WWE WrestleMania Backlash Review - May 16, 2021

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Kickoff Show: United States Champion Sheamus def. Ricochet (Non-Title)

I'm not complaining about Sheamus making the show, but would it have killed WWE to put Mustafa Ali vs. Ricochet IV in this spot instead? If you've been watching Main Event in recent weeks (and you probably haven't been), you know what I'm talking about. That said, this was a very fun sprint. The sad thing is that this could have been a meaningful feud if Ricochet wasn't booked like such a loser. Ricochet attacking Sheamus afterward might mean there is more to come, but we'll see. Again, though, this was an enjoyable outing. I just wish Sheamus' open challenge was advertised for the Kickoff show in advance.

Raw Women's Champion Rhea Ripley def. Asuka and Charlotte Flair in a Triple Threat Match

This was a really smart choice for the opener because you knew these three were going to deliver. It helped that the result wasn't obvious as I feared Flair would cut Ripley's reign short. The action was entertaining and all three ladies had their time to shine. Ripley pinning Asuka to retain was the right call. It should spell the end of Asuka in the title picture for now while it leaves the door open for Ripley vs. Flair at some point.

Dominik and Rey Mysterio def. Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode to Win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship

Ziggler and Roode attacked Dominik backstage on the Kickoff show, so Rey went at it alone for the first half of the match. I figured Dominik would either show up at the last minute or not show up at all, so I was surprised he was in there for as long as he was. They told a solid story with the babyfaces having to fight from underneath and ultimately take the titles. This would have been the perfect opportunity to have the heels go over and keep the Mysterios in chase mode, so I was surprised by the outcome. Personally, I would have save​d it for Father's Day next month, but that's just me nitpicking. Regardless, this was a really cool moment for them to become the first-ever father-son duo to become tag team champions in WWE.

Damian Priest def. The Miz in a Lumberjack Match

Well, this wasn't your typical Lumberjack match, that's for sure. Zombies served as the lumberjacks at ringside, which was WWE's way of promoting Army of the Dead (starring Batista) out this weekend. I probably would have been more fine with it if the match wasn't more about the zombies than it was what was going on in the ring. I mean, it's been a forgettable midcard feud since WrestleMania 37, so I can't say I was looking forward to it to begin with. Props to the performers for making the most of it, but this was pretty rough. This is the kind of crap that turns people off on the product.

SmackDown Women's Champion Bianca Belair def. Bayley

This was probably the most predictable match on the show as there was no reason for Belair to lose the title so soon (especially to Bayley), but they ended up having a quality match as I expected them to. The effort was there, even though they had to follow the stupid zombies. The finish looked botched, and since Bayley claimed afterward that Belair "cheated," I'm sure we'll get a rematch either at Hell in a Cell or possibly before that on SmackDown.

WWE Champion Bobby Lashley def. Braun Strowman and Drew McIntyre in a Triple Threat Match

What a hell of a hoss fight! Say what you will about the current creative direction on Raw (and it's pretty damn bad), but these guys have been some of their strongest work lately. They went out there and stole the damn show with the Triple Threat they had here. There was a never a dull moment and they constantly kept it exciting throughout. The layout was logical as well with Lashley being thrown off the stage halfway through only to return at the end and steal the win from McIntyre. With Hell in a Cell in June this year (for some strange reason), I assume this sets up Lashley vs. McIntyre one more time inside the structure.

Universal Champion Roman Reigns def. Cesaro

It was so cool seeing Cesaro in a singles match in the main event of a WWE pay-per-view. I thought we were well past the point of it ever happening, but he had his opportunity here and made the most of it. He gave it an outstanding effort and had a stellar showing against Reigns, who continues to be my favorite character in all of wrestling right now. Despite coming close on a few occasions, Cesaro fell like the rest of them, but I appreciated how he wasn't pinned or submitted. Rather, he passed out to Reigns' guillotine choke. Seth Rollins confronting Reigns post-match planted the seeds for them going at it down the road, but for now, it looks like we'll be getting another round of Cesaro vs. Rollins. It looks like Cesaro's time in the title picture is already over, but again, at least he had his time to shine here. Here's hoping he can sustain this singles push and not be dropped back down to the tag team division like he has been time and time again.

Overall Show

I can get used to WWE featuring only six matches on their pay-per-views and keeping it to three hours or less, even when fans return soon. Granted, Miz vs. Priest was an embarrassment, but not because of anything they did. Other than that, this was a super solid show with most of the right booking decisions being made. It definitely wasn't the most newsworthy show, but I figured most of these feuds would carry over into the next show, anyway. There was plenty of quality wrestling on the show and I enjoyed the three hours on the whole. SmackDown and specifically Raw aren't always the most consistent shows, but WWE has largely done a great job wit the pay-per-views during the pandemic.