WWE Backlash 2016: Preview and predictions

Preview, predictions, and everything in-between for WWE Backlash 2016 on Sunday, Sept. 11

In the wake of WWE SummerSlam, we’ve finally come upon our first brand-specific pay-per-view. WWE Backlash 2016 is set to take place from The Coliseum in Richmond, VA as the SmackDown LIVE centric PPV show. Despite operating with half of the roster as any big show in years, though, SmackDown has done a wonderful job building this card.

The main event of this show will feature a WWE World Championship match between Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles. Given the talent of these two, that could be a show-stealer—as it should be in its position. Moreover, there will be the conclusion of the tournament to crown the inaugural SmackDown tag champs in addition to a Six-Pack Challenge to crown the new SmackDown Women’s Champion. Also in action will be The Miz, Randy Orton, Dolph Ziggler, and several others.

Clearly, this is a show you don’t want to miss out on. But to make sure you’re up to speed and to see where we might be heading on Sunday, let’s dive into each match on the card.

Here are the preview and predictions for WWE Backlash 2016:

Credit: WWE.com

SmackDown Tag Team Tournament Conclusion

At one point, this looked like it would be a cut-and-dry finals to the tournament to crown the new tag champs. However, that was before The Usos ostensibly turned heel, injuring American Alpha in the process. Now The Usos and The Hype Bros will face off in yet another semifinal match to determine who faces Rhyno and Heath Slater for the titles. Given the new direction of Jimmy and Jey’s characters, you have to believe they’re going to get the spot in the finals.

Even if WWE is getting behind The Usos, though, fans can’t forget what’s on the line here for Heath Slater. The terms laid out for him by Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon were that, if he wins the tournament, he gets a SmackDown contract. With how fantastic his pairing with Rhyno has been going over, it’s hard not to imagine, WWE looking to continue giving him this bit of a push on the Blue Brand.

That said, I don’t think this match ends without a bit of a screwy finish. If we were to see American Alpha come out and cost The Usos the match to set up a feud there, it wouldn’t be shocking to me. However, I think Rhyno and Slater are ultimately the ones that get the victory. Subsequently, they become the first-ever (sort of) SmackDown Tag Team Champions.

Prediction: Rhyno and Heath Slater win

Credit: WWE.com

Intercontinental Championship Match: The Miz (c) vs Dolph Ziggler

Ever since he exploded on SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan, The Miz has been an absolute ball-of-fire. Actually, he’s been one for quite some time now—more people are just taking notice after that. The current Intercontinental Champion will now have the chance to prove that he’s worth his salt like he says he is as he’ll have his belt on the line against an equally fired-up Dolph Ziggler.

Ziggler lost to Dean Ambrose at SummerSlam and then lost on SmackDown for the opportunity to get another shot at the title, falling to AJ Styles. However, he’s still also looking to prove that he’s not a “loser.” One of the biggest issues with Ziggler in recent years has been that his character has nothing exceptionally tangible for fans to get behind. Now that he’s in this mode where he’s searching to prove himself, though, it’s been fantastic. So putting him as this underdog against the ever-confident Miz is simply great booking.

Now comes the question of how they’ll keep booking this feud and match at WWE Backlash. If done correctly, they have the chance to keep both guys hot. The way to do that, I believe, would be to have Ziggler pick up the win and the IC title here. From there, you can then have an apoplectic Miz angry at Bryan for even putting him in this match and situation and let that fester some more. Moreover, you’ll have Ziggler proving himself, thus leading to more from him in that regard.

Prediction: Dolph Ziggler wins Intercontinental title

Credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt

Hopefully the gash in Randy Orton’s head that Brock Lesnar gifted him has mostly closed before Sunday. He’ll once again find himself in a physical affair at WWE Backlash, taking on Bray Wyatt. Wyatt has tweaked his character a bit in recent weeks and it’s worked quite well. Bray has long been a talented talker, but he’s at his best when he’s talking about something direct and clear. That’s been the case when he’s been directing his words at Orton, thus building intrigue into the feud.

This is being billed as the battle to determine who the real “predator” of SmackDown is at this point. Wyatt claims he’s the one who has claimed that crown, but obviously the man that calls himself The Viper believes otherwise. These are two veterans that can really tear it up with the right opponents. We don’t quite know what they’re chemistry will be in the squared circle, but we’ll definitely see.

With all of that in mind, there’s no way that they can give Orton the win here. A loss isn’t going to matter in the slightest to a veteran of his caliber. However, Wyatt still needs a jolt behind him in any way that WWE can manage to do so. So having him win a match where he’s trying to prove he’s a predator is essentially necessary.

Prediction: Bray Wyatt wins, dominantly

Credit: WWE.com

Women’s Six-Pack Challenge: Nikki Bella vs Becky Lynch vs Carmella vs Naomi vs Alexa Bliss vs Natalya

As SmackDown has instituted their new Women’s Championship, they’ll decide it with a Six-Pack Challenge at Backlash. The six women listed above will compete to try and become the first champion. However, it does certainly feel like there are really only three women who will ultimately factor into the finish—though the third is a bit surprising in that position.

Carmella turned heel (allegedly) by attacking Nikki Bella on her return to SmackDown a couple of weeks to go. Now she’s coming into this match where she’ll be working with Nikki. As you’d have to consider two “faces” in Becky Lynch and Nikki the faces, you have to imagine that Carmella is going to be involved in some under-handed tactics. It’s what her involvement will be that’s the question. Are they going to give her the win? Or rather are they going to have her cost someone else.

How I see things playing out is that Becky and Nikki are left as the final two women in the elimination match. After a couple minutes of grappling ensue, though, Carmella comes back into the fold and continues her vendetta against one-half of the Bella Twins. Thus, the title will go on Becky and SmackDown also gets a secondary women’s feud. That seems like the winning strategy here.

Prediction: Becky Lynch wins via Carmella costing Nikki

Credit: WWE.com

WWE World Championship Match: Dean Ambrose (c) vs AJ Styles

Dean Ambrose has long been much better on a “per-game” basis when he’s working in the main event. That’ll be the case for WWE Backlash as he’ll be defending the world title in the final match of the show. Only further amping up expectations will be the fact that he’s defending the belt against almost inarguably the best wrestler in the world right now: AJ Styles.

Styles is just head-and-shoulders above the rest of the wrestling world right now. He’s putting on high-caliber matches with everyone that he faces, but he’s also improved noticeably on the microphone in this feud with Ambrose. Now he has the chance to become more than the Face Who Runs the Place as he can legitimately earn the title and be the face of the SmackDown brand. This could very well be the full-fledged realization of what fans have been watching develop over recent months.

Quite frankly, anything other than putting the title on Styles is a mistake. He’s the most over person on SmackDown by a mile and this Ambrose-holding-the-title thing has fallen a bit flat. You have to put AJ on top and let him truly bask in the glory of his heel-ness. This should be a great match, but I think that WWE looks to get buzz going on the first brand-specific show by having the top-title change hands.

Prediction: AJ Styles wins WWE World Championship