WWE Backlash 2023 is only one month away, and WWE has to build some blockbuster feuds for this “premium live event.” Since this event is the first premium live event since WWE finalized its merger with UFC, it is expected that there will be some brutal contests that show some semblance of mixed martial arts inside the world of professional wrestling. The following will provide some rapid-fire match card predictions for what should be a fresh start to the pro wrestling calendar: WWE Backlash 2023.
WWE Backlash 2023 is scheduled to take place on May 6, 2023, live on Peacock. Here are some match card predictions for WWE Backlash 2023.
Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (c) vs. Usos [Undisputed Tag Team Championships]
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn will defeat Usos to retain the Undisputed Tag Team Championships because they just won the titles at WrestleMania Night 1 and it would be counterproductive for them to lose the titles back to the same team they dethroned to win the titles in the first place. Since Cody Rhodes failed to win the world title, it would not be surprising to see Usos win back the titles here. WWE could have easily used KO and Zayn’s title victory on Night 1 as a ploy to make the fans believe that there was a chance Reigns would also lose the title on Night 2.
An Usos victory would also assure direct communication with Roman Reigns again and save KO and Zayn from defending the belts in Saudi Arabia in May. However, KO and Zayn need to win here to solidify their reign and move on from this story with The Bloodline.
Prediction: Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
Becky Lynch & Lita -or- Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez (c) vs. Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler [Women’s Tag Team Championships]
Whether Becky Lynch and Lita or Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez are the tag team champions going into the PPV, Ronda Rousey, and Shayna Baszler will dethrone the winners to become the new Women’s Tag Team Champions. There is plenty of history among these competitors, especially between Rousey and Lynch. Ronda Rousey was getting stale in the main event scene and she herself said that she wants to revitalize the women’s tag division with Shayna Baszler. Whenever she works with Baszler, her work is ten times better due to the chemistry they have.
Thanks to the merger with UFC, it would also be a neat marketing technique for WWE to book former UFC stars Rousey and Baszler as champions here and revive the legitimacy of the women’s tag team division.
Prediction: Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler
Rey Mysterio & Bad Bunny vs. Judgment Day [Tag Match]
Judgment Day will defeat Rey Mysterio and Bad Bunny because Dominick Mysterio needs a win back from his loss to his father at Mania and Priest needs a win in his hometown. It is understandable that Bad Bunny is the host of this show and that WWE would want to make the Puerto Rican fans in attendance happy with a hometown babyface victory. However, Judgment Day are the full-time rising stars who will be there the next night to compete and need to be put over with sufficient heal heat to be considered a credible threat on the main roster.
Furthermore, with current babyface champions in KO and SZ, Judgment Day would be the top heel contenders for the titles. Ripley is already a champion, and Mysterio and Priest need to bring in more gold for Judgment Day after their compelling character development in recent months.
Prediction: Judgment Day
Gunther (c) vs. Sheamus [Intercontinental Championship]
Sheamus will dethrone Gunther to become the new Intercontinental Champion and achieve his Ultimate Grand Slam. As predicted here on Daily DDT, Gunther was always gonna win at WrestleMania because he put in some impeccable work as Intercontinental Champ for 200+ days and had to solidify his reign on the big stage, especially since it was his first Mania. Sheamus did not need the win at Mania as much as Gunther did, as he already had his Mania moments, but that does not change the fact that he now needs the Intercontinental Title more than Gunther does.
Now that Mania is out of the way, it’s time for Sheamus to get the big win. He already defeated Imperium alongside Brawling Brutes on SmackDown, which is a sign that he is not done with the IC Title and will win it before the WWE Draft. Honky Tonk Man’s IC title record is safe for now.
Prediction: Sheamus
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Bianca Belair [Undisputed Women’s Championship]
Rhea Ripley will dethrone Bianca Belair to become the Undisputed Women’s Champion and merge the women’s divisions. The women’s divisions are so depleted to the point that not even a few NXT call-ups can fix it. There are way too many rematches in the title scene with the same familiar faces in the title picture. The divisions need to be merged to add more value to the women’s title in WWE and bring about fresh feuds in the new wrestling calendar year. That tease between Ripley and Belair on Raw was just what WWE needed to spark a brand-new start for the division.
As predicted here on Daily DDT, Belair, and Ripley were always going to win their respective title matches at Mania 39 because they are the John Cena and Randy Orton of this women’s division today. In other words, Belair and Ripley are the top face and heel of this era’s division respectively. They have defeated every top contender in this division, and it is long overdue for two of WWE’s top NXT graduates, who are not one of the four Horsewomen, to battle head to head, see who is truly the best of the best, and elicit a bright future for the women’s division as a whole.
Both women are deserving of being the Undisputed Women’s Champion. However, since Belair has held the title for more than 365 days and Ripley just won the title, it makes more sense for Ripley to win here and go on a monster run as champ whilst leading the Judgment Day.
Prediction: Rhea Ripley
Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar [No Holds Barred Match]
Brock Lesnar will seal the fate of Cody Rhodes by burying him in this No Holds Barred Match for what should be the main event of WWE Backlash 2023. As predicted here on Daily DDT, Rhodes was always going to lose to Reigns at Mania 39. Although he was on cloud nine with his winning streak on the road to his title match against Reigns, he was still the Plan C behind The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin as potential opponents for Reigns at Mania. Reigns would have retained his title at Mania against either Rock or Stone Cold, so he was bound to retain it against Cody.
Not to mention, Reigns has had a historic run that is on the verge of reaching 1000 days. From a business perspective, WWE likes those milestones and would likely want to reach it before dethroning Reigns. Besides, this loss at Mania could have actually helped more than hurt Cody. As a polarizing figure, some fans were actually turning on Rhodes after his lack of struggle in winning the Rumble match from #30 and his winning streak thereafter. Due to his devastating loss at Mania, he could garner some sympathy here for his babyface character before becoming champion.
As the chasing babyface who only recently returned to WWE from a rival company in AEW last year, Rhodes needs to struggle a little before dethroning the biggest draw and world champion in WWE today. He needs that struggle to add some humane qualities to his character and assure that fans can relate to and fully connect with him as a top babyface. The struggle Cody is about to face is Brock Lesnar, who was not only a top contender for the world title in the main event scene but will also be a wake-up call for Rhodes as he is initiated into the main event scene.
Thanks to the merger with UFC, it would also be a neat marketing technique for WWE to book a former UFC star in Lesnar as the winner in their first PLE main event and continue this trilogy on the road to SummerSlam, where Rhodes can hopefully dig down deep to get two wins back.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar
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