WWE Backlash 2025 saw some of the biggest names in WWE today in action but also saw plenty of independent talent also make the show. During the main event, Randy Orton hit an RKO on several notable names, including Nick Aldis, Shane Helms, and Jamie Noble. Fans will have noticed an unfamiliar name among this cast of RKO recipients. As pointed out by the Local Competitor on X, this was Austin Mulitalo, an independent wrestler who is a graduate of Harley Race’s Wrestling Academy.
On @WWE Backlash: Who received an RKO along with Nick Aldis, Shane Helms, Shawn Daivari, & Jamie Noble towards the end of the John Cena vs. Randy Orton match?
— The Local Competitor (@LocalCompWWE) May 11, 2025
According to a report by Fightful Select, several independent wrestlers were present at the show including Nixi XS, Mike Outlaw, Moses The Deliverer, and Skylar Sparks. Those talents appeared during Backlash as medics while Campbell Meyer and Brandon Tolle were also in attendance.
Opportunities like this are important for independent wrestlers because they get valuable experience at a WWE event and gives them the chance to network with scouts and producers. With that in mind, time will tell if these indie talent go on to become WWE Superstars, as being at Backlash could definitely help their careers in a big way.
Will Ospreay believes AEW could learn something from NJPW.
The high-flying star recently had an interview with the Daily Star to promote the 2025 Forbidden Door PPV set for The O2 Arena in London on August 24, 2025. The PPV will see stars from the American and Japanese promotions battling each other.
Ospreay, who has a long history in NJPW, was asked what tips would he give to the AEW roster about working with Japanese talents, now that he is a representative of the promotion owned by Tony Khan. The former IWGP World Champion explained that Japanese matches are paced very differently and claimed that it’s something that AEW could learn from the promotion:
“Just the pacing is a lot different. I would say AEW has found itself in a position with TV wrestling where the foot is on the gas pedal constantly. With New Japan, it’s more explosive.
So they like they take those short bursts of explosivity, which makes the match a little bit more dramatic. Then when it comes down, it’s all about the emotion and like the exchanges, going blow for blow with guys.
That make their matches way more meaningful. I think the one thing that a lot of AEW could learn from New Japan is presentation. The way that they present their wrestling show is leaps and bounds over any wrestling show going.”
Mine And In Any Other Professional Wrestling: Will Ospreay
Will Ospreay then explained that Japanese wrestling puts a lot of focus on the emotions of the match, and he loves that style of wrestling more. Contrary to the viral quote going around, Ospreay did not mention WWE while discussing the topic and explained that he hates the use of the default hard came angle, even in his own matches:
“I’m very much along the lines, I don’t like camera cuts in wrestling, especially during a sequence or an impact of moves. I’m along the lines of Hey, if you’re…so the name is AEW, All Elite wrestling, right? If you actually are signed to this company, right? That middle letter is very important, right? Because you’re an elitist, right?
You’re of the elite of wrestling. If you miss a super kick or if you miss a splash or something like that, that’s on you. That’s not on the button pusher. I feel like the button pusher’s job is to try and cover those marks and that’s not on you. Keep the action super tight with me and keep the presentation in the ring. I hate the hard cam.
I’ve always hated the hard cam. I hate the moment that it goes towards the hard cam in both mine and in any other professional wrestling. The moment it goes to hard cam, I feel so detached from wrestling. I feel like the cameras are ringside for a reason so you can get any bit of like emotion and any bit of drive. I love that style more.”
The wrestling world is mourning the loss of Terry ‘Sabu’ Brunk who has died at the age of 60. While Sabu never held gold in WWE, there had been efforts for him to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame prior to his passing.
On X, Sami Zayn shared that Sabu’s death had been a gut-punch. The former Intercontinental Champion added that he had been pushing for Sabu to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame just weeks ago following Sabu’s retirement match. Zayn wrapped up his post with a series of praising compliments for the late wrestler.
This is a gut punch. I was pushing this agenda again a few weeks ago after Sabu had his final match.
RIP Sabu. One of a kind, absolute legend, and a true game changer for professional wrestling. https://t.co/wVgZ4ao42k
Sabu was not inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame but is part of several similar groups. In 2009, he was inducted into the Hardcore Hall of Fame with a banner with his name being displayed in the ECW Arena. In 2024, Sabu took his place in the Indie Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Now, any induction into WWE’s class of Hall of Famers will be posthumous. Our thoughts remain with those who knew Sabu best at this sad time.
