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Welcome to this week's edition of things WWE subtly told us on SmackDown this week. Given the inconsistency of RAW these past two months, we're happy to see SmackDown is going in a good direction.
One of the few problems we have, however, with the build to Backlash has been the Universal Championship rival. Braun Strowman vs The Miz and John Morrison feels like the most unimportant World Championship match in a long time and WWE has done nothing to build its importance.
That's why there won't even be an individual talking point about one of the "marquee" matches in Backlash. Instead, we'll start with a man who could very well be the next Universal Champion - Otis.
#5. Otis' new rivalry
This was an interesting one. Last week, the seeds were planted for a King Corbin-Otis feud after Mr. Money in the Bank wore his crown. In the main event of SmackDown, Heavy Machinery teamed up with Universal Champion Braun Strowman to face Dolph Ziggler, John Morrison, and The Miz.
Mid-match, the screen showed King Corbin backstage approaching Mandy Rose, trying to find an answer as to why Otis did what he did last week. While Rose brushed it off, Corbin implied that Rose "wanted" a King.
He was soon met by Otis, who ran backstage and drilled him in with a shoulder tackle. At the end of the match, Otis ended up pinning Dolph Ziggler again, all while maintaining a level of tension with the Universal Champion Braun Strowman.
We've liked the tense dynamic between Strowman and Otis, as it's something they've been playing out well. It's undoubtedly more interesting than a feud with Corbin, but we fully expect Otis to decimate the former United States Champion in the build to a possible Universal title win.
#4. Are Sasha Banks and Bayley in jeopardy?
Sasha Banks and Bayley have been having a good few months. For Bayley, her success has been continuous for over a year now and the accolades have continued to pour in for her. Last week, The Boss N' Hug Connection defeated Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross on SmackDown to become two-time Women's Tag Team Championships.
Given the state of the SmackDown Women's division and lack of contenders (with Lacey Evans and Sonya Deville being the only two other active names), WWE decided to have Banks and Bayley defend the Tag Team titles at Backlash 2020.
Perhaps this was a smart move, but Paige was one Superstar who didn't agree with that decision. She spoke candidly on WWE Backstage, revealing that she feels the Tag Team titles have been severely underutilized and "thrown under a rug".
We feel that the lack of contenders for Bayley may have played a role in her winning the Tag Team titles with Sasha Banks. It could have been a part of the storyline to get to Backlash, where their reign could end in just nine days. We would pick The IIconics as the favorites to win.
#3. Why did Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro get a win over the Champions?
For some reason, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura's feud with Shorty G has been abandoned abruptly. We're not sure why they decided to simply pull the plug on it, but it's clear that they're going in a different direction.
Cesaro and Nakamura ended up defeating The New Day in a non-title match, setting them up for a future Championship opportunity. While we're not sure when it'll happen, the most ideal time is Backlash 2020.
Perhaps it'll be a Kickoff show match but there's been no build to this whatsoever. It feels like a throwaway title defense for The New Day which is ultimately just a "filler" to get to their next feud - just like how Braun Strowman is in a "filler feud" with The Miz and John Morrison.
It would have been better if WWE spent a bit more time building to this title match, but there isn't too much that we expect to come of it. Hopefully, we get an in-ring clinic from Cesaro and Kofi Kingston.
#2. Backlash is only the start of the grudge feud
The Jeff Hardy-Sheamus rivalry has been one that WWE has invested a lot of time and effort into. They planted the seeds for the feud before Hardy returned and now that it's started, it's become more intense.
While Edge vs Randy Orton was the most "personal" rivalry of WrestleMania 36, it isn't the same for their Backlash main event. It's just a rematch with a weird catchphrase that neither men seem to like.
It's Jeff Hardy vs Sheamus that's the most "personal" feud on the card and it's been the biggest grudge feud in a few months. Sheamus has been addressing Jeff Hardy's personal issues and constantly reminding him of it, all while the WWE legend has been looking to gain redemption.
No matter what you think about the nature of the feud, it's got a buzz about it and we anticipate that Backlash 2020 won't be the payoff to the feud - it'll only be the start.
This is a rivalry that we can see going on until the summer.
#1. AJ Styles is re-establishing his spot on SmackDown
AJ Styles moved back to SmackDown after WrestleMania 36 to compete in the Intercontinental Championship tournament. It was revealed during his first-round match against Shinsuke Nakamura that he has shifted back to SmackDown again full-time, ending his one-year stint on RAW.
It was a great decision to make as Styles had a previous history of thriving on the Blue brand. The fact that he's always been so important goes to show how much WWE trusts him in that big spot. While there are a few possible reasons as to why he beat Daniel Bryan for the title, we believe that WWE is making an attempt to re-establish AJ Styles as the top-dog on the brand and the Intercontinental Title victory is just a stepping stone for him.
He's won all the available singles accolades on RAW and SmackDown minus the 24/7 Championship (he's far too big a star to be vying for that title) and the Universal Championship. We hope that this move was done to set up a rivalry with Matt Riddle. That would be the perfect spot for him.
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