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MLW Coming To NYC July 19th For FUSION TV Taping

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Major League Wrestling’s rapid expansion continues. Following up on the successful launch of the new FUSION television series, the promotion has announced a live event from New York City coming this summer.

MLW invades the new Melrose Ballroom in Long Island City on Thursday, July 19th. This event will be a television taping for MLW FUSION.

Tickets go on sale this Saturday, May 12 at 10 AM ET at MLWTickets.com.

MLW talent signed on to appear include:

  • MLW World Heavyweight Champion Shane Strickland
  • Pentagon Jr.
  • Rey Fenix
  • MVP
  • Barrington Hughes
  • Maxwell J. Friedman
  • Sami Callihan
  • Salina de la Renta
  • ACH

 

Catch Major League Wrestling: FUSION Friday nights at 8pm ET / 5pm PT on beIN SPORTS.  Learn more about MLW’s new TV series: MLW.com/fusion.

MLW Fusion Results & Full Episode: May 4, 2018

This past Friday was May 4th, prompting everyone and their mother to tell me “May the 4th be with you,” a clever little pun in reference to Star Wars. Well, on the May 4th edition of MLW Fusion, there were certainly of lot of STARS having a lot of WARS in the ring.

Yes, that was the best way I could think to start this column. My apologies.

My corny joke aside, there were certainly a lot of feuds being revved up this week. Let’s break it down.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49p0b4hSrgY

The show starts in the arena. Jimmy Havoc comes down to the ring. We see footage of a brawl between Havoc and Joey Janela from Walemania. Havoc gets on the mic and calls Janela out. Janela comes out. The two men brawl into the crowd and to the back of the arena. That’s the last we see of them.

Low Ki comes out next in an outfit that says “I may be a contract killer, but I like to look professional.” A video package shows a previous incident that he had backstage with MVP. During the melee, Low Ki attacked an MLW matchmaker. Announcers Tony Schiavone and Rich Bocchini tell us Low Ki was suspended by MLW for the attack on the official. Back in the ring, Low Ki gets a mic and complains about the suspension. He says that his stable, Black Friday Management, always collects its debts and will collect its debt from MVP. MVP doesn’t like the sound of that and makes his way down to the ring, but his opponent for the night, Sami Callahan, comes from behind him. Oh God, he’s a got a bat! Oh, thank God, he’s only choking MVP with it, not trying to bash his eye out. The chaos is broken up and we go to the opening video package.

Schiavone and Bocchini welcome us and talk about the main event between MVP and Callihan.

Simon Gotch vs. ACH

“Filthy” Tom Lawlor comes out with Team Filthy, which includes the former Vaudevillain, Simon Gotch, and another man whose name is not acknowledged. Lawlor says that due to his injured left forearm, he cannot compete tonight against ACH, therefore Gotch will fight in his place.

ACH comes out next. The ref helps him spar before the bell rings. That’s something I’ve never seen before.

The two competitors start off with a collar and elbow tie up and some chain wrestling. Gotch gets ACH into a cross armbreaker but ACH escapes. Gotch breaks ACH down with a European uppercut, stomps, and kicks. He eventually traps ACH in a chinlock using his legs. ACH gets a rope break. Gotch locks in another rest hold but ACH elbows his way out of it. He comes back with chops but Gotch kicks him in the face. We go to commercial.

When we come back, Schiavone is talking about rope breaks. A rope break must have occurred during the commercial, but we don’t get that context. I’m not a fan of commercials during wrestling matches, but at least WWE will have its announcers tell you what happened while you were watching the 900th commercial promoting the show about 2Pac and Biggie.

Gotch throws ACH with a gutwrench suplex followed by some corner stomps. With the ref distracted, Lawlor chokes ACH with his left hand. The announcers speculate whether Lawlor’s left forearm injury is real. If history is any indicator, I would say “no” (see Orton, “Cowboy” Bob).

ACH gets control back by kicking Gotch’s leg out from under him and booting him with a basement single leg dropkick. Gotch stops an ACH attack, hits a sunset flip with a roll through, and kicks ACH. Gotch attempts a German suplex, but ACH rolls through, grabs Gotch’s legs, and gets the three count.

The rest of Team Filthy fly into the ring and beat up ACH. Lawlor uses his flip flops as weapons and Schiavone sells it like he’s using a steel chair. Team Filthy make their way to the top of the aisle where they’re interviewed by Andrea Ocampo. Gotch says that ACH is going to the ICU and Lawlor says he’s five million times better than the man his team just left lying in the ring.

Schiavone runs down the MLW Top 10 rankings. The list includes:

  1. Pentagon Jr.
  2. Jimmy Havoc
  3. MVP
  4. Low Ki
  5. Tom Lawlor
  6. Sami Calligan
  7. Rey Fenix
  8. Jeff Cobb (Lucha Underground’s Matanza Cueto)
  9. Joey Janela
  10. Barrington Hughes

The champion that these 10 men are all after is, of course, Shane “Swerve” Strickland.

Speaking of Swerve, we get a video package in which the champ says he’s fighting for his kids. Hey, that’s what MVP said last week! They both can’t fight for their kids! One of them is going to have to be selfish and fight for themselves.

A commercial for the June 7 MLW TV taping airs. On that night, the first ever MLW Tag Team Champions will be crowned.

The show comes back with a promo package from Maxwell Jacob Friedman, who does the same 1% gimmick as EC3. In fact, he has a striking resemblance to Dixie’s nephew. MJF tells the home viewers that if the roles were reversed, they’d be like him, but unfortunately, they’re not. Schiavone calls him an “egotistical little jerk.” There’s something charming about Tony Schiavone getting angry. I can’t wait until the day that someone in MLW does something so egregious that Schiavone condemns them “straight to hell.”

Vandal Ortagun vs. “One Man Demolition Machine” Mike Parrow

Ortagun is a Turkish kickboxer while Parrow is just a big s—kicker. Ortagun gets a tiny bit of offense in here and there. However, Parrow just ends it with a barrage of power moves, including a fallaway slam into the corner, a gorilla press, a chokeslam, and finally a sit out powerbomb, which garners him the three count. During the match, Colonel Rob Parker came out to observe the 300-pound Parrow. With the match over, Parrow meets the Colonel in the aisle and they shake hands. It looks like Parker has another big hoss in his Stud Stable.

Andrea Ocampo is in the back with Salina de la Renta. De la Renta is distracted by something off camera, which turns out to be Shane Strickland. She tells Strickland not to get too comfortable with the World Heavyweight Title around his waist and then flashes the “Cero Miedo” hand sing.

Next up is a promo from Havoc. He tells Janela that whenever they fight, they bring out the best and worse in each other and Havoc learns something new about himself every time. Havoc proclaims himself the King and says that Janela will experience havoc the next time they step into the ring together. He threatens that Janela will bleed, so he better “bring a towel” because he’s going to lick all of the blood off of him. He licks his lips and I am officially uncomfortable.

Ocampo knocks on Team Filthy’s dressing room door and notifies Lawlor that MLW officials have proclaimed him healthy enough to compete next week against ACH. Lawlor gets indignant. Gotch tricks Ocampo into thinking he’ll talk to her outside but then slams the door on her.

We are shown a recap of Sami Callihan’s attack on MVP from the start of the show. Callihan cuts a promo in the back where he makes fun of MLW’s production (see, it’s not just me). He says he gets off on pissing people off and running their day. If that’s the case, then he must have been rock hard when he busted Eddie Edwards’ eye with the baseball bat. He makes fun of MVP’s redemption story and tells MVP that he’ll have to tell his son that he’s a failure. Man, this guy is a d—. He ends by saying he’ll be the MLW Champion.

Sami Callihan vs. MVP

While Callihan makes his way down to the ring, Schiavone and Bocchini wonder what kind of bat Callihan is using. With his baseball background, I trust Schiavone’s analysis when it comes to bats. If he ever goes into a soliloquy about lattes, my ears will be perked.

MVP doesn’t wait for his entrance as he storms the ring and goes right for Callihan. They brawl to the outside. MVP tries to chop Callihan but misses and chops the ring post instead. Callihan rams his head into the post and MVP collapses into a fan’s chair. Callihan orders the fans out of his way. He runs to the seated MVP and connects with a discus elbow. I really thought something more devastating was going to happen there. He runs at MVP again, but the former WWE US Champ, trips Callihan and sends him face first into the chair.

MVP throws Callihan back into the ring, but man from Anonymous, Ohio rolls to the outside. MVP follows and is met with Steven Seagal-like eye gouging from his opponent. Bocchini says they’re tied in the Top 10 rankings. Wait a sec…

3. MVP

6. Callihan

Nope, not tied, Rich.

Callihan gets back in the ring and the ref starts a 20 count on MVP, who’s in pain on the outside.

After a commercial break, Callihan rips off MVP’s Breathe Right strip. That’s just too far. You can tell a man he’ll be a failure to his children, but you DON’T pull off his Breathe Right strip!

MVP gets the advantage with a delayed vertical suplex. Callihan sends MVP to the outside. He jumps off the apron for an attack but MVP catches him and slams him with an apron uranage. Both men are on the floor now and get back in right before the ref’s 20 count is over. They get to their feet and trade punches. MVP goes for a kick but Callihan punches him in the leg. He comes off the rope but is thrown with a release belly to belly suplex. MVP chops him in the throat, drives his knee into his face, and drops the Ballin’ Elbow. He covers with a fisherman suplex for two. He sits Callihan on the top rope and climbs to the second rope. Callihan slips down to the mat and tries to pull MVP down with a powerbomb but MVP holds on. Callihan goes between MVP’s legs and kicks his left ankle out from under him. He gets MVP on his shoulders and brings him down with a Samoan driver.

Callihan finds his bat in the corner and picks it up. The ref tries to take it away without success. MVP grabs the bat and the two men fight over it, which ends when MVP pushes Callihan into the ref. The mishap allows MVP to execute the Playmaker. However, with the ref incapacitated, a huge mystery man runs down to the ring and strikes MVP with a falling side slam. The ref comes to and Callihan covers, but only gets two. MVP makes one last stand with a fireman’s carry cutter and right hand to the mystery man. When he turns around, Callihan gives him a low blow, allowing him to execute the Cranial Contusion and grab the victory. He celebrates the win with the mystery man, who carries him out of the arena.

The announcers hype next week’s fights between Havoc and Janela and Lawlor and ACH.

In the back, Ocampo interviews Shane Strickland, who says he feels confident. He steps into his dressing room but finds something that stops him in his tracks. The camera enters the room and we see a shrine on the wall containing candles, skulls, and pictures of Strickland. The image of a skull is on the mirror, and the last image we see is of Strickland looking into the mirror. From the angle of the shot, Strickland’s face lines right up with the skull, as if Pentagon is sending the message that Strickland’s fate will be sure death. I’m sure he won’t kill him. I’m sure he just wants the title, right? Right???

Final Thoughts

Like I said at the start of this column, this week’s show built up a lot of feuds, including Havoc vs. Janela, Team Filthy vs. ACH, and MVP vs. Callihan. The chaotic atmosphere was established at the beginning of the show, and except for the squash match in the middle, it kept up until the end of the main event.

Mike Parrow was impressive in his big man role. If he becomes the new addition to Stud Stable, who knows how much power Colonel Parker can amass. Perhaps he can bring the big guy to the World Title; or maybe the big guy will have a hand in the Dirty Blondes becoming the first Tag Team Champions.

