Here’s our final thoughts on SmackDown Live’s WWE Backlash 2017!
Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English
Reactions: This turned out to be on the same level as other solo Kickoff Matches. It went a lot longer than the last two matches these two men had before, which meant we got to see English actually get in a few minutes of offense. The extra action that transpired here was admirable at best, but it ended just like we knew it would. Dillinger wins once again and we’re happy to see his push continue. This was an average bout, but at least it had the right man winning.
Rating: 1 & a Half out of 5 Stars
Luke Harper vs. Erick Rowan
Reactions: These two hosses put on an okay match. Too bad the crowd didn’t care enough to stay focused for much of it. Rowan seemed like he had a chip on his shoulder as he looked to prove he wasn’t just some 3rd wheel member of The Wyatt Family. Harper’s one of the more underrated members of SD Live and he made sure to show just how good he is during this bout. While this match was far from terrible, it lost a few points due to having no true heat behind it. With more crowd interest and possibly a hardcore stipulation put on top of it, it could have turned out even better.
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin
Reactions: This turned out to be less of a slog and more of a spirited encounter. Corbin is steadily improving and Zayn never has a bad match. While this match initially started out slow, it crescendoed the longer it went on. Zayn always plays the part of a wounded dog perfectly and Corbin was the right one to be in domination mode. Zayn’s comeback sequence was lively as always. This match went from decent to surprisingly good the more it went on. Zayn’s Sunset Powerbomb to Corbin off the top rope and Corbin’s devastating Deep Six Slam to Zayn were definitely highlights here. I predicted a Corbin win here, but to my surprise Zayn got the shocking victory. This match was a pleasant surprise thanks to how much better it turned out to be and due to who ended up actually winning.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler
Reactions: I’m glad WWE chose a great worker in the form of Ziggler to be Nakamura’s 1st main roster opponent. I figured this match would be amazing, but it actually turned out be good at best. That’s not a huge knock on the match, but we were expecting just a little bit more from these two charismatic individuals. Both men engaged in some pretty entertaining grappling exchanges, plus Ziggler turned things up a notch. Ziggler’s work when he had control over Nakamura wasn’t boring whatsoever, which helped keep this bout stay alive with the hype crowd. When Nakamura finally got some time to dominate Ziggler, it was impressive as expected. Both Superstars fought hard and provided Backlash 2017 with a fun opener. I enjoyed what I saw here, but it needed another 5-10 minutes of action to really make it worthy of Nakamura’s main roster greatness. I hope this is just the 1st of many matches between Ziggler and Nakamura.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Naomi vs. The Welcoming Committee (Natalya, Tamina, and Carmella) (with James Ellsworth) (6-Woman Tag Team Match)
Reactions: This was passable. All six ladies fought hard, but it never kicked into a higher gear. Watching every woman pull out their best signature move in rapid fire fashion was cool, at least. The Welcoming Committee (horrible stable name, by the way) got the win, so it looks like this group feud must continue. Make the rematch a Tornado 6-Woman Tag Team Match and I presume we’ll get something much better.
Rating: 2 out of 5 Stars
Kevin Owens (c) vs. AJ Styles (WWE United States Championship)
Reactions: Damn, this was gearing up to be a MOTY candidate! But that ending put a slight damper on things. But even with that disappointing finish put in place, Styles and Owens still managed to put on a fine performance. Both men excelled during the bout’s opening moments, but the action got even crazier once Owens began focusing more on Styles’ weaker right leg. Owens got into some nice submission work and made sure to continue making Styles feel unbearable pain. Styles sold all that leg work quite well, which made me cheer him on even more as the match went on. A lot of big spots took place during this match (my personal favorite was the huge Sunset Flip Powerbomb that Styles fed Owens from the top rope). The match looked like it was going to get even better once Styles cracked Owens with a Phenomenal Forearm on the outside. But its full greatness got cut short after Owens grabbed the cheap and easy win via countout. This was still a good match, but it didn’t reach legendary status. Styles and Owens will probably reach that level of excellence in a rematch of some kind in the future.
Rating: 3 & a Half out of 5 Stars
The Usos (Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso) (c) vs. Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango) (WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship)
Reactions: It’s pretty rare to see WWE pull of a comedy segment that’s…well, actually funny. Breezango provided plenty of hilarity during this tag team championship bout, thanks to Breeze’s undercover antics. Thankfully, the match itself did a good job of adding more entertainment to all the funny business that took place here. The Usos were in fine form as always, but Breezango finally got a chance to show and prove on the PPV stage. The crazier moments that went down outside the ring (Breeze getting flung over the crowd barrier and Fandango launching himself onto The Usos) did even more to make this match such a fun affair. This was much better than I expected it to be. Come for the laughs, stay for the action.
Rating: 2 & a Half out of 5 Stars
Randy Orton (c) vs. Jinder Mahal (with Samir Singh and Sunil Singh) (WWE Championship)
Reactions: WHAAAAAAAAAAAT? JINDER ACTUALLY WON? This moment is on par withe the shock that hit us after Lesnar broke The Undertaker’s streak at WrestleMania 30. 2017 continues to be one of the craziest years in professional wrestling now that “Don’t Hinder the Jinder” Mahal has become WWE Champion. As for everything that took place before the shocking end result, it was alright. The wild start was a treat to see, plus all the mayhem that kept taking place outside when Orton went nuts was also pretty hype. The middle section was a bit slow and plodding in parts, but the intensity from both men and the shoulder work made it a little bit more interesting. But the complete madness that is Jinder Mahal defeating Orton for the WWE Championship is all I care about. Man, what a conclusion…
Rating: 2 & a Half out of 5 Stars
Match of the Night
Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles!
Final Verdict
So Backlash 2017 turned out to be a pretty solid event. It won’t be remembered for anything expect for Jinder Mahal shocking the world and claiming the WWE Championship. That. Was. Insane! Other than that, this PPV featured a very comedic Tag Team Championship match that was full of belly laughs and solid work from Nakamura/Ziggler and Zayn/Corbin. Owens and Styles were on their way to having an title amazing match, but its lame finish stopped it from reaching that level. Even still, their US Championship match was still worth watching. WWE Backlash 2017 turned out to be a solid night full of surprising winners/results. Now let’s get back to what’s even more important – JINDER DID IT! #TheEraOfMahajarahHasBegun
Final Score: 3 out of 5 Stars
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