Welcome back!
Who enjoyed watching Backlash? This is my first, and I had a ton of fun. I’m surprised that most of my predictions were correct except for two. I don’t like undermining the Usos, but given their… unbalanced with Sikoa recently, I was thinking ahead and thought they’d lose.
They proved me wrong, and I’m happy. Corey Graves couldn’t get the image of Michael Cole potentially twerking alone out of his head. Fun time.
Want to know what made me laugh sinisterly? The fact that for the first time since Logan Paul has been undeservedly involved within the wrestling world, he DIDN’T show up uninvited at Backlash. Almost every weekend event since Crown Jewels, he’s been soiling my screen. But not last week. Thank God! Why can’t it be like this all the time? It would’ve been so peaceful.
Anyway, onto tonight. SmackDown is scheduling the second part of the Heavyweight Championship Tournament to determine who will face RAW’s winner at Saudi Arabia on May 27th. Seth Rollins won on Monday, so now we’ll wait to see who’s going to be his opponent.
Are you ready?!
Rey Mysterio vs. Edge vs. AJ Styles – Triple Treat World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Round One
As soon as the bell rings, all three men survey the scene both Styles and Mysterio pounce on Edge like it’s a 2-on-1 situation.
Rey avoids an incoming strike from AJ by delivering an elbow to his face. He rolls through, and Edge takes the opening to stake Styles for a failed cover. A big boot to Styles courtesy of the Rated R Superstar as he goes after Rey.
Styles has Rey by his ankles as he flips him onto his back with Edge’s abrupt assist. Then AJ grabs onto Edge and does the same by sending him crashing on top of Rey.
Throughout the beginning of this match, Edge has been taking control, sending effective strikes to his opponents who haven’t had a steady foot in. 12 years ago, Edge retired while still being World Champion, a title he never lost to start with. So him being part of this tournament is long overdue. He’s looking to reclaim that title.
The Rated R Superstar brutally whips AJ into the corner as you hear the wailing of Styles’ collision. Regardless of the dominance Edge has been showing, Styles manages to strike back with a clothesline and a sliding forearm.
Rey is able to build some momentum once he got back into the ring. He slingshots both his opponents then delivers a kick to the side of Styles’ head. Rey was looking for the springboard crossbody, yet he gets caught by Edge, who sends a boot to Styles before performing a beautiful fall away slam on Mysterio.
Edge went for a spear that quickly failed when he received double boots from Styles and Rey. Edge surprises us when he performs a double spear off the apron to Styles and Rey, sending all three of them on the main floor. It was amazing!
Later on, Styles inflicts pain on Rey in the form of the Calf Crusher. Since there are no brakes, Rey’s only choice is tapping out. Edge also comes into play by adding reinforcement with the Cross Face. Mysterio was getting double the agony.
Luckily, Styles’ headbutt to Edge influences him to release the Cross Face on Rey and go after AJ. Rey rolls out of harm’s way.
While Styles and Edge are in the middle of the ring exchanging blows, Rey leaps from the top rope and sends them into position for a double 619… that never happens before of a shocking double drop kick.
Edge and AJ lunge and take each other out with a simultaneous clothesline. Everybody is down. Edge almost decapitates Styles by viciously sending him face first into the second turnbuckle. Whoosh… Ha!
Rey was so close to winning when he manages to flips both men off the top and enters into a cover that could have ended this. Alas, Styles is resilient.
Rey drop kicks Edge into position, yet he’s thwarted by Styles, who was looking for the Phenomenal Forearm and misses. In return for earlier, Rey takes out Styles then goes after Edge. The Rated R Superstar effectively intercepts Rey’s 619 as it was drawing near to his face.
Edge uses the Educator as a means to Rey’s end while keeping an eye on AJ, who’s crawling towards the action. Fortunately for Rey, AJ gets his bearings back. Unfortunately for Edge, he had to break the hold.
While Edge has Styles in the Educator, they’re close enough to the ropes, so Mysterio could deliver a 619 to Edge’s face. I’m not sure what Rey was planning on doing as he came down from the top, but Edge stopped it real quick. With all that distraction, Styles leaps in with the Phenomenal Forearm to Edge for the win.
Winner: AJ Styles
Sheamus vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory – Triple Treat World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Round One
I don’t know what the hell was Theory expecting when he suddenly leaps out of the ring to allow Sheamus and Lashley to fight and not pay attention to him. Pfft. That’s idiotic thinking because they go after him due to his unintelligent plan.
