Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of WWE Backlash from the Performance Center.
We will have our WWE Backlash POST Show streaming LIVE immediately after the pay-per-view for Double Double, Iced Capp & Espresso members of the POST Wrestling Café, and will be taking calls.
RESULTS
*Apollo Crews over Andrade to retain the United States title in 7:24
*Bayley & Sasha Banks over Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross and The IIconics in 8:50 to retain the WWE women’s tag titles
*Sheamus over Jeff Hardy in 16:46
*Asuka and Nia Jax went to a double count-out at 8:25
*Braun Strowman over The Miz & John Morrison in 7:20 to retain the Universal title
*Drew McIntyre over Bobby Lashley in 13:16 to retain the WWE title
*Randy Orton over Edge in 44:46
On the kickoff show, Christian and Ric Flair were interviewed by Charly Caruso with Christian arguing why Edge will beat Randy Orton.
They aired The Miz & John Morrison’s new video “Hey Hey Hey” that was interrupted on SmackDown.
The studio segments were hosted by Scott Stanford and Peter Rosenberg while Renee Young did remote chats with Booker T. and JBL.
Tom Phillips, Samoa Joe & Byron Saxton are in the Performance Center to call the kickoff match.
APOLLO CREWS VS ANDRADE FOR THE UNITED STATES TITLE
Prior to the start of the match, Kevin Owens came out to join the commentary team.
Andrade was in control and hit a slingshot into a draping DDT to Crews off the middle rope.
Crews stopped Andrade on the turnbuckle and used a military press followed by a standing shooting star press and moonsault. Angel Garza tried to distract Crews but was stopped by Owens, who hit him with a stunner. This led to Crews winning with the toss powerbomb.
WINNER: Apollo Crews in 7:24 to retain the United States title
I wouldn’t categorize this as anything special beyond a short television match. The focus was more on Owens’ assisting Crews and aligning the two against Zelina Vega’s squad, who argued after the loss.
The main show opened with a video chronicling Edge’s history in the WWE going back to 1998 and outlining the feud with Randy Orton.
BAYLEY & SASHA BANKS VS ALEXA BLISS & NIKKI CROSS VS THE IICONICS FOR THE WWE WOMEN’S TAG TITLES
Bayley is calling herself “Bayley Dos Straps”. Banks said their friendship is unstoppable when asked if losing the titles would end their friendship.
There are three people legal at once and you can only tag your partner, so it’s a lot of three-way sequences.
Bliss received the tag and fired up on everyone including a big right knocking Kay off the apron. Bliss and Banks fought on the apron leading to Royce diving onto both and sending them onto Bayley and Cross on the floor.
The IIconics hit their finisher on Banks. Royce was elevated by Cross into the flatliner from Bliss. Bliss proceeded to hit Twisted Bliss but was caught by Banks with a cradle for the cover.
WINNERS: Bayley & Sasha Banks at 8:50 to retain the WWE tag titles
It was short but it was a good match considering the numbers involved and having a fun three-way match. I felt Peyton Royce was noticeably improved here and has been since The IIconics returned on Raw.
This sets up Bayley & Banks vs. Shotzi Blackheart & Tegan Nox for NXT this Wednesday.
Braun Strowman arrived earlier in his Plymouth Grand National and amazingly, nabbed the exact same parking spot he had on SmackDown two weeks ago.
The Extreme Rules promo advertised the show for July 19th.
SHEAMUS VS JEFF HARDY
Sheamus tore at Hardy’s mesh shirt. This was a line too far and Hardy leaped off the steps and took down Sheamus with a clothesline.
Sheamus dropped Hardy’s knee on the post in the corner and assumed control of the match. Sheamus worked on Hardy’s back and caught him with a knee strike to the face.
Hardy hit Whisper in the Wind after Sheamus missed off the top.
The two were on the top turnbuckle and Sheamus was shoved down. Hardy set up for the Swanton and was knocked off balance. Sheamus hit White Noise and Hardy kicked out. Sheamus went back to the injured knee and applied the cloverleaf, which was broken when Hardy reached the rope.
Hardy was being dominated until he threw Sheamus into the corner, hit the twist of fate, and a Swanton but Sheamus got his foot on the rope.
Hardy tried to scale the barricade with the plexiglass attached and leaped into a Brogue Kick on the floor. Sheamus hit another Brogue kick inside the ring to win.
WINNER: Sheamus in 16:46
Without a natural crowd to get behind Hardy’s selling, the length was more pronounced. It was dragging at times with so much of the match taken by Sheamus and ended well with Hardy’s thwarted comeback. It seems designed to keep the program progressing.
Kayla Braxton spoke with The Miz & John Morrison. The new rule is the one to score the fall tonight against Braun Strowman will be the sole Universal champion.
Otis and Mandy Rose appeared and said he might cash-in tonight and neither will be champion for long.
ASUKA VS NIA JAX FOR THE RAW WOMEN’S TITLE
Asuka immediately targets the arm and attempts a Fujiwara armbar that’s blocked. Asuka ducked a clothesline to apply an Octopus and Jax broke free.
Jax caught her with a spine buster and focused on her back. Asuka applied a guillotine and Jax slammed out of it. Jax yelled, ‘Where’s Kairi? and Asuka fired back including a hip attack for a two-count.
Asuka went for the Suzuki armbar in the ropes but lost the grip and Jax went to the floor. Asuka re-applied it on the floor and Jax sent her into the barricade. They continued to fight and were counted out.
WINNER: Double count-out at 8:25
It was a lackluster ending that probably sets up a rematch with a stipulation on the next major show.
The size discrepancy worked for what they were going for and Asuka was able to rely on her submission style that Jax could power out from. It was average but never got to a high level.
MVP was on the phone preparing for Bobby Lashley’s championship celebration tonight. Lana said Lashley is about to have the greatest night of his career and it’s because of her. MVP tells Lana she should speak to Lashley about this but can’t because she fears what he will tell her.
BRAUN STROWMAN VS THE MIZ & JOHN MORRISON IN A 2-ON-1 HANDICAP MATCH FOR THE UNIVERSAL TITLE
Miz & Morrison re-aired their music video until Strowman came out.
Miz and Morrison made frequent tags and double-teamed Strowman. Morrison caught him with an enzuigiri sending him to the floor and a tornillo dive.
Miz and Morrison attacked Strowman with a double-team DDT. Miz tried to start their song and Strowman fought back. Strowman ran into the post in the corner as Morrison leaped off the ropes with a series of kicks.
Morrison hit a springboard stomp into the Skull Crushing Finale but Miz yanked Morrison off Strowman for the cover. He apologized and let Morrison try again. Strowman cleaned house on both, caught Morrison off a springboard, and hit the powerslam to win.
WINNERS: Braun Strowman in 7:20 to retain the Universal title
This was fine, mainly through the offense from Morrison and Strowman serving as a base. This was fine for an undercard match but significantly lacking for a world title match on pay-per-view and highlights the lack of options for Strowman presently.
Braxton spoke with AJ Styles and announced that this Friday he will have a championship celebration and is inviting Daniel Bryan to attend. Bryan is a great wrestler but “he is not phenomenal”.
DREW McINTYRE VS BOBBY LASHLEY FOR THE WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
Lashley applied the full nelson as McIntyre entered the ring prior to the bell ringing. McIntyre is selling the effects but goes through with the match. Samoa Joe was excellent describing the pain McIntyre was in.
McIntyre finally clotheslined him to the floor. Lashley lifted him on his shoulders and nearly dropped McIntyre on his neck as he came down.
Lashley was in control but McIntyre kept kicking out at one. He went for the full nelson that McIntyre fought off. McIntyre went for the inverted Alabama Slam and hit it. McIntyre came off the top and was caught in a crossface, McIntyre got to his feet and hinted at a tombstone but was countered to an ankle lock.
Lashley went for a spear and McIntyre rolled into a kimura (Brock Lesnar’s submission and was probably done with a purpose). Lashley got to the rope for the break.
McIntyre did the countdown but was hit with a spear for a two-count.
