WWE Backlash Predictions

This Sunday marks the first Smackdown exclusive PPV of the New Era. In addition to the brands having their own separate identities and rosters, they will now have more time to build their feuds with their own exclusive PPV’s going forward. The big four PPV’s will still feature both brands but as for the months that aren’t Royal Rumble, Wrestlemania, Summerslam or Survivor Series, each show will have their own exclusive PPV. For Smackdown this show is a huge deal because it’s their very first exclusive PPV and on top of that they finally crown their brands champions with the newly introduced Women’s and Tag Team titles.
The card does kind of look small compared to the cards that we have had in the past featuring the entire roster. However, it makes sense for a shorter card since there is a smaller roster and plus I hope this gives more time for each match. Hell, maybe the women’s elimination six pack challenge will get enough time. I still am not sure why Corbin vs. Kalisto isn’t on the card but there is rumours Kalisto maybe injured. Also, guys like Breezango, Apollo Crews and Kane aren’t even on the card which leaves you speculating if they’ll make appearances. Anyway, here we go with my predictions.

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Dolph Ziggler leading into Summerslam was on fire and found a way to find a portion of the fans again to get behind him. The Miz following an altercation with Daniel Bryan on Talking Smack became the most relevant he has been in years. It rejuvenated The Miz’s career and made you want to know what he was going to do next. In a sense, it was the same way Ziggler’s feud with Ambrose last month rejuvenated his career. It’s exactly what Smackdown needed to rebuild their mid card but at the same time we’re getting a Dolph Ziggler and Miz feud over the IC title we had two years ago. Don’t get me wrong, they are real-life good friends, therefore their chemistry in promos and matches is great. I’m sure with time given to them, these two can put on a really good match. Im not sure if they’re planning on extending this feud or if this is just a stop on the way to bigger things for both guys, but I hope its just a stop on the way to bigger things. I feel like last month put Ziggler in the group of top guys on the brand with potential to be a future WWE Champion and winning the IC title would be a step backwards for him. I want Ziggler to lose causing him to adapt and change as a character that leads him back to the WWE Title picture. On the other hand, for the Miz who has been dubbed a coward, he needs this win so he can brag about it and continue his IC Title reign. Thus putting focus 0n the fact that as long as he holds that title, nobody can call him a coward.
Prediction – The Miz

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The Uso’s finally embraced the hate they were getting from the WWE Universe and turned heel attacking American Alpha after losing the semi final match to them on Smackdown this week. Unfortunately, during the Uso’s vicious attack, Chad Gable was injured. It caused Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan no choice but to withdraw American Alpha from the finals of the tag team title tournament and book this match between the two losing semi final teams. Giving these two teams a second chance to get into the finals to replace American Alpha. I’m not sure if Chad Gables injury is a work or a real injury but I’m leaning more towards a work to further the storyline. If thats at the case, I think the storyline moves forward here with the Uso’s moving to the finals. Think about it, they just turned heel and are getting a second shot for the finals after injuring Gable. How much heat do you think they’d get if they made it to the finals under those circumstances? Exactly.
Prediction – The Usos

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When it comes to the finals of the Smackdown tag team championship tournament, the one thing that is for sure is that Heath Slater and Rhyno are apart of it. Sincem the night of the draft has there been a more consistently entertaining storyline than the one involving Heath Slater not being drafted to either show? Personally, I don’t think so. Slater has claimed to be the hottest free agent and has been on the receiving end of beatings from the likes of Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton. Regardless, his skits and segments have also been some of the funniest stuff on WWE television. Slater stressing about paying for his above ground pool and supporting his 2, no, 3, no, 4…ah however many god damn kids he has been comedic gold. Finally, Shane and Bryan gave Slater one final chance to get a Smackdown Live contract and all he had to do was find a partner whom he could win the Smackdown Tag Team Championship Tournament with. Rhyno stepped up to be Slater’s partner. Why? He just wanted too. Moving forward, my prediction was that it would be The Uso’s meeting Slater and Rhyno in the finals.
Now this match could go one of two ways. The first way this could go, is that Heath Slater and Rhyno lose to The Usos, and the Usos are the first ever Smackdown Tag Team champions and continue their feud with American Alpha. This would mean Slater wouldn’t get signed to Smackdown Live and his trying to get signed storyline continues. The second way this could go, and the way I’m predicting it will go is that Heath Slater and Rhyno pick up the victory and thats because a surprise distraction from American Alpha. This way American Alpha and The Uso’s continue their feud and Slater gets signed to Smackdown. Eventually, American Alpha or the Usos’ will defeat Slater and Rhyno, to make their feud for the tag titles, while Rhyno and Slater feud. Thats just my take though.
Prediction – Heath Slater & Rhyno

