SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
A quick update to go over before we get down to the analysis:
It’s layoff season, boys and girls. During last week’s broadcasts of Smackdown, WWE announced the following wrestlers had been let go: Shayna Baszler, Dakota Kai, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance, Braun Strowman, Cora Jade, Shotzi, Gigi Dolin, Eddy Thorpe, Jakara Jackson, Oro Mensah, Riley Osborne, Javier Bernal, Dani Palmer, and Gallus (Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey & Wolfgang).
Main roster wrestlers are subject to WWE’s traditional 90-day non-compete clauses, while NXT wrestlers have only 30 days. While some of these wrestlers hadn’t done anything of note in the past few months, the overwhelming sentiment from fans was that most of them had a lot left to offer the promotion had the booking allowed them to flourish.
How are we already a week away from Backlash? Perhaps it’s me getting older, but it feels like WrestleMania 41 happened just yesterday. Looking back at the programming, WWE feels caught in a different rhythm storytelling-wise. In years past, Backlash had enough runway time to feel like a bridge between current stories and new stories. While there would be some continuation from WrestleMania, Backlash would instead feel like the template that would define the biggest feuds of the summer: a statement from WWE brass as to the rising key players in the new post-Mania era of booking.
This year feels different: WWE still feels like they’re reeling from post-Mania, and combined with less time to build to the PPV this year, Backlash wound up ironically living up its name as a PPV almost entirely defined by fallout from Mania. Weekly programming has taken on a different flavor, influenced by Japanese “Road To” booking, with multiple feuds colliding in undercard tags. It’s a more muted approach than WWE usually takes with its PPV builds, and there’s pluses and minuses to it.
On the plus side, WWE naturally leaning into storytelling peaks and valleys is smart. Now that their glut of programming has multiplied (two weeks after backlash, we get the next SNME and NXT Battleground, then Money in the Bank two weeks after that), WWE can’t make every single PPV explosive. It’s impossible to make every event feel epic, and it’s worthless to try. It’s a credit to WWE’s storytelling strength that we feel so invested in the roster, and a mellower build still brings in viewers.
To be more negative, the Backlash card itself looks underwhelming, hampered more than any other by Triple H’s mandate to cap cards at five or six matches. Aside from the U.S. Title Four-Way, none of these matches offer anything especially interesting in-ring, and three of the five involve part-timers. Especially given the roster’s depth, that feels especially underwhelming.
There are so many wrestlers who would be elevated to the next level with a PPV platform, and pushing them to the side for Logan Paul to get a co-main event on a five match card feels like a waste. Let the part-timers be part-timers, they shouldn’t take up this much space.
So where are we on the slow road to Backlash? Well, Smackdown last week felt it was on cruise control, thanks to half the main event not showing up. But does that mean it was bad? Let’s review:
WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CODY RHODES?
Latest Developments:
Several months ago, Cody Rhodes turned down an offer to ally himself with The Rock. Later, John Cena won a title shot for Rhodes’ WWE Championship at Wrestlemania by winning the Elimination Chamber. Following the match, Cena shockingly turned heel and joined The Rock.
Over the next weeks, Cena angrily berated the fans for hating him throughout the years while he bled for them every day. Meanwhile, Rhodes berated Cena for his turn to darkness, claiming he had idolized him and that Cena represented everything a champion should be. At Wrestlemania 41, Cena wrestled a slower and methodical style, jawing at the audience, eventually defeating Rhodes with interference from Travis Scott after Rhodes refused to hit Cena with the belt.
Following Wrestlemania, a crestfallen Rhodes looked on in shock as Cena left with the belt, and has not appeared on WWE programming since.
Analysis:
I don’t normally discuss absent superstars, but Cody Rhodes feels like an exception. For a man who prided himself on being the hardest working in the room, even showing up following his loss to Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 39, Rhodes’ multi-week absence is unusual and could be hinting at a character evolution.
I spoke several weeks ago about Rhodes vs. Cena and how, while the match itself was underwhelming, it could signify the beginning of both wrestlers’ journeys in 2025 rather than the end. For Cena, he finally got ahold of the belt which will likely tie into much of his retirement arc in 2025. But for Rhodes, the match’s titular beat revolved around him being unable to hurt the man he once looked up to, and how that cost him. Aside from the braindead Travis Scott interference, Rhodes was undone by his heart and inability to be a killer.
