It's already that time again, for another WWE sorta-PPV. This time they're traveling to Italy, which will no doubt have a hot crowd. And they'll proceed to deliver half of a proper show for said hot crowd.
This five-match format is the weirdest goddamn thing to me. WWE is supposedly trying really hard to elevate a bunch of new people but most of their PPV events only have 10-12 total slots available, which is only going to slow down that process. Like, just add two or three matches to each of these shows. What's so hard about that? I don't know what this regime's obsession is with only ever having 5-7 matches on a given PPV. Are you actively looking for ways to make Vince seem sensible by comparison?
This show actually has quite a bit of star power on it, with both top belts on the line and Brock wrestling even though he's...officially retired. Huh?
Women's Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch vs. Sol Ruca
This is a rematch from Saturday Night's Main Event, now for the title, no doubt with Jessika Carr as the referee. Poor Sol Ruca's gonna end up the third wheel in this one, isn't she? Carr will do something that costs Becky the title, they'll feud, and Sol will end up the new champ but out on her ass in terms of having an actual storyline. Like Bret after SummerSlam 1997. The usual "defeat in victory" trope that happens to so many new champions.
Pick: Sol
WWE Women's Championship: Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill
One of two WrestleMania rematches, these two had about as good a match as could be expected with Jade's limitations, so let's tempt fate with a rematch I guess? Maybe they'll surprise us all and top the first outing. Rhea's obviously retaining.
Pick: Rhea retains
Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
Speaking of tempting fate, why let a perfect moment like the one Obi and Brock had last month go unfucked with? We just made a potentially massive new star in squeaky clean, decisive fashion at the biggest show of the year, so yeah, let's dilute that with a rematch where he just loses right back to the guy who put him over huge? And while we're at it, let's say Brock is officially retired but wrestling anyway. Makes sense, right? WWE could fuck up spelling the word "cat."
Pick: Brock wins here and they probably have a rubber match in a couple months. Because "reasons."
WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther
Cody Rhodes has to be one of the coldest top WWE babyfaces of the last forty years. Between all the times they've muddled his WrestleMania programs, his multiple title reigns without hot challengers, and his natural unlikability in interviews, Cody feels as stale now as at the end of his AEW run. I expect this crowd to be very pro-Gunther. I could be wrong, but I just don't see a European crowd backing Cody to win. Hell, even the Vegas crowd turned on him. Twice. Cody desperately needs a heel turn.
Pick: I think Gunther wins here to shake things up
World Championship Tribal Combat Match: Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu
Isn't "Tribal Combat" just another WWE buzzword for "No DQ?" These two had a very good main event at Backlash, but as usual in WWE, the babyface champion won the first match clean and then the heel attacked him afterwards, just so we could set up a second match. Hey, how about you have a not-so-decisive finish in the first one, so the challenger actually has a case for a rematch, hmmm? Why would management continually reward heels for beating up the champion after they lose? Anyway, this should be another good Roman PPV match, which would make it three in a row. Shit, this might already be his best title reign.
Pick: Roman retains
As five-match WWE PPVs go, this one is pretty loaded at least, but I'll say it again: WWE fans, demand more for your money. Backlash ran two hours and twenty minutes, which is not only pretty skimpy for a $30/month service, but also proves that WrestleMania and SummerSlam shows these days are criminally bloated - five matches over 140 minutes vs. 6-7 matches over 210-240 minutes? That math ain't mathing.
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