Backlash (2019)

The logo for Backlash (2019)

**Backlash (2019)** is an upcoming professional wrestling pay per view produced by War Hawks Entertainment Inc. for their SmackDown brand. It is scheduled to take place Saturday, November 30, 2019 and will be the first event in the WHEI Backlash chronology. It also will be the first SmackDown exclusive pay per view following the reboot of the franchise. The event was originally cancelled due to burnout. However, the decision was made to reorganize it into the first pay per view of the reboot.

## Background

The card will of matches resulting from scripted storylines that play out on WHEI's SmackDown brand. Storylines play out on the War Hawks' weekly show on Twitch *Friday Night SmackDown Live*. Wrestlers portray heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters as they build tension that leads to a match or series of matches heading into the event.

Backlash, as the name implies, is meant to be SmackDown's WrestleMania revenge pay per view. As such the card will usual feature rematches from WrestleMania provided the some of them aren't drafted to other shows in the draft.

The primary feud heading into the event was between two wrestlers feuding over the WHEI Championship. At WrestleMania, champion Braun Strowman defeated Sami Zayn to retain the championship. However the day before Strowman was drafted to LWL in the 2019 draft, thus he was forced to vacate the championship. While Zayn went undrafted as of yet, Ironman promised he would address the situation on the next episode of SmackDown. The season premiere of SmackDown Ironman stated that due to having faced Strowman for the championship at WrestleMania, Zayn would get another chance at Backlash. And that there would be a triple threat match in two weeks to determine who would face him, with qualifying matches starting that night. The first qualifying match was Dolph Ziggler vs. Finn Balor which was won by Ziggler. The second was Scott Steiner vs. AJ Styles, which was won by Steiner. The final one was Kurt Angle '01 vs. Shawn Michaels '05 which was won by Michaels. However, due to the reboot, it will now be a tournament final between two wrestlers for the vacant championship. Should Strowman be drafted to SmackDown during the reboot draft, he will receive a bye straight to the finals. This was changed on the debut episode of SmackDown following the reboot. Where Adam Cole defeated Finn Balor to win the Championship in a stellar match. Due to the continued brawling between Cole's faction The Undisputed Era and The OC, as well as the quality of the match, a rematch between the two was scheduled for Backlash

Another feud heading into the event was to be between Kenny Omega and another wrestler with the two feuding over the WHEI Intercontinental Championship. At WrestleMania, Kenny Omega defeated Scott Hall to win the WHEI United States Championship, while he was not drafted yet he did promise to defend the title at Backlash. Ironman promised he would find him a challenger for the title in the weeks leading up to Backlash. During the draft, Omega was drafted to SmackDown, securing himself and the title for the brand going forward. On the season premiere of SmackDown Ironman held two matches, with the winners facing off the next week to determine who would challenge Omega at the pay per view. The two matches were Adam Cole vs. Lex Luger and Ricochet vs. Batista '10. Luger defeated Cole to advance to the next week while Batista defeated Ricochet. The next week Luger defeated Batista to earn the right to face Omega for the title at Backlash. Due to the reboot, this was changed to a tournament final for the now vacant title. Should Omega be drafted to SmackDown, he will receive a bye straight to the finals. This changed due to Omega not being downloaded for the new game (yet). As well as the two mid card championship trading shows. So instead, to not stretch his roster too thin with multiple tournaments. Ironman Scheduled two matches to determine the match at Backlash. The matches were won by Juggernaut and Kassius Ohno respectively. In the following weeks, the two interfered in each other's matches.

Another feud heading into the event was between The War Hawks SmackDown Division (Will & Devin) and The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, & Xavier Woods) with the two teams feuding over the WHEI SmackDown Tag Team Championship. At WrestleMania, the War Hawks, represented by Ironman, Heath, and Stephen, defeated The New Day in a 2 Fall 6 Man Tag Team Match to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship for a second time. As Ironman was the General Manager of SmackDown he was immediately retained on SmackDown and said that the championship was merely a matter of which members of the group joined him on the brand. It was later announced that New Day, who were drafted to SmackDown during the 2019 Draft, would receive their rematch at Backlash once Ironman found himself a partner. During the draft, Ironman selected his previous partners along with Devin. It was announced on the April 5, 2019 episode of SmackDown that a series of matches between the two teams would take place that night. With the team that got the most victories over the other getting to choose the stipulation at the pay per view. The War Hawks won the series 2-1 as Will defeated Xavier, Kofi defeated Heath, and Devin defeated Big E. On the April 12, 2019 episode of SmackDown, Will and Devin defeated all 3 members of New Day in a 3 on 2 Handicap Match. Due to the reboot, the championship is now vacant. With a tournament scheduled to determine new champions. Due to being the former champions, any two members of the War Hawks who are drafted to SmackDown will receive a bye straight to the finals. The group selected Ironman and Devin to represent them during the tournament. While the Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder) won the tournament by defeating AOP (Akam & Rezar) and The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly & Bobby Fish).

