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The hotly anticipated WWE Backlash came to us from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL. The first SmackDown Live PPV since the Superstar Shake-UP saw Randy Orton defending the WWE Championship against Jinder Mahal. The card also had Shinsuke Nakamura’s main-roster in-ring debut as well as Kevin Owens vs AJ Styles.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Dolph Ziggler
Shinsuke and Ziggler started the match pretty tentatively, feeling each other out in the early stages before Ziggler disrespectfully slapped Nakamura across the face. Ziggler did his best to slow Nakamura down and negate his striking ability by employing a series of locks and hold but Nakamura maneuvered out of it and shoved Ziggler away before hitting the Good Vibrations boot in the corner.
As Ziggler rolled out to ringside, Nakamura followed him out only to roll him back. As Nakamura entered the ring himself, Ziggler hit him with a boot followed by a neckbreaker to take advantage. Ziggler then employed a chokehold and hit Nakamura with a dropkick for the 2-count when he broke out. He then followed it up with a jumping elbow for another 2-count.
Nakamura then reversed an attempted Irish Whip and hit Ziggler with a brutal knee to the gut, followed by a spinning heel kick. He continued his offence by hitting running knees in the corner for a 2-count of his own. Nakamura then tried to lock in a triangle hold but Ziggler managed to reach the ropes out of sheer desperation.
Out of nowhere, Ziggler powered out of an attempted vertical suplex and hit a big DDT to earn another 2-count of the ensuing cover. He then followed it up with a Famouser for a nearfall before looking to hit a Superkick. He then hit a Zig-Zag for another nearfall.
Nakamura looked to fight back as he hit a combo of strikes and knees but Ziggler hit him with a superkick to the back of the head for another nearfall. Ziggler then made the mistake of spitting in Nakamura’s face. Nakamura viciously attacked Ziggler and hit him with a knee across the jaw.
Nakamura then headed to the top rope but missed his attempted Kinshasa. However, he recovered and he hit Ziggler with a forearm strike to the back of the head before finishing Ziggler off with a Kinshasa.
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Dolph Ziggler
The Usos (C) vs Breezango (for the SmackDown Tag-Team Championships)
It was atrocious that WWE had Tyler Breeze, one of the challengers for the SmackDown Tag-Team Championships, come out in a janitor’s costume.
Fandango and Jimmy Uso started us off tonight but Tyler Breeze soon got tagged in. He brought his mop with him into the ring and used it to taunt Jey Uso. When Jey Uso charged at him, Breeze sidestepped him and tripped Uso, before rubbing it in Uso’s face.
An irate Jey broke the mop in half before heading to the top rope. Breeze kept rolling away everytime Uso tried to go on the offence before finally hitting him with an enzeguiri. Fandango and Jimmy Uso then became the legal men as Fandango hit a legdrop.
We then noticed Tyler Breeze back on the apron dressed like someone’s grandmother. As Fandango tagged him in, chants of “grandma Breeze” broke out. Breeze hit Uso with a dropkick followed by a Bronco Buster. Jey Uso wasn’t impressed as he knocked Breeze’s wig off with a dropkick.
Both men made tags as Fandango and Jimmy Uso became the legal men. They went back and forth before Tyler Breeze got tagged in. He got double-teamed by The Usos but managed to kick out at 2.
One of the Usos hit the other with a Superkick by mistake after which Tyler Breeze hit an Unprettier on Jey Uso for a nearfall. The Usos then dumped Breeze in the audience area. Jey Uso then hit Fandango with a Superkick while he was on the top rope and pinned him for the 3-count.
The Usos def. Breezango
Sami Zayn vs Baron Corbin
Zayn and Corbin started off at a brisk pace as Sami avoided his bigger opponent in the early stages. Zayn went for what looked like a suicide dive, but ended up bouncing off the ropes and taunting Corbin who scrambled to avoid what he thought was an aerial attack.
Zayn then moonsaulted off the barricade at ringside before followed Corbin back into the ring, throwing right hands in the corner. Corbin then lifted the smaller Zayn off his feet in desperation and drove him into the opposite corner.