The build to the upcoming title match between Strickland and Pentagon is coming along nicely, with Pentagon now playing mind games with the champ. I’m excited to see what happens in the next few weeks.

Those are my thought for this week’s show.

Next week’s show will be on May the 11th.

I don’t have any jokes about that date.

Um…

Okay, see you then.

Roman Reigns Reacts To His Win Over Samoa Joe At WWE Backlash

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Despite his recent losses, Roman Reigns came out on top in his last match.

Reigns defeated Samoa Joe in the main event of Sunday’s (May 6, 2018) WWE Backlash pay-per-view event in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center on the WWE Network.

It was originally reported that AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Title would serve as the headliner of this show.

However, plans changed, and they put “The Big Dog” in the main event after he lost to Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title at both WrestleMania 34 and the Greatest Royal Rumble event last month.

WWE has posted this interview of Cathy Kelley talking to Reigns after the event. He noted that this win was all about pride and that it proved that if someone is doubting you, then you can do anything in regards to Joe talking trash to build this match.

Reigns added that he would conquer every single day and that’s why this is his yard. You can watch it here:

What are your thoughts on Reigns’ statement? Sound off in the comment section below. 

Details On Who Produced Matches At WWE Backlash

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People are still talking about Sunday’s (May 6, 2018) WWE Backlash pay-per-view event in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center on the WWE Network.

It was an interesting show that peaked with the opener that saw Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins successfully retain his title over The Miz in an entertaining bout.

The show had a controversial finish in the WWE Title Match between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura that saw the match end a double count out despite it being a No DQ Match.

Finally, the main event saw Roman Reigns beat Samoa Joe, which ended the three and half hour show.

Before the event went live, the match order leaked and revealed who was the producer of each match. You can see the order here:

Tyson Kidd produced The Miz vs. Rollins for the Intercontinental Championship.

Sarah Stock produced Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax for the RAW Women’s Title.

Arn Anderson produced Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton for the United States Title.

Scott Armstrong produced the Elias segment.

Jamie Noble and Dean Malenko produced the match between Big Cass and Daniel Bryan.

John Laurinaitis produced Charlotte Flair vs. Carmella for the Smackdown Women’s Title.

Jamie Noble produced AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Title Match.

Mike Rotunda and D-Von Dudley produced Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.

Michael Hayes produced Reigns vs. Joe.

What are your thoughts on this show? Sound off in the comment section below. 

 

Braun Strowman Posts Cryptic Message, The Miz On Being At The Top Of His Game

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– Braun Strowman had WWE fans talking after he sent out a tweet following his tag team match victory alongside Bobby Lashley over Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at Sunday’s (May 6, 2018) WWE Backlash pay-per-view event in Newark, New Jersey at the Prudential Center on the WWE Network.

https://twitter.com/BraunStrowman/status/993333854005088256

– Speaking of the Backlash PPV, WWE has released this clip from The Miz’s appearance on Talking Smack where he talked with Renee Young and Peter Rosenberg about losing to Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins in the opening match of the event.

Aside from announcing that he would be in a Money In the Bank qualifying match on Tuesday’s SmackDown Live, he spoke about how he is still on top of his game right now despite the loss.

He added that he always moves the needle and makes his show the most must-see TV.

What do you think of Strowman’s message? Sound off in the comment section below. 

Chris Jericho vs Tetsuya Naito Confirmed For NJPW Dominion

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Chris Jericho attacked Tetsuya Naito Friday at Wrestling Dontaku in Fukuoka, Japan. The two had previously been involved in a brawl at the New Beginning earlier this year.

New Japan Pro Wrestling has officially confirmed that Jericho will face Naito on the June 9th Dominion show from Osaka, Japan.

NJPW Dominion in Osaka

Jericho vs Naito will be contested for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship. Naito defeated Minoru Suzuki for the title recently but has since refused to wear it or bring the belt to the ring. Kevin Kelly cleared up on commentary that Naito does this because he feels New Japan Pro Wrestling has too many title belts. Jericho versus Naito will likely be the semi-main event for the show.

Three other matches have been announced for the show thus far and the promotion has also revealed Rey Mysterio Jr will compete in single’s action. They have not, however, announced who the legendary Luchador’s opponent will be.

Lineup Announced so Far:

  • Rey Mysterio Jr. vs TBA
  • NEVER Openweight Championship
    3-Way Match
    Hirooki Goto (c) vs Michael Elgin vs Taichi
  • IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
    Evil and Sanada (c) vs the Young Bucks
  • IWGP Intercontinental Championship
    Tetsuya Naito (c) vs Chris Jericho
  • IWGP Heavyweight Championship
    Best 2-of-3 Falls
    Kazuchika Okada (c) vs Kenny Omega

It was Okada who challenged Kenny Omega to main event Dominion this year. Following his victory over Hiroshi Tanahashi, Okada said he wanted to make his next title defense special and so he needed to face Omega. He pointed out that the last time he faced Omega at Dominion, it went to a time limit draw.

The Young Bucks challenged Evil and Sanada to a heavyweight tag team championship match at Wrestling Dontaku last week.

Best of the Super Juniors 2018 Full Lineup Announced

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The full lineup and schedule for the 2018 Best of the Super Juniors has been released. The tournament will kick off May 18th, 2018 and the finals will be held on June 4th.

Previously, 13 names had been leaked through promotional advertising but today the final lineup and blocks were also revealed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8tafGUf3xE

Best of the Super Juniors 2018 Lineup

Block A

  • Tiger Mask
  • Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • ACH
  • Flip Gordon
  • Yoh
  • Bushi
  • Will Ospreay
  • Taiji Ishimori (Bone Soldier)

Block B

  • Dragon Lee
  • Sho
  • Ryusuke Taguchi
  • El Desperado
  • Kushida
  • Chris Sabin
  • Hiromu Takahashi
  • Marty Scurll

This will be the 25th version of the event. It will also be an important tournament for last year’s winner, Kushida. 2 of the last 3 BOSJ have been won by Kushida. Only two wrestlers in history, Jushin Liger and Koji Kanemoto, have ever won 3 BOSJ tournaments.

Current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Will Ospreay, won the tournament in 2016. He also recently defended his title successfully against Kushida at Wrestling Dontaku last week.

Chris Sabin returns to New Japan Pro Wrestling for this tournament. Sabin had previously competed for the promotion in 2009-2010. The Motor City Machine Guns won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight tag-team titles from Yujiro Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito at WrestleKingdom III in the Tokyo Dome. After successfully defeating Apollo 55 (Prince Devitt and Ryusuke Taguchi) once, they would drop the following two matches and the belts in a trilogy to them.

Taiji Ishimori was recently announced as Bullet Club’s new Bone Soldier. Ishimori resigned from Pro Wrestling Noah earlier this year in order to become a free agent. He has also been wrestling for impact and is a former X Division Champion. He lost the title to Matt Sydal and also lost his rematch on last week’s episode.

Finally, Flip Gordon will make his Best Of The Super Junior’s debut this year as well. The youngster has been making a name for himself as of late on the Being the Elite YouTube series and in Ring Of Honor.

Cody Announces Plans To Run For Texas State Senate in 2020

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Former Ring of Honor World Champion, Cody, has announced plans to run for the Texas State in 2020. The announcement was made on the season premiere of “Being the Elite” released last night.

Cody recited a speech from a Harry Potter movie into a mirror as if it was a political address and then handed Page a tablet with a “Cody for Texas State Senate 2020” logo.

Being the Elite Season Premiere

The Young Bucks had previously teased they were finished with Being the Elite following SuperCard of Honor. After a couple weeks hiatus, however, two mini-episodes were released. On last night’s show, Flip Gordon was able to convince the Bucks to bring the show back by pointing out their dwindling merchandise sales.

The first episode of the new season titled “Premier” featured updates on several other characters as well.

Hangman Page ran into Lanny Poffo backstage at an ROH show. Poffo was there to participate in an in-ring segment with Jay Lethal. Page confirmed with Poffo that a long-held rumor about him is indeed true but not the one he was thinking about. On his way out of Poffo’s locker room, Page accidentally hit Jay Lethal in the head while opening the door, knocking him out. When Lethal came to and saw Poffo, he reverted to his old Black Machismo character from TNA.

Last season on the show, Scurll signed a recording contract and announced he was leaving the Elite. A clip was shown in yesterday’s episode showing Scurll getting fired from the record company for just re-hashing old Backstreet Boys songs.

As for Kenny Omega, he was shown receiving a package marked “urgent” from the Young Bucks. The show would end before he opened it, however.

Tickets for All-In go on sale May 13th, 2018. The show takes place September 1st, 2018 from the Sears Center Arena in Chicago.

Alexa Bliss Injured At Backlash, Fans Leave During Main Event (Video)

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Alexa Bliss Injured At WWE Backlash 2018

Nia Jax defended her RAW Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss at WWE Backlash 2018. At some point during the match, Alexa Bliss suffered an injury to her left shoulder. WWE recently announced that Bliss is awaiting further medical evaluation. According to sources, the injury is legitimate and Alexa will be undergoing further evaluation to determine the extent of the damage.

Fans Leave During Backlash Main Event

WWE Backlash 2018 went off the air a couple of hours ago and the show has been met with negative reviews from fans and critics. The fans remaining in attendance chanted “beat the traffic!” during the main event between Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe.

Many fans didn’t even bother staying until the finish of the main event. Twitter user @RYANFALCONE tweeted out a video of fans leaving during the match.

https://twitter.com/RYANFALCONE/status/993329132447633408

9 Takeaways From WWE Backlash 2018

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WWE Backlash 2018 took place on Sunday night from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. In the Kickoff Show, Bayley battled Ruby Riott. Before the match, Bayley asked Sasha Banks if she wanted to be in her corner tonight. Banks declined and was shown watching the match backstage. Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan accompanied Riott down to the ring. Ruby Riott wound up winning the match by hitting the Riott Kick after Bayley was distracted by Liv Morgan.

Here are 9 takeaways from WWE Backlash 2018:

Seth Rollins Retained The Intercontinental Championship

seth rollins wwe backlash 2018
Photo Credit: WWE.com

Seth Rollins defended the Intercontinental Championship against The Miz in the first match of WWE Backlash. The Miz started off the match in control and stomped on Rollins as the crowd booed. Miz bounced Seth’s head off the turnbuckle a couple of times, but Rollins battled back and connected with a Dropkick.

Rollins delivered a forearm to the face and sent Miz to the corner. Miz booted Seth in the face and Rollins crashed to the floor outside the ring. The Miz followed him out there and slammed his head off the announce table. Back in the ring, Miz bounced off the ropes and booted Rollins in the face for a two count. The Miz quickly applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring as the crowd cheered on Rollins.

Rollins broke the hold, but Miz knocked him back to the canvas with a boot to the midsection. Miz drove his knee into Seth’s back and applied the Chin Lock once again. Seth escaped and went for a kick, but Miz was ready and connected with a DDT for a two count. The Miz connected with a knee to the back of Rollins’ head while Seth’s neck was up against the second rope.

The Miz took a break to pose for the crowd, which allowed Rollins to regroup. Seth connected with a Facebuster to buy himself some more time. Rollins slowly got back to his feet and then slammed Miz’s face into the second turnbuckle. Rollins connected with a Slingblade and then Clotheslined Miz out of the ring. Seth followed it up with a Suicide Dive that sent Miz to the floor.

