WWE BACKLASH FRANCE
MAY 4, 2024
LDLC ARENA
DÉCINES-CHARPIEU, LYON, FRANCE
Watch: Peacock
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The story of this present was the vitality coming from the sold-out crowd in Lyon, a crowd energized by the primary dwell PLE *ugh* ever within the nation. WWE is making a behavior of utilizing these scorching worldwide crowds to their benefit, with their subsequent (non-Saudi) massive present being for Conflict on the Citadel in Scotland. Actually, WWE doesn’t run a PLE *ugh* within the US till Summerslam in Cleveland. As somebody who has to observe these reveals, I’ll take it. A few of these B-shows I watched final 12 months have been absolute slogs to get by means of, and whereas this present was solely marginally higher so far as the in-ring goes, the vitality made the present way more palatable. The recent crowd plus the most important gate for any area present in firm historical past made this, no less than within the short-term, a profitable mixture for WWE.
STREET FIGHT
The Bloodline (SOLO SIKOA & TAMA TONGA) DEF. KEVIN OWENS & RANDY ORTON
This was listed as a straight tag match, however a brawl earlier than the bell introduced Nick Aldis out to make this a avenue struggle. This was Tama Tonga’s debut match, as Michael Cole listed his credentials as a former NEVER Openweight Champion and his matches with Karl Anderson, EVIL, and “Shinto.” I assume he means Shingo Takagi, however I’ll admit that I fell off of New Japan throughout the pandemic.
This was your Bloodline particular, a giant area brawl with interference on the finish. There have been “We Need Roman” chants throughout the intros for the Bloodline, holding him heat whereas Solo takes a management function for now. This was a backyard selection walk-and-brawl, albeit with a a lot hotter crowd. Orton hit Sikoa with an RKO on the announce desk, resulting in Owens placing Tama Tonga by means of a set of chairs. That the end, however – wait a minute Corey, THAT’S TANGA LOA. Rejoice New Japan followers, Tanga Loa has joined his brother within the WWE. He pulled the referee out of the ring – a bit late – and hit each Owens and Orton with the steps, permitting Sikoa to hit the Thumb of Doom and rating his first win of any sort on any WWE present since November. Solo Sikoa and the Guerrillas of Future are the highest heel unit in WWE, proving proper the notion that you are able to do actually something whenever you’re scorching. **1/2
WWE WOMEN’S TITLE – TRIPLE THREAT MATCH
BAYLEY © DEF. NAOMI, TIFFANY STRATTON
This was a triple risk Girls’s Title match, gained by Bayley in 13:10. I don’t have a lot else to say on these matches, as my eyes glaze over in multi-man matches in any promotion. It takes some actual innovation to get me right into a triple risk or a four-way, and this wasn’t transferring my needle a lot. Stratton ran wild towards the top of this match, tipping me off that she could be imminently taken out. Naomi and Bayley prevented the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and hit a 3-D to show me proper. Bayley gained with a flash pin. This match was a bit sloppy to begin however rounded out to nice by the top. **
WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
DAMIAN PRIEST © (W/ JD MCDONAUGH & FINN BALOR) DEF. JEY USO
There’s no greater demarcation of how you’re feeling about WWE than how you’re feeling about Jey Uso. For those who’re into him, you’re into all of the Bloodline stuff which makes you into the WWE. For those who aren’t into him, you probably aren’t into what’s happening on this firm. You already know which aspect of the ledger I’m on when you’ve learn my opinions, because it confuses me how he’s develop into A Factor that I’ve to care about.
