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WWE Backlash was created in April 1999 as an annual pay-per-view event for WWE. The PPV was held annually until 2009, after which the company stopped producing the Backlash event. However, the PPV came back to life in 2016 as a SmackDown exclusive PPV.
This year, Backlash will host matches from both the RAW and SmackDown brands as the company will look to entertain the fans watching from home once again. To make things more interesting, the company is booking some big grudge matches and Championship matches for the event.
Backlash was a great show in 2018, but the event was replaced by Stomping Grounds last year. Most of WWE’s biggest names competed during the event and many of WWE’s top titles including the RAW Women’s Championship, the United States and Intercontinental Championships, and the WWE Championships were defended at Backlash 2018.
While some of you will remember what went down at the previous Backlash, most would like a recap of what happened at the event just before the 2020 edition of the event kicks of.
In this article, we will look at 5 things fans probably forgot about the last Backlash event.
#5 Ruby Riott defeated Bayley on the pre-show
There was a time when The Riott Squad was seen as one of the better heel factions in WWE. Sadly, female factions have gone extinct in WWE now and there is a big void that the company can fill in by adding an all-female faction.
At WWE Backlash, the pre-show had a match between the leader of The Riott Squad, Ruby Riott, and then babyface, Bayley. Riott came out with her teammates Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan for the match.
While Bayley tried her best to overcome the heel, Riott managed to put her away with the Riott Kick after some distraction from Morgan and Logan. Today, Liv is trying to gain back some momentum on RAW while Logan has been released by the company.
WWE Backlash 2020 could see a big match from Bayley
Riott, on the other hand, suffered an injury and is back on RAW but has failed to get any good bookings till now.
Bayley is the current SmackDown Women’s Champion and one-half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion. She will defend her WWE Women's Tag Team Championships with Sasha Banks against The IIconics and Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross at this year's Backlash. While Bayley has gone on to win two belts, Riott is suffering from some ordinary bookings that isn't helping her cause.
#4 Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton had a United States Championship match
Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy had one of the most intense rivalries of 2018 that saw Hardy take a few intense bumps which could have led to the end of his career. However, we’re glad that The Charismatic Enigma of WWE is back in action and doing a good job in a major feud.
It all started with the United States Championship that was held by Hardy at Backlash 2018. Randy Orton challenged Hardy for the title, and the two competed in one of the most interesting matches of the night.
While Orton was at the top of his heel game, he missed an RKO attempt during the match that allowed Hardy to hit his Twist of Fate and follow it up with a perfect Swanton Bomb to retain his title.
Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton are ready for WWE Backlash 2020
Their rivalry did not end there as they had a few more matches after Orton failed to prevail in that match a Backlash. Orton is still playing a lethal character on screen and has been in a feud with his former friend Edge who made a miraculous return at the 2020 Royal Rumble and then defeat The Viper at WrestleMania 36.
Edge and Orton will dance once again at WWE Backlash this year in what is being dubbed as “The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever”.
Hardy, on the other hand, faces Sheamus at this year’s Backlash after The Celtic Warrior tried to end Hardy’s career since his return to SmackDown. It will be interesting to see which Superstar goes over in this battle.
#3 Seth Rollins and The Miz competed for the Intercontinental Championship
WrestleMania 24 saw The Miz defend his WWE Intercontinental Championship against Seth Rollins and Finn Balor in a Triple Threat match. Rollins managed to win the match and take home the Intercontinental title.
At Backlash, the show opened up with a match for the Intercontinental Championship between Rollins and The Miz. While The Miz did perform well during the match and also delivered his Skull Crushing Finale, he fell prey to Rollins’ Stomp which helped him retained the title at the end of the match.
This was the last time that the 8-time Intercontinental Champion The Miz, tried to win the title, as he moved on to other titles and feuds following Backlash 2018.
The Miz and Seth Rollins are on two very different paths for WWE Backlash this year
This year, The A-Lister will team up with John Morrison to take on Universal Champion Braun Strowman in a handicap match at Backlash. This is a major boost for the Superstar who was on a losing spree before Morrison returned to WWE and the two men reformed their team to become the SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
Seth Rollins, on the other hand, is one of the most despicable men on RAW today and has been playing the character of The Messiah of Monday Night RAW, where he has formed a faction and is looking for a big match at this year's Backlash.
#2 Nia Jax was the reigning Raw Women’s Champion
Nia Jax has been one of WWE RAW’s top female Superstars for some time now. At WrestleMania 34, Jax defeated her former best friend Alexa Bliss to become the RAW Women’s Champion. The two were then scheduled for a rematch for the title at WWE Backlash that followed.
While Bliss was playing a heel at that time, Jax was a pure babyface who the crowd was backing. This allowed Jax to deliver a Samoan Drop to Bliss and retain her title in the second match of the night.
After the match, Jax cut an emotional promo about bullying and supported those who were affected by it. Little did we know that The Irresistible Force would become a bully in WWE herself by 2020.
Nia Jax has another big assignment at WWE Backlash this year
This year, the massive heel will be looking to take down current RAW Women’s Champion Asuka in another Championship match. Jax has attacked Asuka’s partner Kairi Sane several times over the past few weeks, and she will have to pay for her actions at Backlash.
Will Jax be successful at another WWE Backlash pay-per-view? We’ll have to wait just a little longer to find out.
#1 Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley competed as a tag team
Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley are the two biggest names in WWE today. While Bobby Lashley is trying to make a big impact on RAW, Braun Strowman did so at WrestleMania 36 where he defeated Goldberg for the Universal Championship after being put into the match last minute.
Lashley made his return to WWE a couple of years ago, just weeks before Backlash. At the time, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were playing comic heel characters and had just managed to get their contracts back after they ran into some issues.
During Backlash 2018, Lashley and Strowman teamed up to take on Owens and Zayn in the penultimate match of the night. Lashley delivered the final move of the night and put away KO to pick up the victory for his team. Fans were then treated to a couple of Running Powerslams by Strowman on both the heels after the match.
What's in store for the beasts of WWE at Backlash 2020?
This year, both men have very important Championship matches lined up ahead of them. Strowman will defend his Universal Championship against The Miz and John Morrison in a Handicap Match, while The All-Mighty is getting his first shot at the WWE Championship since his return to the company as he takes on Drew McIntyre.