The action returned to the ring and Rollins planted Miz with a Blockbuster off the second rope for a two count. Rollins followed it up with a springboard Clothesline and then geared up in the corner. The Miz escaped out of the ring and tripped up Rollins on the apron. Back in the ring, The Miz went for a Crossbody but Seth caught him and slammed him to the canvas. Rollins climbed to the top rope and hit a Frog Splash for another two count.

Seth stomped on the mat a couple of times as the crowd chanted “burn it down!”. The Miz once again rolled out of the ring, but Seth chased him back to the inside. Rollins hit a Clothesline that sent Miz back out of the ring. Rollins went for another Suicide Dive, but The Miz was ready for it and connected with a forearm to the face.

The Miz went for a DDT on the apron, but Rollins blocked it and punched him in the face. Rollins went for the Revolution Knee, but The Miz dodged it and Seth’s knee slammed into the ring post. The Miz quickly locked in the Figure Four int he middle of the ring as Seth screamed in pain. Seth reversed the Figure Four and now it was The Miz in agony. The Miz once again reversed the hold, but Rollins was right next to the bottom rope and he grabbed it to break the hold.

Both Superstars traded haymakers in the middle of the ring. The Miz booted Seth in the knee and went for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Seth blocked it. Rollins connected with an Enziguri, but The Miz battled back and hit the Skull Crushing Finale for a two count. Miz decked Rollins with a Clothesline in the corner and started climbing up the turnbuckle.

Seth got back up and connected with a forearm to the face. The Miz booted Rollins in his injured knee, but Seth shrugged it off and hit a Superplex. Seth went for a Falcon Arrow but his knee gave out. Miz capitalized and planted Rollins with a second Skull Crushing Finale for another two count.

The Miz perched Rollins up on the top rope and punched him in the face. Miz set up for a Skull Crushing Finale, but Rollins fought out of it and Miz crashed to the canvas. Seth went for the Curb Stomp off the second rope, but Miz dodged it. Rollins then escaped a roll-up attempt from The Miz and connected with the Curb Stomp for the pinfall victory. Seth Rollins is still the Intercontinental Championship.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/993286748930232320

Opinion: Seth Rollins and The Miz put on an excellent match to start off WWE Backlash 2018. I honestly didn’t expect much from this match, but it completely delivered and it will be difficult for any other match to top this one tonight.

Nia Jax Was Booed After Retaining The RAW Women’s Championship

nia jax wwe backlash 2018
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter

Nia Jax defended the RAW Women’s Championship against Alexa Bliss at WWE Backlash 2018. Bliss connected with a Dropkick to Nia’s knee to start off the match. Bliss went for a Sleeper Hold, but Nia quickly threw her to the canvas. Nia blocked a punch and started bending Alexa’s hand back. Nia connected with a couple of Splashes in the corner and then threw Bliss out of the ring.

Bliss connected with another low Dropkick and then followed it up with a boot to the face for a one count. Bliss stomped on Nia’s back and then her head a couple of times. Alexa shouted that Nia was a bully before slamming her face-first into the ring apron. Bliss slapped Nia in the face and continued to taunt her.

Nia got fired up and decked Bliss with a Clothesline. Nia went for a rolling Senton, but Bliss got out of the way and Nia crashed to the canvas. Bliss slammed Nia’s face into the mat and slapped her in the face again. Alexa kneed Jax in the face and unloaded a couple of forearms.

Jax caught Alexa’s Crossbody attempt and lifted her onto her shoulders. Bliss wiggled free and tried to lock in a Sleeper Hold. Bliss eventually applied the hold for a moment but Nia broke it up by slamming her into the turnbuckle. Nia then grabbed Alexa by the arms and whipped her across the ring from off the second rope.

Nia threw Bliss across the ring several times and then hit a Splash in the corner. Jax climbed up to the second rope, but Alexa got up and shoved Jax out of the ring. Nia hit the ring apron and crashed to the floor outside. Bliss slammed Jax’s face off the steel steps as the referee started counting. Alexa got back in the ring to make the referee start his count over.

Bliss finally got Nia back in the ring and wet for the cover but Nia kicked out at two. Alexa threw a temper tantrum and started slamming on the mat. Bliss went for a Crossbody, but Nia caught her and lifted her back onto her shoulders. Jax climbed up to the second turnbuckle but Alexa escaped again. Bliss kicked Nia in her hamstring and Nia tumbled to the mat.

Alexa climbed to the top rope and went for Twisted Bliss. Nia caught her and planted her with the Samoan Drop for the pinfall victory. Nia Jax is still the RAW Women’s Champion. After the match, Nia Jax dedicated the victory to anyone that has been bullied. The crowd didn’t seem to enjoy the match or the promo and Nia received some boos.

Opinion: Nia Jax & Alexa Bliss’ match at WM 34 was subpar and tonight’s wasn’t any better. Adult wrestling fans are going to reject Nia Jax cutting constant promos about looking different and overcoming bullies. The crowd would tolerate it and the negativity would go away if Nia was delivering great matches in the ring. Unfortunately, she is not doing that and her matches are consistently boring.

So, you have a women’s champion that is not delivering in the ring and then cutting promos that a majority of the live audience doesn’t want to here when they are trying to enjoy a wrestling show. I don’t see how this will ever work.

Jeff Hardy Is Still United States Champion

Jeff Hardy WWE Backlash 2018
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter

Jeff Hardy defended the United States Championship against Randy Orton tonight at WWE Backlash. Orton started off the match in control as the crowd chanted “Brother Nero!”. Hardy battled back and knocked Orton out of the ring.

Back in the ring, Orton took back control and hung Hardy upside down in the corner. Randy unloaded a couple of stomps and Hardy fell to the floor. Orton connected with an uppercut that knocked Jeff out of the ring again. Orton rolled out of the ring and Hardy leaped off the steel steps and connected with a knee to the face.

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Jeff bounced Orton’s face off the steel steps and then rolled him back into the ring. Orton got right up and connected with a Dropkick that knocked Jeff off the ring apron and back to the floor outside the ring. Orton slammed Jeff’s back into the top of the barricade three times and then brought Jeff back into the ring.

Orton applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. The crowd got bored and started chanting “Rusev Day!” Jeff broke the hold and connected with an inverted Atomic Drop. Hardy followed it up with a Dropkick for a two count. Hardy hit Whisper in the Wind off the top rope for another two count.

Hardy blocked an RKO, but Orton was able to hit a Powerslam for a two count. Hardy tried to boot Orton in the chest, but Randy got out of the way and Jeff crashed to the canvas. Orton draped Jeff across the middle rope and planted him with a DDT. Orton geared up for the RKO and started slamming on the canvas. Hardy countered into a roll-up and followed it up with a Twist of Fate. Hardy quickly scaled the turnbuckle and hit the Swanton Bomb for the pinfall victory. Jeff Hardy is still the United States Champion.

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Elias Didn’t Get A Chance To Perform 

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Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter

Elias came down to the ring with his guitar and told the crowd to hold their applause. The crowd instantly started to cheer and Elias said that he was not going to perform tonight. The crowd loudly cheered and then transitioned into a “yes!” chant. Elias threatened to leave, but ultimately sat back down.

New Day interrupted and came down to the entrance ramp with a trombone, a drum and a cymbal. New Day stated that they wanted to walk with Elias and then started dancing on the entrance ramp. Elias said that he was a solo act, but New Day started playing their instruments anyway.

Elias told them to stop playing and then tried to start his performance again. Aiden English interrupted and started rapping. English announced that it was Rusev Day and Rusev’s theme hit. Rusev posed on the entrance ramp before Elias shouted “cut the music!”. The crowd chanted “Rusev Day!” as the two walked down the entrance ramp.

Rusev said that there is only one person here that celebrated a holiday in his honor. Elias got pissed off and once again asked JoJo to introduce him. Elias strummed his guitar and was interrupted again by No Way Jose. No Way Jose danced down the entrance ramp and he was followed by Titus Worldwide and Breezango. The conga line danced around the ring until Elias shouted at them to stop.

Elias once again asked JoJo to do his introduction again and the lights dimmed in the arena. Bobby Roode’s music hit and Roode showed up in the ring behind Elias. Roode planted Elias with with the Glorious DDT and then posed in the ring. Everyone then danced on the entrance ramp as the segment concluded.

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Big Cass Tapped Out To the Yes Lock

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Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter

Big Cass battled Daniel Bryan tonight at WWE Backlash 2018. Bryan circled Cass to start off the match and connected with a series of kicks to Cass’ knee. Cass got pissed off and connected with a right hand to the face. Bryan knocked Big Cass of out of the ring and connected with a flying knee off the ring apron.

Back in the ring, Bryan connected with a Dropkick off the top rope. Daniel followed it up with a few Yes Kicks in the center of the ring. Big Cass lifted Bryan up over his head and slammed him to the canvas. Cass raised his fist and then posed in the ring as the crowd booed.

Big Cass delivered a chop across Bryan’s chest that echoed throughout the arena. Cass followed it up with a Body Slam and an Elbow Drop for a two count. Cass once again posed in the ring and it cost him as Bryan slammed his face into the second turnbuckle. Bryan unloaded some more Yes Kicks in the corner and followed it up with a Dropkick.

Bryan went for a knee to the face, but Cass lifted him above his head and dropped him to the mat. Cass then connected with a massive Clothesline for a two count. Cass walked over Bryan and decked him with another Clothesline. Cass raised his fist in the air once again before hitting a third Clothesline.

Big Cass continued to take his time and taunt Bryan before hitting another Clothesline that sent Bryan spinning to the canvas. Cass missed with a big boot and Bryan connected with a kick to the side of the head. Bryan applied the Yes Lock in the middle of the ring and Cass quickly tapped out.

After the match, Big Cass attacked Daniel Bryan as he was celebrating in the corner. The crowd chanted “you tapped out!” and Cass got pissed off. Cass hit Bryan with a big boot as Corey Graves called Cass an “insecure piece of garbage”. Cass raised his fist in the air and posed over Bryan. Big Cass exited the ring as the crowd chanted “a**hole!”.

Opinion: In the end, I guess this match accomplished what it set out to do. The crowd now hates Big Cass even more after his attack on Bryan following the match tonight. The match itself absolutely sucked. This was just a basic match that could have happened on SmackDown. The entire show has been on a steady decline following the IC Title match that kicked off the PPV.

Carmella Defeated Charlotte To Remain SmackDown Women’s Champion

carmella wwe backlash 2018
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter

Carmella defended the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair tonight at WWE Backlash. Carmella strutted across the ring to start off the match and then turned around into a boot to the face from Charlotte. Carmella rolled out of the ring as Charlotte waited for in the ring.

Carmella asked for her title and shouted that she doesn’t need this. Charlotte stopped Carmella from running away and then chased her around the ring. Charlotte caught Carmella by the hair and slammed her to the floor. Flair brought Carmella back into the ring for a roll-up attempt.

Charlotte dragged Carmella across the ring as Carmella screamed. Carmella rolled out of the ring and once again Charlotte went after her. Carmella connected with a Superkick and then brought Charlotte into the ring. Carmella went for the cover but Charlotte kicked out at two. Carmella applied a Chin Lock and taunted her while maintaining the hold.

Charlotte eventually broke free, but Carmella connected with another kick to the face for a two count. Carmella once again applied the Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Charlotte broke free, but Carmella dragged her back to the canvas by her hair. Charlotte battled back with a Dropkick and followed it up with a Backbreaker.

