WWE Backlash: Jerry Harkin’s Top 3 Match Picks

Backlash’s premium live event occurred in St. Louis at Enterprise Arena on Saturday at 7 PM. The night’s main event would feature Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena against his long-time rival Randy Orton. The whole card for WWE Backlash was stacked with four title defenses and a match between Gunther and Pat McAfee. In this article, I will pick my top three matches of the night and the biggest surprise of the night.

Fatal Four Way For the US Title

The US title was in a fatal four-way match at Backlash between champion Jacob Fatu, LA Knight, Drew McIntyre, and Damian Priest. This match kicked off the show and very well could have been my number one if not for the ending of this match. Knight would be the one to start with the momentum in landing significant strikes and countering his opponent’s moves to get the advantage. The next superstar to get the upper hand at Backlash was McIntyre, who hit neck breakers on all three of his opponents. All three challengers’ explicit goal was to limit Fate from causing the destruction he is known for.

McIntyre and Fatu would have a tense stare-down in the ring, and the champion finally got in his rhythm. Fatu was starting to get going before Knight could hit a BFT on him. That started a string of finishers between the challengers, and Priest would try to pin Knight before McIntyre broke it up.McIntyre would hit two future shock DDTs on Fatu and Knight with everyone’s lid off. McIntyre would then hit a Claymore on Knight and land it. He would attempt a pin, but Priest would pull the ref out of the ring, stopping the three count.

The two rivals would essentially take themselves out of the match with the spot of the game, which was Priest hitting his South of Haven chokeslam through tables. Knight and Fatu are the only two left. Knight would prop Fatu on the announcer’s table until Solo Sikoa emerged to help his family. He was not alone. WWE’s newest signing, Jeff Cobb, would unleash a vicious assault on Knight. This would make easy work for Fatu, who would leap off the top turnbuckle onto Knight for the pin. This match was full of offense, lived up to the hype, and kicked off Backlash right.

Women’s Intercontinental Championship

This match was the idol-to-foe feel from the start. Becky Lynch would try to get into the head of the champ Lyra Valkyria early, but the champ was not rattled. Valkyria would also toy with Lynch with a submission roll and swing her around the ring. The two would get outside the ring for Lynch to bring Valkyrie’s fiancé to the ringside. The two would get back in the ring with Valkyria hitting a superplex on Lynch and going for a pin, only for Lynch to kick out. Valkyria would escape a Manhandle Slam to try and hit a Flying Leg Moonsault drop, only for Lynch to get her knees up.

Lynch would then hit her Manhandle Slam, but Valkyria would kick out to everyone’s surprise. That would lead to Lynch bringing a chair into the ring, only for the ref to stop her. As the ref was disposing of the chair, Lynch would remove the turnbuckle cover. The ref would see the exposed turnbuckle and try to replace it when Valkyria hit Nightwing, but the ref was late to the count. The match would end in a series of roll-up pins, and Valkyria was on the right end of one. Lynch would be so mad about the loss, she attacked Valkyria, putting him in the Dis-Arm Her until the refs broke it up.

 Undisputed WWE Championship

The main event of Backlash would see John Cena and his old foe Randy Orton seemingly battle it out One Last Time inside a WWE ring. The bell rang, and the two would soak in this environment for their final chapter in this 25-plus-year rivalry. Cena would stick his hand out for a handshake, and Orton would accept only to get gouged in the eye. Orton could also play that game by dishing an eye poke back to Cena at the Backlash. Orton would control the match to start, and Cena would attempt to leave before Orton would drag him back into the ring.

That’s when the 17-time champ finally got off some offense, but it would not last long as Orton would give him 20 blows in the corner. Then Cena would get on his vintage roll of moves ending with a Five Nuckle Shuffle. He would get Orton on his shoulders for an AA and hit it at first glance. Orton could get his arms around Cena’s neck for an RKO while taking each other out in the same spot.

It would continue to be a trade finisher until Cena would mock Orton’s killer instinct move and try to punt Orton. He got out of the way only to get shoved into the ref. Cena landed a clean AA, and with the ref out, Cena would grab his title belt to use it. Instead, Orton hit him with a surprise RKO. The ref could recover to count the pin, but it was long enough to allow Cena to recover and kick out. Orton decided to clear the announcer’s table, and Cena would push Orton into the ref, who would go headfirst into the steel steps.

Cena tried the AA on Orton, but he reversed it and delivered his AA to Cena on the announcer’s table. With the ref still out, Orton would get a table from under the ring and use Cena’s AA through the table. Orton would drag Cena back into the ring to hit an RKO, and another ref came down to the ring to count, but Cena would kick out at two.

Cena would hit Orton in the head with the title, but Orton dodged it, only for Cena to hit the new ref square in the head. Orton would then hit an RKO and pin Cena with again no ref, the crowd would count a 10 count, and Nick Aldis, with other suits, came to check on the ref. Orton would have an RKO party in the ring; anyone in a suit got one.

Orton would get ready to punt Cena in the head, only for R-Truth to come down to stop him from it. Orton would RKO Truth, and Cena would low blow, then hit Orton with the title. The first ref would crawl back into the ring to count the three counts for Cena to retain the WWE title.

 Final Thoughts

Backlash was a very successful event in St. Louis. The match of the night was undoubtedly the main event between John Cena and Randy Orton for the WWE Title. That match was written well and delivered an instant classic between two rivals. I would say the spot of the night would come after the show in Cena’s post-match press conference, where R-Truth would come out to congratulate Cena, but Truth would say the wrong thing to him.

He would say it docent matter that the fans say you suck and can not wrestle at events like the Backlash. Cena would stand up and tell Truth that what he said was out of line. Cena also said to speak no more, or he would face the repercussions. Truth would try to say something else, leading to Cena giving him an AA through the table, then leaving. I hope you enjoy my top three matches from Backlash, and as always, stay tuned to Total Apex Sports for all things WWE.