Combined with his lack of appearances, this feels like it’s setting up a more ruthless Rhodes, more determined to get back the title he vowed to retain. I don’t think we’re in line for anything resembling a heel turn, but at the very least Rhodes’ attitude (& patience for hypocrisy) may change. And I love that. As Cena speedruns a few dream matches, there’s mileage for Rhodes away from the title scene for a few months until the eventual rematch. And, much like his staredown against Reigns in August 2023, separating your main event rivals can do wonders when they eventually cross paths again (now hardened by the fallout of their first encounter).
Until then, I hope Cody Rhodes enjoys his real-life time off. He’s definitely earned it,
Grade: A
SANTOS ESCOBAR WILL NOT BE DENIED
Latest Developments:
In the past few months, Santos Escobar has repeatedly berated Los Garzas (Angel & Berto) for not amassing a winning record, despite his own lackluster in-ring showings. In recent months, Andrade began reminding Los Garzas that they had accomplished plenty, and Escobar’s brutal leadership was holding them both back, much to Escobar’s fury.
On the eve of Wrestlemania 41, Rey Fenix made his explosive debut in WWE, and Escobar was immediately captivated and began courting him to join Legado Del Fantasma, but Fenix refused. At Wrestlemania 41, Fenix stepped up for the injured Rey Mysterio in a match against El Grande Americano, but lost.
Last week, Escobar again tried persuading Fenix to join him, but this time mocked him for his loss. An irate Fenix responded, leading to a match for that night. After a brutal slugfest containing little of Fenix’s trademark high-flying offense, Fenix sealed the win.
Backstage, Escobar brutally crashed out in front of Los Garzas as Andrade lurked nearby, enraging Escobar by complimenting Angel & Berto.
Analysis:
This story got off to a slow start, teasing a Legado breakup for several months before ultimately dropping the storyline. Until Andrade entered the picture, it felt like a simple piece of window-dressing to add some level of character to a jobber stable.
Fenix’s involvement lent the story a new dimension – the hot young rookie being recruited by the holier-than-thou veteran in Escobar (who, despite being fairly young to the main roster himself, sells the well-traveled lucha road perfectly thanks to his real-life history as El Hijo Del Fantasmo). Fenix got some decent character moments in this week, pushing back on Escobar with a fiery sense of honor. I love that WWE is taking pains to separate the Lucha Bros’ characters, with Fenix’s earnest underdog energy contrasting Penta’s violent tendencies. It’ll make the eventual reunion feel like more than a nod to their past, but actually provide them a character base to build on.
The match itself played off Fenix’s righteous anger, with commentary effectively noting Fenix was eschewing his high-flying offense in favor of a slugfest. While he got the win, I loved the hint that Fenix let his emotions get the better of him, an in-ring flaw that could be the launching pad to either giving into Escobar’s advances or a plot point in their current feud. I often roll my eyes at WWE’s bland commentary style, but they added plenty to this match.
Andrade’s inclusion still feels like a weird fit. Like CM Punk or LA Knight, a core tenet of Andrade’s character (face or heel) is his lone wolf style. He doesn’t play nice with others, so seeing him selflessly insert himself into Escobar’s business doesn’t seem like his style, it feels overly earnest. A small nitpick, but one rooted in character.
Grade: C+
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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ALEISTER BLACK vs. THE MIZ
Latest Developments:
On the road to Wrestlemania 41, mysterious vignettes began airing of smoke, which eventually spelled out the date 4.25.2025.
On April 25th, The Miz stormed the ring with his lackey Carmelo Hayes, complaining that he didn’t make the Wrestlemania 41 card. Suddenly, the lights dimmed and a figure rose from the shadows. It’s Aleister Black! Making his return to WWE, the spooky one slowly walked into the ring, nailing Miz with a kick and sitting in the ring to thunderous applause.
Last week, Black and The Miz faced off in-ring. After a lengthy stretch of Miz taking control, Black found an opening and scored the pinfall. Post-match, Black squared up with Hayes.