Flair connected with a couple chops that knocked Carmella to the mat. Charlotte connected with a knee to the face and then missed with a boot on the apron. Carmella grabbed Charlotte’s hair and slammed her on the ring apron. Carmella continued to taunt Charlotte by smacking her in the face in the corner. Carmella hit a couple stomps and then moonwalked across the ring.

Charlotte exploded out of the corner and connected with a Spear. Carmella locked in the Code of Silence in the middle of the ring. Charlotte broke free and connected with a boot to the face. Charlotte missed with a Moonsault and tweaked her knee. Carmella then booted Charlotte in the knee and rolled her up for the pinfall victory. Carmella is still the SmackDown Women’s Champion.

Opinion: The crowd was dead for this match. The only thing you could hear was Carmella screaming every 10 seconds. There wasn’t anything entertaining about this match at all.

Nakamura vs. Styles Ended In A Double Low Blow

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Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter

AJ Styles defended the WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura in a No Disqualifications match tonight at WWE Backlash. Nakamura immediately rolled out of the ring when the bell rang.

AJ chased after him and Shinsuke retreated back inside the ring. Nakamura posed in the ring and told Styles to “come on!”. Nakamura went for a knee while AJ was trying to get back into the ring. AJ was ready for it and dragged Nakamura to the outside. Styles slammed Shinsuke into the barricade a couple of times before bouncing his head off the announce table.

The action returned to the ring with Styles in control. AJ slammed Nakamura into the turnbuckle and then booted him in the back of the head. Styles connected with a Suplex for a two count. AJ followed it up with a Backbreaker and shouted that this was his house to the crowd.

Nakamura jabbed AJ in the throat, but then ran into a Dropkick from Styles. AJ brought Shinsuke back outside and launched him into the barricade. AJ hit a Splash on Nakamura while he was leaning up against the barricade. AJ went for another one, but Nakamura got out of the way and Styles crashed into the barricade.

Shinsuke launched AJ into the steel steps beside the ring. Nakamura followed it up with a knee to the face while AJ was draped across the ring apron. Shinsuke leaped off the steps and dropped another knee on AJ’s head. Nakamura went for a cover in the ring but AJ kicked out.

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Nakamura beatdown AJ in the corner with a series of kicks. Shinsuke shoved his boot in Styles’ face in the corner and then smiled as Styles fell to the canvas. Nakamura dropped another knee on his head for a two count. Shinsuke booted AJ in the face and Styles collapsed to the mat.

Shinsuke connected with a Back Body Drop and then casually put his boot on Styles’ chest for a two count. Nakamura went back to the knees to the face and then applied a Guillotine as the crowd chanted that they wanted tables. AJ broke free but Nakamura connected with a running kick that knocked Styles out of the ring.

Styles battled back with a forearm to the face. AJ hopped up on the barricade, but Nakamura booted his legs out from under him and Styles crashed to the floor. Back in the ring, Nakamura locked in another choke hold. AJ escaped and connected with a right hand. Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Shinsuke caught him and kneed him in the ribs.

Nakamura connected with a knee to the face off the top rope for a two count. Nakamura followed it up with the Landslide and went for the cover but AJ kicked out. Nakamura stomped on AJ on the ring apron a few times and then got out of the ring. Shinsuke grabbed a steel chair and grinned as he walked towards Styles.

Styles knocked the chair out of Nakamura’s hands and connected with a punch to the face. Nakamura quickly battled back with a reverse Exploder Suplex onto the chair for a two count. Nakamura went for the Kinshasa, but AJ grabbed the chair and launched it into Shinsuke’s knee. The chair bounced off Nakamura and hit Styles in the face. AJ’s face started bleeding as Nakamura connected with a kick to the face.

AJ locked in the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring. Nakamura reversed into a Triangle, but Styles escaped. AJ connected with a forearm to the face that knocked Nakamura out of the ring. Nakamura got back into the ring, but Styles was ready and connected with another forearm. Styles followed it up with a Neckbreaker for a two count.

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AJ hit the Pele Kick and then went for the Styles Clash. Nakamura escaped and connected with a low blow. Styles then retaliated with a low blow to Nakamura as the crowd chanted “yes!”.

AJ and Shinsuke traded punches in the middle of the ring. Styles and Nakamura then connected with kicks to the groin at the same time and both collapsed to the canvas. Neither Superstar was able to get up before the referee counted to 10.

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Opinion: I was instantly taken out of this match due to it’s placement on the card. A singles match between Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe is more important than the WWE Championship? The match felt insignificant before it even started. Again, this is an ending to a match on SmackDown, not a PPV. WWE has once again put on a disappointing match between Nakamura and Styles. This feud is personal. It had already been established. I didn’t need to see tonight’s finish to understand that.

Lashley & Strowman Dominated

Strowman and Lashley wwe backlash
Photo Credit: @WWE on Twitter

Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman faced Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens tonight at WWE Backlash. Lashley and Zayn started off the match. Lashley controlled the match early and leveled Sami with a shoulder tackle.

Zayn tagged out and said that he had vertigo again. Lashley kicked Owens’ ass for a minute and then planted him with a Neckbreaker. Zayn tagged in and got decked by a Clothesline. Sami rolled out of the ring and Lashley eventually followed him. Bobby launched Sami into the barricade and then Zayn retreated back into the ring.

Owens tagged in and connected with a Senton to Lashley outside the ring. Back in the ring, Sami tagged in and continued to beatdown Lashley. Bobby battled back and slammed Sami face-first to the mat. Owens tagged in and prevented Lashley from tagging in Strowman.

Owens went for another Senton, but Lashley was able to get his knees up this time and finally tagged in Strowman. Braun hit a couple of Clotheslines and then a Splash to Owens in the corner. Strowman chased Sami around the ring and leveled Owens with a shoulder tackle during the chase.

Braun launched Sami into the barricade and then leveled Owens with a Clothesline. Strowman charged at Owens, but Kevin dodged it and Braun crashed into the ring post. Sami went for a Helluva Kick but Strowman caught him. Sami ran out of the ring and told Kevin Owens to join him. Owens demanded that they stay and fight.

Sami agreed and rolled Owens into the ring. Strowman decked him with a Clothesline and then Owens rolled out of the ring. Kevin threw Sami into the ring and then the two started battling on the ring apron. Sami slapped Owens in the face and then rolled out of the ring. Lashley tagged in and planted Owens with a Spinebuster. Lashley lifted Owens up for the Suplex and then finally dropped him for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Strowman planted Owens with a Running Powerslam as Zayn looked on from outside the ring. Strowman then caught Zayn outside the ring and threw him back into the ring. Braun planted Zayn with the Running Powerslam and posed for the crowd.

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Opinion: This was just garbage. It was another match that would have bored everyone to tears during an episode of RAW. Owens & Zayn are now a comedy act and Bobby Lashley is still a total bore. There has been so much useless crap on tonight’s show and for some reason the main event is starting after 11 PM EST.

Roman Reigns Defeated Samoa Joe To Close The Show

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Samoa Joe attacked Roman Reigns before the main event started. Joe slammed Roman into the barricade and then connected with a Uranage through the announce table. Joe then launched Roman over both remaining announce tables before rolling into the ring. The crowd chanted “Joe!” as he continued to beatdown Reigns. Joe rolled Roman back into the ring and the match officially started.

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Joe beatdown Reigns in the corner with a bunch of jabs to the face. The crowd chanted “Joe!” after every punch to Roman’s head. Joe chopped Reigns in the back and dropped a knee on his midsection for a two count. Samoa Joe slowed things down and twisted Reigns’ neck.

The crowd got bored and chanted “CM Punk!” as Joe maintained the hold for what felt like an eternity. Reigns bent back Joe’s fingers and broke the hold. Joe sent Reigns to corner and connected with a boot to head for a two count. Joe knocked Reigns out of the ring and hit an awesome flying forearm.

Joe brought Reigns back into the ring and applied another submission hold as the crowd got restless. The crowd chanted “this is boring!” as Joe taunted Reigns while maintaining the hold. Reigns finally escaped and the two Superstars traded punches. Roman connected with a big boot that knocked Joe out of the ring.

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Reigns hit Joe with the Drive By while he was leaning on the ring apron. The action returned to the ring and Joe took back control. Joe hit a big boot and followed it up with a Senton for a two count. Reigns battled back and planted Joe with a Spine buster for a two count. Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch, but Reigns quickly escaped and shoved Joe into the bottom rope. Reigns went for another Drive By but Joe caught him and went for the Coquina Clutch again.

Roman escaped and connected with a Superman Punch for a two count. The crowd chanted “Rusev Day!” as Roman geared up for the Spear. Joe countered the Spear with a kick to the face. Roman then hit the Spear and went for the cover but Joe got his foot on the bottom rope to break up the pinfall at two.

Reigns went for another Spear but Joe caught him with a knee. Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch, but Reigns countered into a cover for two. Joe once again locked in the Coquina Clutch and wrapped his legs around Roman Reigns in the middle of the ring. Reigns’ eyes rolled back in his head for a moment, but Roman was able to get to the bottom rope to break the hold.

Samoa Joe brought Reigns to the corner and perched him up on the top turnbuckle. Reigns fought him off and leaped over him. Roman then hit a Spear for the pinfall victory.

Opinion: Simply saying this show was terrible doesn’t do it justice. The show was a disaster besides the opening match. The “main event” was a singles match with no stakes behind it. A PPV just closed with Roman Reigns winning a match to “get back on track”. Meanwhile, the majority of the crowd didn’t give a damn about the match and there was even a brief chant of “beat the traffic”.

This has escalated into absurdity that WWE continues to make Roman Reigns the center of the show. Tonight didn’t do Roman Reigns any favors, it made him even more intolerable to those that are sick of him. There was no logical reason for Samoa Joe versus Roman Reigns to main event a show that featured the WWE Championship being defended. There was no logical reason for this throwaway PPV to last three and a half hours. WWE put on an incredibly boring show that culminated in a Roman Reigns match that had nothing on the line. I don’t understand how anyone could have enjoyed this show. It was shockingly bad. I wasn’t expecting a good show and was still blown away by how terrible it was.

What did you think of WWE Backlash 2018? Let us know in the comments.

WWE Backlash 2018 Results & Live Discussion (5/6)

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WWE Backlash 2018 took place on May 6th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and featured both the RAW and SmackDown rosters.

WWE Backlash 2018 Kickoff Show results:

– Renee Young welcomes us to the Backlash Kickoff Show. She’s joined by Booker T, David Otunga and Peter Rosenberg. Renee introduces some video package hyping up tonight’s matches, and the panel gives their predictions.

– Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel are backstage looking over a list of people they might want to partner up with. The Miz walks in and says “daddy’s home.” The Miz applauds them on their mind games they’re playing with Seth Rollins, and the Miz talks about bonding with Dallas and Axel on the set of The Marine 5. The Miz wants Dallas and Axel to come with him to the gorilla position, but they don’t follow him. Dallas tells Miz they’re not the supporting cast in Miz’s story anymore, and they walk off.

– We go back to the Kickoff Show panel and The Iconics interrupt. They make fun of Peter Rosenberg and say that tonight’s show might become iconics.