Speaking to Insight, Hartwell remained optimistic that a WWE return could come. With that said, she made it clear that she didn’t sign with TNA just to try and work her way back to NXT.
“It’s not my intention right now to sign with TNA so I can go back to NXT. I went to TNA because TNA is a company I grew up watching, and I’m genuinely a huge fan of TNA.”
Hartwell is in TNA Wrestling for TNA, not for the promotion’s ties to WWE. With that said, the young wrestler realizes that nothing is for certain and a return to WWE could happen.
“I’m only 28. I do feel like there is a path back to WWE, someday. I’m not closing the door on that. All my friends are still there.”
Hartwell is a former NXT Women’s and Women’s Tag Team Champion but didn’t see similar success on the main roster. While Hartwell is hungry to hold gold in TNA, fans know to never say never when it comes to a potential WWE comeback.
Mina Shirakawa will be becoming a full time member of the AEW roster soon.
The female star announced her intentions to leave Stardom and become a full-time member of the American promotion in March, but she hasn’t made any appearances for Tony Khan’s promotion since then.
Fightful Select recently provided an update on the former Artist of Stardom Champion’s future with the company. According to them, Shirakawa’s announced move to United States is upon us. While the former champion hasn’t been seen on AEW programming for some time, her return to the company is imminent.
The site revealed that Mina Shirakawa has been discussed for an AEW appearance over the next couple of weeks. After impressing AEW officials in her previous run with the company, she is set to receive ‘an immediate push’ upon her comeback.
The Japanese star had been involved in a storyline with Mariah May and ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm when she first made her debut for the promotion in 2024.
She originally challenged Storm for the AEW Women’s title in an unsuccessful attempt. She later formed a tag team with May. Their partnership didn’t last long as Mariah turned on Shirakawa after her heel turn.
Mariah May has since been taken off TV with reports suggesting that she is planning a WWE move. It’d be interesting to see where Mina fits on AEW programming amid this situation.
Earlier today, news broke that wrestling legend Sabu has passed away. Here are some of the latest reactions from some of his closest friends and peers honoring the late icon:
Sorry, my words are a little frazzled in this vid, I am trying to speak from my heart…I dunno what else to say. #RIPSabupic.twitter.com/o6ehKa0IjK
Heart broken hearing the news of Sabu passing away. He always treated me great and we shared some special moments in the ring. He made me laugh so many times over the last 20 years. Rest in Peace and God Speed Sabu.
Sabu was a trailblazing groundbreaker who played a major role in the expansion of what a pro wrestling match could be. The fact that tables are commonly utilized in pro wrestling is because of Terry Brunk & how he made an inanimate object like a table a must see… pic.twitter.com/5WbvnMTs8j
I'm glad I saw him in Vegas after his match in his dressing room. He was a mess. He stood and gave me a safe hug, not wanting to bleed on my suit. I asked him if he was OK. He said he was. We agreed to burn one later. I said, "I love you man." Sabu said "Love you too brother." ?
I am truly saddened to learn of the passing of Terry Brunk, who many of us knew and admired as Sabu. His contributions to the world of professional wrestling were nothing short of legendary. I always looked forward to seeing him at our wrestling conventions, where he was not only… pic.twitter.com/WyfEfHc2P5
The ECW original whose innovative style helped bring the entire wrestling world to a new extreme. We send our condolences to his loved ones. https://t.co/6qp9KAvRpD
Big E believes female talents deserve better treatment.
The last few decades have seen major advancements in the medical field that have allowed athletes in all sports to extend their careers. Wrestling names have taken advantage of this change too, with talents being able to extend their careers years and decades beyond the previous generations.
The acceptance of this change, however, is not the same for male and female stars. Male talents of older age are much more easily accepted in top roles in the industry compared to their female counterparts.
Big E spoke up about this double standard during the Backlash pre-show. He was talking about the Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria match at the PPV being seen as a passing of the torch moment. The former WWE champion supported Lynch’s stand who has questioned this treatment of female performers in recent times:
“I feel like so much of the narrative is, ‘Is this a passing of the torch moment?’ But it’s also very interesting when I hear from Becky, and she talks a lot about age and the way we talk about age with women and the way we talk about age with the men.
In that, for a lot of women who are in their late 30s it’s, ‘Oh, are you winding down? When are you ready to get out?’ But look, it feels like 75% of the male side is 38, 39, 40, 45. Let’s give the women the same honor and same grace as well,”
Becky Lynch challenged Valkyria for the Women’s IC title at the latest WWE PPV but failed to win the belt. The Man wasn’t happy with this outcome and she attacked Valkyria after the bout, indicating that this rivalry is not over just yet.
