WWE Backlash came to us from the Richmond Colisieum from Richmond, Virginia. SmackDown’s first brand-exclusive PPV will crown the first SmackDown Women’s Champion and the first SmackDown Tag-Team Champions. The women’s title will get defended in a Six-Pack Challenge while The Usos take on the Hype Bros for the right to face Heath Slater and Rhyno in the final of the Tag-Team title tournament.
Dean Ambrose also defends the WWE World Championship against the ‘Phenomenal One’ AJ Styles. Styles has won titles everywhere in the world but tonight could be his first taste of WWE gold. Randy Orton also faces Bray Wyatt tonight in one of Backlash’s showcase matches. Who’ll come out on top, the Viper or the Eater of Worlds?
Daniel Bryan is with Apollo Crews during the pre-show with Daniel Bryan telling Crews that he should be ‘more fun’ in the ring and has to show off more personality. Baron Corbin interrupts and is upset that he hasn’t been booked for Backlash and both Corbin and Crews is put in an impromptu match against each other.
Baron Corbin vs Apollo Crews
The match kicks off with both men locking up in the center of the ring. Neither men have a distinct advantage and are evenly matched. Crews went for a springboard drop early on but the ‘Lone Wolf’ countered with a stiff elbow, knocking Crews down. Corbin took advantage and began working on the slightly smaller Crews.
Corbin continues on top till Crews hits Corbin with some athletic kicks including an Enzeguiri that sends Corbin rolling out of the ring. This match had some fast paced action with Crews pulling off some impressive moves including an Olympic Slam straight out of Kurt Angle’s playbook. Corbin looked good too, particularly his Deep Six which is one of the most devastating looking moves in WWE today.
The ending to the match was little underwhelming, however, with Corbin hitting Crews with the End Of Days after kneeing him in the face for the pinfall.
Baron Corbin def. Apollo Crews
Backlash kicks off with Shane McMahon coming out to greet the fans in the ring. He’s followed out by Daniel Bryan who receives a monster ovation like usual. Shane welcomed the fans to SmackDown Live’s first PPV and thanked everyone from the fans to the production crew. He says that the fans were responsible for SmackDown Live’s success and their high ratings.
Shane and Bryan went through the card and announced that the women’s Six Pack Match would be on first.
Six Pack Match (For the SmackDown Live Women’s Championship)
The show kicked off with the six-way to crown the new SmackDown Women’s Champion between Becky Lynch, Natalya, Naomi, Alexa Bliss, Carmella and Nikki Bella.
The match kicked off with a melee with Becky Lynch and Naomi being the last two left in the ring. Naomi started off with a flurry of kicks to Becky but Becky countered by sending Naomi out of the ring. Becky went to the top rope after that only to be punched down onto the turnbuckle by Carmella who follows it up with modified hurracanrana.
Following this Carmella gets taken outside by Natalya and smashed against the divider. Meanwhile, it out by Natalya.
Swift fast paced following this. Natalya got hit with a Full Nelson Bomb by Naomi after which Naomi bridged her into a submission. Bliss came and attacked Naomi mid-submission. Carmella then came out and attacked Bliss from behind and threw Naomi out of the ring. Nikki Bella finally got a chance to get her hands on Carmella after this as she attacked Carmella from behind and the two brawl inside the ring.
Carmella manages to take the advantage and locks Bella in a Code Of Silence but Bella powers out and slams Carmella. She then has Carmella up on the turnbuckle and is going for a superplex as Natalya entered the fray. Natalya powerbombs Nikki Bella as Bella superplexed Carmella!
Nikki Bella throws Carmella brawled outside the ring with Alexa and Becky as Naomi came and took everyone out with a springboard dive. Natalya and Naomi brawl in the ring after this as Alexa Bliss interferes. Natalya and Naomi double team Alexa with a Super Blockbuster Powerbomb. Natalya covered Alexa for the three count.
Alexa Bliss is eliminated
Following this Natalya puts Naomi in the Sharpshooter and makes Naomi tap! The action is coming thick and fast.
Naomi is eliminated
Natalya and Carmella look to attack Bella together after this but Natalya turns on Carmella and attacks both her and Nikki which proves to be too much for her. Natalya sends Carmella flying out of the ring but Nikki Bella takes advantage and hits Natalya with a modified STO. 1 – 2 – 3!
Natalya is eliminated
Carmella runs in and rolls up Nikki Bella….1 – 2 – 3!
Carmella eliminated Nikki Bella
Only two women left now – Carmella and Becky.
