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WWE Backlash PLE Results: 5-4-24
(4) THE KABUKI WARRIORS (Kairi Sane & Asuka) vs. BIANCA BELAIR & JADE CARGILL
The bell rang 47 minutes into the hour. Kairi pie-faced Jade at the start, so Jade fired back with two backbreakers, then tagged in Belair. The heels eventually took control for a few minutes against Belair. Belair reached for a tag at 7:00, but Asuka pulled her away and then tagged in Kairi. Kairi scored a two count after a top rope flying punch to the face.
Belair eventually did tag Jade. Jade thrwarted Kairi’s offense and slammed her. Kairi countered into an armbar on Jade. Asuka also put Belair in an armbar at the same time. Belair and Jade both lifted and slammed Asuka and Kairi next to each other at the same time. All four were down and slow to get up. Fans cheered. Jade and Belair hit a double-team sequence on Kairi with a DDT into a faceplant for a near fall. Graves called it “a hell of an offensive barrage.”
Belair charged at Kairi in the corner, but Kairi moved and Belair crashed shoulder-first into the ringpost. Kairi then tagged in and landed a top rope Insane Elbow for a near fall, broken up by Jade at 17:00. Jade countered Kairi into a Jaded mid-ring. Belair fended off interference from Asuka and slammed her onto Kairi with a KOD. Belair then scored a three count on Kairi for the win.
WINNERS: Belair & Jade in 18:00 to capture the Women’s Tag Team Titles.
( Jade looked winded at the end even though Belair carried the majority of the burden in this match. She looked mostly good for her experience level, but a bit unsteady a few times especially late in the match when setting up moves. Overall, though, she’s coming along well and just stands out as powerful and intense in the division. This is a good situation for her now as Belair can continue to carry the majority of the work but Jade can take on more over time and improve with experience.) [c]
(5) CODY RHODES vs. A.J. STYLES – WWE Undisputed Title match
Styles made his entrance first. The Cody. Fans sang Cody’s song and even after he entered the ring and the music stopped, they finished the song and knew the lyrics. Formal ring introductions then took place. The fans joined Irvin in the ring introductions. Cole said this is Cody’s first televised defense of the WWE Title. Cole congratulated Jessica Carr for being the first female referee in a men’s main event WWE Title match on PLE. The bell rang 24 minutes into the hour, so barring a marathon match, this event will clock in under three hours.
The crowd ate up everything early as Cody and Styles battled back and forth in the opening five minutes. Styles threw Cody shoulder-first into the corner and then focused on that shoulder, including driving it into the mat. Styles methodically went on sustained attack, including at ringside. He eyed the French announcers; fans booed. Styles cleared the desk. Cody recovered enough to drive Styles into the ringside steps.
Styles and Cody exchanged strikes on the ring apron. Cody set up a superplex, but Styles reversed momentum and slammed Cody to the mat. Styles lifted Cody onto his shoulders and slammed him backwards. Styles went for a springboard moonsault, but Cody lifted his knees., Both were down and slow to get up at 11:00. Cody took over. Styles fought back a minute later and scored a two count after dropping Cody’s shoulder over his knee.
Cody landed a running bulldog next. Styles rolled to the ring apron. Fans broke into a “This is awesome!” chant. Styles suplexed Cody on the ring apron as he leaped to the floor. Cody came back and powerbombed Styles through the announce desk next. Both were down and slow to get up. Back in the ring at 18:00 they exchanged strikes and both went down again. They both sat up and yelled at each other and then charged. The back and forth intensified. Cody channeled his dad with spinning fists and even a crotch grab before taking Styles down with a Bionic Elbow.
Cody went for a Cody Cutter. Styles blocked it and went for a Styles Clash. Cody blocked that. The fans were standing and singing and bouncing up and down excitedly. “I’ve never quite experienced a night like this,” said Cole. Graves said he hadn’t either and he was loving every second of it. Styles landed a springboard 450 splash for a two count at 21:00. Styles landed a Burning Hammer next for a two count. Cody began to show fire. Styles backed away like a Hulk Hogan 1980s heel opponent, looking around in fear. Cody then landed a Cody Cutter for a near fall.
Styles stood and showed fire and charged at Cody. Cody clotheslined him. Cole played to the crowd and then set up the Cross Rhodes, cut Styles slipped free and landed a Pelé kick. Styles went for a Phenomenal Forearm, cut Cody kicked him out of mid-air. Cody then locked on a kimura lock at 25:00. Styles escaped and set up a Styles Clash. Cody slipped free and set up a Cross Rhodes. Styles slipped out and set up a Styles Clash again. Cody sat out of it for a leverage two count. Cody then landed a quick climb-and-leap Cody Cutter off the top rope Cody looked at the crowd and pounded his chest and then hit the Cross Rhodes for the win. “What a hell of a first title defense,” said Cole. Graves said it’s be a main event in any city anywhere.
WINNER: Cody in 27:00.
(Really good match. Not off the charts great, but definitely really good start to finish and main event worthy. The crowd was a mix of endearing and overbearing where their enthusiasm bled into a “look at us” vibe at times. I think ultimately, though, they were just so elated to be seeing these WWE stars in person and knew the world was watching so it was a part of WWE history they were being witness to. This was a very straight-forward show and the main event followed that formula of not trying to be overly cute or clever or even deliver anything unexpected. It just worked.)
