WWE returns to Puerto Rico for the primary time since 2005 when it brings Backlash to the island this Saturday. The primary main occasion since WrestleMania options some huge matches and a return to the ring for Puerto Rican music celebrity Unhealthy Bunny.
In one of many featured matches of the evening, Unhealthy Bunny will tackle The Judgement Day’s Damian Priest in a San Juan Road Battle. The celebrity’s first WWE match noticed him staff with Priest to win a match at WrestleMania 37.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens look to conclude their long-running rivalry with The Bloodline with a serving to hand from Matt Riddle. Even after Zayn and Owens took the undisputed tag staff titles off Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso, the rivalry continued and added each Riddle and Solo Sikoa. Now, all six males will meet in a pivotal match.
Plus, each girls’s titles are on the road when Rhea Ripley appears to be like to defend the SmackDown championship towards Zelina Vega and Bianca Belair places the Uncooked championship at stake towards IYO SKY. And a grudge match is about to headline the occasion when Cody Rhodes takes on Brock Lesnar.
Let’s check out who the CBS Sports activities specialists are selecting to win in every match on Saturday’s card.
WWE Backlash 2023 predictions
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
Ought to WWE determine to place Lesnar over Rhodes right here, it could be a demise blow to Rhodes’ momentum. That momentum already took a success when Rhodes misplaced to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania in a match the place it had appeared Rhodes was destined to “end the story” and win the world title his father by no means did. Rhodes was introduced again to WWE as a giant deal and beating Lesnar is about the one strategy to attempt to construct again a few of what was misplaced at WrestleMania. Rhodes wants the win, Lesnar would not. Reserving needs to be that straightforward generally. Choose: Cody Rhodes wins — Brent Brookhouse (additionally Shakiel Mahjouri)
Unhealthy Bunny vs. Damian Priest (San Juan Road Battle)
WWE loves celebrities participating of their occasions and it is so well-established in wrestling that you would be able to throw logic out the window relating to these matches. Wouldn’t it make sense for Priest to completely demolish Bunny? Sure. However Bunny is probably going going to win this match with somewhat assist from Rey Mysterio and the LWO. The present is in Puerto Rico, Bunny is a large Puerto Rican celebrity. It is a “ship the group residence glad” match. Choose: Unhealthy Bunny wins — Brookhouse (additionally Mahjouri)
SmackDown Girls’s Championship — Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zelina Vega
There are few girls on the roster with as a lot momentum as Ripley. She is firing on all cylinders between her improbable match with Charlotte Aptitude at WrestleMania 39, her function as an enforcer in Judgement Day and her chemistry with Dominik Mysterio. Zelina Vega is the proper opponent at Backlash: she’ll have large assist from her fellow Puerto Ricans, she’s a proficient celebrity and the pair have nice chemistry. Choose: Rhea Ripley retains — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse)
Matt Riddle, Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. The Usos & Solo Sikoa
The Bloodline are sorely in want of momentum, however that’s precisely why they need to lose on Saturday evening. This seems to be the ultimate assembly between the 2 events, a minimum of for now, after the 2 sides had been drafted to separate manufacturers. A win for Riddle, Zayn and Owens will give them momentum and star energy on Uncooked; in the meantime, the friction in The Bloodline can proceed on SmackDown. We look like headed in the direction of one other Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso rivalry, one which carried the promotion throughout the Thunderdome period and sorely deserved a dwell viewers. A Jey Uso face flip could be warmly obtained by the group. Apart from, it will not take a lot for The Bloodline to regain momentum towards new competitors over on SmackDown. Choose: Matt Riddle, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn win — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse)
Uncooked Girls’s Championship — Bianca Belair (c) vs. IYO SKY
Belair has had a beautiful reign as girls’s champion and despite the fact that her time could also be winding down, there are few challengers nicely positioned to dethrone her. A well-received, aggressive match will go a protracted strategy to constructing Sky as a future champion however it’s too quickly to strap the rocket to her. Choose: Bianca Belair retains — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse)
United States Championship — Austin Principle (c) vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Bronson Reed
It is time to take a break from Principle. The reigning U.S. champion has executed his greatest along with his most up-to-date stint as champion however the outcomes have been blended. Falling brief in a triple menace with two behemoths is a smooth touchdown so far as title losses are involved. Lashley is overdue for a win and will be positioned as a top-level combating champion over on SmackDown. The model is in dire want of a plausible essential occasion champion within the absence of undisputed WWE common champion Reigns. Lashely may very well be that man. Choose: Bobby Lashley wins — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse)
Seth Rollins vs. Omos
Rollins is among the main contenders to win the brand new model of the world heavyweight championship. Omos is simply an enormous man who builds up wins over decrease expertise after which will get fed to stars to beat in a “how did they do it?” second. That is not a knock on Omos, that is a reality of how skilled wrestling works and has all the time labored and it is a good factor. Rollins is not going to lose to Omos so near Evening of Champions. Choose: Seth Rollins wins — Brookhouse (additionally Mahjouri)