WWE Backlash 2016: B/R Expert Match Picks, Predictions and Analysis
Credit: WWE.com
WWE Backlash 2016 is the first show-specific pay-per-view of the New Era, and with that comes some challenges.
First, the split roster has resulted in fewer matches than a typical WWE pay-per-view. With only six bouts on the card, Backlash may look more like Raw, with backstage segments and longer montages during the broadcast. This could drag down the quality of the event, especially if Superstars aren't given extended time in the ring.
Second, having matches focused squarely on the vacant women's and tag team titles on SmackDown has left little time to build meaningful feuds that could be showcased at a pay-per-view. For example, Carmella vs. Nikki Bella could be an interesting feud to explore, but both women are involved in the Six-Pack Challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship.
What could have been an interesting match is at least one pay-per-view away if WWE decides to continue their rivalry past Backlash.
WWE fans will see on Sunday whether Creative can overcome these obstacles and put on a good show. One positive: Most, if not all, of the matches at Backlash have pretty high stakes.
AJ Styles is looking to continue his hot streak and become the new WWE heavyweight champion against Dean Ambrose, the aforementioned tag team and women's belts are up for grabs and Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt are set to tangle in what could be a show-stealer.
As always, Bleacher Report's crack team of experts is here to make sense of it all and forecast who will win at Backlash.
Credit: WWE.com
The B/R Experts are so excited for WWE Backlash 2016 they just can't contain themselves.
Bleacher Report's lineup answers the tough questions about the WWE landscape and provides predictions for each match on the WWE Backlash 2016 card.
This lineup features the following:
- Anthony Mango (@ToeKneeManGo), founder of SmarkOutMoment.com and host of the podcast Smack Talk
- Aaron Bower (@AaronBower)
- Ryan Dilbert (@ryandilbert), lead writer for @BR_WWE
- Kevin Berge (@TheBerge_)
- Yours truly, James Moffat (@jamesmoffat)
It's time to tie up those laces and get ready to rumble. The predictions start now.
Q: Currently there are six matches scheduled for WWE Backlash. What do you feel should be the right number of matches and/or run time for brand-specific pay-per-views?
Ryan Dilbert (RD): Six matches is too thin of a card. You need a few palate cleansers in between the lenghty, dramatic matches. Backlash is going to need two or three last-minute additions with that in mind. Three hours is just fine for PPV length. Anything short forces bouts to end too quickly. Anything beyond that becomes a WrestleMania-like, energy-draining marathon.
Anthony Mango (AM): With two events per month, all of the standard television shows and the supplemental material on the WWE Network, shorter pay-per-views would benefit not only the smaller rosters, but the audience, too. An overabundance results in being worn out and there's no reason six matches should be drawn out into a three-hour event plus a one-hour kickoff. Since there isn't a bulky enough roster for two or three more matches to be added, this should be three-hour maximum or else it will likely have too much filler.
Kevin Berge (KB): A three-hour main card (and no overrun) with a thirty-minute Kickoff seems perfect for brand-exclusive PPVs. The number of matches should be determined by how much time WWE wants to give to each match. Backlash only has six matches which works as long as each match gets an average of 20 minutes of attention.
James Moffat (JM): I think WWE should experiment with shows that are the same length as their TV products—three-hour pay-per-views for Raw and two-hour pay-per-views for SmackDown, each with a 30-minute pre-show. Combined pay-per-views could go three, maybe even four hours with a full 60-minute pre-show. SummerSlam was a drag at times, and WWE needs to keep people's attention, not have them drone off. Especially on Sunday nights in the fall when they compete head-to-head with the NFL.
Aaron Bower (AB): I think with WWE’s roster depth, three-hour pay-per-views can easily be executed still. It gives wrestlers extra time to craft watchable matches and also allows for more backstage segments which can build storylines effectively. Six matches is a good fit, but a couple more won’t hurt in the future if WWE is serious about building all levels of the card properly.
Q: Following The Miz’s epic rant against SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan, is a feud against Dolph Ziggler the best use of SmackDown’s true number one heel?
RD: There aren't a ton of other options on the roster right now. Apollo Crews isn't compelling enough at this stage to step into that spot, for example. Ziggler can and should be a part of a larger story of The Miz pushing back against SmackDown authority.
Match Prediction: The Miz retains. His eventual fall has to be a bigger deal, the climax of a longer, more high-profile story than this one.
