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*[[Alexa Bliss]] vs. [[Becky Lynch]] vs. [[Carmella]] vs. [[Naomi]] vs. [[Natalya]] vs. [[Nikki Bella]] in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Basic non-elimination matches|Six-pack challenge]] for the inaugural [[WWE Smackdown Women's Championship]]
 
*[[Alexa Bliss]] vs. [[Becky Lynch]] vs. [[Carmella]] vs. [[Naomi]] vs. [[Natalya]] vs. [[Nikki Bella]] in a [[Professional wrestling match types#Basic non-elimination matches|Six-pack challenge]] for the inaugural [[WWE Smackdown Women's Championship]]
   
*TBD vs. TBD in a [[2016 WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Tournament|Tag team tournament final]] for the inaugural [[WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship]]
+
*[[American Alpha]] ([[Jason Jordan]] & [[Chad Gable]]) vs. [[Heath Slater]] & [[Rhyno]] in a [[2016 WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship Tournament|Tag team tournament final]] for the inaugural [[WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship]]
   
 
*[[Dean Ambrose]] (c) vs. [[A.J. Styles|AJ Styles]] for the [[WWE World Championship]]
 
*[[Dean Ambrose]] (c) vs. [[A.J. Styles|AJ Styles]] for the [[WWE World Championship]]

Revision as of 10:28, 7 September 2016


Information
Future Event
This article or section contains information about scheduled or expected future events.
It may contain tentative information; the content may change as the event approaches and more information becomes available.

Backlash 2016 is an upcoming professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event and WWE Network event produced by WWE. It will take place on September 11, 2016 at the Richmond Coliseum in Richmond, Virginia. It will be the twelfth event in the Backlash chronology. It will also be the first SmackDown branded event following the second WWE brand extension in July 2016 and the first SmackDown-branded event since 2007's No Way Out. The event will determine the inaugural champions of both the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship and WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship.

Background

Backlash will feature professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that played out on WWE's primary television programs. Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they follow a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.

At the 2016 WWE draft, WWE Women's Champion Charlotte was drafted to Raw, leaving SmackDown without a women's championship. On the August 23 episode of SmackDown, the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship was unveiled by General Manager Daniel Bryan and Commissioner Shane McMahon. A six-pack challenge between Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Naomi, Natalya, and Nikki Bella was then set for Backlash to crown the inaugural champion. The night before at SummerSlam had marked Nikki's return from injury, as she, Natalya and Bliss defeated Lynch, Carmella and Naomi. That night, after Lynch defeated Bliss with Naomi and Natalya on commentary, Nikki was set to face Carmella, who she had pinned at SummerSlam. However, Carmella attacked Nikki before their match began, causing the match to not happen. Immediately following the show on Talking Smack, Carmella again attacked Nikki, turning Carmella heel and Nikki face.

Also at the 2016 draft, WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day were drafted to Raw, which also left SmackDown without a tag team championship. On an episode of Talking Smack, Daniel Bryan stated that he wanted to build up the tag team division before introducing a championship for the brand. On the August 23 episode of SmackDown, the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship was unveiled alongside the women's championship. A tournament was then set up to crown the inaugural champions, with the final to occur at Backlash. The quarter-finals started that night, with The Usos and American Alpha advancing with wins over The Ascension and Breezango respectively. Heath Slater, who was still trying to earn a WWE contract after being undrafted in the WWE draft, was granted entry into the tournament by Bryan and McMahon, on the condition that he must find a partner and win the tournament to earn a contract. Rhyno, who had defeated Slater himself to win a contract, agreed to be his partner.

At SummerSlam, Dean Ambrose retained the WWE World Championship against Dolph Ziggler, while AJ Styles defeated John Cena. On the August 23 episode of SmackDown, Styles' arrogance lead to Ziggler attacking him. A title match between Ambrose and Styles was scheduled for Backlash. Styles defeated Ziggler that night to prevent the match being turned into a triple-threat match also involving Ziggler.

At the 2016 WWE draft, WWE Women's Champion Charlotte was drafted to Raw, leaving SmackDown without a women's championship. On the August 23 episode of SmackDown, the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship was unveiled. A six-pack challenge between Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Naomi, Natalya, and Nikki Bella was then set for Backlash to crown the inaugural champion. Nikki had returned from injury two nights before at SummerSlam when she had joined Natalya and Alexa Bliss in a winning effort against Becky Lynch, Carmella, and Naomi. On SmackDown, Nikki was set to face Carmella, whom she had pinned at SummerSlam, but Carmella attacked Nikki before their match began, turning Carmella heel and Nikki face. Their match was cancelled. Immediately after the show, Carmella again attacked Nikki on Talking Smack, SmackDown's aftershow.

Also at the 2016 draft, WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day were drafted to Raw, which also left SmackDown without a tag team championship. On the August 23 episode of SmackDown, the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship was unveiled alongside the women's championship. A tournament to crown the inaugural champions was then set up, with the final match scheduled for Backlash. In the quarter-finals, The Usos and American Alpha advanced with wins over The Ascension and Breezango, respectively. Heath Slater, who was still trying to earn a SmackDown contract after being left out of the WWE draft, was granted entry into the tournament on the condition that he must find a partner and win the tournament to earn a contract. Rhyno, who had defeated Slater to win a contract weeks before, agreed to be his partner. The following week, The Hype Bros and Heath Slater and Rhyno advanced with wins over The Vaudevillains and The Headbangers, respectively.

On the August 23 episode of SmackDown, Bray Wyatt confronted Randy Orton. The following week, Wyatt challenged Orton to a match at Backlash, which Orton accepted.

On the August 23 edition of Talking Smack, Intercontinental Champion The Miz went on a tirade on General Manager Daniel Bryan. On the August 30 episode of SmackDown, Dolph Ziggler confronted The Miz. Immediately after the show on Talking Smack, a match pitting The Miz against Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship was scheduled for Backlash.

Match Preview

Six-pack challenge Preview
Tag team tournament final Preview
Dean Ambrose vs. AJ Styles Preview
Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt Preview
The Miz vs. Dolph Ziggler Preview

Matches

Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
(c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.

Other on-screen talent

Commentators
Interviewers
Ring announcer
Pre-show Panel
Referees

See also

DVD release

  • Amazon [ Backlash 2016 on DVD]

External links

Backlash 2016 previews

Six-pack challengeTag team tournament finalDean Ambrose v AJ StylesRandy Orton v Bray WyattThe Miz v Dolph Ziggler

Backlash
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2016 World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-views

Royal RumbleFastlaneRoadblockTakeover IXWrestleManiaPaybackExtreme RulesTakeOver: The EndMoney in the BankBattlegroundBack to BrooklynSummerSlamBacklashClash of ChampionsNo MercyHell in a CellTakeOver: TorontoSurvivor SeriesTLC: Tables, Ladders, & ChairsRoadblock: End of the Line