It’s official: Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes to collide at WWE Backlash in Puerto Rico

Rhodes vs. Lesnar figures to be the Backlash main event.

Cody Rhodes did not finish his story against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39, but he found the next biggest thing for his follow-up match.

Following Rhodes’ failed attempt to fight his post-WrestleMania foe on Raw, WWE made his match vs. Brock Lesnar official for Backlash for Saturday, May 6 in Puerto Rico. It joins a match card that includes The Usos and Solo Sikoa vs. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Matt Riddle, which was also confirmed on Monday night.

Backlash represents the second consecutive premium live event Rhodes will headline, following his main event clash against Reigns for the WWE Undisputed Championship at WrestleMania 39. This match against Lesnar stems from the Show of Show’s fallout, when Rhodes, with the Beast Incarnate, planned to face Reigns and Solo Sikoa in the main event of Raw on April 3.

Before the match started, Lesnar turned on Rhodes in a destructive close to the show, annihilating the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble winner in a minutes-long attack. It not only reinserted Lesnar into the main event scene but gave Rhodes his next headline-worthy feud after Reigns declined his title rematch request.

Without the Undisputed WWE Champion, this match will likely headline Backlash, relying on the heat built since Lesnar’s shocking turn on the Raw after WrestleMania. The assumption would be that it closes this premium live event, especially as one of the first matches announced and its big fight feel. Lesnar’s presence alone carries main event weight, and with Rhodes’ popularity and placement as the top babyface, it’s hard to argue with WWE’s choice to sell interest in the show.

The other headline feud, the Bloodline vs. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Matt Riddle, is also without a title at Backlash, but the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship will be defended on SmackDown this month. A title rematch on May 6 would pale in comparison to what Lesnar vs. Rhodes can bring to the table in the first major event after WrestleMania, and to see if there’s more to Rhodes’ title-aspiring story.