WWE Backlash 2018: 10 Things That Must Happen
Time for Joe to compound the "Big Dog's" misery...
Less than a full month after WrestleMania 34 and just over one full week since the Greatest Royal Rumble show in Saudi Arabia, WWE are back on the pay-per-view trail with Backlash.
Listen to the promotion's own spin (from the mouth of Michael Cole, primarily) and you'd be led to believe that this is the "first co-branded pay-per-view". It isn't, obviously, but that's how Backlash is being presented; aren't wrestling fans lucky to see both Raw and SmackDown stars join forces on the WWE Network?
The card has less of a souped-up house show feel to it than the Greatest Royal Rumble did, but it's still likely to get lost in the shuffle on a busy calendar. Even so, there are things WWE can do to make Backlash a worthwhile effort, and one that isn't forgotten about as soon as it ends.
It'd be a shame if they didn't, because the opportunity is there to give fans a hot opener, tease a few heel turns, show a different side to the WWE Champion's game and give Samoa Joe a leg up on the ladder so he can become a genuine contender on SmackDown...
10. Daniel Bryan Vs. Big Cass Opens The Show
WWE fans are still buzzed that Daniel Bryan is back as a full-timer. His performance at the Greatest Royal Rumble last week felt like an attempt to shake off any remaining ring rust, and his 76-minute plus showing in the match proved Bryan's mettle.
If he comes out first at Backlash, the Prudential Center in New Jersey will come unglued.
Bryan hasn't been on SmackDown (aside from some backstage skits/promos) over the past few weeks, so this will be his first proper match since entering that energy sapping shift in Saudi Arabia. He should be the first one through the curtain on Sunday to help set the tone for the show.
Opening with Bryan will also let the heel Cass work a heated match, something he sorely needs to finally put last year's horrible mini-run pre-injury to bed. This one is ripe for some Cass domination halfway through, followed by a crowd-popping Bryan comeback.