– Sasha Banks approaches Bayley in the back to talk. Bayley says they should stop fighting, and she wants Sasha in her corner tonight. Sasha is ticked off that Bayley wants to be friends again now that she needs her. Bayley says Sasha is full of herself, and Bayley can handle Ruby Riott tonight just like she handled Sasha in the past. They argue, and Sasha tells Bayley she’s on her own tonight.

– We see some more promotional videos, and then RAW GM Kurt Angle and SmackDown GM Paige do an interview with the Kickoff Show panel via video feed from backstage. Angle and Paige give their predictions for tonight’s show, and then Paige picks Charlotte vs. Carmella for ‘match of the night,’ and Angle picks either Nia vs. Alexa or Joe vs. Reigns.

– We go to Michael Cole, Corey Graves and Jonathan Coachman at ringside for our first match of the night.

Bayley vs. Ruby Riott: Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan are in Riott’s corner for this one. The opening bell sounds and Bayley and Ruby lock up. Bayley takes Ruby down early and they trade holds on the mat. Ruby fires up and repeatedly slams Bayley’s head in the corner, as we see Sasha Banks watching backstage on a monitor. Logan ends up getting involved and hits a cheap shot on Bayley, which leads to Ruby covering for a two count. We see Bayley watching backstage again and she appears to look concerned about the cheap shot. They fight into the corner and Ruby hits a big knee strike. Ruby takes control, but Bayley finally fires back with a springboard crossbody for a two count. Ruby gets up first, but Bayley clotheslines her back down and then slams her. Bayley hits a belly to back suplex, but then Bayley gets caught up in the ropes as Logan interferes again. Bayley dives onto Logan at ringside, and then goes back in the ring for a big flying elbow drop. Bayley pins for a two count. Liv gets on the apron now and Bayley knocks her off, which leads to Ruby coming from behind and hitting the Riott Kick on Bayley for the three count.

Winner: Ruby Riott

– After the match, Ruby regroups with Liv and Logan, and then the Kickoff Show panel introduces the Backlash pay-per-view.

WWE Backlash 2018 Results:

The Miz vs. Seth Rollins (c): Rollins’ Intercontinental Title is on the line in this one. The Miz and Rollins go back-and-forth off the opening bell, until The Miz takes control with a suplex and a DDT. The Miz chokes Rollins on the middle rope now The Miz looks for a back body drop, but Rollins reverses it with a facebuster. Rollins takes Miz down again, and then boots him in the face. Rollins misses a shot off the top, but he does connect with a Sling Blade, and then he clotheslines The Miz outside. Rollins hits a suicide dive on the challenger at ringside. Back in the ring, Seth looks for a shot off the top rope, but The Miz blocks it. Rollins fires back with a kick to the face and the Blockbuster for a two count. The Miz fires up, but Rollins stuns him with an elbow to the face, and the Champion follows up with a springboard flying clothesline. Miz dodges a shot in the corner and slams Miz on the ringside floor. Back in the ring, The Miz goes for a cross body off the top, but Rollins catches him and slams him down. Rollins goes up top and hits the frog splash for a two count. Rollins looks for the Curb Stomp, but The Miz rolls out of the ring. Rollins goes for a suicide dive, but Miz punches him in the face through the ropes before Rollins leaves his feet. They fight on the apron now, and Rollins misses a knee shot and smashes his knee into the ring post. The Miz immediately takes Rollins on to the mat and locks him in the Figure Four. Rollins escapes, kicks Miz in the head, but The Miz comes back with a Skull Crushing Finale for a two count. They fight up the corner and Rollins hits a superplex, then he goes for the Falcon Arrow, but The Miz reverses into a Skull Crushing Finale. The Miz pins and only gets a two count, and Miz can’t believe it. Rollins is selling a knee injury from hitting his knee on the ring post earlier. The Miz wants the Skull Crushing Finale off the middle rope but Rollins knocks him down. Miz catches Rollins on the mat and they trade pin attempts, which leads to Rollins hitting the curb stomp. Rollins is still selling the knee injury and is slow to pin, but he still gets the three count.

Winner & still Intercontinental Champion: Seth Rollins

– We see replays as Rollins gets up and raises his IC Title in the air.

– We see a video package looking at the Nia Jax vs. Alexa Bliss feud. We see some reactions on Twitter to Nia’s win, and Alexa’s promo about Nia Jax at Disney World. Their match is up next.

Nia Jax (c) vs. Alexa Bliss: Nia’s Women’s Title is on the line in this one. The opening bell sounds and Bliss immediately starts throwing kicks to Nia’s knee. Alexa hops on Nia’s back for a sleeper, and it looks like she might have went for Nia’s eyes. Nia takes Bliss down and hits a big splash in the corner. Nia hits another running splash in the opposite corner, and then throws Alexa outside. Back in the ring, Alexa starts firing up and chokes Nia on the middle rope. Alexa stomps on Nia’s head and tries to keep the champion grounded. Nia fights back and tosses Bliss off the top rope across the ring. Nia clotheslines Alexa down again, and then throws her back and forth across the ring. Nia hits a splash in the corner, then tosses Bliss across the ring again. Nia goes up top, but Bliss pushes her off down to the ringside floor. Alexa slams Nia’s head into the ring steps, and then slowly drags her back in the ring. Alexa throws some right hands and then runs the ropes, but Nia catches her over her shoulders. Nia carries Alexa up to the second rope, but Alexa escapes. Alexa knocks Nia down and pins for a two count. Bliss goes up top and comes flying off, but Nia catches her and hits a Samoan Drop. Nia pins for the three count.

Winner & still RAW Women’s Champion: Nia Jax

– The ref hands Nia her Women’s title belt as she recovers, and we go to replays. Nia does an interview with Renee Young in the ring after the match. Nia says this win means everything to her, and Alexa’s moment of bliss is over. Nia cuts an anti-bullying promo, and tells people to be themselves, and that bullies always get their asses kicked. Alexa Bliss is selling her beating and gets helped to the back by a ref.

– Samoa Joe does an interview in the back where Joe says Reigns has lost his determination, power, and speed, and tonight he will lose to Joe and will feel pain.

Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy (c): Jeff’s U.S. Championship is on the line in this one. Orton starts off strong in the opening moments, as the crowd chants “Brother Nero” for Jeff. Jeff fires up with a jawbreaker and a dropkick. Orton rolls outside and Hardy kicks him through the ropes. Hardy follows up with a suicide dive on Orton on the floor. Back in the ring, Jeff goes up top but Orton shoves him off onto the ring post. Orton now beats on Jeff all over the ring until the fight spills outside. Orton dropkicks Jeff off the apron, and then back suplexes him onto the fan barricade. Back in the ring, Orton controls the pace until Jeff fires up with a dropkick and an inverted atomic drop. Jeff hits a leg drop and a kick for a two count. Jeff misses a splash in the corner, but he fires back with the Whisper In the Wind on Orton for another two count. Jeff evades an RKO attempt, but Orton follows right up with a spinning powerslam for a two count. Orton looks for a DDT, but Jeff gets out and kicks him away. Jeff looks for a dropkick in the corner, but Orton escapes. They go back and forth on the mat until Hardy stuns the challenger with a Twist of Fate. Hardy goes up top and hits the Swanton Bomb for the the three count.

Winner & still U.S. Champion: Jeff Hardy

– Hardy celebrates with his U.S. Title in the ring as we go to replays.

– Elias is in the ring with the spot light on him, and he starts trashing New Jersey. He asks the fans to hold their applause and prepare to listen to him sing, but the crowd keeps making noise. Elias threatens to leave a few times, but then sits down, and The New Day’s entrance interrupts. The New Day comes out and Xavier starts by giving Elias some props for his songs. Elias says he wants to get through his song, and offers them some autographs. Kofi declines the autographs, and asks Elias if he wants to jam with The New Day. The New Day starts playing their marching band instruments until Elias yells at them to stop. Elias tells them to take their toys and go play somewhere else. Elias says he wants the lights out again for his song, but then Aiden English interrupts. Aiden English comes out to the stage and sings a song trashing the New Day and Elias, and then Rusev comes out to join him. Elias asks what the hell they’re doing here, and Rusev says they’re doing whatever they want. Elias tries to start his song again, but this time No Way Jose and his conga line come out dancing. Titus Worldwide and the Fashion Police are dancing with them. Elias repeatedly yells to stop, and they finally turn off the music. Elias says this is his night, and nobody better interrupt him again. Elias tries to start his song again, but this time Bobby Roode’s music hits. Roode sneaks in the ring behind Elias, and hits the Glorious DDT on Elias. Roode leads the crowd in a “glorious” chant, and then he points at No Way Jose. Jose’s music hits and the dancing continues back up the ramp.

– We see a video package looking at the history between Daniel Bryan and Big Cass.

Big Cass vs. Daniel Bryan: The opening bell sounds and they circle each other in the ring. Daniel starts throwing kicks to Cass’ knee, then tries taking him down. Cass blocks the takedown and hammers Bryan down with strikes. Bryan starts firing up with kicks, but Cass overpowers him again and shuts him down. Cass takes Bryan into the corner and chops him across the chest, then beats him down to the mat again. Bryan fires up again and repeatedly kicks Cass in the corner and he hits some flying knee strikes. Cass blocks one of them and slams Bryan down, then clotheslines him inside out. Cass misses a kick, and Bryan answers with a kick of his own. Bryan goes for the Yes Lock and Cass puts up a fight. Bryan repeatedly hits Cass in the head and then successfully locks on the Yes Lock. Cass taps out, and Bryan wins via submission.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

– Cass attacks Daniel Bryan after the match, and beats him down around ringside. The crowd chants “you tapped out” at Cass. Cass throws Bryan back in the ring then hits a running big boot.

– The broadcast team announces that The Miz and Daniel Bryan will be guests on the Backlash post-show on the WWE Network.

Charlotte vs. Carmella (c): Carmella’s Women’s Title is on the line in this one. The opening bell sounds and Carmella retreats to ringside arly on. Caremlla grabs her Women’s title from the timekeeper’s area and looks like she wants to leave. Charlotte cuts her off and drops her, then throws her in the ring and tries to keep her grounded. Carmella escapes outside again, and Charlotte misses a suicide dive. Carmella hits a superkick on Charlotte at ringside, then rolls her back in the ring for a two count. The Champion tries to keep Charlotte grounded with a headlock now. Charlotte fights back with a mule kick, then slams Carmella down. Charlotte continues the offense on Carmella and hits a knee drop to the back of the head. They fight on the apron and Charlotte misses a shot and Carmella drops her. Charlotte comes back with a spear, and then they fight on the mat. Carmella locks Charlotte in a choke, but Charlotte fights out. Charlotte hits a big boot for a two count. Charlotte misses a moonsault and is selling an knee injury. Carmella kicks out Charlotte’s bad knee and rolls her up for the three count.

Winner & still SmackDown Women’s Champion: Carmella

– Carmella immediately retreats out of the ring and grabs her Women’s Championship and heads up the ramp as we see replays.

– We see a video looking at the history between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, leading up to their match tonight.

