Before the show even started, Big E and CM Punk were EXCELLENT as pre-game co-hosts. They were so good, compared to the usual faces that the WWE had on the pre-game shows before 2024. Both have a future in doing this, especially CM Punk.

First match was Kevin Owens/Randy Orton vs. the Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga). Supposed to be a regular tag match, but both teams went at it immediately before the match could start and then Smackdown GM Nick Aldis intervened and made it a “Street Fight”. Just a crazy tag team match with great work and just chaos throughout. One thing, though, is how is a former 10+ World Champion in Randy Orton out for like 5 minutes? It was Solo and Tama versus Kevin Owens for a good portion of this match, and the same can be said later for Naomi selling on the outside forever too. The REAL STORY, however, is that Tanga Loa, who is Tama Tonga’s brother, interfered and helped the Bloodline win here. Damn Haku’s boys have reset the Bloodline, though watching the past work of Loa’s, I hope that he’s learn something recently.

Bayley vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi was great and high energy… Bayley is a pro and kept things going, and Naomi helped with that veteran presence too. Tiffany Stratton is quite impressive, though you can see a little green stuff when she’s waiting for someone to hit a move… That said, it’s not as bad as what we’d see later with Jade. Tiffany just needs to learn a little timing and selling, but when she’s on the offensive side, she’s impressive. She’s so athletic and stronger than she looks. This is just Tiffany in her mid 20s, think about what just a few more years of experience will do.

Damian Priest vs. Jey Uso was crazy with the French fans… They were going bonkers for Jey here, from his entrance to anytime Jey was on offense. Non-stop heavy reactions for Jey. After the crazy reactions at Smackdown, I could have lived with a World Title switch here and then have an immediate rematch on RAW. Both guys did well here… Makes me wonder if Jey would win here if he pulled off a stronger Wrestlemania 40 match against his brother Jimmy?

Before the match, they had a backstage segment between the NEW Bloodline and Jey Uso… Just stare downs, but you can see we’re headed for a war. If this new Bloodline adds Jacob Fatu, oh man… And then a heel Rock leads them, oh my God!

And now the match where I was cringing… Jade Cargill needs more work, I’m sorry. Send her to NXT to work for a few years because she’s not ready. Psychology is off, too dependent on power moves, and I don’t think she’s physically strong versus looking like a bodybuilder. Bianca Belair is legitimately strong and lifts her opponents with ease. With Jade, there is a real struggle to lift someone for a power move. I don’t know if that’s just a lack of training or her muscles being more for looks rather than actual strength, but she was struggling and almost botched a few moves. Lucky for her, Asuka and Kairi Sane are smaller wrestlers. Then, you could see Jade just waiting for moves to happen rather than being more natural as a worker. AEW did her a disservice by poorly training her and now, the WWE is trying to do things on the fly with her. It’s not working, she needs more training. Gonna be a major carry-job when Jade turns heel on Bianca and they begin to work together.

Main event was strong between Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles. Just a nice, tight polished match between two very experienced workers. I thought both men gained so much adrenaline thanks to this hot French crowd. Good win for Cody, good losing effort for AJ Styles.

Two things that I want to comment on…

(1) So refreshing to watch a Paid Live Event during the afternoon rather than late at night. I enjoyed it much more earlier in the day.

(2) WWE has tapped into something with Europe getting a piece of the PLE pie. I don’t know about giving them the biggest WWE events (Wrestlemania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble), but you have 9 other Pay Per Views to always consider.

These French fans were high energy all night long… They were like a rabid soccer crowd, as they created their own chants and everybody was quick to join in. I loved in between certain moves, they’d just applaud in unison. Amazing… Touring has higher expenses overseas, but I like some competition with big city United States fans. For example, New York area events have been as loud as they used to, so hopefully, more International events may cause United States fans to come out and prove which country or continent has the best WWE fans.

I also liked just having 5 matches within the 3 hours, nothing going over that timeframe. The format allowed each of the 5 matches to breathe and I believe it paid off.

LAST WORD: Overall, strong show with just some Jade Cargill issues to continually work out. Bloodline is rebounding, Tiffany Stratton gives WWE a major future superstar, and Cody has a strong PLE main event on his first defense. Not much to complain about here, [ A- ].

Congrats Virtue!

