WWE BACKLASH 2018
PREDICTIONS
Hot on the heels of what was (for me) a pretty passable Greatest Royal Rumble PPV (which I may or may not do a retrospective on) it's the PPV where some of the fallout of Wrestlemania boils over and some superstars have the chance at retribution known as Backlash.
The Prudential Centre in Newark, New Jersey will be the host for the first dual branded Backlash PPV since 2009 which was a very solid PPV coming off of a mediocre Wrestlemania 25 that year.
I don't think that this year's Backlash will be as good as that one was, but I could be wrong.
There are some match ups on the card that I am interested in tuning into the PPV for, so I will go into this one with some degree of excitement much like I Did Wrestlemania 34.
Roman Reigns vs Samoa Joe is sure to be another smash mouthed encounter between two heavy hitters in the ring, and will surely be the best match up that these two have had so far.
Roman Reigns (right) has been reeling since being a victim of a brutal defeat yet again at the hands of Brock Lesnar, Samoa Joe (left) will be looking to pick apart a emotionally and physically drained Reigns this Sunday
The stake here will be be momentum going into the World Championship picture on their respective brands, so this showdown will pretty much have a prize winning feel.
Shinsuke Nakamura has been reborn with a whole new energy since spitting in the face of honor and respect when he shockingly assaulted AJ Styles after losing their WWE Championship bout at Wrestlemania 34, and seems to be even more hungry, motivated and ruthless in becoming the new WWE Champion.
It will be intriguing to see if the weeks of low assaults from Nakamura will finally cause AJ Styles to crack at Backlash causing him to finally lose the WWE Championship to a a hungry shark like Shinsuke Nakamura.
Without further ado, it's time to run down tonight's match card, and give my take on what I think will happen in each contest:
Kickoff Singles Match:
Bayley vs Ruby Riott (with Liv Morgan and Sarah Morgan)
Who will gain momentum for a possible show at the WWE Raw Women's Championship?
I must say i'm a bit confused as to what exactly the WWE are doing with Bayley as of late and what exactly the end game is for her ongoing feud with Sasha Banks, there are ongoing rumours of a heel turn coming, which would be a breath of fresh air for the 'hugger' and might just be what she needs to get to the next level as her babyface character has run very dry.
Ruby Riott on the other hand, has a lot of potential going forward, and has some Lita-esque qualites about her in my opinion, I can see her eventually becoming a popular babyface with 'edge' female superstar one day if all goes well with her booking and development.
As for this Kickoff match, I can see it being short and sweet while also giving an indication of just where Bayley's character is going forward.
What Will Happen: Ruby Riott will defeat Bayley due to miscue help from Sasha Banks who will help Bayley from Riott Squad Shenanigans.
What I Want Happen: Same as above.
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match:
Seth Rollins(c) vs The Miz
Can The Miz (left) re-capture the WWE Intercontinental Championship in what may well be his last chance?
I must say that The Miz pretty much looks naked without the WWE Intercontinental Championship now after pretty much making the Championship his own and something that can pretty much be tied to his name when you think of the belt especially with the great run he went on with it, but as everything in life, things must come to an end.
Which is where Seth Rollins has come in and is now carrying the 'workhorse' mantle as the current WWE Intercontinental Champion, which when I think of it, feels like a perfect fit especially with what Seth Rollins can do in the ring when he's on his game, and I'm hoping that we do get the epic WWE Intercontinental Championship matches that I'm picturing in my head from him going forward.
This should be an entertaining bout, as The Miz will pretty much be looking to put in a top performance and doing everything he can to get the championship that he made relevant again back in what could well be the last time he is in contention for the WWE Intercontinental Championship as he gets ready to adjust to life back on the Smackdown roster.
What Will Happen: Seth Rollins will defeat The Miz to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
What I Want Happen: Same as above.
WWE Raw Women's Championship Match:
Nia Jax(c) vs Alexa Bliss
Will Nia Jax (left) once again teach Alexa Bliss (right) a lesson or can Alexa Bliss somehow recapture the WWE Raw Women's Championship?
Much like the heel turn that has benefited Shinsuke Nakamura and has him looking very much in his element, Nia Jax as a babyface has fit like a glove in my opinion as she is now pretty much getting a reaction from the crowd now, which was something missing when she was heel, she now finds herself as a loveable monster babyface and her current WWE Raw Women's Championship reign is just a perfect fit for the division.
As for Alexa Bliss, I don't see her getting the WWE Raw Women's Championship back anytime soon, as I feel she has run a good course with the belt and it may be time for her to switch to the babyface side down the road.
I'm expecting this match to pretty much be the same story as their Wrestlemania 34 bout, with Alexa Bliss trying her best to come up with a cunning plan to beat Nia Jax but coming up short.
What Will Happen: Nia Jax will defeat Alexa Bliss to retain the WWE Raw Women's Championship.
What I Want Happen: Same as above.