AM: Unfortunately, the best option of having Daniel Bryan return to the ring to lock horns with The Miz is off the table, so Dolph Ziggler is the next best thing. Both Bryan and Ziggler represent the internet darling "wrestler's wrestler" fan favorite type, and since he and The Miz have great chemistry, there aren't any better challengers to be in this spot other than him.
Match Prediction: The Miz will retain, as he's just too hot right now after that promo.
KB: Both SmackDown and Raw now have much shallower rosters than they did before the brand split which means that they only have so many choices for each feud. Without WWE moving someone major up from NXT, Dolph Ziggler was the highest profile face that could feud with The Miz for now. Defeating Ziggler will continue to raise Miz’s credibility until a younger challenger comes along.
Match Prediction: The Miz retains.
JM: This was apparently in the cards before the verbal assault The Miz laid on Bryan. With the KFC tie-ins already shot, you knew these two would be going toe-to-toe eventually. It just so happens that The Miz turned in WWE's most epic rant since The Summer of Punk. The SmackDown creative team needed to adjust course, especially with Ziggler coming off a loss to Dean Ambrose at SummerSlam and let The Miz tear into someone, anyone but Ziggler. Unfortunately it's not happening.
Match Prediction: The Miz retains.
AB: Not really, but with the SmackDown card still developing and in its embryonic stages, who would be a good fit? WWE tried Apollo Crews, but that was dropped fairly quickly. Unless the company are serious about putting the strap in the upper echelons of the minds of WWE fans, feuds with Dolph Ziggler won’t push The Miz as a mega heel any more than he is now.
Match Prediction: The Miz
Credit: WWE.com
Q: Aside from the stalwart Usos and the now-shelved American Alpha, name one tag team on SmackDown with the most potential to rise above their current placement.
RD: Breezango. Tyler Breeze and Fandango showed flashes of being an impressive heel team when asked to be more than easy-to-topple stooges. With the right mix of ridiculousness and ferocity, they can be key members of the tag division.
Match Prediction: The Usos win by dastardly means. They are too hot coming off the heel turn to lose here.
AM: My instinct is to say that I can't, as the tag team division being split in half has really hurt WWE between Raw and SmackDown. However, if I had to make a choice, with the right repackaging and WWE actually giving them a consistent winning streak, The Ascension could turn things around. It's a daunting task, but stranger things have happened, and they can be taken much more seriously than The Vaudevillains, Breezango or The Hype Bros.
Match Prediction: The Usos definitely make it to the finals.
KB: Since the brand split, the tag team that has impressed me the most is Breezango. Tyler Breeze and Fandango are both immensely talented guys who can put on a good match with anyone given time which was proven by their recent performances with American Alpha and The Usos. I would be surprised if they aren’t feuding with American Alpha and tag team champion at some point in 2017.
Match Prediction: The Usos advance.
JM: It was only four months ago that The Vaudevillains battled The New Day for the WWE Tag Team Championship at Extreme Rules. That seems forever ago now, but they're still the team that could adjust course. They're throwback wrestlers both in style and gimmick, and could truly be a great heel team. I'm waiting for the eventual Breezango split-and-feud, while The Ascension just need a complete reboot.
Match Prediction: The Usos advance.
AB: I thought Breezango had something good going on, and could still yet have a decent run at the tag division. There’s obviously lots of openings, and if we’re going to get an American Alpha/Usos feud, it means someone can step in and take on the new tag champions following Backlash.
Match Prediction: The Usos
Credit: WWE.com
Q: Fill in the Blank: Bray Wyatt has a ___ percent chance of winning at Backlash on Sunday.
RD: 60. WWE hasn't booked any sustained streaks for Wyatt, but Orton hasn't been presented as a titan himself. In the last two years, he's lost PPV matches to Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, two other emerging stars Orton helped elevate.
Match Prediction: Wyatt wins as part of a push toward SmackDown's top tier.
AM: 50. This match ultimately doesn't matter. Whoever wins this will lose at No Mercy and vice versa.
Match Prediction: Either Wyatt gets a cheap win or Orton scores a quick RKO but keeps feuding with Wyatt afterward regardless.
KB: 50. I expect Randy Orton and Bray Wyatt to feud throughout the rest of 2016 which means they could fight at Backlash, No Mercy, Survivor Series and TLC. This first match is merely an opening bout that sets the tone for the feud. Either man can win without the result affecting the feud as a whole. We don’t know right now what story is being told in this rivalry which makes the first outcome a toss-up.
Match Prediction: Bray Wyatt.
