‘WWE Backlash 2024’ PPV Review
Welcome to this review of WWE’s latest pay-per-view/premium live event, Backlash, which this year emanates from France. We’ve got five matches on the card so let’s get into it.
Match #1: Street Fight – Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga def. Randy Orton & Kevin Owens
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Before the match could even begin, all four Superstars engaged in a massive melee with WWE officials, including SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis, who was attempting to break up the brawl. A fed up Aldis decided to forgo the original tag team rules, turning the bout into a Street Fight. The chaos only heightened with the introduction of weapons including Kendo sticks, trash cans, tables and even the Prime hydration station being used as instruments of destruction.Both teams traded blows with Owens splashing Tonga through a table while Sikoa nearly simultaneously put Orton through a table with a Samoan Drop. After an RKO onto the announce table and a brainbuster through a cluster of chairs, Orton and Owens looked poised to win, but Tonga’s brother, Tanga Loa, appeared to help the new-look Bloodline. Loa’s interference allowed Sikoa to recover in time to hit a Urinage and a Samoan Spike to win the bout, sending a message that not only is The Bloodline still strong, it’s also still growing.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #2: WWE Women’s Championship Triple Threat Match – Bayley def. Naomi and Tiffany Stratton
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After a lot of trash talk in the weeks leading up to their Triple Threat Match, Tiffany Stratton found herself immediately in the crosshairs of Naomi and WWE Women’s Champion Bayley as the two systematically took out The Center of the Universe. Bayley and Naomi quickly turned their attention to each other, and it was long enough for Stratton to re-enter the picture to battle both opponents, punctuating her momentum by a remarkable back handspring elbow onto Naomi. The action only intensified as each Superstar fought hard to ensure no pinfalls were successful, with the titleholder even hitting her signature top rope elbow drop and Bayley-to-Belly Suplex to no avail. Stratton nailed a pair of Alabama Slams, but her attempt at a double Prettiest Moonsault Ever went awry as Naomi and Bayley hit her with their own version of the 1D. That move left Bayley and Naomi alone as the champion countered a pinfall attempt into one of her own, securing her first successful title defense as WWE Women’s Champion.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: World Heavyweight Championship – Damian Priest def. Jey Uso
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After an electrifying entrance through the incredible crowd in Lyon, France, Jey Uso played mind games with World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest, none to the delight of El Campeón. After an intense back and forth between the Superstars, Priest’s Judgment Day teammate JD McDonagh made his presence felt, although the champion berated his friend, much like he’s done in recent weeks despite being advised against this. Uso couldn’t find a way to put away Priest, and to make matters worse, Finn Bálor emerged to help the champion, allowing Priest to hit a South of Heaven to retake control. The challenger showed life as the defiant Uso dug deep, but his Spear and Uso Splash couldn’t get the job done as McDonagh put Priest’s foot on the bottom rope. With no other option, Uso was forced to take out The Judgment Day, but the distraction was long enough for Priest to recover and hit a ring-shattering South of Heaven to retain his title. After the match, McDonagh and Bálor attempted to continue the beatdown, but they were surprisingly shut down by the World Heavyweight Champion.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Match #4: WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship – Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill def. The Kabuki Warriors
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
WWE officially has new Women’s Tag Team Champions as the dream team of Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill dethroned The Kabuki Warriors in impressive fashion. The speed and chemistry of Asuka and Kairi Sane benefited the champions early on as their precision strikes cut down their much larger champions. The incredible power of Cargill and Belair allowed the duo to overcome any sort of inexperience that they had as a tag team as their mind-blowing strength allowed them to toss around The Kabuki Warriors with relative ease. An Insane Elbow nearly allowed the champions to retain, but Cargill rallied and executed a picture-perfect counter to hit Jaded on Sane while Belair hit a K.O.D. on Asuka, ushering in a new era as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Undisputed WWE Championship – Cody Rhodes def. AJ Styles
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
There was a big fight feel in front of the raucous Lyon, France, crowd as Cody Rhodes defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against AJ Styles. The American Nightmare had the French crowd in the palm of his hand as they cheered on his every move, but it wasn’t long before The Phenomenal One used his newfound aggressiveness to target Rhodes’ shoulder and back. The resiliency of Rhodes shined through as he managed to hit a Disaster Kick, but his attempt at a Cody Cutter was expertly countered by Styles right into a Death Valley Driver neckbreaker. After getting hit with a suplex on the apron, Rhodes powered through by hitting Styles with a powerbomb onto the French announce table. Both Superstars were determined to give it their all as Rhodes kicked out of a Burning Hammer before hitting a gravity-defying Super Cody Cutter. The deafening crowd rose to their feet as the champion set up the challenger in position for a skull-crushing Cross Rhodes, delivering The American Nightmare his first successful title defense in a match that can only be described as “Too Sweet.”
My Score: 4 out of 5
Final Verdict: 3.5/5
Well this was a rollercoaster of a show! Having only five matches on the card meant that everything got a chance to breathe and tell its story – even if some of those stories weren’t as good as others. What helped things along was the French crowd who, like a lot of overseas fans, clamoured for each and every minute of action – cheering on even the worst match(es) on the show. Of course, the big match of the PPV/PLE was the main event, with Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles facing each other for the first time… Yes, despite both men having wrestled across promotions and across the globe, the pair had NEVER faced each other before and, honestly, this did not disappoint!