Lashley with a swinging neck breaker and Sheamus with a dropping knee to the collarbone of Theory. Double attack.
Once Sheamus and Bobby swat Theory onto the main floor like garbage, these two goliaths start to brawl. Lashley is going to know how Ten Beats of the Bodhran feels like. Oof. But for some reason, Theory interrupts the party. Why?
However, Sheamus gives us what we want when he beats Theory with the move he initially planned for Lashley. Lovely indeed! Seeing Austin being pounded like an MMA fighter was hilarious. Hmm.. he probably wouldn’t survive there anyway. Ha!
Theory is disposed of after colliding with the post at the hands of Lashley. Bobby returns to deal with Sheamus, or the Celtic warrior will deal with him. Bobby just joined the blue brand, and already we’re given the impression that Sheamus and Lashley don’t like each other. Well, the best fights emerge from hate.
Lashley attempts to place the Hurt Lock on Sheamus, yet Theory drop kicks them from behind. So far, when Theory comes in from nowhere, I remember that he’s still here. He hasn’t really been a huge factor, so…. Austin does perform an impressive Block Buster to Bobby for a near victory until Sheamus interrupted.
Sheamus becomes bloodthirsty as he quickly goes after Theory with heavy blows to his face. He even delivers a hurtful White Noise to the US Champion. Lashley hasn’t been back in the ring after being driven into the stairs by Austin earlier. Sheamus was hyping up for a Bro Kick, Bobby spears him, Theory takes the opportunity and fails.
Lashley is seen bleeding, so he tries to end this fast with the Hurt Lock cinched in on Austin. Theory’s continued efforts to escape were futile, even when Sheamus Bro Kicks him. Lashley gets rid of Sheamus then uses that knockout to cover Austin for the victory.
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Backstage, newly SmackDown drafted Grayson Waller is here with Adam Pearce. Waller arrogantly thinks that him being drafted took too much time, so he suggests that to make up for it, whoever wins at the Semi-Finals tonight will be on his talk show, The Grayson Waller Effect, next week. Pearce staggeringly agrees, maybe just to get rid of him.
Wade Barrett says that Waller with a microphone is a nightmare. Ha! Can’t wait.
Baron Corbin vs. Cameron Grimes
Corbin introduces Grimes as the last draft pick, Mr. Irrelevant. He’s surprised that Cameron showed up since Corbin believes that in two minutes, Grimes will be flat out on his back in defeat.
Baron, you’re the one who hasn’t been stable for a while, notably when you and Madcap Moss severed ties. The laughing jokes are over.
How quickly this match went. Grimes shoots right out of the gates with his signature move Can-In for a victorious cover. Why am I even surprised? I knew Baron’s ass was going to lose, just not this abrupt… damn.
Winner: Cameron Grimes
It’s time for Roman Reigns’ return party, guys. Usually when The Bloodline make their entrance, the animation effect showcase Reigns with the Usos. You’d be shocked to know that the twins weren’t up there, just Roman. Questions. Questions.
The Bloodline claim that the World Heavyweight Championship is a consolation prize given that the gold around Reigns’ waist is far more illustrious.
But are we here to celebrate the Usos and Sikoa’s win at Backlash? I think not. Don’t delude yourselves. Reigns is a liar. Look in his eyes, you’ll see. They don’t say that the eyes are the gateway to the soul for no reason. Everything is written in there. Everything.
Although, Reigns admires Sikoa for still being vigilante about Zayn and Owens, Roman corrects him in saying that the new Undisputed Tag Team Champions aren’t the problem… the twins are. I GODDAMN KNEW IT!!
What I want is for the rose-tinted lenses that Jimmy is wearing to come right off and see Roman for who, or what, he really is. A manipulative liar. I told these twins not to dedicate their title rematch to Roman, they’ll lose. And they did. It’s like making a deal with the Devil and foolishly think there won’t be some regret or gut-wrenching pain.
Reigns thought it odd that instead of dedicating their rematch to Tag Team Hall of Famers in their family, they honored Roman. Like I said, they foolishly thought they were doing right… out of fear, I’m guessing. This is seen as disrespectful, so Roman orders them to apologize.