JM: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me for more then two years, shame on everyone. In my book, Bray Wyatt will always have zero percent chance to win a meaningful match, especially on a pay-per-view, until WWE shows me it knows what to do with The Eater of Worlds.
Match Prediction: Randy Orton
AB: 50. I genuinely can’t call it, although that may be my heart ruling my head. I’m desperate for Bray to be in a compelling, unpredictable feud, and maybe once, just come out on top. Too many times Bray has suffered from losing decisive matches in feuds, and it’s harmed his standing in the WWE for too long. That should change with this Randy Orton feud.
Match Prediction: Bray Wyatt
Credit: WWE.com
Q: With Chad Gable reportedly out two to four weeks with a sprained MCL, how SHOULD the SmackDown Creative Team book the tag team division in the meantime?
RD: The Heath Slater storyline has to be a major focus. It's been so fun and compelling that it deserves to be a high priority. WWE also has to build up some of the downtrodden teams like The Hype Bros and Breezango. Too many squads feel like pushovers right now.
Match Prediction: Slater and Rhyno go all the way. It's the best narrative on the table. Slater celebrating with all his kids and The Man Beast will be one hell of a moment.
AM: The Usos should take the titles and feud temporarily with Slater and Rhyno as well as The Hype Bros until American Alpha can return, build up enough momentum, and take the belts away from The Usos.
Match Prediction: I keep going back and forth with this, but at the moment, I'm leaning towards Slater and Rhyno with the upset.
KB: Heath Slater and Rhyno should win the championships thanks to timely support from Jason Jordan. This way Slater gets his contract and continues his momentum, and The Usos vs. American Alpha develops toward a rematch at No Mercy. Slater and Rhyno can defend their titles against Breezango before being challenged by American Alpha at Survivor Series.
Match Prediction: Heath Slater and Rhyno Win the Championships.
JM: WWE should make The Usos a dominant heel faction on SmackDown and let American Alpha play the role of plucky babyfaces. Putting the belts on Health Slater and Rhyno is just inviting criticism and mockery. The SmackDown creative team should let The Usos run with this heel turn and make them a formidable team once again.
Match Prediction: After saying all that, watch Slater and Rhyno win thanks to outside interference from American Alpha.
AB: First of all, Jason Jordan loses it in this match and costs The Usos the titles, which sets up American Alpha versus Jimmy and Jey. That gives you a completely separate feud to focus on as well as the tag title rivalry, with Heath Slater and Rhyno taking on someone fresh. I’d have Slater and Rhyno keep the straps for quite some time too, and elevate them properly. Having two, maybe even three, tag feuds going on at one time is the only way to make the division look like it has substance and depth.
Match Prediction: Heath Slater and Rhyno
Credit: WWE.com
Q: Three-part question: 1) Which Superstar has impressed you the most since the brand split, 2) Which woman should be SmackDown’s first women’s champion, and finally, 3) in your match prediction, tell us who will at Backlash on Sunday.
RD: I want to focus on Raw for a moment. Nia Jax isn't a finished product yet, but she has looked really good at times so far. It's clear she has a high ceiling, and she's shown flashes of being a top-notch monster heel. As for SmackDown, Becky Lynch is the best overall performer in the group and should kick off the title's lineage. WWE would be smart to make her the centerpiece of the division and build around her.
Match Prediction: Lynch. Carmella and Nikki Bella's bad blood will cost them both a win, opening the door for The Irish Lass Kicker.
AM: As far as the women's division goes, the biggest surprise to me is Naomi. She has a renewed vigor to her and seems to have found a nice groove both metaphorically and literally. I'd love to see her win the belt so she can finally have that on her resume, but the first champion should be Becky Lynch. She was the first choice in the draft and she's the most well-rounded, popular, capable star of the bunch right now.
Match Prediction: I'm not as confident in predicting Becky as I probably should be, although I do think she has just a slight edge over Nikki Bella right now. It's one or the other.
KB: I’m going to just make this simple. Becky Lynch is the most impressive, most deserving, and likely winner of the SmackDown Women’s Championship. While the other SmackDown women have been a bit sloppy in their major matches, Lynch has impressed every time she has performed. She has been deserving of championship gold since the beginning of 2016 with her performances and improvement, and now is the time to pull the trigger.
Match Prediction: Becky Lynch.
JM: Carmella's heel turn has done wonders for her. When she came out on the first night of SmackDown Live, you could hear a pin drop in the audience. Since making her mark by beating up Nikki Bella, Carmella is once again an interesting character. As for who should wear the white and blue belt, that has to be Becky Lynch. She's the best female on the roster, bar none. As for who will win ...
