Welcome to the Mastermind Analysis review of WWE Backlash 2016. The thoughts and opinions expressed below are those of The Mastermind only, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts and opinions of the entire F4R team. Let us know what you think in the comments, or by getting involved on Facebook! But for now, on with the show...
Pre-PPV Thoughts
The last time WWE produced a Backlash PPV, the ECW Championship was being contested, Santino Marrella defended his ‘Miss Wrestlemania’ title, and John Cena was chokelsammed from the stage through a giant spotlight…! My how times change! Now, it might be easy to dismiss Backlash as a throwaway B show, but I feel this could turn out to be a very important show for Smackdown as a brand, and the WWE as a company. First off, it’s the first single-brand PPV we’ll be seeing this time around. A lot of people have commented on how thin the Smackdown roster is in comparison to Raw – if that is the case then Backlash is the chance for those who didn’t get a spot at Summerslam to step up and knock their match out of the park. We could see a career defining match from Bray Wyatt if he grabs the crowd and refuses to let go for the duration of his match… We could also see Star-Making moments. AJ Styles has been catapulted into the upper echelons of the WWE since signing, but beating Dean Ambrose for the World Title would cement him as a serious player in the WWE – something a lot of doubters feared would never happen, being an ex-TNA guy. Elsewhere in the tag team tournament, there are a number of relatively new faces that could be thrust into the spotlight if given a win. Lastly, with a relatively small card, we can expect the matches to be given plenty of time, which means no rushing, and more room for storyline development. I think Backlash could be the dark horse in this year’s PPV calendar. Underestimate it at your own risk…
Pre-Show
Baron Corbin vs Apollo Crews
Prediction: I had no idea this match was even scheduled, and as I wasn’t at my laptop when watching this one, it would be unfair for me to make a prediction. All I can say was, at the time I hoped for the best…
Match Analysis: Wow, that was potentially one of the best pre-show matches I can remember seeing this year. Don’t get me wrong it won’t go down as a memorable match, but as far as the kick-off match bar, they raised it! The lack of build-up hurt the match in a way, but with Smackdown having extremely limited air-time since Summerslam, they had to make the best of a bad situation. Corbin is a guy who’s character I love; Crews is a guy who’s in-ring ability is jaw-dropping. They combined to put on a genuinely good match though, and if this is a sign of things to come, my Backlash prediction could be true…
[***]
Main Show
Alexa Bliss vs Becky Lynch vs Carmella vs Naomi vs Natalya vs Nikki Bella
Prediction: While I think this is a no-brainer for Nikki Bella, I can’t help but feel disappointed that instead of building up a new star, the belt is going right back to the biggest star in the division. In my head, it would make sense to put the belt on someone, nay – anyone! – other than Nikki. Because right now, it feels like nobody could dethrone her. Whereas the 6-pack challenge is the perfect place for uncertainty, which gives Nikki the perfect excuse for not winning when everyone expects it. By that logic, Carmella could walk away with the gold, but I fear that WWE are just sticking with the old guard in Nikki Bella.
Match Analysis: Holy crap, I was proved wrong! I actually got what I wanted! Maybe I’ve been so jaded by the old-style booking that I’ve overlooked the potential that Smackdown can bring to the table. Again, this was a very strong match, with all the women looking strong at various points. Taking into consideration, Naomi successfully pulling off 2 springboard moves, Alexa Bliss with pigtails, Nikki’s star power, Carmella’s heel fire, Natalya’s usual strong in-ring work, and Becky winning… I don’t think this could have gone any better!
[***1/2]
Heath Slater & Rhyno vs (The Hype Bros or The Usos)
Prediction: I’m going to lump these 2 matches into one category. My first news from the tournament was that American Alpha were out due to an injury. I cried inside a little. Because I freakin’ LOVE American Alpha! But then I read the Smackdown report, and learned that the “injury” was caused by the Usos turning heel, and now I feel a lot better. Much as I love Heath Slater & Rhyno, and as much as I think the Hype Bros could go way further in front of the main roster Family Friendly crowd members, they just don’t match up to American Alpha in my eyes. So logically here, I expect the Usos to pick up 2 wins and become the new Tag Champs, and I fully expect American Alpha to get a babyface title-chasing storyline that can hopefully culminate at Survivor Series, or maybe even Royal Rumble.
