Tag: WWE Backlash

WWE in the City of Light: Backlash 2024 will take place in Paris

WWE premium live events in 2024 are now headed to Australia, Germany and France.

In 2024, WWE is planning to take its premium live events to a new level of global expansion, with Elimination Chamber in Perth, Australia, the biannual shows in Saudi Arabia, and Bash in Berlin — Germany’s first premium live event. It’s a wealth of shows in mostly areas that rarely, if ever, receive these grand events, but the worldwide tour won’t stop there.

On Thursday, WWE announced the next Backlash will take place at LDLC Arena in Paris, France on Friday, May 3. This is the country’s first-ever WWE premium live event after hosting non-televised live shows in the City of Lights over the years. Fightful Select had reported that WWE listed this city internally for a premium live event in 2024.

In the announcement, not only did WWE tout Bash in Berlin at the Mercedes-Benz Arena, but Backlash 2023 event’s success.

Earlier this year, WWE brought its post-WrestleMania premium live event to San Juan, Puerto Rico, which was the company’s highest-grossing and most-viewed Backlash ever. The 2023 edition of the event was headlined by Bad Bunny vs. Damian Priest and featured the return of Carlito, who later became a full-time WWE Superstar again.

WWE went to Paris for a non-televised event earlier this year that made waves for the raucous reactions Baron Corbin received. If that was any indication, Backlash 2024 could potentially have a special atmosphere, identical to San Juan earlier this year.

Perhaps this isn’t the last announcement of WWE traveling globally for these shows, with more 2024 premium live event locations yet to be announced. There are many cities around the world that could be fruitful for televised WWE programming, so we’ll see if something else happens.

15 best WWE PPVs of all time: Which WWE events were the greatest ever?

Which WWE PPV was the best of all time? We give our list of the top 15.

Long before WWE decided to start calling its biggest shows premium live events, pro wrestling fans knew them as pay-per-views, or PPVs. It was a fitting name since everyone literally had to pay extra to watch them, as opposed to weekly TV broadcasts on network or cable (though of course, viewers paid for that too).

While the history of wrestling PPVs traces its history back to the 1983 edition of Starrcade shown on closed-circuit television, the then-WWF first dipped its toes into that water with the first WrestleMania in 1985. Since then, WWE PPVs have become part of the rhythm of wrestling fandom, usually taking place monthly but for some years even more often than that.

That means there have been now been hundreds of these big cards over the decades, from WrestleMania to SummerSlam to Royal Rumble to all kinds of shows that have come and gone. And while most were examples of what WWE does best, some have withstood the test of time to linger in the memory longer than the rest.

Picking the best of the best is no easy task, and while the Wrestling Junkie staff has its own opinions, we decided to make this a more democratic affair. Like we did for our list of the best WWE matches of all time, our list of best pay-per-views utilizes reviews left by fans on Cagematch to sort through the gems.

And yes, premium live events are eligible as well. They’re all still PPVs to us, even if they come via a monthly subscription.

Without further ado, here are the 15 best WWE PPVs of all time, starting at No. 15 and working up to the top.

Bad Bunny calls WWE Backlash match ‘one of the best moments of my life’ despite pain

Bad Bunny admitted his “whole body” hurt but said he wouldn’t trade his debut WWE singles match for anything.

Bad Bunny‘s match with Damian Priest at WWE Backlash took what celebrities can do in the ring to another level. While not the main event, it played out like the headliner match, with interferences, crowd-popping spots, and more to create memorable WWE programming. His entrance alone dazzled.

Obviously, pro wrestling is not Bad Bunny’s day job. He captivates crowds with his music as one of the world’s top music artists — worlds apart from taking bumps in a ring for people’s entertainment.

In an interview with Zane Lowe of New Music Daily, Bad Bunny called his Backlash match “one of the biggest and best moments of my life.” However, he apparently walked away in pain from his bruising match with Priest (h/t Fightful for transcription).

“Wow, that was insane. That was really crazy, the people, the energy was another level. What happened that night, I’m never going to forget it,” he said. “I remember, I said before the WrestleMania fight that day was one of my favorite moments of my life, but the Backlash fight in Puerto Rico was another level. It was really one of the biggest and best moments of my life, I really enjoyed that fight.”

Bunny continued, “I suffered. Yeah, I got hurt. I got hurt. My back, my back. My whole body, bro. My whole body. I felt that I was going to die after that match. I really thought that I was going to die after the match, but it’s part of it. I was prepared then, and now I’m going to drop a song. I know. I’m a crazy guy. I love it. I love it, and that’s what matters,” he said.

