John Cena has not wrestled Randy Orton in nearly a decade. (Credit: Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty … More
WWE Backlash 2025 is essentially the sequel to WrestleMania 41 and a chance at redemption for WWE.
WrestleMania 41 was, financially speaking, the “most-successful” event in WWE’s storied history, but outside of a couple of marquee matches, the should-be spectacle was largely a dud. The biggest talking point coming out of WrestleMania 41 wasn’t the show’s highlights, but rather, the disastrous main event between John Cena and Cody Rhodes, dubbed by many critics as the “worst WrestleMania main event ever.”
Throughout 2025, WWE has lost a lot of its good will with its fan base after a lengthy stretch of questionable creative choices and a plethora of baffling releases. WWE Backlash 2025 is a chance for the company to right the ship, and on paper, the show features a strong card that could accomplish exactly that.
But after WrestleMania 41 left a sour taste in the mouths of WWE fans across the world, WWE’s creative team must make some smarter booking moves at Backlash in St. Louis.
Lyra Valkyria Ekes Out A Win Over Becky Lynch
In just 24 hours between WrestleMania Sunday and the Raw after WrestleMania 41, Becky Lynch returned after nearly a year away, won the women’s tag titles, lost those belts and then turned heel on Lyra Valkyria.
That’s several months worth of booking that WWE blew through in barely one day, and yet, it could turn out to be the right move, after all. Lynch is arguably the best all-around performer in WWE’s women’s division, and after WWE gutted its women’s midcard during its spring cleaning firing spree, Valkyria has become one of the most prominent stars in WWE’s midcard.
It’s a strategic booking move for Lynch to attempt to both add some much needed star power to the Intercontinental Championship picture and transform Valkyira into a bona fide star. Both of those things are easier said than done. But an extended program between Lynch and Valkyria could do the trick.
Given, however, that Lynch is in the early stages of her heel run and feud with Valkyria, the best booking move at Backlash in for Valkyria to barely eke out a close victory, perhaps with an inside cradle or small package pin. That way, an incensed Lynch can lose her cool, attack Valkyria, continue the feud and become an even bigger heel in the process.
Finn Balor And Dominik Mysterio Finally Implode Judgment Day
Dominik Mysterio will put his Intercontinental title on the line against Penta at WWE Backlash 2025, and after just winning the belt at WrestleMania 41, he likely won’t lost it yet.
That being said, Mysterio’s Judgment Day faction is and has been on its last legs for a while now. It’s time for the group to disband and for its implosion to be a focal point of Raw’s storylines during the summer months, which is typically a down time for WWE programming.
The best way to accomplish that? Balor turns on Mysterio, who is quickly and shockingly becoming a beloved fan favorite. That doesn’t necessitate a loss for Mysterio at Backlash, but if Balor does indeed cost Mysterio the match on purpose, that could lead to Judgment Day’s inevitable implosion.
Even if Mysterio does retain the IC title, however, WWE must book a finish that leads to Mysterio and Balor being on opposing sides of a Judgment Day split. Whether that’s Balor trying to help Mysterio and accidentally costing him the match, Balor doing so on purpose or Balor simply attacking Mysterio, WWE must finally pull the trigger.
Gunther Demolishes Pat McAfee At WWE Backlash
Gunther finds himself in an interesting position for essentially the first time in his WWE career: out of the title picture.
Especially on the main roster, Gunther has virtually always been a champion, with two lengthy title reigns, one as Intercontinental Champion and another as World Heavyweight Champion. Last year after Gunther lost the IC title to Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 40, it was just a few months later that he won the World Heavyweight title at SummerSlam.
With the way the current world title pictures are shaping up on Raw and SmackDown, though, Gunther figures to have a lengthy absence from the championship scene. That’s a rare change for “The Ring General,” who will face Raw commentator Pat McAfee at Backlash in what is a rare match for the former NFL star.
It should go without saying that Gunther has no business losing to McAfee at WWE Backlash 2025. If anything, Gunther should absolutely demolish the beloved McAfee as a way of getting back on the right foot following a surprise submission defeat to Jey Uso at WrestleMania 40.
Jacob Fatu Successfully Retains United States Championship At WWE Backlash 2025
Jacob Fatu continues to be one of WWE’s most entertaining stars, and his United States Championship run should be a stepping stone to bigger and better things.
That being said, Fatu did just win the US title at WrestleMania 41 last month, so at WWE Backlash 2025, he obviously shouldn’t lose the belt he won mere weeks ago. Of course, a Fatal 4-Way stipulation presents WWE with the perfect opportunity to have Fatu lose without being pinned. It’s also easy to envision LA Knight, Damian Priest or Drew McIntyre leaving WWE Backlash as the new United States Champion.
But WWE needs to ride the hot hand, and right now, that’s Fatu. As was the case with the aforementioned Gunther, WWE shouldn’t beat Fatu until the timing is absolutely perfect. At Backlash, that won’t be the case because Fatu is only just getting started as SmackDown’s dominant midcard champion.
The Samoan Werewolf should, like Gunther did with the IC title, have an extended run as United States Champion, which necessitates a resounding victory in St. Louis.
John Cena Cheats To Defeat Randy Orton In WWE Backlash Title Match
WWE has really dropped the ball with the follow-up to John Cena’s epic heel turn at Elimination Chamber.
Cena has been the most generic heel WWE could have possibly booked him as, and the character as a whole feels completely disingenuous. Yet, WWE is sticking with a villainous Cena, and his brief rivalry with St. Louis’ hometown hero Randy Orton has been solid for what it is.
The problem is, does anyone truly believe that Cena is going to drop the WWE title already? Keep in mind that Cena just won his record-breaking WWE Championship a few weeks ago, and it’s not difficult to realize that Cena isn’t dropping that title anytime soon. Especially with Cena working as an antagonist for the first time in two decades, he’s going to keep that title until there is an ideal scenario to take it from him.
Although this likely last-ever match with Orton will be a fun final clash between two of the all-time greats, that’s all it really is. After all, WWE could either reverse course on Cena’s disastrous heel run or ride it until the wheels fall off.
And it looks like the latter is happening, with Cena continuously keeping his title through nefarious means. So, expect him to do exactly that in at WWE Backlash 2024.
