WWE’s first pay-per-view since WrestleMania 37 takes place tonight.
For the first time in his WWE career, Cesaro will get a one-on-one World title shot as he challenges Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship. Reigns retained against both Daniel Bryan and Edge in a triple threat match at WrestleMania.
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley also retained his title at WrestleMania, defeating Drew McIntyre. Lashley will defend the WWE Championship against McIntyre and Braun Strowman in a triple threat match tonight.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair and Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley both won their titles at WrestleMania. Belair will make her first title defense when she faces off against Bayley tonight. Ripley will put her title on the line against Asuka and Charlotte Flair in a triple threat match.
Plus, Rey & Dominik Mysterio will look to become the first father-son Tag Team Champions in WWE history as they face Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode for the SmackDown Tag Team titles. Damian Priest and The Miz will also face off in a lumberjack match.
Tonight’s pre-show starts at 6 p.m. Eastern time. The main card then begins at 7 p.m. Eastern.
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Kick-Off Show
Kayla Braxton introduced the panel members Booker T, JBL, and Pete Rosenberg. Rosenberg started by praising Booker’s A&E Biography. They ran down tonight’s lineup.
They recapped the Roman Reigns and Cesaro feud, including Reigns beating Daniel Bryan and Jimmy Uso’s return. The panel discussed the Universal title match. JBL and Rosenberg picked Reigns to retain the title, but Booker thinks Cesaro’s leaving champion tonight.
They recapped Bianca Belair winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship and her feud with Bayley. Sonya Deville joined the panel to talk about Belair vs. Bayley.
The panel turned their attention to Damien Priest vs. The Miz in a lumberjack match. They recapped Priest beating John Morrison to pick the lumberjack stipulation. Booker picked The Miz to win because he’s old school.
They recapped the Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair feud. It highlighted Ripley winning the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37, Flair’s return, and her suspension.
Deville joined the panel again. Braxton noted Deville lifted Flair’s suspension and added her to the title match. Deville defended her decision and praised Flair.
The panel discussed Rey and Dominik Mysterio taking on SmackDown Tag Team Champions Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode. They aired clips of Mysterio beating Ziggler last Friday.
In the back, Dominik was warming up when he ran into Ziggler and Roode. He tried to walk away, but they jumped him and beat him down. They dropped some big object on top of him and ran off.
Referees ran over but struggled to get the object off of him.
Sheamus came out and made an open challenge but in a non-title match. He mocked past champions that defended the title against anyone. He pointed out he’s not one of those champions.
He issued a challenge to anyone in the back, and Ricochet accepted.
Non-Title: United States Champion Sheamus defeated Ricochet
Ricochet and Sheamus had a good kick-off show match.
Ricochet rocked Sheamus with a dropkick right at the bell. He had the brief advantage until Sheamus hit Ricochet with a clothesline.
Sheamus stomped on Ricochet and gave him the Dublin smile. He tried slowing the pace down, but Ricochet fought back. Sheamus tried to pull Ricochet out of the corner, but he held on.
Ricochet hit a springboard clothesline, standing shooting star press and Asai moonsault for a near fall. Sheamus tried to pick up Ricochet, but he rolled through. Sheamus recovered and rocked Ricochet with a knee to the face.
Ricochet regained control with a backstabber. He followed up with a springboard 450-spalsh for a very close two-count.
Ricochet missed a 450-splash but avoided the Brogue kick. He rolled up Sheamus for a near fall. Sheamus jumped to his feet and rocked Ricochet with brogue kick for the win.
After the match, Sheamus put his hat and jacket back on. He started talking about issuing more open challenges than anyone else. Suddenly, Ricochet jumped Sheamus from behind. He then put on Sheamus’s hat and jacket. Sheamus was furious and chased after Ricochet.
The panel discussed the WWE Championship match. They recapped the feud between Drew McIntrye, Braun Strowman, and WWE Champion Bobby Lashley.
Main Show
Batista narrated the opening video, which had a tie-in with his new movie Army of Darkness.
Triple Threat Match: Raw Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley defeated Asuka and Charlotte Flair to retain the title (15:22)
Flair, Asuka, and Ripley had a good match.
They did the special ring introductions with all three standing in the ring. Flair rolled to the floor, but Asuka and Ripley went after her.
Ripley rolled up Flair for a near fall, but Asuka broke up the pin attempt. Flair ended up on the apron, and Asuka knocked her off with the hip attack.
Ripley and Asuka went back and forth until Flair pulled Asuka out of the ring. Flair took over and isolated Ripley in the ring. Flair ended up back on the apron, and Asuka pulled at her leg.
