Backlash recap:
Winner takes all War Games match:
(If Hurt Business wins they get all their gold back; if they lose they cannot challenge for the titles whilst The New Day and Street Profits hold them):
The New Day and The Street Profits (Big E, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) © vs The Hurt Business (Samoa Joe, Swerve Strickland, Lio Rush, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander)
The Hurt Business have been standing atop the Monday Night Raw roster holding the Men’s WWE, Intercontinental, Cruiserweight, and World tag team titles until WrestleMania 37, where over the two nights, The New Day and The Street Profits took all the gold away from The Hurt Business. Coming out of WrestleMania, The Hurt Business looked to get back on track and brutally attacked The New Day and The Street Profits, laying both groups out!
The New Day and Street Profits came back the next week, looking for payback, leading to a mass brawl until Wade Barrett made a winner-takes-all match inside of War Games! The lead-up to Backlash would see the two teams battling with each other, and whilst The New Day plus The Street Profits seemed to be on the same page, there was tension within The Hurt Business, with Swerve Strickland calling Lio Rush a weak link. Which group will walk out of War Games with the gold?
Women’s Universal title match:
Rhea Ripley © vs Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss walked out of WrestleMania 37 with the victory in the Sensational Sherri Battle Royal, earning herself the Women’s Universal title. Meanwhile, at WrestleMania 37, Rhea Ripley would become Women’s Universal Champion for the first time in her career, defeating Shayna Baszler to take her spot atop the Raw Women’s division. Alexa Bliss would make her intentions clear and announced on the Raw after Mania that she would be using her title shot at Backlash.
In the lead-up to the PPV, Alexa Bliss and her tag team partner Mickie James, are quick to remind Rhea plus the fans that they have 11-time Women’s champions combined. Alexa would send Mickie James after Rhea Ripley, trying to gain the upper hand, but Rhea would put away the legend, sending a message to Alexa Bliss. Will Alexa Bliss’s veteran cunning prove to be too much for Rhea Ripley, or will the Nightmare carry on her domination of Monday Night Raw?
Women’s tag team titles tornado tag no DQ match:
Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection © vs Team Kick
At WrestleMania 37, The Bos ‘N’ Hug Connection would retain their Women’s tag team titles in dubious fashion when Bayley cheated to steal the pinfall for them to retain their titles. A lot of people questioned Bayley’s actions after the match, but the Hugger explained her actions as being caught up in the heat of the moment, not wanting to lose the tag team titles like they did two years ago, leading to the original collapse of the Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection.
Team Kick understandably, would not be happy about the loss and would come out of Backlash demanding a rematch due to the cheating. Team Kick would have to wait a couple of weeks as the champions defended their titles against Emma and Toni Storm before they accepted the challenge. Team Kick would make it clear that they wanted to avoid either of the champions pulling any cheating, so they issued the challenge for a No DQ tornado tag. Will that favour the champions, or will Team Kick stop the Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection before they break their record for the longest title reign?
Number one contender’s match for the WWE title:
Drew McIntyre vs Cesaro
Cesaro would come out of WrestleMania 37 with the biggest win of his career so far, defeating his former leader in the Ungovernables, Andrade Cien Almas. With all the momentum in the world, Cesaro would make his intentions clear and set his sights on the WWE title. He wouldn’t be the only superstar coming out of WrestleMania with a win, setting his sights on the WWE title as Drew McIntyre would come and make his intentions clear as well.
Wade Barrett would soon make a number one contender’s match for Backlash between the two men, who had shown mutual respect in the lead-up. Drew recalls their clash at London Calling last year, when he was still WWE Champion, and notes Cesaro was missing something. In response, the Swiss Superman explains that his time in the Ungovernables held him back, but now he is ready for the next steps. Who will walk out of Backlash next in line for a shot at the WWE title against either Big E or Samoa Joe?
Singles match:
Keith Lee vs Tommaso Ciampa
Keith Lee came into the Money in the Bank ladder match at WrestleMania 37 as a surprise entrant and would walk out holding the briefcase. Tommaso Ciampa meanwhile, comes off a loss to Drew McIntyre and saw his next target to try to make more money for his family. Ciampa would make it clear that he wants the briefcase, as it would be his ticket to becoming a champion, but Keith Lee has shown no sign of backing down from a fellow former NXT Champion. Will Keith Lee’s limitless rise carry on or will Ciampa bring it to a screeching halt?
