Live WWE Backlash Discussion Thread - Saturday May 6th 2023

[Santa Hoss]

Tbh I liked the main event the most

 

[Finishline]

This show exceeded all my expectations. I'm a fan of Bad Bunny's now... that was electric.

 

[Tg11]

Love Bunny

 

[Dale]

​

 

[Chris]

 

[Chris]

WWE is touting that Backlash 2023 was a record-breaking night for the company.

In a press release issued on Monday, WWE announced that this year's Backlash was the highest-grossing and most-viewed Backlash event in history. The pay-per-view took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico this past Saturday.

"Viewership of Backlash saw a 28 percent increase versus the record set in 2022," WWE wrote. "The event, which featured Bad Bunny, the most-streamed music artist in the world, marked the largest gate ever for any WWE event held in Puerto Rico and the largest gate in the history of Backlash."

This was the first WWE PPV to take place in Puerto Rico since New Year's Revolution 2005.

WWE added that Saturday's PPV also broke merchandise and sponsorship records for Backlash. With a focus on increasing sponsorship revenue, that category was up 98 percent from last year.

It also marked the most social Backlash of all-time, led by over 40 million views of the San Juan Street Fight featuring Bad Bunny vs. [Damian] Priest. The hashtag #WWEBacklash, accompanied by a custom Bad Bunny emoji, trended No. 1 across the entire evening of sports.
In addition, Backlash broke merchandise and sponsorship records. As the first-ever WWE event under the expanded partnership with Fanatics overseeing the on-site event retail experience, top-selling items included the WWE Backlash and LWO Puerto Rico t-shirts. Sponsorship revenue surpassed any Backlash event in history, breaking last year’s record with a 98 percent year-on-year increase through partnerships with Netflix’s FUBAR, Mike’s Harder Lemonade and Xfinity.

Saturday's PPV was headlined by Cody Rhodes defeating Brock Lesnar.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/wwe-touts-success-of-backlash-2023-highest-grossing-backlash-in-history

 

[Barry Poppins]

That's genuinely impressive especially considering Backlash 2000/2001 are both considered all-time great shows, right?

 

[Chris]

Wrestling in his home of Puerto Rico was a dream for Bad Bunny.

Two days removed from defeating Damian Priest at Backlash, Bad Bunny made a post on his Instagram Stories looking back at the moment. Bad Bunny wrote that he's still processing it, but there are no words to describe what he felt. Bad Bunny wrote that it was "a dream" for him.

Bad Bunny also thanked the red-hot crowd in San Juan, calling them the best wrestling fans in the world. Bad Bunny said the Puerto Rican fans were the stars of the show at Backlash and at SmackDown last Friday.

He wrote (translated from Spanish):

I'm still processing this. There are no words to describe what I felt that day... wow! it was a dream
Thank you PUERTO RICO!!! You were the stars these two nights! There is no energy like the one you provided!! people now know who the best wrestling fans in the world are!!
P FKN R!!!

Backlash was Bad Bunny's third time ever competing in a WWE ring. His San Juan street fight against Priest included cameos by Carlito and Savio Vega, who helped the LWO fend off interference by the Judgment Day.

Backlash was the first time a WWE pay-per-view has been held in Puerto Rico since 2005.

Bad Bunny's match at Backlash took place less than a month after he became the first Latino artist to headline the Coachella music festival.

https://www.f4wonline.com/news/wwe/bad-bunny-says-wwe-backlash-was-a-dream-thanks-puerto-rico-crowd

 

[Santa Hoss]

One final thought on Backlash

The thing I'll take away most from this show is that it is hands down the truest and most sincere representation/celebration of Latino culture that WWE has ever done imo. By a mile. Which is shocking considering the population even just here in the states, and how much of the overall wrestling fanbase is Latino.

But yeah, it was great to see a full night of lifting up Latino culture and giving fans who don't always get to see themselves represented something to remember. And not only that, but I think the show speaks for itself, and the several international trips WWE has taken these last couple years are a testament to how much more interesting it is to incorporate different cultures into your product.

 

[Chris]

The Bunny wanted Savio

 

[O-Blaze]

 

[Deezy]

 

[Chris]