WWE Backlash Review 04/05/2024

Hello everyone, I am one half of your Irn Bruiserweights bringing you your Backlash Review. So let's get into it.

After some pleasantries and entrances, we get Orton, Owens, Solo, and Tama all out. Before the bell rings though, they go buck wild and start beating on one another. Security runs down for the sole reason being to get stunned by Kevin Owens.

Nick Aldis runs out to tell them that’s fine, that’s fine, this is now a Street Fight and demands the bell be rung.

Match 1 - Street Fight - Kevin Owens and Randy Orton vs Tama Tonga and Solo Sikoa

After a rough two minutes, with each member of their respective teams going at it in the crowd, they finally bring it back towards the ring where Kevin Owens drops Solo onto the steps. Orton grabs a trash can and clocks Tonga across the head. Owens has a lid and smacks Solo then grabs a kendo stick and smacks Solo across the back a bit. Owens with a trash can. He smashes it onto Solo’s head. Owens grabs Tama and lays him across the announce table. Orton smacks him across the back. Again. Both men get a table. Orton takes him into the ring while Owens lays Tama across one on the outside. He hops to the apron then hits a frog splash off the apron onto Tonga!

In the ring, Orton has Solo in his clutches. Solo with a right hand, stunning Orton. Solo lifts Orton to the shoulders. SAMOAN DROP THROUGH THE TABLE TO ORTON!!! Owens in! Tries to hit a Stunner on Solo, but Solo escapes and hit’s a huge clothesline. Solo has Kevin down on the mat. Here comes Tama Tonga to beat down Owens with some axes and right hands over and over. The ref can't stop him. Solo watches on with pride outside the ring. They corner Owens. Solo runs in with the hip attack! Tonga with a trash can lid. He smacks the hell out of Owens. Owens with a surprise spear to Tonga! Solo has the trash can. He smacks Owens with the bottom of it. Solo with a kendo stick. He beats down on Owens. Solo demands Tonga go grab something. Tonga under the apron. He has a table! As he slides it into the ring, Owens stands up using the ropes. Kick to Tonga. Owens sends him outside. Solo sends oWeosn into the corner. Headbutt from Solo. Another. Solo wants to send Owens into the table, but Owens reverses and he sends Solo into the table in the corner! Tonga with a clothesline out of nowhere! He leaves the ring for some more plunder! He finds a chair. Another chair. A third chair! Owens is slow to pull himself up. Tonga stares him down with a chair in his hand. Orton is up! He’s behind Tonga! The crowd makes him aware. He turns slowly, and Orton stands ready for action. Tonga wants it. He swings the chair and misses. Big clothesline from Orton. Another. Duck under. Powerslam! DDT from Orton! RKO TO TONGA!!! COVER!!! 1..2……NO!!! Solo stops the pin! Solo with headbutts out of the ring. Solo sends Orton into the table. He removes the cover. Solo cleans off the table. Solo lifts Orton up, another headbutt sends him onto the table. Solo climbs the table. He waits for Orton. Orton turns, and Solo has the thumb. He lifts Orton, and Solo calls for it. RKO TO SOLO ONTO THE TABLE!

In the ring, Orton is standing. Tonga is down on the mat. Owens grabs a chair. He smacks Tonga one time, another, sits it down, sits another facing him, grabs a third and smacks Tonga across the back, then sets up the third next to the other two. He grabs a fourth and smacks Tonga across the back. Again. Again. Sets it up. Owens lifts Tonga up and lays him across the chairs. Owens to the top. Tonga up! Right hand to Owens! Another! He grabs Owens and tries to send him to the chairs, Owens hits the forehead, and another, Tonga climbs up. Headbutts. Over and over. He grabs Owens, locks the head, Kevin hooks the leg!!!! SUPLEX BY OWENS THROUGH THE CHAIRS!!!! COVER!!!! 1….2…..NO!!!!!