WWE United States Championship Singles Match:
Jeff Hardy(c) vs Rand Orton
Who will walk away with the prize in the clash of The Enigma vs The Viper?
These two are no strangers to each other in the ring as they have a history together of feuding over the WWE Championship back when Randy Orton was the sadistic heel WWE Champion running rough shot over Monday night Raw back in late 2007 to 2009, Jeff Hardy on the other hand was the underdog babyface trying so hard to reach the brass ring that was the WWE Championship but ultimatley came up short against the Viper at Royal Rumble 2008.
Fast forward 10 years later and these two find themselves to be very seasoned in ring competitors fighting for Smackdown's prestigious WWE United States Championship, with Randy Orton now chasing Jeff Hardy's prize.
This should be a very entertaining in ring match up and could be match of the night if both Randy Orton and Jeff Hardy really hit high gear.
I think it can also be said that Jeff Hardy is a very high commodity for WWE and the Smackdown brand, so I don't expect him to drop the WWE United States Championship anytime soon.
What Will Happen: Jeff Hardy will defeat Randy Orton to retain the WWE United States Championship.
What I Want Happen: Same as above.
Tag Team Match:
Bobby Lashley & Braun Strowman vs Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
Can Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman work effectively as a team to silence Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
This is a fresh and interesting tag team match up and it stems pretty much from the tension that seems to be boiling up between Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley which is sure to affect the outcome of this match.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn seem to be fishes out of water on the Raw brand as they were on top of the world and in their element on the Smackdown brand, so a big win is definitely needed for them here to kick start some momentum on the Raw brand.
I can easily see Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman trying to one up each other in their beat down of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in the ring and taking their eye off the ball in this one.
What Will Happen: Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will defeat Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman, with Bobby Lashley turning on Braun Strowman.
What I Want Happen: Same as above.
Singles Match:
Daniel Bryan vs Big Cass
Daniel Bryan officially find himself in yet another David vs Goliath situaution for his second PPV match back as an active member of the WWE roster.
I am excited to see just how these two will work in the ring with Big Cass being a seven foot tall giant and Daniel Bryan being very much a five foot nine wrestling spitfire.
Matches that feature these kind of ingredients usually end up being very, very good, and this is most definitely a big match for Big Cass to shine and really get his character over.
I can't help but feel that he will need the win here too.
What Will Happen: Big Cass will defeat Daniel Bryan.
What I Want Happen: Daniel Bryan finds a way to beat Big Cass.
WWE Smackdown Women's Championship:
Carmella(c) vs Charlotte Flair
Will Carmella (left) cement her WWE Smackdown Women's Championship reign with
successful defense against Charlotte Flair?(right)
successful defense against Charlotte Flair?(right)
After what had felt like an eternity, Carmella is finally the WWE Smackdown Women's Champion after cashing in her Money In The Bank briefcase.
But the jury is still out as to whether her reign will be a long term one. There is however no denying that Carmella has been a shining spot of the Smackdown Women's division ever since she landed on the roster.
Charlotte Flair on the other hand was looking very strong as the Smackdown Women's champion before Carmella cashed in her briefcase on her, and I feel that the WWE Women's Championship will return to her sometime in the near future.
Not sure if tonight will be the night though.
What Will Happen: Carmella will defeat Charlotte Flair to retain the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship.
What I Want Happen: Same as above.
Singles Match:
Roman Reigns vs Samoa Joe
Who will walk away from this smash mouth clash victorious?
This is going to be a collision, and it's down to both Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe having a point to prove, for Roman Reigns it's all about retribution and picking himself up again after being brutally defeated by Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 34 and once again coming up short against the beast in a steel cage match at The Greastest Royal Rumble.
Samoa Joe wants to stamp his authority and jump right into the mix for the WWE Championship with a win here.
This is going to be perhaps the most brutal encounter that these two have had in the ring.
What Will Happen: Roman Reigns will defeat Samoa Joe.
What I Want Happen: Samoa Joe defeats Roman Reigns.
WWE Championship Match:
AJ Styles(c) vs Shinsuke Nakamura
AJ Styles (left) has been able to hold onto the WWE Championship against all odds, but will his time run out at Backlash 2018 against a crazed and determined Shinsuke Nakamura? (right)
This should be the last match on the card, but I am in doubt as to whether it will be any different or more improved from their last two encounters, as AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura have not quite clicked in the ring as many would have expected.
But it can't be denied that Shinsuke Nakamura has been thoroughly entertaining in his new heel character that has been giving AJ Styles the 'Low Blow of Death' week after week which is the main factor of me still being interested in these two squaring off.
I think the time has probably come for AJ Styles to finally be mentally outwitted by a hungry and cunning Shinsuke Nakamura in the ring.
What Will Happen: Shinsuke Nakamure will defeat AJ Styles to become the new WWE Champion.
What I Want Happen: Same as above.
And there are my predictions for what I think will happen on the night. Backlash 2018 should be a decent to solid PPV.
-Simeon Barrett
