WWE Backlash premium live event is scheduled to take place this Saturday at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Seven matches are confirmed for the event including three Championship bouts.
Backlash is starting at 8 p.m. ET and the kickoff show is one hour before the main card at 7 p.m. Fans in the United States have able to watch the show on Peacock and others can watch the event on WWE Network as usual.
Here are the 2023 WWE Backlash Predictions.
Rhea Ripley vs. Zelina Vega for the SmackDown Women’s Championship
Rhea Ripley won the SmackDown Women’s Championship by defeating Charlotte Flair on night one of WrestleMania 39. Zelina Vega then requested Adam Pearce to become the first opponent for Ripley’s title. Vega stated that she is the only female Puerto Rican on the main roster and wanted to represent her homeland at Backlash. Pearce listened to her and made the match official.
This match is booked only to showcase Vega’s talent and have a moment with her homeland fans. There is no way Rhea Ripley will lose the title so soon. Our Prediction: Rhea Ripley retains her SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Damian Priest vs. Bad Bunny in a San Juan Street Fight
The storyline between Damian Priest and Bad Bunny started on the April 3rd episode of Monday Night RAW, where Priest hit a chokeslam on Bunny through an announcers’ table.
Bunny was supposed to team up with Rey Mysterio to face Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio at Backlash. However, WWE changed the plan and booked a singles match. We expect LWO and Judgement Day will interfere in the match. Our Prediction: Bad Bunny wins the match.
Bianca Belair vs. Iyo Sky for the RAW Women’s Championship.
Iyo Sky earned the RAW Women’s Championship opportunity on the April 10th episode of Monday Night RAW, defeating Piper Niven and Michin in a Triple Threat match.
Bianca Belair is holding the RAW Women’s Championship for 396 days. However, WWE failed to build an interesting storyline for her after WrestleMania 38. Belair is a talented performer but most of the fans didn’t care about her matches due to lack of storytelling.
The company didn’t build Iyo Sky as a tough opponent for Belair. So, this match would be another throwaway match. We hope Sky will leave Damage CTRL following Backlash PLE. Our Prediction: Bianca Belair retains her RAW Women’s Championship.
Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Omos
The match between Seth Rollins and Omos was announced on the April 21st episode of Friday Night SmackDown. Both men met each other on last week’s WWE RAW, where Rollins vowed to hit a Stomp on Omos at Backlash.
Seth Rollins and Omos didn’t continue their storyline this past Monday. Instead, both wrestled in separate matches just like nothing happened last week. Our Prediction: Seth Rollins wins the match.
Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens & Matt Riddle vs. The Bloodline (The Usos & Solo Sikoa) in a Six-Man Tag Team match
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens continued their feud with The Usos after WrestleMania 39. Meanwhile, Matt Riddle made his return to take revenge on Solo Sikoa. The Bloodline should be lost in this match to make Roman Reigns and The Usos storyline interesting. Our Prediction: Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Matt Riddle win the match.
Austin Theory vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Bronson Reed in a Triple Threat match for the United States Championship
United States Champion Austin Theory faced Bobby Lashley in a non-title match on the April 17th episode of Monday Night RAW. Bronson Reed interfered in the match and attacked both Lashley and Theory. WWE then announced a Triple Threat match for the US title at Backlash.
Austin Theory and Bobby Lashley have been drafted to SmackDown during the 2023 WWE Draft. The blue brand needs a fighting champion due to Roman Reigns’ part-time schedule. Therefore, Bronson Reed who was drafted to RAW won’t have a chance to win the title.
WWE has invested a lot in Austin Theory’s character. Theory beat John Cena at WrestleMania 39, which means the company has huge plans for him. Our Prediction: Austin Theory retains his United States Championship.
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar
The feud between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar began on the April 3rd episode of Monday Night RAW, where Lesnar volunteered as Cody’s tag team partner against Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa in the main event. However, the Beast attacked Cody before the match starts.
WWE gave a silly reason for Lesnar’s attack on Cody Rhodes. They stated that Lesnar was upset because his match against Omos kicked off night two of WrestleMania 39 instead of being the main event.
The American Nightmare and The Beast met each other twice in the ring, but security intervened and separated the two. We think Cody should get the win otherwise he will lose his momentum. Our Prediction: Cody Rhodes wins the match.
These are our predictions for the 2023 Backlash PLE. What is yours? Let us know in the comment.