Wrestling entertainment is a different kind of beast, but Bad Bunny left Puerto Rico successfully. He might return sooner than later, too, if WWE wants another celebrity dosage for its next major premium live event.

Bad Bunny helps WWE Backlash 2023 soar to viewership, gate records

WWE claimed new viewership and gate records for this year’s show.

WWE Backlash isn’t one of the most prestigious premium live events on the annual schedule, but it had two things going for it this year that it doesn’t always have: pent up demand from a market that hadn’t hosted a similar show in almost two decades, and the biggest recording star in the world, Bad Bunny — who happens to be from said market.

With those two factors for the show Saturday night at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico, it came as no surprise that WWE announced today that the 2023 edition of Backlash was the highest grossing and most-viewed in the event’s history.

WWE says 28% more people watched Backlash compared to the previous high mark, set last year, when the show was held in Providence, Rhode Island. The 2023 show also set gate records for any Backlash and for any WWE show held in Puerto Rico.

While WWE’s stated attendances sometimes need to be taken with a grain of salt, there’s no question many more fans were in attendance in San Juan, where the company’s stated attendance was 17,944, than in Providence in 2022, where WrestleTix says there were just under 13,000 tickets distributed.

One noticeable aspect of this year’s show that helped with packing more fans into the venue was the absence of a big stage at one end of the arena. Wrestlers came to the ring via a path through the floor seats similar to some house shows, allowing WWE to sell tickets the whole way around the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot.

Those fans presumably came away happy, with a crowd-pleasing set of results that included Cody Rhodes defeating Brock Lesnar in the main event. Bad Bunny did his part as well, turning in a number of memorable moments in his San Juan Street Fight with Damian Priest that incredibly was his first WWE singles match.

WWE has been on a run of event-record premium live events that also included WrestleMania 39 in April. It will be tougher to parse the numbers for its next big show, Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia later this month, but all eyes will be on SummerSlam in Detroit this summer to see if it can keep the momentum going.

WWE Backlash 2023: 5 takeaways from a hot night in San Juan

Backlash turned out to be one of WWE’s more fun and entertaining shows in recent memory

How do you follow up your biggest event of the year? With Bad Bunny.

That’s what WWE pulled off Saturday night, as they managed to get one of the famous people in the world to participate in a match, in his prime, in his native Puerto Rico.

With Bad Bunny on the show, WWE had to deliver with the rest of the card, and I think it did for one of the promotion’s more fun and entertaining shows in recent memory.

Here are my five immediate takeaways from the 2023 edition of Backlash.

What an atmosphere in San Juan

I think most fans were expecting a raucous atmosphere in San Juan for Backlash. WWE rarely runs premium live events there — the previous one was nearly two decades ago — and, of course, Bad Bunny.

The fans at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot did not disappoint.

Backlash produced some of the loudest pops I’ve heard in quite some time. The place was already roaring for Bad Bunny, but the pop for Carlito nearly blew the roof off the arena. Savio Vega got a long and sustained reaction. And we have to mention the reception Zelina Vega got before, during, and after her match against Rhea Ripley.

Vega’s moment was especially touching as she dedicated the match to her late father, who lost his life during the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.

I think most people knew Vega wasn’t going to defeat Ripley, as the the champ had only just won the title last month, but this wasn’t really about that. This was about giving Vega her much-deserved flowers. She has come a long way: from Thea Trinidad in Impact Wrestling, to being released by WWE, to having a championship match in Puerto Rico. That’s really, really cool.

Bad Bunny is great for wrestling

WWE has used its share of celebrities over the years, but I am not sure any of those crossovers have had the level of success as Bad Bunny.

Bunny helped WWE sell out an entire arena just off of his name alone. He wasn’t even initially announced as a wrestler. He was just going to be the host and the tickets were flying.

On top of that, he can put on a damn good match. Yes, it takes two to tango, so we have to give kudos to Damian Priest, who definitely played his part and thrived. With that said though, Bad Bunny is honestly a revelation in the ring.

It’s not just Bad Bunny’s wrestling ability, which no, is not as technically sound as Bret Hart, but the guy’s got charisma and he understands what this professional wrestling stuff is all about. He knows how to tell a story.

I also still find it astounding the Bad Bunny is even wrestling. If I had his level of fame and wealth, I’d probably try my best to wrestle a match on pay-per-view. But I’m also a diehard wrestling fan. I’m not sure how many non-wrestling fans would share the same desire. The fact that Bad Bunny is doing this when he most definitely doesn’t have to speaks to just how big of a wrestling fan he is.