Carmella pushes Nikki who is distraught at being eliminated. Bella slaps Carmella to the ground and leaves. Becky comes in a looks to take advantage. She brushes aside Carmella’s weak offence and hits her with the BexPlex. Becky then locked Carmella into the Disarmer. Carmella tried to fight out but tapped out!
Becky Lynch pins and eliminateds Carmella to win the match
Becky Lynch finally won her first title in WWE, having never been a champion in NXT. After years of hard work, working as a flight attendant and wrestling all over the world, this is Becky’s moment.
The Usos vs The Hype Bros (to face Heath Slater and Rhyno for the Tag-Team Championships)
The newly heel Usos come down to the ring first with their new less colourful look.
Jimmy Uso and Mojo Rawley start things off with Mojo overpowering Jimmy Uso easily and sending him scurrying outside to regroup. Uso came back and immediately got slammed by Rawley who tagged in Zack Ryder. Ryder had Uso in a corner looking for his signature Broski Boot but Jey Uso pulled his brother out. Mojo Rawley then came charging in and shoulder tackled the hell out of the Usos.
The Usos finally took control after isolating Ryder in the corner and they rotated tags and kept working Ryder over as “Let’s go Usos, Usos suck” chants ring through the building. Ryder repeatedly tries to make it to the corner to tag in Mojo Rawley but the Usos keep wearing him down and isolating him.
Zack Ryder finally counters with a Hangman’s Neckbreaker to Jey Uso. As he was about to tag in Mojo Rawley, Jimmy Uso ran in and took Rawley out. He then dragger Ryder back to the corner and The Usos continued to isolate him.
Ryder finally capitalized on hesitation from The Usos to make the tag as Mojo Rawley finally got his tag. Mojo comes in and cleared house sending the Uso’s flying everywhere. The Hype Bros then went for the double team but Jimmy Uso prevented it my pulling Rawley to the outside. The Uso’s then isolated Ryder and attack his calf in the same way they attacked Chad Gable.
After wearing out Zack Ryder’s calf, Jimmy Uso put Zack Ryder in a single-leg crab with Ryder tapping out.
The Usos def. The Hype Bros
Is anyone surprised that the Hype Bros failed to win?
The Miz (C) vs Dolph Ziggler (for the WWE Intercontinental Championship)
We’re all familiar with the build behind this one which started with The Miz cutting his fantastic promo on Daniel Bryan on Talking Smack which came to a head last week with Dolph Ziggler coming out and calling The Miz a coward. Miz is clearly unhappy that Dolph got handed this title opportunity and will just be looking to leaving Backlash with his title.
Dolph is out first and then we cut back to backstage to see Miz threatening Daniel Bryan that he wanted a new contract if he retained his Intercontinental Championship.
As the bell rang, the crowd were clearly behind Ziggler. Ziggler charged at Miz and attacked him in a flurry, sending the Miz scrambling out of the ring to regroup. Ziggler and Miz started with a series of lock ups and holds after Miz finally got back into the ring with the Miz going on top after punching Ziggler in the face.
Ziggler countered after an Irish whip, hitting The Miz with multiple dropkicks. Miz hit back with a cheap shot and then guillotined Ziggler on the bottom rope before putting him in a modified submission hold. Ziggler rolled over for the pin but only got the two count. Miz then countered a superkick and sent Ziggler over the top rope. As Ziggler tried to climb back in he got hit in the face with a flying dropkick.
Miz then got Ziggler back into the ring and put him into a devastating Inverted Surfboard submission lock. Ziggler survived the hold and managed to wriggle out but the Miz was now in control. With Ziggler reeling against the corner Miz hit Ziggler with three running dropkicks into the corner, following which he mocked Daniel Bryan’s ‘Yes’ taunts which he followed up with his patented corner clothesline.
Miz then went for the Skull Crushing Finale which Ziggler rolled out of and followed up with a gorgeous dropkick. Both men were now down with Ziggler looking for a way back into the match. Miz then went for a powerbomb which Ziggler countered into a rollup. Miz kicked out and went for a running shoulder tackle to Ziggler in the corner, which he missed. Ziggler couldn’t take advantage however, as Miz hit Ziggler with a modified sit-down powerbomb for the near fall.
A frustrated Miz then went for the Figure 4 Leglock but Ziggler countered with a Famouser for another nearfall. A worn out Ziggler then put the squeeze on the Miz with a sleeperhold. He had Miz on his knees but Miz still managed to breakout of the hold. At this pount Ziggler has been beaten down. Ziggler desperately went for a superkick but Miz countered with a devastating DDT following which he wasted no time to put Ziggler into a Figure 4. Against all odds Ziggler managed to reach the ropes.
