Slimmer’s WWE WrestleMania Backlash 2022 Review

Welcome to 411’s WWE WrestleMania Backlash 2022 Report. We are live in beautiful Providence, Rhode Island. Tonight’s Kickoff Show hosts are Kayla Braxton, Booker T, Kevin Patrick, John “Bradshaw” Layfield, and Peter Rosenberg. They start by running down the entire card before heading to a video package for Cody Rhodes vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins. We head to a video package for Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey followed by a video package for Bobby Lashley vs. Omos. Next up is a video package for AJ Styles vs. Edge followed by another video package for Charlotte Flair vs. Ronda Rousey. That brings us to a video package for Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss before the panel runs down the entire card one more time. The Kickoff Show finishes up with a video package for Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro vs. The Bloodline.

Cody Rhodes vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins

Rhodes takes the fight to Rollins and goes to work with mounted punches in the corner, but Rollins slides to the outside to escape. Rhodes chases Rollins around the ring, but Rollins takes control when the head back into the ring. Rollins context with a running knee to the jaw that sends Rhodes tumbling off the apron and to the floor. Rollins tries to slam Rhodes’ head into the ring steps, but Rhodes reverses and instead slams Rollins’ head into the steps. Rollins staggers around the ring but catches Rhodes with a clothesline. Rollins rolls Rhodes back into the ring and gets a two count. Rhodes goes for the Disaster Kick, but Rollins shoves Rhodes over the top rope and to the outside. The action returns to the ring and Rhodes hits a GORGEOUS delayed vertical suplex from the second rope. Cody hits a Cody Cutter but only gets a two count. Rollins fights back with a low super kick and gets a two count of his own. Rollins goes for the Stomp, but Rhodes tries to counter into the Cross Rhodes, but Rollins blocks. Rollins goes for the Pedigree, but Rhodes tries to counter into a Pedigree of his own, but Rollins counters into the Falcon Arrow for another two count. Rhodes head up top and goes for a moonsault, but Rollins rolls out of the way. Rollins hits the Pedigree, but Rhodes miraculously kicks out at two. Rollins peppers Rhodes with jabs, but Rhodes hits the Cross Rhodes. Rhodes goes for a Vertibreaker, but Rollins flips over and rolls him up, but Rhodes rolls through and rolls up Rollins with a handful of tights for the three count.

Match Result: Cody Rhodes defeats Seth Rollins with a rollup pin.
Match Length: 20:52
Slimmer’s Rating: ****¼

Bobby Lashley vs. Omos w/ MVP

Lashley locks up with Omos to start, but Omos easily shoves him away. MVP hops up onto the apron to distract Lashley, and Omos capitalizes with a big boot. Omos tosses Lashley to the corner and connects with a running splash. Omos wrenches on Lashley’s neck, but Lashley breaks free with elbow shots to the gut. Omos easily muscles Lashley over the top rope and tosses him to the floor. Omos drags Lashley back into the ring, hits snake eyes in the corner, and connects with a second big boot. Lashley fights back to his feet and hops onto Omos back to lock in a sleeper. Omos flips Lashley off of him, but Lashley maintains his momentum with a shoulder to the gut in the corner. Lashley ties up Omos in the ropes and goes to work with a volley of punches. MVP once again distracts Lashley as the referee frees Omos from the ropes. Lashley heads to the outside and tries to lock in the Hurt Lock on MVP, but Omos makes the save. The action returns to the ring, and Lashley hits a Flatliner. Lashley successfully locks in the Hurt Lock on Omos, but Omos slams Lashley into the corner so that the official will force Lashley to break the hold. Omos heads for Lashley in the corner but eats a pair of boots. Lashley hits another shoulder to the gut and goes for a suplex, but Omos blocks. Lashley hits a modified spinebuster and goes for a spear, but Omos counters with a knee shot and then posts Lashley in the corner. MVP cheap shots Lashley from the outside, and Omos follows up with the two-handed chokeslam for the three count.

Match Result: Omos defeats Bobby Lashley with the two-handed chokeslam.
Match Length: 8:55
Slimmer’s Rating: ***

