5/10 boring, no title changes, Roman unnecessarily won
Only redeeming quality was Seth/Miz being an awesome match
Only redeeming quality was Seth/Miz being an awesome match
Backlash Rate Backlash 2018
- Thread starter Jacob Fox
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Then don't have him face Brock.
If you're setting up Joe vs Styles then Joe needed a W.
I have no control over who faces who. All I'm saying is If you want someone to wrestle your world champion who has hold the title for over a year, then having them lose a ppv match just before is out of the question. Whether the match should happen in the first place is a different topic.
Of course if Roman isnt facing Brock, then it makes no sense.
Okay, random rant to go on. Grievous oughta appreciate this one.
I really don't like Carmella. And have been following the product less and less as the weeks go on and it largely started from that.
Carmella drug an under confident guy along by a string and coaxed him into stealing MITB for her.
I always thought it was right for Becky to win the briefcase from her since she was the one who got robbed by Ellsworth.
She was cutting firey promos and her being vindicated is how wrestling works.
She won it as a joke and lost a bajillion matches. Then she cashed in and won the title from Charlotte on distraction bullshit.
Everything about this title reign is a joke. Everything about Charlotte is serious.
She was portrayed as a dominant champion. She broke Asuka's streak. She had the pointless PPV wins record. She held the SD women's title forever.
I can't believe someone in that room didn't step up and say "Hey! Doesn't this ruin both characters?"
And then nobody stepped up. About that or anything else.
I really don't like Carmella. And have been following the product less and less as the weeks go on and it largely started from that.
Carmella drug an under confident guy along by a string and coaxed him into stealing MITB for her.
I always thought it was right for Becky to win the briefcase from her since she was the one who got robbed by Ellsworth.
She was cutting firey promos and her being vindicated is how wrestling works.
She won it as a joke and lost a bajillion matches. Then she cashed in and won the title from Charlotte on distraction bullshit.
Everything about this title reign is a joke. Everything about Charlotte is serious.
She was portrayed as a dominant champion. She broke Asuka's streak. She had the pointless PPV wins record. She held the SD women's title forever.
I can't believe someone in that room didn't step up and say "Hey! Doesn't this ruin both characters?"
And then nobody stepped up. About that or anything else.
Roman didn't need to win because he already has the "controversial finish" from the GRR to claim another title shot. Joe needed a win to promote his run for the WWE Championship
Not going all-out with the format like I normally do since I skipped three matches because for me, the main event was the WWE Championship and wasn't willing to watch Bliss vs. Jax unless I was getting paid. Everything else I watched though. Miz vs. Rollins was great, no complaints. Might even be my favorite Miz match. Jeff vs. Orton was decent. My favorite part of the match was when I thought "Wow, Orton actually hasn't applied a rest-hold yet, I'm impressed" followed by Orton legitimately applying a rest-hold. Bryan vs. Cass was a good as it was going to be probably. One thing I really liked is that it was a struggle to get the Yes Lock locked in. The super fluid lock-ins are cool but seeing Bryan struggle to bring Cass down and then having to violently punch/elbow him to lock the hold in properly was great. That, along with how quickly Cass tapped in after that, makes the move feel all the more impressive and monumental. Post-match was annoying, if only because it indicates the feud is continuing.
