Oddly enough, even with the brand split and SmackDown being the smaller roster of the two, there are still a handful of wrestlers still not currently scheduled for the 2016 Backlash event. You’d think that there couldn’t possibly still be some names left off the list when there’s an entire card to be filled up and slim pickings, right? Think again.
While there certainly aren’t dozens upon dozens like what might happen come Survivor Series, some people are noticeably absent for one reason or another. Who are those wrestlers skipping out on this show and not getting any time in the spotlight? Let’s take a look.
Tag Team Tournament Leftovers
*NOTE: Since originally posting this article, Talking Smack has altered things. The Hype Bros and The Usos will now face off at Backlash with the winning team going up against Rhyno and Heath Slater. American Alpha will be the team not competing on the card instead, which is unfortunate, but at least it builds to a storyline for the future. Here is how the article was originally presented at the finish of the SmackDown taping:
Such is the structure of a tournament where the finalists are the ones with the glory and the rest can go busy themselves elsewhere. There’s nothing wrong with that in any regard, although it means a few talented individuals aren’t going to be wrestling unless something is thrown together at the last minute for them.
The Vaudevillains, Breezango, The Ascension, The Headbangers, The Usos and The Hype Bros all failed to advance into the finals, but why not have at least some of them compete in some fashion? You can make an argument that The Ascension isn’t going to sell any tickets, but what about The Usos now that they’ve turned heel? This card is so thin right now for a 3-hour event and it would be strange if Jimmy and Jey don’t participate, as that would be lacking the opportunity to capitalize on the momentum of their turn.
The first four teams can be written off more, but I’m hoping The Usos and The Hype Bros have a match that is added at the last minute. It’s pretty simple to set up, too: just have them backstage arguing about how they have a problem with The Usos injuring American Alpha. That’s not cool, and they want to teach them a lesson because they don’t want them to act like that’s going to fly in this division that they’re also part of. Then, The Usos can win—because who really cares about someone like Mojo Rawley in the end—and it can offset Jimmy and Jey losing so quickly on SmackDown.
Apollo Crews
I don’t quite understand what WWE wants to accomplish with Apollo Crews. He came into NXT with a lot of momentum and was rather quickly promoted to the main roster, yet he’s struggled considerably ever since. It seems as though they can only commit about 60% to pushing him and then they weakly drop him off the face of the earth for a while.
With the brand split, it felt like a natural progression for Crews to be insert into the midcard title hunt, but very little to no effort was put in building up a proper feud with him and The Miz. Once he failed to win the Intercontinental Championship, he was quickly brushed aside and Dolph Ziggler was inserted into his spot, with Crews having nothing to show for it other than a gimmick where he tells people who he is and spells out his name. Awful, especially since his status as a loser was further cemented with him taking a pinfall loss to The Miz yet again this week.
Baron Corbin / Kalisto
Good lord, this feud may be the longest running program that has not actually had any traction. How long have these two been at it? How many times have they actually competed against each other or even been factored into the television plans to keep it going?
It’s one thing to stretch something a little while longer to make room for some other plans or if an injury or suspension gets in the way of progress, but usually, those circumstances revolve around much more important people and situations. It’s forgivable to do three of the same match for a major feud if it’s still hot, but who is asking for this to continue?
This has been going on since before the draft even happened, and it should have ended a long time ago. At the very least, this should have been the event they have their final match and move on to other things, yet it seems neither man is occupied doing anything else and they’re just being put on the shelf until they can have another match. Yikes.
Curt Hawkins
With regards to Curt Hawkins, I’m very curious why he’s being advertised so much in advance when he’s most likely not going to be that big of a deal. He never amounted to all too much in his career beforehand, and I highly doubt that things will be different this time around—just look at Jinder Mahal for reference.
When they did this with Shelton Benjamin, it made sense, as he was a guy I could see putting into an upper midcard role and giving a lot of attention to. Hawkins, though, is probably just going to be another jobber in the mix for someone like Baron Corbin to chew up and spit out on a regular basis.
Since he’s been advertised (with the really dated Chuck Norris facts gimmick) for so long, having him wrestle his first match back in the company at Backlash would have been a decent way to bring him in. Instead, he’ll be showing up the episode following this show, or he’ll just never show up at all. I think it’s a mistake not to pull the trigger a little earlier, as there’s definitely room on the card for him to be booked against someone like Apollo Crews just to showcase them a bit instead of having more promos and filler.
Erick Rowan
Poor Erick Rowan can never catch a break, can he? For years, he’s been the sacrificial lamb in a group that already had someone else wearing a black sheep mask. Now that The Wyatt Family has basically split up, there was room for him to grow into something else, similar to what’s happening with Braun Strowman.
Instead, Rowan continues to lose and really do nothing else. When he’s not being pinned, he’s probably just not on the card at all. The last we’ve seen of him was essentially Bray Wyatt disowning him and walking away. Rowan took no offense to that? There’s no follow up with him either trying to appease his leader or lashing out at him?
Maybe there will be some continuity with Rowan attacking Wyatt during or after his match with Randy Orton, but I doubt it. The more likely scenario is that Rowan is just so little of a priority that WWE simply doesn’t care to utilize him, which is a bit sad, considering how he’s an imposing figure who might have more to offer if they didn’t just use him as a joke all the time.
John Cena
Alberto Del Rio is suspended and possibly gone from the company, so it makes sense for him to leave. Shelton Benjamin is injured. Hawkins hasn’t returned yet. Most of the names on this list can at least be argued as being inconsequential enough that maybe, WWE has more important things to do instead of giving them a match. But what is going on with John Cena of all people?
He’s the biggest star left off the card, but there’s been no real indication as to why. Early speculation was that he would take time off to film American Grit, but some reports conflict with that, saying he isn’t scheduled to do that for another month or so. Is he injured and they’re keeping this hush? Do they just have no idea what to do with Cena at the moment and figured he deserved some time off?
If this card didn’t include two new titles being crowned and the main event, it would be a complete dud. Even still, it’s struggling to be must-see, and John Cena’s presence would have helped SmackDown’s first brand-exclusive event considerably, no matter who he would have gone up against.
Kane
Where has Kane been? I could have sworn I had seen him maybe only once since the draft took place, but I might be mistaken about even that. The Devil’s Favorite Demon is a perpetual force to be reckoned with, but only if he’s actually on the show. Just ask Gary “The Milkman” Millman, who was disposed of rather quickly by Kane last week, or Fandango this week. At least he stopped us from having to watch Betty dance anymore.
Clearly, nothing was built up for Kane to take part in at Backlash, although that’s by choice. If Kalisto has been injured this whole time, preventing the feud with Baron Corbin to go on, why not just drop it and have Corbin and Kane lock up, for instance? That could be a solid feud for the two to sink their teeth into as their characters are both tall brutes with sadistic edges to them. Perhaps a win over Kane would help get Corbin back on track after doing nothing with the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal victory. Maybe a feud with Corbin can give Kane some direction, too, so he isn’t just hanging out backstage trying to figure out which persona to be at the next house show.
How do you think these guys could have been best used at Backlash? Are there any names you’re particularly annoyed to see not scheduled for the card? Keep the discussion going in the comments below!
