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Despite the underwhelming feeling over the past week, Backlash 2024 was a rousing success. It did a great job in the aftermath of the epic WrestleMania 40 on WWE's premium live event calendar.
However, for all of its plus points, the show did have some apparent flaws. Not everything was perfect, even though there was a lot that felt right.
So, without further ado, let's get through all of it. Here are the biggest positives and negatives from Backlash 2024 France.
#3. Best: No bad matches
Every match at Backlash 2024 delivered something. The show-opening Street Fight was violent and intense, with the newest Bloodline member revealed at the end. Meanwhile, Bayley, Naomi, and Tiffany Stratton brought their A-game to France in a fantastic Triple Threat match for the WWE Women's Championship.
Damian Priest and Jey Uso got good towards the end, while a few shaky moments weren't enough to ruin Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill's big moment. And then, we had the main event where Cody Rhodes defeated AJ Styles in a brilliant encounter, worthy of being The American Nightmare's first WWE title defense.
#2. Worst: A bit too predictable at the end?
There isn't too much wrong with predictability and other factors that made Backlash 2024 a memorable show. However, it needed another big surprise other than what happened with The Bloodline to truly become an all-timer, potentially at the end. Lyon was ready for it.
As good as Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles was, WWE could have ended Backlash 2024 with a tease for The American Nightmare's next program. That would've given the show an even bigger buzz, no matter what it is, be it a rematch with Styles, a new challenger, or a return to The Bloodline feud.
#2. Best: The Bloodline grows at Backlash 2024
Speaking of The Bloodline, things are getting tastier. Tanga Loa returned to WWE at Backlash 2024, having previously wrestled on the main roster as Camacho. Tama Tonga's real-life brother helped him and Solo Sikoa win their Street Fight against Kevin Owens and Randy Orton.
The most interesting part about all this was Paul Heyman's reaction. He didn't have a clue about what was going down and looked displeased at what did happen at Backlash 2024. The Wiseman even seemed to subtly plead with Jey Uso to fix the situation during the latter's backstage confrontation with The Bloodline.
What could The YEET Master have in mind?
#1. Worst: No Yeet in Lyon
No matter what Jey Uso thinks of The Bloodline situation, he probably should have won the World Heavyweight Championship in Lyon. Damian Priest just won the belt at WrestleMania 40 and a loss already would have decimated his momentum. This was a huge missed opportunity for WWE. The French crowd isn't an everyday thing.
The Lyon audience turned Uso's match against Priest from an average bout to a cannot-miss affair. It needed to end in a title change to put a stamp on the occasion. Main Event Jey is ready for a world title reign, even if it's a short one, but now he sits with another loss on his record.
Jey Uso dethroning Damian Priest would have been legendary. Also, it could have added more intrigue to his potential involvement in The Bloodline story. Could this mean The YEET Master will leave RAW and return to SmackDown, potentially with Jimmy Uso and others by his side?
#1. Best: Crowd of the year
By far the biggest positive of Backlash 2024. The fans in Lyon were incredible for the entire show. The energy of the crowd was infectious and they never let up, keeping the passion going across all five matches. This was the perfect proponent for international premium live events.
WWE made the right choice in holding every non-Big Four show outside the United States, truly taking advantage of the passionate global fanbase. France may have been the best of the lot; better than Australia, Puerto Rico, and others.
From singing Randy Orton's theme song to giving the likes of Naomi and Tiffany Stratton lots of love, the crowd turned a good show into a great one. Despite the lack of surprises and only having five matches, Backlash 2024 will forever be remembered as a sleeper hit thanks to the WWE fans in Lyon.
