Match Ratings For WWE Backlash 2020 From Sean Ross Sapp

WWE United States Championship
Apollo Crews (c) defeated Andrade (w/ Zelina & Angel Garza)
6/10

  • Kevin Owens joins commentary and has a tie on. He actually starts calling the match.
  • "He's no Angel! He actually acts the complete opposite!"- Kevin Owens on Angel Garza.
  • Andrade gets slammed into the diamond plates.
  • Apollo avoiding the Del Rio Stomp leads me to believe he should be #1 in this year's PWI 500.
  • Apollo does the corner belly-to-belly, which looks great.
  • Andrade busts out a great slingshot DDT.
  • Owens beats up Garza as he tried to interfere.
  • Apollo counters the Hammerlock DDT with the Toss powerbomb for the win.
  • I guess you could say the Catering Crew ate tonight heehehehehehhehee.
Vince McMahon Being Represented By Sitrick And Company PR Firm Amid Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit

WWE Women's Tag Team Titles
Boss N' Hug Connection (c) defeated Bliss Cross Applesauce and The IIconics
7.75/10

  • Bayley Dos Straps! This was one of my most anticipated matches of the night.
  • Sasha Banks and Peyton Royce work really well together.
  • This is very fast paced, and they're pulling it off really well.
  • The spots here all go together great. Boss N' Hug do an elevated knee to Billie.
  • Alexa takes over, and punches Billie in the face.
  • This is what we've all known the women's tag team division could bring us.
  • Peyton does a suicide dive onto two opponents on the apron, onto the pile outside!!
  • IIconics hit an elevated bicycle knee, then their finish. Bliss Cross Applesauce hit their finish on Peyton.
  • Alexa does Twisted Bliss, but Sasha Banks pins Bliss out of it.
  • This was INCREDIBLE. IIconics have worked so hard to get better.

Sheamus defeated Jeff Hardy
6.5/10

  • This feud fucking sucks, man. The delivery in these promos is so bad, and a lot of what has been wrong with WWE promos for a long time.
  • At least they're knocking the living shit out of each other.
  • Sheamus slams Jeff's knee into the turnbuckle, and later does a Gunnslinger that slams Hardy's face into the ground.
  • A Whisper In The Wind hits on Sheamus, and it's a really good one.
  • Sheamus knocks Jeff off the top rope for a Swanton and hits White Noise.
  • The audience is chanting "urine trouble."
  • Texas Cloverleaf applied by Sheamus.
  • There was a great Brogue Kick that caught Jeff Hardy off the railing.
  • Hardy gets Sheamus with Twist of Fate and a Swanton after Sheamus gets posted.
  • Sheamus' foot gets on the ropes and Brogue Kicks Jeff for the win.
  • Sheamus vs. Jeff Hardy definitely overdelivered based on the build.

WWE Raw Women's Championship
Asuka (c) and Nia Jax go to a double countout
5.75/10

  • Asuka locks up an Octopus very early on.
  • This is Asuka running and flying around, and Nia Jax serving as a base and a cutoff.
  • Asuka gets mad when Nia mentions Kairi and beats her ass.
  • Asuka's head bounces off the ground on a Jackhammer, and gets powerbombed.
  • Head kicks a plenty, but the two brawl outside.
  • Asuka doesn't make it back in and there's a double countout.
  • Asuka wrecks Nia's face with her ass after the match.

WWE Universal Championship
Braun Strowman (c) defeated Miz & Morrison
5.5/10

  • Miz and Morrison find out backstage that only one of them can be champion -- the person who makes the pin.
  • They premiere their Van Halen "Jump" knockoff video for "Hey Hey Ho Ho." That should be their theme.
  • Miz and especially Morrison fly all over the place. This emulates the last match, but with more ingredients.
  • Morrison does a great dive outside, and there's a double team Skull Crushing Finale.
  • Braun wins by chokeslamming Miz, and catching Morrison with a punch before a running powerslam.
  • Solid match.

WWE Championship
Drew McIntyre (c) defeated Bobby Lashley (w/ MVP)
7/10

  • Lana tells MVP this match is important and she should be out there. MVP says it's Lashley's call, not his. She watches on backstage.
  • Lashley attacks Drew with a Full Nelson before the jacket is even off. Refs have to pull them apart.
  • Oh my god. That was almost really scary for Drew McIntyre. He about got spiked on his head.
  • Drew throws Lashley into the plexiglass, and suplexes him into the barricade.
  • Drew kicks out at one after a great spinebuster and flatliner.
  • There are some great counters. A superplex hits for Lashley.
  • Drew counters a spear with a double wristlock.
  • Lana distracts Lashley and Drew hits a Claymore. This was a really good match.

Street Profits vs. Viking Raiders

  • Street Profits and Viking Raiders tearing up Braun's car is the BEST skit they've done so far.
  • They brawl into the backstage. There are cinematic elements to this.
  • Viking Raiders have a bowling ball among their weapons. The Street Profits wanna fight like MEN.
  • Street Profits use a recycled Chappelle joke.
  • Ivar bowls a ball into Montez's nutsack.
  • Angelo tackles Ivar through a glass window.
  • They're all not happy.
  • Akira Tozawa.................shows up with ninjas and he's wearing a gi. Yep. Bruce is in charge of Raw.
  • The Viking Profits take out everyone.
  • They throw ninjas through a damn car.
  • Jordan from NXT was one of the big ninjas.
  • The teams brawl on top of the semi and fall off into the trash.
  • Jessika Karr shows up and yells at them.
  • Some kind of trash monster chases them off. No match. This was fun.

THE GREATEST WRESTLING MATCH EVER
Randy Orton defeated Edge
9/10

  • Okay, I almost teared up at the Howard Finkel introductions.
  • Charles Robinson is in the old ref gear
  • The crowd is up more for this one. Mainly because they piped in crowd noise.
  • Orton is beating Edge with elementary wrestling stuff. A trip on a drop down. This is great.
  • Edge catches Orton with a fake out boot outside the ring.
  • Edge does a clothesline to Edge off the top rope to the apron.
  • ORTON IS BUSTED OPEN.
  • Edge applies a crossface.
  • Edge applies the Antivenom, but Orton used a modified neckbreaker instead of his backbreaker.
  • Randy Orton: "I'm gonna fucking kill you motherfucker."
  • Edge does the Three Amigos!
  • Orton does a superplex, with a special camera angle.
  • The canned audio is a weird choice.
  • Edgecution hits for a two count. A flying cross body gets two.
  • Orton does an Angle Slam.
  • Edge counters a dropkick with a sitdown powerbomb. He later hits an Edge O Matic and an Unprettier. A nice ode to Christian.
  • Pedigree from Orton! A Rock Bottom from Edge!
  • They go into a pin series, and Randy Orton drills Edge with an RKO.
  • Orton kicks out of two spears.
  • Edge is caught flying off the ropes with an RKO, but kicks out.
  • Randy Orton PUNTS Edge and beats him after going low on the Antivenom.
  • This was legitimately awesome.
  • Randy Orton tells Edge to go home and be with his family. He tells Edge to tell uncle Randy he said hi.
  • Edge is resisting the stretcher as Orton looks on.

Rating Guide
10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5. The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.
These are opinions, and incredibly inconsistent ones that may change upon a second viewing, or sitting on the match for a period of time. Don't take them too seriously, and have (and share) your own!

Get exclusive pro wrestling content on Fightful Select, our premium news service! Click here to learn more.