WWE Backlash Review - May 6, 2023

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Raw Women's Champion Bianca Belair def. IYO SKY

Needless to say, this was a breakout performance for SKY and the most she's felt like a star since coming to the main roster. She's a tremendous talent and I'm glad this crowd in Puerto Rico treated her as such. Plus, the match itself was top-notch and felt like an NXT TakeOver-level opener. The interference from Damage CTRL (specifically Bayley) was predictable albeit well done as they continue to tease tension within the group. It's high time SKY breaks off on her own, this match proved she's ready for it.

Seth "Freakin" Rollins def. Omos

For a match that had practically zero buildup, it ended up exceeding expectations. Then again, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised considering who Omos' opponent was. Omos is limited, but not terrible, and I thought he held his own here. Rollins, on the other hand, was a damn miracle worker and made this more fun than it had any right to be. Omos kicking out of two Curb Stomps was odd since he lost to one F5 at WrestleMania 39, but that third Curb Stomp off the top rope from Rollins to put Omos away was a cool visual. It should be full steam ahead toward the World Heavyweight Championship for Rollins from here.

United States Champion Austin Theory def. Bronson Reed and Bobby Lashley in a Triple Threat Match

This also received little buildup. Theory has been a total afterthought as United States Champion these past few months and obviously did not benefit whatsoever from beating John Cena at WrestleMania. He continues to steal wins, and while I realize that's his character, it hasn't done him any favors. Nonetheless, this was an enjoyable affair despite not getting a ton of time. I appreciate that Reed shined throughout. It's a bummer his short-lived feud with Lashley won't have a proper conclusion with Lashley now on SmackDown and Reed on Raw.

SmackDown Women's Champion Rhea Ripley def. Zelina Vega

With Vega having roots in Puerto Rico, this was more of a moment than a match and it was terrific. She deserved this and you can tell it meant everything to her. She and Ripley had a very good match to boot with Vega fighting from underneath throughout and having the crowd behind her every step of the way. There was virtually no chance of her winning here, but she had a standout showing in defeat. Post-match, she received the same reaction Sheamus did following his loss to Gunther at Clash at the Castle and it was stellar to see.

Bad Bunny def. Damian Priest in a San Juan Street Fight

I truly have no idea why this did not close the show, especially with what the finish to Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes ended up being. Yes, everyone assumed Bunny would win, but that hardly mattered. Not only did these two steal the show, they produced the perfect example of how wonderfully wacky pro wrestling can be when done right. This was complete chaos in the best way possible, including all of the overbooking that the crowd ate up. The involvement of Carlito and Savio Vega was outstanding and everything else about this just worked. Not all of Bunny's offense was super smooth, but he was still incredibly impressive. Props to Priest as well for his phenomenal performance. I can't stress enough how much of a blast this was and how much the electric atmosphere added to it. This will unquestionably go down as one of WWE's best bouts all year.

The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa and The Usos) def. Matt Riddle and Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens

I felt bad for these guys because they didn't stand a chance coming off the spectacle that preceded them. Despite that, they had a solid six-man tag team match that got better once they picked up the pace. Could this have happened on an ordinary Raw or SmackDown? Sure, but it was entertaining enough that it proved to be worthy of the pay-per-view stage. Most of the focus was on the continued tension within The Bloodline, which is why I was shocked when they won. I guess they really want to keep Sikoa strong.

Cody Rhodes def. Brock Lesnar

This didn't come close to topping Bunny vs. Priest, but it was still a worthwhile main event. I feared coming into the show that WWE might go the SummerSlam 2014 route with Lesnar squashing Lesnar, and that would have been awful, so the competitive nature of the contest was a pleasant surprise. Lesnar getting busted open (apparently legitimately) added to the intensity and Rhodes winning was the right call. I'm fine with the finish not being decisive assuming there's a rematch at Night of Champions.

Overall Show

This was a special show and one that will be remembered for a long time because of the amazing environment Puerto Rico provided. Here's hoping WWE doesn't wait another 18 years to go back for another pay-per-view. These big shows WWE has been doing outside of the usual markets have really paid off for them since late last year. This was an excellent event that left me with little to complain about other than the match order at the end. Otherwise, they hit a home run with Backlash.

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