WWE Backlash 2024 took over the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France for a great night of action in front of a wild crowd who were hot for every single match on the show, not letting up in their excitement and energy for three hours straight. This elevated what was, on paper, a fairly middling and average PLE card and matches which weren’t all necessarily show-stealers. The audience was a big factor in making this show memorable.
AEW Dynasty 2024: Every Match Ranked From Worst To Best
AEW tore the house down with the first ever AEW Dynasty PPV that featured a “Match Of The Year” contender!
TheSportster’s match rating system will determine how great these matches at Backlash 2024 actually were, and most importantly which bout was the match of the night.
5 Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) Vs. Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)
Overall Rating From TheSportster: 6.25/10
|
Storytelling |
1.25/2.5 |
|---|---|
|
Technical Ability |
1/2.5 |
|
Character Work/Psychology |
1.75/2.5 |
|
Crowd Reaction |
2.25/2.5 |
This was a pretty basic tag team match for the most part, with Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill looking very strong in the opening stages. Asuka and Kairi Sane played their heel roles well, but somewhere in the latter stages things started falling apart with the legal person in the match becoming confused and spots getting very messy. The structure of the match came undone, as Cargill looked lost and communication broke down between everyone in the ring. This could’ve done with a few minutes being shed off the end, but the title change was a nice moment, especially with the incredible finishers at the end.
4 Damian Priest Vs. Jey Uso (World Heavyweight Championship)
Overall Rating From TheSportster: 7/10
|
Storytelling |
1.25/2.5 |
|---|---|
|
Technical Ability |
1.75/2.5 |
|
Character Work/Psychology |
1.5/2.5 |
|
Crowd Reaction |
2.5/2.5 |
10 Best Definitive WWE Backlash PPV Matches Ever, Ranked
WWE’s Backlash pay-per-view has traditionally carried on the momentum from WrestleMania and has featured some amazing matches.
This was perhaps the most obvious example of the whole night of the marvelous French crowd turning an average match into something much better. There was nothing inherently wrong with what Damian Priest and Jey Uso were doing in the ring, but it wasn’t anything special either. The interference from the Judgment Day did continue the dissent in the group, but some of it was clunky and by the book. There were some decent near-falls, but in the end it all ended up in a very predictable fashion.
3 Bayley Vs. Naomi Vs. Tiffany Stratton (WWE Women’s Championship)
Overall Rating From TheSportster: 7.25/10
|
Storytelling |
1.5/2.5 |
|---|---|
|
Technical Ability |
1.5/2.5 |
|
Character Work/Psychology |
1.75/2.5 |
|
Crowd Reaction |
2.5/2.5 |
The crowd was hot for this match and all three competitors in it, elevating what was already a solid match. All three women remained involved for most of the match, which can be hard in triple threat matches at times. Some sequences and moments were a little bit convoluted and messy, with Tiffany Stratton’s inexperience being exposed at times as she looked lost here and there. The number of pinfall attempts did feel excessive, and this was made even more apparent by the crowd’s chanting of “simplement deux” after each pinfall. The finish did come out of nowhere, which was a shame, but the match was fun for the most part.
2 The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga) Vs. Kevin Owens & Randy Orton
Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8.25/10
|
Storytelling |
2/2.5 |
|---|---|
|
Technical Ability |
2/2.5 |
|
Character Work/Psychology |
1.75/2.5 |
|
Crowd Reaction |
2.5/2.5 |
10 Best Backlash Events In WWE History, Ranked
Considering it tends to take place post WrestleMania, WWE’s Backlash events have often featured amazing cards.
From even before the opening bell, this was a brutal brawl that felt like an authentic fight between men who despised each other. Everyone was incensed in this match, leading to a wild fight around the arena which then returned to the ring. Both teams got moments of dominance, which did slow the action down at times, but the ultra loud crowd did not allow this to become boring in the slightest. Tables, trash cans, kendo sticks, chairs, and some scary spots made for a fantastic match. The ring presence of Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga did allow this to dwindle in quality at times, and the debut of Tanga Loa left a sour taste for the fans, but it did make for an unpredictable ending and an advancement in The Bloodline storyline.
1 Cody Rhodes Vs. AJ Styles (Undisputed WWE Championship)
Overall Rating From TheSportster: 8.5/10
|
Storytelling |
1.75/2.5 |
|---|---|
|
Technical Ability |
2.25/2.5 |
|
Character Work/Psychology |
2/2.5 |
|
Crowd Reaction |
2.5/2.5 |
The crowd were as wild for this as they were for everything all night, even with this being the last match on a show where they’d been going at the top of their lungs for the entirety. There were some nice spots in this match, such as a powerbomb through the announce table, a delayed front suplex that the crowd loved, and all of their respective signature big moves too. With a more intense story going in, this match could have certainly reached an even higher level, as it was missing something to take from great to excellent. It was still a strong match that got better as it went on, with Rhodes feeling like a champion as he fought through a lot of punishment.
