WWE Backlash: Each match ranked by its potential quality

Backlash 2018
Nine matches. How good will each of them be?

Though they aren't saying it on television, Backlash will kick off WWE's summer calendar, culminating at SummerSlam in Brooklyn on August 18th. It also marks the beginning of the return to dual-branded pay-per-views.

Nine matches are on the card between Raw and SmackDown. It's a card that doesn't look fantastic on paper, but we might wind up with some surprises. Low expectations are easy to exceed.

Which matches have the best chance of shining tomorrow night?


#9 Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax

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The same problem faces this match as the one that faced the WrestleMania match - namely, neither Nia Jax nor Alexa Bliss are good ring workers.

While their match in New Orleans didn't quite turn out to be the train wreck that many people, myself among them, expected, it still wasn't anything good, and it dragged too long.

There's not much reason to think this one will be any better than that one was, particularly given the alignment between the two. Bliss can't fight from underneath as a scrappy babyface against the monstrous heel Jax, because their alignments are flipped.

Let's hope this one is shorter than their WrestleMania match.

#8 Carmella vs. Charlotte Flair

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This match faces many of the same problems the previous match does. Carmella is a very poor ring worker.

While Charlotte Flair is among the best, she's not quite as good when she doesn't have a comparably good performer to share the ring with.

Their tag team encounter, while fun, didn't suggest much to be confident about in a singles match.

Let's hope that this one, much like its Raw counterpart, is short.

#7 Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass

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This is the night's biggest question mark. Daniel Bryan's ring abilities need not be explained, but has Cass made any improvements following his dismal initial singles run last summer? We'll know the answer tomorrow night.

While Bryan should be able to make something of this match regardless, if Cass can't hold up his end of the equation, the Yes Man is going to have to work some magic.

If Cass has improved from his terrible showings last year, this match could wind up being much higher on the list.

#6: Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn

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This could either be a meaningless rematch from two weeks ago or it could be the beginning of something bigger.

With Braun Strowman involved, some kind of fun is usually waiting, while Owens, Zayn, and Lashley should make for a fine enough athletic contest.

The three of them can put on a decently-worked bout before Strowman enters it as the wrecking ball.

Like Bryan's match, this one depends on a number of factors. How the match is set up and what comes of it will be the most decisive factors as to its quality.

If we see no big storyline developments, this match is hard to get invested in.

#5 Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe

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It feels like this match doesn't need to happen, given that Samoa Joe switched brands. Neither guy can truly afford to lose it, though given how damaged Reigns already is, Joe could benefit more, and the crowd will be firmly on his side.

Reigns is a talented ring worker, and while Samoa Joe isn't what he was before, he's still solid.

That's what this match should be - a solid outing. If more were on the line, it might break through that ceiling, but that's where it will likely remain tomorrow night.

#4 Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy

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Years ago, this would have been much higher on the list, but the combination of time and a Randy Orton who is neither his best as a babyface, nor highly motivated, drags it down. It should still be a solid outing.

Perhaps we'll see something interesting to spice it up, such as a long-awaited heel turn from Orton or the highly-anticipated debut of Andrade "Cien" Almas in the form of making some kind of statement. We can hope.

#3 Bayley vs. Ruby Riott

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It's an indictment that what should be one of the best matches on the card is in a pre-show match that looks like it has every chance of being meaningless filler, but here we are.

Bayley has been wallowing since her burial at the hands of Bliss at this time last year.

Ruby Riott, meanwhile, proved how good she can be in her match with Charlotte at Fastlane, which still ranks as one of the best matches of WWE's women's division in 2018. By far the most talented of the November NXT call-ups, she has been regretfully saddled in trying to carry the Riott Squad, a stable that was almost dead on arrival and which should be disbanded as soon as possible.

The match should be very finely worked. Raising the stakes would make it better. Will Bayley's long-meandering feud with Sasha finally reach a crisis point?

Will Ruby Riott catapult herself up the totem pole somehow? Either way, both deserve better than what they've gotten served to them.

#2 AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

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Unfortunately, their match at WrestleMania proved a disappointment, at least compared to what we were hoping it would be.

Their match at the Greatest Royal Rumble was slightly better. Now, there's more stakes, it feels very personal, and the no disqualification stipulation should add some spice to it. Nakamura's heel turn has gotten him very hot.

It will be interesting to see how these two men will use the stipulation to their advantage.

All of these elements should combine to make something of this, though we can't exactly expect a match of the year candidate going in. Hopefully, it's better than their last two matches, and it should be.

#1: Seth Rollins vs. The Miz

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Never bet against Seth Rollins in 2018. It's been his year so far, as he's put on one show-stealing performance after another.

His babyface act has finally clicked as well. He's better now than he's been in his entire career, and he very much feels like he should be Raw's top champion.

For all intents and purposes, he basically is.

The Miz, for his part, will serve as a perfect foil in this match. The A-lister has proven over and over again that he can have great matches with the right opponent.

The Miz should be bowing out of the Intercontinental Championship picture with a similarly great performance as he sets his sights on Bryan.

Of all the matches, this one has the strongest potential to be Backlash's best.