Miz has been in control for most of this match. As he goes for another Figure 4, Ziggler hits him with a superkick that almost knocks the Miz’s lights out. Miz somehow manages to get his foot on the rope as Ziggler pinned him.
Miz goes to roll up Ziggler after this which Ziggler countered into his own pinning maneuver. Miz kicked out of it and hit Ziggler with an uppercut that left Ziggler reeling against the middle rope. As the referee was bust with the Miz, Maryse sprayed Ziggler in the face with something which blinded Ziggler. Miz took advantage to hit Ziggler with the Skull Crushing Finale for the three count.
The Miz def.Dolph Ziggler
The never-ending title run of The Miz continues with The Miz retaining his title. Great match between Ziggler and The Miz, this was Grade-A stuff.
Bray Wyatt vs Randy Orton (Later changed to Bray Wyatt vs Kane)
The Eater of Worlds attacked Randy Orton backstage earlier in the night, especially targeting Orton’s leg. As Wyatt made his way to the ring, one had to wonder what state Orton would be in for this match.
As Bray stood in the ring, the announcer announced that Orton wasn’t fit for the match and that VBray had requested for the 10-count to officially win the match. The referee counted to 10 and Wyatt was declared the winner.
The announcer announcer announced after that, that Wyatt had a No Holds Barred match against another opponent instead. Oh god, it’s Kane.
Bray starts out by stomping Kane in the corner, but the Big Red Machine reversed it and sent Wyatt scurrying to ringside. He followed this up with a clothesline following which he sent Wyatt flying over the barricade. As Kane went to pick Wyatt up, Wyatt hot back with a shot from the ring bell. Wyatt then went for a steel chair but Kane countered.
Kane and Wyatt brawl inside the ring after which Wyatt took a chair from the outside and hammered Kane in the knee with a steel chair. Following this Wyatt hit Kane with steel chair shots and shouted “I’m a god” at the crowd, what a loon.
After a good half dozen steel chair shots to Kane, Bray Wyatt went for a lazy cover but Kane kicked out. Wyatt then went for a Sister Abigail into the chair but Kane reversed it into a DDT ad gave Wyatt a taste of his own medicine. Big Red then followed it uo by his patented sidewalk slam. He went for a chokeslam after this but Bray countered.
The two then worked outside the ring as Bray levelled Kane with a clothesline. Bray then set Kane up on the announcer’s table following which he hit Kane with his patented running Senton through the table. Amazing. For a Kane match, this one wasn’t bad. As the crowd screamed “one more time”, Bray rolled Kane back into the ring and got ready for the Sister Abigail. Kane countered Wyatt’s Sister Abigail for a Chokeslam which resulted in a two count.
As Bray lay on the ground, Kane picked up the steel chair and signaled for the Tombstone. However, Bray countered with his modified Rock Bottom onto the steel chair. As Wyatt and Kane lay lying, Randy Orton came limping out to RKO Bray Wyatt. Will Kane win?
Kane chokeslams Bray Wyatt for the pinfall. Who booked this?
Kane def. Bray Wyatt
The Usos vs Heath Slater and Rhyno (for the SmackDown Tag-Team Championships)
Jimmy Uso and Heath Slater start us off. Heath and Jey start up with a lock up as the crowd sings “Let’s go Slater”. The Usos then isolate Slater on the outside and double team him, giving him a vertical suplex into the ring post followed by a Superkick.
With Slater back in the ring, The Usos continued to work Slater over. Slater hit Jey in the face and tried to crawl to the corner but Jimmy got tagged into the match and ran over to stop Rhyno from getting tagged in. Another double team maneuver from The Usos as they continued to work on Heath Slater’s back. The Usos were in complete control at this point as Jey held Slater in a chin lock. Slater got up to desperately make the tag only to be overpowered and denied by Jey Uso.
The Usos continued to rotate tags and work on Heath Slater till Heath Slater followed up an Irish whip with a crossbody. Slater finally reached the corner and managed to tag in Rhyno as Jey Uso tagged in his brother. Rhyno overpowered Jey easily and went for The Gore. Uso move out of the way and Rhyno crashed into the turnbuckle.
