It’s time to close the book on Wrestelmania season for 2021. WWE returns to PPV this Sunday from Tampa with Wrestlemania Backlash and a trio of title fight. The PPV event is a rebrand of Backlash that was the first PPV post-Wrestlemania from 1999 to 2009. The card is expected to see some rematches from Wrestlemania as well as a few fresh matches mixed in with the potential for tons of fun.
One headline match will see Bobby Lashley put the WWE championship on the line against Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman in triple threat action.
WWE WrestleMania Backlash goes down on Sunday, May 16 at Yuengling Center in Tampa. The main show will begin at 7 p.m. ET and stream live on Peacock with kickoff shows starting the festivities an hour prior. So let’s have a look now at the WrestleMania Backlash matches that have been confirmed as well as break down what else could be added to the match card based on current weekly television direction.
WWE WrestleMania Backlash matches
WWE Championship — Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Braun Strowman: Despite a clean win by Lashley to kick off the first night of WrestleMania, WWE announced they were running back the clash between the two. It’s was an odd decision, to be sure, with a McIntyre loss seemingly guaranteed to take him out of the title picture for the foreseeable future. A McIntyre win would also mean WWE passed up on giving him a “WrestleMania moment” in front of a crowd after winning the title in the empty Performance Center at WrestleMania 36 in 2020. McIntyre earned the rematch with a win on Raw over Randy Orton and Braun Strowman before being attacked by T-Bar and Mace, formerly of Retribution. WWE may have found their out for Lashley or McIntyre taking the loss when Strowman beat McIntyre on Raw — with help from Mace and T-Bar — to turn the match into a triple threat.
Universal Championship — Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cesaro: Cesaro issued a challenge to Reigns on SmackDown that was laughed off by the champion before he was matched with Jey Uso. Cesaro’s issues with Seth Rollins continued to hang over his head while Reigns faced — and defeated — Daniel Bryan. After Reigns defeated Bryan, he forced Cesaro to watch as he delivered a con-chair-to to Bryan. Cesaro finally locked up an opportunity to challenge for the title when he defeated Rollins on SmackDown in a match carrying the stipulation that he would get a title shot with a victory.
SmackDown Women’s Championship — Bianca Belair (c) vs. Bayley: After defeating Sasha Banks at WrestleMania to capture the title, it seemed a rematch may be in order for Belair at WrestleMania Backlash. Instead, she gets Bayley, Banks’ former best friend. Bayley didn’t do much of anything at WrestleMania, interrupting various segments backstage or between matches and getting embarrassed by the Bella Twins. Bayley’s bona fides are certainly solid, however, as the longest reigning SmackDown women’s champion in WWE history. She’ll be on a mission to get the title back while renewing an old rivalry with Belair that came on Belair’s ascent to the title.
Raw Women’s Championship — Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair: Flair was a surprising WrestleMania absence, but once the biggest show on the calendar was in the books, Flair returned and made it known she had designs on once again becoming champion. Then, she attacked both Asuka and Ripley during the rematch of their WrestleMania showdown on Raw. After it was announced Ripley would defend the title in a rematch with Asuka, Flair demanded she be allowed in the match as well, a request granted by Sonya Deville.
SmackDown Tag Team Championship — Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode (c) vs. Dominik & Rey Mysterio: The Mysterios are attempting to become the first father and son tag champs in WWE history when they take on Roode and Ziggler. The champs have not been on a memorable championship run, having only defended the championships twice since capturing the belts in January. The pair have also not appeared on a pay-per-view event in 2021.
Damian Priest vs. The Miz (Lumberjack Match): Priest and Bad Bunny beat Miz and John Morrison at WrestleMania. That didn’t put the issues between the men to bed, however, and a match on Raw between Morrison and Priest was set with the winner getting to set the stipulation for Priest vs. Miz at Backlash. Priest won the match and chose a Lumberjack Match to leave Miz with nowhere to run.
