WWE Backlash 2020: Honest Review
With the promise of the Greatest Wrestling match of All-time
fans were hooked this weekend as we sat back and witnessed WWE Backlash twenty-twenty.
The night looked to conclude with the must-see match of the evening between
legends in their own right Edge and Randy Orton but prior to that the WWE
universe were treated to title bouts, an entertaining cinematic contest and a surprising
standout one on one. Now, the PPV has divided fan opinion but here today we are
going to be recapping the action from WWE Backlash and discussing the best and
worst moments and whether we really did witness the greatest wrestling match of
all time.
There were so many moment throughout where we could have
seen this match ended and so many where I thought things would conclude, however,
neither man was willing to give in but in the end, it was a punt kick (and a
little low blow) that allowed Orton to score the win and post-match I have to
admit I was pretty emotional watching. Both men delivered in terms of wrestling
and character and the basicness at times as well as their knowledge of
wrestling and each other just made this special and gripping. The way ending
was done was so perfect and fitting that you just cannot complain and this
proved to be another night where Orton proved he is an all-time great.
Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs The IIConics vs Banks &Bayley
I’ve said it before and I will say it again when given the
time and attention the WWE Women’s tag division deliveries. We have seen the
occasional standout match from the women’s tag scene and last night another
solid contest was added to the list. With champions Banks and Bayley defending
their titles in triple threat competition former champs, Bliss and Cross as well
as the returning IIConics looked to grab gold once again. From the get-go, I
loved that the WWE went down the root of a true classic triple threat tag match
with a member of each time in the ring at the same time. This minor difference already
had my attention far more and the match delivered feeling more fluent and a
though everyone had a place, effectively making the opening contest more
interesting and entertaining.
All three of these teams have been vital within the division
and here what we saw was what each team brings to the table and how despite
their differences in styles and motivation together they managed to bring out
the best in one another and present fans watching with a very strong tag bout.
The end result was predictable but the fast roll-up style pin Banks scored over Bliss
was fitting and while the Reign of Sasha and Bayley has divided fans, they move
on to a must-see this Wednesday on NXT. We can also expect to see The IIConics
keeps their eyes on the prize for they did not lose much momentum here and they
looked good throughout the opening matchup of the evening.
Sheamus vs Jeff Hardy
We saw Sheamus dominate so much of this contest using his power
and barbaric nature to take control of the action and as a result fans were
reminded of the 2009/2010 Sheamus which was brilliant considering these were
arguably the best days of his career. Hardy did get some offense in but in the
end, the power of Sheamus proved too intense and it was Sheamus who walked away
with a surprising victory he is sure to benefit from massively! I really did
love this match for its wrestling but also the storytelling throughout. Sheamus
had great character work and wrestling on display while Hardy was bringing
something different and interesting too.
Asuka vs Nia Jax
Okay, so while this arguably the weakest match of the
evening Asuka vs Nia Jax cannot be considered a terrible match at all. The two
have plenty of history and their chemistry was evident from the get-go. Nia had
a clear display of her power and dominance, and it was interesting to see just
how many times she came close to closing in on a victory. This was one of those
matches that didn’t need to be too long and the WWE timed it perfectly and gave
these women enough time to put on a solid championship bout and leave space for
more to come between them. The count-out ending was a surprise, I genuinely didn’t
see it coming but as a result, Nia didn’t look weak and we can expect a no
DQ/Last woman standing kind of contest between the pair at Extreme Rules next
month which I do actually feel as though I have a lot of interest in!
Braun Strowman vs Miz and Morison
I’ll be honest, this was one of the matches I enjoyed the
least. What I liked was how different this was, and I have enjoyed seeing a tag
team like Miz and Morrison set their sights on Strowman and the Universal
Championship. The build has been entertaining and I always like to see
something new tried out; the match, however, did not impress me all too much.
Again, I was entertained but there was no wrestling that had me hooked or stood
out and the bout was of course predictable. I liked the tension between Miz and
Morrison towards the end of the match as it dawned on them only one could get
the win properly and I’m interested to see things develop even more between
them (still waiting for their one on one rivalry because damn that will be
brilliant). Strowman of course picked up the victory here and I was disappointed
to not see the Fiend make an appearance.
