Backlash predictions

Luckily for you Cagesiders, our staff of learned wrestling blowhards is here to help figure out just how the event is going to play out with predictions for each match on the card.

Let's get to it.

WWE BACKLASH PREDICTIONS

WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. AJ Styles

Geno Mrosko: I'm just hoping for a good match, which is what we should get. The story here doesn't really interest me much at all, but they were always going to struggle to follow up on WrestleMania. Pick: Cody Rhodes

Sean Rueter: Continue the story doesn't have quite the same ring to it, but that's what we'll be doing after this one. Pick: Cody Rhodes

Kyle Decker: Since Cody isn't going to have months off at a time, we're going to get some more B level feuds. But this should be a good match as Styles is still one of the best. Pick: Cody Rhodes

Claire Elizabeth: It's hard to believe that the only time these two have ever shared a ring is the Rumble that AJ debuted in, while Cody was still toiling away as Stardust, but we got here, and it'll be a fine series between these two to give the American Nightmare's title reign some heft and legitimacy in the same way Cody's series with Seth made it clear that his WWE run was gonna be as big a deal as it deserved to be, and the outcome is going to be the same. Pick: Cody Rhodes

Cain A. Knight: The match will be good, but it doesn't have a big fight feel given AJ never wins matches at this level anymore. Pick: Cody Rhodes

Marcus Benjamin: The only suspense here for me is whether this is the beginning of a larger story or a simple bridge to something larger. Pick: Cody Rhodes

World Heavyweight Championship: Damian Priest (c) vs. Jey Uso

Geno Mrosko: You could make a reasonable case for the title to go to Jey here, but it seems clear they're building to something like a Judgment Day split that will almost certainly be centered around Priest as champion. So he's probably going to hold that title for a while. Pick: Damian Priest

Sean Rueter: If I had the pencil, I'd be very tempted to crown Main Event Jey here. But I don't, and that's probably a good thing. He's over without a belt, and dropping this one on the first PLE after he won it would give Bisexual Undertaker a challenge he doesn't need. Plus, this particular strap's future lies with a Scot and an Austrian. Pick: Damian Priest

Kyle Decker: Priest is likely not going to have a long reign. Certainly not like Rhodes, who probably has a good year ahead of him. But I also don't think he has a month either - maybe more like 3-4 months. Jey may eventually win a top title, but there's likely more before we get there. Pick: Damian Priest

Claire Elizabeth: I am loving the way the Usos have been going down the same road the Briscoes trod before them, nigh-identical brother teams breaking out as singles stars, and I definitely would love to see both of them hold world titles before all is said and done, but this ain't gonna be Jey Uso's night. Pick: Damian Priest

Cain A. Knight: Drew McIntyre is winning this belt very soon, and there's a built-in story for him to take it from either one of these guys. But I think Damian gets at least one successful televised title defense before dropping the gold, so I'm sticking with the champ here. Pick: Damian Priest

Marcus Benjamin: Despite how over Jey is right now, Damian just won this thing. This is all in service of building up Damian for something, or someone, larger down the line. To say nothing of the fact that Jey doesn't even need this belt. Or any belt for that matter. Pick: Damian Priest

Women's Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi

Geno Mrosko: You can't take the title off Bayley here. Stratton is on her way but you don't make them by putting the title on them. Pick: Bayley

Sean Rueter: Tiffy's Time will be soon, but the Europeans have a few more verses of "Will you be my girl?" to sing first. The Glow-ster takes the fall to further tensions between the champ and one of Naomi's WrestleMania partners, Bianca Belair. Pick: Bayley

Kyle Decker: Triple H doesn't like short title reigns and he's not going to start with one of his originals here. Pick: Bayley

Claire Elizabeth: As much as I like both Tiffany "I am raising my eyebrow at your choice of colors and initials young lady" Stratton and Naomi (who has long been one of the most underrated and underpushed women in professional wrestling), Bayley's not falling just yet. Pick: Bayley

Cain A. Knight: Bayley is retaining the gold, it's just a matter of which challenger will take the fall. Pick: Bayley

Marcus Benjamin: Bayley retains so the story is how it sets up her next fight. And if she pins Naomi, or even does her dirty, Bianca will come calling. With Tiffany involved, I foresee the heel playing the two faces off one another or causing some miscommunication between the two.

Women's Tag Team Championship: Kabuki Warriors (c) vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill

Geno Mrosko: I remain convinced Belair is turning heel sooner rather than later. I am basing this off very little, admittedly enough. Pick: Kabuki Warriors

Sean Rueter: Speaking of The EST, I can't see her or her partner taking a loss in Lyon, so... new champs! Pick: Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill

Kyle Decker: At first I felt they'd keep the titles on the Warriors and feud Belair & Cargill. But win allows them to showcase Cargill before sending her on a bunch of one on one matches and have a tool to feature her on both shows. Then they can feud Belair & Cargill later. Pick: Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill

Claire Elizabeth: On the flip side, this is one that there's no way the challengers don't punch right on through and take the titles. Pick: Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill

Cain A. Knight: The only way Jade isn't walking out as a new champion is if WWE shoots a breakup angle between her and Bianca as part of this match. Pick: Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill

Marcus Benjamin: This feel like a trick question. Jade gets her first championship while her partner does her best to focus on said championship without coveting something else. Pick: Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill

Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline

Geno Mrosko: You wouldn't think they would have Tonga lose his first match with the promotion. And while I'm enjoying Orton and Owens together, I wonder how much longer they bother with the pairing at all. Pick: The Bloodline

Sean Rueter: Sorry Team RKO. You're a blast, but the MFT isn't dropping his first on-screen WWE match. And now that his losing streak is over, The Bloodline's new ruler won't be losing again any time soon. Pick: Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga

Kyle Decker: I think we may be getting Jacob Fatu here to complete Solo's vision of the Bloodline. Even if we don't, the Bloodline needs to win and win convincingly. Pick: The Bloodline

Claire Elizabeth: I'm gonna put my cards on the table here— I just want blood. Wrestling is better with blood, Tama Tonga made Kevin Owens bleed, and now KO should return the favor for a moral victory in the face of assured actual defeat. Pick: The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga)

Cain A. Knight: Tama Tonga isn't losing in his first televised match in WWE. I just hope the partnership of Randy and Kevin can survive another PLE loss. Pick: The Bloodline

Marcus Benjamin: They gotta make this version of the Bloodline just as deadly as the original incarnation. Defeating Randy & Kevin is part of that plan, but the fun lies in how they do it. Pick: The Bloodline

That's how we see the card playing out.

How about you?