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Backlash 2024 was WWE's first premium live event since WrestleMania 40, and what a way to follow The Show of Shows. The fans in Lyon, France absolutely brought it tonight.
It obviously helped that every match delivered well, for the most part, which is always the mark of a successful show. But what was the best on the entire card?
Let's look at all five matches at Backlash 2024 and rate them on a scale of one to five.
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#1. Kevin Owens & Randy Orton vs. Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga - Street Fight at Backlash 2024
The show opened with an explosive brawl even before the bell rang. It was so intense that Nick Aldis had to turn it into a Street Fight. The chaos turned nasty immediately, with several weapons including chairs, kendo sticks, and garbage cans.
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Tama's back was absolutely destroyed throughout the match. Orton hit a few RKOs, while Owens was his usual crazy self. He was right at home at Backlash 2024. The finish came after KO hit Tama Tonga with a Fisherman Suplex off the top rope onto a bunch of chairs. He went for the pin only for the newest member of The Bloodline to stop it.
Tama's real-life brother, Tanga Loa is now a WWE Superstar. This eventually led to Solo Sikoa finishing Kevin Owens off with his devastating spike. What a hot beginning to Backlash 2024 this was, setting the tone for a fantastic night of action.
Rating: ****1/4
#2. Bayley vs. Naomi vs. Tiffany Stratton - WWE Women's Championship
The action continued at Backlash 2024 with another huge match, as the WWE Women's Championship was up for grabs. Bayley somehow survived with her title after excellent performances from Naomi and Tiffany Stratton. All three women were incredibly over in Lyon.
We saw some physical spots in and around the ring, including a suicide dive by The Role Model. Neither woman could get the advantage, though, as multiple finisher attempts were countered. Despite not getting to hit the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, Stratton showed out at Backlash 2024.
She felt the love from the French fans, but it wasn't enough to win. Bayley out-wrestled Naomi by countering a pinfall attempt with one of her own, ending the match out of nowhere.
Even though the finish was abrupt, this was another great outing. All three women may not have a better match for the rest of the year following Backlash 2024.
Rating: ****1/2
#3. Damian Priest vs. Jey Uso - World Heavyweight Championship
While not the strongest in the ring, the crowd was up for Jey Uso's world title match against Damian Priest at Backlash 2024. That's what made this bout much better than expected. The YEET Master was insanely over with the French fans, who didn't stop showing their support for him.
The first half of this match was carried by the crowd, but things got good towards the end. Priest and Uso went back and forth, trading finishers and near falls. Main Event Jey thwarted interference from The Judgment Day members but the numbers game eventually caught up to him.
Damian Priest hit a middle rope South of Heaven Chokeslam for the win. Both men showed tremendous spirit at Backlash 2024, even if the result wasn't in much doubt. The fans truly believed a title change was possible, which is a mark of how over Jey Uso is.
Rating: ****
#4. Kabuki Warriors vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill - WWE Women's Tag Team Championship
While this may have been considered a death spot of sorts, the fans were up for Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill's big win. It was the only title change at Backlash 2024.
The overpowered duo defeated The Kabuki Warriors to become the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions, but it didn't come with some issues.
The match seemed to go smoothly until a referee botch unraveled things a bit. Kairi Sane was deemed the illegal competitor but carried on like nothing happened, following which Cargill and Belair tried hard to recover the flow of the match. They showcased their power in incredible fashion throughout the contest.
The Storm did well to nail Jaded on Sane before Belair's KOD spelled the end for Asuka. The finish was pretty great, truly saving this match from going all over the place. And just like that, Backlash 2024 was guaranteed not to have a single bad match.
Rating: ***1/4
#5. Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles - Undisputed WWE Championship
The main event of Backlash 2024 may have been a predictable affair but, man, what a match it was. When we found out AJ Styles would challenge Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship, expectations were high. These two in-ring masters did not disappoint at all.
Rhodes and Styles know how to craft a compelling match, which is what we saw. Both men got more and more physical as the contest progressed, with some great moves on display. There were some fun moments too, like Cody's Stardust reference.
The Phenomenal One came close multiple times thanks to some added power to his game. Nevertheless, The American Nightmare fought back. He powerbombed AJ through the announce table, countered a Phenomenal Forearm with a superkick, and even kicked out of the Burning Hammer at one.
Cody Rhodes eventually won with the Cross Rhodes, ending a fantastic match on a high. This may have been the best match at Backlash 2024, with the passionate fanbase chanting "Fight forever" at both men. While not at that perfect level, Rhodes and Styles certainly came close to it.
A fitting first world title defense for Cody, following his monumental win over Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40.
Rating: ****3/4