Analysis:
This match felt overall pretty lackluster, and it ties back to Black’s presentation leaning on aura and unflinching power. The lore of the Aleister Black character has always been rooted in something supernatural, and supernatural always loses its allure when it’s able to be bested by mortality. So seeing Black get tossed around by the Miz for the first half of the match, whether due to heel shenanigans or not, already felt like it was undoing his character. Certain character types have a harder time bouncing back from losses than others, and the Aleister Black character always felt like it needed a pretty heavy winning record.
The reason spooky characters often fail in wrestling is because much of their success lies in the curation of their aura. But in a medium that has to service so many different wrestlers at once, inevitably a wrestler will have a weak moment in service of another wrestler looking strong for a week. That’s just how it goes. For spooky characters, though, those weak moments are way more damaging. And with Black’s position firmly in the midcard (as of now), he’ll have to go through too many of those weak moments to come out unscathed.
Oh, and it looks like we’re getting Black vs. Hayes next. Which…. I mean, OK. I’m not sure where this feud is meant to be headedbeyond Black going over, which seems to indicate Hayes will just be another match to put Black over. Nothing wrong with that, but there’s just really much to say about it at this point.
Grade: C
FRAXIOM GATHERS MOMENTUM
Latest Developments:
NXT’s favorite totally-not-dysfunctional duo was officially called up to Smackdown last week, facing Angel & Berto in a tag team match.
With the crowd firmly behind them, Axiom and Nathan Frazer displayed their high-flying moves against Los Garzas, winning decisively and making their intentions to dominate in the division clear.
Last week, Fraxiom’s interview was interrupted by Pretty Deadly, who mocked the recent callups before challenging them to a match, which Fraxiom won handily.
Analysis:
Fraxiom is a booker’s dream: a source of never-ending drama where the joke is…. they always find a way to reconcile, and then start the process over again with something else. As the sleeper MVPs of NXT last year, the kooky duo blended cartoony humor with genuine nuance in their character arc of dysfunctional dorks turned friends. While it may be hard to fully sell main roster audiences on the beauty of Fraxiom thanks to their storied legacy existing only on NXT, the duo’s shtick of constantly having a disagreement is catnip for storylines on the main roster.
This week was essentially more of the same, Fraxiom pulling off a decisive babyface victory to continue building them as a team. However, I wasn’t a fan of Pretty Deadly randomly playing heel yet again. Out of all the teams in the Smackdown tag team division, Pretty Deadly seemed to have gotten the most raw deal. After slowly being built as babyfaces to DIY’s heel reign (with a rare team vs. team feud and detailed storytelling the tag division almost never gets), they lost their title shot in their hometown on weekly TV and there was no real follow up. Now, it seems like we’re back to comedy heel jobber Pretty Deadly, which feels like a real missed opportunity.
Also, I hope Elton Prince is OK after taking a scary moonsault from Nathan Frazer. The last thing Fraxiom needs is to be labelled dangerous so soon after their callup. If rumors are true, that’s what happened to The Creeds and their push disappeared for a solid six months.
Grade: B-
THE U.S. TITLE FOUR-WAY
Latest Developments:
In 2025, Jacob Fatu began to unofficially take over as The New Bloodline’s leader. Their dynamic began slowly shifting, as Fatu hinted he had lost faith in Solo Sikoa. Having made enemies with US Champion L.A. Knight, Fatu began his quest to bring gold back to the faction by himself by winning a title shot against Knight.
At Wrestlemania 41, Fatu steamrolled Knight after a hard-fought match to become the new U.S. Champion. Sikoa took credit for Fatu’s championship gold, before an offended Fatu cut Sikoa off and warned him not to get it twisted. Knight interrupted, vowing to win back his US Championship. McIntyre then crashed the party, choosing to target Fatu’s belt due to considering John Cena unimpressive as an opponent.
Knight and McIntyre began butting heads, causing Nick Aldis to set up a no. 1 contender’s match later that night, which McIntyre won. Last week, Priest and Knight argued over interfering in each other’s business, culminating in a match where The Bloodline laid both men out.
A furious Nick Aldis ordered Fatu to defend the US title against Priest and Knight at Backlash. Sikoa tried advocating for Fatu by pointing out McIntyre had won a #1 contender’s match, but Aldis instead added him to the match before hinting Sikoa was the one ultimately hurting Fatu. Fatu glowered at Sikoa as the segment ended.