The Usos vs The Hype Bros
Match Analysis: A little predictable, but still not a bad match. It turns out that Rawley isn't more popular on the main roster and he's actually just as irritating. I did like his double shoulder tackle on the outside, but that was about it. Not a bad match, but nothing special. The finals should be good though, especially with Slaters popularity, and the Usos intriguing change of charachter...
[**1/2]
Heath Slater & Rhyno vs The Usos
Match Analysis: Again, nothing to write home about, but to see Heath Slater finally get a big win after all his years of awful gimmicks and constant jobbing out. I may whine about Bray Wyatt getting buried constantly, but Heath was in the gutter way before Bray hit the scene. In a way, this win takes the edge off the previous... "match"... Good feel good moment leading into the main event.
[***]
The Miz © vs Dolph Ziggler
Prediction: So Dolph Ziggler has just lost his World Championship title match, and now he’s fighting for the Intercontinental Championship? Can anyone take that booking seriously? Personally I think that the main event belt contenders and the midcard belt contenders should be kept as far away from each other as possible. Ignoring the recent Bobbly Lashley storyline, how often do X-Division guys go up against World Title guys? The answer is once a year, when the ‘Option C’ match kicks in. I don’t get why Dolph is in this match, I can only think that he is going to win here though. Otherwise why even employ him?? I think it would be a shame for the Miz to end his run, and while I really want him to retain, I don’t get the point of having Ziggler lose back-to-back title matches.
Match Analysis: Another strong match! This card is delivering big time in my eyes. I can't say I've seen an awful lot of the Miz's career, but this is by far the best in-ring performance that I can remember seeing. I loved his sly shot at Daniel Bryan by using a number of his move set (showing that he has some wrestling skills!). Dolph Ziggler does a really good job at bringing fire out of opponents, but I hope to god that he is due a bit of a charachter change now. He's lost 2 title shots in a row, he needs to make a change.
[****]
Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt
Prediction: I really hope that Bray Wyatt can start to break out now he is on Smackdown. As a character, he has an ocean of potential and is responsible for getting me interested in the WWE product again. Orton is on the back of his absolute battering, so he has a potential out for losing to Bray. That said, historically Bray Wyatt is the guy to put over the bigger talent, so I’m expecting Randy to beat Bray here, despite my heart wanting Bray to dominate.
Match Analysis: For fuck sake!!! I am absolutely fed up with the way WWE treat Bray Wyatt. He's almost shot himself in the foot, in the same way that Bret Hart shot himself in the foot with Diesel in the 90s. Give Bray Wyatt a feud and he will be worth his weight in gold with his microphone work. In fact he will do it so well, that he will get over with the crowd to the point he doesn't need the win. But how many times is Bray Wyatt going to take the loss before his words become hollow?? Can anyone name a big feud he has come out of looking stronger?? Every time, he takes the loss, but talks himself back up the card. Only problem is, the more it happens, the harder it's going to be for him to redeem himself. I am not a happy man though. WWE need to give Bray a push and do it soon.
[**1/2]
Dean Ambrose © vs AJ Styles
Prediction: I’m going to throw it out there: I have not been impressed with Dean Ambrose as the champ. I don’t think he was the right guy for MITB, and I don’t like that he cashed in the same night. I was massively unimpressed by his attitude on the Stone Cold Podcast. I just don’t feel he’s inspired as a wrestler at the moment. Whereas on the flip-side of the coin, AJ Styles has knocked everything the WWE have thrown at him out of the park. His match with John Cena at Summerslam is a solid contender for Match of the Year, and lets face it, after beating Cena clean, will he really lost to Ambrose? I can’t see it… AJ to win clean, no brainer.
Match Analysis: So the ex-TNA guy got himself a TNA style ref-bump finish! I stand by my opinion that Dean Ambrose isn't all that. He's a fine mid-card champion but he definately lacks the x-factor that AJ possesses. The crowd were really fickle throughout, chanting for JBL at some points, before quickly being dragged back in, chanting THIS IS AWESOME. The match was pretty good in all honesty, and I'm glad AJ won. I just can't wait for him to turn face and start really winning crowds over...
[****]
Overall Show
I think the crowd were a little burned out towards the end. They had witnessed an amazing womens match, the best performance of Miz's career, and the final payoff for Heath Slater. While I feel AJ and Ambrose could have delivered more, the rest of the card really stepped up.
