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What’s the story?
WWE Backlash is just three weeks away, and will be the first co-brand, featuring talent from both Raw and SmackDown, as announced by WWE a few weeks ago. The Superstar Shakeup has already brought about big changes to the few matches already announced for the PPV.
In case you didn’t know...
WWE Backlash marks the first WWE pay-per-view since the 2016 brand extension that will feature both Raw and SmackDown Superstars.
WWE had originally planned on having just the 'big four' events - the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Survivor Series - feature both Raw and SmackDown talent. But, disappointing numbers and attendance for single-brand PPVs throughout 2017 prompted WWE to make the decision earlier this year that, following WrestleMania, all pay-per-views would return to the dual-brand format.
The heart of the matter
In the days following WrestleMania, WWE announced that then new WWE US Champion Jinder Mahal would defend his Championship against former Champion Randy Orton at Backlash. However, with Mahal's transfer to Raw in the Superstar Shakeup and him losing the title to Jeff Hardy, the match has been changed to Hardy defending against Orton.
The updated card for the show, including the matches already announced, is as follows:
Jeff Hardy(c) vs Randy Orton - US Championship
Seth Rollins(c) vs The Miz - Intercontinental Championship
Nia Jax(c) vs Alexa Bliss - Raw Women's Championship
Roman Reigns vs Samoa Joe
The match between Reigns and Joe might end up being a title bout for the Universal Championship, if Reigns becomes the Champion at the Greatest Battle Royal event, where he is set to take on current Champion Brock Lesnar inside a Steel Cage.
What’s next?
WWE Backlash will take place on May 6, 2018 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey and will air live on the WWE Network.
Author’s take
I think it is shaping up to be a pretty good card. We already know that Roman Reings and Samoa Joe are capable of putting on a good match, and so are Seth Rollins and The Miz. Nia Jax almost completely dominated Alexa Bliss at WrestleMania, so I'm hoping this rematch will be a little more competitive.
As much as I like Jinder Mahal, and I really do, I still think we all have gotten our fill of him and Randy Orton going one-on-one, after their long WWE Championship series last year. Orton vs Jeff Hardy will surely have a little more to offer.
