The aftermath of the WWE Draft has taken away a lit✱tle of the luster off Backlash with three of the titles being defended moving to different brands on May 8.
There will be plenty of representation here for WWE’s first major show in Puerto Rico since 2005, with Zelina Vega getting a rare🤪 singles title opportunity and Damian Priest being Bad Bunny’s first singles opponent in a San Juan street fight.
Unless a title changes hands, this card really boils down to The Bloodline and Cody Rhodes’ results having the biggest story implications going forward.
The Post’s pro wrestling columnist Joseph Staszewski does his best to predict how the WWE Backlash card will go down at Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot on Saturday (8 p.m., Peacock).
Austin Theory (c.) over Bronson Reed, Bobby Lashley to retain the United States championship
Man, this might ꧃be the toughest match on the card to call because both Reed and Lashley would be excellent United States champions.
And it’s hard to see either on🍬e eating a pin from Theory.
But Reed being drafted to Raw should give WWE the opening it needs to get Theory over ܫto SmackDown with the belt because with Reigns on the blue brand, there is little room for upward mobil❀ity for him there.
Lashley makes a better opponent for the Tribal ꦚChief anyway.
Lashley will spear Reed and Theory will sneak in for the꧒ cover and the win.
Seth Rollins over Omos
This 𓄧remains the strangest match on the card as it got zero build before it was booked and very lit🥀tle after that.
But the way Rollins was talked up and presented on “Monday Night Raw” last week, it is plain to see WWE is grooming him to be a major player in the World Heav💜yweight championship picture.
A win over Omos — like Brock Lesna♚r had at WrestleMania — would sure be a good momentum builder.
That is unless WWE has someone cost him the༒ win to start a feud.
That feels unnecessary, but would explain why this match was 🐭made.
Rhea Ripley (c.) over Zelina Vega to retain the Smackdown women’s championship
Zelina Vega winn😼ing her first world championship in front𓆏 of plenty of friends and family in Puerto Rico would be a fantastic story.
It’s just not the one WWE is ready to tell.
Ripley,☂ whose star continues to rise, just won her world cham𓆉pionship in a show-steeling match at WrestleMania 39.
While this is a fantastic showcase for Vega, and maybe Dominik Mysterio aids in Ripley’s win, Mami will be taking h💎er t🅘itle with her to Raw after being drafted there.
Bad Bunny over Damian Priest (Street Fight)
A street fight against his real-life friend is absolutely perfect fo✅r Bad Bunny’s first singles match in WWE.
It wil𒈔l put less of an emphasis on technical wrestling while still giving Bunny the freedom to try a few fun highlight-reel-type spots.
The fact that the r♒est of the men in The Judgement Day and the LWO 🎶are not booked on the card should open things up for plenty of outside shenanigans and the LWO ultimately helping Bunny get the win over Priest.
Bianca Belair over Iyo Sky to retain the Raw women’s championship
This could be just the beginning of this feud with Sky and the rest ꦬof Damage CTRL with all of t☂hem being drafted to SmackDown, and it should be until Charlotte Flair returns for a potential SummerSlam match with Belair.
Belair has already mentioned that she th🐎inks the rest of 🌠Damage CTRL is holding Sky back.
This one has a chance to steal the show, but Belair’s ♛400-plus day reign as champion isn’t ending at Backlash with Flair looming and Damage CTRL needing a breakup angle at some point.
Can see Bayley costing Sky here.
The Usos and Solo Sikoa over Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens and Matt Riddle
Unless they want to face the serious wrath of Roman Reigns, The Bꦍloodline is in desperate need of a win after The Usos lost their tag team championship rematch last week on SmackDown and Sikoa failed to do his part to help them out.
There is also some uneasiness between♔ Owens and Zayn as K.O. believes his partner has too much of a soft spot for Jey Uso.
This is a chance to exploit that part of the story as it feels a bit too early t🎉o ignite a Bloodline breakup ang🍰le.
Jey 🐼will take advantage of Zayn’s compassion for him to get the win, either with aꦍ pin on him or Riddle.
It will fire up more doubts between Owens🐓 and Zayn for now or serve as the needed wake-up call. &nജbsp;
Brock Lesnar over Cody Rhodes
If Cody Rhodes’ loss to Roman Reigns at WrestﷺleMania 39 really is abo🅠ut having him go through some adversity and hard times, then him beating Brock Lensar on the first try wouldn’t make a whole lot of sense.
In fact, I could see this gett༒ing ugly for Rhodes.
Rhodes needs something to do at least through Night of Champions before Money in the Bank, ✅and there are few things better for him right now than an extended Lesnar feud to keep him away from the World Heavywඣeight championship picture.
These two can battle again at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia with Rhodes going over. &nb🐼sp;