I loved the new floating camera angle they kept using, more of that please!
But please, for the love of god, stop treating Bray Wyatt like a midcard jobber. He can be so much more, just give him a damn chance!
The last time WWE produced a Backlash PPV, the ECW Championship was being contested, Santino Marrella defended his ‘Miss Wrestlemania’ title, and John Cena was chokelsammed from the stage through a giant spotlight…! My how times change! Now, it might be easy to dismiss Backlash as a throwaway B show, but I feel this could turn out to be a very important show for Smackdown as a brand, and the WWE as a company. First off, it’s the first single-brand PPV we’ll be seeing this time around. A lot of people have commented on how thin the Smackdown roster is in comparison to Raw – if that is the case then Backlash is the chance for those who didn’t get a spot at Summerslam to step up and knock their match out of the park. We could see a career defining match from Bray Wyatt if he grabs the crowd and refuses to let go for the duration of his match… We could also see Star-Making moments. AJ Styles has been catapulted into the upper echelons of the WWE since signing, but beating Dean Ambrose for the World Title would cement him as a serious player in the WWE – something a lot of doubters feared would never happen, being an ex-TNA guy. Elsewhere in the tag team tournament, there are a number of relatively new faces that could be thrust into the spotlight if given a win. Lastly, with a relatively small card, we can expect the matches to be given plenty of time, which means no rushing, and more room for storyline development. I think Backlash could be the dark horse in this year’s PPV calendar. Underestimate it at your own risk…
Pre-Show
Baron Corbin vs Apollo Crews
Prediction: I had no idea this match was even scheduled, and as I wasn’t at my laptop when watching this one, it would be unfair for me to make a prediction. All I can say was, at the time I hoped for the best…
Match Analysis: Wow, that was potentially one of the best pre-show matches I can remember seeing this year. Don’t get me wrong it won’t go down as a memorable match, but as far as the kick-off match bar, they raised it! The lack of build-up hurt the match in a way, but with Smackdown having extremely limited air-time since Summerslam, they had to make the best of a bad situation. Corbin is a guy who’s character I love; Crews is a guy who’s in-ring ability is jaw-dropping. They combined to put on a genuinely good match though, and if this is a sign of things to come, my Backlash prediction could be true…
[***]
Main Show
Alexa Bliss vs Becky Lynch vs Carmella vs Naomi vs Natalya vs Nikki Bella
Prediction: While I think this is a no-brainer for Nikki Bella, I can’t help but feel disappointed that instead of building up a new star, the belt is going right back to the biggest star in the division. In my head, it would make sense to put the belt on someone, nay – anyone! – other than Nikki. Because right now, it feels like nobody could dethrone her. Whereas the 6-pack challenge is the perfect place for uncertainty, which gives Nikki the perfect excuse for not winning when everyone expects it. By that logic, Carmella could walk away with the gold, but I fear that WWE are just sticking with the old guard in Nikki Bella.
Match Analysis: Holy crap, I was proved wrong! I actually got what I wanted! Maybe I’ve been so jaded by the old-style booking that I’ve overlooked the potential that Smackdown can bring to the table. Again, this was a very strong match, with all the women looking strong at various points. Taking into consideration, Naomi successfully pulling off 2 springboard moves, Alexa Bliss with pigtails, Nikki’s star power, Carmella’s heel fire, Natalya’s usual strong in-ring work, and Becky winning… I don’t think this could have gone any better!
[***1/2]
Heath Slater & Rhyno vs (The Hype Bros or The Usos)
Prediction: I’m going to lump these 2 matches into one category. My first news from the tournament was that American Alpha were out due to an injury. I cried inside a little. Because I freakin’ LOVE American Alpha! But then I read the Smackdown report, and learned that the “injury” was caused by the Usos turning heel, and now I feel a lot better. Much as I love Heath Slater & Rhyno, and as much as I think the Hype Bros could go way further in front of the main roster Family Friendly crowd members, they just don’t match up to American Alpha in my eyes. So logically here, I expect the Usos to pick up 2 wins and become the new Tag Champs, and I fully expect American Alpha to get a babyface title-chasing storyline that can hopefully culminate at Survivor Series, or maybe even Royal Rumble.
The Usos vs The Hype Bros
Match Analysis: A little predictable, but still not a bad match. It turns out that Rawley isn't more popular on the main roster and he's actually just as irritating. I did like his double shoulder tackle on the outside, but that was about it. Not a bad match, but nothing special. The finals should be good though, especially with Slaters popularity, and the Usos intriguing change of charachter...
