WWE is taking Backlash to Lyon, France this Saturday. The cardboard at present options solely 5 matches, however 4 of these matches are championship bouts, with the opposite that includes among the largest stars in WWE.
In the primary occasion, Cody Rhodes will make the primary televised protection of the undisputed WWE championship he gained from Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Standing throughout from Rhodes will probably be multi-time former champion AJ Kinds. Rhodes and Kinds have traveled lots of the identical roads all through their careers however have by no means confronted one another in singles or tag competitors.
Plus, Damian Priest seems to be to start his run as world heavyweight champion towards Jey Uso after the challenger gained a No. 1 contender’s match. Then, there are a pair of girls’s titles at stake. Newly topped WWE ladies’s champion Bayley will face Tiffany Stratton and Naomi in a triple menace whereas the Kabuki Warriors put the ladies’s tag staff titles on the road towards Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill.
It needs to be an thrilling evening of motion. Let’s check out who the CBS Sports activities specialists really feel will emerge victorious. The occasion streams dwell on Peacock at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday with a kickoff present starting one hour earlier than.
2024 WWE Backlash predictions
Undisputed WWE Championship — Cody Rhodes (c) vs. AJ Kinds
There are occasions the place you simply have to just accept that you simply’re getting a major occasion with a wholly predictable consequence. That is a type of instances. Rhodes simply ended Reigns’ near-historic title run to “end the story” of successful the championship Dusty Rhodes by no means did. He’s not dropping the title a month later within the first televised protection of that title. Fortunately, Rhodes and Kinds are nice wrestlers who ought to have the ability to produce a implausible match. And it’s uncommon to have two stars of this degree who’ve by no means confronted one another, in order that provides an additional little bit of enjoyable to the entire thing. Cody Rhodes retains the title — Brent Brookhouse (additionally Shakiel Mahjouri)
Rhodes simply gained one of many largest WrestleMania matches of all time within the end result of a two-year journey to change into world champion. Having him flip round and drop the title in his first protection can be lunacy. Cody Rhodes retains the title — Connor Casey
World Heavyweight Championship — Damian Priest (c) vs. Jey Uso
Priest is in a lot of the identical spot as Rhodes, having simply gained the title at WrestleMania 40 and with much more must construct his legitimacy as a top-tier participant. Uso merely is not a plausible world champion however he is a effective opponent to assist Priest enhance his resume. Whereas I do not count on Priest to have a prolonged run with the title, when he loses it, there will probably be a narrative to the match that goes past an opponent successful a four-way for a title shot. Damian Priest retains the title — Brookhouse (additionally Casey)
I might see a brief reign for Preist if Uso nonetheless had his momentum from September. Do not get me improper, Uso is fashionable with the followers and will reignite at any second; nevertheless, he isn’t an simple world champ proper now. Priest, 41, will not get many runs on the high. Priest ought to sit up for a stable few months as champion working below a extra affected person inventive staff and with Uncooked’s hottest major eventers sidelined. Damian Priest retains the title — Mahjouri
WWE Ladies’s Championship — Bayley (c) vs. Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton
This match feels tailored to present Stratton her first likelihood to shine on pay-per-view with out having her take the pin or dethrone Bayley simply as her new championship reign begins. I count on Bayley retains however her program with Stratton will keep it up. Bayley retains the title — Casey (additionally Brookhouse)
The recurring theme is that newly topped champions will retain their belts. Nothing improper with that. It is merely the price of producing so many “WrestleMania moments.” The triple menace itself ought to produce good motion and the match is logically booked. Naomi by no means noticed a transparent conclusion to her title match towards Bayley. Stratton is a rising thorn in her opponents’ aspect and a reputable contender having beforehand overwhelmed Naomi. Bayley probably retains her title with the match being a transition level from Naomi to Stratton as the highest contender. The newly drafted presence of Nia Jax additionally looms giant. Bayley retains the title — Mahjouri
WWE Ladies’s Tag Group Championship — The Kabuki Warriors (c) vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill
WWE has enormous expectations for Cargill. The AEW rookie amassed a 61-match undefeated streak within the younger promotion but is offered as a good greater star within the WWE. Cargill’s presence is second to none within the ladies’s division however her union with Belair advantages each events. Cargill is understandably tough across the edges. The partnership protects Cargill and validates her whereas giving Belair compelling work. The 2024 WWE Draft additional solidified the result. Belair was drafted No. 1 general to remind everybody the place she sits within the pecking order. Harm CTRL was drafted to Uncooked to distance them from Bayley. That’s solely doable if The Kabuki Warriors lose their cross-brand titles. A dominant reign ought to comply with for Belair and Cargill resulting in a cut up and high-profile showdown. Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill win the titles — Mahjouri (additionally Brookhouse and Casey)
Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga)
The Bloodline is off in a brand new path. However for Sikoa to be taken critically because the group’s new chief throughout Roman Reigns’ hiatus, he’ll want to start out racking up some wins. In the meantime, poor Orton has been jogging in place since his return from harm and will simply be slotted right into a world championship program with Rhodes that carries SmackDown for months. Anticipate a Bloodline victory that results in a cut up between the Owens & Orton makeshift tag staff. The Bloodline wins — Casey (additionally Mahjouri)
The Bloodline story feels as if it’s going to by no means finish and which means the group must construct some momentum after issues didn’t go their method at WrestleMania. Sikoa is positioning himself because the shot caller of the group whereas Reigns is away and Tonga is a brand new participant within the group. These two males want this win to additional set up these roles. Orton and Owens are bulletproof at this level. No loss goes to hurt their standing, but it surely might arrange their short-term alliance breaking apart and transferring them in additional attention-grabbing instructions. The Bloodline wins — Brookhouse