WWE Backlash 2025: 7 Things That Must Happen

It feels like everyone blinked during John Cena's celebration at WrestleMania 41 and...BOOM! Backlash was here. WWE didn't leave a lot of time between the biggest weekender of the year and 2025's next PLE, put it that way, and that has led to some writing Backlash off as an unnecessary show the creative team could do without.

Maybe that's true, but longtime fans will still get a kick out of the "One Last Time" branding for Cena vs. Randy Orton. This will be the final time those old rivals lock horns - both came up through the ranks in developmental territory OVW, and they've had countless matches against one another since. It's rather fitting that Cena's final clash with Randy takes place in Orton's hometown of St. Louis too, because it feels like a big night for Mr. RKO against one of his biggest career opponents.

The locals shouldn't go betting on a title change though. This is a glorified exhibition, but a nifty one with marquee value. Of course, Triple H and WWE as a whole could heighten the experience by making up for baffling omissions still lingering in people's minds after 'Mania. Being honest, a certain Hollywood star has some grovelling to do there, and it isn't JC!

Other matters Trips has to tangle with include thrashing out who leaves with the men's and women's Intercontinental belts, and just how he books an interesting showdown between commentator Pat McAfee and dethroned ex-World Champ/best bout machine Gunther. Incredibly, Michael Cole could help him out a bit there. 

Here's everything that must happen on the latest WWE PLE. It's a 'B' tier show for sure, but that could change in a hurry if the company gets several key decisions correct.

There's a buzz of activity surrounding Dominik Mysterio's newly won Intercontinental Title. Penta will challenge him at Backlash, but AJ Styles is also sniffing around, and then there's the not so small matter of Judgment Day stablemate Finn Bálor eventually coming for Dom Dom's gold. WWE can squeeze all of those stories from recent episodes of Raw into the mix on Saturday's St. Louis special.

Styles showing up to watch the match would sell his interest in the workhorse belt, and there's every chance that Finn will go to cost Mysterio but actually end up helping him to retain accidentally. One thing's certain: WWE shouldn't entertain taking the IC Title from 'Dirty Dom' so soon, because his reign has serious potential. Yes, Penta is important as well, but he'd survive a screwy loss without killing all of his momentum stone dead.

Fans would accept it provided there's context behind Penta's defeat.

Honestly, there just appears to be a lot of money in booking Mysterio as the kind of IC Champ who survives by the skin of his teeth time and time again and thus enjoys a lengthy run as champion. He's been a real star in the making for a while now, and has managed to win the hearts of some WWE supporters due to his hard work as a heel.

Dominik is way more Eddie Guerrero than Rey, but that isn't a bad thing. Time for some weirdly endearing 'lie, cheat and steal' action at Backlash. Penta will be absolutely fine if either AJ or Finn (or both) do poke noses in to feed into the surprise finish.