Lana came down leading to Lashley being distracted. McIntyre hit Lashley with a Glasgow Kiss sending Lashley to knock Lana onto MVP on the floor. McIntyre hit the Claymore to win the match.
WINNER: Drew McIntyre at 13:16 to retain the WWE title
I enjoyed this match a lot, there was nothing close to this quality on the show beforehand. The ending was another finish accompanied by a groan that this card has been heavy with.
It keeps the feud going with the blame on Lana for costing Lashley the match and a reason for McIntyre to have a rematch with him and win clean.
The submission work was strong, and the chemistry was great.
The Street Profits and Viking Raiders are fighting outside with Erik landing on Strowman’s car and the windshield is broken again.
This turned into WWE’s monthly cinematic style match as the teams fought backstage with music underneath it.
There were golf clubs, Viking shields, bowling balls, and numerous flashbacks to their prior competitions.
Ford had a bowling ball rolled into his balls, Ivar and Dawkins went through a glass window, and then a group of guys on motorcycles appeared.
It was Akira Tozawa stating, “anything you can do, we can do better”. This prompts The Street Profits and Viking Raiders to work together against “the ninjas”.
They destroyed the ninjas and the four celebrated. Tozawa remained and waved in one more ninja who drew his sword to oppose Ivar with his turkey leg. The four ran away onto a production truck.
They argued over who defeated the ninjas and led to them fighting. Dawkins and Erik went off the production into a garbage dumpster with Ivar and Ford following them in.
Jessika Carr told them their match was next and told Ivar he was but Erik “not so much”. There was an alligator inside the dumpster.
Horrendous.
The announcers teed up the main event stating it would have “unique camera angles and amplified audio”.
EDGE VS RANDY ORTON
The match introductions featured the old Madison Square Garden microphone with Howard Finkel’s voice introducing them. Referee Charles Robinson had the old powder blue shirt with a black bow tie on.
Tom Phillips proclaimed this “the greatest wrestling match ever” after ten seconds.
Edge hit a pair of arm drags and on the third, Orton held up and Edge bumped to the mat. It was a clever end to the sequence. Orton continued to outsmart Edge and force him to make mistakes.
Edge went after the shoulder and they brought up Orton’s history of problems with his shoulders.
They fought on the turnbuckle, Orton sent down with a head butt and hit with a flying clothesline. Orton was bleeding from the head butt. Edge snapped the arm and continued to attack the shoulder.
It was evident when they were piping in additional crowd noise, which is now called “amplified audio” in a WWE setting.
Edge blocked an RKO and went for the head-and-arm choke, but Orton got to the rope. On the floor, Orton rammed Edge into the plexiglass several times.
Edge was dropped onto the announcer’s desk and Orton whispered, “I’m going to fucking kill you”.
Orton looked up to the sky and started to hit the three amigos. Orton was targeting Edge’s neck and yanked Edge into the post from the floor. Orton hit a superplex and Edge was selling the damage it inflicted.
Edge stopped a draping DDT off the top and hit the Edge-ecution implant DDT. Edge hit Johnny Walker’s million-dollar knee, although this was taped prior to Mr. Wrestling II’s passing.
Orton escaped another crossface and hit the Olympic Slam for a two-count.
Orton hit a draping DDT and there was a camera shot from the perspective of the apron looking up at Edge before he hit it.
Edge countered the RKO, Orton stopped the Unprettier, Edge hit the Edge-o-Matic for a two-count. Edge set up for the spear and Orton leapfrogged, he faked out the power slam and hit Orton with the Unprettier for another two-count.
Orton went for a pedigree and hit it, but Edge kicked out. Edge recovered and hit a Rock Bottom for a two-count.
There were a series of pin attempts by Edge and then Orton hit the RKO for a big near fall.
Orton set up for the punt but was caught with a spear. Edge hit a second spear that Orton kicked out of.
Edge leaped out of the corner off the turnbuckle into an RKO and Edge kicked out again. Orton whispered into his ear and Edge applied the head-and-arm choke (the “anti-venom”) and kicked Edge low to break out. Orton nailed the punt and pinned Edge.
WINNER: Randy Orton at 44:46