AJ Styles vs. Edge

Damian Priest is banned from ringside for this match. Styles rushes Edge to the corner to start and stomps a mudhole in him. Styles lands a drop kick and then chases Edge to the outside. Styles whips Edge into the barricade and then slams him face-first into the announce table. Styles rolls Edge back into the ring, but Edge rolls across the ring and to the outside on the opposite side. Styles connects with a low drop kick between the ropes to Edge on the outside and follows up with a gorgeous Asai moonsault. Edge rolls back into the ring and Styles goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Edge blocks. Edge whips Styles’ injured shoulder into the ring post and then catapults him into the ring post on the outside. Edge slams Styles’ arm into the ring steps and then rolls him back into the ring. Edge wrenches on Styles’ injured shoulder and slams him shoulder-first to the mat. Edge locks in an arm bar and continues to apply pressure to the injured shoulder. Edge hits a shoulder breaker and locks in a modified hammer lock. Edge dumps Styles neck-first onto the top rope and then works him over in the corner. Edge goes for a clothesline, but Styles ducks and hits the Pelé kick. Styles and Edge both hit the ropes and hit each other with simultaneous cross body blocks. Styles regains control with a sliding forearm and follows up with a sit-out facebuster. Styles sets up for the Styles Clash, but Edge blocks, so Styles hits the Ushigoroshi. Edge fights back and locks in a crossface, but Styles reverses into the Calf Crusher. Edge just manages to make it to the ropes, and the referee calls for the break. Styles hits a German suplex out of the corner, but Edge takes the middle turnbuckle pad with him. Edge goes for the spear, but Styles side steps him and sends Edge face-first into the exposed turnbuckle. Edge hits the spear, but Styles counters a second spear with a running knee shot. Styles hits the Styles Clash, but Edge kicks out at two. Styles sets up for the Phenomenal Forearm, but he realizes he can’t do it with his injured shoulder. Styles heads up top, but here comes Damian Priest. Finn Balor charges down the ramp and brawls with Priest. Someone in a black hoodie pulls Styles off the top, but Edge locks in the crossface. Edge slides his arm under Styles’ chin, and Styles doesn’t tap, but he does pass out, so the referee calls for the bell. After the match, the person in the black hoodie joins Edge in the ring. They knees in front of Edge and then remove the hoodie to reveal… RHEA RIPLEY! This is a great move for Ripley.

Match Result: Edge defeats AJ Styles with the crossface.
Match Length: 15:37
Slimmer’s Rating: ****

I Quit Match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship
Charlotte Flair (Champion) vs. Ronda Rousey

Flair goes for a big boot as soon as the bell rings, but Rousey ducks. Flair connects with a back elbow shot, but Rousey fights back with a series of judo throws. Flair levels Rousey with a clothesline and follows up with a German suplex. Flair begins to set up for the Figure Eight, but Rousey tosses her away. Rousey drags Flair to the outside, but Flair slams Rousey into the barricade. Flair chops the chest several times and tries to slam Rousey face-first into the ring post, but Rousey reverses and whips Flair shoulder-first into the ring post. Rousey tosses Flair into the timekeeper’s area, but Flair catches Rousey with a big boot. Flair grabs a kendo stick from under the ring and takes a swing at Rousey, but Rousey evades. Rousey grabs the kendo stick and chases Flair up the ramp, but Flair grabs two more kendo sticks from backstage. Flair knocks the kendo stick out of Rousey’s hands, but Rousey steals Flair’s kendo sticks and monkey flips Flair onto the ramp. Rousey goes to work with a volley of kendo stick shots with both kendo sticks, but Flair grabs a camera from a cameraman and launches it at Rousey. Flair flees into the crowd, but Rousey follows her. Rousey beats Flair through the crowd, but Flair throws a drink into Rousey’s face. Flair tosses Rousey into a wall and drags Rousey up the stairs. Flair twists Rousey around a hand rail and uses the rail to lock in something akin to a camel clutch. Flair beats Rousey back toward the ring and goes for a chair shot, but Rousey blocks. Rousey grabs the ring and chases Flair back to ringside. Flair big boots the chair into Rousey’s face and slams her face-first into the announce table. Flair powerbombs Rousey onto the top of the barricade, but Rousey refuses to quit. Rousey fights back with body shots and goes for Piper’s Pit, but Flair rakes the eyes and shoves Rousey into the ring post. Flair heads up top, but Rousey ties her up in the tree of woe and locks in an arm bar. Rousey hangs off the apron with Flair in the arm bar, but Flair refuses to quit. Flair and Rousey both tumble to the floor, and they both seem to be in rough shape. Rousey may have injured her arm in the fall to the floor. Flair rolls Rousey back into the ring and delivers Natural Selection onto a chair. Flair locks in the Figure Eight in the middle of the ring, but Rousey grabs the chair and uses it to break the hold. Flair sets up the chair in the middle of the ring, but Rousey pulls Flair’s arm through the chair. Rousey locks in the armbar through the chair, and Flair finally has to quit.

Match Result: Ronda Rousey defeats Charlotte Flair with a chair-assisted armbar.
Match Length: 16:37
Slimmer’s Rating: ***¾

Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss

Corbin and Moss lock up to start, but Moss muscles Corbin to the ropes. Corbin lands a leg kick, but Moss fights back with forearm shots. Moss hip tosses Corbin, but Corbin dumps Moss to the apron. Corbin takes control as Moss climbs back through the ropes and choke slams him in the middle of the ring. Corbin tosses Moss to the outside and beats him against the barricade. Corbin whips Moss hard to the corner and follows up with elbow shots to the shoulder. Corbin locks in a modifies chin lock, but Moss fights back to his feet. Moss whips Corbin to the corner, but Corbin slides under the bottom rope and charges back into the ring to level Corbin with a clothesline. Corbin hits a back senton, but Moss gets back to his feet and launches Corbin out of the ring with a shoulder block. Moss heads to the outside and slams Corbin into the ring post. The action returns to the ring, and Moss spears Corbin in the corner. Moss hits a fallaway slam but only gets a two count. Corbin traps Moss in the corner and pounds him down to the mat. Corbin takes Moss up top, but Moss shoves him back down to the mat. Corbin catches Moss with Deep Six and gets a looong two count. Moss hits the ropes and catches Corbin with a sunset flip for the three count.