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I don’t know about the rest of ya’all, but I’m excited for this Women’s Six Pack challenge to crown Smackdown’s first ever Women’s Champion. Its a start of a new era for the Women on the blue brand, all with something to work towards. The announcement on the most episode of Smackdown made it clear that this match would be under elimination rules. That just makes this match so much more intriguing. I love the fact that when it comes down to the final two, you know either one of those two will have the honour of saying they were the first ever Smackdown Women’s Champion. I don’t know if this brand extension is going to last forever, however if it does thats a huge achievement under your belt. Its a huge achievement even if the title is only around for a few years. To be the first anything is huge and something nobody can take away from you. This match has to be the match that sets the tone of the Smackdown Womens division. Its on this very show, that these girls need to show that they are direct competition to the Raw Women’s division that includes popular stars such as Sasha Banks, Paige, Charlotte and Bayley. I think given the smaller card, the more time these women will be allotted, meaning the bigger opportunity for them to shine.
Now lets look at the lovely ladies involved in this match and weigh in how I think they’ll do. First, lets talk about Alexa Bliss. I am a fan of Alexa Bliss and loved her evolution on NXT. However out of all the girls a part of the Smackdown Women’s division, she’s made the least impact. For the casual fan who doesn’t watch NXT, Alexa Bliss may not be someone they care for. Therefore I see her being the first one eliminated. The next one might sting with a few people, but it is what it is. I love her new look and her entrance is one of the coolest things to happen to Naomi, but I would have her out next. Hopefully, lighting a fire in her for the upcoming weeks on Smackdown, where we end up seeing her make more on an impact. Following Naomi’s elimination I would like to see Nikki eliminate Carmella. Why? Mostly, because it would be unrealistic for Carmella to walk out champion already, and it furthers her feud with Nikki. The final three would be Nikki, Natalya and Becky. Carmella would come back attacking Nikki causing her to get pinned by Natalya. Which would leave us down to the final two in Becky Lynch and Natalya. If we look back at the Natalya/Becky Lynch feud, I don’t recall Becky getting a victory in that feud. Therefore, I would have these two as the final two with Becky Lynch picking up the victory. If the tag team champions are going to be won by a random team of Slater and Rhyno, the first womens champion should be someone highly focused on when it comes to the Women’s Evolution. I know we just had a feud between Natalya and Becky feud but I would throw Trinity in the mix and book a triple threat for next month, while Carmella and Nikki continue their rivalry. In conclusion, this match would help progress feuds and be the dawning of the new era of Women’s Wrestling on Smackdown with the Irish Lasskicker leading the charge.
Prediction – Becky Lynch

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This is one of those feuds I have been looking forward to for a couple of years now. There were a few times I think they hinted that this feud was going to happen but it never did. The two of them worked together on the road during live shows and also dark matches following televised shows. I have even seen these two wrestle each other at a live event. I know what to expect. Bray Wyatt, may be the master of mind games on this era but Orton is no stranger to mind games himself. This match is really hard to make a prediction for because, I’m low key rooting for both guys.
Randy Orton has only been back from injury for the last couple of months and since returning his biggest feud was against Brock Lesnar. A feud I was really looking forward to but Orton overall lost due to Lesnar’s brutal beatdown. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t think this made Orton look weak by any means. He stood tall against the beast and got the Beast angry enough that he snapped. Orton looked strong if anything because he took that beating on Sunday, took ten staples to the head and showed up on Smackdown Live the following Tuesday. It was this very episode of Smackdown Live that Orton was first confronted by the Eater of Worlds, Bray Wyatt.
Where do I even start with Bray Wyatt? He is one of the most interesting and creative characters the WWE has had in years, and a lot of it has to do with Bray Wyatt’s own charisma and merit. Yet the WWE time and time again has failed to capitalize on Bray Wyatt by not striking while the iron was hot. The great thing about Bray is, he has the ability of making the iron steam time and time again regardless how many times creative drops the ball on him. Personally, I knew with the brand extension, this may be Bray’s career to finally take off, mainly being drafted on the show the with the smaller roster. The story of most of Bray’s feuds are that he sets out on a mission, plays mind games to mess with opponents, gains the upper hand and ultimately loses. Bray Wyatt has never successfully finished what he set out to do, but how can he when his opponents still need to look strong. Wyatt’s goal with Orton is to prove that Orton is no longer the predator but just a simple man. (PS. I still think he should have defeated Undertaker at either Wrestlemania or Survivor Series)
This is where I stand divided. Randy Orton could use this win as his first big win since returning redeeming himself from the beat down he took from Lesnar. Orton could use this win to prove that he is still the Apex Predator. Bray on the other hand could use this win because he needs to be taken as a serious threat and defeating Orton would help him gain momentum. This is how I would book it. I would have Randy Orton win the first match. I say first match because I would have this feud continue. Randy Orton wins round one proving that he still is the Apex Predator and the feud continues because Wyatt wants to prove it was just a lucky day for Orton, and turn his angle to be about the fact that he knows how to avoid Orton’s deadliest weapon…the RKO. Before all that though, Orton catches Wyatt with an RKO outta nowhere for the first match.
Prediction – Randy Orton

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When AJ Styles debuted at the Royal Rumble earlier this year, I don’t think anyone expected him to achieve or accomplish as much as he did this year so quickly. In less than a year with the company AJ Styles has been apart of the Royal Rumble, wrestled Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania, gotten multiple WWE Champion title shots, defeated John Cena at Summerslam and now finds himself as the number one contender for the WWE Championship again. AJ Styles once again finds himself trying to defeat a former Shield member to win his first ever WWE Champion. Dean Ambrose has been the WWE Champion since Money in the Bank when he cashed in the MITB on Seth Rollins right after Seth Rollins defeated Roman Reigns. Since then, Ambrose has been overcoming all obstacles and defending his title with pride.
I know this is becoming cliche with these predictions but I would expect the Lunatic Fringe and the new face that runs the place, the Phenomal AJ Styles to go to round two next month. I feel like the build up for this match wasn’t that great and the potential for this feud could be so much better if they were to wrestle again. I would not have the title change hands until next month. I would have Ambrose retain at Backlash and then at the October PPV which I believe is No Mercy, I would have Styles finally going over to win the WWE Championship. I would have Cena return following that trying to take the title from Styles. I would have this lead to a triple threat at Survivor Series between the three with Styles as champion.
Prediction – Dean Ambrose