A look into the New Era's first pay-per-view
SmackDown Live's very first exclusive pay-per-view, Backlash, was Sunday (Sept. 11). While most you of you were watching from the WWE Network, myself, my mom, and a friend got to experience it live from the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, VA.
First, let me start off by saying, I'm was shocked and at the same time so glad that a WWE py-per-view came back to Richmond! I was certain that we would never get another one. Seriously, the last time a WWE pay-per-view came to the Richmond Coliseum was in 2006 for Armageddon (yeah, it been's awhile). Fun fact, I was actually there for that one too. I got to see Kane set MVP on fire in an Inferno Match, witnessed Joey Mercury of MNM almost losing his nose, and of course, watched "His Majesty" King Booker and Finlay get defeated by John Cena and Batista (oh, how the times have changed).
Truly times have changed as Backlash was the true first PPV of WWE's New Era and while leading up to the event, the card did feel like it was missing a certain something, by the end of the night there was much to talk about.
The Backlash Match (9/11) Results
Preshow: Baron Corbin def. Apollo Crews
Six Pack Challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship - Becky Lynch def. Alexa Bliss, Carmela, Naomi, Natalya, and Nikki Bella
The Usos def. The Hype Bros in the semifinals of the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship tournament
Intercontinental Championship match - The Miz def. Dolph Ziggler
Bray Wyatt def. Randy Orton by forfeit
Kane def. Bray Wyatt in a No Holds Barred match
WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship match - Heath Slater and Rhyno def. The Usos
WWE World Championship match - AJ Styles def. Dean Ambrose
3. The Viper A No Show??
Earlier that day, reports were buzzing around that Randy Orton might not wrestle due to an undisclosed injury (some current reports say it's concussion related). I'm not gonna lie, once I heard that Orton might not wrestle I was a little disappointed. Not only is he my favorite (sue me), but he was a big name draw on the match card, so his potential lack of appearance would cause a hole in the card and make the show somewhat less interesting. Still, by the time Backlash began, there was still no official word on whether Orton was cleared to fight. But alas, he would end up not being cleared. To make up for this, WWE Creative had Bray "attack" Orton before the pay-per-view to explain his absence. So Bray won by forfeit, but had a replacement match with the one, the only....Kane
Yep, the Big Red Disappointment, Kane. Don't get me wrong, Kane is a legend and veteran in the WWE, but really? He hasn't really been relevant in over a year! Bray is a guy who is supposed to be gaining traction in WWE, becoming a major star for the blue brand, not facing a guy who's greatest days are definitely behind him. Nevertheless, the only redeeming quality of the impromptu match was that it was No Holds Barred. The stipulation led to Bray putting Kane through one of the announce tables and Orton making an impromptu appearance, giving Bray an RKO for good measure. While the RKO got the crowd at Backlash, questions are now arising. When we will actually get to see Wyatt and Orton face off in the ring? Just how bad is Orton's injury? And of course, who is deadlier, the Eater of All Worlds or the Viper?
2. The Work Horse Match
One of the two most impressive matches of the night was the IC title match. The Miz was coming off of what is easily being considered the greatest promo of his career. Dolph Ziggler, who recently failed to get a rematch for the WWE World title was seriously in need of a win or at least a great showing to make him look like he was still relevant. While I was really craving a Miz vs. Daniel Bryan angle leading up to Backlash, this Backlash match sufficed for the moment. Their match lasted almost twenty minutes (the second longest match of the night) proving WWE had a lot of faith in these boys to help carry the PPV and boy did they. It was simply a good, old work horse match. Just two mid-card guys leaving it all in the ring. And let me tell you the crowd was eating it up! It wasn't halfway through the match before the famous "This is awesome!" chant rang through the venue. The near falls in particular, had everybody on the edge of their seat. Even though I figured that the Miz would win, every near fall Ziggler had gave me a little bit of hope that he might just walk away with the IC title. However, you got to give the devil his due, the Miz was not a "coward" that night, well up until he had his wife, Maryse, spray what I can only hope was hairspray in the eyes of Ziggler to get the win. But what do you expect? Miz is the cowardly heel after all.
1. AJ Styles Makes History
The other match of the night was the main event, the WWE World Title match. AJ Styles or "The Face that Runs the Place" as he would like to be called was riding high on his wave of momentum stemming from his phenomenal (pun intended) SummerSlam victory over John Cena. AJ Styles has faced numerous big names and legends in the wrestling industry but no one quite like Dean Ambrose. The "Lunatic Fringe" finally became WWE's top dog back in June during the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. When RAW and SmackDown Live split, he was SmackDown's first draft pick taking the title to the blue brand. Since then, he's been one of the few reasons to watch SmackDown Live. Just like Ziggler and Miz, these two guys put it all on the line. Plus their two different wrestling styles really meshed together in the match. AJ's aerial moves against Dean's erratic brawler style made for a match to remember and had the crowd hooked from beginning to end. In the end, Styles would end Ambrose' title reign with a kick to the groin and become the new WWE World Champion causing fans on Twitter to explode. Styles' historic victory cemented his legacy as arguably one of the greatest wrestlers of all time as he is the only man to have held the top titles in all three of the world's top professional wrestling promotions (WWE, TNA and IWGP). It's obvious that WWE is looking to the 39-year old to help carry the SmackDown brand to new heights in the New Era as rumors are circulating that he will be have the title for quite some time. I personally look forward to the Phenomenal One's long reign as champion.
That's all for now. I'll talk to you next time when the bell rings.
Watch the highlight of the big night in the video below