TONGAS BROTHER IS HERE!!!!! Paul Heyman is SHOCKED! SHOCKED I SAY! Tanga Loa is here!

Solo in the ring! Uranage through a chair! He grabs Owens! SAMOAN SPIKE! COVER! 1..2….3!!!!!!

Official Winners - Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga

Well, that was a hell of an opener with tons of action. The Bloodline lives on!

Match Time: 19:53

I don’t think there is anything I can say to properly describe how hot this crowd is, so just imagine that it’s beyond comprehension.

Match 2 - WWE Women’s Championship - Bayley vs Naomi vs Tiffany Stratton

We get the lovely Bayley song from NXT. Tiff kicks Naomi quickly then hits an arm dragged. Naomi with one of her own. Tiffany tries and Naomi holds on, she shoots her to the ropes, and Naomi drops in a split, but Tiff cartwheels over her. Rollup from Bayley gets 2, Naomi rolls up for 2, and Tiff with her own, gets 2. Bayley claps along with the crowd, doesn’t know what they’re saying, hits a clothesline to Tiff, another, pin to Naomi, hits an elbow to the back, roll up to Naomi for 1..2..NO!!! Tiff tries to pin both! 1..2..NO!!! All three up. Stalemate! Bayley and Naomi whip Tiff, and she kicks Bayley, waist lock from Naomi. Tiff sends her into the buckle. Tiffany kicks Naomi, and sends her into the corner, She cartwheels into a backsplash and rolls Naomi into a pin. Tiff tries to cover Bayleuy and only gets a 2, she then tries to pin Naomi and only gets a 2. Tiffany sends Naomi outside. She grabs Bayley and sends her into the buckle. Bayley and Tiff are left alone to fight, with Tiffany hitting a clothesline. Tiff sends Bayley into the rope and chokes her up with a boot. Bayley with a right hand, another, Tiff whips, to the corner, Bayley hops over Tiff, and rolls her up for 1..2.NO!!! Clothesline from Tiffany. Cover for 1..2…NO!!!! whip to Bayley into the corner. Tiff with a handspring into the clutches of Bayley! She tries to suplex, but Stratton holds on and grabs the legs. Alabama Slam! Cover! 1..2…NO!!! Naomi stops the pin! Naomi whips, kick from Tiff, Naomi spears her to the outside! Right hands to Tiff, over and over and over against the barricade outside. Tiff sends Naomi into the barricade. She then does her flips into Naomi with a back elbow. She sends her into the timekeeper area then turns in time to get hit with Bayley’s suicide dive! Bayley with punches. Bayley heads over to Naomi. Naomi with a high kick. To the top of the barricade, she flies with a blockbuster off the barricade!!! Naomi sends Tiff into the ring. She hops on the apron and kicks to the face. She locks the head then twerks something! She shoots Tiff into the ring. Split-leg moonsault! Pin! 1…..2…NO!! Bayley stops the pin!

Naomi with a bulldog to Bayley into the buckle! Naomi sits Bayley on the top rope. Tiff is up. She pulls Noami off the top! Tiff locks the head. Naomi up. She grabs Tiff in the powerbomb position and walks her away from the corner. Sitout powerbomb! Pin for 1..2..NO!!!!! Naomi with a submission! BAYLEY WITH AN ELBOW!! COVER TO NAOMI! 1…2…NO!!! Cover to Tiff! 1…..2..NO!!! Sunset flip out of the corner from Bayley, she tries with Tiff but Tiff sits into a pin for 1..2.NO!!! BAYLEY TO BELLY!!! Cover! 1.2…..NO!!! Tiff shoots Bayley into the corner shoulder first. She grabs Bayley by the left arm, pulls her into a fireman’s roll through, and tries to hop up to the corner but Naomi drags her outside. Naomi grabs the boot and gets kicked into the barricade, Tiff hops up and they flip across the outside. She sends Naomi into the ring. Stratton with a moonsault attempt on both girls, but both girls move! Naomi lifts Tiff up! Bayley with a cutter! THREEE DDDDDDD!!!!!!!

