping-off point for several high-profile Superstars as the summer months approach.
Match Card
- No Disqualification Match for the WWE Championship: AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
- Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe
- Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass
- Intercontinental Championship Match: Seth Rollins vs. The Miz
- United States Championship Match: Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton
- Raw Women’s Championship Match: Nia Jax vs. Alexa Bliss
- SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Charlotte vs. Carmella
- Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley vs. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens
- WWE Kickoff Show: Bayley vs. Ruby Riott
News andRumors
What Will Close the Show?
Roman Reigns has been the top dog in WWE for years, but as Backlash approaches, WrestleVotes reported the grudge match between Reigns and Samoa Joe is not slated to close the show.
Instead, it will be the WWE Championship match between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura.
WrestleVotes@WrestleVotes
Shinsuke Nakamura vs AJ Styles is penciled in for the main event tomorrow night at Backlash. Samoa Joe v Roman Reigns was considered but plans that were originally discussed for that match were dropped therefore no sense in closing with it. I’m unsure of what those plans were.
It makes sense given the backstory and the stakes of the match.
The program has seen Nakamura turn heel at WrestleMania and gradually become a more detestable villain with every passing low blow. There is a real possibility he leaves Newark with the top prize on the SmackDown brand, so it only makes sense that match would headline the show.
Throw in a No Disqualification stipulation, and you have a contest that is likely to be the best on the show.
Roman Reigns Still The Guy?
According to Brad Shepard of Bodyslam.net, WWE chief Vince McMahon still sees Roman Reigns as a top guy despite recent booking decisions appearing to diminish his momentum (h/t Aditya Rangarajan of WrestleZone).
The idea WWE management has put so much time and effort into promoting Reigns to then suddenly jump ship after he was selected, for the fourth year in a row, to headline WrestleMania is asinine.
The former enforcer of The Shield has been at the forefront of major storylines, has been the face of WrestleMania for nearly half a decade and has beaten every major star in the industry. Just because he lost two matches in a row to Brock Lesnar should not indicate to fans that the company has lost faith in him.
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No matter how much those fans may hope it is the case.
Reigns is too good and too over to suddenly be shoved down the card or have his status questioned.
Might Braun Strowman be the guy to dethrone Lesnar instead of Reigns? Sure, but no one questioned whether The Undertaker was a top dog while guys like Sycho Sid were winning titles instead of him.
Reigns will be just fine, beginning with what may be a win over Samoa Joe on Sunday night at Backlash.
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