AJ Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura: This one is a No DQ match with AJ’s World Title is on the line in this one. Nakamura gets in AJ’s face before the match, and the ref pulls them apart for the official ring introductions. The opening bell sounds and AJ immediately pulls Nakamura outside and repeatedly slams him into the fan barricade. Back in the ring, AJ continues the beat down and hits a backbreaker on Nakamura. Nakamura starts firing back with strikes. Nakamura dodges one dropkick from AJ, but AJ connects with the second dropkick. The fight spills outside again and they brawl on the entrance ramp. Nakamura whips AJ into the ring steps, then takes him back in the ring. Nakamura hits several knees to the head and AJ falls down to the floor. Back in the ring, Nakamura stomps on AJ and hits the vibrations in the corner. Nakamura follows up with a knee drop for a two count. Styles gets back up to his face, but Nakamura drops him again with a flying kick to the face. Nakamura beats down AJ around the ringside area now and whips him into the fan barricade. Back in the ring, AJ looks to springboard off the top, but Nakamura stops him and hits a running knee. Nakamura comes off the middle rope with a knee to the face, then he hits a powerbomb for a two count. Nakamura stomps on AJ’s head in the corner, then taunts him. Nakamura walks outside and grabs a steel chair. He brings the chair in the ring and swings, but AJ ducks. AJ blocks several strikes from Nakamura, but Nakamura finally connects with a boot to the face. Nakamura back suplexes AJ on the steel chair laying on the mat. Nakamura sets up in the corner and he charges forward for a Kinshasa, but AJ throws the steel chair at Nakamura to stop him. The chair hits Nakamura’s knee, but bounces off and the chair nails AJ right in the face. AJ is now bleeding from the face. Nakamura hits a kick and both men are down. AJ comes back with the Calf Crusher, but Nakamura escapes. AJ looks for a Styles Clash, but Nakamura escapes and rolls outside. AJ looks for a suicide dive, but Nakamura rolls in the ring to avoid it. AJ grabs Nakamura and hits a suplex into a neckbreaker. Nakamura misses a punch and AJ answers with a Pele kick. Nakamura comes back with a low blow, and AJ answers with a low blow of his own. AJ and Nakamura get to their feet and start trading punches now. Nakamura throws a headbutt, and then they both kick each other in the groin at the exact same, and both men are down. The referee counts, and both men are down for the ten count. The referee counts them both out, so AJ retains the World Title.

Winner: n/a

– AJ Styles recovers at ringside with his WWE Title and gets assisted walking to the back.

Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn: Bobby and Sami start this one off and Lashley backs him up into the corner. Owens tags in now and Lashley suplexes him down. Owens and Sami are able to double team Lashley and take control of the pace now. Lashley finally drops Sami with a facebuster, and both men are down. Strowman finally gets the hot tag and cleans house. Strowman looks for the running powerslam, but Sami escapes and rolls outside to regroup with Owens. Sami appears to turn on Kevin and throws him in the ring. Sami and Owens start arguing, and now Lashley and Strowman clean house. Lashley picks up Owens for the stalling vertical suplex, and he slams him down.

Winners: Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman

– After the match, Owens gets slammed down, and then they take Sami back in the ring and Strowman gives him a running powerslam too.

– We see a promo video for this year’s WWE Money In The Bank pay-per-view.

– We see a video package looking at the history between Samoa Joe and Roman Reigns.

Samoa Joe vs. Roman Reigns: Joe hits a sheap shot on Reigns before the opening bell and throws him to the outside. Joe follows him outside and they brawl around the ringside floor. Joe hits a side suplex on Reigns that puts him right through the announce table at ringside. Joe continues to beat Reigns down all over the announce table area. Joe takes Reigns back in the ring, and the ref allows Reigns a moment to recover before calling for the opening bell. Joe pummels on Reigns in the corner, then slams him down and hits a kick, then a knee drop. Joe keeps Reigns grounded and then dumps him outside. Joe follows up with a suicide dive on Reigns on the floor. Back in the ring, Reigns finally starts fighting back with strikes, then he drops Joe with a big boot. Joe rolls outside, and Reigns hits the Drive By kick. Back in the ring, Reigns looks for a Superman punch, but Joe stops it and slams Reigns down. Joe follows up with a big boot and a senton drop for a two count. Joe and Reigns trade strikes again until Reigns hits a spinebuster for a two count. Reigns looks for another Superman punch, but Joe side-steps it. Reigns drops Joe across the middle rope, then The Big Dog rolls outside. Reigns looks for the Drive By kick, but Joe catches him and drags Reigns in the ring. Reigns breaks free and hits the Superman punch on Joe for a two count. Reigns charges at Joe, and Joe stuns him with a kick to the head. Reigns comes right back with a spear, but Joe gets his leg on the rope to break the pin. Joe catches Reigns with a knee to the face, then he locks in the Coquina Clutch. Reigns fights out and rolls up Joe for a two count. Joe reverses the pin into a Coquina Clutch, and he’s got it locked in on Reigns. It looks like Reigns is fading, but then he starts hulking up and grabs the ropes to break the hold. Joe looks for the Muscle Buster, but Reigns fights him off. Joe misses a shot in the corner, and Reigns answers with a spear. Reigns covers for the three count.

Winner: Roman Reigns

– After the match, Joe rolls outside to recover and he doesn’t look happy. Reigns’ hand is raised in the ring as Backlash goes off the air.

Jerry Lawler Opens Up On Suffering Brain Damage Due To Stroke

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WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler had a rough go as of late and is now openly talking about it.

Lawler and fellow WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross have called some of the biggest and historic matches/segments in the history of the sports entertainment company. They were featured on the Raw brand for the majority of their time with the WWE. It’s safe to say that they are if not the best commentary team ever put together by WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

Just last month, Lawler revealed during an episode of ‘Dinner With The King’ that he suffered a stroke at his home on March 21 and was unable to speak for almost three days. Also, his face was also sagging on one side but then woke up on a Saturday morning and was 100% better and able to continue his normal routine.

He did commentary for some of the matches that were featured on the WrestleMania 34 pre-show. Thankfully, he recovered and is well now. 

On the most recent episode of his podcast, Lawler gave some more details on the situation. Here is what he had to say:

“I had my first follow up with a neurologist, Dr. Weaver here in Memphis that came to see me while I was in Intensive Care and everything with my stroke. I had to get a cat scan today; but, the cool thing is he showed me a picture, brought me back and showed me a picture of my brain and this was not something I wanted to hear. He said, ‘Let me show you your brain & your brain damage.’ I said, ‘What?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, take a look.’

Lawler continued, “So anyway he shows me the scan of my brain and there was a spot on it, a dark spot, about the size of a quarter. He said, ‘When you were in the hospital that spot was solid white because it was solid blood. Now the blood has been absorbed and that is cells that have been damaged.’ I said, ‘So that amount of cells were damaged?’ He said, ‘Oh yeah, you’re just very fortunate…if that amount, that size, had been further down inside your brain, you could have lost the whole use of the whole left side of your body.’ I have no residual effects at all, I’m lucky.”

H/T to RingsideNews for the transcript

What are your thoughts on Lawler’s medical situation? Sound off in the comments section below.

Potential Spoiler: Two Former World Champions Spotted At The Site Of Backlash

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WWE fans should expect to see two former WWE World Heavyweight Champions appear at the Backlash pay-per-view event.

Pwinsider.com is reporting that WWE Hall of Famer Edge and Christian have been spotted in Newark, New Jersey, which is the site of tonight’s Backlash PPV event. 

They were last seen on WWE programming when they inducted The Dudley Boyz into the 2018 class of the WWE Hall of Fame last month during WrestleMania 34 weekend.

There is speculation that they will be appearing at the event to promote the second season of their WWE Network series. 

It always possible that they will be just filming stuff backstage for The Edge and Christian Show.

What are your thoughts on about these stars appearing at the show? Sound off in the comments section below.

Update On Jason Jordan’s Return From Injury

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Former WWE RAW Tag Team Champion Jason Jordan is preparing for his return to in-ring action.

He’s been out of action since early 2018 due to a neck issue and was last seen on TV when RAW General Manager Kurt Angle sent him home until he was healthy enough to compete.

It was reported earlier this week that Jordan was expected to return from injury later this month to the RAW brand.

In a further update that surfaced this week, Mike Johnson of Pwinsider.com is now reporting that the Jason is slated to be backstage for this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW in Uniondale, NY at the Nassau Coliseum.

As of this writing, there’s no word yet on what the sports entertainment company has planned for Jordan on television whether that be with his storyline involving Seth Rollins or the “father and son” storyline with Angle.

What are your thoughts on Jordan returning from injury? Sound off in the comments section below.

Update On Brock Lesnar’s WWE Return

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Brock Lesnar might not be around for a couple of weeks.

The WWE Universal Champion is not currently advertised for tomorrow night’s post-Backlash edition of WWE RAW in Uniondale, New York, nor is his scheduled to perform at the WWE European tour the following week.

The belief is that “The Beast Incarnate” will resurface at the May 21st episode of WWE RAW in Albany, New York, however that is strictly a rumor at this point.

Lesnar’s next defense of the WWE Universal Championship is expected to take place at the WWE Money In The Bank 2018 pay-per-view in Chicago, Illinois on Sunday, June 17th.

When Will Brock Lesnar Defend His Title?

As noted, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Lesnar is not currently under contract through the WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view in Brooklyn, New York on August 19th, however as we have seen with him in the past, anything is certainly possible.

When do you think we will see The Beast Incarnate resurface? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section below.

WWE Backlash 2018 Betting Lines: Updated Odds For Tonight’s PPV

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As tonight’s WWE Backlash 2018 pay-per-view continues to draw closer, the odds continue to shift on the betting lines heading into the big event.

As things stand right now, AJ Styles is a -150 favorite to defeat Shinsuke Nakamura, who is a slight, +110 underdog for their third straight PPV encounter.

The biggest betting favorite heading into tonight’s PPV is Seth Rollins, as he is heavily expected to retain his WWE Intercontinental Championship in his showdown against former multiple-time champion The Miz. Rollins comes in at a -1200 (12-to-1 favorite) against The Miz.

Outside of The Miz, who comes in at +600 for his I-C title bout with “The Architect,” Alexa Bliss is the second biggest betting underdog for tonight’s show. The belief is Nia Jax will retain the RAW Women’s Championship when the two meet at tonight’s event at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Before checking out the actual betting odds to find out who the favorites and underdogs are for tonight’s show, check out our SEScoops WWE Backlash Staff Predictions for extensive expert analysis and predictions for each match on tonight’s card.

WWE Backlash 2018 Betting Odds

Featured below are the complete betting odds, as of Sunday afternoon, for tonight’s WWE Backlash 2018 pay-per-view.

WWE Championship (No DQ)
* AJ Styles (c) -150 vs Shinsuke Nakamura +110

WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship
* Carmella (c) -160 vs Charlotte Flair +120

WWE Intercontinental Championship
* Seth Rollins (c) -1200 vs The Miz +600

WWE U.S. Championship
* Jeff Hardy (c) -260 vs Randy Orton +180

Raw Women’s Championship
* Nia Jax (c) -900 vs Alexa Bliss +500

* Roman Reigns -530 vs Samoa Joe +350

* Daniel Bryan -300 vs Big Cass +220

* Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley -445 vs Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn +315

Kickoff Show
* Bayley -125 vs. Ruby Riott -115

Make sure to join us here this evening at SEScoops.com for live play-by-play results coverage of the WWE Backlash 2018 pay-per-view.

What do you think of the betting odds for tonight’s WWE Backlash pay-per-view? Who do you think are the biggest favorites and underdogs heading into tonight’s show? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section below.

Daniel Bryan Roasts Big Cass’ Wrestling Ability In Tweet

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Daniel Bryan took a shot at Big Cass’ wrestling ability in a recent social media post. Bryan and Big Cass will wrestle tonight at Backlash in New Jersey.