PWInsider broke the news earlier today. The site did not provide a lot of details but confirmed that the wrestling legend, real name Terry Brunk has passed away.
Fellow legend Rob Van Dam and more are reacting to his passing on Twitter:
Only photo I ever got with the legend was blurry, but the memories and moments will live in my mind clear as day forever. RIP Sabu pic.twitter.com/lV4bDBbViV
— KJ Orso FKA Fuego Del Sol (@KJOrso) May 11, 2025
A brief word on Sabu. I've learned to value immersion above all else in wrestling. Nothing drives immersion more than a wrestler living in the moment and throwing absolutely everything into what they were doing. No strings. No hesitation. No one looking away for a second. Sabu. pic.twitter.com/aKpG9QYJLC
Condolences and love to Sabu's family, friends, and fans. Sabu was a true pioneer in the industry, and beyond his transformative style, a kind and generous man often looking to help other wrestlers. There will never be another Sabu. pic.twitter.com/gFSbsqCbvX
This news is very saddening for fans and comes as a huge shock as the 60-year-old wrestled his final match only last month. Sabu defeated Joey Janela at GCW Spring Break 9 in Las Vegas over the WrestleMania 41 weekend in his last match.
Sabu made an appearance at Tri-State Wrestling Alliance reunion show convention at the 2300 (ECW) Arena last weekend, which was his last public appearance.
Trained by The Original Sheik, Sabu made his wrestling debut in 1985. He began his career competing for promotions in the North American independent scene before migrating to Japan. He worked with NJPW among other promotions there, even winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship during his Japan excursion.
This was followed by his return to US and the star-making ECW run from 1995 to 2000. He worked with other legends such as RVD, Taz and Terry Funk during his time.
Known for his trademark style of hardcore wrestling, Sabu quickly became a fixture of the extreme promotion and his work at the time continues to influence talents and shape the pro wrestling world today. He also worked for companies such as WWE, TNA and AEW in his later career.
SEScoops sends our deepest condolence to all the family and friends of Sabu.
MJF never misses an opportunity to remind everyone why he’s one of wrestling’s biggest heels today and Mother’s Day is no exception. On X, MJF posted a photo of his mother holding a sign that read, “This asshole forgot to wish me a happy Mother’s Day” alongside a picture of the former AEW World Champion. MJF confirmed that he didn’t wish his mom a happy Mother’s Day but made clear this was no accident.
— Maxwell Jacob Friedman™? (@The_MJF) May 11, 2025
MJF hasn’t shied away from bringing his personal life into his role as a professional wrestler. In 2022, MJF spoke pasionately about being bullied for being Jewish at school and for battling “a litany of learning disabilities” as well as ADD. This earned a much more positive response from his mom Nina to what the pair shared in 2025.
Wowww Max….. I started to lose hope that you would ever be a decent human being again! I am very proud of you for last night. You reminded every kid out there, that they can be anything they set their mind to! Today…i am a proud Mom! @The_MJF
On AEW TV, MJF has been trying to earn a place in the Hurt Syndicate, but it’ll be up to Bobby Lashley to give him his final approval. While Nina has yet to way in on whether her son is Hurt Syndicate material, we know she won’t be sending him a ‘World’s Best Son’ card anytime soon.
Jeff Cobb has arrived in WWE, but he may not be Jeff Cobb for much longer. Despite being referred to as Cobb during his WWE debut at Backlash, a new name may be in the works for the NJPW/ROH alum.
On May 10, 2025, WWE filed for the trademark “JC MATEO” under the usual terms expected for a new moniker. The filing will allow for WWE to use the name at wrestling performances and other online content centered around the world of sports entertainment.
Fans on X, fka Twitter, are in belief that JC Mateo will be the new name for Jeff Cobb, with his original name now making his initials. During the post-Backlash show, Big E referred to WWE’s newest Supserstar as “a man once referred to as Jeff Cobb,” further suggesting a new moniker is coming.
At this time, WWE has not confirmed the potential change and WWE.com’s photo gallery is titled “Jeff Cobb attacks LA Knight in shocking debut.” It remains to be seen if the Cobb name is here to stay or if JC Mateo will be what Cobb is known by going forward.
John Cena will be keeping his WWE title for a while.