Slater then tagged himself back in and took out both Usos with neckbreakers. He then hit Jimmy Uso with a leaping DDT! Only a nearfall however as Jey Uso pulled Heath out. Heath then ran back into the ring only to be met with a superkick. Rhyno was ready on the other side however and he Gore-d Jimmy Uso as Slater lay down. Slater then managed to crawl over to Jimmy Uso and cover him for the pinfall. The crowd erupted as Heath Slater and Rhyno win the inaugural SmackDown Tag Team Champions. Heath Slater finally has a job!
Heath Slater and Rhyno def. The Usos
Dean Ambrose (C) vs AJ Styles (for the the WWE World Championship)
AJ Styles vs Dean Ambrose is the match that fans have been waiting for the most from Backlash. AJ Style received massive ovation as he made his way down to the ring first to try and win his first championship in WWE. Ambrose made his way out last to an equally massive pop from the crowd. This one had the makings for an instant classic.
AJ got introduced by the referee as “The face that runs the place” which was a very interesting plot point. Expect him to face Cena again in the near future.
Ambrose and Styles circled each other after the bell ran before locking up. AJ immediately got Ambrose with a snapmare and then tried a cheeky rollup pin, looking for an early pin. AJ then yelled “I own you, Dean” before shoving him away. Dean pushed back and sent Styles head over feet. Styles had the clear speed advantage in the opening exchanges while Ambrose had the strength advantage.
Ambrose fired back with his unorthodox offence and hit AJ with a smashing back-body drop. As Ambrose went for the tope suicida, Styles rushed back into the ring to trip Ambrose and send him neck-first into the middle rope. Styles was all over Ambrose’s neck hitting him with repeated guillotine drops along with chin locks and other submission moves.
As unpredictable as Ambrose is, Styles was on top for the first part of the match. He hit Ambrose with a bodyslam followed by an elbow drop straight to Dean’s nose. Ambrose somehow pulled Styles into the corner and stomped a mudhole into him. Ambrose then went for a running shoulder tackle but Styles moved out of the way as Ambrose’s shoulder rammed into the ring post. Styles then went for a running splash but this time Ambrose moved out of the way.
Ambrose then propped Styles onto the top turnbuckle and gave Styles a belly-to-back suplex from the top rope. Ambrose tried to cheekily lock Styles in for a Dirty Deeds but AJ wriggled out. AJ went to the top rope and tried a crossbody. Ambrose caught Styles in mid-air and turned it into a modified Irosh Curse. After a flying elbow drop to the outside on Styles, Ambrose got Styles back in the ring for an inverted Wheelbarrow Facebuster. As Dean tried a suplex, AJ countered with a suplex to the corner and went for a Phenomenal Forearm.
Dean moved out of the way and after a series of counters, AJ smashed Ambrose’s knee into the mat. He followed this up with a knee bar and continued to work on Ambrose’s knee. Dean managed to break out of the move after kicking AJ in the head repeatedly. However, AJ got Dean locked into the Calf Crusher only moments later. Dean somehow reached for the ropes to break the hold. Relentlessly, AJ pulled Dean back to the center and locked him in another Calf Crusher. Dean then broke out of the Calf Crusher in an unique way – he just repeatedly smashed AJ’s head to the mat.
AJ then went for the Styles Clash but Ambrose held onto the ropes and managed to avoid it. With Ambrose on the apron, AJ hit him with an enzeguiri. Styles then got Ambrose into position on the apron but Ambrose slingshotted him into the ring post shoulder first. Ambrose finally got his way back into the match only for AJ to hit Ambrose with his lightning quick strikes followed by the Ushi Goroshi. As AJ went for another Styles Clash, Ambrose countered again and managed to break out. Undeterred, AJ hit Ambrose with a spinning TKO into a powerbomb followed by a springboard 450 splash for the nearfall.
Dean showed incredible resolve as he kicked out again. He then countered an Irish Whip with a spinning kneckbreaker followed by a wreckingball dropkick when sent Styles crashing outside. Ambrose followed it up with a tope suicida to the outside which sent Styles flying over the announcer’s table. Ambrose followed this up by throwing Styles over the barricade into the crowd. He then jumped onto the announcers table and leapt over the barricade onto Styles.
Ambrose then rolled Styles back into the ring as the crowd screamed “this is awesome”. AJ then hit Ambrose with a Pelle Kick which Ambrose followed with a Lunatic Lariat. As the referee got knocked down in te process, AJ took advantage and low-blowed Dean Ambrose which he followed up with a Styles Clash.
AJ covered Ambrose for the pinfall! 1 – 2 – 3 and AJ Styles pinned Ambrose to created history by winning his first WWE World Championship.
AJ Styles def. Dean Ambrose