Bad Bunny should have closed the show

I mean, I thought this was obvious. Bad Bunny was literally the reason why the show was even in San Juan. Why wouldn’t he close the show? I understand why WWE didn’t have Bad Bunny main event WrestleMania back in 2021, because that would have been absurd.

But Backlash? I’m very much cool with that. Also, it’s Backlash in his homeland. Yes, let the most popular musician in the world close out the show.

I had those thoughts before the show. Then I watched Backlash and saw Bad Bunny and Priest tear the house down in a match that featured interference from the Judgement Day and the LWO, which on this night included Carlito (who looked great) and Savio Vega (also looked great).

Then after the match, I watched Bad Bunny celebrate in the ring with the LWO while holding up the Puerto Rican flag and receive a standing ovation.

That only confirmed what I thought coming in. Instead, for some reason WWE thought to put not one, but two more matches after Bad Bunny. Did Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar really have to finish out the night?

At Backlash?

With no title on the line?

I don’t think so.

Bad Bunny’s post-match celebration was a moment that will be talked about for years to come. Nothing that followed it was going to top it. No amount of blood leaking out of Lesnar’s head was going to surpass Bad Bunny being hoisted up on people’s shoulders while holding up the Puerto Rican flag in Puerto Rico. Ain’t no way.

So why do that to the talent? Why put them in a position to follow Bad Bunny of all people? You know follows Bad Bunny? No one! Literally no one in the world follows Bad Bunny on a night to night basis. He is the main event the majority of his life outside of wrestling, and for events much larger than the one he was at Saturday night. I think he could have been the main event of … Backlash.

As The Bloodline’s World Turns

If there’s one thing the Bloodline is going to do, it’s tell a compelling story during the group’s matches.

In the latest episode of the weekly television drama, Solo Sikoa got real close to going off on his brothers, specifically Jey Uso.

Jey Uso had things under control in the ring, but Sikoa put a halt to his brother’s momentum by tagging himself in. Jey Uso took offense to Sikoa’s decision and tagged himself right back in, which got a big pop from the fans and an angry stare from Sikoa.

At one point, Sikoa was going to walk over to Jey Uso and probably dish out the Samoan Spike, but he was interrupted by his opponents, of all people. Later in the match, Sikoa “unknowingly” grabbed Jey Uso around his neck. Once he realized it was his brother, he did not immediately let go.

Sikoa then won the match for his team while starring daggers at his brothers in another intriguing chapter in the Bloodline story.

Bianca Belair and IYO SKY put on a banger

While Bad Bunny should have closed the show, WWE made the right decision by having Bianca Belair and IYO SKY open it up.

It was a welcome sight after seeing some less-than-stellar storytelling in the women’s division, which is surprising given its depth of talent.

WWE Backlash 2023: Twitter reacts to choice of main event, wanted Bad Bunny

The consensus after WWE Backlash 2023 is that the Bad Bunny Street Fight deserved to be the main event.

WWE Backlash had an electric, showstopping performance by one of the biggest music superstars in the world, Bad Bunny. The crowd loved every minute of his San Juan Street Fight with Damian Priest, including appearances by Carlito, Savio Vega and the LWO. It was the kind of match that would be the perfect feel good go home moment, especially in Puerto Rico.

Yet it wasn’t the main event.

That spot went to Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar, a match that was fine and bloody, but ended quickly and surprisingly.

Did WWE make the wrong call putting that on last and Bad Bunny’s bout two spots before the main event (though it tried to have it both ways by promoting it as a “double main event”)?

Let’s see what wrestling Twitter had to say.

WWE Backlash 2023 results: Cody Rhodes steals a victory from bloody Brock Lesnar

Did Cody Rhodes get back on track to “finishing the story” when he faced Brock Lesnar in San Juan?

Think Cody Rhodes is going to wait for the opening bell? No, no he is not. Brock Lesnar tastes the steel steps three times on the outside before the opening bell even rings, and now he’s getting work out with a steel chair to boot. The announcers note it’s all legal since the bell hasn’t rung, but it eventually does, and Lesnar starts strong.

Rhodes fights back with two Disaster Kicks, forcing Lesnar to his knees. Brock suplexes Cody and catches a breather. When Rhodes tries to move in again, Lesnar catches him and hits a fallaway slam.

A couple of release German suplexes have Brock grinning. There’s a third for good measure, and Rhodes is shaking out his left arm. The suplexes continue as Lesnar looks more and more comfortable with the pace.

Suplexes five and six are up next. Rhodes exposes a turnbuckle before his seventh, something that Lesnar sees. He moves in and sweeps Cody up in a bearhug, then tosses Rhodes overhead again for an eighth suplex.