Ripley knocked Flair off the apron. Asuka climbed up the turnbuckle, but Ripley knocked her off too. Flair recovered and knocked out Ripley on the floor. She isolated Asuka in the ring and hit a boot to the face for a two-count.
Asuka recovered and caught Flair in an armbar. Flair broke free, but Asuka locked the armbar back on. Ripley jumped back in to break up the submission. Flair fought back and regained control.
Flair was firmly in control until Ripley started running wild. She hit a series of clotheslines and knees to Flair. She followed up with a Northern Lights suplex, but Asuka broke up the pin attempt.
Asuka gave Flair two German suplexes and hit the hip attack on Ripley in the corner. Asuka hit Flair and Ripley with a series of kicks. She followed up with a sliding knee on Flair for a near fall.
Asuka caught Ripley with a missile dropkick. Ripley then pulled Asuka off the apron. Flair followed up with a moonsault of the top rope to the floor. She threw Asuka back in the ring, but Ripley cut Flair off. Ripley attempted a superplex, but Flair held on.
Asuka then joined Ripley, and they gave Flair a double superplex. Ripley, Flair, and Asuka traded shots in the middle of the ring. Ripley caught Flair and Asuka with headbutts.
Asuka and Ripley gave Flair a double suplex, but Flair landed on her feet. She gave them both chop blocks and Natural Selection. Flair covered both for a close near fall.
Flair attempted a moonsault on Asuka and Ripley, but they both moved. Ripley tried to give Asuka the Rip Tide, but Flair made the save. Flair ended up back on the apron again.
Asuka charged at Flair on the apron, but Flair caught her with a boot. Flair fell off the apron, and Ripley hit the Rip Tide on Asuka for the win.
Ripley taunted Flair after the match.
They showed Bobby Lashley and MVP arriving at the arena.
In the back, John Morrison promised to talk to the lumberjacks to make sure Damien Priest falls into their thirst trap. Miz doesn’t think Morrison knows what a thirst trap is.
They recapped Ziggler and Roode attacking Dominik Mysterio on the kick-off show. Michael Cole noted The Mysterio’s dream of winning the tag team titles might not happen.
In the trainer’s room, Dominik couldn’t even stand because of his injury.
Rey told Dominik he can’t compete tonight and to stay in the back.
Rey & Dominik Mysterio defeated Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode to win the SmackDown Tag Team Titles (17:00)
This was a fun tag team match that told a good story.
Michael Cole pointed out that Rey’s daughter and wife are watching on Watch Along.
Rey decided to compete in the match without a partner because of Dominik’s injury. Rey jumped the champions to gain the early advantage.
Rey sent Ziggler to the floor and whipped Roode into the ropes. Rey then hit a sliding splash through Roode’s legs to the floor on Ziggler. Rey was firmly in control and gave Roode a senton off the apron.
Rey rolled up Roode for a near fall. Roode recovered and took over with a vicious clothesline.
The heels took over and slowed the pace down. Rey fought back and knocked Ziggler off the apron. Rey climbed to the top rope, but Ziggler knocked him off. Rey ended up in the tree of woe and injured his knee.
Roode worked over Rey’s knee. The referee asked if Rey wanted to give up, but he refused. Rey fought back, but the heels hit an assisted famouser for a close near fall.
Roode threw Rey under the bottom rope, and Ziggler caught him with a superkick. Rey beat the ten count, but the heels were firmly in control. They went for a double suplex, but Rey reversed.
Rey fought back and sent Ziggler shoulder-first into the ring post. Dominik Mysterio then walked down to the ring and got on the apron.
Dominik begged to get tagged in, but Rey refused. Rey set up Ziggler for the 619, but Ziggler recovered and hit the Zig-Zag for a near fall.
The heels isolated Rey on their side of the ring. Roode climbed to the top rope with Rey on his shoulders. Rey fought back and hit a bulldog off the top rope.
Rey crawled to his corner but hesitated to tag Dominik. Rey caught Roode with a dropkick and fell into the corner. Dominik tagged himself in and briefly ran wild.
Roode caught Dominik with a spinebuster to take over. The heels hit an assisted neck breaker for another near fall.
Ziggler set up for a superkick, but Dominik hit a superkick first. Rey got the hot tag and briefly ran wild. Roode caught Rey with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for a close two-count.
Rey fought back and hit the 619 on Roode. Rey tagged in Dominik and took out Ziggler with a sunset powerbomb into the barricade. Dominik then hit the frog splash on Roode for the win.
After the match, Kayla Braxton interviewed Rey and Dominik in the ring. They celebrated winning the tag team titles and becoming the first-ever father and son SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
They aired a commercial for Army of Darkness.
In the back, John Morrison approached the lumberjacks locker room. He knocked on the door, and a bunch of zombies walked out. Yes, zombies.
Jimmy Uso entered Roman Reigns’ dressing room. Jimmy got in Jey’s face and noted that Reigns locker room is a lot better than his.
Reign showed up and approached them. Jimmy just wanted to wish Reigns good luck in his match.
John Morrison tried to tell The Miz that the lumberjacks are zombies. The Miz didn’t believe him. Morrison agreed that he must be wrong, and they walked off.
A bunch of zombies then walked by.
They showed a tweet from Batista. He noted he couldn’t be at Backlash, but some of his friends will be there. It turns out that Batista’s friends with zombies.
Lumberjack Zombie Match: Damien Priest defeated The Miz (7:00)
This wasn’t good. The zombies dragged the match down and took away all the focus.
Suddenly, this turned into a horror movie. Smoked filled the arena, and zombies came out of the crowd.
The Miz and Morrison tried to run away, but there were too many zombies.They ran over to the commentators, but a zombie came out from under the table.
The focus of the match was on the zombies at ringside. The Miz took over with a boot to the face. Miz fell to the floor, so he crawled under the ring to get away from the zombies.
Priest took advantage and scored a near fall. He followed up with a spinning heel kick off the top rope for a near fall. Miz avoided a kick and locked on the figure four leg lock.
The zombies pulled Miz and Priest to the floor.Miz and Priest then worked together to fight off the zombies. Priest rocked a zombie with a kick to the head.
Miz tried to high five Priest, but Priest hit a falcon arrow for a near fall. Morrison ran back to the ring, but Preist knocked him off the apron. The Miz then hit a running knee on Priest for a near fall.
Morrison took out the zombies with a dive. He attempted a move off the barricade, but a bunch of zombies dragged him to the other side of the barricade.
Preist then caught Miz with hit the lights for the win.
After the match, the zombies all climbed in the ring and crawled all over Miz. The idea appeared to be that the zombies were eating The Miz.
Jey Uso approached Jimmy Uso in the back. Jey was furious with Jimmy for the way he talked to their cousin. Jimmy got in Jey’s face and mocked him.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair defeated Bayley to retain the title (16:00)
Belair and Bayley had a good match. They both worked hard and told a good story.
Belair had the early advantage as she caught Bayley with a dropkick. Belair chased Bayley around ringside. She avoided Bayley with a leapfrog and hit a shoulder tackle.
Belair followed up with the hand-spring splash for a near fall. Bayley grabbed Belair’s earring to take over. Bayley slowed the pace down with a chin lock.
Bayley caught Belair with a back suplex for a two-count. Belair fought back and hit a suplex. Bayley recovered and used an inside cradle for a near fall.
They fought around ringside. Bayley regained control after she dropped Belair on the steps. Belair kicked out and sent Bayley to the floor. Bayley mocked Belair and laughed in her face.
Belair fired up and ran wild. She missed a charge in the corner, and Bayley regained control. Belair caught Bayley with a spinebuster for another near fall.
Bayley recovered and hit the flying elbow for another close near fall. Bayley then sent Belair into the ring post.
Bayley missed a suicide dive, and Belair drove her into the apron. Bayley used a back slide with her feet on the ropes for a near fall. She tried to cheat again, but the referee caught her.
Bayley then raked Belair in the eyes to regain control. Bayley did the ripcord using Belair’s hair. She then hit the Bayley-to-Belly for a two-count.
Bayley attempted the Rose Plant, but Belair reversed into a roll-up and used her hair for the win.
In the back, Kevin Patrick interviewed MVP. He noted Braun Strowman turned down his offer. He promised that Bobby Lashley would retain the WWE Championship tonight.
Triple Threat Match: WWE Champion Bobby Lashley (w/MVP) defeated Drew McIntrye and Braun Strowman to retain the title (14:11)
This was a good triple threat match with lots of hard-hitting action that went all over the arena.
Strowman had the early advantage as he threw Lashey and McIntrye around the ring. Lashley and McIntrye worked together and hit a double suplex on Strowman.
McIntyre took over and hit a cross body on Lashley. He scored a near fall on Strowman, but Lashley broke up the pin attempt. Lashley slammed Strowman down for another near fall.
Strowman hit Lashley with the steps to gain control briefly. McIntrye hit the Claymore kick on Storwman, which sent him over the barricade.
