Looking Ahead – Backlash 2007
Hi all, welcome to the new and improved ‘Looking Ahead’, which you will now get in monthly doses, or thereabouts, as I’m now posting these after every WWE PPV. I just don’t have the time anymore to do a weekly article, and I’m sure anybody that regularly reads this knows all too well that I’ve not been the most consistent person when it comes to putting out weekly material.
I’m also now in charge of the WWE Roundtables, having the task passed onto me from the transitional Chief Iain Burnside. Ta!
While you’re here, and I’m in a bragging mood, take a look at Vin’s latest article and check out who the real winner is (as we all know Vin cheats anyway).
I paid 15 quid to watch WrestleMania last night, and I’m glad I did and didn’t do what I wanted to a year ago and go see it live, as I’d have been disappointed with the seemingly average show. It wasn’t as “Showtime” as previous Mania’s in my opinion, sometimes slipping into a non-“Big Four” mindset. The crappy matches like Khali vs. Kane and the Women’s Title debacle didn’t help matters, when we could have seen a Tag Championship defence as well as a Cruiserweight Title match. Meh, here’s hoping for a good event next year.
BACKLASH
World Heavyweight Championship
The Undertaker vs. Batista
Since they didn’t headline at WrestleMania, I think it’s only fair and likely that we’ll see the re-match headline the Backlash card, with Taker retaining.
WWE Championship – Fatal Fourway Elimination Match
John Cena vs. HBK vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge
A good way to get all four guys on the card, and an even better way to move HBK off of Cena and onto Orton or Edge, unless they plan to keep the Cena-HBK feud going of course. It’s been pretty damn good so far, so personally I’d like to see it continue.
Ken Kennedy
Having “Mr. MitBB†use his title shot so early would be a stupid idea, so I’d like to see him appear on both Raw and SmackDown and have a scuffle with both WWE Champs to drag out the gimmick and tease who he’ll be facing and when. He won’t get a match on this card though.
Steel Cage Match
Bobby Lashley vs. Umaga
Bobbyboy needs a spot on the card to keep any fan focus and momentum he’s gained from WrestleMania going, so an ECW Championship match seems like a good way to do things, possibly in a re-match against Umaga. I would have said Snitsky, but they might as well get Umaga on the card too and give him something to do while they find a new challenger to the Intercontinental crown. To make it more interesting they could throw them together in a Steel Cage, which would be fun.
World Tag Team Championship
The Hardy’s vs. Carlito & Ric Flair
This is a great idea I suppose, but it’s completely messed up the brand extension even more now then ever. The Hardy’s are the only team that could take the Tag Titles from HBK and Cena, but then where do they go from here? I don’t see them dropping the titles anytime soon, but they need to get Matt Hardy off Raw eventually and back onto SmackDown, so a match against Carlito and Ric Flair would be a great idea.
WWE Tag Team Championship
Brian Kendrick & Paul London vs. William Regal and Dave Taylor
It was pretty crap that London and Kendrick were left off WM23, so I’d like to see them get a match on the Backlash card. Regal and Taylor are both awesome, and although they may not be getting much of a push, they’ll give a better match than anything Deuce and Domino can produce.
Cruiserweight Championship
Chavo Guerrero vs. Gregory Helms
Well Chavo is doing exactly sod-all with his title, and there’s not a face in sight, literally, to challenge him for it. The problem WWE is facing right now is that they need to establish some new cruiserweight face challengers, even if it’s just a couple of people. Jimmy Wang Yang is the only guy I can think of that comes even close as the top face of the CW division, yet he’s far from what I’d class as a championship contender. I think I’ve said face too many times. Never mind, you get the point.
United States Championship
Chris Benoit vs. MVP
With six matches already guessed at, I’d say the card is filled out nicely but I’d like to squeeze one more on and that would be another WrestleMania rematch between “The Crippler”… and MVP, with MVP finally getting the US title he so could do with at this point, as to me he’s a glorified jobber.
The Last Bit…
So that’s my guesswork done and dusted for this month, what do you think of it? – Email me and let me know, if you like.
~ Danny Wallace
