Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.
This week, Dallas Allsopp, Callum Wiggins and Matt Morgan preview WWE WrestleMania Backlash 2021.
Backlash has historically been one of the designated pay-per-views to feature some leftover feuds from WrestleMania, but to drive that theme home home this year, the event has been renamed WrestleMania Backlash. But does this renaming make the event feel any more important?
Question 1: Will Rey Mysterio and his son Dominik Mysterio become the first ever father / son Tag Team Champions in WWE? Would championship gold be evidence that Dominik has a bright future in front of him?
ALLSOPP: As a father myself, I am a sucker for the Mysterio family becoming the first ever father and son Tag Team Champions in WWE. It makes sense from a storyline perspective, but is also the ideal way to get the most out of an ageing Rey Mysterio. Dominik Mysterio clearly has some of his father’s talent, and I have been quite impressed with his performances over the past year. It is clear he has a future in WWE, and hopefully this will include a resume that will rival that of his father. A dominant, or at least entertaining reign as SmackDown Tag Team Champions would ensure he is seen as a candidate for future title opportunities.
WIGGINS: I think that it would be the right decision for Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship on Sunday, as it is a feel-good story and a moment of wrestling history that people would actually get behind. There is literally no downside to making that call, as few people are clamoring for Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode to retain, so why not? The titles will probably be with The Usos by SummerSlam anyway.
As for Dominik's future, I wouldn't want us to get ahead of ourselves. Getting gold is a good sign, but not a sure-fire thing, particularly when it's a tag team title. Rene Dupree won his first tag title at 19, and was out of the company a few years later. Dominik has the benefit of his last name, but even that is not a total assurance of long-term success.
MORGAN: I could see Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania Backlash. To me, that would be a way that the company would allow Rey to have a special moment with his son. As far as Dominik is concerned, I don’t think a win on Sunday would be a good indicator that he has a future with the company. At some point, I can easily see Dominik being a major player for the company. However, due to Dominik’s current age and experience, I feel it’s too hard to say whether his current run will have longevity.
Question 2: Who should walk out of this show as the WWE Champion? Which competitor should take the fall?
WIGGINS: Bobby Lashley should retain his WWE Championship here because I don't want Braun Strowman as WWE Champion right now, and if Drew McIntyre was going to win, why wouldn't he have just done so at WrestleMania? As regards to who takes the fall, I would argue it should be Strowman, whilst McIntyre is distracted by another outside competitor (I would rather it wasn't Jinder Mahal, but it probably will be Mahal). That eliminates the two top contenders in one fell swoop, which means Lashley can move onto some much needed fresh competition.
MORGAN: Bobby Lashley should retain the WWE Championship. All three men are plausible champions, which I think makes the match a little more unpredictable and exciting. However, Lashley has been a breakout star in the past year, and I feel like it’s too soon to halt the momentum that he has built up. I almost think that Drew McIntyre should take the fall. To me, Braun Strowman has taken enough losses over the years, and I feel like another one might further hurt his credibility. If McIntyre was to take the fall due to interference or some other type of shenanigans, I believe his credibility would be protected enough since he hasn’t lost as much over the last year or so.
ALLSOPP: Surely this is a match that Bobby Lashley needs to win to underline how All Mighty his WWE Championship reign is? He is one of the best wrestlers in WWE at the moment, and his partnership with MVP has been nothing short of a roaring success. As Braun Strowman was so dominant on Raw, it makes me think he will actually take the fall. This is because he does not need to win the WWE Championship to remain a threat, however, Drew McIntyre taking the fall would be detrimental to his character as it removes all interest in another one on one match with Lashley.
Question 3: Are you looking forward to Roman Reigns defending his WWE Universal Championship against Cesaro? Does Cesaro have any realistic chance of pulling off an upset?
MORGAN: Roman Reigns and Cesaro will put on an outstanding match at WrestleMania Backlash. Reigns is putting out some of his best work, and Cesaro has always been a solid hand in the ring. I wish Cesaro would win the WWE Universal Championship, and I believe he will one day. However, I don’t see that happening at a smaller event like WrestleMania Backlash. I Roman Reigns will win in a way that sets up a future match between these two.
ALLSOPP: I am highly intrigued by this match, if only to see how dominant Roman Reigns will be in victory. I cannot see any scenario in which Cesaro walks out of WrestleMania Backlash as the WWE Universal Champion. This is not to say that Cesaro does not deserve his opportunity, but it is too early for him to beat Reigns. This match can achieve the seemingly impossible, however, and cement his place in the main event scene. This promises to be a fascinating, if not predictable contest.
WIGGINS: This match is going to be awesome due to the unbelievable talent involved. Roman Reigns is an exceptional big match wrestler, and Cesaro is one of the most consistently excellent superstars to have ever graced the company. Combine that with this being Cesaro's first ever attempt at a World Championship, and this has all the makings of a classic encounter.
That being said, I think the likelihood of Cesaro winning is very minimal due to the success that Reigns has been as WWE Universal Champion so far, and the prominent role he has on SmackDown week in and week out. But, there is that glimmer of hope, and that will make some of the near-falls in the closing stretch of this match incredibly gripping.
Those are our thoughts on the issue, but where do you stand?
Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments below!
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