WWE Backlash 2017: 10 Huge Predictions You Need To Know

6. Parity Restored

Shinsuke Nakamura Backlash
WWE.com

Luke Harper and Erick Rowan had a rather unremarkable match on SmackDown Live! a fortnight ago, and will probably do the same in the death slot of Sunday's Backlash pay-per-view.

Rowan in particular is not the greatest wrestler in the world, and Harper is struggling to get out of the blocks as a solo star since leaving The Wyatt Family in January, but much of the malaise is really not their fault.

Outside of a deeply bizarre promo on this week's Talking Smack to even find a reason for this match to happen, Rowan has been dead on arrival since losing clean on his first night back after WrestleMania 33. Somehow managing to be caught in the crossfire of Bray Wyatt's dismal feud with Randy Orton despite being on the shelf for the better part of a year, Rowan's mask was less frightening sheep and more sacrificial lamb.

Harper's faired little better. His decision to break away from the cult has only resulted in constant defeat against those he walked with. Losses to Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt and Rowan himself has left the character ice cold despite flashes of dynamism from the performer himself that promise more than his presentation currently proffers.

By the virtue of the aforementioned Talking Smack insanity, Rowan will take a modicum of momentum into Sunday's clash, which almost certainly means Harper will win in order to set up an unwanted rubber match between the two.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett