This is the current card for Backlash, a SmackDown Live exclusive event, that will go down on May 21, 2017. It will air on pay per view and WWE Network.
WWE Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs. Jinder Mahal
Smackdown Tag Team Title Match: The Usos (c) vs. Breezango
United States Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. AJ Styles
Shinsuke Nakamura will make his WWE main roster pay per view debut at Backlash. His opponent is expected to be Dolph Ziggler, given their current feud.
The Smackdown Women’s Division will likely be represented in a three on three tag match. Charlotte Flair, Naomi (current champ), and Becky Lynch are projected to be squaring off against Natalya, Carmella, and Tamina.
Baron Corbin is projected to square off against Sami Zayn.
Tye Dillinger is also expected to be featured at Backlash though he has no prospective opponent as of yet.
The Undertaker was spotted at David H. Koch Hospital in New York to make arrangements for a “special procedure” that requires surgery. Nagging injuries, especially regarding his hip, have dogged the icon with nearly as much as speculation as to when he would retire, as he finally did at WrestleMania 33. If indeed it is a major hip procedure, such as replacement, it virtually assures Taker’s retirement.
X-Pac (Sean Waltman) was arrested this past weekend at LAX Airport for possession of meth with intent to sell.
The former member of the legendary faction Degeneration X immediately refuted that he was using again on his TV show, X Pac 1,2, 360, and Twitter. Longtime wrestling fans know that Waltman has had a much documented history with substance abuse. He claimed that the pills that he had in his possession were yeast cleanse capsules.
Charlotte Flair has become one of the latest celebrities who have fallen victim to the mass leak that’s been dubbed “The Fappening 2.0”.
The leak is a follow up to a mass hack that occurred in August 2014 that leaked nude and sexual images and video of over 500 celebrities. Former WWE Diva Victoria was rehacked the same time as Charlotte. Only this time, it was sexual footage that was released. Investigation into the responsible party or parties continues but no suspects or persons of interests have been named.
Paige, Melina, Kaitlyn, Maria Kannelis, and Summer Rae have also been targeted in the hack. Current Raw Women’s champ, Alexa Bliss had been alleged to have been hacked as well but the diva has stated that she wasn’t hacked.
Adam Cole is expected by many to be joining WWE, likely debuting in NXT at Takeover or shortly thereafter.
