WWE WrestleMania Backlash
May 8th, 2022
Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, RI
Commentary: Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton, Michael Cole & Pat McAfee
Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes
Rollins starts with a back body drop attempt, but Rhodes reverses out and gets his arm blocked trying to throw a punch. They go into a test of strength, with Rhodes pushing Rollins into the corner before Rollins turns it back on him. Rollins is able to dodge Rhodes and roll him up for a one-count, and starts laughing at Rhodes who looks frustrated. They go back and forth with a couple of waist locks, before Rhodes gets angry and tries to punch Rollins in the corner. Rollins escapes to the outside as Rhodes chases him around the ring and back inside. Rollins starts choking out Rhodes with his boot before pushing him to the outside. Rhodes gets on the apron but gets knocked back down with a running knee from Rollins. Rhodes knocks Rollins into the steel steps and then chases him around but gets clotheslined down by Rollins. They go back and forth until Rhodes hits a stalling suplex dropping Rollins face down followed by the Disaster Kick for a two. Rollins asks for a timeout but Rhodes doesn’t fall for it. Rhodes tries another Disaster Kick but gets knocked to the outside. Rollins starts tossing Rhodes into the barricade and announcer’s desk before throwing him back inside. They start trading strikes until Rhodes gets tossed front-first into the turnbuckle. Rhodes is able to get out of a sleeper hold as they trade back sunset flip pin attempts. Rollins goes to the top rope, but Rhodes stops him and hits a Superplex. They trade chops until Rollins hits a power slam and clotheslines Rollins to the outside where Rhodes tries to dive onto him from the top rope, just for Rollins to go back inside and try a suicide dive that Rhodes stops with a punch. Back inside, Rhodes hit the Cody Cutter for a two count. Rollins tries the pedigree, but Rhodes escapes out and gets a couple of kicks for a two-count from Rollins. Rollins starts taunting the crowd before trying a curb stomp that Rhodes blocks into a Cross Rhodes attempt. Rhodes ends up jumping off the top rope but gets caught as they both tease the Pedigree until Rollins hits the Falcon Arrow for a two. Rhodes tries another Disaster Kick but gets caught and hit with the buckle bomb followed by a frog splash from Rollins for another two. Rollins goes to the top rope but Rhodes dodges him and hits a superkick. Rhodes then goes to the top rope, but Rollins stops him and hits a Superplex, holds onto him but Rhodes turns it into Cross Rhodes. Rhodes goes for the pin but Rollins’ leg goes on the rope to break up the count. They head to the outside where they start fighting on the announce desk. Back inside, Rhodes goes back to the top rope and tries a moonsault, but Rollins dodges it and hits the Pedigree but Rhodes is able to kick out. Rollins starts yelling that Rhodes can’t even lace his boots before doing all of Dusty Rhodes’ punches to Rhodes. Rhodes stops him with a Cross Rhodes and tries another one that Rollins is able to get out of. Rhodes tries a Vertebreaker that ends up in a couple of roll-ups with Rhodes holding on to the tights and getting the pin and the win.
Winner: Cody Rhodes by pinfall at 20:44
Omos (w/ MVP) vs. Bobby Lashley
Lashley starts the match with a series of punches but gets stopped by MVP who jumps on the apron, giving Omos enough time to knock out Lashley with a boot. Omos keeps Lashley in the corner with splashes before working on his head and tossing him over the top rope and to the outside. Omos walks around with Lashley on his shoulders saying that he is too small before hitting him with the Snake Eyes and a big boot, ala Diesel. As Omos chokes out Lashley on the ropes, MVP gets in Lashley’s face and talks trash. Lashley is able to escape out from another lift and hops onto his back before getting thrown off. Lashley comes back with shoulder tackles into the corner on Omos while landing strikes. Lashley traps Omos in the ropes and hits him with repeated punches as the referee tries to break him off. MVP goes to try and wedge Omos out of the ropes with his cane before Lashley chases him and puts him in the Hurt Lock. Omos stops him and brings him back inside, but Lashley blocks him and hits him with a Flatliner. Lashley is able to put on the Hurt Lock on Omos, but Omos fights him off and pushes him back into the corner, and hits him with big strikes. Lashley stops Omos with boots and a spear into the corner before going for a suplex. Omos punches his way out but Lashley drops him with a spinebuster. Lashley tries a spear, but Omos stops him with a knee and tosses Lashley into the ring post shoulder first. MVP hits Lashley with his cane, followed by Omos hitting his chokeslam for the pin and the win.