Analysis:
I love the booking patterns for a four-way like this. When you have a new champ whose primary story is inter-faction drama (Fatu’s story is definitely centered around his separation with Sikoa), you still have to find other opponents for the champ to feud with? But how do you avoid each challenger feeling like an afterthought? That was a legitimate problem during The Bloodline’s heyday: so many of Roman Reigns’ challengers felt like they were just there to lose, and give Jey Uso a moment to look conflicted.
WWE managed to avoid that this time around with the four-way. Now, Priest, Knight and McIntyre can focus on each other while Fatu deals with a delusional Sikoa that he’s begun to outgrow. Planting the seed in earnest of Sikoa weighing Fatu down was done very well, thanks to Nick Aldis’ impeccable delivery. And watching the stone-faced Sikoa almost cower upon Fatu’s gaze was done very well. The eventual “I hate you Solo” is coming soon, and it’s going to be a generational moment.
And, a secondary benefit of a four-way is it cements Fatu as a powerhouse by using a “smash ‘em, stack ‘em, pin ‘em” visual of him steamrolling three of WWE’s biggest stars.
Aside from that, this segment felt pretty bog-standard. Knight delivered as usual, but didn’t have any show-stopping zingers. Priest was good, but it’s so noticeable whenever talent are reading from a script next to Knight’s more natural delivery. The two’s match was decent, although it went on too long for a match that was just in service of an angle.
Overall, a few nitpicks in this week’s pacing, but the overall narrative is stellar.
Grade: B
CHELSEA GREEN vs. ZELINA VEGA
Latest Developments:
Over the past few weeks, Zelina Vega has been a thorn in the side of Women’s US Champion Chelsea Green and her stable, The Secret Hervice. However, Green always escaped unscathed thanks to her goons Piper Niven and Alba Fyre running interference on her opponent.
Eventually, due to her own incompetence, Green wound up gifting Vega another title shot while The Secret Hervice was out injured, leaving her without backup. With nowhere else to run, Vega overcame Green’s superior strength to defeat her and become the new Women’s US Champion.
Last week, Green demanded a rematch, but Nick Aldis refused. Instead, Piper Niven was gifted a title eliminator match, which Green accidentally (or perhaps not, Green was seen covering a smile) cost her via botched interference.
Analysis:
I loved the booking of Green finally losing the championship when she had nothing left to hide behind. No shtick, no heel tactics, no goons to run interference. Unlike a Roman Reigns, this booking was meant to highlight that Chelsea Green the wrestler is a level behind the main event when she stands alone.
And then we come to Zelina Vega, who finally gets a chance to run solo as a babyface champ. Real fans remember the Queen Zelina arc, but while insane heel Vega provided a great low-level boss for the division, Vega unlocked a new level of babyface likability following her stint with the LWO, and she finally gets a chance to show it off.
Paired with a supremely underrated wit on the mic, and Vega could shine brightly if she gets the leeway to do some solo town hall segments thanking the crowd. The “I’m so happy to be here” promo is an eye-rolling one nowadays, but Vega makes it work, selling genuine emotion with an earthiness that never feels performative or schmaltzy.
This week’s feud provided an interesting wrinkle in the Secret Hervice’s dynamic, making sure to catch Chelsea Green secretly smiling after accidentally costing Piper Niven her match, essentially out of jealousy. It builds off Green’s reliance on Niven and the hidden insecurities the character likely had about being unable to win without help. I’m curious to see how the stable’s story progresses in relation to Vega flourishing as a champion who, unlike Green, needs no help to win. The concept of a heel boss being envious of their enforcer is nothing new, but paired with Green and Niven’s comedy chops it could be an extremely fun midcard story
Grade: A+
TIFFANY STRATTON ADDRESSES HER ENEMIES
Latest Developments:
After a messy feud with Charlotte Flair culminating in a successful title defense at Wrestlemania 41, Stratton had a town hall segment where she laid her vulnerabilities out and stated she came out victorious and was ready to move forward.
