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WWE Backlash kicked off with the Triple Threat Women's Tag Team titles match between the current champs Sasha Banks & Bayley, Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross, and The IIconics. The Backlash kick-off show saw Apollo Crews defend the US title against Andrade among other shenanigans.
Sasha Banks & Bayley (c) vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs. The IIconics - Triple Threat Match for the Women's Tag Team titles at Backlash
Bayley, Kay, and Cross started the match and Banks was tagged in shortly before Alexa came in as well. Royce was tagged in as well and Banks was being rolled up by Royce before Alexa tried to roll her up instead.
All six women came in for a standoff and it ended in a big brawl in the ring before Bliss & Cross took control with a double team move on Royce and Banks.
Nikki and Alexa were working together against Peyton Royce and they hit a big move for a near fall. Alexa hit the Twisted Bliss and went for the pin on Royce before Sasha came in with a rollup and picked up the first win on Backlash.
Result: Sasha Banks & Bayley def. Alexa Bliss, Nikki Cross, and The IIconics to retain the Women's Tag Team titles
Match rating: B+
Braun Strowman was seen showing up to the Performance Center in his fixed up ride for Backlash.
Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus
Jeff Hardy came out with face paint on and Sheamus went for his face right off the bat, rubbing the paint off. Sheamus was decimating Hardy until Jeff reversed with a kick and was going for the Fella's legs. The match went outside and Jeff went for the steel steps but dropped them to keep from being disqualified.
Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus (contd...)
Sheamus picked Hardy up in the ring and dropped him on the ring post, taking out Jeff's knee. Hardy still kicked out despite the injury and was having trouble staying on his feet. Sheamus hit two backbreakers but Hardy still kicked out somehow at Backlash.
Sheamus was in trouble for a moment as Hardy hit a suplex, taking back control but only for a second. Hardy hit the Whisper in the Wind for a near fall before hitting the Atomic Drop. Hardy went up top but Sheamus took him down before hitting the White Noise for another near fall as Backlash continued.
Sheamus was going at it and Hardy was barely responsive by this point. Hardy sidestepped, sending Sheamus into the post. Hardy hit the Twist Of Fate and followed it up with the Swanton Bomb but Sheamus got his foot on the ropes to break the pin. Sheamus hit the Brogue Kick outside the ring and then another one inside before picking up the win on Backlash.
Result: Sheamus def. Jeff Hardy
Match rating: A
Miz & Morrison were backstage during Backlash and Kayla Braxton told them that whichever one of them got the pin on Braun would be the new champ. Otis and Mandy came up and threatened them with a cash-in if either of them won.
Asuka (c) vs. Nia Jax - RAW Women's Championship match at Backlash
Asuka went for a sleeper hold right way but Nia was overpowering every move from Asuka early on. The champ locked in the Octopus but Jax managed to throw her off. Jax was dominating the match and tossing Asuka around but failed to get the pin. Jax even stared the official down for enforcing the rules of the match.
Backlash went on as Jax hit a Jackhammer for another near fall. Asuka hit the Shining Wizard before taking her down with a dropkick from up top and then a Hip Attack for a near fall.
Asuka kicked out of a powerbomb but then the match went outside where Asuka got an armbar in before ending the match in a double count-out. Asuka hit a hip attack off the apron after the match on Backlash.
Result: Double Count-out, Asuka retains the RAW Women's Championship
Match rating: A
Backstage at Backlash, MVP was already getting ready to celebrate Bobby Lashley's WWE Championship win. Lana came to ask him about her being at ringside for Lashley's title shot but he told her to ask Bobby instead. Lana got super angry and walked off.
Braun Strowman (c) vs. Miz & Morrison - Universal Championship match
We finally got to watch Miz & Morrison's 'hit new single' that was a diss track aimed at Braun Strowman. The song was pretty good but it was cut short by Braun's entrance. The Miz kicked off the match on Backlash but tagged in Morrison for a cheap shot before the match started at Backlash.
Braun was being cornered by the challengers who took turns attacking Braun and running away. Braun finally got a shot in and knocked out Morrison before shrugging off a huge boot from Miz. The champ sent Miz into his teammate but was hit with two big dives on the outside moments after. The challengers hit a double DDT and took Braun down before Miz went for the 'It' kicks.
Braun Strowman (c) vs. Miz & Morrison - Universal Championship match (contd...)