Bayley and Naomi are on their knees. They make their case as they stand. Right from Bayley, from Naomi, back and forth, Naomi with a bunch, enzigrui to Bayley, roll up for 1…2..NO!!! Bayley reverses with a rollup for 1..2…3!!!

Official Winner - STILL WWE Woman’s Champion - Bayley

One of the better triple threats in quite some time, but not without its issues. A solid win would have helped, as rollup wins are just kinda meh. The crowd was a bit overkill, but they’re excited as all hell, and if you’ve been to any soccer game, this is par for the course with international crowds – maybe we Americans are just lazy.

Match Time: 13:36

Naomi offers a hug to Bayley after the match. They celebrate together.

Backstage, Jey Uso is getting ready. In walks Solo Sikoa with his newest recruit. They stare Jey down and then walk away. Here comes Paul Heyman, who stares at Jey in disgust and disappointment.

Match 3 - World Heavyweight Championship Match - Jey Uso vs Damien Priest

Jey starts by getting some Yeet love from the crowd. Priest is not impressed. Priest is over it. He sends Jey into the corner and misses a back elbow. Jey with his right hand, whips to the corner, rope work and Jey sends Priest outside. He tries for a suicide dive, but Priest dodges and Jey stops his flight. He heads to the apron, flies off the top and Priest catches him! He sends Jey into the barricade.

They are back in the ring and Priest drops Jey with ease. He waits for Jey to stand. Priest stands in the corner. Big back elbow from Priest, a big punch to the chest. Cover for 1…2..NO!!! Priest pulls back on the arms, with his knee to the back. He boxes the ears. Right hand drops Jey. Priest with a kick to the chest. Another. Jey with a surprise back suplex. Jey with a right hand. He hits another. Smackdown! Jey whips reversed, and Preist launches him up and over, kick from Jey, uppercut from Jey. Jey kicks, Priest catches, spins, enziguri from Jey! Priest sits in the corner. Jey rushes for a hip attack but Priest is up! He sends Jey over the top rope! Big kick to Priest! Splash off the top! Cover! 1..2…NO!!! Priest to the outside! But Jey with a suicide dive sends him into the barricade! Jey locks up from behind. He sends Priest into the ring. Jey follows. Priest distracts the ref, and JD McDonagh grabs the rope and flings it into the nuts of Jey! Spear from Priest! COVER! 1..2..NO!!!

Priest yells at JD asking him why is he out here. He doesn’t need JD’s help! He has told him already. SUPERKICK TO JD!!! Superkick to Priest! Jey to the top rope! SPALSH! COVER!!! 1.2…….NO!!! Right hand from Jey, from Priest, from Jey, from Priest. Jey eats that one, stands, and hits a hard right. He shoves Priest. Priest turns and hits a right, Jey with his own. They go back and forth, with a Yeet/No Yeet chant. Priest gets the best of it. He goes for a big lariat, but Jey hits an uppercut, one from Preist, Superkick from Jey, grolling right from Priest, enziguri from Jey, one from Priest! The crowd LOVES it. Priest kicks Jey, lifts him up for Razor’s Edge, and HITS IT! Cover! 1..2….NO!!!! Priest drops the straps. GOOZLE! Jey hops away, ducks under, SPEAR!!!! COVER!!! 1..2…….NO!!!!

Finn Balor is here! He hops on the apron! Big kick from Jey! Priest with a clothesline! GOOZLE! SOUTH OF HEAVEN! Cover! 1….2….NO!!!! Priest is pissed. Huge spin kick from Priest. Priest wants to kill him. Jey is up on hands and knees. Another kick! Jey with a superkick! Another one! A third! A fourth kick!!! Priest still won't fall!! Another Superkick in the corner! SPEAR!!! Jey to the top rope! USO SPLASH! COVER! 1..2……NO!!!!! JD grabs Priests boot and puts it on the rope!

