10 Things We Learned From The Backlash Go-Home WWE SmackDown (May 16)
9. Clash Of The Contenders
Promoted as a first time outing for the duo and labelled as a 'Clash of the Contenders' ahead of both men's title pursuits at Sunday's Backlash pay-per-view, the contest between Jinder Mahal and AJ Styles carried nearly as much weight as the muscle mass added to the former's frame over the past six months.
Predictably, it was Jinder's best outing in recent memory (ever?). Going over 15 minutes with 'The Phenomenal One', Mahal stretched his limited offence out carefully over the encounter, skillfully closing down his opponent's dynamic assaults.
Playing up the dangerous presence of the Singh Brothers as Jinder's goons as they would later in the show, Gurv and Harv distracted the referee long enough for Styles' Backlash opponent Kevin Owens to strike AJ in the knee with his US Title belt.
Writhing in pain, the former WWE Champion was easy pickings for the title's current challenger. Dropping AJ with his cobra clutch slam (christened the 'Kalas' on commentary), Jinder picked up his second pinfall victory in as many weeks with the move now established as devastating enough to put down SmackDown Live!'s elite.
An economic segment all around, the Owens belt shot may leave lasting damage on the high flying Styles, giving the champion clear advantage in their own supercard showdown.