The Cenation Leader had his first title defence at tonight’s Backlash PPV after his record-breaking 17th world win at WrestleMania 41 last month.
As expected, Cena managed to win the match against his arch rival Randy Orton. Though the victory did not come without some help and it was intervention from Nick Aldis and R Truth that let to this result.
The interesting thing coming out of the show was the WWE Champion seemed to be reconsidering his stance after his victory. The ‘Thank You Cena’ chants that were heard after the PPV went off air made John stop and think about his actions before he went to the back.
This latest development made many wonder if the company was already winding down on the Cena heel turn that has largely failed to connect with fans and if his title reign could be ending soon.
A new report from Fightful Select suggests that this is not the case however. According to the site the claim from people within the company was that John Cena’s title reign would continue into Summer.
WWE had originally teased Cena’s heel turn at Royal Rumble when he almost attacked Jey Uso after the battle royal. So the face turn will also take some time.
The belief among fans is that Cody Rhodes will take the title back from Cena in time. So the direction for John should become clearer when the American Nightmare returns to WWE programming.
Jeff Cobb has broken his silence after making an impactful WWE debut at the Backlash Premium Live Event on May 10, 2025. Following weeks of speculation after his New Japan Pro-Wrestling departure, the powerhouse officially arrived, immediately aligning himself with Solo Sikoa by attacking LA Knight during the United States Championship match.
Prior to Backlash, Cobb playfully teased retirement on social media, despite reports of WWE contract talks. The former NEVER Openweight Champion ultimately surfaced in St. Louis, making his presence felt. Taking to X after his debut, Cobb referenced his earlier tease of retirement.
“Thank you guys! I’m happy to say I beat retirement and I made it from muscle beach to STL in the nick of time, yeah!!!” This alluded to videos he shared from Muscle Beach before the event.
Thank you guys! I’m happy to say I beat retirement and I made it from muscle beach to STL in the nick of time, yeah!!! https://t.co/LP9Wmm5EA4
Cobb’s interference was a big factor in Jacob Fatu retaining the US Title. His arrival adds a new presence to the WWE roster, bringing his strength and experience from NJPW.
An interesting name has been teased for WWE’s next trip to Saudi Arabia.
The company confirmed their return to the Middle Eastern country for the Night of Champions 2025 PPV on June 28 during the Backlash PPV this week.
The video package promoting the upcoming show from Riyadh featured top WWE names such as John Cena, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, and, very briefly, CM Punk:
The Straight Edge star in the past had been vocal about WWE’s partnership with Saudi Arabia. He even blasted The Miz for working the show and taking ‘blood money’ when the A Lister referenced Punk in a 2020 WWE Backstage segment.
CM Punk’s public view about the matter is believed to be the reason why the company did not book him for the 2024 Crown Jewel PPV in October last year, despite being cleared to compete.
The former world champion being featured in the ad for the show marks an interesting change, bringing him even closer to being the perfect company man.
The former AEW star has not been on WWE programming since Raw after Mania when Bron Breakker took out both Punk and Roman Reigns. He is announced to make his return on this Monday’s Raw.
Night of Champions will be WWE’s only Saudi event this year as they are expected to hold three events there in 2026, including the Royal Rumble PPV.
Jeff Cobb had to make a long journey to make his Backlash appearance happen.
The former NJPW and AEW star had announced ‘retirement’ after ending his run with the Japanese promotion in April, and had stayed away from the wrestling scene for the past few weeks. The heavyweight star finally returned this week at the WWE PPV.
He made a surprise appearance during the Fatal Four-way US Championship match among Jacob Fatu, Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest, and LA Knight. Cobb, taking orders from Solo Sikoa, took out LA Knight during the bout. This allowed Fatu to retain the US title in the end.
PWinsider provided some updates on how this appearance came about. They revealed Jeff Cobb had been in Japan up until this week, and he had to take ‘somewhere in the area of 4-5 flights’ to make it to St. Louis for tonight’s show. He was then hidden by the management until the match.
The site unsurprisingly also confirmed that the former NJPW TV Champion is going to be part of the SmackDown roster going forward. This was expected as both Knight and Sikoa are part of the Blue Branded show as well.
While Jacob Fatu retained his title at the PPV, he seemed unsure about the involvement of Cobb and refused to comment on it in the post-show press conference. We’ll have to see how the things proceed and if the two heavyweights are able to work together under Solo Sikoa.
WWE has teased a character change for John Cena after Backlash.
The Cenation Leader picked up yet another victory, successfully defending his Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton at the latest PPV from St. Louis, Missouri.