Jey with a suicide dive to JD on the outside! Spear to Balor! He heads to the top rope! Priest is up! He hits the ropes and Jey is crotched! Priest to the top rope! GOOZLE! SOUTH OF HEAVEN FROM THE TOP ROPE!!!! COVER! 1..2…..3!!!!

Official Winner - STILL World Heavyweight Champion - Damien Priest

A perfectly serviceable match that played to the hype of the crowd. A good defence with Priest continually trying to do things on his own and Judgment Day there to make it hard for him to do so. Loving the eventual division.

Match Time: 15:45

After the match, JD McDonagh and Finn Balor attack Jey Uso with stomps while Priest holds his title high in the air. Priest realizes what’s going on and shoves JD hard, then gets in Finn’s face. Finn gets one more stomp in but Priest stops him. He stands tall with Finn and JD by his side.

Match 4 - WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match - The Kabuki Warriors vs Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill

Asuka and Bianca to start. Bianca with a side headlock. They hit the ropes, and Bianca with a tackle, Asuka holds on. They shove each other, right hands are exchanged. Asuka hits the ropes, Bianca with a tackle. She flips over Asuka, smacks her ass. Looks or an arm drag, Asuka covers for 1..2.NO!!! Asuka with an Octopus like move. Bianca spins her and slams her down. Bianca ducks a kick and misses a right, dorp toe hold sends her to the ropes, Sane tries to attack, and Bianca locks Asuka’s head, suplex to Asuka! Tag to Jade. Tag to Sane. Sane with a go behind, Jade spins her away. Sane shoots for a spear, Jade blocks, Sane floats over the head, kicks to the thigh, right hand, Jade misses a right, catches Sane off the ropes. Spins her down with a backbreaker. She holds on and hits another one. Jade grabs Sane, and tags in Bianca. Whip to Sane, they lift her up and slam her down hard. Bianca with a moonsault off a flip. Cover for 1.2..NO!!! Bianca beats down on Sane’s back, right hand, another. Whip to the corner, Bianca with a spear. She climbs the corner and beats down with rights. Sane grabs the braid and tries to pull Bianca off! Bianca backflips off the ropes! Kick to Sane! Bianca flies over the top rope, and lands on her feet, Asuka there to kick her in the head. Sane climbs the top rope. She flies. Crossbody to Bianca! Sane sends Bianca into the ring. Cover for 1..2.NO!! Tag from Asuka while Sane holds the braid. Asuka and Sane double team, Bianca escapes with a right, another, one for each girl, and she hits the ropes, and back elbow for Asuka. Sliding knee from Asuka. Cover for 1..2.NO!!! Asuka steps on the face of Belair. Kick is caught, spin, Bianca with a right, tries for a tag but Asuka holds the arm. Bianca with a right, tries again, Asuka kicks the legs, another. Tag to Sane. Sane into a double team. Asuka with a backsplash to Bianca. Sane with a running and sliding right hand to the chest. Sane to the top rope. She flies with a fist. Cover! 1.2….NO!!!! Asuka to the top rope, she flies and misses. Sane on the apron. Asuka is the legal woman. Bianca crawls for a tag, but Asuka grabs her by the head. Bianca with a jawbreaker, then a rollup for 1..2.NO!!! Kick from Asuka. Asuka locks up and tries for a suplex, but Bianca hits her own! Tag to Sane! She runs onto the back of Bianca and knocks Jade off the apron! Sane grabs Bianca, hits a quick right, and slaps from Belair. Whip, reversed, back elbow from Sane, tag from Asuka. Codebreaker and Sane rolls over the back. Another double team! Cover from Asuka! 1.2….NO!!! Asuka with an arm bar attempt! Bianca prevents it. She stands with Asuka on her shoulder! Tag from San! She is in, plus Asuka is down! High kick from Asuka! Sane to the top rope. Bianca shoves Asuka into the corner, Sane flies, lands on her feet, and grabs the braid, Asuka locks up from behind, back elbow from Bianca, clothesline to Sane. Belair FINALLY gets a tag! Jade in! Springboard crossbody to both! Right to Sane, big kick to Asuka! Splash in the corner to Asuka, one to Sane. Another to Asuka! She sends Asuka out of the ring. GOOZLE TO SANE! Chokeslam! Cover! 1..2…..NO!!!! Asuka is in to break up the pin! Military Press to Sane. Jade slams her down hard. Kick from Sane, Asuka blocks a pump kick, locks u, back fist from Sane, kick from Asuka. Neckbreaker from Sane. Looks like the ref says Sane isn’t legal. Sane is confused. Jade hits an uppercut to Sane. Jade whips Sane, Asuka gets a tag…I guess? Elbow from Asuka. Jade kicks Asuka. Tag from Sane. She locks up, GOOZLE FROM JADE! Chokeslam again! Jade grabs Sane slowly, as Asuka checks on Belair. Cover from Sane. 1..2…NO!!! Armbar from Sane! Bianca in! ARMBAR TO BELAIR!!! Belair is able to lift up Asuka as Jade lifts Sane! They slam their opponents down! All four men down! Bianca leaves the ring. Jade is left with both Warriors. She Goozles both! They kick blind tag from Bianca. Jade misses a right, wheelbarrow into a codebreaker from Bianca then a catapult into a finisher from either. Cover for 1..2.N!O!!!

