Rate Backlash 2024

[Lizuka #BLM]

I think I'm leaning about a seven. A five match show where one match was pretty damn bad and another match while mostly good kind of fell apart at the end is hurt a bit on a quality front, but the whole thing was still very watchable if only for the crowd and Cody / AJ was absolutely fantastic.

[Watch AEW Magnitude]

Aside from that very awkward stretch with Kairi/Jade/the referee, it was all bangers for me.

[Munkie91087]

8.5/10. Really solid show. I liked pretty much every match. Cody and AJ definitely brought it for the main event.

[UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm]

average on match ratings came out to a little below a 8 but i'm gonna move it up because the expectations were loooooooooooooow. one of the more predictable cards in a long time but everyone brought it.

8!

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

7 - excellent crowd and some fun matches but also nothing that would make me go back and watch. Will always be remembered for that crowd though.

[J is Justice]

Think it was technically a 7, but the crowd made it an 8.

[TWERKIN' MAGGLE]

9, banger show!

[The Rick Jericho]

7.

[4real]

May 4, 2024 14:59:09 GMT -5 J is Justice said:

Think it was technically a 7, but the crowd made it an 8.

This is what I’m thinking. Every match was fun. Cody v AJ and the opener were great. The crowd again elevated it.

[FALLOUT Goldashausen #BLM]

Giving this a 9 because I had a lot of fun. Every international (perhaps even North American) crowd has a tough act to follow.

Every match was elevated by the crowd and seemed way more important.

Match-wise...it was a mixed bag. Opening match was a fun car crash, Women's 3-way was good but fell out of sync a few times, the WHC was good but not fantastic (Jey really needs a match without interference) and the women's tag was surprisingly better than I expected but fell apart quite a bit. The main event was damn great. AJ's been on a pretty good roll and Cody still has a lot of positive momentum. Despite not being as hyped as I'd have liked, the match proved it was a deserving main event between two talented dudes.

I feel as if the crowd boosted my overall rating by at least 2-3 points. It was a really good show but the crowd made it seem like every match was held at a WrestleMania in the middle of a soccer pitch at the Champions League.

Please make International Backlash a yearly tradition, WWE. Please and thank you.

[clc]

I was not that into it.
At first the hot crowd was really great, but they just got irritating after a while.
The women's matches were kind of bad. Priest vs Jey was mid.
The opener and closer matches were pretty good.
Being on a Saturday afternoon, with an extremely predictable card made this feel more like a Crown Jewel and less like Backlash 2023.

5

[ben:friendship frog]

Great show. Matches were allowed to breathe and the crowd was crazy all show. I think they only down part was the Kairi/Asuka/ref f*** up, it took them a couple of minutes to recover but it was fine again by the end.

[john84]

10 for reasons I've stated in the Backlash thread. Also, massive shout-out to the crowd who were amazing throughout.

[Woo]

I've gone for an extremely rare 10/10. Not a single match was below an 8/10 and the opener and main event are both match of the year contenders.

Easily the best WWE PPV of 2024 and I'll be very surprised if they manage to top this in 2024.

[fw91]

7. Really good, but only 5 matches with the world title matches not having much build didn’t really get me interested.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Where's the "Joey Styles couldn't call it" option?

[Super Duper Dragunov]

Solid, but unremarkable show elevated of course by a ridiculously insane crowd.

Owens/Orton vs. Solo/Tama:
Fantastic way to start the show with a massive car crash type match that fed into the hyped crowd perfectly.
Was NOT expecting Tonga Loa to show up, which got a pop from me. GoD in the WWE. Whodathunkit?

Bayley vs. Tiffany vs. Naomi:
Fine, but not great. I think Bayley vs. Tiffany would have been a better match honestly, but Stratton didn't take the pin so they're saving that one.

Priest vs. Jey:
Didn't quite get to that next gear. Jey is over as f*** tho, so it's only a matter of time.
I get building tension in Judgment Day, but the interference is annoying.
It was kinda worth it for Damien telling JD "Use your big ass head!" and commentary alluding to it as well.
I assumed it would make the shamers on here happy that it's that well known and referenced on live TV.

Asuka/Kairi vs. Bianca/Jade:
Eh. Not horrible, but not great. I hope we start something better for Kairi and Asuka soon. They need to split and feud.
I assume BnJ hold the belts til one turns on the other.

Cody vs. AJ:
Fantastic match. I think this one was hampered by the crowd though. Both guys were trying to tell a story in the ring, and build it up, but the crowd insisted on chanting and singing non-stop.
Which, hey, their right and I'd rather a lively crowd than a dead one...but I think a happy medium works best.

Overall I'd go with 7.

It's crowds like these tho that makes me appreciate the announcers in WWE knowing when to be quiet and not talk over every single thing which is a pet peeve elsewhere.
Like, don't tell me how 'raucous' the crowd is while you've been talking over them non-stop, you doing that ruins the moment, let the crowd speak for itself. And WWE usually gets that bit right.

Also shout out to the camerawork, some of those shots were spot on. Jey Uso's entrance in particular looked great.

Also also can we fire AJ's new theme, and Priest's new theme out of a cannon into the sun?

[schma]

I gave it a 7.

I was wondering how Tonga/Solo had any chance against Randy/KO. I can't believe that I forgot that there is always a new bloodline member. As soon as he showed up, I had no idea who he was, but it was kinda just 'oh right, this story. The more things change, the more they stay the same'. I'm not sure why Paul is suddenly concerned about the welfare of opponents, particularly Kevin when you consider that Roman went so hard on Kevin it turned Sami face and Paul was fine with that.

The triple threat had moments but it felt like more of a one on one most times with someone lying on the outside.

Priest vs Jey had good moments but I'd like to see a bit more variation in Jey's offence. Also, it must be karma for Jey interfering in all those matches when he was part of the bloodline. Now he can't get through a single title match without someone interfering. Hard to feel bad about it though considering he spent 2 years doing it to others.

The Damage CTRL vs the super heroes was better than I expected. I was pretty much expecting a glorified squash, but this is probably the most competitive I've seen any variation of Damage Ctrl against Bianca. They even laid Jade out more than once. I'm glad Bianca is finally done with Damage Ctrl but this was one of those cases where someone actually looks good in defeat.

I enjoyed the bits of Cody/AJ that I saw. I was nodding off a bit during the match (due to a lack of sleep, not because of the match). I was a bit surprised to see Cody hulk up after a burning hammer only to get knocked down right away again.


On Smackdown I absolutely loved the crowd. Tonight, they were a bit much in parts. I love that they were having a great time but there were a few instances where I wanted them to just shut up for a minute.