CLICK HERE for the Mr. Tito Column Archive @ NoDQ

The post Mr. Tito’s PHAT WWE Backlash France Review with Match Thoughts and Show Grade appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

LYON, FRANCE learned the lyrics to KINGDOM! #WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/diqT4m53YR

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* Some sort of chant towards AJ Styles was so loud that it was shaking the hard camera. Jessika Carr is the referee for this match, and becomes the first female referee of a WWE World Title match on a Paid Live Event.

THE CAMERA IS BOUNCING!!!

LYON, FRANCE brought the noise, the excitement and the passion at #WWEBacklash! pic.twitter.com/sQEWcP6V9r

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* Back and forth to start the match, as Cody really plays up the crowd and taunts AJ with some Stardust stuff as a callback to last night. The crowd is pure electricity and just randomly bringing out different chants and reacting to every single move. “AJ Styles, Let’s Go Cody” chants break out, too and in between moves, the French fans give the wrestlers a round of applause. Both wrestlers make their way to the outside, and then start battling on the top rope. Cody sells landing wrong and AJ Styles takes advantage through various moves working on the back and neck area.

THE CAMERA IS BOUNCING!!!

LYON, FRANCE brought the noise, the excitement and the passion at #WWEBacklash! pic.twitter.com/sQEWcP6V9r

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* High impact moves delivered by both on the outside, with Cody getting slammed on the side of the apron while Cody powerbombed Styles through the announcer’s table. OUCH.

The INTENSITY matches the ATMOSPHERE at #WWEBacklash! pic.twitter.com/XoBYHE2Sik

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* Fans count in French while both wrestlers are exhausted on the outside and then barely make the 10 count, and then the fans give us some Seven Nation Army. Both wrestlers are exhausted and punching/kicking back & forth until they kick each other at the same time. Both men get up and agree to start brawling again with punches/kicks in the middle of the ring again. Cody gets the advantage and does his Dusty Tribute of punches and then the Bionic Elbow. Blocking of the Cody Cutter follows up with nice counters between each other until AJ Styles suplexes Cody on the lower turnbuckles (to keep working on that back). AJ with Springboard 450 Splash, but 2 count only.

* AJ Styles hits his Burning Hammer move, but Cody hulks up with a 2nd wind and hits the Cody Cutter (perfectly sold by AJ Styles) for a close 2 count.

ADRENALINE IN HIS SOUL!#WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/zJHNQXyofD

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* “Fight Forever” chant breaks out… Cody goes for CrossRhodes, but AJ snapmares Cody out of that and hits the Pele Kick. Goes for his flying punch, but Cody kicks him midair. Cody locks in the Kimura Lock in the center of the ring, but AJ Styles extra muscle mass lately allowed him to power out. Lots of counters of CrossRhodes and Styles Clashes, while Cody hit a crazy looking (but almost missed) Cody Cutter off the top rope. Crossrhodes for the win! Cody retains!

WINNER: Cody Rhodes and retains his WWE Title

The post Results of Cody Rhodes vs. A.J. Styles at WWE Backlash 2024 appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

LARGEST GATE OF ANY ARENA SHOW IN WWE HISTORY!

Thank you LYON, FRANCE! #WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/nsPde6DAYX

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

Next, we have Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) defend their Women’s Tag Team Titles against Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill. Warriors come out together, while Bianca and Jade come out to separate entrances but are both wearing matching red outfits.

* Former Women’s champs Asuka and Bianca start the match, and they go back and forth to start the match. Both tag out and it’s now Jade versus Kairi, and Jade’s power is on display with multiple swinging Rock Bottoms into Jade’s knee. They lifted Kairi Sane up together and she got some air. Both Bianca and Jade posed for the crowd. Bianca would soon get caught on the outside by Asuka when she wasn’t looking and then becomes the “face in peril” for the babyface tag team. Kabuki Warriors work over Bianca with multiple tags and double team moves, while always preventing Bianca from getting that hot tag.

* Hot tag made and Jade is on the offensive with a beautiful springboard cross body block on both Kabuki Warriors, and then delivers multiple clotheslines and splashes.

What a showing by JADE CARGILL at #WWEBacklash! pic.twitter.com/wFCKw6GUA4

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* Now it’s Jade versus Kairi Sane, but then the double teaming of the Kabuki Warriors lays into Jade while Bianca is still down on the outside following the hot tag. Bianca returns to the ring, and the Kabuki Warriors have both in armbars only for Bianca and Jade to overpower and slam both. Jade and Bianca try some unique tag team moves (close to botching) and gets a close 2 count only. Kabuki Warriors get the advantage back and hit the Insane Elbow on Bianca while Jade makes the save. Both Jade and Bianca overpower the Kabuki Warriors and hit their trademark finishers, including a KOD of Asuka on Sane. That finishes the Warriors and we have NEW TAG CHAMPS!!! Amazing display of power while great selling by the Warriors.