The ending of this bout was a chaotic one involving a number of WWE personnel. Cena accidentally took out the referee with the WWE title belt, and then Randy caught him with an RKO. Orton couldn’t get the pin, however, as the ref was down.
General Manager Nick Aldis with several other staff came down to check on the referee only to eat RKOs out of Orton’s hands. The Viper then looked to deliver a punt kick to John but R Truth appeared in the ring to save his childhood hero. He got RKOed for his efforts as well.
All the chaos allowed John Cena to capitalize. He low-blowed his opponent and then used the title belt again to finally get the pin. The 17-time world champion then cut a promo saying that he wants competition. The PPV went off air with the champ still posing in the ring.
The Peacemaker star, however, didn’t leave immediately after the show ended. The crowd cheering him again seemingly got Cena to reconsider his life choices. A ‘Thank You Cena’ chant broke out as the WWE champion exited the ring, and John contemplated his actions for some time before finally making his way to the back.
The former face of WWE turned at Elimination Chamber, but it’s unlikely that he’ll end his career as a heel. This latest tease could be the start of the story that leads Cena back to his roots and turn face again to end his run on a high note.
Logan Paul was already a prominent celebrity before signing with WWE in 2022, and his mainstream appeal has transitioned smoothly into his wrestling career. While many still view Paul as a celebrity-turned-wrestler, WWE’s Chief Content Officer Triple H believes it’s time for that perception to change.
At the post-Backlash press conference, Triple H was asked about celebrity involvement in wrestling. When the journalist mentioned Logan Paul alongside Travis Scott, Bad Bunny, and Pat McAfee, Triple H clarified his perspective.
“I don’t put Logan in that group [of celebrity wrestlers.] I don’t see Logan as now, the outside celebrity that came in to do what we do. He’s really good at this… [He] had a name and was a celebrity walking in the door, but delivers on it in a way where he’s like a full-time performer. I don’t see him in that celebrity vein, I just see him as an incredible performer.”
Paul has competed in 20 WWE matches, with his most recent victory coming against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 41. He’ll look to continue his winning streak when he challenges World Heavyweight Champion Jey Uso at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.
WWE Backlash 2025 opened with an epic four-way that saw Jacob Fatu retain the U.S. Championship against LA Knight, Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest. After the match, it was reported that McIntyre was potentially hurt during this title match.
On the WWE Backlash post-show press conference, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque spoke about the match.
“Luckily everyone is healthy. I think Priest got a tooth that he’s hoping will stay inside his head for a couple of days and get solid again. But other than that, Drew McIntyre, little banged up but totally fine.”
The United States title is the only piece of gold keeping McIntyre from the Grand Slam, a similar fate to his friend Sheamus and the Intercontinental gold. While time will tell if he ever holds the gold, fans can expect McIntyre back in the ring soon enough despite the injury scare.
Cena would’ve lost the gold to Orton if not for R-Truth, who prevented the Viper from using his dreaded punt kick. On the post-Backlash press conference, Truth interrupted Cena, who had spoken about wanting to do better with his handling of the media. Cena did not take kindly to Truth’s interruption, or Truth bringing up the “you can’t wrestle” chant aimed at Cena by the fans. Cena would hit the AA on Truth to end the press conference without answering a single question.
Truth has remained loyal to Cena, even in the face of John’s shocking heel turn. Now, this attack may be what finally makes Truth realize that the John of 2025 is not the ‘childhood hero’ Truth has supported for years.
John Cena will retire in December 2025, concluding his legendary WWE career with a final match at Boston’s TD Garden, according to WCVB. The venue serves as a symbolic setting for the 17-time world champion, who will retire in his hometown.
The retirement news arrives shortly after Cena retained the WWE Championship against Randy Orton at WWE Backlash. The match, which saw Cena deliver a decisive performance, further solidified his status as one of the company’s most enduring figures.
Details on Cena’s final opponent have yet to be revealed, but the event is expected to be a major milestone in WWE’s calendar, marking the end of an era.
At WWE Backlash, U.S. Champion Jacob Fatu retained his title, thanks to the assistance of Solo Sikoa and the debuting Jeff Cobb. After the match, Fatu was visibly confused by Cobb’s arrival, suggesting that Solo had not informed the U.S. Champion about his plan.
Speaking on the post-WWE Backlash press conference, Fatu was asked for his thoughts on Cobb’s debut and made clear that his surprise was genuine.