Another feud heading into the event was between Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey with the two feuding over the WHEI SmackDown Women's Championship. At the Royal Rumble in January, Lynch won a tri-branded Battle Royal to win the right to challenge a Women's Champion of her choice at WrestleMania. At Elimination Chamber Lynch lost her championship opportunity to AJ Lee, while Kaitlyn won an Elimination Chamber Match to win the championship. At WrestleMania, Kaitlyn defeated Lee in short order to retain the championship, only to immediately be challenged by Lynch who felt she had been screwed. Lynch defeated Kaitlyn at WrestleMania to win the championship, she was then drafted to SmackDown during the 2019 Draft and kept the championship. Ironman told her he would find her a challenger for Backlash. The first episode of Season 4 of SmackDown featured a Fatal 5 Way Elimination Tables Match to determine the #1 Contender to the championship between Nightingale, Alexa Bliss, Ronda Rousey, Lee, and Maria Kanellis. The match was won by Ronda setting her up for a match with the self proclaimed Man at Backlash. On the April 12, 2019 episode of SmackDown during a tag team match pitting Lynch and one of her fellow horsewomen against Rousey's fellow horsewomen Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke, Shafir made Lynch tap out to a kneebar. Due to the reboot, the SmackDown Women's Championship is now vacant with a tournament being held to crown a new champion. Should Lynch be drafted to SmackDown, she will receive a bye straight to the finals. The Tournament was abandoned in favor of pushing new Lady Hawks member Z-Star after a dominating performance against former champion Nightingale. Z-Star's undefeated streak continued in the following weeks by defeating another former champion in Bayley.

Another feud heading into the event was between Adam "Hangman" Page and Seth Rollins with the two feuding over the WHEI Hardcore Championship. During the season 4 draft Page went undrafted, therefore leaving the future of the championship on the brand in jeopardy. Adding to this, European Champion Seth Rollins was drafted to SmackDown. To remedy this, a match was booked for the Raw exclusive pay per view Payback. With the stipulation being if Rollins won he would take the European Championship to SmackDown while the Hardcore Championship would be moved to Raw. At Payback, Dain won the European Championship from Rollins, sending him to SmackDown empty handed. Due to the reboot, the Hardcore Championship is now vacant. With a tournament being held to crown a new champion. Should Page be drafted to SmackDown, he will receive a bye straight to the finals. Because Hangman wasn't downloaded and again to avoid spreading his roster too thin. Ironman simply set up a Fatal 5 Way Match for the title on the debut episode. The match was won by Buddy Murphy, who then went on to defeated The Velveteen Dream the next week. After the two showed mutual respect following the match, a Hardcore Match was set up for the pay per view the next week.

Another feud heading into the event was between two wrestlers feuding over the right to face a Raw superstar for the WHEI Cruiserweight Championship. Following the reboot and discontinuation of 205 Live, the title became available to both brands. Should former champion Heath be drafted to SmackDown, he will receive a bye straight to the semi finals. The finals of this portion of the tournament. Heath was drafted to Raw in the draft, which caused Ironman to set up a match to determine who would face him at SummerSlam. The match was won by Cedric Alexander.

Another feud heading into the event is between two women's teams. With the teams feuding over the right to face a Raw team for the WHEI Women's Tag Team Championship. At Rain Of Blood, Raw's Empire Of The Rising Sun (Asuka & Io Shirai) won a Fatal 4 Way Tag Team match to win the tile. However, due to the reboot the title is now vacant. A tournament across both shows being held to determine new champions. The former champions will receive a bye straight to the semi finals of whatever show they end up on. The Empire ended up on SmackDown, Jade and Ebony won a match the debut episode to face them at the pay per view for the right to fight a Raw team at SummerSlam.

To ensure that Io Shairi wouldn't interfere in the Women's Tag Team Championship tournament semi finals, Ironman decreed she would be competing at Backlash. Having her own issues with the Empire following a match against Asuka, Nightingale stepped up. To ensure Shairi would be in no shape to interfere, Nighitngale requested the match be made No Holds Barred. Ironman agreed, Shairi told Nightingale she made a grave mistake and would pay for it at Backlash.

In the semi final match between Undisputed Era and The Revival, The OC's Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson came out and attacked Fish & O'Reilly when the referee was down. Handing the Revival the victory, and angering the Era in the process. The two teams brawled throughout the arena, this lead to Ironman scheduling a Falls Count Anywhere match between the teams at the pay per view.

To ensure that fresh faces were always in the picture and given an opportunity, Ironman announced a Triple Threat #1 Contenders Tag Team Match. He stated that 3 teams who were not in the tournament would be scheduled for the match. The next week, Ironman revealed the teams as The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford), The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) and The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper & Rowan).

## Matches

### Tournaments

#### SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tournament

 The Revival (Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder)
 Bye
 The War Hawks SmackDown Division (Ironman & Devin)

#### Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament (SmackDown side)

 The Empire of the Rising Sun (Asuka & Kairi Sane)
 Bye