2020 WWE Backlash Preview, Predictions & Odds
This Sunday, at the Performance Center in Orlando Florida, the WWE will present its Backlash pay-per-view. The event has a start time of 7:00 PM ET and will be televised on the WWE Network. I love wrestling and despite the fact that this is not a stacked card, it still should be a good show. I will break down ever match on the card and give predictions as well, so let's get ready to rumble.
Odds Are Courtesy Of Betonline.ag
United States Championship Match - Apollo Crews (-550) vs Andrade (+325)
A few weeks ago, Apollo Crews shocked the world with a win over Andrade for the United States Title. It was a long time coming for Crews, who finally broke threw with his first title in the WWE. Crews has been getting a push lately and it has been nice to see. He may be one of the purest athletes on the roster and he used his athleticism to defeat Andrade for the title. The Andrade camp has seen some issues crop up as it looks like Selina Vega is losing control of her troops. Austin Theory recently bolted to join Seth Rollins and Murphy and Andrade and Angel Garza have not been on the same page of late. Garza, Andrade, and Kevin Owens were in a triple threat match with the winning getting a shot at Crews’ title. Owens hit Garza with a stunner and was about to win when Andrade came in, threw KO away, and then got the pin to win the match. I see the troubles in the Andrade camp continue to boil over and Garza or Vega will do something to cost him the match. Take Crews to win a very exciting match. Prediction: Apollo Crews -550.
Universal Title Match - Braun Stroman (-1750) vs The Miz and John Morrison (+600)
Prior to Wrestlemania, Braun Stroman took on Sami Zayn, Cesaro, and Nakamura in a three-on-one handicap match. Stroman lost that match and at the same time, he lost the Intercontinental Championship. He will not lose this one and the odds say that. Despite being in a two-on-one handicap match in this one, Stroman is still the overwhelming favorite against a team this is self-proclaimed as the greatest tag team ever. Miz and Morrison have been trying to get into Braun’s head, thinking he will make a mistake at Backlash, but last week on Smackdown, Braun had the last laugh by flipping over a van that the duo was in. Miz and Morrison just will not stack up to the "Monster Among Men" in this one as they get his hands and Stroman retains his title. Braun Stroman (-1750).
Jeff Hardy (+110) vs Shaemus (-150)
This should be a fun one. We all know about Jeff Hardy’s alcohol issues and the like. Well, every now and then, WWE puts that in a real-life storyline and they have done so once again. A couple of weeks ago, at the beginning of Smackdown, Elias was apparently hit by a car. The police were on the scene and discovered that the car belonged to Jeff Hardy. They later found him around the side of a building, dazed and smelling like alcohol. He was taken downtown but passed all sobriety tests and showed up later in the evening to distract Sheamus enough to get beaten by Daniel Bryan. Hardy then attacked the "Celtic Warrior" after the match. The following week, Hardy came out and said that a witness saw someone with red hair flee the scene and we all know who that is. This past Friday, Hardy and Sheamus were set for a contract signing for this match when Sheamus wanted Jeff to take a urine test cause he didn’t want to wrestle against a Junky. Hardy threw his pee in the face of Sheamus, who found out a bit later that Hardy passed the test. Sheamus is irate and who would blame him. Jeff does have a singles win over Sheamus and I feel there will be a third match between these two. That means a win by Sheamus should be happening here. Helping the cause is that Sheamus is very upset about having urine tossed in his face and that will motivate him enough to pick up a huge win in what should be a very exciting match. Prediction: Sheamus (-150)
Women’s Tag Team Title match - Bayley/Sasha Banks (-200) vs The Iconics (+200) vs Alexa Bliss/ Nikki Cross (+275)
Bayley is the Women’s Smackdown title holder and now she is one half of the Women’s Tag Team Champions as well. A couple of weeks ago, she and Sasha banks shocked everyone by topping Bliss and Cross for the Tag Title belts. Still, there is trouble brewing in the Banks/Bayley camp. During the tag title match, Bayley tagged herself in to try and steal the thunder of Sasha as the pair were about to win the belts then but it backfired. Sasha then came in and saved her bacon, winning the match in the process. We feel that tensions have been building a while for these two. Could it come to a head in this one? We shall see. The Iconics were away from WWE for a while but they have made their return and have made it very clear that they are going after the Tag Belts which they once owned. Last year at Wrestlemania (2019), the Iconics shocked everyone by taking the Titles from banks and Bayley. Now they have a shot at doing so but both teams must also look out for Bliss and Cross, who have formed quite the friendship as well as being a solid Tag Team. Still, I do not see Cross and Bliss winning back their belts. I do see Sasha and Bayley finally imploding and losing the belts to the Iconics. That would also set up a Sasha vs Bayley match for the title sometime over the summer. Perhaps at Summerslam. Prediction: Iconics (+200)
Raw Women’s Title Match - Asuka (-700) vs Nia Jax (+400)
The day after the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, Asuka got a very nice surprise. She won the Briefcase the night before and then on Raw, Asuka came out to confront Becky Lynch, who had the briefcase. Asuka thought she stole it from her but Becky opened it up to announce that the Empress of Tomorrow had actually won the belt and not just a contract for a title shot. The reason for this was because Becky was pregnant and had to relinquish the belt. Asuka is a Grand Slam Champion but that doesn’t impress Nia Jax at all. Jax won a triple threat match between Charlotte Flair and Natalya to get this opportunity at the Title, which she has held before. This is not a match I see the powerful Jax winning. Asuka is a very dangerous competitor and I see a match between here and Charlotte Flair coming up real soon. Charlotte recently lost her NXT Title belt in a triple threat match, so we will now see her back up on the main roster for good. Flair beat Asuka at Wrestlemania 34 to end her undefeated streak. That rivalry will now be renewed after this one so it is just not the time for Nia to steal a win here. Also, Nia was in the MIB ladder match so if WWE wanted to put the title on her, they would have done it then. Take the heavily favored Asuka in this one. Prediction: Asuka (-700).
WWE Championship Match - Bobby Lashley (+450) vs Drew McIntyre (-850)
Finally, we have a champion that shows up on a weekly basis as Drew McIntyre has. I also think he has defended his title more in the past two months than Brock Lesnar did in an average full year. McIntyre has beaten Big Show, Seth Rollins, Murphy, Andrade, Angel Garza, and King Corbin as the champ but he may be taking on his toughest opponent since Lesnar. Bobby Lashley is one of the most powerful men in the WWE and he has an ace in the hole for this one as MVP is now in his corner. Lashley was struggling with Lana in his corner so he has been asking her to stay in the back and MVP has rep[laced her at ringside. Bobby has been on a roll ever since and he now has his first WWE Title opportunity in 13 years. The question is, will Lana stay in the back for this one or will she come out and get involved somehow? I don’t think that Drew needs the extra help but I do see Lana coming out and distracting Lashley enough to get claymored by the Scottish Psychopath. McIntyre is not ready to lose the belt and especially against Lashley. This should be a good match but there will be no titles changing hands here. Prediction: Drew McIntrye (-850)
Edge (+120) vs Randy Orton (-160)
Back at the Royal Rumble, Edge shocked many by making a return after nine years away. He was at one point told that he would never wrestle again but a few surgeries on his neck later and a ton of hard work, he made his way back to the WWE. after the Rumble, Orton attacked Edge to set up a feud between two guys who were once the best of friends. The pair squared off at Wrestlemania in a Last Man Standing Match, which edge won. Orton came out and gave him credit for the win, but he also told edge that he couldn’t beat the Viper in a regular wrestling match. That means in the ring with no special rules. Edge accepted the challenge and the two will now meet this Sunday in what has been dubbed as the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever. For WWE to know that, it kinda makes ya think that the match may have already been taped. Still, whether taped or not, this will be an all-out war. Now if the WWE decided to end the feud after this match, then I can see Edge winning to get the 2-0 sweep. If the WWE decides to have a rubber match down the line, then it will go to Orton. I expect the latter to happen. This will be a great match and in the end, I see Orton getting revenge for his loss at Mania. Prediction: Randy Orton (-160).