Winner: Omos by pinfall at 8:51
Edge vs. AJ Styles
Due to AJ Styles’ victory over Damian Priest on Monday Night Raw, Priest is banned from ringside. Right away they start the match throwing punches until Styles stomps out Edge in the corner and drops him with a dropkick sending him to the outside. Styles tosses Edge into the barricades and face-first into the announcer’s desk before throwing him back inside. Edge goes back to the outside where Styles takes him out with a dropkick through the ropes followed by an Asai Moonsault. Styles goes for the Phenomenal Forearm but Edge stops him and tosses him into the ring post. They fight on the outside where Edge catapults Styles into ring post and steel steps. Edge starts ripping the Kinesio tape off of Styles and works on his injured shoulder. Edge stays in control as the referee goes to check on Styles in the corner. They trade punches until Styles is able to stop Edge with the Pele Kick. Styles now stays in control and hits the sliding forearm before firing himself up with the crowd. They go to the top rope where Styles hits a hurricanrana for a two count. Edge comes back with a neckbreaker into a crossface attempt, but Styles escapes and puts on the Calf Crusher. Edge is too far from the ropes so he tries to bang Styles’ head down onto the mat, but Styles goes and puts the Calf Crusher right back on, this time Edge is able to grab the rope and break it up. Styles hits a German Suplex on Edge, but Edge pulls off the turnbuckle in the process and gets tossed right into it face-first as Styles rolls up Edge with a two count. Edge comes back with a spear for a two count of his own. Edge goes for another spear, but Styles stops him with a knee and bounces Edge off the ropes into the Styles Clash but Edge kicks out. Styles teases the Phenomenal Forearm but instead goes to the top rope as he sees Damian Priest on the ramp. Priest says he’s not ringside, but in the aisle way as Finn Balor attacks him from behind. They take it inside before brawling back outside as we see a masked person knock Styles off the top rope and into a crossface by Edge. Styles tries to reach the rope but eventually passes out.
Winner: Edge by referee stoppage at 15:21
The masked person goes into the ring and bows down to Edge revealing herself to be Rhea Ripley.
WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship I Quit Match: Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
Samantha Irvin while doing ring introductions reinforces the fact the only way to win is to ‘actually say the words I Quit’ as Pat McAfee says other languages are accepted as well. Ronda hits a knee right away, but Charlotte tries and stops her with a back elbow. After a couple of tosses from Ronda, Charlotte drops her with a clothesline as the referee asks her right away if she wants to quit. Ronda pushes it away and says hell no before Charlotte hits her with a German Suplex. Ronda hits a running knee and tries an armbar but they roll out to the outside where the match is still legal. Charlotte starts chopping Ronda against the barricade and tells the referee to ask her if she quits, in which Ronda says in the mic that Charlotte ‘chops like a bitch’. Ronda tosses Charlotte over the barricade and grabs the mic herself to ask Charlotte but gets knocked down with a big boot. Charlotte grabs a kendo stick but Ronda dodges it and grabs the stick herself before chasing Charlotte towards the back. Charlotte comes back to the stage with two kendo sticks as they start having a stick war. Ronda is able to take away the sticks and starts delivering multiple strikes all over Charlotte as she says ‘hell no’ when asked on the mic. Charlotte takes the camera from the cameraman and tosses it toward Ronda, before they start brawling into the crowd. Charlotte tosses Ronda into the barricade as Ronda says she doesn’t quit. Charlotte starts dragging Ronda up the stairs, puts her in between the stair rail, and starts choking her out. Ronda screams ‘no, I don’t’ in the mic. Ronda grabs a chair from Charlotte, but Charlotte is able to kick it out of her hands and starts slamming Ronda into the announcer’s desk. Charlotte power bombs Ronda into the barricade as Charlotte tells the referee to ask Ronda numerous times if she quits. The answers were no. Ronda goes for Piper’s Pit on the floor, but Charlotte rakes her eyes and tosses her into the ring post. Charlotte goes to the top rope, but Ronda knocks her down and puts on an armbar while Charlotte is hanging upside down on the ropes. Ronda extends the armbar back even further as they both tumble down to the outside. Charlotte comes back with chair shots and hits the Natural Selection on top of the chair and Ronda says no in the mic. Charlotte puts on the Figure Eight, but Ronda says ‘Never, bitch!’ and smacks Charlotte with the chair to break it up. Charlotte comes back with a boot, sets up a chair and tells Ronda it’s her last chance, and says ‘Happy Mother’s Day’. Ronda grabs Charlotte’s arm and puts on the armbar while it’s trapped in the chair. Charlotte says no, as Ronda says ‘I was hoping you’d say that, bitch’ and pulls back more, with Charlotte literally saying ‘I Quit’ to end the match.
Winner: Ronda Rousey by submission at 16:33, to become NEW WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion
We get a promo for Money in the Bank from Cody Rhodes who says ‘what a better place to pledge allegiance than at Allegiant Stadium’ on July 2nd in Las Vegas, before asking ‘do you want to get lucky’ and winking into the camera.
Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss
Corbin starts in control, but Moss is able to stop him and leapfrogs a couple of times before hitting a hip toss. Corbin sends Moss to the apron and kicks him off the ropes as he was coming back in and hits him with a big chokeslam as the crowd is totally against Corbin. Corbin starts attacking Moss on the barricade right in front of someone in a ‘Hook’ shirt. Corbin hits a back elbow inside and gets a two-count. Corbin comes back with a hard Irish whip before keeping Moss down on the mat with a Half Nelson. Moss fights his way off, but Corbin comes back with a clothesline for a two count. Corbin knocks Moss down and hits a rare senton for a two-count. Moss tosses Corbin to the outside before Corbin goes back in and tosses out yet again. Moss quickly goes after him and throws him into the ring post. Inside, Moss hits a shoulder tackle into the corner but gets a knee to the face on the second attempt. Moss comes right back with a fall-away slam and gets a two-count. Corbin blocks the Punch Line and drops Moss for another two. Corbin hits the Deep Six and yet again gets a two. Corbin comes back with a splash in the corner, but Moss dodges the second one and hits a sunset flip for the pin.
Winner: Madcap Moss by pinfall at 9:46
Kayla Braxton is backstage and says that Charlotte Flair has received a fracture of the radius bone.
We get a combination of Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Pat McAfee for the mixed branded main event after the first three matches were all from Raw and the following two from SmackDown.
Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) vs. Roman Reigns & The Usos (Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso) (w/ Paul Heyman)
Randy Orton and Jimmy Uso start the match as Orton teases grabbing the Angelo sword before taking down Jimmy and tagging in Riddle. Jimmy whips Riddle hard into the corner before Riddle comes back with a kick and a gut wrench while tagging in McIntyre. McIntyre delivers some chops but Jimmy tries to fight back but gets kicked in the stomach and suplexed. McIntyre asks for Reigns to tag in but Heyman tells him ‘not now’, but Reigns ignores him and tags in. Reigns slowly circles McIntyre before tagging out to Jey and screaming that he calls the shots here and he’s the head of the table. McIntyre tells Reigns that ‘your ass is mine’ and suplexes Jey before tagging Riddle in who hits a gut wrench. Jimmy tags himself in and kicks the back of Riddle as The Usos start double-teaming Riddle with stomps. Jey stays in control and keeps Riddle down with slams and stomps. Orton and McIntyre get upset at The Bloodline taking cheap shots as Jimmy tags in and hits a flying fist drop for a two-count. Reigns tags in and dominates Riddle in the corner while playing with the crowd. Jey Uso comes in and plays with the crowd only to get a running knee to the face from Riddle who crawls over and finally makes the tag to McIntyre as Reigns is also tagged in and caught off guard by having to face off with him. They start trading strikes before McIntyre comes back with clothesline and a suplex followed by a neckbreaker. Jimmy Uso comes in and gets a neckbreaker himself as the crowd is rowdy for McIntyre. McIntyre sets up for The Claymore but Jey distracts him as Reigns hits the Superman Punch knocking McIntyre to the outside. Reigns keeps McIntyre down with kicks and stomps as the crowd starts chanting for Randy. Reigns hits multiple blows in the corner to McIntyre before knocking him down with a jumping clothesline. Reigns grabs both his titles and raises them to the crowd, before taking Riddle down with a cheap shot. As Orton gets in Reigns’ face, McIntyre surprises Reigns with a Claymore. Jimmy and Orton both tag in with Orton in control hitting a pair of power slams on both Usos before hitting a draping DDT on Jimmy. Orton sets up for the RKO but Jey runs in, to stop it and gets tossed out. Reigns tries to run in and gets hit with the RKO. Jimmy comes back with a superkick, but Orton hits the RKO that Jey breaks up the pin attempt for at the last second. McIntyre tries the Claymore but gets hit with a superkick, before getting hit with a double superkick. Riddle and Jey tag in as Riddle hits a Fisherman Suplex and the Floating Bro but Jey kicks out. Riddle tries the RKO, but Jey blocks it and hits a neckbreaker for a pin but Orton breaks it up. Orton starts tossing Jimmy all over the outside but gets surprised with a Superman Punch from Reigns off the steel steps. McIntyre comes from behind and tosses Reigns into the steel steps. McIntyre tries to put Reigns on the table, but Jimmy stops him and Reigns hits a uranage to McIntyre through the table. Reigns gets hit by a diving Riddle followed by a diving Jey before Riddle and Jey go back inside where they trade kicks. Jey tries to hit a top rope splash, but Riddle joins him up top and hits an RKO. Reigns comes in and spears Riddle for the pin and the win.
Winners: Roman Reigns & The Usos (Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso) by pinfall at 22:11
