Just three weeks after a controversial ending to WrestleMania 41, WWE is back with the 2025 edition of Backlash, presented from theEnterprise Center in St. Louis,Missouri a fitting location, considering the main event involves beloved son of St. Louis Randy Orton challenging longtime rival John Cena for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Cena's title is one of four to be defended at Backlash, with both men's and women's IntercontinentalChampionships on the line (the first PLE showcase for one of WWE's new women's midcard belts) as well as the men's United States title. Rounding out the card is an unusual grudge match between "WWE Raw" commentator Pat McAfee and GUNTHER, who attacked McAfee in a rage after losing the World Heavyweight Championship to Jey Uso.
So who will win? Not to spoil the hometown celebration, but the WINC staff are pretty confident in Cena, as well as Dominik Mysterio and Jacob Fatu aka "the guys who won their titles three weeks ago." We're less certain of other questions. For example, will Lyra Valkyria will be able to once again defeat her newly-heel mentor, Becky Lynch? And with rumors swirling that Goldberg is returning to WWE for one last match with "The Ring General," would even WWE be so bold as to have McAfee defeat GUNTHER?
The answers, as the WINC staff collectively sees them, lie before you. Let's get to the picks!
Former World HeavyweightChampion and longest reigning Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER against former Indianapolis Colts punter turned "WWE Raw" commentator Pat McAfee isn't a match we thought we'd be predicting for Backlash. However, it's official, and 75% of us here at WINC are siding with the "Ring General" over the commentator trying to protect the honor and right of free speech of Michael Cole. The only things holding the rest of us back are McAfee's immense popularity with the fans and WWE's tendency for silly moments.
Following GUNTHER's loss to Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41, he didn't take too kindly to Cole's opinions about him on commentary, so he attempted to rough up the veteran announcer before McAfee stepped in. GUNTHER choked him out and was indefinitely suspended from "WWE Raw" for a short period of time, but McAfee wanted to get in the ring with GUNTHER to solve things.
The commentator might get a hope spot or two in to amp up the St. Louis crowd, but those of us who cast our votes in predictions aren't confident in McAfee's abilities against one of the best wrestlers in WWE. McAfee is somewhat experienced in the ring, and the WarGames match on "WWE NXT" he was part of in 2020 wasn't bad, but we really don't think he's any match for GUNTHER. "The RingGeneral" is coming off a major loss and needs a victory to regain even the slightest bit of momentum, or even just to be taken seriously by fans once again. That need is why 75% of us believe GUNTHER is walking away with a win after choking out McAfee again.
Written byDaisyRuth
Jacob Fatu is due to make his first United States Championship defense against three challengers, including the former champion, as he faces LA Knight, Drew McIntyre, and Damian Priest in a four-way at Backlash. Fatu won the title from Knight in his last bout at WrestleMania 41, earning a first singles title in the company less than a year after he had joined. In the weeks since, Fatu has been pursued by Knight demanding a rematch, Priest demanding a title shot after his own win at WrestleMania, and McIntyre despite being the one who lost to Priest looking for a cathartic title win to spurn his rival.
However, the poll put to the Wrestling Inc. team reflects a unanimous belief that it's too early in Fatu's title reign for him to lose, with 100% voting the "Samoan Werewolf" to retain despite being the least-decorated in the field.Stood across the champion will be former World Champions in Priest and McIntyre, as well as a two-time United States Champion in Knight having recaptured the title from the last man that beat him, Shinsuke Nakamura. So it's going to be no small feat getting the win on the night, especially considering the subplot pertaining to Solo Sikoa; Sikoa had pushed Nick Aldis to make a singles match between Fatu and McIntyre, having helped McIntyre to win via disqualification in a number one contendership bout previously. Alas, Aldis made the match a four-way to include Knight and Priest, prompting Sikoa to accuse Aldis of attempting to screw over his enforcer, only for Aldis to then turn and accuse Sikoa of doing the same thing.