On the outside, Asuka sends Jade into the steps and Sane rolls up Bianca for 1.2..NO!! Bianca with a spinebuster. She runs for a shoulder, but Sane moves and Bianca hits the post. Tag from Asuka. Sane to the top. Insane Elbow! Cover! 1..2…NO!!!!! Jade stops the pin! Tag!

Sane with a back fist, Asuka with one, kick to Jade, Kick from Jade, Sane on the 2nd rope, she flies, Jade catches her, Jade with a spin, flips Sane into Jaded! Bianca in! KOD TO ASUKA!!!! ONTO SANE! Cover from Bianca! 1….2…..3!!!!!

Official Winners - NEW Woman Tag Team Champions - Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill

Ooooof that started off strong enough, but fell apart near the end there, with both Sane and Jade looking completely lost, almost to the point where Jade stopped selling completely. I’d say they recovered well enough, all things considered, but it took them a bit too long to do so.

Match Time: 17:21

Match 5 - Undisputed WWE Championship Match - AJ Styles vs Cody Rhodes

LOCKUP! Stalemate. Another lockup and they wrestle around the ropes. Cody corners AJ. They break the hold. Another lockup. Side headlock from Cody. AJ shoots the legs, and Cody flips out of it quickly. Another lockup. Side headlock from AJ. Into a takedown. Leg scissors from Cody, Aj kips up out. Side headlock takedown from Cody. AJ with leg scissors, Cody bridges. Turns into the hold, escapes and gets a headlock, but AJ escapes quickly. Waist lock from Cody, switch, another switch, Aj backs Cody into the corner and gives him some room. They jawjack, Aj shoves, and Cody slaps AJ in the face. AJ is shocked but more pissed than shocked. AJ with a knee to Cody. Cody sends Aj into another corner, chops from Cody, they go back and forth. Aj gets the better of it, with a kick. To the ropes, they hop over and under and Cody hits a dropkick! Cody with the Stardust cartwheel.

