WWE Backstage gets Rated R!
Okay, not really. But it will have the Rated R Superstar, EDGE! How is the WWE Hall of Famer feeling after WrestleMania Weekend?
CM Punk’s back on Backstage!
He, Renee Young, Booker T and Christian are here, and Punk says he was built for “isolation.” He doesn’t need to be told to stay away from other people. But he does hope everyone is safe and healthy. #FlattenTheCurve. But to business, WWE is in WrestleMania Aftermath and some new champions are learning what it’s like to have targets on their backs. With that, it’s time for…
Just the Highlights!
On SmackDown, the tables have turned! The New Day figures that just because John Morrison retained on behalf of The Miz, that doesn’t mean The Miz can take it easy. This coming Friday, the SmackDown Tag Team Championships will be on the line when it’s The Miz VS Jey Uso VS Big E! What happens when the other three halves fight for the titles? Then Tamina will get a SmackDown Women’s Championship match IF she can get past Sasha Banks! Is Bayley writing checks The Boss can’t cash? The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions are STILL Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross after a WrestleMania rematch! And Braun Strowman is a fighting champion who is willing to #LetHimIn. Will The Fiend get back the big blue belt? Or will he #GetTheseHands?
On Raw, the Women’s Money in the Bank qualifying matches got brutal! Shayna Baszler STOMPS Sarah Logan’s arm apart to punch her ticket to the ladder match. But The Man dares all the women of the WWE to come for her with that MITB briefcase. Because Becky is ready to “shock the world” again. As for The Queen, she’s headed back to NXT to teach them a “lesson in humility.” Will the black ‘n’ yellow bow down to Charlotte Flair? And the Monday Night Messiah’s resurrection begins with an attack on the WWE World Champion! Will Seth Rollins #BurnItDown and rise from the ashes of Drew McIntyre’s dream come true?
The panel discusses!
McIntyre has only been WWE World Champion for nine days and already The Architect wants to end that. Booker’s thoughts on this new feud definitely puts McIntyre “right in the mix.” McIntyre is not someone that needs to sit on the sidelines and wait for who is next. Rollins steps up, and we know both men can compete at a very high level. The magic they create is highly anticipated by Booker. And we always look for a pairing that can be “married to each other” in a long feud, and that’s this for Booker.
Christian adds that this is the right move. He likes Rollins shifting slightly, and is letting that beard grow. Maybe get the chest hair going, too? Christian remembers telling CM Punk that strong chest hair game gets good heat. Christian continues that he likes Rollins’ confidence and even arrogance. Even after a defeat, he has this demeanor, this sense of control yet unpredictability. Those were things Rollins still needed, and it adds layers. But most of all, McIntyre got through a monster in Brock Lesnar, so now it’s time to switch it up to a smaller, faster opponent. These two will bring out the best in each other.
CM Punk says this is the best possible spot for Rollins and McIntyre to both be in. As Booker said, there are times you want two guys to be linked together for much longer than just the next PPV. These guys could go all the way to SummerSlam or beyond. Rollins puts unnecessary pressure on himself as “The Guy,” so if he’s not The Guy, it puts a chip on his shoulder. McIntyre, meanwhile, is a big ass kicker who fans will support because of his journey. CM Punk will watch this match-up for sure.
Renee brings things to Zelina Vega’s new stable and how it was in the middle of everything last night. Christian says Vega is great, super talented and really good on the mic. She goes out there and has more confidence because of her trio. Her confidence creates credibility for the trio in turn, and it works that they’re united with her. He only sees things growing from here.
CM Punk loves Vega, and not just because she played the part of AJ Lee in Paige’s biopic. Vega is focused on being the “valet,” the manager, a forgotten art of being in charge of multiple wrestlers. And when it is a woman, that makes it even greater because we haven’t seen that before. She could bring it all back alongside this “group of misfits.” Punk says these guys don’t look like they fit together, but they become a dangerous alliance. He’d even like to see one or two more join up for some mix-and-match tag teams. Vega is the glue that holds it all together and makes it a great stable.
Renee moves things along to SmackDown. Bray Wyatt tries to rain on Strowman’s parade his first Friday as WWE Universal Champion. Bray vows to take Strowman out, but Strowman says he’ll #LetHimIn. Punk’s response is a bit negative. Both Bray and Strowman aren’t back on firm footing yet. Strowman is someone WWE didn’t pull the trigger on until they had to. He’s on top now, but going up against a genuine fan favorite who also has yet to have his day in the sun. This feels rushed, like it could’ve waited until SummerSlam or until it could be built bigger. But this is just the first few steps, so we’ll have to wait and see what comes of it. Punk’s French Bulldog, Larry, also seems negative on it.
Booker says that this is wrestling, and Fiend VS Strowman is a main event “anywhere in the world.” Strowman found himself in the spotlight and has that chip on his shoulder, just like the Backstage panel was saying last week. Strowman needs to prove himself worthy, and who better to do that than Bray Wyatt? Christian agrees more with Punk. Strowman VS Wyatt could have happened later given the back story. Christian feels that we’ve already seen the Universal Championship flip-flop a few times too many. With Braun having that chip on his shoulder, being the Roman Reigns substitute, the WWE should build him up first. They should give Strowman a strong run with the title first. If he and Bray do separate things first, that would make their match-up even bigger.
To Christian, Bray is a Roddy Piper type, where he doesn’t really need that title to be in the main event. Booker agrees there, as Bray has already said it isn’t about the title. We need to get Strowman to a place where he needs to be. It’s not about the title to Booker, because The Fiend has said so. Punk says that “guys who don’t win the title say it’s not about the title.” But how do you get sympathy for a guy like Strowman? How do you get sympathy for a guy like The Fiend? It’s fascinating, but the timing is way off.
Speaking of timing, Renee brings up how it was only a matter of time before the Lashley-Lana romance starts hitting a rough patch. We saw that tension on Raw the last couple of weeks. The night after WrestleMania, Lashley let it be known he was considering getting a new manager, or perhaps just a new wife. Who saw this coming? Flashback to the December 10, 2019 edition of Backstage! CM Punk himself booked this! After the blow-off, Rusev washes his hands of Lana, and then Lana eventually grinds on Lashley’s nerves. Lashley leaves Lana and joins Rusev in an anti-Lana group!
Back to the present, Renee says Punk basically nailed it. Even Punk is surprised he predicted this one. But it was just obvious, really. Everyone wants Lana to shut up right now. Now we need to wait for the strange Lana in a Shark Tank match, and just have her stuck up there for an entire show. Everyone will love it. Renee hopes Lio Rush comes back to join Lashley. But as great as Lio returning to that role would be (for Renee, at least), Edge’s return has been huge for the WWE! And after the break, Edge makes a Backstage debut!