[**1/2]
Heath Slater & Rhyno vs The Usos
Match Analysis: Again, nothing to write home about, but to see Heath Slater finally get a big win after all his years of awful gimmicks and constant jobbing out. I may whine about Bray Wyatt getting buried constantly, but Heath was in the gutter way before Bray hit the scene. In a way, this win takes the edge off the previous... "match"... Good feel good moment leading into the main event.
[***]
The Miz © vs Dolph Ziggler
Prediction: So Dolph Ziggler has just lost his World Championship title match, and now he’s fighting for the Intercontinental Championship? Can anyone take that booking seriously? Personally I think that the main event belt contenders and the midcard belt contenders should be kept as far away from each other as possible. Ignoring the recent Bobbly Lashley storyline, how often do X-Division guys go up against World Title guys? The answer is once a year, when the ‘Option C’ match kicks in. I don’t get why Dolph is in this match, I can only think that he is going to win here though. Otherwise why even employ him?? I think it would be a shame for the Miz to end his run, and while I really want him to retain, I don’t get the point of having Ziggler lose back-to-back title matches.
Match Analysis: Another strong match! This card is delivering big time in my eyes. I can't say I've seen an awful lot of the Miz's career, but this is by far the best in-ring performance that I can remember seeing. I loved his sly shot at Daniel Bryan by using a number of his move set (showing that he has some wrestling skills!). Dolph Ziggler does a really good job at bringing fire out of opponents, but I hope to god that he is due a bit of a charachter change now. He's lost 2 title shots in a row, he needs to make a change.
[****]
Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt
Prediction: I really hope that Bray Wyatt can start to break out now he is on Smackdown. As a character, he has an ocean of potential and is responsible for getting me interested in the WWE product again. Orton is on the back of his absolute battering, so he has a potential out for losing to Bray. That said, historically Bray Wyatt is the guy to put over the bigger talent, so I’m expecting Randy to beat Bray here, despite my heart wanting Bray to dominate.
Match Analysis: For fuck sake!!! I am absolutely fed up with the way WWE treat Bray Wyatt. He's almost shot himself in the foot, in the same way that Bret Hart shot himself in the foot with Diesel in the 90s. Give Bray Wyatt a feud and he will be worth his weight in gold with his microphone work. In fact he will do it so well, that he will get over with the crowd to the point he doesn't need the win. But how many times is Bray Wyatt going to take the loss before his words become hollow?? Can anyone name a big feud he has come out of looking stronger?? Every time, he takes the loss, but talks himself back up the card. Only problem is, the more it happens, the harder it's going to be for him to redeem himself. I am not a happy man though. WWE need to give Bray a push and do it soon.
[**1/2]
Dean Ambrose © vs AJ Styles
Prediction: I’m going to throw it out there: I have not been impressed with Dean Ambrose as the champ. I don’t think he was the right guy for MITB, and I don’t like that he cashed in the same night. I was massively unimpressed by his attitude on the Stone Cold Podcast. I just don’t feel he’s inspired as a wrestler at the moment. Whereas on the flip-side of the coin, AJ Styles has knocked everything the WWE have thrown at him out of the park. His match with John Cena at Summerslam is a solid contender for Match of the Year, and lets face it, after beating Cena clean, will he really lost to Ambrose? I can’t see it… AJ to win clean, no brainer.
Match Analysis: So the ex-TNA guy got himself a TNA style ref-bump finish! I stand by my opinion that Dean Ambrose isn't all that. He's a fine mid-card champion but he definately lacks the x-factor that AJ possesses. The crowd were really fickle throughout, chanting for JBL at some points, before quickly being dragged back in, chanting THIS IS AWESOME. The match was pretty good in all honesty, and I'm glad AJ won. I just can't wait for him to turn face and start really winning crowds over...
[****]
Overall Show
I think the crowd were a little burned out towards the end. They had witnessed an amazing womens match, the best performance of Miz's career, and the final payoff for Heath Slater. While I feel AJ and Ambrose could have delivered more, the rest of the card really stepped up.
I loved the new floating camera angle they kept using, more of that please!
But please, for the love of god, stop treating Bray Wyatt like a midcard jobber. He can be so much more, just give him a damn chance!