Picks & predictions for Backlash
Jacob Fatu should win the belt–but will he?
The Week in Wrestling is published every week and provides beneath the surface coverage of professional wrestling.
Contents for The Week in Wrestling:
Backlash picks & predictions
An inside look at the past week in wrestling
A look at how NJPW fits into the WWE releases
Tweet of the Week
Picks & predictions for Backlash
ESPN is advertising Roman Reigns as its headline attraction for Backlash, which takes place this Saturday in Tampa. In addition to an appearance from John Cena, we’ll see Reigns make his first defense of the World Heavyweight Championship in a match against Jacob Fatu.
If the recent wave of WWE releases taught us anything, it is that the top tier of the company is protected. It is not as though the released wrestlers lacked talent, but rather an indictment on how there are so few top spots in WWE–and practically all of them are occupied.
That would change on Saturday if Fatu wins the belt. Defeating Reigns and becoming champ would instantly vault him to an elusive, hard-to-reach realm in WWE where only a handful of others operate.
That is when it’s time to think of ESPN. The Worldwide Leader loves the chance to highlight a star like Reigns. He fits their image, right down to his background in college football. And they could certainly highlight his comeback story after dropping the belt. This is a chance to make a genuine star in Fatu, so it will be fascinating to see how it all unfolds on Saturday evening.
As for the rest of the card, it is strikingly similar to what Paul “Triple H” Levesque built during his time running the black-and-gold NXT brand. There are only five matches on the card, with a world title on one end and a comedy match (Danhausen and a mystery partner against The Miz and Kit Wilson) on the other. The middle of the card has the potential to be extremely good.
Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker should provide an idea of the direction where both are headed. It is too early to do anything but tease Reigns-Rollins (which quickly happened on Raw), but this will give a better indication where Breakker fits into the current plans.
Iyo Sky vs. Asuka will receive the time it deserves, which wouldn’t have happened at WrestleMania 42 when matches on both nights felt like a furious race to finish so another round of commercials could start anew. Levesque can surprise people by bringing back the recently released Kairi Sane, a tremendous wrestler who WWE’s powers-that-be would undoubtedly rather not see in AEW. And there is the continuation of the Trick Williams-Sami Zayn feud, which is allowing Trick to shine on the main roster while Zayn embraces his role as a full-fledged heel.
Backlash will differ from AEW’s pay-per-views, which can run over four hours and have more than 10 matches. A tight card with a handful of superb matches is exactly the style that Levesque has always wanted, even when Vince McMahon was the end-all, be-all in WWE, and his pleas fell on deaf ears.
Like any other card, however, this will be defined by its main event. There is an opportunity to create a new star at Backlash. With a victory, Fatu would join a fraternity–where only few are allowed–on the top of the card.
This past week…
The death of Ted Turner is a reminder of what a powerhouse he was in the world of professional wrestling. Without Turner, the Monday Night Wars would have never existed.
Chris Jericho is making moves out of the ring. He’ll be one of the newest villains on Dexter.
Prayers to Rebel.
Evil has a new name in NXT.
In terms of maximizing his minutes, Otis always delivers. His battle with Oba Femi was a joy to watch.
Mason Rook is must-see viewing, giving a whole new feel to NXT. And he’s even caught the attention of John Cena.
A look at how NJPW fits into the WWE releases
Imagine Kofi Kingston as the newest IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
Kingston has the ability and charisma to make it happen. The only questions, of course, are whether New Japan Pro-Wrestling would meet his price–and whether Kingston is game for that sort of extensive travel.
Callum Newman is the reigning IWGP champ. New Japan is attempting to showcase the 23-year-old from Great Britain, and while he is certainly talented, his ascent to the top feels rushed. Adding a pair of talents like Kingston and Xavier Woods to the forefront of New Japan would add an entirely new energy, one that has been lacking.
After so many top stars exited New Japan for AEW, plenty of opportunities exist atop the company. The company is long removed from the days where Chris Jericho wrestled Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom on the undercard. Right now, New Japan needs stars–and WWE just parted ways with a handful of them.
As interesting as it would be to see Kingston and Xavier Woods in AEW, a sojourn to Japan could be even more compelling. Kingston had a solid run as WWE champ seven years ago, but he was quickly removed from the title picture the moment he dropped the belt. It always felt like there was more possibility for him as a world champion, and winning the IWGP title would stand as a real honor.
If New Japan prominently featured Woods, it would also draw a significant buzz. And what about Joe Gacy? He is another talent who could make a difference in Japan, especially if he continues his partnership with someone like Dexter Lumis or Erick Rowan.
Jeff Cobb, who was released this past week by WWE, is expected to work indie dates. It would be a surprise if he also doesn’t return to New Japan. If ever there was a time for him to make a run at the top belt, it is now.
Opportunity exists in pro wrestling, and that extends well beyond North America.
Tweet of the Week
Is Oba Femi the surprise partner for Danhausen at Backlash? Or is it more likely we’ll see CM Punk? Regardless, enjoy this gem from Danhausen.