10 Expectations Vs. Reality For WWE Backlash 2020

1. The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever

Backlash Expectation Reality
WWE.com

Expectation:

The greatest wrestling match ever.

Reality:

Yeah it's not going to be the greatest wrestling match ever. We know this because there are no fans there to go apesh*t over it, only a Performance Center recruit wearing a 'GRIT' t-shirt cheering on their man under strict instructions via tannoy. We also know it won't be the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever because Randy Orton is in it. This won't even be the Greatest Randy Orton Match Ever because he's had 16 full years to out-do his last one and never bothered.

Dave Meltzer revealed some very minor match quality spoilers (not the result) disclosed to him by a source. It's meant to be really, really good. Even "great". But the description betrays that. Meltzer inferred that the match worked by two real "pros" is long, and was told that there's a lot of selling in it. Bear in mind that Orton's matches tend to feel long at the best of times, and a more accurate tagline based on this report is The Most Slow As F*ck Wrestling Match Ever.

Edge will extract a lot of melodrama from making you feel like his neck's hanging off, and it'll be worthy and convincing and all that, but howay. Is there any point in editing out the flubs? Edge is hardly going to botch selling a chinlock for four minutes.

Also Randy Orton's in it.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!