Opinion
The Chairshot Official Staff Picks: WWE Backlash (1-pager)
Less than a month after WrestleMania, and just over a week after WWE hosted a Greatest Royal Rumble, we are back…with Backlash!
Backlash emanates from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on Sunday May 6. This is the 14th Backlash PPV in WWE history.
The show is headlined by Shinsuke Nakamura’s third opportunity at AJ Styles and the WWE Championship, this time in a No Disqualification setting. Daniel Bryan also makes his solo PPV return against Big Cass and Roman Reigns battles Samoa Joe.
The Chairshot crew comes together, once again, bringing you their picks for WWE Backlash!
- Dan Phelan: 35-18 (66%)
- Jon Weigell: 33-20 (62%)
- Steven Mitchell: 32-21 (60%)
- Harry Braodhurst: 31-22 (58%)
- Steve Cook: 31-22 (58%)
- Denise Salcedo: 31-22 (58%)
- Franklin Steele: 31-22 (58%)
- Big Rick: 30-23 (57%)
- Stephen Moree: 30-23 (57%)
- Tony Acero: 30-23 (57%)
- Eric Ames: 30-23 (57%)
- Patrick O’Dowd: 29-24 (55%)
- PC Tunney: 28-25 (53%)
- Christopher Platt: 28-25 (53%)
- Andrew Balaz: 28-25 (53%)
- Greg DeMarco: 28-25 (53$)
- Big Dave: 27-26 (51%)
- Mathew Sarpraicone: 27-26 (51%)
No Disqualification Match for the WWE Championship
AJ Styles © vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

People have been saying that this match or that match is make-or-break for Nakamura for several months now. And while I still don’t buy that, this is — without a doubt — the most important match he’s had for WWE to date. He’s headlining with the guy that brought him in to headline with. If Strong Style doesn’t work now that he’s a heel, in the main event, in a no DQ match and working with arguably the best seller in the company, then it’s never going to.
- Franklin: Shinsuke Nakamura
- Andrew: Shinsuke Nakamura
- Platt: Shinsuke Nakamura
- Harry: AJ Styles
- DPP: AJ Styles
- Tunney: Shinsuke Nakamura
- Mitchell: Shinsuke Nakamura
- Weigell: Shinsuke Nakamura
- Mathew: AJ Styles
- Big Rick: AJ Styles
- Eric: Shinsuke Nakamura
- Patrick: AJ Styles
- Denise: AJ Styles
- Greg: Shinsuke Nakamura
Consensus: Shinsuke Nakamura (8-6)
Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe

We all know what we wish would happen. Samoa Joe going over on Roman Reigns would set wrestling Twitter on fire and could make the next two outcomes more palatable. But this is Roman Reigns we’re talking about. After losing repeatedly to Brock Lesnar over the last few months, we have a bad feeling that WWE is going to try and make him look tough again. And it’ll be at the expense of the Samoan Submission Machine. Sadly.
- Franklin: Roman Reigns
- Andrew: Samoa Joe
- Platt: Roman Reigns
- Harry: Roman Reigns
- DPP: Roman Reigns
- Tunney: Roman Reigns
- Mitchell: Samoa Joe
- Weigell: Samoa Joe
- Mathew: Samoa Joe
- Big Rick: Roman Reigns
- Eric: Samoa Joe
- Patrick: Roman Reigns
- Denise: Samoa Joe
- Greg: Roman Reigns
Consensus: Roman Reigns (8-6)
Smackdown Women’s Championship
Carmella © vs. Charlotte Flair

This one has outside interference written all over it. With almost an entire year to go before the next WrestleMania, Flair needs something to do. Chasing a clean match against Carmella appears to be that “thing.” Carmella wins, but not without a lot of help from the Iconics. Fans will still be aching to see Flair get her hands on Carmella, so this match will do what it is supposed to.
- Franklin: Carmella
- Andrew: Carmella
- Platt: Carmella
- Harry: Carmella
- DPP: Carmella
- Tunney: Carmella
- Mitchell: Charlotte Flair
- Weigell: Carmella
- Mathew: Carmella
- Big Rick: Charlotte Flair
- Eric: Carmella
- Patrick: Carmella
- Denise: Carmella
- Greg: Carmella
Consensus: Carmella (12-2)
Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass

Daniel Bryan said that he wanted to return to wrestling to put some of the younger guys over. That should start right now. Cass is just 30 and has some decent heat after his antics this past Tuesday. Backlash could make him one of the most despised men on the blue brand. SmackDown doesn’t have many heels who can ruffle feathers. This is Cass’ time to shine as a truly bad man.
- Franklin: Big Cass
- Andrew: Daniel Bryan
- Platt: Big Cass
- Harry: Big Cass
- DPP: Daniel Bryan
- Tunney: Daniel Bryan
- Mitchell: Daniel Bryan
- Weigell: Daniel Bryan
- Mathew: Daniel Bryan
- Big Rick: Big Cass
- Eric: Big Cass
- Patrick: Big Cass
- Denise: Daniel Bryan
- Greg: Big Cass
Consensus: Even Split (7-7)
Intercontinental Championship
Seth Rollins © vs. The Miz

This is a really odd match because these two men are now representing different brands. With the United States Championship still on SmackDown Live, odds are good that Seth Rollins is going over here. It’ll be a fun match, but it’s Rollins’ turn to elevate the IC Title. This could be the match of the night — yes, perhaps even better than Nakamura/Styles simply because that bout will have a hard time matching the hype.
- Franklin: Seth Rollins
- Andrew: Seth Rollins
- Platt: Seth Rollins
- Harry: Seth Rollins
- DPP: Seth Rollins
- Tunney: Seth Rollins
- Mitchell: Seth Rollins
- Weigell: Seth Rollins
- Mathew: Seth Rollins
- Big Rick: Seth Rollins
- Eric: Seth Rollins
- Patrick: Seth Rollins
- Denise: Seth Rollins
- Greg: Seth Rollins
Unanimous Consensus: Seth Rollins (14-0)
United States Championship
Jeff Hardy © vs. Randy Orton

Jeff Hardy has had a stellar run over the last several weeks, but we’ve seen Randy Orton put a stop to more than one “stellar run” during his time on the blue brand. Seeing Hardy win here would be a lot of fun, but we aren’t so sure that the WWE won’t put the belt on the “safer” bet now that Jeff is a Grand Slam champion. Prediction: Randy Orton wins
- Franklin: Randy Orton
- Andrew: Jeff Hardy
- Platt: Jeff Hardy
- Harry: Jeff Hardy
- DPP: Jeff Hardy
- Tunney: Jeff Hardy
- Mitchell: Jeff Hardy
- Weigell: Jeff Hardy
- Mathew: Jeff Hardy
- Big Rick: Jeff Hardy
- Eric: Jeff Hardy
- Patrick: Randy Orton
- Denise: Jeff Hardy
- Greg: Jeff Hardy
Consensus: Jeff Hardy (12-2)
Raw Women’s Championship
Nia Jax © vs. Alexa Bliss

Has Nia Jax already had her moment in the sun? Her win at ‘Mania was one of the highlights of the evening, but will the WWE continue to utilize her as a face champion? Bliss’ recent segments have been so good that she could be baby facing herself, making this match ripe for a turn of some kind. Since there’s probably going to be interference in the Carmella/Flair match, odds are good that this one will be clean. And if it’s clean, it’s tough to imagine Bliss not getting taken apart by Jax.
- Franklin: Nia Jax
- Andrew: Nia Jax
- Platt: Nia Jax
- Harry: Alexa Bliss
- DPP: Nia Jax
- Tunney: Alexa Bliss
- Mitchell: Nia Jax
- Weigell: Nia Jax
- Mathew: Nia Jax
- Big Rick: Alexa Bliss
- Eric: Nia Jax
- Patrick: Nia Jax
- Denise: Nia Jax
- Greg: Alexa Bliss
Consensus: Nia Jax (10-4)
Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn

This is a vehicle to fire the crowd up and make Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley look like animals. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are bulletproof in the eyes of the WWE, so don’t expect to see them get a whole lot of offense in this one. If anything, we could see Lashley or Strowman turn on the other, making the actual outcome of the contest moot.
- Franklin: Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley
- Andrew: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
- Platt: Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley
- Harry: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
- DPP: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
- Tunney: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
- Mitchell: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
- Weigell: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
- Mathew: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
- Big Rick: Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley
- Eric: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
- Patrick: Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley
- Denise: Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley
- Greg: Braun Strowman & Bobby Lashley
Consensus: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (8-6)
Note: Bayley vs. Ruby Riott was announced after selections went out to the team.
Who do you think comes out on top for each match-up at WWE Backlash? Tweet your picks @theCHAIRSHOTcom and use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Follow Franklin Steele on Twitter @SteeleTheHeel!
Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
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Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)
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Opinion
Chris King: Is Brock Lesnar Truly Retired?
Brock Lesnar retired at WWE WrestleMania 42, right? Are we totally sure? Chris King asks…
Brock Lesnar retired at WWE WrestleMania 42, right? Are we totally sure? Chris King asks…
At WrestleMania 42, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ Brock Lesnar took off his boots and gloves following his loss to Oba Femi. Lesnar has done it all inside of his twenty-four-year career in professional wrestling. He’s a ten-time WWE Champion and former UFC Heavyweight Champion, and he’s one who ended The Undertaker’s undefeated streak at WrestleMania.
While Lesnar was in the ring, he was visibly overwhelmed with emotion and crying while he thanked the fans in his own way. The Beast even threw up an x to signal to Paul Heyman, his longtime friend and advocate, that this was not scripted and was real. There had been rumors that Lesnar and Oba were supposed to have a series of matches before everything went down at Mania.
‘The Career Killer’ Gunther was doing Heyman’s bidding as he faced Seth Rollins for a favor. For a while now since Gunther retired Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles, the rumor has been Gunther was set to retire Lesnar in his hometown at this year’s SummerSlam event. There’s been no confirmation if Lesnar is truly retired, but on this week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown, we saw Heyman talking with General Manager Nick Aldis. Later that night following Rhodes’ match against the debuting Ricky Saints, Gunther choked out the WWE Champion. Could this be the favor from Heyman?
I know in the world of professional wrestling we live by the mantra of “never say never,” but what if Lesnar is actually retired and this was WWE’s way of shutting down those rumors about Gunther and Lesnar? What if Gunther’s next program is chasing after the WWE title, and where is Randy Orton at in all of these plans? There are so many questions that need to be answered, hopefully soon!
Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Nefarious Means
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)
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Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
Opinion
Chris King: Defend The Intercontinental Championship At Backlash!
With WWE Backlash upon us, Chris King wants to see Penta defend the Intercontinental Championship in Tampa!
With WWE Backlash upon us, Chris King wants to see Penta defend the Intercontinental Championship in Tampa!
This year’s annual Backlash showcase is only a few days away, and while there are many big matches announced, one that definitely should be isn’t on the card. In my opinion, outside of Roman Reigns/Jacob Fatu and Seth Rollins/Bron Breakker, the Intercontinental Championship scene has been stellar over the last month.
Penta has been an excellent champion, especially after his triumphant title defense in a ladder match against JeVon Evans, Rusev, Dragon Lee, and the Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 42. Their ladder match at Mania was one of the best that WWE has produced in a while.
The momentum never stopped, as on the post-Mania episode of Monday Night Raw, ‘All Ego’ Ethan Page made his debut and was quickly inserted into the Intercontinental title scene. Page had a fantastic showing against his longtime NXT rival Evans and picked up a big win in his debut match thanks to an assist from Rusev.
All Ego immediately joined forces with ‘The Bulgarian Brute’ Rusev, who was also vying for the Intercontinental Title in his own right. On this week’s episode of Raw, Page and Rusev defeated Evans and Penta. All Ego pinned the champion, making a huge statement and putting him one step closer to getting a title shot. For the past few weeks I’ve been anxiously waiting to see if WWE was going to add this incredible fatal four-way match for the Intercontinental Championship, but it hasn’t happened yet.
As much as the WWE Universe enjoys witnessing great matches on free television, I truly believe all four superstars deserve the chance to showcase their talents on the PLE. While Penta has done a terrific job as the intercontinental champion, it’s time for a fresh face to hold the prestigious title. Page would make a great braggadocious heel that would help elevate the Intercontinental Championship to new heights!
Chairshot Radio Network
Launched in 2017, the Chairshot Radio Network presents you with the best in sports, entertainment, and sports entertainment. Wrestling and wrestling crossover podcasts + the most interesting content + the most engaging hosts = the most entertaining podcasts you’ll find!
MONDAY - Bandwagon Nerds (entertainment & popular culture)
TUESDAY - 4 Corners Podcast (sports)
WEDNESDAY - The Greg DeMarco Show (wrestling)
THURSDAY - Nefarious Means
FRIDAY - DWI Podcast (Drunk Wrestling Intellect)
SATURDAY - The Mindless Wrestling Podcast
SUNDAY - 30 Mindless Minutes
CHAIRSHOT RADIO NETWORK PODCAST SPECIALS
Attitude Of Aggression Podcast: The Big Five Project (chronologically exploring WWE's PPV/PLE history) Unidentified History (Ufology) & Game Gone Wrong (Game of Thrones Universe)
Chairshot Radio Network Your home for the hardest hitting podcasts... Sports, Entertainment and Sports Entertainment!
Powered by RedCircle
Let us know what you think on social media @ChairshotMedia and always remember to use the hashtag #UseYourHead!
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