Match Result: Madcap Moss defeats Happy Corbin with a sunset flip.
Match Length: 9:49
Slimmer’s Rating: **¾

Six-Man Tag Team Match
Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro vs. The Bloodline w/ Paul Heyman

Orton and Jimmy start the match. Jimmy backs Orton into the corner and works him over. Orton fights back with an uppercut and makes the tag to Riddle. Jimmy whips Riddle hard to the corner, but Jimmy hits a gutwrench suplex and makes the tag to McIntyre. McIntyre locks in a front face lock and transitions into a suplex. Jimmy makes the tag to Reigns, but Reigns only circles McIntyre before making the tag to Jey. McIntyre delivers a belly-to-belly suplex to Jey and makes the tag to Riddle. Riddle stomps on Jey’s hand and hits a gutwrench suplex. Jimmy gets the tag, and the Usos double team Riddle in the corner. Jimmy chokes Riddle across the middle rope, and Jey hits a cheap shot from the outside. Jey gets the tag, and the Usos wishbone Riddle. Jey hits a scoop slam and stomps on Riddle’s hand. Jey chokes Riddle across the bottom rope and makes the tag to Jimmy. The Usos hit a backbreaker / diving elbow drop combination, and Jimmy makes the tag to Reigns. Reigns slams Riddle to the mat and then drives his face into the top turnbuckle. Reigns works over Riddle in the corner and levels him with a back elbow shot. Reigns follows up with a side slam and gets a two count. Reigns makes the tag to Jimmy, and Jimmy chops Riddle in the corner. Jimmy goes for a splash in the corner, but Riddle ducks, and Jimmy’s face slams into the top turnbuckle. Jimmy manages to make the tag to Jey, but Riddle levels Jey with a running knee before FINALLY making the hot tag to McIntyre as Jey tags Reigns. McIntyre squares off with Reigns in the middle of the ring and levels him with a back elbow shot. McIntyre hits a belly-to-belly suplex and follows up with a neckbreaker. Jimmy tries to make the save but eats a neckbreaker of his own. Jey distracts McIntyre from the apron, and Reigns uses the distraction to hit a Superman Punch. McIntyre tumbles to the outside, and Reigns slams him into the barricade. The action returns to the ring, and Reigns works over McIntyre with a volley of short clotheslines in the corner. Reigns knocks Riddle off the apron but turns around and eats a Claymore from McIntyre. Reigns tags Jimmy as McIntyre makes the HOT tag to Orton. Orton levels Jimmy and delivers a power slam to Jey for good measure. Orton hits Jimmy with his patented rope-assisted DDT and tosses Jey to the outside. RKO OUT OF NOWHERE TO REIGNS!!! Jimmy hits a super kick, but Orton answers with an RKO, but Jey makes the save. McIntyre beats down Jey in the corner and launches him across the ring. McIntyre goes for a Claymore, but Jey counters with a super kick. The Usos hit McIntyre with a double team super kick, and Jey gets the tag as Orton makes the tag to Riddle. Riddle hits a belly-to-belly suplex and follows up with the Broton. Riddle hits a fisherman’s suplex and hits the Floating Bro for a looong two count. Riddle sets up for the RKO, but Jey counters into a rollup for a two count. Jey hits a pop-up neckbreaker, but Orton makes the save. Orton beats Jimmy around the ringside area, but McIntyre hits Orton with a Superman Punch off the ring steps. McIntyre whips Reigns into the ring steps and then clears off the announce table. McIntyre sets up to powerbomb Reigns the announce table, but Jimmy distracts McIntyre, and Reigns sides slams McIntyre through the announce table. Back in the ring, Jey levels Riddle with a super kick and then heads up top. Riddle springs up to the top rock and hits a super RKO from the top, but Reigns charges into the ring and hits Riddle with a spear for the three count. Looks like Reigns made the blind tag as Riddle was setting up Jey for the super RKO.

Match Result: Roman Reigns defeats Riddle with the Spear.
Match Length: 22:14
Slimmer’s Rating: ****

8.4

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

WrestleMania Backlash wasn’t an all-time classic PPV, but it was a nice change of pace from many recent WWE shows. Every match was given plenty of time, and that allowed each match to deliver about as well as could reasonably be expected. Rhodes vs. Rollins stole the show in the opener, but the entire card was solid. There will undoubtedly be more WWE shows packed with too many matches that don’t get enough time, but for one night it was nice to see every match get the chance to tell its story.