The Street Profits vs The Viking Raiders
Cinematic matches have become a big thing in pro wrestling especially
the WWE in recent months and it’s understandable. Some have been a great success
(Undertaker and AJ Styles I am looking at you) and some have…well, not and the
idea of cinematic match ups has divided fans. I myself am somewhere in the
middle when it comes to these styles of matches, but I have to say when it
comes to The Street Profits vs the Viking Raiders this was so bad, I loved it.
At first, I hated what they were doing but I cannot deny I was entertained
while watching this! From the Turkey leg/Thor’s hammer moment to the daydreams
and involvement of Akira Tozawa there was a lot going on that just didn’t make
sense and while yes, I do think it's so important we see the RAW tag division
taken more seriously and we get proper matches this did have me laughing and delivered
the element of fun to what was an intense PPV. Moving on we do need to see legit
bouts from these two teams for they really are fantastic competitors.
Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Lashley
I said it on twitter last night and across social media that
I have wanted to see Lashley as a major champion since his return to the WWE. During
his time in IMPACT, we really got to see just how good he is and what he can
bring as a main event star and I wanted to see that shown in the WWE. A rivalry
with Lesnar has been a dream set up since his WWE return but until last night
Lashley had not felt like a big-time main event star. From the get-go, the Destroyer
dominated the action and what we saw throughout was him surprise both McIntyre
and fans by really capitalizing on submission holds. Lashley manipulated every
joint on the body of McIntyre and wrestled smart and effectively proving to be
a dominant and powerful superstar while also looking in submissions regularly. The
action did become more split down the middle and we got to see the speed of the
champion come in to play and work as a big advantage however, it was a
distraction from Lana (as predicted) that massively contributed to Drews win
and more importantly Lashley’s loss.
Now, I do genuinely
want to see more from Lashley and MVP for their pairing is just brilliant and
what Bobby needs; I also really want to see Lashley and McIntyre meet in the
ring again with a potential different end result. This match was the first time
since his return, Bobby looked like a main event star and a man who could be
champion and so I hope the WWE continue doing what they are doing with him and
we see that big win eventually.
Edge vs Randy Orton
What do you believe to be the greatest wrestling match of
all time? Well the WWE looked to mark Edge vs Randy Orton as exactly that this
weekend in their must-see main event collision and it has to be said, the two
didn’t disappoint. Now, I’m not sure I would deem this the “greatest wrestling
match of all time” however, what we got here was something so incredible it
will go down as a classic and all-time great. This was a throwback match for
anyone my age and older who grew up watching these two superstars but also the
likes of Kurt Angle and Eddie Guerreroamongst many. It was a wrestling
masterclass that will forever be remembered for its nostalgic feel, intensity, and sheer wrestling excellence. What was also so brilliant about this away from
the actual wrestling was the psychological factor, the character work, and in
the depth storytelling, we saw from the moment the two made their way down to
the ring. The extras the WWE added to this match were interesting and some of
it really wasn’t needed but the ref's gear, the intro, and the camera angles were
fantastic and added to the feel of this being a huge matchup.
There were so many moment throughout where we could have
seen this match ended and so many where I thought things would conclude, however,
neither man was willing to give in but in the end, it was a punt kick (and a
little low blow) that allowed Orton to score the win and post-match I have to
admit I was pretty emotional watching. Both men delivered in terms of wrestling
and character and the basicness at times as well as their knowledge of
wrestling and each other just made this special and gripping. The way ending
was done was so perfect and fitting that you just cannot complain and this
proved to be another night where Orton proved he is an all-time great.
Honestly, I did really like this PPV. Okay, so there were a
few weak matches and a lack of title defenses, however, Hardy vs Sheamus was a
standout, the women’s tag division has a strong showing and the main event is
an instant classic wrestling fans will be talking about for years and will
inspire so many wrestlers for years to come. The character work from Orton was
above anything, we have seen from him before (and that’s a bold statement) and the
intensity and emotion from Edge gelt so real it left everyone on the edge of
their seats. A main event that could have gone any
way as well as entertainment
throughout the night means you will not catch me moaning about WWE Backlash
2020 and while rumors are surfacing regarding Edge and an injury I do truly
hope he is okay and we see more in-ring work from him.
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