Tossing Salt Presents:
WWE Backlash 2023
Thoughts & Predictions
May 5, 2023
DougMaynard.com

Coming up tomorrow night from the Island of Puerto Rico is WWE Backlash. It’s the last show before the WWE Draft takes effect and the follow-up event to Wrestlemania, and of course, that means it’s prediction time. Are you ready? Let’s go.

Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar

So will Brock dominate and destroy as he’s done so many times before or will the dream, the Hard Times run, for Cody Rhodes, continue as he works his way back to contention for a World Championship? Let’s be serious. Cody has to win here. It’s just that simple. Brock can take a loss and so long as he’s allowed to show up on TV later on, it won’t hurt him a bit. If Cody loses, the dream becomes a heartbreaking nightmare.

Winner: Cody Rhodes

Bad Bunny vs. Damian Priest (San Juan Street Fight)

Bad Bunny is the celebrity guest so he’s going to win. It’s just that simple. With the street fight stipulation, you already know that the rest of the Judgement Day, Rey Mysterio, and the LWO will be involved and the match should be chaos personified. It’ll be a fluke win via interference and Bad Bunny wins.

Winner: Bad Bunny

SmackDown Women’s Championship — Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Zelina Vega

Zelina Vega is an awesome performer and she should get in some good spots in front of her hometown crowd, but Rhea Ripley is going to win and win cleanly in what will essentially be a squash match. The era of Mami continues.

Winner and STILL WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion: Rhea Ripley

Matt Riddle, Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. The Usos & Solo Sikoa

I expect that the tension between The Usos and their cousin, Sikoa, continues. I wouldn’t even be surprised to see Solo walk away from his cousins and leave them to the wolves that are Kevin, Sami, and Riddle. The good guys win.

Winners: Matt Riddle, Kevin Owens, and Sami Zayn

Raw Women’s Championship — Bianca Belair (c) vs. IYO SKY

Nothing against Iyo Sky, but does anyone think that she has a chance here? I like the DAMAGE CNTRL faction and I expect that Bayley & Dakota Kai will be out there to get involved and generate some heat for Sky, but at the end of the match, Bianca will still be the Champion.

Winner and STILL WWE Raw Women’s Champion: Bianca Belair

United States Championship — Austin Theory (c) vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Bronson Reed

With all of the other titles staying with the current champions, I think this should be the one match where we see a title switch. Austin Theory has done a great job as the United States Champion and has cemented his role in the upper part of the WWE roster, but things have gotten a bit stale and it’s time for a change. So Bronson or Lashley? Lashley is a top guy and maybe we’ll get something here to relaunch his perspective feud with Bray Wyatt. One can only hope. Having Lashley win would pretty much be a been-there/done-that moment and wouldn’t make sense to me. I think it’s time for Bronson Reed to have his WWE breakout moment and what better way to start than with the United States Championship? Works for me.

Winner and NEW United States Champion: Bronson Reed

Seth Rollins vs. Omos

Omos will get in his spots and look like a monster, but this close to the Night of Champions and the determination of a new WWE World Champion, there is no way that Seth will be taking a loss here.

Winner: Seth Rollins

And there you go. So what do you think? Am I right? Am I wrong? So what are your thoughts and predictions? Are you planning to watch it? Of course, you are. Let me know your predictions, along with your thoughts, comments, and any questions. I think it’s going to be a good show.

And with that, it’s time to wrap things up and move on. Take care and be well, my friends. If any matches are added to the card tonight on Smackdown, I’ll come back and add predictions for that if needed. I guess that’s all. Be good, keep your eyes open for foreign objects, and I’ll see you at the matches.

Ubuntu!