We have NEW WWE Women's Tag Team Champions at #WWEBacklash! pic.twitter.com/5HXtDxs8yT

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

WINNER: NEW TAG CHAMPIONS! Bianca Belair and Jade Gargill

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#WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/g4j46bT1zu

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

Back to the ring, as we’re ready to see Damian Priest defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Jey Uso as the 3rd match of this WWE Backlash France event. Jey Uso comes through the crowd and the fans are going wild with their phone lights for the entrance.

WHAT AN ENTRANCE FOR JEY USO! #WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/VMrcQ8brdv

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* French fans are heavily behind Jey Uso, and Jey plays it up to frustrate the champion early on. Priest is totally disgusted by the fans and is methodically working on Jey after driving Jey into the barricade. Jey gets back on the offensive side and continues to heavily play up the “YEET!” chants. As the Germans love David Hasselhoff, it appears that the French love Jey Uso.

* J.D. McDonagh begins to interfere, and as Priest is highly upset at the interference attempt and yells at JD. This distracts him enough to allow Jey Uso to take advantage and almost defeat the champion from the top rope, 2 count only. Both guys are exhausted and are trading punches or kicks back and forth without any blocking, while the French fans are chanting for every punch and/or kick.

What a series of events at #WWEBacklash! pic.twitter.com/Az5oVN9Sgs

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* Priest almost gets the win with the Razor’s Edge, and measures up for his finisher, but Jey escapes the attempt and hits a spear! Close 2 count. Finn Balor tries to interfere and Jey fends him off, but Priest hits Jey a clothesline and the hits the South of Heaven Chokeslam on Jey but only a 2 count. French fans were so appreciative of that close call and I think I hear “this is awesome” chanted in English from them.

He's waited FOURTEEN YEARS for this!!!#WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/42ZhmUHQtC

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* Priest hits some kicks and is sizing up Jey for another kick, but Jey has some kicks (superkicks, that is) of his own. Jey Uso hits the spear and then the Uso splash, but J.D. McDonagh puts Priest’s foot on the ropes for a 2 count. “A**hole” chants by the French fans in response. Jey Uso takes out McDonagh, but as he returns to the ring, Priest is ready. Priest wins eventually with the South of Heaven Chokeslam from the top rope.

* Balor and McDonagh attack Jey Uso afterward, but Priest pushes both buys off.

WINNER: Damian Priest and retains his title

The post Results of Damian Priest vs. Jey Uso at WWE Backlash 2024 appeared first on NoDQ.com: WWE and AEW Coverage.

Feel the GLOW at #WWEBacklash! pic.twitter.com/8MYtnpQw4R

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* Lots of French chants and all 3 keep it inside the ring to start the fight, with Tiffany playing the heel between the two. Tiffany tossed out Naomi and begins to work on the champ Bayley. Tiffany hits the Alabama Slam, but Naomi recovers to break up the count. Naomi gets some momentum and spears Tiffany through the ropes, but Tiffany recovers quick and does a handspring flip onto Naomi on the barrier. Bayley recovers and goes after Tiffany and then goes for Naomi, but Naomi recovers and hits a beautiful Blockbuster move off the barricade onto Bayley! Bayley works on Tiffany again and almost gets a pin via Split Legged Moonsault but Bayley breaks it up.

THIS IS AWE-SOME!#WWEBacklash pic.twitter.com/uvAt9iYGDp

— WWE (@WWE) May 4, 2024

* Many near falls as all 3 ladies are in the ring together. Bayley disposes of Naomi and hits the Bayley to Belly on Tiffany, but 2 count only. Stratton gets Bayley to run into the post and as she tries to take advantage, Naomi pulls Tiffany out of the ring. However, Tiffany fends her off and gives Naomi the Alabama Slam on the announcer’s table. Then, she did the same on Bayley. Tiffany puts both Bayley/Naomi in the ring to hit the Prettiest Moonsault, but both ladies move. Now, it’s just Bayley and Naomi and after a series of roll-up attempts, Bayley rolls up Naomi for the win.

WINNER: Bayley and still champion!

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