Match Prediction: The team at SmackDown throws a curve and crowns Natalya as its new SmackDown Women's Champion.
AB: 1) I’ve been impressed with Carmella since she turned heel. She looks like she’s got a real mean streak about her. 2) Becky Lynch should be the first champion, as he genuinely has all the attributes to dominate the division for years to come. 3) Thankfully, I think WWE will reward Lynch and pin the belt on her.
Match Prediction: Becky Lynch
Credit: WWE.com
Q: Since the brand split, Dean Ambrose has sported a new attitude, one that seems to carry a large chip on his shoulder. How do you feel about the current iteration of Dean Ambrose’s character?
RD: He has balanced his shtick much better than this past. Too much goofiness has held him back in the past. Angry, out-to-prove-everyone-wrong Ambrose is a huge improvement.
Match Prediction: Ambrose retains. With two guaranteed new champs on the PPV, WWE is likely to hold off Styles' big moment.
AM: This is fantastic. Ambrose understands that there's a large portion of the audience that simply doesn't digest the type of babyface that John Cena is, which is why WWE failed when they tried to groom Roman Reigns to be that same type of character instead of just being himself. That's what Ambrose is doing, and it's working, as he's consistently entertaining skirting the line of almost being an unlikable heel who just happens to be a good guy because he's causing problems for worse people.
Match Prediction: Dean Ambrose needs to retain, if not just until No Mercy.
KB: I am not sure that I have actually seen much evolution in Dean Ambrose’s character. Just this week, much of his camera time included random antics. When Ambrose is carrying that chip on his shoulder and taking his opponents seriously, he’s at his best. I am not sure we will see that Ambrose fully until he is chasing the WWE Championship again rather than holding it.
Match Prediction: Too close to call.
JM: I'm all for a more serious Ambrose with a touch of comedy. When he's rolling on a promo, he's intense and focused. The times when he's aloof for the entirety of mic time is when he gets boring. A perfect example was his appearance on The Stone Cold Podcast. He seemed disinterested most of the time, almost phoning it in. That's not the Ambrose fans fell in love with.
Match Prediction: Dean Ambrose retains.
AB: I think it fits him much better than a clean, babyface Dean Ambrose gimmick did. Ambrose just isn’t that kind of guy; he’s not a John Cena who will endear to the fans, he’s a rebel. He was long touted as the Steve Austin of his era when The Shield split, and that’s how he should be booked. He should be a rebel, an anti-hero and someone who does what he wants, when he wants.
Match Prediction: Dean Ambrose
Credit: WWE.com
Q: Who are you most disappointed is NOT currently on the card for WWE Backlash?
RD: Baron Corbin. He has been one of the more impressive NXT call-ups, thriving as an indignant heel. WWE hasn't given him a feud to work with, though, since his poorly-booked Dolph Ziggler rivalry.
AM: Baron Corbin and Apollo Crews both have been relative failures since coming to the main roster. For some reason, WWE just cannot seem to push them for more than a two or three week span. Why is that? Both are more than capable of handling some in-ring work, yet Crews is without a feud with Corbin is still complaining about Kalisto after what feels like half the year. There's no excuse for them not competing when there's still room on the card. Corbin should be paired with Kane and Crews should start a feud with Curt Hawkins, who should be wrestling here as well.
KB: SmackDown seems to be leaving much of its young blood on the outside looking in for Backlash even with John Cena taking time off. I was looking forward to the potential for Baron Corbin vs. Kalisto, a feud that has died off after its slow development in the early weeks of SmackDown. I am particularly disappointed Corbin isn’t getting a chance to compete on the main card to keep up his momentum while the lack of Apollo Crews and Kalisto as well is disconcerting.
JM: Is there any other choice? Baron Corbin has star written all over him. Since his promotion following WrestleMania 32, he's carried himself well. He's improved on the microphone and has put together very good matches. He should be battling top-level stars, like he did against Ambrose on SmackDown two weeks ago, instead of picking fights with Kalisto.
AB: I know it’s storyline planned of course, but American Alpha have carried over their momentum from NXT onto the main roster. It’ll be great to see them get into their first proper feud, probably against The Usos.
Want more previews and predictions for WWE Backlash 2016? Matt Camp and Stephen Nelson give their preview and predictions for this Sunday’s Backlash pay-per-view only on WWE from B/R's Facebook page.
No comments