Written by MaxEverett
Women's Intercontinental Champion Lyra Valkyria and frenemy Becky Lynch will face off for Valkyria's gold at Backlash, and a large portion of us here at WINC, at 88%, believe "The Man" will leave St. Louis as the second-ever Women's IC Champion. The first, and only time, these women squared off one-on-one was back in October 2023 when Valkyria defeated Lynch for the NXT Women's Championship. With that win in mind, we think Lynch will go over the younger woman at Backlash.While we thought Valkyria's promo on "WWE SmackDown" last week was good, she also brought up some valid points in favor of her opponent. Adding Lynch's name to the history of the Women's IC title, even if her reign doesn't last long, is probably a good thing, and Lynch will do a lot to elevate the title.
We also think Lynch winning would be best for the overall story, because it seems more than likely she's going to feud with Bayley next. Lynch taking the title off Valkyria could inspire Bayley, in storyline, to return to the ring after Lynch took her out of WrestleMania 41. Lynch herself has only just returned from a pretty long hiatus, so she needs a singles victory. Her defeating Valkyria at Backlash, but Valkyria winning the gold back at a future premium live event with the moral support of Bayley, like at Money in the Bank or SummerSlam, could be a good, longer story where neither woman looks weak at the end.
However you book things in the future, 88% of us are convinced it's going to be Lynch with the gold. Almost all of us are confident in "The Man" coming back around, as heel Lynch works best with a championship.
Written by DaisyRuth
Dominik Mysterio and Penta are due to face one another in a rematch for the Intercontinental Championship at this weekend's Backlash, the latter looking to make the third time the charm. Mysterio captured the title at WrestleMania 41, dethroning Bron Breakker in a four-way also involving Penta and his Judgment Day brother, Finn Balor. But given that he pinned Balor, and Breakker has since joined the side of Seth Rollins and Paul Heyman, it has been Penta chasing the new champion in the weeks since.
Penta did have a one-on-one challenge against Mysterio on the "WWE Raw" after WrestleMania, but the returning JD McDonagh interfered to cost him the title shot; Penta got his revenge with a win against McDonagh, earning another shot at the title this weekend. However, the poll put to the Wrestling Inc. team reflects a belief that he will not break his title duck yet, with 94% voting for "Dirty Dom" to retain his title once again.
Mysterio's title reign is still in its relative infancy, although he is still bound to be looking over his shoulder with an envious Balor effectively robbed of the title by his stablemate. But there has also been consistent talk of a new Judgment Day member pushed by Mysterio, and there is a chance that as champion he may now have the sway over Balor to make that happen. Penta was one to reject the offer of membership, spurring on the feud with the group, so it would also carry a degree of catharsis for it to come back and bite him.
Written by Max Everett
In this writer's opinion, it would be very funny if John Cena's controversial heel turn saw him lose his record-breaking 17th world title after barely a month. However it's not very likely.
Cena is heading into his match with long-time rival Randy Orton as a bona fide made man, especially now that The Rock has seemingly vanished from WWE programming. There is simply no one bigger than Cena right now, and short of Cody Rhodes getting revenge or Eddie Guerrero rising from the dead, there are no viable contenders for the Undisputed WWE Champion. The John Cena retirement tour needs a hook, now that fans know Cena will likely just show up to tell them how much he hates them, and a majority of the Wrestling Inc. staff agree that the world title is that hook.
No disrespect to Randy Orton, but "The Viper" has not felt like a viable title contender in years. While his theme music still puts fans on their feet, and he's coming off a WrestleMania win, it doesn't change the fact that Orton's best days are behind him. The oft-injured veteran will likely lose at Backlash, and will take his place as the guy just under Cena in the hierarchy of WWE. Even in the 2000s, Orton was more a foil for Cena than he was "the guy," and that trend will continue on Saturday. In what will likely be their final match, Orton will do what he's always done: make Cena look like a dominant champion.
Written byRoss Berman
