WWE Backlash Review – May 6, 2023
Raw Women’s Title Match
Bianca BelAir (c) vs. Iyo Sky
Match starts off with a feeling out process then Bianca BelAir gets a headscissors before dropkicking Iyo Sky down. Back up and Sky snaps the arm across the top rope before adding a top rope double stomp to the arm. Sky kicks the arm out again and works on an armbar that sends BelAir crawling into the corner. BelAir avoids a charge but what looked to be a Glam Slam is counter into a double stomp to the chest.
A headscissors is countered into a backbreaker but BelAir bangs up the arm again. The delayed suplex drops Sky & BelAir pounds away in the corner then a 1 armed gorilla press, though BelAir drops Sky hard onto her face. BelAir’s handspring moonsault gets a two count but Sky avoids a charge in the corner.
The arm gets snap over the top rope again and there’s the springboard missile dropkick to send BelAir outside. BelAir shoves her off the top & goes for 450 Splash but Sky gets her knees up. Sky crabs a Crossface but BelAir powers up to her feet and muscles Sky up.
The powerbomb is countered into an X Factor for a near fall. BelAir tries another Glam Slam but has to counter another double stomp then KOD is reversed as well with Sky sending her outside setting up another kick to the arm then a middle rope moonsault to drop BelAir again and Sky drives shoulders into the ribs back inside.
BelAir knocks her off the ropes to the apron but Sky is right back up as a super hurricanrana is blocked and countered into a super sitout powerbomb for a two count then Damage Ctrl for a distraction but BelAir forearms Sky in the face. Dakota Kai gets knock off the apron but Sky reverses the KOD into a rollup for a two count.
Bayley’s interference lets Sky send BelAir into the ropes and Kai gets in a kick to the face. Bayley holds BelAir’s hair as Over The Moonsault is loaded up but the referee cuts that off and the moonsault misses then BelAir connects with KOD to get the win.
Winner & Still Raw Women’s Champion: Bianca BelAir (18:00) (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
Rate: 9 (Recommend)
Backstage Rey Mysterio gives Bad Bunny a pep talk when Savio Vega comes in & gives him a Puerto Rico themed kendo stick.
Seth Rollins vs. Omos
Omos breaks up Seth Rollins conducting the fans then once Rollins is ready to go he gets knock down follow by a chest first whip into the corner drops Rollins again and Omos mockingly conducts the crowd then they fight outside with Rollins managing to slip away and get in a posting then the 2nd suicide dive is cut off though and Omos chokeslams him onto the apron.
Back in and Snake Eyes into the big boot drops Rollins again before Rollins manages a superkick but the Pedigree attempt is blocked. Something like a bulldog onto the post rocks Omos again and a tornado DDT puts him down then a frog splash gets a 1 count with the kickout sending Rollins flying. Rollins tries Curb Stomp but Omos just doesn’t go down, blocking it with neck power.
A chokeslam gives Omos a two count then Rollins flips up into a sleeper to slow Omos down but he shrugs things off. MVP tries to throw in the cane allowing Rollins to hit Curb Stomp then a superkick knocks MVP off the apron and a 2nd Curb Stomp only gets a two count before he climbs to the top rope & connects with a Super Curb Stomp for the win.
Winner: Seth Rollins (10:30)
Rate: 7
United States Title Triple Threat Match
Austin Theory (c) vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Bronson Reed
Bobby Lashley slugs away at both of them to start and sends Austin Theory into Bronson Reed then a clothesline to Reed makes him DDT Theory & has to save Reed from the Hurt Lock. Lashley is back up with the one armed delayed vertical suplex on Theory but he takes Lashley’s leg out. Reed adds a splash to Lashley’s back and the basement rolling body block hits him again.
The alliance ends when Reed runs Theory over before Lashley fights up and runs both of them over, setting up the spear to Theory. Reed breaks it up and superkicks Lashley on the floor. Reed hits a springboard Vader Bomb onto a standing Lashley on the outside.
Back in the ring Theory breaks up the Tsunami but Lashley grabs the Hurt Lock on Theory. A climb up the ropes gets Theory out of it, allowing Reed to hit Lashley with Tsunami then goes for the pin but Theory broke it up.
Theory hits a rolling Blockbuster on Reed but A Town Down is countered into a powerslam. Reed misses a moonsault and get nail with a Spear from Lashley, only to have Theory send Lashley outside and steal the pin to get the win.
Winner & Still United States Champion: Austin Theory (6:50) (STILL CHAMPION!!!)
Rate: 6
Smackdown Women’s Title Match
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zelina Vega
Match starts off with Zelina Vega try to run away from Rhea Ripley but fails as she gets sent to the floor then she grabs La Chancla & throws it at Ripley.
Back in the ring and Ripley powerbombs her down hard to cut everything off. A whip into the corner then Ripley grabs a backbreaker into an over the shoulder backbreaker but Vega sends her shoulder first into the post.
Some running clotheslines rock Ripley and Riptide is countered into a DDT then 619 sets up a middle rope Meteora for a two count but Ripley kicks her in the face follow by Riptide gets the win.