Miz & Morrison hit the Skull Crushing Finale and Stomp combo before Miz pulled Morrison out of the pin. This would come back to haunt them as Strowman cameback and hit The Miz with a chokeslam in the ring. Morrison came in with a top rope move but was caught in the running power slam before Braun picked up the win, retaining his title at Backlash.
Result: Braun Strowman (c) def. Miz & Morrison to retain the Universal Championship
Match rating: A
Backstage, AJ Styles put out an invitation to his championship 'presentation' on SmackDown.
Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Bobby Lashley - WWE Championship match
Bobby Lashley went for the Full Nelson before the Backlash match even began and three officials came in to try and pry him off. Drew gave the go-ahead for the match regardless and Lashley unload on the champ right away as Lana was watching from backstage. Lashley was going at it but took a Northern Lights Suplex but Drew was being still overpowered even after that.
Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Bobby Lashley - WWE Championship match (contd...)
McIntyre sent Lashley outside before being sent into the ring post. McIntyre sent Bobby into the barricades and gained control of the match. Lashley got a near fall off a spine buster but took the reverse Alabama Slam.
Lashley locked in the crossface and then the ankle lock before McIntyre went for a submission of his own. Lashley hit the spear and got a near fall but then Lana came out to tell the referee that he cheated. A Glasgow Kiss from McIntyre sent Lashley on to Lana who fell on to MVP.
Drew hit the Claymore while Bobby was distracted and picked up the win on Backlash!
Result: Drew McIntyre def. Bobby Lashley to retain the WWE Championship
Match rating: A+
The Street Profits and Viking Raiders were brawling in the parking lot as Backlash went on when they broke Braun Strowman's car's windshield. They headed inside and The Profits found golf clubs but The Vikings came at them with axes, shields, and a bowling ball. They realized the hilarity of the situation and decided to lay their weapons down and decided to 'fight like men'.
Ivar sent the bowling down the corridor and straight into the Montez Ford's 'family jewels' before Dawkins sent him in through a glass door. A ninja/motorbike gang showed up out of nowhere and it was led by Akira Tozawa, making a guest appearance on Backlash.
The Profits and Vikings joined forces as the Viking Profits and laid the Ninja gang out. Tozawa called in the biggest ninja in the group, armed with a Katana and the Viking Profits made a hasty escape. Their alliance was shortlived as the Vikings and the Profits resumed their fight and tossed each other off the big rig truck and into a dumpster.
A female referee came to remind them of the match and called Ivar cute before the four found that an alligator was in the trash truck with them. The RAW tag title match scheduled for Backlash was canceled thanks to the unpredictable turn of events.
Randy Orton vs. Edge (Backlash Main Event)
Orton was the first to get an offense in and Edge went down to the mat for a couple of arm-drags on the Viper.
Randy Orton vs. Edge (Backlash Main Event contd...)
Edge and Orton headed outside where Edge hit a huge big boot to Orton. Edge locked in a headlock in the ring and was wearing Orton down as Randy tried going for Edge's ribs. Randy was sent outside once more and Edge went up top for a huge dive onto the apron on Backlash.
Orton was busted open and bleeding profusely from the forehead. Edge went for the cross face but Orton found the ropes with his foot. Randy sent Edge into the steel steps and then on the announcement table before whispering something in his ear at Backlash.
Edge kicked out in the ring before Orton hit two Suplexes but Edge hit two of his own and then a third! A move from Eddie Guerrero's playbook. Orton hit the Superplex and got another near fall at Backlash.
Edge hit the Edgecutioner DDT for a two-count before hitting a rising knee strike and then a crossbody. Orton hit the Olympic Slam before tossing Edge outside the ring. Edge dodged the RKO and hit the Edge-o-Matic but couldn't get the pin.
Edge hit the Unprettier before Orton hit the Pedigree but neither man refused to go down. Edge hit the Rock Bottom and still failed to get the win. Orton hit the RKO but still no pinfall. Edge hit the spear and then another before Orton hit another RKO.
Edge had the Anti-Venom applied on The Viper. Orton tried to break up the submission by going low. He followed it up with the Punt kick for the win!
Result: Randy Orton def. Edge
Match rating: A+
A stretcher was called in by the medical team who had to carry Edge away after the match.
PPV Rating: A
This was a great PPV with a hilarious out-of-ring segment with The Street Profits and The Viking Raiders while Drew McIntyre and Asuka put on amazing title defenses. Other highlights of this year's Backlash were Jeff Hardy's match with Sheamus and Randy and Edge's grudge match.
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