Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles at WWE Backlash France
Credit: WWEWWE Backlash France emanated from Lyon, France as WWE’s torrid international live event tour continues. Last night’s broadcast of SmackDown garnered the highest-grossing live gate in WWE history, beating a record set just a month ago in Philadelphia.
Backlash advertised a main event of Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles for the WWE Championship, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill challenging The Kabuki Warriors for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships and Damian Priest’s first WWE World Title defense against Jey Uso.
This week’s WWE Raw viewership garnered 1.683 million viewers.
WWE Backlash France Results on May 4, 2024
- The Bloodline def. Randy Orton and Kevin Owens | Street Fight
- Bayley def. Naomi and Tiffany Stratton | WWE Women’s Title
- Damian Priest def. Jey Uso | WWE World Title
- Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair def. Kabuki Warriors | WWE Women’s Tag Titles
- Cody Rhodes def. AJ Styles | WWE Undisputed Championship
WWE Backlash France Ticket Sales
- WWE Backlash France Venue: LDLC Arena (Lyon, France)
- WWE Backlash France Tickets Distributed: 12,621
- WWE Backlash France Tickets Available: 356
WWE Backlash France Winners And Grades
The Bloodline Def. Kevin Owens And Randy Orton
WWE Backlash, from France, opened with French-Canadian Kevin Owens who received a massive reaction. Randy Orton followed, and the French crowd knew every English word of his song.
The match started with a wild brawl, where Kevin Owens offered up Stunners to random security guards. Nick Aldis changed the rules to a Street Fight, and because he said “Street Fight” in French, the crowd popped huge.
In a hilarious moment, Kevin Owens hit a Frog Splash on Tama Tonga. Orton followed up, teasing a Frog Splash of his own, only to calmly step down from the barricade.
Tama Tonga was getting a “welcome to the WWE”-style beatdown early on. Tonga got his get-back when he introduced a kendo stick into the match to go along with trash can lids.
Randy Orton hit an RKO on Tama Tonga. Just as it seemed like Orton and KO were on their way to victory, Tanga Loa made a surprise appearance, leading to a Thumb Strike on Kevin Owens and the win for The Bloodline.
Kevin Owens and Randy Orton vs. Bloodline Grade: B+
Bayley Def. Naomi And Tiffany Stratton
Bayley received huge “Hey Bayley” chants, while Tiffany Stratton received chants of “Tiffy Time!” Poor Naomi went un-serenaded.
This was basically a two-horse race of dueling chants between Tiffany Stratton and Bayley throughout, but Naomi endeared herself to the crowd with highly athletic and hard-hitting spots.
This Triple Threat seemed to be trying to match the intensity of the Street Fight from the opening match. And, without even needing weapons, boy did they come close.
Bayley won this highly competitive match with a rollup on Naomi. Naomi congratulated Bayley after. Had this been in the states, I think Naomi would have turned heel.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Bayley vs. Naomi Grade: B
Damian Priest Def. Jey Uso
Backstage, The New Bloodline confronted Jey Uso in a quiet exchange that spoke volumes.
JD McDonagh hit the ring, similar to his involvement that cost The Judgment Day on Raw. This opened the door for some much-needed doubt about whether Priest would win.
The French fans have learned to chant “yeet/no yeet” during punching exchanges between Priest and Uso.
The Judgment Day interfered and almost cost Damian Priest the WWE World Championship. Priest battled back and defeated Uso with a South of Heaven from the top rope.
Following this match, Priest had some tense words with his fellow Judgment Day members, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh.
WWE French commentator Philippe Cherau made a long announcement, basically saying WWE Backlash his the largest live arena gate in WWE history.
Damian Priest vs. Jey Uso Grade: B
Jade Cargill And Bianca Belair Def. Kabuki Warriors
Corey Graves suggested that Jade Cargill wrestling a WWE title match this early in her career. This is not true. Santino won the WWE Intercontinental Championship in his first match.
Fans were very much into Bianca Belair, and really came alive for the power spots between Belair and Cargill.
There were many quick tags made by The Kabuki Warriors, who were working over Bianca Belair as Jade Cargill was neutralized on the sidelines. This led to a lot of heat for a very heated hot tag.
Cargill’s made a great hot tag, beginning with a springboard cross body in to the ring on both members of The Kabuki Warriors.
Cargill and Sane screwed up the timing of a military press, but Cargill somewhat salvaged the spot with a standing spinebuster. The referee Dan Angler waved off a pinfall account because Sane was not legal. I think this was a shoot because Asuka continued to hang out on the apron before awkwardly tagging in.
There were a few clunky spots in the middle, but all the women got back on the same page after a stereo power bomb by Belair and Cargill.
Jade Cargill flipped Kairi six ways to Sunday before hitting Jaded. It was the best spot of the match.
Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair vs. Kabuki Warriors Grade: B-
Cody Rhodes Def. AJ Styles
There were several commercials before the main event, especially because it was only 12:10 pm PST and there was still an hour left on this PLE.
AJ Styles’ ring gear was a callback to Styles’ NWA Championship match against Dusty Rhodes.
Fans sang, what seemed to be a pro-AJ chant toward AJ Styles that lasted forever. At some points, the camera was shaking. Apparently, the chant had to do with the word “phenomenal.”
Fans sang every word of Cody’s song, even after it ended.
At one point, Cody did a callback spot to Stardust, eliciting “Stardust” chants.
There was an awkward superplex spot where Cody held Styles in the air for a delayed superplex but dropped him.
As great as this crowd was, they seemed more interested in chanting than actually paying attention to this match.
AJ Styles hit a Burning Hammer and Cody Rhodes kicked out at one, sending this crowd into an absolute frenzy. It’s the first spot like that I can recall seeing in a WWE ring.
Rhodes overcorrected on a Cody Cutter to AJ, but it looked awesome. Rhodes followed up with a Cross Rhodes for the win.