How about that crowd? Goodness. If WWE had any regrets about doing more international PLE’s, the crowd in France for WWE Backlash 2024 eased those concerns seconds into the show.
Backlash 2024 itself delivered on the high end of expectations, but the lukewarm card was jolted with excitement and intensity thanks to an audience that was determined to show the world what they were made of. That determination manifested in sing-a-longs, chants, entrance participation, and an overall zest for being present. Yes, it got to be a little much by the end of the show, but it was a net positive by a large margin and turned a B level show into a memorable afternoon.
Here are my Brass Ring Ratings for the event and here’s how they work … I call it like I see it. Period.
Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga vs. Randy Orton & Kevin Owens
Excellent opener. The wild audience wanted to see these two teams tear one another to pieces and that’s exactly what they did. I appreciated the elbow grease put into eventually turning this bout into a street fight. The pivot didn’t just happen. It had a reason to happen and Nick Aldi changing the stipulation on the spot made sense given the story they told dating back to Smackdown on Friday night.
Kevin Owens was an absolute gem throughout this. He sold when he needed to, but also brought an authentic level of batshit crazy charm that resonated throughout the entire match. Tanga Loa interfering to give The Bloodline the win is an intriguing move and one that should be impactful for the this story moving forward. Thumbs up.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OOO 3/4
Bayley vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi - WWE Women’s Championship
A good match. This had an uphill climb to build drama due to it being Bayley’s first title defense, but they did enough to limit the obvious finish with some well-timed near falls. Tiffany Stratton was the star of the match. She’s coming along nicely and clearly is going to be a force in the women’s division for years to come. Bayley getting the rollup win on Naomi was a smart finish. It protected Stratton, but was also a smart way to protect the friendship that Naomi and Bayley have. Glad to see Naomi just congratulate Bayley at the end and not tease a silly turn without a good reason.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OO 3/4
Damian Priest vs. Jey Uso - WWE World Heavyweight Championship
This is going to be remembered for the Jey Uso entrance. That thing was insane. The phone lights with Jey’s arm dance deal really made for a moment and made Jey look like an absolute star. The match was solid and fitting for a middle of the card title match. Both guys worked hard and important near falls got the audience to believe that the title may change hands. My issue with this is the involvement of Judgement Day. So, they help Damian Priest win, but then after the match Priest tells them he doesn’t need their help? It’s like, no, you clearly did. That story is choppy at the moment and it didn’t help the match itself.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OO 3/4
The Kabuki Warriors vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill - WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
The best WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match in history. I get it, it’s a low bar, but I liked this a lot. The Kabuki Warriors were tremendous. They bumped like absolute pros for the stronger babyface team and it made Belair and Cargill look believable and unstoppable. Belair and Cargill did their part in that equation, but I can’t overstate just how important Kairi Sane and Asuka were to getting the match and Cargill & Belair over as a team.
Speaking of Jade, she was really good and hit her big muscle spots when called upon. She owned the highlight of the match in an incredible feat of strength that involved positioning, repositioning, and then dropping Kairi Sane all while making Sane look like a stuffed animal that a two year old was manhandling. The titles had to go to Jade and Bianca here. They did and now the question is whether or not they can truly elevate them into something meaningful.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OOO 1/2
Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles - Undisputed WWE Championship
Excellent main event. The outcome was a foregone conclusion, but both Styles and Cody worked hard to hide that. The crowd was into this the entire way, though sometimes their chants would indicate otherwise. The wild scene in the audience got a little old during this, but it didn’t hurt things by any means. Cody got the clean win here in the exact, straight up, way you’d have expected. Cross Rhodes and then the 1, 2, 3. Simple stuff, but effective for Cody as champion in his first title defense and entertaining.
Heydorn’s Brass Ring Rating - OOO 1/2
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