Backlash (Season 2)

Backlash (Year 2) is a Smackdown exclusive PPV and is the Twenty-third overall PPV of the ratedRsuperstar75 Universe Mode. This is the second PPV under the Backlash banner and is the first Smackdown exclusive PPV since Wrestlemania I. The PPV was held in Louisville, Kentucky and the theme song for the PPV was Defame Me by New Years Day.

## Build-Up Episodes

- Smackdown #52

- Smackdown #53

- Smackdown #54

- Smackdown #55

## Background/Build Up

The main rivalry heading into the PPV was between Shinsuke Nakamura and Kevin Owens for the WWE Championship. Shinsuke Nakamura won the championship from Owens back at Wrestlemania I when Nakamura reversed a Powerbomb attempt and hit Kevin Owens with the Kinshasa for the win. Kevin Owens announced on Smackdown that he will invoke his rematch clause to face Shinsuke Nakamura at Backlash.

Carmella became the No1 Contender for the Smackdown Womens Championship on the final episode of Smackdown before Backlash (Smackdown #55) when she won an eight woman battle royal which also involved Alexa Bliss, Toni Storm, Io Shiari, Nikki Cross, Becky Lynch, Nia Jax & Billie Kay to become the new No1 contender (Carmella lastly eliminated Nikki Cross to win the match).

American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan) won the Smackdown Tag Team Championships from Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) at Wrestlemania I. Authors of Pain announced that they will be invoking their rematch clause for the championships at Backlash. Authors of Pain sent a message to the champions by absolutely destroying TM-61 (Shane Thorne and Nick Miller).

After being drafted to Smackdown as a part of the draft, Bray Wyatt immediately targeted the Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho (Who had only won the championship recently at Wrestlemania I). Bray Wyatt started his mind games with Chris Jericho at Smackdown #54 when Bray Wyatt cost Jericho his match against Seth Rollins. Chris Jericho was able to get a dish of revenge on the go home episode of Smackdown when Jericho viciously assaulted Bray Wyatt after Jericho cost Wyatt his match against the WWE Champion Shinsuke Nakamura, the assault included Jericho sending Bray Wyatt through the announce table and locking in the Walls of Jericho in the ring.

On the go home episode of Smackdown, Titus O'Neil scored a shock roll-up victory over Ethan Grant. This caused both Ethan Grant and Lars Sullivan to conduct a 2 on 1 beat down until Apollo Crews (Who made his first appearance since bring drafted) came out to even the odds and save Titus from the beat down. After the episode, the Smackdown GM Shane McMahon announced the tag match.

Tye Dillinger was sent to Smackdown as a part of the draft and on his debut Tye Dillinger shocked the Smackdown Universe when he defeated Baron Corbin in his Smackdown debut at Smackdown #54. It didn't take long for Baron Corbin to show his anger and retaliate when he cost Tye Dillinger his match against Jinder Mahal the following week and then unleashed a brutal assault on the Perfect 10.

After being drafted to Smackdown, Rusev threatened the entire Smackdown roster that they have no chance against him and he will dominate the show while turning the brand from Smackdown into Rusevdown. This brought out AJ Styles who basically told Rusev that if he wants to make any sort of impact, he will have to go through the man who rules the show.Rusev sent a message to AJ Styles on the go home episode when he dominated and defeated the Colons (Primo and Epico) by knockout.

After losing the Universal Championship to Aleister Black at Wrestlemania I, The Miz normally would of gotten a rematch for the championship, but because The Miz was drafted to Smackdown as a part of the draft the title shot that The Miz would of had vanished. Angered by this The Miz demanded that Shane McMahon gives him an automatic WWE Championship match. This caused Drew McIntyre to issue an open challenge to The Miz. The Miz accepted but he got more than he bargained for when McIntyre won the match, Miz attacked McIntyre after the match and hit him with the Skull Crushing Finale