With Roman Reigns on one other break – though I’m positive some would nonetheless give him credit score for drawing this home – the World Title melodrama has shifted to The Judgment Day, as McDonaugh and Balor interfered on Priest’s behalf regardless of his clear instruction to remain uninvolved. They’re going to activate him in some unspecified time in the future, which pursuits me as a result of he’s by no means given the sensation of a prime man on this promotion. The highest babyface on Uncooked is Jey Uso although, so possibly the bar isn’t as excessive as I imagine it’s. After Uso took out the invaders on the ground, Priest gained with a South of Heaven chokeslam off the highest rope. **
It was after this match the place the in-ring announcement of this present breaking the all-time area gate document happened. The group popped for it, which was odd to me. “Yay, you charged us some huge cash! Cost us extra! Cost us extra!” There have been solely 11,000 folks within the constructing, to not say that’s a quantity to sneeze at, however to notice how exhausting they milked this fanbase for this present. It’s spectacular if you will get away with it.
WWE WOMEN’S TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
BIANCA BELAIR & JADE CARGILL DEF. THE KABUKI WARRIORS (ASUKA & KAIRI SANE) ©
This match was transferring alongside nice till a spot halfway by means of the place it fell aside. Jade and Kairi have been working when the ref advised Kairi that she wasn’t authorized. The match stalled out because the spot they have been going for received interrupted and nobody had a clue what to do. Kairi tagged Asuka, however Asuka labored as if she was authorized, resulting in the Kabuki Warriors having the mistaken authorized individual in for the remainder of the match. I wouldn’t care usually as I’m not Jim Ross, but it surely being identified by the ref made it one thing I seen.
I need to deliver up some extent about Jade right here. This present occurred on Could 4th. Within the previous 12 months, Jade Cargill had wrestled as many televised matches for AEW as she had for WWE, and she or he signed with WWE in October. It’s wild how the dialog round Jade was that WWE would current her like a star in a approach that solely they’ll, when the truth is that AEW offered her simply in addition to WWE has. Her WWE presentation is the very same as her AEW presentation, right down to a soundalike of her AEW theme, and AEW put her within the ring and on-screen way more usually when rolling her out. Hell, WWE didn’t even put Jade within the ring on home reveals, solely beginning these after Wrestlemania. If WWE wished Jade to be a marquee participant, they failed themselves by not getting her the reps she’s all the time wanted. She didn’t even get the pin right here, as after Jade caught Kairi with Jaded, Bianca hit the KOD on Asuka on prime of Kairi for the win. They received the match again on monitor as soon as they received again to their spots, however the full lack of ability to improvise made for a tough center portion of the match. *1/2
That is additionally the place the gang began to get on my nerves. As a veteran viewer of the European wrestling scene, I’m used to the footy-type chants at wrestling reveals. However each time there was a nearfall on this present, the gang would go “1-2-Simplement Deux” then chant Simplement Deux. It is a gimmick that the French announce group does, with Simplement Deux that means Solely Two. It was a pleasant little quirk early, but it surely started to grate two hours in after each single nearfall.
UNDISPUTED WWE CHAMPIONSHIP
CODY RHODES © DEF. AJ STYLES
An precise enjoyable reality introduced up by Garrett Kidney is that AJ Kinds turned the primary individual to ever wrestle each Dusty and Cody Rhodes for World Titles, with AJ having defended the NWA Title in opposition to Dusty at a TNA weekly PPV in 2003. He wore gear in the identical colorway on this match in opposition to Cody in the primary occasion of this present.
Huh, a primary occasion match for the precise World Title with out the worry of shenanigans, interference, or melodrama. They’ll do this? The group was scorching right here, however that is the place they have been at their most self-indulgent, spending a great chunk of the match doing a soccer chant for Kinds whatever the motion within the ring. A bit too Progress for my liking.
The match was nice, with Kinds engaged on the arm and shoulder of Rhodes till they received to the bomb-throwing part of the match after Rhodes put Kinds by means of a desk. Kinds ran by means of his massive offense, touchdown a springboard 450 for a nearfall however by no means hitting both of his true finishers within the Phenomenal Forearm or the Kinds Conflict. He did hit Rhodes with a Burning Hammer, however Cody kicked out at one and went on a rally that ended with a Cody Cutter nearfall. Cody hit a double soar Cody Cutter earlier than profitable with the Cross Rhodes to log his first profitable protection of the title. ***1/2
