5 WWE stars Triple H buried at Backlash Tampa

WWE Backlash Tampa was so swift, it might have been easy to miss. Notably, two out of the five matches were aired on ESPN instead of being part of the main card.

The event included Danhausen and his mystery partner, a segment featuring John Cena, and a significant announcement. Bron Breakker defeated Seth Rollins, while Trick Williams again overcame Sami Zayn during the pre-show.

IYO SKY faced Asuka in a remarkable match, with speculation about The Empress of Tomorrow’s potential retirement following an emotional post-match moment with her student. Despite some highlights, Triple H sidelined five emerging stars at Backlash Tampa.

Burying the traditional WWE PLE structure

A title match and an intense rivalry were relegated to the Backlash pre-show, leaving just three matches, including a comedic tag team bout with Danhausen, on the main card.

This card also included John Cena’s major announcement about the new “John Cena Classic” tournament, where the winner might not actually “win” due to an unusual stipulation.

Fans will choose the winner, similar to the Slammy Awards, allowing for a scenario where the technical winner might not prevail. The entire event was shorter than a typical SmackDown episode, clocking in at around 2 hours and 45 minutes.

WWE should extend PLEs beyond the duration of free programming episodes, rather than shortening them due to a UFC event on the same night.

Sami Zayn and his love for pro wrestling

Michael Cole often sides with WWE’s narrative, painting certain performers in a negative light. Kevin Owens and Drew McIntyre have been labeled delusional for not being heard, a label now applied to Sami Zayn.

Many fans, along with Cole, hold Zayn responsible for Carmelo Hayes losing the United States Championship and missing WrestleMania. They overlook Trick Williams as the primary reason for Hayes’s loss. Without his interference, either could have been champion entering the PLE.

Cole accused Zayn of having “Victim Syndrome,” suggesting he perceives himself as a victim without justification. This view would hold if Williams hadn’t consistently mocked and disrespected him, exemplified by the Gingerbread Man incident.

Zayn’s frustration is rooted in his love for wrestling, implying Cole is disparaging both stars and fans of the sport. The SmackDown episode ended with Zayn on the floor after a two-on-one attack.

During their match, Zayn struck Trick with a Kendo Stick, but Williams endured. As usual, Lil Yachty interfered, hitting Sami with the same weapon, forcing Zayn to contend with both adversaries and Cole’s unfavorable commentary at Backlash.

The Miz & Kit Wilson lost to little people

Danhausen teamed up with Mini Danhausen instead of a regular star like CM Punk. The Cursemaster participated in about 20% of the match, with his mini counterpart handling most of the action.

As a result, Wilson and Miz faced the mini character more often than Danhausen himself. The situation worsened when a group of other little people attacked Wilson as the referee looked on.

Losing in this manner at Backlash made Miz and Wilson appear weaker than if they had lost to a seasoned World Champion like Punk.

WWE’s status quo with Roman Reigns

Jacob Fatu held his ground against Roman Reigns for nearly 20 minutes, yet WWE repeated its usual pattern when someone from the “family” challenges Reigns—they lose.

WWE missed a golden opportunity to elevate Jacob Fatu to megastar status. He is already a fan favorite with impressive skills to match.

Allowing The Samoan Werewolf to defeat The Tribal Chief would have shocked fans instead of continuing with the predictable dominance of the current main event leader.

Some believe Fatu’s post-match attack regained heat, but it seemed insignificant. Reigns simply walked out and gave a post-match interview, dismissing the “dastardly” attack. Like others facing the Bloodline, Fatu ultimately fell.