WWE announced during Friday’s episode of SmackDown that the first hour of their 2026 Backlash Premium Live Event (PLE) will air on ESPN2. This decision follows last month’s WrestleMania 42, where the first hour of both nights aired on ESPN2 and ESPN, respectively.
The first hour of night one featured a 6-Man Tag Team Match with Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and IShowSpeed taking on LA Knight and The Usos, along with Jacob Fatu facing Drew McIntyre in an Unsanctioned Match.
The segment drew 1.6 million viewers with a 0.62 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. Night two included Oba Femi battling Brock Lesnar in a singles match, which appeared to signal Lesnar’s retirement from professional wrestling, along with a ladder match for the Intercontinental title.
The night attracted 1.8 million viewers and posted a 0.65 rating, up slightly from the previous night.
Details about which matches will be featured during the first hour of Backlash on ESPN2 are not yet available. However, matches announced for the PLE include Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker, IYO SKY vs. Asuka, and Roman Reigns defending the World Heavyweight title against Jacob Fatu. WWE Backlash is scheduled for Saturday, May 9th, at the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida. The full event will air on ESPN Unlimited in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally.