The fans chant for Cody as he takes shoulders to the ribs. But he’s able to smash Lesnar’s face into the exposed buckle and hit a Cody Cutter, psyching himself up for a Disaster Kick as the blood flows from Lesnar’s face.

Both men have blood on them as Rhodes reaches back for a Cody Cutter. There’s Cross Rhodes, and another … but Brock kicks out at two. Lesnar counters Cross Rhodes into an F-5, but this time it’s Cody’s turn to kick out before the three can come down.

From their knees, the two men trade shots, but Lesnar tries for a kimura. Rhodes fights it, pivoting forward so Brock’s shoulders are on the mat. The ref counts to three, and Rhodes hightails it out of there with an unlikely victory.

Click here for full WWE Backlash 2023 results.

WWE Backlash 2023 results: The Bloodline wins despite themselves as Solo gets it done

Did The Usos redeem themselves at Backlash?

Michael Cole wonders what mission Solo Sikoa was given by Roman Reigns and if he’ll have an agenda separate from that of The Usos. Strangely, that means the team of Matt Riddle, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will be more united than the actual brothers.

Jey Uso and Sami Zayn start things off, getting their tense chemistry out of the way immediately. The Usos do some posing for the crowd and get a mixed reaction.

As soon as Sami gets some momentum, Jimmy Uso tags in, as does KO. He unloads on Jimmy in the corner, crotch chops the enemy corner and hits a standing senton.

Now Riddle is in to hit a gutwrench suplex before Sami re-enters the fray. Sami connects on an elbow off the middle rope, then Solo tags himself in. That proves a good move for the heels, as he is able to beat down Zayn until he’s in trouble in the enemy corner.

A “we want Roman” chant breaks up, with Jimmy humorously responding “he’s not here.” Sikoa tags himself in again and methodically stays on Sami. Jimmy sneaks in a kick to the face while the ref isn’t looking, then covers Zayn for two once he becomes legal.

Zayn is battling for all he’s worth, but The Usos see him crawling for a tag and eliminate the possibility by taking KO off the apron and smashing his back into the steel steps.

Riddle gets the hot tag, finally, and runs wild on both Usos. He kicks Sikoa off the apron and hits the Floating Bro onto the entire Bloodline. Alas, he flips back into the ring right into a Jimmy superkick and has to kick out at two.

Jimmy climbs to the top but takes an overhead release superplex from Riddle. By now, KO has made it back to the apron, and he tags in for a swanton bomb and another two count.

Owens’ flurry leads to a Popup Powerbomb, though Jey is able to kick out at two. KO tries for a swanton bomb on Jey, who gets the knees up and leaves both men on the mat. A superkick battle breaks out, though Owens ends it with a clothesline.

Zayn is in for a Blue Thunder Bomb on Jimmy, good for another near fall. He finds himself in trouble against both Usos on the top rope, and he lands right in a double superkick. Jey covers and finds it’s not enough.

Whatever the Usos have planned next we’ll never know, as Solo and Jey get into a fight tagging themselves in. Sikoa does not look happy about it, and won’t like that Helluva Kick either.

Jey eats a Helluva Kick too, but Solo manages to break up the pin. Sikoa sees Zayn down but heads toward his brother instead. The other faces are back in, and Owens eats a Samoan Spike. Solo turns and almost hits the Samoan Spike on Jey, who gets right in his face.

Sami intervenes and nearly gets rolled up for three. Jey tries to fly from the top but hits Zayn’s knees, who rolls him up for two.

Riddle has Jey in trouble but doesn’t realize Solo has tagged himself in. He nails Riddle with a Samoan Spike, and the Bloodline wins despite their internal issues.

Click here for full WWE Backlash 2023 results.

WWE Backlash 2023: Bad Bunny had the best entrance of the year

Bad Bunny turned in an incredible performance at Backlash, and it started with a jaw-dropping entrance.

WWE shows have featured some great crowds over the years, but the audience in San Juan, Puerto Rico for Backlash was on another level. They were electric for every match and each wrestler involved, making for a special night.

Then, there was Bad Bunny and Damian Priest — a match that redefined what an amazing crowd is with their San Juan Street Fight.

It began with seemingly a drone used to fly up behind Bad Bunny, as he entered to his hit song “Chambea.” The crowd sang along like a concert and roared, making for an incredible reaction, rivaling an Attitude Era pop. It was strong, powerful, and ice cold — a scene someone would crave to be in the building to witness.

The audience remained vocal throughout the match, captivated by every moment and action of Bad Bunny in and outside the ring, as well as each move he made and the offense he took from Priest.

When Carlito made his shocking WWE return to help Bad Bunny fend off the Judgment Day, the reactions peaked. Savio Vega then upped the ante even more when he came out to help and fight Finn Balor, having gifted Bad Bunny a kendo stick earlier at the show.

