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WWE Backlash: All You Need To Know ahead of Saturday

wwe30 April 2024 20:44
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Cody Rhodes ©️ WWE

Backlash France will be the 19th Backlash PLE and will take place on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at the LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu in Lyon Metropolis, France.

The card will feature Superstars from Raw and SmackDown, with four title matches including Cody Rhodes vs. the Phenomenal AJ Styles for the WWE Undisputed Championship.

Viewers in Africa can watch WWE Blacksh on Saturday live from 19:00 CAT, a day before that, viewers can also watch SmackDown live this Friday from 19:00 CAT on WWE Channel 128.

UNIVERSAL CHAMPION CODY RHODES vs. AJ STYLES

At WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes overcame all odds and finished his story by conquering Roman Reigns in a Bloodline Rules Match to claim the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Rhodes returned from The Showcase of the Immortals to a hero’s welcome on Raw and SmackDown.

There is, however, no rest for the Superstar who stands at the top of the mountain, and a new battle is quickly waged to determine who would be the first to challenge The American Nightmare at WWE Backlash France.

In a pair of hard-fought Triple Threat Matches, LA Knight defeated Bobby Lashley and Santos Escobar, while AJ Styles edged Kevin Owens and Rey Mysterio.

Then, in a showdown to determine the No. 1 Contender, The Phenomenal One overcame his bitter rival Knight in an explosive WrestleMania rematch.

 

Rhodes and Styles are two of only four Superstars to have held both the WWE Title and the NWA Heavyweight Title.

Can Styles change the story and take the Undisputed WWE Championship from a titleholder who is riding the wave of destiny?

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMP DAMIAN PRIEST vs JEY USO 

At WWE Backlash France, newly crowned World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest will defend his title for the first time against “Main Event” Jey Uso.

Just moments after Drew McIntyre overcame Seth “Freakin” Rollins to win the World Heavyweight Title and was taken out in a post-match confrontation with CM Punk at WrestleMania, Señor Money in the Bank cashed in his contract to end The Scottish Warrior’s reign before it could barely begin.

Who, however, would be the first to test the new titleholder’s mettle?

Jey Uso would answer that question with a reckoning. After Punk's interference once again cost McIntyre the win in a high-stakes Fatal 4-Way Match, Uso capitalized by hitting The Scottish Warrior with a Superkick/Spear combination to become the No. 1 Contender to the World Heavyweight Title.

WWE WOMEN’S CHAMPION BAYLEY vs. NAOMI vs. TIFFANY STRATON

WWE Women’s Champion Bayley will step into all-out chaos at Backlash France when she battles Naomi and Tiffany Stratton in a Triple Threat Match.

Bayley triumphed over her former Damage CTRL ally IYO SKY to lay claim to the WWE Women's Championship at WrestleMania.

No stranger to the gold, The Role Model hit the ground running as she prepared to put her title on the line against Naomi just days after her win at The Showcase of the Immortals.

Before The Glow even emerged, however, Tiffany Stratton inserted herself into the conversation. This resulted in Naomi overcoming the outspoken Superstar in an impromptu matchup.

The issue did not end there, however, as Tiffany interrupted the title match between Bayley and Naomi the following week to take out both of her adversaries before a winner could be determined.

At the suggestion of Bayley, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis set up a rematch between Tiffany and Naomi in which the winner would challenge the WWE Women's Champion at Backlash.

When that matchup failed to produce a clear winner thanks to Nia Jax, Aldis decided to create the Triple Threat Match for the title.

RANDY ORTON & KEVIN OWENS vs. SOLO SIKOA & TAMA TONGA

The Bloodline has been drawn as Randy Orton & Kevin Owens are set to go to war with Solo Sikoa and the recently emerging Tama Tonga at Backlash France.

On SmackDown after WrestleMania, Sikoa launched a shocking attack on his brother Jimmy Uso with the help of Tonga and claimed it was all done by order of The Tribal Chief.

The following week, the scourge continued as Tonga smashed into Kevin Owens’ car before Solo and his “MFT” unleashed a bloody assault on KO.

Solo and Toma had barely gotten to SmackDown one week later when Owens charged in looking for payback and ignited an explosive brawl all the way to the ring.

Despite the never-ending fight inside Owens, he inevitably fell victim to the two-on-one assault by The Bloodline.

That was until Randy Orton emerged to even the odds, paving the way for KO and The Viper to send The Bloodline heading for the hills.

Nick Aldis was on the record as having warned Paul Heyman that he needed to get The Bloodline in line for the WWE Draft edition of SmackDown.

So in light of the subsequent bedlam, the SmackDown General Manager wasted little time in making a match pitting Sikoa and Tonga against Owens and Orton official.

WWE WOMEN’S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS THE KABUKI WARRIORS vs. JADE CARGILL & BIANCA BELAIR

At Backlash France, Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair will challenge The Kabuki Warriors for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.

In a rivalry that went all the way back to the moment Damage CTRL first revealed itself at SummerSlam 2022, Bianca Belair remains at odds with the nefarious faction.

With the exile of Bayley and the addition of Asuka and Kairi Sane, the disdain of The EST of WWE only grew more intense.

That was the situation when the storm rolled in. The absolutely dominant Jade Cargill wasted little time making a statement on SmackDown when she single-handled took out The Empress, Sane, and Dakota Kai in her blue brand debut.

She then teamed with Belair and Naomi to overcome Damage CTRL on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

In the wake of WrestleMania, Bianca and Jade solidified their partnership and are now coming for the gold.

Kairi Sane and Asuka are extremely dangerous when cornered and it would be an incredible mistake to underestimate them.

It remains to be seen, however, if the cunning titleholders can repel the threat of such explosive challengers.

BROADCAST DETAILS

WWE BACKLASH
SATURDAY MAY 4 | LIVE from 19:00 CAT | WWE Channel

Source: WWE

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