Cody wants Test of Strength, but Aj isn’t so keen on it. They lock fingers but AJ kicks quickly then chops Cody away. Whip to the ropes, dropkick from AJ! Phenomenal. Cody with a back body drop! Cover! NO!!! Front face lock. Cody with a right, elbows the arm, locks the head, suplex attempt. He delays, holds on for a bit then drops AJ in front of him. Cody hits the ropes. Divorce Court to the arm! Aj grabs the left arm and slams it down to the mat! He drives a knee into it. Hammer Lock from AJ. Cody with a right hand, another. He hits the ropes, AJ with a knee to the gut. AJ with a kick to the chest. Another. Aj kicks a third, Cody catches it, spins into the body, and takes down AJ with a pin for 1..2.NO!!! Cody uppercuts, enziguri by AJ. AJ to the ropes, trying to rework his jaw. He runs for a hit, but Cody moves and AJ hits the ropes hard. Cody hits the ropes and runs right into a right hand by AJ. He pulls Cody to the outside and sends him into the announce table. Aj rolls into the ring to stop the count. He rolls back outside, grabs Cody and slams him onto the table. AJ sees the French commentary table and rips off the cover. He swipes the table clean. AJ grabs Cody, takes him over to the table, and then locks the head but Cody sends AJ into the steps back first. Cody rolls back into the ring. He pulls himself up as AJ struggles by the steps. AJ to the apron and Cody grabs him by the head. They go back and forth. Cody sends Aj into the top buckle. Cody climbs, locks the head, and pulls AJ up for a suplex. Cody with a delayed suplex, but Aj lands on his feet and pulls Cody down! Cody to the corner, favouring his back. AJ goes after him and sits him up on the shoulders. Electric Chair Drop to Cody! MOONSAULT! Cody with the knees up!

Both men up, right from Cody, another from Cody. Cody backs AJ into the ropes, hits a right, in the corner, shoots out over AJ, powerslam from Cody! Cody hits the ropes, Disaster Kick! Cover! 1..2..NO!! Cody tries for another, or possibly a Cutter, but AJ catches him! He flips Cody with a DVD onto the knee! Cody drops him, but AJ rolls to the apron. He grabs AJ and stands him up then locks the head. AJ with a sick brainbuster to Cody onto the apron! AJ tries for a sliding knee, but Cody catches him and POWERBOMBS HIM THROUGH THE FRENCH ANNOUNCE TABLE! With both men down, the ref starts the count. Both men up at 8 and they run into the ring at 9. They meet in the middle with a clothesline, both men staying up. Right hand, kicks from both. Both men go down. Both are up in the corner, screaming at each other. They meet in the middle again, right hand over and over from AJ. From Cody, back fist attempt but Cody with a left, another, another. Bionic Elbow! Cover! 1.2…NO!!!

Cody up. He hits the ropes. Cutt—NO!! AJ catches him! Lifts Cody up, and turns him upside down, Cody reverses for a piledriver, but Aj escapes, kicks Cody out the corner, and suplexs into the corner! AJ grabs Cody by the neck, turns him and hits a backbreaker. AJ to the apron! Springboard 450 Splash and a cover for 1..2.NO!!! BURNING HAMMER FROM AJ! COVER! 1….NO!!! Cody is fired up! Cody Cutter! Cody tries for Cross Rhodes and Aj drops. Pele kick to Cody! He rushes to the corner. Forearm to Cody. AJ drops his pad. He is on the apron. Phenomenal Fore—-NO!!! SUPERKICK FROM CODY! KIMURA CLUTCH FROM MODY!!! Aj escapes for a Styles Clash, but AJ reverses, kicks, CCross Rhod—Kick from AJ! Styles C—NO!!! Damn! AJ flips over with a Sunset Flip! AJ SITS DOWN INTO A PIN for 1..2..NO!!! CODY OFF THE TOP ROPE!!! CODY CUTTER!!!

Cody stands tall and calls for the end. He locks AJ’s head. CROSS RHODES! COVER! 1..2…..3!!!!!!!!

Official Winner - STILL Undisputed WWE Champion - Cody Rhodes

You KNEW this was going to be good, but it doesn’t make it any less badass when it not only meets but exceeds expectations. Hell of a match, with AJ not slouching at all – and of course, that’s not something I would expect either. France got a treat tonight.

Match Time: 27:32