As for Carmella vs. Charlotte, the match started off perfectly. Carmella attempting to get a quick champion advantage immediately and Charlotte nonchalantly (or noncharlottently if you prefer) stopping her attempts was great. Especially loved her smug blocking the exit when Carmella tried for a count-out victory. It was a perfect way to utilize their established character traits, I love character driven wrestling. Then, they completely forgot their established character traits because the rest of this match was Carmella having Charlotte in a rest-hold whilst yelling stuff. And I understand that she was yelling stuff in an attempt to both garner heel heat and make the rest-holds more entertaining but the former can be accomplished and many way and the latter is like putting a bandage on a fresh gun-shot wound. If you're match is mostly comprised of long-winded rest holds, no matter how you try to spice it up it's not going to be entertaining. The only segment of this that I thought was cool was how Carmella reversed into the Code of Silence. Then Carmella wins . . . clean. Why? Like admittedly, if they were going to have Carmella win clean, they did it the right way. Because Carmella won in a way that was still presented as advantageous than skilled. Like she didn't win because she was a better wrestler, she won because Charlotte's knee buckled and she managed to take quick advantage of it. But why would you have her win clean in the first place? The only reason I could think they did that was because they didn't want to continue the feud. I think they felt if Carmella had like The Iconic Duo help out or if she cheated to win then they would've been forced to give Charlotte another shot, and I think they want to avoid that (hopefully because the plan is for Asuka to take it from Carmella). But that's not necessary, she could still have cheated a bit more, you got the Money in the Bank to distract Charlotte anyway.
As for Shinsuke/Styles, I was fuming when that match was announced as next with three to go. Fuck off WWE. That was my thought anyway, but then I saw the finish of Shinsuke/Styles. And yes, while I'd still prefer they'd end the card with the WWE Championship even with that awful, awful finish intact, I'm glad there was another reason why WWE ended with Reigns/Joe instead of just trying to get the fans to wank off Roman as much as he wanks his fist. They wanted to end the show with a winner, not on a no contest. As for the match itself, I thought it was pretty great until the finish. Not like Rollins/Miz level but I was really enjoying it. That Kinshasa reversal where AJ lunged a chair at him and it ricochet back and cut his cheek, like thank god it didn't hit his eye or anything but that spot was awesome, and seeing blood added an extra layer to the match. And the spot where Styles nails Nakamura with a low-blow before he collapsed from Nakamura's low-blow, perfect. I know Nakamura constantly low-blowing Styles week-to-week is redundant to many but between this and the usage at the Greatest Royal Rumble, it's clear that Nakamura & Styles know how to structure a match around those moves, making them dramatic high-points near the conclusion of the bout. It's unusually to see a match's story ultimately reveal around a singular move, and I think Nakamura & AJ know how to effectively tell that story. The double low-blow kick was awesome too. And they landed so close to the ropes too. Obviously they were going to maybe move a bit and use the ropes to get up. Okay, ref's at 8 and they haven't move, really soaking that in for the drama huh guys? Guys? . . . 10?
Seriously, these non-finishes are hurting the matches a lot. It's funny, or just really sad, that their Mania match is the only one with a finish I liked considering it's the only match of there's I didn't enjoy. Anyway at the Greatest Royal Rumble at least I understood why, I really don't understand why they didn't just give Nakamura the belt, it felt like his time. Like, I would've just have them both use the ropes to get up, Nakamura gets up a little quicker, and boom Kinshasa and new WWE Champion. The feud can still continue through Styles' rematch clause, and heel Shinsuke is validated with a Championship reign, which helps solidify his position as a top tier guy because even though the draw finish here doesn't kill him (like if Styles' won here I'd be surprised if he ever won it), it's not helping. Couldn't be Styles fairly, and even with constant mind-games and low-blows the best he can do is hope for a draw. I like that Styles gets more time with the belt mind you and I'm still thinking that the next decisive finish in this feud will see Shinsuke with the Championship (and for the love of all that is holy WWE, let Nakamura win it at Money in the Bank) so not all hope is lost but WWE, you're turning a dream match many fans wanted to see into a feud people can't wait to end.
