WWE Backlash 2018: Results, Highlights, Analysis, and Grades

Photo Source: WWE.com

Bayley vs. Ruby Riott (w/ Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan)

Result: Ruby Riott defeated Bayley via pinfall

Rating: 2.75 out of 5 stars

Before the match, Bayley invited erstwhile friend Sasha Banks to be in her corner for the match. And Sasha reacted like you would expect: with disbelief and anger. Bayley had the nerve to stand Sasha up on Raw, and now she needs her help? Bayley makes it abundantly clear that, no, she doesn’t need Sasha’s help, but was extending the proverbial olive branch. That’s been retracted, as Bayley says, in not so many words, “stay the hell away from my match.”

That may have been a mistake. It’s not long before Bayley is distracted by Sarah Logan, leading to Riott taking advantage. You can’t say if Sasha would have prevented that, but if the numbers were a bit more even, you’d have to think the odds go down drastic, in the words of Scott Steiner.

Overall, this was a good little match. Not quite as good as Sasha/Ruby, but still pretty good. Riott is doing a great job showing everyone just how good she is, first against Sasha this past Monday, and now against Bayley here.

Trouble is, as good as Ruby is, it’s painfully clear she’s a means to an end for Sasha and Bayley. I feel like down the road, maybe at Extreme Rules, Sasha and Bayley will team up with a third — Ember Moon, perhaps? — to face the Riott Squad, and everything will finally come to a head there.

The finish was wonky, but that seems like standard WWE fare of late. Good match from opening bell until about 95 percent of the way through, then something weird to end it. I feel like the creative team is like me doing school work — grades re due TOMORROW? Oh, man, uh, everyone gets an “A” for participation because I don’t have time to really calculate a grade.

(I don’t really do that, but I usually do grades literally until the deadline.)