What WWE said en route to this match held true: Bad Bunny is a megastar. Everything that happened in that arena proved it and helped create an unforgettable match at Backlash, which Bad Bunny also walked out victoriously.

From the appearance at WrestleMania 39 to how this match finished, every step of the way was a home run for WWE. Celebrity involvement often doesn’t work, but when the crowd loves the person, and especially when the celebrity takes it seriously, it’s entertaining and show-stealing, like the match at Backlash was.

Bad Bunny’s performance at Backlash will be remembered for years to come, and his entrance to kick it off demonstrated how extraordinary the night was.

WWE Backlash 2023 results: Bad Bunny shows out, wins San Juan Street Fight with Damian Priest

Bad Bunny had the help he needed to prevail over Damian Priest in their San Juan Street Fight.

Damian Priest is wearing the same ring gear he wore while teaming with Bad Bunny two years ago at WrestleMania, some obvious head games. The crowd explodes when Bunny makes his walk to the ring, stopping to take a shopping cart full of weapons with him.

Despite their height difference, Bunny steps right to Priest after the bell rings and gets knocked back into the corner twice. Bad Bunny catches Priest off guard with a Michinoku driver but Damian immediately kicks out.

Bunny tries for a kendo stick shot but gets a right hand to the body for his trouble. Priest shatters the kendo stick, then body slams the music superstar.

Priest crotch chops the fans for chanting for their hero, then takes Bad Bunny to one knee by wrenching his left arm. A thumb to the eyes is answered by a knee shot, but Bunny uses a jawbreaker to press his attack to the corner. He pulls off a backslide for a quick two count as well.

Priest is able to hit a chokeslam and might have it won, but he pulls up on the pin at two so he can continue to beat on Bad Bunny. Damian heads out for the shopping cart and grabs a wooden bat, then tosses it aside. Alas, Bunny is prepared for him on the floor and throws a steel chair in his face.

Bad Bunny grabs another kendo stick and gets in a few shots, following with a tornado DDT off the middle rope and clotheslining Priest to the floor. Bunny heads to the top rope and hurls himself down with a cross body as Michael Cole yells “bunnies can fly!”

Now Bad Bunny wails away with trash can lids in both hands before grabbing another kendo stick. He gets in four shots, then an elbow in the corner. Bunny hits a second Michinoku driver (or perhaps a Broken Arrow), covering for a near fall.

With Priest recouping on the floor, Bad Bunny draws a line on the mat with his foot. Damian goes to walk up the ramp, turning to kick a trash can into Bunny’s head and smashing him with it as well.

Priest has the custom Puerto Rican kendo stick that Savio Vega gave Bad Bunny and uses it to good effect. The fans are chanting but see Bunny get hurled into the timekeeper’s area. They fight into the crowd, with Bunny bravely trying to trade right hands but getting the worst of it.

The two men end up atop some equipment lockers, where Priest hits a Broken Arrow down through some tables.

Adam Pearce and other officials come out to check on Bad Bunny, but Priest says he’s not done.

Back near ringside, Priest kicks Bad Bunny in the chest several times. But Bunny rallies with a kendo stick back in the ring, with Priest selling damage to his left knee … and Bad Bunny goes right after it. Damian tells the ref he’s hurt, but his foe keeps targeting the knee, smashing it into the ringpost.

Back at the shopping cart, Bad Bunny gets a steel chain and uses that to assist in the assault on the knee. He returns for a steel chair and smashes the knee between that and the post. He’s not done, as he hits a low blow on Priest … but Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio rush in to attack him.

A chair is set up in the corner, but Rey Mysterio is now in there too. And soon Carlito is too! Yes, you read that right.

He takes a bite from an apple but gets smashed from behind by Dom, who is soon eating a 619 from Rey. Carlito and Rey chase Balor and Dominik back up the ramp, but there’s nowhere to run as Savio Vega comes toward them.

The rest of the LWO arrives to back up Vega, and when Balor abandons Dom, he finds Vega is more than enough to take care of him. Vega has some for Dominik too, and the LWO chases the Judgment Day to the back.

Meanwhile, Priest’s knee betrays him as he attacks Bunny, who smartly locks in a Figure Four. He tries for several pinfalls too, but Priest ends up getting smashed into a chair and takes a Sliced Bread No. 2. He kicks out at two, so Bad Bunny goes for a chair again.

The chair rains down numerous times as Bad Bunny fires up the fans again. He hits the Bunny Destroyer and Priest isn’t kicking out from that.

Click here for full WWE Backlash 2023 results.