For Bryan, it will be his first PPV single’s match (not counting GRR) since being medically cleared to return. It will also be Big Cass’ first single’s match back since returning from a torn ACL suffered this summer.

Daniel Bryan vs Big Cass

Big Cass’ first official match since returning from injury was the Greatest Royal Rumble in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. He entered the match at #49 and only lasted a little over seven minutes.

Big Cass would only eliminate one person from the Rumble and that person was Daniel Brian. As for Bryan, he entered the Rumble at number one and lasted for over an hour and 15 minutes until he was by eliminated by Big Cass.

While a rivalry between Big Cass and Daniel Bryan has been building, WWE has hinted that the Miz and Daniel Bryan rivalry we thought we’d never see is not far off either. In storyline, it was Bryan who arranged for Miz to be drafted to Smackdown after Bryan learned he had been medically cleared to compete.

Here is what the Miz said regarding Bryan being medically cleared to get back in the ring:

“Am I happy? No. Good for him that he is back. Congratulations. Bravo. The thing is he was the one that said, ‘fight for your dreams?’ He didn’t fight for his dreams when he walked away like a coward on Talking Smack now did he? That’s real. Fight for your dreams. His playbook goes something like this: go out there, get sympathy, talk about your wife, cry a little and get your ass kicked.”

WWE might want to hold off on the culmination of this feud until SummerSlam, so it could be a slow build.

WWE Backlash 2018 Live Coverage Tonight

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WWE returns to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey this evening for their WWE Backlash 2018 pay-per-view, which features action from both the RAW and SmackDown Live brands.

Tonight’s show will be headlined by the third showdown between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, with the WWE Championship on-the-line. Also on the show is the battle between Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe, Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass, Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, as well as U.S., I-C, SmackDown Live & RAW Women’s Championship action.

For extensive expert analysis and predictions for each match scheduled for tonight’s show, check out the SEScoops WWE Backlash Staff Predictions.

WWE BACKLASH 2018

WWE Championship
(No Disqualification)
* A.J. Styles (C) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

WWE Intercontinental Championship
* Seth Rollins (C) vs. The Miz

WWE United States Championship
* Jeff Hardy (C) vs. Randy Orton

WWE RAW Women’s Championship
* Nia Jax (C) vs. Alexa Bliss

WWE SmackDown Live Women’s Championship
* Carmella (C) vs. Charlotte Flair

Singles Match
* Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe

Singles Match
* Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass

Tag-Team Match
* Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

Kickoff Show
* Bayley vs. Ruby Riott

Make sure to join us here this evening for live play-by-play results coverage of the WWE Backlash 2018 event. Leave your comments on tonight’s show below.

Drake Maverick Announces Two Matches For 205 Live This Week

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205 Live General Manager, Drake Maverick, has announced two matches for Tuesday night’s show. Smackdown and 205 Live will be held in Baltimore this week from the Royal Farms Arena.

The Cruiserweight Championship is not one of the five championships which will be on the line tonight at Backlash. The last time the Cruiserweight Championship was defended was the Greatest Royal Rumble. Cedric Alexander successfully defended the title against Kalisto on that show.

https://twitter.com/WWEMaverick/status/993114750560145410

205 Live This Week

The two matches which have been announced thus far include:

  • Lince Dorado & Gran Metalik vs. Jack Gallagher & The Brian Kendrick
  • Mustafa Ali vs Buddy Murphy

The tag-team match may influence future seeding for the pending cruiserweight tag-team division. It looks like the team of Hideo Itami & Akira Tozawa is already on the splits as they were shown arguing after their match last week. They had just been defeated by Gallagher and Kendrick in tag action. We still don’t know when WWE plans to introduce tag-team titles to the division but one would have to suspect it is not far off now.

Mustafa Ali and Buddy Murphy should be an interesting match. Murphy had previously earned a title match against Cedric Alexander but had it rescinded after missing weight. Murphy made weight this week and then promptly won a squash match later in the show.

As for Ali, he’s looking to get back into title contention after losing to Cedric Alexander at WrestleMania 34. Speaking ahead of his match with Alexander, here’s what he said regarding breaking down stereotypes with his character:

“To me, it’s a huge opportunity for representation. There are preconceived ideas and these barriers that have come along with a name like mine. [I’d be] typically portrayed as the ‘bad guy.’ I have a chance to knock all that down and show young guys and girls who look like me and have a name like mine, here’s a guy like you that chased his dreams and wasn’t worried about labels.”

Adam Cole Reveals How He Found Out About Surprise WWE Royal Rumble Debut

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Adam Cole recently stopped by the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast for an in-depth interview. During his appearance on the show, The Undisputed Era member spoke about surprising fans earlier this year as the number 23 entrant in the 30-man Royal Rumble match at the WWE Royal Rumble 2018 pay-per-view one night after losing to Aleister Black at the NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia WWE Network special.

Cole’s appearance in the Royal Rumble match marked the first time he worked on the main WWE roster on a high-profile show. The reigning NXT North American Champion performed well in the match, getting the crowd on their feet in spots before ultimately being eliminated by Rey Mysterio.

Being from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, which is near the site of the Royal Rumble match in Philadelphia that he made his main roster debut in, made the evening a special moment for the pro wrestling veteran.

“I found out last minute about the Royal Rumble,” Cole revealed during his appearance on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast. “Second of all, the first pro wrestling show that I ever went to was in that building [Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia], the first WrestleMania I ever watched was in Philly [WrestleMania XV], I trained to be a pro wrestler in Philadelphia … so many things mean that much to me coming out of Philadelphia, and to be able to make my Royal Rumble debut in Philadelphia it’s like, okay, great career Adam. That’s it.”

Adam Cole Soaks In Love From The Fans

Also during the interview, Cole spoke about taking a moment to enjoy the experience when his music hit the speakers and the WWE Universe in attendance reacted.

“I definitely made sure that I enjoyed that for what it was,” said Cole. “My favorite part was when the music hit and the people reacted and then when I came out they reacted because I was there, and then I stood there. I made sure to enjoy it as much as I could. I had the same feeling for when I debuted at NXT: TakeOver Brooklyn III when I ran in and attacked Drew McIntyre. I remember thinking, ‘God, I hope they care.’ ‘God, I hope they react in any capacity.’ This was the end of the event so I was just hoping they were really interested in what was going on. Both times they haven’t let me down. Both times have been great.”

Check out the complete Adam Cole interview from the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast at NotSam.com.

What did you think of Adam Cole’s surprise entrance in the 2018 Royal Rumble match? Sound off in the Comments section below.

Joe Frazier’s Son Enters Wrestling Business, Orton Reaches Milestone, Cinco de Mayo

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– Randy Orton reached the six-million follower mark on his official Twitter page this weekend. “The Viper,” who is one of the longest tenured Superstars in WWE, can be found on Twitter @RandyOrton.

– WWE posted a special photo gallery to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, honoring some of the greatest luchadors in the history of the business. Check out the complete photo gallery at WWE.com.

Son Of Joe Frazier Enters The Business

– The son of boxing legend “Smokin'” Joe Frazier is apparently looking at taking a run at the world of professional wrestling. Zeus Frazier, son of the famous late boxing Hall Of Famer, has been training at the Heath Slater’s Atlanta, Georgia-based wrestling school. Slater tweeted the following photo of himself with Zeus, who he notes weighs 315 pounds and stands seven feet tall.

“We are proud to announce [Zeus Frazier] as the newest student at [Face 2 Face Wrestling School],” wrote Slater via his official Twitter page..”7′ tall 315 lbs, a professional boxer and son of one of the Greatest professional boxers ever, Smokin Joe Frazier! I am proud to have him join.”

https://twitter.com/HeathSlaterOMRB/status/992791042658365440

What do you think about Joe Frazier’s son entering the pro wrestling business? Sound off in the Comments section below.

Booker T On Hulk Hogan Returning To WWE: “Everybody Deserves A Second Chance”

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WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T became the latest veteran personality from the WWE Universe to speak publicly about the possibility of Hulk Hogan coming back to the company.

“The only thing Hogan can do is apologize, atone for it, and we move forward,” Booker said during a recent episode of his Heated Conversations podcast. “Everyone deserves a second chance that’s just the way I am.”

As noted, TMZ Sports ran an article where they claimed Hogan returning to WWE is close to a done deal. Booker explains why he would be cool with the decision, noting “The Hulkster” helped him early in his career in WCW.

“I talk about Hulk Hogan being in my corner, back in the day and a lot of the boys they may look at me and say, ‘Why is Booker T talking to [Hogan]?’ Back in the day, if it wasn’t for Hulk Hogan, I don’t know if Booker T and Stevie Ray would have got the push that we got,” Booker said. “Back in the day, Sister Sherri was an intricate detail to Harlem Heat, and our success, and it was all because of Hulk Hogan. Saying ‘Hey man, those are the guys you need to put your money behind.'”

Booker T Breaks Down The Hogan Situation

From there, Booker got deep and spoke about Hogan using the “N-word” in the past and claimed that he won’t be part of a group that blacklists a fellow legendary wrestler who has given so much to the business.

“I’m taking that ‘word’ and put it over to the side, and let that man take his rightful place back, which is in this business,” Booker stated. “I’m not going to take that away from him. I’m not going to sit here and say ‘No, he should be blackballed or black listed from the game, forevermore!’ for saying something a lot of us say on a daily basis. I don’t myself, but a lot of us do. Let this man who has done so much for the wrestling business truly take his rightful place back in the WWE.”

What do you think about Hulk Hogan returning to WWE? How about Booker T’s take on the topic? Sound off in the Comments section below.

Samoa Joe On AJ Styles Rivalry: “It’s Something That’s Gonna Happen”

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Since returning to the scene in WWE, Samoa Joe has picked up right where he left off. Having just recently returned, Joe is already setting his sights at the very top — the WWE Champion AJ Styles.

During a recent sit-down interview with ESPN, Joe spoke about his longstanding rivalry with Styles, which spans over two decades. According to Joe, a showdown with Styles in WWE is inevitable.

“I think at this point it’s beyond potential, and it’s something that’s gonna happen,” Joe told ESPN this past Tuesday morning, just hours before confronting ‘The Phenomenal One’ on SmackDown Live.

“People talk about the Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn relationship and how they’ll be fighting forever, but in reality when it comes to me and AJ Styles, I defy anybody to find two guys who have been battling against each other longer than us,” said Joe.

Samoa Joe Talks AJ Styles Rivalry

Joe, a former two-time NXT World Champion himself, went on to praise Styles and put over the fact that he is among the best the business has ever seen. At the same time, he made sure to prepare the WWE Universe for the fact that a Joe-Styles clash is something like they’ve never seen.

“AJ, his moniker speaks for itself,” said Joe. “He’s a phenomenal athlete, he’s been a fantastic champion and a superstar for WWE. A lot of the wider WWE universe hasn’t been able to experience what Samoa Joe-AJ Styles is, and if there’s one thing that we’ve always known about each other it’s that whenever we get in the ring, things get a little bit more intense. There’s just a little bit extra ‘oomph’ with everything that happens. That rivalry was started over a decade ago, and rest assured it will continue in WWE.”

Check out the complete Samoa Joe interview at ESPN.com.

What do you think about an AJ Styles-Samoa Joe rivalry in WWE? Sound off in the Comments section below.