Winner & Still Smackdown Women’s Champion: Rhea Ripley (7:10) (STILL CHAMPION!!!)
Rate: 5
San Juan Street Fight
Bad Bunny vs. Damian Priest
Match starts off with Damian Priest powers him into the corner to start but gets slaps in the face with Bad Bunny hitting a Michinoku Driver for two. Bunny grabs the kendo sticks but Priest knocks him down and breaks one of them. Back up and Bunny hammers away in the corner only to get taken down again.
South Of Heaven connects but Priest pulls him up at two then he was gonna use the ax handle but instead Priest loads up the springboard dive which is cut off by a chair being thrown into his face. Bunny hits a big dive and drops him with a bunch of trashcan lid shots giving us a Flair Flop on the floor. Back in and another Michinoku Driver gives Bunny a two count more but it’s time to head back outside.
Priest gets the better of things this time and smashes the Puerto Rico kendo stick across Bunny’s back. They head into the crowd and over to the tech area, where Priest hits a Broken Arrow that sends Bunny crashing through some tables. Adam Pearce comes out to say this needs to stop but Priest carries Bunny back to ringside. Priest misses a kick to the post and can barely stand, so Bunny blasts said leg with a kendo stick.
Bunny hits a leg breaker out of the corner and the leg is wrap around the post then a chain is wrap around the leg to send it into the post again with Priest begging him not to do it then Priest begs off from a chair shot and gets in a kick of his own, only to get hit low for his efforts here comes Judgment Day to go after Bunny with Rey Mysterio making the save.
With Rey beaten down, Carlito makes the save to & he hits the Backstabber and apple spit. Judgment Day gets back up but here is Savio Vega & he brings out the LWO to keep up the fight with everyone else gone, Priest’s leg gives out on a kick to the head attempt, allowing Bunny to grab a Figure 4. Priest gets out so it’s a Sliced Bread for a two count then a Canadian Destroyer gets the job done.
Winner: Bad Bunny (25:00)
Rate: 9 (Recommend)
6 Man Tag Team Match
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn & Matt Riddle vs. The Bloodline (Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso & Solo Sikoa)
Jey Uso takes Sami Zayn down to start this match off but Zayn is right back up with a shot to the face. Jimmy Uso comes in and gets taken down into the corner, allowing Matt Riddle to come in and hammer away. It’s off to Solo Sikoa though and this time Zayn gets beaten down with Jimmy getting to do the same. Sikoa has to tag himself back in to hammer away before Jimmy grabs a chinlock. Zayn manages a shot to the face though and sends the now legal Jey outside.
Jey pulls Kevin Owens off the apron and slams him into the steps. Zayn has to fight out of the corner but can’t get around the numbers game meaning Sikoa can come back in before a tornado DDT plants Sikoa though and the hot tag brings in Riddle to clean house. Everything breaks down and Riddle trys to hit Buckshot Lariat but gets cutoff with a superkick.
Riddle gets in another shot though and hands it back to Owens with a Swanton Bomb on Jimmy for a near fall. Jimmy superkicks Jey by mistake though and it’s a pop up sitout powerbomb on Jey that gets a 2 count. Owens & Jey slug it out but the Stunner is broken up. They trade shots to the face until Owens hits a clothesline for the double knockdown.
Zayn comes back in with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count but he has to fight off both Usos on top. The double superkick knocks Sami out of the air for two more and Jey has to yell at him a bit. Sikoa tags himself in before Jey hits hip attack only to have Jey tag himself back in as well.
Helluva Kick knocks Sikoa to the floor and another hits Jey with Sikoa having to make a save. Riddle comes back in and Sikoa takes him down followed by a Samoan Spike to Owens. Sikoa almost Samoan Spikes Jey but Zayn is back in. Jey with Uso Splash but Zayn gets the knees then Zayn gets the pin but Jey kicks out. Here comes Riddle to clean house instead. Sikoa tags himself in & nails Riddle with Samoan Spike gets the win for The Bloodline.
Winners: The Bloodline (22:00)
Rate: 7
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lensar
Cody Rhodes dives onto Brock Lesnar to start fast on the floor before the bell then we get some steel steps and chair shots have Lesnar in more trouble and they head inside for the match to officially start. Lesnar drives him into the corner to take over then a German suplex. Lensar with a fallaway slam then more suplexes send Rhodes into the corner and Lesnar starts in on the leg. Lesnar fires off even more suplexes and a turnbuckle pad is rip off.
Lesnar grabs a bearhug to stay on the ribs but Rhodes manages to send him into the exposed buckle. A Cody Cutter & Disaster Kick rocks Lesnar, setting up a knee to the face. Another Cody Cutter connects and a pair of Cross Rhodes gives Rhodes a two count. Rhodes tries it again but gets reversed into the F5 for a two count then Lensar locks in Kimura but Rhodes stacks him up for the win.
Winner: Cody Rhodes (9:40)
Rate: 6