As for Carmella vs. Charlotte, the match started off perfectly. Carmella attempting to get a quick champion advantage immediately and Charlotte nonchalantly (or noncharlottently if you prefer) stopping her attempts was great. Especially loved her smug blocking the exit when Carmella tried for a count-out victory. It was a perfect way to utilize their established character traits, I love character driven wrestling. Then, they completely forgot their established character traits because the rest of this match was Carmella having Charlotte in a rest-hold whilst yelling stuff. And I understand that she was yelling stuff in an attempt to both garner heel heat and make the rest-holds more entertaining but the former can be accomplished and many way and the latter is like putting a bandage on a fresh gun-shot wound. If you're match is mostly comprised of long-winded rest holds, no matter how you try to spice it up it's not going to be entertaining. The only segment of this that I thought was cool was how Carmella reversed into the Code of Silence. Then Carmella wins . . . clean. Why? Like admittedly, if they were going to have Carmella win clean, they did it the right way. Because Carmella won in a way that was still presented as advantageous than skilled. Like she didn't win because she was a better wrestler, she won because Charlotte's knee buckled and she managed to take quick advantage of it. But why would you have her win clean in the first place? The only reason I could think they did that was because they didn't want to continue the feud. I think they felt if Carmella had like The Iconic Duo help out or if she cheated to win then they would've been forced to give Charlotte another shot, and I think they want to avoid that (hopefully because the plan is for Asuka to take it from Carmella). But that's not necessary, she could still have cheated a bit more, you got the Money in the Bank to distract Charlotte anyway.
As for Shinsuke/Styles, I was fuming when that match was announced as next with three to go. Fuck off WWE. That was my thought anyway, but then I saw the finish of Shinsuke/Styles. And yes, while I'd still prefer they'd end the card with the WWE Championship even with that awful, awful finish intact, I'm glad there was another reason why WWE ended with Reigns/Joe instead of just trying to get the fans to wank off Roman as much as he wanks his fist. They wanted to end the show with a winner, not on a no contest. As for the match itself, I thought it was pretty great until the finish. Not like Rollins/Miz level but I was really enjoying it. That Kinshasa reversal where AJ lunged a chair at him and it ricochet back and cut his cheek, like thank god it didn't hit his eye or anything but that spot was awesome, and seeing blood added an extra layer to the match. And the spot where Styles nails Nakamura with a low-blow before he collapsed from Nakamura's low-blow, perfect. I know Nakamura constantly low-blowing Styles week-to-week is redundant to many but between this and the usage at the Greatest Royal Rumble, it's clear that Nakamura & Styles know how to structure a match around those moves, making them dramatic high-points near the conclusion of the bout. It's unusually to see a match's story ultimately reveal around a singular move, and I think Nakamura & AJ know how to effectively tell that story. The double low-blow kick was awesome too. And they landed so close to the ropes too. Obviously they were going to maybe move a bit and use the ropes to get up. Okay, ref's at 8 and they haven't move, really soaking that in for the drama huh guys? Guys? . . . 10?
Seriously, these non-finishes are hurting the matches a lot. It's funny, or just really sad, that their Mania match is the only one with a finish I liked considering it's the only match of there's I didn't enjoy. Anyway at the Greatest Royal Rumble at least I understood why, I really don't understand why they didn't just give Nakamura the belt, it felt like his time. Like, I would've just have them both use the ropes to get up, Nakamura gets up a little quicker, and boom Kinshasa and new WWE Champion. The feud can still continue through Styles' rematch clause, and heel Shinsuke is validated with a Championship reign, which helps solidify his position as a top tier guy because even though the draw finish here doesn't kill him (like if Styles' won here I'd be surprised if he ever won it), it's not helping. Couldn't be Styles fairly, and even with constant mind-games and low-blows the best he can do is hope for a draw. I like that Styles gets more time with the belt mind you and I'm still thinking that the next decisive finish in this feud will see Shinsuke with the Championship (and for the love of all that is holy WWE, let Nakamura win it at Money in the Bank) so not all hope is lost but WWE, you're turning a dream match many fans wanted to see into a feud people can't wait to end.
It was so bad there were 0 Apples in Catering because Titus O'Neil was in charge
and he didn't get them on the table in time for the event. Backlash 18 is garbage.
and he didn't get them on the table in time for the event. Backlash 18 is garbage.