What was random but applauded is the fact that Jimmy was laughing, or smiling, which allows the audience to shout “no” repeatedly. Because of that, Roman shoves Jimmy’s face. This is the second time he does this. First Jey, now Jimmy. No way. Uh uh.
Jimmy was being encouraged by the fans to do something, and I think he was about to. Yet Jey comes between Reigns and his brother to apologize. When did he get a microphone? Ha!
Jey promises that the titles will come back to The Bloodline. Reigns agrees, and let’s Heyman inform the public that they pulled some strings to have Owens and Zayn fight Roman and Solo at Night of Champions. Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!
This shocked the twins…
Roman decides to dedicate their match to Sika and Afa Anoa’i, The Wild Samoans. A prestigious tag team. All this did was make sure that twins’ deal with the Devil bit them in the ass a lot harder this time.
Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan (c) vs. Bayley & Dakota Kai – Women’s Tag Team Championship match
Kai’s attempts at the beginning were hilariously received because of how ineffective it was. Raquel whips her into the corner then rams her shoulder into her gut.
Dakota does get a slim comeback with a kick to Morgan’s face as the current newly SmackDown drafted NXT Champions Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre are watching backstage.
A right hand by Kai stuns Morgan on her ass for a while. I think she’s more shocked that Dakota would even dare. More so that Kai and Bayley are both in the ring trying to beat Liv down.
Rodriguez is tagged in, and so is Kai. Raquel ploughs her opponent with numerous clotheslines to the throat, followed by fall away slams, yet a missed Corkscrew Elbow since Dakota rolled away.
Bayley and Dakota attempt to play a double team, but Raquel repels the threat with a double choke slam before tagging Morgan in. Liv enjoyed every moment she was used as a weapon against Damage Control like the masochist she is.
Kai tags herself in, unbeknownst to Morgan, who ends up paying for it with a double team Meteora by Damage Control from the top. This almost took Morgan out if it wasn’t for Raquel.
Bayley tells Iyo to get one of the tag belts while the referee was distracted with Kai. Rodriguez manages to snatch their belt away from Sky then delivers a big boot to Dakota, while Morgan shoves Bayley into Sky then rolls her up for a retaining win.
Winners: Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan
After a loss during the Triple Threat match, Sheamus is supported by his fellow Brutes. Newly drafted former NXT Champions Pretty Deadly are here too to remind Sheamus of his loss, Holland of his stupidity and Butch of his primal animal-like behavior. Ouch.
By the way, it’s been made official that Zayn and Owens will defend their Undisputed Tag Team Championships against Reigns and Sikoa in two weeks. Ooh, we’re in for a big one.
Now onto to bigger things like Bianca Belair’s title celebration for being the longest reigning women’s champion. But if we’ll ever get to that, Asuka appears from the mist. Emphasis on mist because she sprays Bianca with it. This severely stings the champ to the point that you can hear her screeching in agony.
Bobby Lashley vs. AJ Styles – World Heavyweight Championship Tournament Semi-Finals
Ha! Ha! I didn’t want to laugh, but when Barrett said that Lashley has a bump on the top of his head due to his previous match to get to the semi-finals, my stomach was in knots for giggling. It just reminds me of when I was ten or 12 where getting a noticeable bump like that was hilarious because of the way it sticked out.
Anyway, Lashley seems to have Styles cornered the majority of the beginning of this match. AJ does deliver a few hits before backing up and rethinking strategy. Bobby is simply pissed right now.
Bobby picks up the pace with harsh elbows to the back of AJ’s head. Styles takes the fight to Lashley, trying to ward him off, but to no avail. Styles makes a comeback by taking out Lashley’s leg and knee. Bobby is back on his feet with a shoulder tackle.
AJ tries to muscle Bobby up, but Lashley is too much humanity to carry according Barrett. Styles is looking for the Phenomenal Forearm and gets caught by Lashley.
Lashley meant to spear Styles in the corner, yet he collides with the post instead. Styles uses that to deliver a knee to the back of Bobby’s neck for good measure followed by a Phenomenal Forearm victory. The rest of The O.C. come out to celebrate.
Now, we get to see Styles versus Rollins in Saudi Arabia. Lesnar against Rhodes. Reigns and Sikoa face-to-face with Owens and Zayn.
Winners: AJ Styles
TOP PHOTO: AJ Styles’ arms raised in victory. Courtesy of WWE