Alongside Jade Cargill, Stratton found herself dealing with Cargill’s forever rival Naomi and an old enemy from her own past, Nia Jax, whom she betrayed and won the WWE Women’s Championship from late last year using her Money In The Bank cash-in.
Last week, Jax confronted Stratton in-ring, vowing to take back her championship despite Stratton’s newfound confidence. Naomi interrupted them, revealing her beef against both women (who were allies at the time) for repeatedly hindering her attempts at championship gold last year. Cargill joined the party, immediately attacking Naomi, leading to a tag match later that night (holla holla, playa).
Backstage promos later played with both the babyface and heel teams. The overall theme was a lack of teamwork, with Cargill even insinuating she wanted Stratton’s gold herself. Despite this, the babyfaces secured the win, until Cargill tried taking away Stratton’s belt (to heavy boos) until Naomi laid both women out to end the show.
Analysis:
I’m impressed how neatly WWE wove back in multiple challenges to Stratton’s story. It’s not often WWE plays up the idea that everyone always wants the world title. It tends to be locked off to a singular main event story, so it’s refreshing to see all four women solely focused on the belt due to their history with Stratton and each other. Character justifications are surprisingly logical and nuanced, specifically Naomi’s. Tying her motivation, as a heel, to the injustices she received when her opponent was a heel could have been a reach, but Naomi’s fire and unhinged energy was enough to sell it. I was originally iffy on this story because it felt like it was going back to the Jax vs. Stratton well long after any heat had been sucked out of it. But transitioning to a multi-woman feud is much more interesting.
Cargill remains the wild card in this situation, both playing babyface yet making it clear she too desired the gold. I loved that WWE made her hostility work in-character, by playing up her single-minded rage. No words, just fists. It just so happens she’s now focusing on the champion. Teasing a #1 contender’s match with Cargill involved now definitely suggests she’ll be actively hunting for the title like her fellow challengers, which should yield interesting results. Fans love Tiffy as champion, and Cargill taking the belt actually caused boos. I’m curious to see how WWE adapts, since turning Cargill heel and placing her next to Naomi’s far superior mic work wouldn’t put her in the best light.
Messy, but interesting and a new rhythm to the women’s world title scene.
Grade: B+
JOHN CENA vs. RANDY ORTON
Latest Developments:
In February, John Cena won a title shot for Cody Rhodes’ WWE Championship at Wrestlemania by winning the Elimination Chamber. Following the match, Cena shockingly turned heel and joined The Rock. At Wrestlemania 41, Cena defeated Cody Rhodes to win his record-breaking 17th WWE Championship.
Randy Orton was disgusted at his old rival Cena, claiming there was a void in his life and he should be a better human being (perhaps have some kids?). Cena rebuffed Orton, claiming he wasted his life raising the WWE fans for a generation, angrily disavowing the fans for hating him. Orton challenged Cena, who made the match official for Backlash. Orton RKOd Cena and stood tall.
Last week, Orton cut a promo on Cena, claiming the Legend Killer would be returning and he would end Cena for good.
Analysis:
I had mixed feelings about this feud’s execution this week. More than others, Cena vs. Orton is a feud defined by the dichotomy between the two wrestlers: it’s the story of a violent man at peace with his legacy compared to a nice man who grew unhappy with his legacy. And you can only really highlight that when you put both wrestlers next to each other. Having Orton cut promos to the audience just kind of reduces the feud to a simple blood feud, taking the uniqueness out of it.
That being said, Orton’s mic work this week was absolutely on fire. For a guy not always known for being the best on the mic, it’s amazing how much more comfortable Orton feels when he’s not sticking rigidly to a script. He felt natural, quietly bubbling with rage, and yet almost sad that his former rival changed for the worse. Combined with little touches like hugging a child yet rebuffing another wearing Cena’s merch, and Orton sold the history of his relationship with Cena every step of the way.
While a few lines felt off (specifically the hamfisted comments about having kids), Orton’s delivery was amazing. He even touched on Cena’s alliance with the Rock, which hints that that element of the story isn’t being dropped by WWE. If Cena and The Rock can ever manage to make it in the ring together, it’ll be interesting to see what they pull off on the mic without undercutting each other’s star power.
Overall, an amazing in-ring promo that wasn’t what the overall build needed.
Grade: B
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