“You’ve seen the look on my face. There’s nothing that I can explain, there’s nothing that I can say even if I wanted to. At the end of the day, we’re still just trying to figure everything out.”
On the SmackDown before Backlash, Sikoa was concerned that the Bloodline was out of ‘soldiers’ though Fatu was uninterested in making a gameplan. Now, the Bloodline has another ‘soldier’ in its ranks, though the issues between Solo and Jacob may be far from over.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jey Uso will put the gold on the line against Logan Paul in a matter of weeks, it has been confirmed. During WWE Backlash 2025, it was confirmed that Paul will challenge for the title at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on May 24.
World Heavyweight Champion Jey @WWEUsos defends against @LoganPaul at #SNME live two weeks from tonight!
For Paul, this will be his third opportunity to become a WWE World Champion. The Maverick came up short against Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022 and Cody Rhodes at Night of Champions 2024, both times challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Paul and Jey have been building their feud both on and off WWE cameras. After the May 5, edition of WWE Raw, Paul attacked Uso, making clear his desire to be the next World Heavyweight Champion. Now, Paul will get his chance to do just that at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
John Cena’s dream to ruin wrestling and leave WWE as champion is alive and well after retaining the Undisputed WWE Championship at Backlash. In the show’s main event, Cena retained against Randy Orton, renewing one of WWE’s biggest rivalries.
Neither man held back in Orton’s hometown of St. Louis and multiple referees were taken out of action along the way. The finish saw R-Truth get involved and prevent Orton from punting Cena. The 17-time WWE World Champion capitalized by hitting Orton with a low blow before getting the victory.
Cena won the match but he wasn’t finished yet. Grabbing the microphone after the match, Cena declared that he doesn’t need the fans but he needs competition. Cena ended the show by once again declaring that he is the last real champion WWE will ever see.
While WWE had promoted the match as “one last time,” Michael Cole claimed during the event that the match “could be the final time these guys ever go one-on-one.” It remains to be seen if Orton will get another shot at Cena who remains hungry for competition.
AEW’s Kenny Omega once again proved his gaming credentials by beating WWE’s Xavier Woods at Capcom Fighting Collection 2. The pair of wrestlers battled for the UpUpDownDown Championship, a creation of Woods, at the PAX video gaming event.
Though Omega won, he said that he didn’t want the title, as all he wanted was to see the look on Woods’ face when he lost. The wrestling gamers then agreed to meet again with the same stakes on the line.
Woods and Omega are no strangers to doing battle in the video game world. In 2018, New Day (Woods, Kofi Kingston, & Big E) battled The Elite (Kenny Omega & The Young Bucks) in Street Fighter V. It remains to be seen when Omega and Woods meet again and if the New Day star can get a win back against AEW’s resident Cleaner.
Drew McIntyre is reportedly being checked out by WWE medical personnel following a dangerous spot during his match at the WWE Backlash Premium Live Event on Saturday night, according to PWInsider.com. The incident occurred during the WWE United States Championship Fatal Four-Way match.
The contest, held at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri, saw champion Jacob Fatu defend against McIntyre, LA Knight, and Damian Priest. During a high-impact moment, McIntyre and Priest reportedly went off a barricade through two sets of tables.
It was during this “South of Heaven” maneuver with Priest that McIntyre’s head appeared to miss the table, instead hitting the floor hard. PWInsider.com reports they were told McIntyre is currently “being evaluated” by the WWE medical team.
The chaotic match also featured interference from Solo Sikoa and the debuting Jeff Cobb, ultimately leading to Jacob Fatu retaining his United States Championship with a moonsault.
Drew McIntyre is currently being evaluated by WWE's medical team after his head didn't touch the table following Damian Priest's South of Heaven. Drew’s head hit the floor hard as per @PWInsidercompic.twitter.com/wPMDW2ZpaD
WWE will return to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in June 2025 for the annual Night of Champions PLE, it has been confirmed. During the WWE Backlash 2025 event, a video vignette confirmed that the show will take place in Riyadh. The show will take place at the Kingdom Arena, a facility that can host 27,000 fans in its soccer configuration. Night of Champions will be WWE’s first event inside the venue.
Night of Champions will see championship gold on the line though not every title has been defended at the event in the past. WWE’s most recent Night of Champions was also in Saudi Arabia. The show marked 1,000 days of Roman Reigns’ run as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. It also saw Seth Rollins kick off his reign as World Heavyweight Champion.
Stay tuned for the latest on WWE Night of Champions 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