WWE Backlash 2018 Staff Predictions

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The weekend is here and with it comes the latest joint-brand pay-per-view offering from WWE, as the company presents their WWE Backlash 2018 show from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey this Sunday, May 6th.

WWE Backlash 2018 will be the 14th event in the Backlash chronology, and the first Backlash since 2009 to feature both brands. The show will be headlined by a WWE Championship bout, with A.J. Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura squaring off for the third straight pay-per-view.

Also featured on Sunday’s card is a WWE Intercontinental Championship bout, with Seth Rollins defending against The Miz. The WWE United States Championship will be up for grabs in a singles match between Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton, and both the RAW and SmackDown Live Women’s Championships will be on-the-line, as Nia Jax defends against Alexa Bliss and Carmella defends against Charlotte Flair in one-on-one showdowns.

Ahead of Sunday’s PPV, a few of our top staff members have come together for a new ’roundtable predictions’ feature we’ll be doing for big shows moving forward. For this installment, Brad Davis, Ian Carey and Andy Ravens give their expert analysis and predictions for WWE Backlash 2018.

As always, hit up the Comments section of this article and share your own predictions.

WWE Backlash 2018 Card

  • Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
  • Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass
  • Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe
  • Carmella (c) vs. Charlotte Flair (SD! Live Women’s Title)
  • Nia Jax (c) vs. Alexa Bliss (RAW Women’s Title)
  • Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Randy Orton (WWE U.S. Title)
  • Seth Rollins (c) vs. The Miz (WWE I-C Title)
  • A.J. Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (WWE Title)

WWE BACKLASH 2018 STAFF PREDICTIONS

Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

Brad Davis: Lashley and Strowman are two men you probably would never want to be standing across the ring from. Zayn and Owens are great wrestlers and all, but it’s hard to see how they can topple these two giants. Strowman has been on a rampage and that’s not ending any time soon. Lashley has been back only a matter of weeks. I pick Lashley and Strowman here. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman)

Ian Carey: It’s too soon after his return to pin Lashley and it’s too soon after his GRR win to pin Strowman. With that being said, there might be an outside chance of Lashley turning heel here and leading into a feud with Strowman. All the same though, it’s more likely Lashley and Strowman squash the Amazing French Canadians here. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman)

Andy Ravens: In my opinion, this one is an easy pick, which is Lashley and Strowman going over. Although Owens and Zayn need a win, I can’t see Vince McMahon wanting to have Strowman suffer a loss at this stage of his career due to the way that the WWE has been pushing him on TV. Plus, you have Lashley, who hasn’t lost since coming back to the company. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman)

CONSENSUS: Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman (3-0)

Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass

Brad: Big Cass has been attacking Daniel Bryan and eliminated him from the Greatest Royal Rumble. Will Daniel Brynan get his revenge? Not a chance. If WWE’s previous booking of Daniel Bryan is any indication, he’ll get dragged through the mud and beat down a lot more before he gets his shine. Big Cass gets the win. (Prediction: Big Cass)

Ian: Now that Bryan has been medically cleared, fans will finally get to see the Daniel Bryan vs Big Cass dream match they’ve always wanted…wait, what? Not sure why Big Cass was put up against Bryan here. Both are returning from long sabbaticals (Bryan’s longer than Cass’) and could use a win. I’m going to pick the underdog to score a huge upset win here. I think Big Cass defeats Bryan after a run-in by the Miz. This might make some fans say, “you think they are going to beat Bryan in his first big single’s match back?”. Well, yes, yes I do. (Prediction: Big Cass)

Andy: WWE fans need to understand that this idea of Bryan being pushed as a top guy right out of the gate since being medically cleared is not realistic. Vince sees Cass as a big star and most likely thinks that having Cass get a big win over Bryan in their first match would get him even more heat as a heel with the hardcore fans by beating their favorite star. Cass wins the match. (Prediction: Big Cass)

CONSENSUS: Big Cass (3-0)

Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe

Brad: Poor Roman. After having the rug swiped out from under him at WrestleMania and the Greatest Royal Rumble, it’s pretty clear WWE has soured on Roman as “the guy.” To continue pushing him as a top babyface – at the expense of Samoa Joe, would be a big mistake.  Joe gets the win. (Prediction: Samoa Joe)

Ian: It seems unlikely WWE would have Roman lose again here. On the other hand, it seemed unlikely Roman would lose at WM and GRR but that’s what happened. Still, safe money says Roman wins here. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)

Andy: Is there any doubt in anyone’s mind about the winner of this match? Reigns has been on a losing streak in big matches as of late (obviously both to Brock Lesnar). Joe is on SmackDown Live now and with this being a one-off match and the plans looking like Vince is still going to push Reigns as the top guy going forward despite backlash from fans, Reigns goes over. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)

CONSENSUS: Roman Reigns (2-1)

WWE SmackDown Live Women’s Championship
Carmella (c) vs. Charlotte Flair

Brad: Charlotte is the far superior wrestler, which is why a win by Carmella will go a long way in establishing the SmackDown Women’s champion as a legitimate threat. For that reason alone, I have Carmella getting the victory in controversial fashion. (Prediction: Carmella)

Ian: Unfortunately for Carmella, I think Flair ends her reign with the title on Sunday. I just can’t see them giving Carmella the win over Flair without a great deal of interference. It’s possible the Iiconics get involved and cost Flair the match but I think its more likely Flair wins back the title. (Prediction: Charlotte Flair)

Andy: Although I could see either star win the match, you could make the argument that it’s way too soon to take the title off of Carmella considering that she recently won it and I would agree. Flair can be champion any time that the company believes she needs to be, but Carmella at least has one more month with the strap. Carmella retains. (Prediction: Carmella)

CONSENSUS: Carmella (2-1)

WWE RAW Women’s Championship
Nia Jax (c) vs. Alexa Bliss

Brad: I’m enjoying this feud, which says a lot, since I’m really not a big fan of women’s wrestling. Nia Jax has come a long way and Alexa Bliss is one of the best characters in WWE. Like Carmella, Nia just got the belt and is she’s still being established as a credible champion. For that reason, Nia keeps the gold. (Prediction: Nia Jax)

Ian: I suspect Jax is going to hold the title along time, possibly until she turns heel and Ronda takes it off her. It’s possible she squashes Bliss here. (Prediction: Nia Jax)

Andy: Bliss had a good run with the title, but WWE is behind Jax right now, especially since she just won the title at WrestleMania. I see this match being very similar to their contest at WrestleMania 34 with the same outcome. Jax retains. (Prediction: Nia Jax)

CONSENSUS: Nia Jax (3-0)

WWE United States Championship
Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Randy Orton

Brad: Two WWE veterans. Former world champions, both over with the crowd. And I really couldn’t care less about either of them at this point. Jeff Hardy and Randy Orton are Hall of Fame bound workers, but without much of a program to speak of, this one is as “filler” as it gets. Hardy retains. (Prediction: Jeff Hardy)

Ian: This is a tough one. Beating Jeff Hardy so soon after his return seems like a poor idea but Randy Orton is not a guy the company has lose too often. The wildcard factor here is Shelton Benjamin, who has been involved in this angle on Smackdown. I’m betting Benjamin gets involved, somehow costs Orton the match and allows Hardy to retain. (Prediction: Jeff Hardy)

Andy: Hardy being pushed as a singles star has been refreshing but what excites me, even more, is the potential heel turn from Orton, which was teased this past week on SmackDown Live. I see Hardy retaining the title in this match but with Orton turning heel either right after the match or the next episode of SmackDown to continue this feud. (Prediction: Jeff Hardy)

CONSENSUS: Jeff Hardy (3-0)

WWE Intercontinental Championship
Seth Rollins (c) vs. The Miz

Brad: Seth Rollins has been killing it as Intercontinental Champion. The Miz has also been doing some of the best work of his career, but I just don’t see him getting the IC title back any time soon. Rollin burns it down and continues his hot streak. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)

Ian: One thought is that the Miz will win the title so he can break Pedro Morales’ record in a few weeks. For that to happen, however, Miz would have to bring the IC title to Smackdown. The United States title is already on Smackdown and only Smackdown wrestlers will be competing for it at Backlash, however. If you go by the reasoning that the two mid-card titles have to be on sepearate brands, then Rollins should win this match. That might be want WWE wants us to think, however. This match all comes down to whether or not the Miz vs Daniel Bryan feud will involve the IC title. I’m voting that it will not and Seth Rollins retains the title here. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)

Andy: Both superstars are on separate brands, and with the chances of the United States Title not going to Raw, it makes no sense for The Miz to win the title and have two mid-card titles on the blue brand. Rollins goes over and retains in an entertaining match. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)

CONSENSUS: Seth Rollins (3-0)

WWE Championship
A.J. Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Brad: After coming up short at WrestleMania and Greatest Royal Rumble, I think this is where Nakamura captures the gold. Styles has been a strong champion and I have no doubt that he’ll be in the main event picture for years to come. Nakamura finally has some direction as a nut-cracking heel and I’m curious to see what he can do as WWE Champion. Nakamura makes history and wins the WWE Championship. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)

Ian: I think Nakamura finally takes the title here. If not, it will be his 3rd unsuccessful title shot in a row against AJ and 5th total. Let us not forget he also dropped WWE Championship matches to Jinder Mahal at SummerSlam 2017 and then again at Hell in a Cell 2017. He’s 0-4 in WWE Championship matches but something tells me he’ll end the skid on Sunday. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)

Andy: Styles and Nakamura have wrestled each other twice within the last month, and if WWE plans to keep this feud going for at least another month, they need to have a title change. I see Nakamura winning his first WWE Title as a result of this thinking, and we will get a fourth Styles vs. Nakamura match come June. (Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura)

CONSENSUS: Shinsuke Nakamura (3-0)

What do you think of our WWE Backlash 2018 predictions? Let us know by sounding off in the Comments section.

Triple H: Future Of United Kingdom Division To Be Revealed Next Month

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WWE has a major announcement to make regarding the future of the United Kingdom division. They aren’t revealing it just yet, however. The company will host the 2nd WWE United Kingdom Championship tournament next month. The shows will be on June 18th and 19th from London’s Royal Albert Hall.

“Just in the next few months you will see two full main roster tours of Raw and SmackDown all through the UK,” Triple H told the Mirror in the UK. “You will see not only the Download Festival with NXT but shows in Paris and Antwerp, and you will see us coming back to one of the most famous arenas in London, the Royal Albert Hall, for two days back-to-back, with the WWE UK Championship and NXT combo on the second day. It’s massive.”

He then stated an announcement would be made at the upcoming tournament.

“While we are there at this UK event at the Royal Albert Hall, we will be making some announcements about the future of the UK Championship brand there in the UK and moving forward.”

Some believe the announcement could be regarding the brand finally getting their own show. Further speculation has WWE opening up a training center in the UK as well. Triple H talked about international training centers at the recent WWE Business Partners Summit.

“That brand still remains very near and dear to me and it’s something I want to move on. It’s taking a little bit longer than I anticipated in getting things done and getting them done in the way I want them to get done… but it’s happening”, Triple H said in regards to the UK division. “It will be meaningful to everybody there and over there and I look forward to showcasing the UK talent to the world.”

WWE United Kingdom Show

The inaugural WWE United Kingdom championship tournament concluded on January 15, 2017. In the finals of the tournament, Tyler Bate defeated Pete Dunne to win the title. A little over five months later, however, Dunne defeated Bate at NXT Takeover: Chicago to win the championship.