Backlash (spoilers)

First up, I've not watched the PPV and I'm not sure when I'll have time to actually sit and watch, so having just looked up the results online...

Jinder Mahal is the new WWE Champion.

I have no idea what to make of this at all! On the one hand, it's clearly a business decision to make money in India, he's essentially a new JBL going from a career mid/low carder to champion almost overnight with nothing more than a new gimmick, it does make me wonder what the point of Randy Orton winning the title at Mania actually was...

i read the results in the morning and couldn't believe he actually won the title, on one hand its good cos its not the same faces always holding the title but on the other its not anyone the fans want to see have a chance I don't like it for the simple fact on raw was a jobber gets drafter to SD and wins 2 big matches with no build upo what so ever I'd preferred he was built up with a few mid card wins before hand.

I got round to watching it last night. I can honestly say I don't think I'll be going back to watch it again; nothing that really stood out aside from Orton's face when he nearly killed one of the Singh brothers on the table.

I do weirdly like the Fashion Police though. Can't helkp thinking that if WWE really want to make a go of the Cruiserweight division, adding Breeze and Enzo Amore to it would help to make people care about it a whole lot more than having nobodies like Drew Gulak or that Nese guy.

No one could top Dunne vs Bate, so it was like there was no point in really trying haha. The crowd peaked then as well, no matter how much people said it was hot at Backlash, it was insane for Takeover. Not heard anything like that in a long time. I haven't read any reviews or internet chatter yet, but I can imagine that was everyone's moment of the weekend. Which considering Nakamura debuted as a WWE superstar, is saying something. Scrap the purple cruiserweights and just have Dunne as the title to go for. (I think the plan is probably to have Dunne vs Andrews at SS or WM though, so they can do a WWE 24 about how they had their first match in a carpark in Coventry ha)

Backlash was overhyped and badly stuck behind a Takeover. I didn't mind Jinder winning, I felt it coming though, definitely after seeing the promo videos which almost forgot to mention Orton was at the PPV. It was just Mahal, Mahal, Mahal we're conditioning you all for Mahal as champ. MitB next though, and I think Mahal will be a good heel champ to make people care about whoever beats him for the belt. And they can have everyone have a go at him, wind people up with the cheap wins, and then have a release with someone beating him, and then maybe stack a MitB cash in on top of that too. The crowd weren't that pro Orton either, and if post WM is like a bit of down time, a reset, there's no point wasting the big title matches so early. Build something for the bigger PPV's and make waves in India while you're doing that. Mahal is the classic Cena opponent too, so if you want to create a Cena like star, you probably need some heel fodder.

All he needs is a move set now, unless he really is just a fill in.

Breeze and Fandango are going to keep getting praise here too. There was a hint that their crazy antics are well thought out mind games, so they can be both funny and good competitors. I liked the match just because it hit the mark on entertainment and match craft. And that meant they lost, but not because they are a joke, but because Uso's got their act together, and they ARE the champs for a reason. I think New Day are going to drop their last gimmick on return for sure now.

I really hope Mahal's not being set up as a new main event heel simply to feed to Cena; if WWE are going all-in with his push, then he needs to hold the title for a while. We've had 4 PPVs this year and the title has changed hands at each of them; I'm hoping Mahal retains it until Summerslam at the very least.

The Usos are great, I'm loving their work at the moment.

there was no mention or video package from rusev this week so perhaps they are going with mahal.

Mackem wrote:

there was no mention or video package from rusev this week so perhaps they are going with mahal.

Can you imagine the promos?

'I hate America!'
'No, I hate America!'
'Well I hate America more!'
'That's it! Fight!'

Did harry hill book that?

The fact he is an archetypal Cena fodder heel could lead to him losing to Mojo Rawley. So enjoy Mahal while you can haha.

Rusev was supposed to meet Shane in person about his SD role wasn't he? Surprised they scrapped that story if Rusev isn't taking on Lesnar.

Mackem wrote:

Did harry hill book that?

Oh, crap, that is Harry Hill, isn't it? I'm so ashamed.

ok so just watched SD but didn't think much of his promo only real way he got heat was speaking Punjabi which is cheap heat like slagging off the state your in to get boo'd. I cant see it being a long title run tbh I wouldn't be surprised if orton won it back at MITB.

He's apparently going to be holding it untill the Rumble.

just read online that hes not helping subscriptions in india at all cos they get the big four PPVs for free and other PPVs free but 12 hours after they've aired which makes sense why you wouldn't buy the network when get it for free.

Also read current plans are for him to hold the title till Wrestlemania and continue his anit America stuff for Cena to come back and beat him at Mania so people would be more happy hes beat Jinder than the fact he broke Flairs record.

Plans change. Nakamura, Styles, Zayn and Owens on SD will all push each other to the next level. Corbin is learning at a phenomenal rate, you get the impression he will take alot from working with those guys too.

After a bit of competition for the US title it will be clear they need to be in SD's main event. I could see Owens, if he continues to impress, holding both titles at some point. Owens vs Zayn will also be done again in bigger matches in the future. They can milk that feud with each title and it will still be interesting.

Sexton Hardcastle wrote:

Corbin is learning at a phenomenal rate, you get the impression he will take alot from working with those guys too.
 

Corbin is my pick for MITB it was Rusev but for obvious reasons him not being in it I now think Corbin will win it stay on mid card for bit feuding with big stars like Orton and just before it runs out cash in and win.

There's no chance Mahal is still champ by the Rumble, I reckon he'll be dropping the title at Summerslam, if not sooner. I wouldn't be surprised if he loses the rematch to Orton and goes back to jobbing straight afterwards, no-one is taking him seriously as champ at all. All he gets is cheap, anti-USA heat, he's not that good in the ring, and will be a comedy heel with his sidekicks before you know it. For him to be taken seriously, he needs a much bigger dude backing him up, and to actually be booked strongly.

Yeah, when the WWE title segment on SD ends with his big face on the Tron all you can do is laugh at him. He also got more anti American than anti intolerance, which is a bad sign for his longevity.

He is the perfect guy to lose to a Zayn, Nakamura etc if he keeps the title for a long time though, Because it would give an increased sense of relief to fans. But maybe the chance for that has passed because even with a budget thrown at him he just looks like a bit of a joke. So I agree with that Grec, if he doesn't get serious soon, he's done. Jinder could maybe still retain vs Orton at MitB, and then lose to whoever WWE want as the face of SD. Get his rematch out of the way and then you're looking at Summerslam with Owens vs Zayn, AJ vs Nakamura or some mix up of that. But I now think Dolph could be ready for another run in the main event, especially if it's with AJ. Throw Corbin in at the US title level, and SD is looking good even without Cena and Orton.

The reason I think Dolph is ready for another run, skill set aside. He has been stuck in a rut, but is still a recognisable name which will help transition. And obviously he can do alot more than Jinder in matches with AJ, Nakamura, Zayn, so that is a huge bonus.


My long shot prediction is Ziggler winning MitB, Orton regaining the title only to lose it right then to Ziggler.