WWE Backlash PPV Return Confirmed
The first brand-exclusive PPV of the new era is official.
SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon announced the return of brand-exclusive pay-per-views last night, along with the comeback of a name that may be familiar to older WWE viewers.
On September 11th, SmackDown will present WWE Backlash from Richmond, Virginia.
That PPV hasn't been seen on WWE calendars since 2009 but with added brand split PPVs comes the pressure of new special event names for WWE creative to come up with and to resolve it they've instead gone back to an old favourite.
To date, there's been 11 Backlash events in all. In the past it took place annually in April as the post-WrestleMania PPV, and was chiefly known as the "WrestleMania rematch PPV" (hence the term Backlash).
With the PPV now taking place in September, Mania re-matches won't be the case, but it is great to see the return of a much-missed show and now instead of the fallout from Mania, it will be the fallout from SummerSlam event.
There is also some nice symmetry in Shane McMahon announcing the return of the event, as Shane-O Mac was the special referee in the main event of the very first Backlash event, way back in 1999. That show was headlined by Stone Cold Steve Austin defending his WWF Championship against The Rock.