Lashley then gave McIntrye a suplex on the ramp to regain control. McIntrye fought back and sent Lashley into the LED board on the ramp.
He threw Lashley into the LED board again, and it exploded with sparks flying everywhere. Graves pointed out that Lashley disappeared.
Strowman attacked McIntrye to retake control of the match. He tossed McIntrye back in the ring and hit a senton for a near fall. Strowman missed a charge in the corner, and McIntrye hit the Michinoku Driver for a close near fall.
Strowman ran at McIntrye at ringside, but McIntrye countered with a suplex. Mcintyre attempted the Claymore kick, but Strowman caught him and power bombed him onto the announce table.
Strowman went for the running power slam, but McIntyre slipped out the back. McIntrye responded with the Claymore kick.
McIntyre had the match won, but Lashley returned. He threw McIntrye out of the ring and hit the spear on Strowman for the win.
Universal Champion Roman Reigns (w/Paul Heyman) defeated Cesaro to retain the title (27:31)
Reigns and Cesaro had great match. They worked a fast-paced, hard-hitting match that told a really good story.
Behind the curtain, Reigns was preparing to enter for his title defense. He told Jey Uso to stay in the back. Uso noted he’s always in Reigns’ corner and said, “what if”. Reigns wanted to know what he meant by that. He compared Jey to Jimmy and noted he doesn’t need Jey. He told Jey to find his brother.
They battled over a lock-up until Reigns backed Cesaro in the corner. Reigns slowed the pace down with a headlock, but Cesaro broke free. Reigns hit a shoulder tackle for a one-count. Reigns got the headlock back on, but Cesaro broke free again.
Cesaro caught Reigns with a shoulder tackle for a one-count. Reigns became frustrated and rolled out of the ring.
Reigns tossed Cesaro to the floor, and he landed on his arm. Reigns worked over Cesaro’s arm and slammed him into the announce table. Reigns slowed the pace down with a headlock. Cesaro attempted a suplex but Reigns reversed into a suplex of his own.
Reigns slowed the pace down again. Cesaro broke free, but Reigns hit a flying clothesline for a one-count.
Reigns went back to the chin lock. Cesaro tried to fight back, but Reigns hit a Samoan Drop for a near fall. Cesaro avoided the superman punch and hit a pop-up uppercut. Cesaro followed up with a series of uppercuts in the corner. He hit a big boot for a near fall.
Cesaro targeted Reigns leg and locked on the sharpshooter. Reigns crawled to the ropes to break the hold.
Cesaro then hit a corkscrew plancha to the floor. He followed up with a running uppercut at ringside. Cesaro then hit a flying crossbody in the ring for a near fall.
Reigns fought back and worked over Cesaro’s arm. He followed up with the drive-by to the arm. Cesaro briefly fought back, but Reigns went back to the arm.
Reigns was firmly in control. He backed Cesaro in the corner caught him with a big boot. Reigns taunted Cesaro and stomped him in the corner. Cesaro fought back with uppercuts and a clothesline.
Cesaro and Reigns traded shots in the middle of the ring. Cesaro then gave Reigns a superplex from the apron for a near fall.
Cesaro attempted the sharpshooter but Reigns fought back. Cesaro then hit a double-foot stomp. Cesaro went for the Neutralizer, but his arm gave out. Cesaro fought back and went for the springboard uppercut, but Reigns hit the superman punch for a near fall.
Reigns went for the spear, but Cesaro hit an uppercut. Cesaro attempted the pop-up uppercut, but his arm gave out again.
Reigns locked on the guillotine submission, but Cesaro broke free. Cesaro then locked on the sharpshooter. He then transitioned into the cross face, but Reigns broke free. Reigns hit Cesaro with a series of shots. He then hit a sit-out powerbomb for a close near fall.
Cesaro tried to fight back, but Reigns got the guillotine submission. Cesaro lifted Reigns up and almost broke free. Reigns tightened his grip, and Cesaro passed out.
After the match, Jey Uso ran out and congratulated Reigns for his win. Reigns whispered in Jey’s ear. Jey then hit Cesaro with a superkick and beat him down.
Suddenly, Seth Rollin’s music hit, and he walked down to the ring. Rollins got in Reigns’ face. He then smiled and attacked Cesaro. Rollins threw Cesaro out of the ring. He beat him around ringside and grabbed a chair.
Rollins attacked Cesaro with the chair and targeted the injured arm. He trapped Cesaro’s arm in a chair and slammed it against the ring post. He then hit the curb stomp on Cesaro and celebrated to end WrestleMania Backlash.