Corbin took control briefly as he worked on Zayn. He hit Zayn with a spinebuster for a 2-count and followed it up with a running strike to the face. Corbin then told off fans for chanting for Sami Zayn and followed it up with another running right hand. As he went for a 3rd right hand, Zayn took him down with a clothesline as he tried his best to rally.
Zayn hit a crossbody from the top rope and looked to Irish Whip Corbin into the corner. However, Corbin slid out of the ring and back in before hitting a clothesline to almost decapitate Zayn. Another 2-count. At this point, Corbin started working on Zayn’s lower back. He hit Zayn with a choke into a backbreaker for another 2-count.
With Zayn now on the tope rope, Corbin tried to join him. Zayn hit Corbin with multiple right hands before hitting a sunset flip Powerbomb. An irate Corbin, hit back by driving his boots into Zayn’s midsection and shoulder area.
Corbin then charged at Zayn who sidestepped him, sending Corbin crashing out of the ring. When Corbin quickly tried to get back into the ring, Zayn took the opportunity and hit Corbin with a Helluva Kick to pick up the win.
Sami Zayn def. Baron Corbin
Becky Lynch, Charlotte and Naomi vs Natalya, Tamina and Carmella
Becky Lynch and Tamina started the match. Becky soon outwrestled Tamina, forcing her to tag Natalya back in. Becky, in turn, tagged Charlotte in.
Charlotte went for an early roll-up before hitting Natalya with loud knife-edged chops. She followed it up with a jumping knee before hitting Natalya with a huge boot. Carmella distracted Charlotte from ringside at this point, giving Natalya the chance to clothesline her and take her down.
The Welcoming Committee then isolated Charlotte in the corner and hit her with repeated boots while trading tags. Carmella tagged herself back in and sent Charlotte headfirst into the corner. Charlotte replied with one of her own before tagging Naomi back in.
Naomi hit a springboard forearm as she came in, before hitting a combo of jumping kicks followed by a dropkick in the corner.Carmella then used a distraction to hit Naomi from behind and tag Tamina in. The heels isolated Naomi this time as Tamina tried to stop Naomi from making the tag. As she was about to, Carmella pulled Becky off the apron.
Tamina tagged Natalya in at this point but Naomi met her with a hurracanrana and tagged Becky Lynch in. She hit Natalya with a Bexploder before hitting her with a forearm for a 2-count. Natalya looked to lock in a Sharpshooter but Becky reversed it into a Disarmer only for Carmella to break it up. Charlotte disposed of Carmella just as Tamina hit Charlotte with a Superkick.
Natalya then locked in the Sharpshooter on Becky and unfortunately, she had to tap out.
Natalya, Tamina and Carmella def. Becky Lynch, Charlotte and Naomi
Kevin Owens (C) vs AJ Styles (for the WWE US Championship)
Arguably the most highly anticipated match of the night, this match had the big-match-feel going in. The crowd were hot and both men were at the top of their game.
Styles and Owens started off at a brisk pace as Styles went for an early roll-up. Owens then rolled out of the ring. As Styles went to meet him, KO rolled back into the ring. When Styles rejoined Owens, the champion hit Styles with multiple strikes. Styles hit back with a dropkick to the jaw following an Irish Whip. The duo then traded strikes before Owens tripped Styles as he looked to use the turnbuckle to his advantage. Owens followed it up with a clothesline before driving his knee into Styles’ back. The champ followed it up with a nasty DDT followed by THREE sentons. However, that still wasn’t enough to pin Styles.
Owens continued to slow down the pace after this as he had Styles in a headlock. Styles hit Owens with an Enzeguiri and followed it up with his trademark strike combo. He followed it up by planting Owens face-first into the mat for the 2-count. Styles then signaled for the Styles Crash only for Owens to crawl away which made Styles change his mind and hit an Ushi Goroshi.
