Ranking the last five WWE Backlash main events

By Anirban
Modified May 10, 2021 18:54 IST
Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns

WWE Backlash is just around the corner. WWE has named the 2021 edition of the pay-per-view WrestleMania Backlash. However, the event has been around for a long time.

It's one of WWE's more dependable pay-per-views that they have often come back to. Over the years, plenty of iconic matches have taken place at the event.

This year's event will see Roman Reigns defend his WWE Universal Championship against Cesaro. Meanwhile, the WWE Championship will be up for grabs in a Triple Threat match between Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Braun Strowman. Bianca Belair will also defend her title against Bayley, while Rhea Ripley attempts to hold off both Asuka and Charlotte.

Unfortunately taking place without an audience present, WrestleMania Backlash will still look to live up to its own legacy.

The following are the main events of the last five editions of the pay-per-view, ranked from worst to best. The event was skipped for a few years, so this list will include the last five times WWE has broadcasted it.

#5 WWE Backlash 2017: Jinder Mahal vs Randy Orton (c) in a WWE Championship match

Randy Orton faced Jinder Mahal in a match at WWE Backlash 2017 that would change the face of the Blue brand.

WWE management favored Mahal with a sudden push at the time. Such a push saw him qualify for a WWE Championship match against Randy Orton. The Viper was the champion at the time while Mahal was backed by the Singh Brothers.

Mahal's entourage proved to be critical. During the match, thanks to interference and distractions from the two Singh Brothers, Orton found himself in trouble. Mahal had a new physique and was looking better than ever. Orton had his hands full in the ring, but he also needed eyes in the back of his head thanks to Mahal's allies.

In the end, Orton lost the match, and Jinder Mahal came away as the new WWE Champion. He also became the first-ever wrestler of Indian origin to win the title.

While the match was entertaining, it does not compare to the other ones on this list.

#4 WWE Backlash 2018: Roman Reigns vs Samoa Joe

Samoa Joe had been out with injury for some time before his match at Backlash 2018. When Roman Reigns failed to win the title against Brock Lesnar again, Joe returned to challenge Reigns. He said that Reigns was a failure and that it was time for a change.

In the main event of Backlash 2018, Reigns fought Joe. Fans hoped that the returning Joe would be able to win. Unfortunately, Reigns was not going to let things go.

Joe tried his best and even put Reigns through the table with a uranage and locked in the Coquina Clutch. Reigns fought back and hit Joe with a Superman Punch, and also hit him with two spears. The second spear proved to be enough and Reigns put Joe away to win the match.

It was an excellent showing from Joe, but Reigns winning it put a slight dampener on the match. The match itself was a great display of brutal wrestling. Samoa Joe never got the chance to showcase everything he could do in a WWE ring, but this was one of the times he came close to it.

#3 WWE Backlash 2020: Randy Orton vs Edge

A match unfortunately hyped by WWE as the "greatest wrestling match ever", Edge faced Randy Orton in his second match since returning to WWE at Backlash 2020.

After his return, Edge faced Randy Orton at WrestleMania and defeated him in a Last Man Standing Match. However, when he faced Orton at Backlash, it was supposed to be a pure wrestling match, touted as the greatest wrestling match ever.

WWE made it a huge deal and the two faced each other in the main event. Orton and Edge's clash at Backlash is one of their best matches together. They brought out all the stops and hit each other with every move, innovating as they went along.

Unfortunately, the match would see a tragedy. Edge suffered a tear in his triceps that would keep him out of action for a long time. Even so, he would go on to complete the match anyway. Randy Orton hit him with a low blow, and then a Punt to get the win.

#2 WWE Backlash 2016: AJ Styles vs Dean Ambrose a.k.a Jon Moxley (c)

AJ Styles' match against Dean Ambrose a.k.a Jon Moxley at WWE Backlash 2016 was one of the most entertaining matches held that year. Both came off big wins, with Dean Ambrose defeating Dolph Ziggler at SummerSlam and AJ Styles beating John Cena.

Styles then became the No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship and challenged Ambrose at the pay-per-view. Heading into Backlash, the storyline seemed to include a lot of low blows, with AJ Styles straddling the top rope one week, only for Ambrose to get hit with a low blow the following week.

Unfortunately, those would not be the only low blows surrounding the feud. Styles and Ambrose had a fantastic match at the pay-per-view main event. They brought out all the stops to defeat each other but were unsuccessful.

Finally, AJ Styles got the win and became the new WWE Champion after he hit Dean Ambrose with a low blow while the referee was distracted. The move gave him time to set up the Styles Clash which he used to get his win.

#1 WWE Backlash 2009: Edge vs John Cena (c) in a Last Man Standing Match for the World Heavyweight Championship

John Cena had one of the best matches of his career at WWE Backlash.

John Cena managed to win back the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 25 when he defeated both Edge and The Big Show. However, he was not free of Edge just yet.

Following WrestleMania, Vickie Guerrero declared that Edge would face John Cena in a Last Man Standing Match for the title at Backlash. The main event saw the two battle across the ring and the ringside area. They used everything that they had at their disposal to take each other out. The steel steps, the broadcast tabl, and even the barriers were used as weapons to batter each other with.

Cena managed to send Edge into the crowd with an Attitude Adjustment, but there was interference from The Big Show. They were in the stage area when The Big Show appeared and hit Cena with an enormous chokeslam through a spotlight that exploded. As a result, Cena could not make it back to his feet, and Edge won the title.

The match was brutal and one of the most entertaining matches between the two long time rivals.

One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE