WWE Backlash 2024 takes place today (Sat., May 4) from LDLC Arena in Lyon-Décines, France.
The event begins at 12 pm ET with the free Countdown show, which runs for one hour on YouTube, WWE.com, and various other social media outlets. That leads right on into the PPV at 1 pm ET, which you can stream from a number of devices if you have a subscription to Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else.
It’s already time for Jade Cargill to win championship gold
Jade Cargill hasn’t even wrestled 10 matches in WWE, yet she’s on the verge of winning the WWE women’s tag team championship when she teams up with Bianca Belair to challenge the Kabuki Warriors (Asuka &Kair Sane) today at Backlash.
Jade has wrestled nine total matches in WWE, including four house show bouts. Perhaps she really is on the Bill Goldberg trajectory of demolishing everyone standing in her way for the next year or two, but the first title shot is coming quicker because it’s harder for women to make it onto these PLE cards in non-title matches. So WWE formed a super team with Jade and Bianca, booked them to win at WrestleMania over Damage CTRL, and now they get to take the belts from the Kabuki Warriors at Backlash.
That’s how things look on the surface, anyway. But maybe there will be a swerve coming our way. Perhaps egos will get out of control, and one of Bianca or Jade will turn heel on their partner and their team falls apart. It’s pro wrestling, so you never know when that sudden twist may be coming. Without that twist at Backlash, though, it looks like Asuka and Kairi can kiss their belts goodbye.
The rest of the card
Here are the four remaining matches that are currently advertised for Backlash:
Cody Rhodes (c) vs. AJ Styles for the Undisputed WWE Championship
Cody Rhodes needs someone to beat in his first PLE as the defending champion, so WWE picked AJ Styles to do the job. These guys respect each other for having proven their value outside of WWE, but AJ has a chip on his shoulder over Cody having so much help from WWE legends along the way, while he had to do everything all on his own. Rhodes thinks it will be “too sweet” when he beats AJ in his first televised title defense. Styles isn’t here for that nonsense, so he slapped Cody in the face for saying it. This should be a very good match, but AJ hasn’t won at a PLE since 2022, so the outcome is obvious.
Bayley (c) vs. Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women’s Championship
Bayley defended the belt against Naomi in April, but Stratton ruined the end of their match. Tiffany then fought Naomi for the number on contender spot, but Nia Jax ruined the end of that match. I guess General Manager Nick Aldis just threw his hands up in frustration at that point and booked this triple threat title match for Backlash. Tiffy Time is hot right now, but Bayley still has lingering issues with Bianca Belair to resolve, so it would be surprising if she lost the belt here.
Damian Priest (c) vs. Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Championship
Jey Uso earned this title match by defeating Drew McIntyre, Bronson Reed, and Ricochet in a four-way match on the Raw after WrestleMania, with an assist from CM Punk. The Judgment Day is reeling right now with injuries to Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio, so the entire foundation of the group may fall apart if Priest loses the belt. Jey is determined to win singles gold in WWE, and beating Priest in France would be one hell of a way to accomplish that goal.
Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga)
Solo Sikoa appears to be taking over The Bloodline in the aftermath of Roman Reigns’ stunning loss at WrestleMania 40. He kicked Jimmy Uso out of the group and brought in his MFT, Tama Tonga. They targeted Kevin Owens in a bloody attack on SmackDown, so now Randy Orton is here to help his buddy out. Orton has his own issues with The Bloodline after the group put him on the shelf for 18 months, so these teams won’t hold back in trying to rip each other to shreds. This is Tama’s first televised match in WWE, so I think it will be an uphill battle for the babyfaces as WWE continues leaning into the ambiguity regarding the current identity of the Tribal Chief.
Summary
This is one of the most predictable WWE pay-per-view / premium live events that I can recall, as many new champions are defending their belts for the first time and not very likely to lose. The card also looks a bit short, with only five matches and no gimmicks that necessitate a ton of time. The wild card here is the live audience in France, who have a chance to take what looks like a decent show and turn it into a great time for everyone who is watching at home.
What will you be looking for at Backlash?
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