Styles then looked to hit a moonsault off the ropes but Owens dodged it and hit a Superkick and followed it up with a pumphandle neckbreaker. The two men briefly traded strikes after which Owens dumped Styles outside the ring. As Owens headed to the tope rope, Styles met him there and it looked like he might get a Styles Clash from there but thankfully, for his sake, Owens broke free. Owens then sent Styles crashing into the steel steps before hitting a cannonball inside the ring.
Owens then ties Styles’ leg up in the turnbuckle and hit another cannonball. Owens then locked in a half-Boston Crab before transitioning to an ankle lock. Styles managed to reach the ropes in time.
Owens then headed to the top rope and caught Styles in a Fireman’s Carry position. Styles, reversed it into a sunset flip powerbomb in one swift transition. Styles then looked for a Phenomenal Forearm but his injured leg gave way and he came crashing down.
Owens then slapped Styles repeatedly across the face and the Phenomenal One replied with a Pelle Kick. Owens and Styles headed to the top-rope after this. As it looked like Styles would hit a superplex, Owens deadlifted him and hit a Fisherman Suplex off the top rope.
Owens then looked to hit a vertical suplex on the apron but Styles reversed it and sent Owens back-first into the apron. As Styles tried to capitalize, Owens launched him into the timekeeper's area. As Owens stumbled to his feet, Styles hit him with a Phenomenal Forearm.
Styles then picked Owens up and looked to hit a Styles Clash on the announcer’s table, Styles’ leg went into one of the holes on the announcer’s table and got stuck inside. Owens headed back into the ring at this point as Styles got counted out.
Kevin Owens def. AJ Styles
Luke Harper vs Erick Rowan
Rowan started strong with hard right hands but Harper countered with a slap to the chest. Harper was then sent flying onto the steel steps which Rowan followed with a dropkick through the bottom rope.
Harper tried to fight back with a few slaps to the chest but was stopped by a massive dropkick. Rowan then manhandled Harper and slammed him to the mat. He then followed it up with an impressive pumphandle slam which left Harper motionless in the centre of the ring.
Rowan then went to the top rope but missed the splash and Harper tried to turn things in his favour but Erick rolls out of the ring. Harper then chased Rowan and slams him into the barricade. He then followed it up with a suicide dive and a running senton to gain complete control.
Harper was then about to attempt a slam when he was countered into a kick which was then followed by a power bomb but Luke kicked out just in time.
Harper stunned Rowan with a surprising takedown after which both men exchanged hard shots. Rowan attempts a power bomb but is flung across the ring. Harper then hit multiple superkicks followed by the Discus Clothesline to pin Erick Rowan.
Luke Harper def. Erick Rowan
Randy Orton (C) vs Jinder Mahal (for the WWE Championship)
If Jinder wins tonight, he will be the 50th WWE Champion since 1963.
Randy Orton blindsided Jinder Mahal as soon as the match began. He took him out to ringside and tossed him into the announcer’s area.
When the match finally began, Orton continued his momentum, clotheslining Mahal at ringside. Mahal hit back after a distraction and rolled Orton back inside the ring. The Maharaja then locked into some sort of an arm lock before following up with a dropkick. The fans chanted “Let’s go Jinder, Jinder sucks” as Orton started to take back control but it was only brief.
Mahal locked in another arm hold but Orton Irish Whipped him out of the ring. Orton followed him out and planted Jinder onto the announcer’s table. Back inside the ring, Jinder recovered surprisingly quickly to lock in another rest hold. The monotony was finally broken when Orton sidestepped Mahal who went crashing into the ringpost. Orton then his a superplex from the top rope and followed it up with a trademark powerslam.
It was all Randy Orton at this point as he hit Jinder Mahal with his trademark Draping DDT. Jinder rolled out to ringside and Orton joined him. He took out the Singh Brothers but Jinder blindsided him from behind and rolled him back into the ring. As Jinder ran in to join Orton, Orton hit the RKO but Jinder rollled close enough to the edge for the Singh Brothers to pull him out.
Orton destroyed the Singh Brothers at ringside after this and as he was about to hit a double Draping DDT, Mahal blinded him from behind and hit the Khallas to pin Randy Orton and become WWE Champion.
Jinder Mahal def. Randy Orton
