Backlash 2020 was an professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and WWE Network event produced by WWE for their Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. It took place on June 14, 2020 at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. While the majority of the event aired live, the match between Edge and Randy Orton was pre-recorded on June 7. It was the fifteenth event in the Backlash chronology.
The event was originally scheduled to take place in Kansas City, Missouri; however, the event had to be moved due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Like WWE's other shows since mid-March, Backlash was moved to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, though unlike the previous shows, Backlash was not announced until after the start of the pandemic, which made it WWE's first event to be announced during the pandemic.
Production
Background
Backlash is a recurring pay-per-view event that was established by WWE in 1999. The event continued annually until 2009, but did not occur from 2010 to 2015. It was brought back in 2016 following the second WWE brand extension, after which, it was held annually until 2018. A Backlash event was planned for 2019, but it was canceled and replaced by Stomping Grounds. Backlash was then brought back for 2020. The 2020 event was the fifteenth event in the Backlash chronology and featured wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands.
Storylines
The show included matches that result from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portray heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results are predetermined by WWE's writers on the Raw and SmackDown brands, while storylines are produced on WWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.
At the Royal Rumble, WWE Hall of Famer Edge, who was forced to retire in 2011 due to a neck injury, returned during the eponymous match and eliminated his old Rated-RKO tag team partner Randy Orton; Edge was soon after eliminated. The feud became very personal and Edge defeated Orton in a Last Man Standing match during WrestleMania 36 Part 2. On the May 11 episode of Raw, both men made their first post-WrestleMania appearance. Orton said that the better man won at WrestleMania, but questioned Edge if the better wrestler had actually won. Noting that the Royal Rumble and Last Man Standing matches were non-traditional matches, Orton challenged Edge to a normal singles match at Backlash; Edge accepted the following week.
On the May 11 episode of Raw, Montel Vontavious Porter (MVP) approached Bobby Lashley backstage and praised him on his victory from earlier that night. However, he questioned why Lashley was facing a mid-carder while King Corbin was being invited over from SmackDown to face WWE Champion Drew McIntyre in a non-title match. MVP noted that Lashley had not had a WWE Championship opportunity since 2007 and questioned when Lashley would show his true self. Lashley then aligned himself with MVP, which also enraged Lashley's wife Lana. The following week, Lashley and MVP observed McIntyre's match against Corbin from the stage. After McIntyre defeated Corbin, Mcintyre stated he wanted to face Lashley, who was held back by MVP.On the May 25 episode, it was confirmed that McIntyre would defend the WWE Championship against Lashley at Backlash.
At Money in the Bank, Braun Strowman defeated Bray Wyatt to retain the Universal Championship. On the following episode of SmackDown, Strowman teamed with Mr. Money in the Bank Otis to defeat The Miz and John Morrison. The following week, Miz and Morrison lambasted Strowman for teaming with Otis (whom they made fun of the week prior) and then stated their loss the previous week was unfair. Miz taunted Strowman about his match with Wyatt and questioned if Wyatt was actually finished with Strowman. Morrison then seemingly issued a challenge for Miz to face Strowman, who accepted and defeated Miz. Following the match, Morrison challenged Strowman to defend the Universal Championship against himself and Miz in a handicap match at Backlash, which was made official.
At Money in the Bank, Asuka won the women's Money in the Bank ladder match. The following night on Raw, Raw Women's Champion Becky Lynch revealed that she was going on a maternity leave and that the ladder match was actually for the title instead of a contract that granted a championship match, thus Asuka became the new Raw Women's Champion. On the May 25 episode, Nia Jax, who was also in the ladder match, defeated Charlotte Flair and Natalya in a triple threat match to become the number one contender against Asuka for the title at Backlash.
Match Preview
| Apollo Crews (c) vs. Andrade | Preview |
| Edge vs. Randy Orton | Preview |
| Drew McIntyre vs. Bobby Lashley | Preview |
| Braun Strowman vs. The Miz and John Morrison | Preview |
| Asuka (c) vs. Nia Jax | Preview |
| Jeff Hardy vs. Sheamus | Preview |
| Triple threat tag team match | Preview |
| The Street Profits (c) vs. The Viking Raiders | Preview |
Results
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Pre-Show: Apollo Crews (c) defeated Andrade (w/ Angel Garza & Zelina Vega) to retain the WWE United States Championship (7:25)
- Bayley & Sasha Banks (c) defeated Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross and The IIconics (Billie Kay & Peyton Royce) in a Triple threat tag team match to retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship (8:50)
- Sheamus defeated Jeff Hardy (16:50)
- Asuka (c) vs. Nia Jax ended in a double countout in a WWE Raw Women's Championship Match (8:25)
- Braun Strowman (c) defeated The Miz and John Morrison in a 2-on-1 Handicap match to retain the WWE Universal Championship (7:20)
- Drew McIntyre (c) defeated Bobby Lashley (w/ MVP) to retain the WWE Championship (13:15)
- The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) (c) vs. The Viking Raiders (Ivar & Erik) for the WWE Raw Tag Team Championship did not start
- Randy Orton defeated Edge (44:45)
- Info: This match was taped on 07.06.2020.
Other on-screen talent
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See also
DVD release
External links
Backlash 2020 Official Website
Backlash 2020 Kickoff Show on WWE Network
Backlash 2020 on WWE Network- Backlash 2020 Pre Show at CAGEMATCH.net
- Backlash 2020 at CAGEMATCH.net
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| 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 • 2020 • 2021 • 2022 • 2023 • 2024 |
| 2020 World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-views |
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TakeOver: Blackpool II • Worlds Collide • Royal Rumble • Takeover: Portland • Super ShowDown • Elimination Chamber • WrestleMania 36 • Money in the Bank • TakeOver: In Your House • Backlash • Extreme Rules • TakeOver: XXX • SummerSlam • Payback • Clash of Champions • TakeOver 31 • Hell in a Cell • Survivor Series • WarGames 2020 • TLC: Tables, Ladders, & Chairs |