(4) THE KABUKI WARRIORS (Kairi Sane & Asuka) vs. BIANCA BELAIR & JADE CARGILL
The bell rang 47 minutes into the hour. Kairi pie-faced Jade at the start, so Jade fired back with two backbreakers, then tagged in Belair. The heels eventually took control for a few minutes against Belair. Belair reached for a tag at 7:00, but Asuka pulled her away and then tagged in Kairi. Kairi scored a two count after a top rope flying punch to the face.
Belair eventually did tag Jade. Jade thrwarted Kairi’s offense and slammed her. Kairi countered into an armbar on Jade. Asuka also put Belair in an armbar at the same time. Belair and Jade both lifted and slammed Asuka and Kairi next to each other at the same time. All four were down and slow to get up. Fans cheered. Jade and Belair hit a double-team sequence on Kairi with a DDT into a faceplant for a near fall. Graves called it “a hell of an offensive barrage.”
Belair charged at Kairi in the corner, but Kairi moved and Belair crashed shoulder-first into the ringpost. Kairi then tagged in and landed a top rope Insane Elbow for a near fall, broken up by Jade at 17:00. Jade countered Kairi into a Jaded mid-ring. Belair fended off interference from Asuka and slammed her onto Kairi with a KOD. Belair then scored a three count on Kairi for the win.
WINNERS: Belair & Jade in 18:00 to capture the Women’s Tag Team Titles.
( Jade looked winded at the end even though Belair carried the majority of the burden in this match. She looked mostly good for her experience level, but a bit unsteady a few times especially late in the match when setting up moves. Overall, though, she’s coming along well and just stands out as powerful and intense in the division. This is a good situation for her now as Belair can continue to carry the majority of the work but Jade can take on more over time and improve with experience.) [c]
(5) CODY RHODES vs. A.J. STYLES – WWE Undisputed Title match
Styles made his entrance first. The Cody. Fans sang Cody’s song and even after he entered the ring and the music stopped, they finished the song and knew the lyrics. Formal ring introductions then took place. The fans joined Irvin in the ring introductions. Cole said this is Cody’s first televised defense of the WWE Title. Cole congratulated Jessica Carr for being the first female referee in a men’s main event WWE Title match on PLE. The bell rang 24 minutes into the hour, so barring a marathon match, this event will clock in under three hours.
The crowd ate up everything early as Cody and Styles battled back and forth in the opening five minutes. Styles threw Cody shoulder-first into the corner and then focused on that shoulder, including driving it into the mat. Styles methodically went on sustained attack, including at ringside. He eyed the French announcers; fans booed. Styles cleared the desk. Cody recovered enough to drive Styles into the ringside steps.
Styles and Cody exchanged strikes on the ring apron. Cody set up a superplex, but Styles reversed momentum and slammed Cody to the mat. Styles lifted Cody onto his shoulders and slammed him backwards. Styles went for a springboard moonsault, but Cody lifted his knees., Both were down and slow to get up at 11:00. Cody took over. Styles fought back a minute later and scored a two count after dropping Cody’s shoulder over his knee.
Cody landed a running bulldog next. Styles rolled to the ring apron. Fans broke into a “This is awesome!” chant. Styles suplexed Cody on the ring apron as he leaped to the floor. Cody came back and powerbombed Styles through the announce desk next. Both were down and slow to get up. Back in the ring at 18:00 they exchanged strikes and both went down again. They both sat up and yelled at each other and then charged. The back and forth intensified. Cody channeled his dad with spinning fists and even a crotch grab before taking Styles down with a Bionic Elbow.
Cody went for a Cody Cutter. Styles blocked it and went for a Styles Clash. Cody blocked that. The fans were standing and singing and bouncing up and down excitedly. “I’ve never quite experienced a night like this,” said Cole. Graves said he hadn’t either and he was loving every second of it. Styles landed a springboard 450 splash for a two count at 21:00. Styles landed a Burning Hammer next for a two count. Cody began to show fire. Styles backed away like a Hulk Hogan 1980s heel opponent, looking around in fear. Cody then landed a Cody Cutter for a near fall.
Styles stood and showed fire and charged at Cody. Cody clotheslined him. Cole played to the crowd and then set up the Cross Rhodes, cut Styles slipped free and landed a Pelé kick. Styles went for a Phenomenal Forearm, cut Cody kicked him out of mid-air. Cody then locked on a kimura lock at 25:00. Styles escaped and set up a Styles Clash. Cody slipped free and set up a Cross Rhodes. Styles slipped out and set up a Styles Clash again. Cody sat out of it for a leverage two count. Cody then landed a quick climb-and-leap Cody Cutter off the top rope Cody looked at the crowd and pounded his chest and then hit the Cross Rhodes for the win. “What a hell of a first title defense,” said Cole. Graves said it’s be a main event in any city anywhere.
WINNER: Cody in 27:00.
(Really good match. Not off the charts great, but definitely really good start to finish and main event worthy. The crowd was a mix of endearing and overbearing where their enthusiasm bled into a “look at us” vibe at times. I think ultimately, though, they were just so elated to be seeing these WWE stars in person and knew the world was watching so it was a part of WWE history they were being witness to. This was a very straight-forward show and the main event followed that formula of not trying to be overly cute or clever or even deliver anything unexpected. It just worked.)