Singles match:
Bobby Lashley vs Randy Orton
Randy Orton missed WrestleMania 37 due to injury and wasn’t happy about it, meaning he never got the chance to finish what he started with Stone Cold Steve Austin. Upon his return to Raw, he immediately attacked Bobby Lashley after Lashley’s match, laying him out to make an impact. In response, Lashley refused to take this lying down, which led to the challenge for their match at Backlash. Will Orton get the win on his return, or can Bobby Lashley get his revenge?
Tag team match:
British Strong Style vs Grizzled Young Veterans
The Grizzled Young Veterans made their debut on the Raw after WrestleMania, attacking British Strong Style members Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate after a World tag team titles match. GYV would make it clear that they felt they were the top team from the UK and the ones who should be given the credit for the UK independent scene rising to the heights it has. British Strong Style would not take that and in singles matches leading to Backlash, they are tied 1 win apiece. Dunne would also confirm Trent Seven would be in their corner at the PPV. Which team will prove to be the superior British tag team?
Trios match:
The MMA Horsewomen vs We Riotts and Liv Morgan
Ruby Riott, over the last couple of years, has been very outspoken about her desire to finally become a champion in WWE. She would even turn on her friend Liv Morgan and start teaming with Shotzi Blackheart in her desire to finally become a champion. Liv Morgan, meanwhile, would have a rough 2020, having to miss the second half of the year due to injury, and finally making her return to the ring in the Women’s Royal Rumble to the surprise of Ruby Riott.
In the lead-up to WrestleMania, Ruby would seem to show some regret for her actions and try to make up with Liv Morgan. Liv would be wary, but going into the Money in the Bank ladder match, Ruby would offer to work together with her. True to her word, they did work together in the match, but neither woman walked out of WrestleMania with the Money in the Bank briefcase. Instead, Liv Morgan would call out Ruby to talk on the Raw after WrestleMania, but they were attacked by The MMA Horsewomen!
The group would lay waste to the former Riott Squad members and would stand tall in the middle of the ring. Shayna Baszler would make it clear that the attack was a statement to the locker room, promising to destroy anyone in their way. Whilst not fully on the same page yet, Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott would go after the MMA Horsewomen looking for revenge. Ruby would try to convince her current tag team partner, Shotzi Blackheart, to help, but at first, she was unwilling to get involved in “Liv Morgan’s problem”.
Ruby Riott would make it clear to Shotzi that she was not backing down from the MMA Horsewomen and would take on all 3 by the side of Liv Morgan with or without the help of Shotzi. Soon, Blackheart would change her mind, agreeing to fight the MMA Horsewomen at Backlash, but might have soon regretted it after Shayna Baszler in a match on Raw, injured her arm, stomping on it in their singles match. Will Shotzi be in a state to compete at Backlash and what condition will she be in going into this trios match if able to wrestle at all?
Pre-show:
The Final Song:
Elias vs Baron Corbin
In the Andre the Giant Battle Royal, Elias would make his return to the ring after missing over a year with injury, thanks to Baron Corbin. Elias would get his revenge, swiftly eliminating Corbin from the match, but the war between the two former teammates would carry on in the weeks leading up to Backlash. It would be confirmed that these two men would collide in “The Final Song” with no disqualifications, no countouts, and falls count anywhere. Whose final song will it be this Sunday?
Singles match:
AR Fox vs EJ Nduka
AR Fox picked up the biggest win of his career at WrestleMania 37, winning the Andre the Giant Battle Royal and earning himself an Intercontinental title shot. He would cash in for the Raw after WrestleMania but would lose out to Kofi Kingston. In the weeks after, Swerve Strickland would talk to Fox and try to get him to see things his way. He would push back against the man he had gone to war with before WWE, and it led to him challenging EJ Nduka to this match. Can Fox get his rough start to his time on Raw back on track or will EJ Nduka run through him?
Predictions contest:
Predict the winner of each match: (1 point per match)
Predict the longest match on the main card (minus War Games): (2 points)
Predict the shortest match on the main card: (2 points)
Predict if there will be any surprise returns or debuts. Name them if yes. Earn 1 point for yes/no and 3 points per correct name.
Who will score the winning fall in War Games, and who will they pin or submit: (1 point for a correct answer, extra bonus point if both are right)
Will there be a replacement for Shotzi in the trios match, and if so, who? (2 points for each correct answer)
Predict if either Money in the Bank holder will cash in or attempt to cash in tonight. Earn 2 points for a correct answer.
