OPINION -- WWE Backlash (2018) Highlights An Ongoing Issue With WWE Programming

Originally, I was going to do a write-up on WWE Backlash, but I just couldn't... That show - except for that stellar opener between The Miz and current Intercontinenal Champion Seth Rollins - was a complete waste of time. I'm not going to waste my time reminding you all of how bad it was. Instead, I'm going to point out a few glaring issues that this show highlights with WWE's current product here in 2018.

The WWE Championship is still treated like a secondary/glorified mid-card title.

I wanted to kick myself in the nuts after wasting my Sunday sitting through this entire show...

I have a horrible feeling that we're less than a year away from the WWE Championship title matches opening RAW/SmackDown! shows and PPVs as the opening match or kick-off/pre-show matches like how the World Heavyweight Championship was regulated to before the end of the original brand split. Remember when Edge and Alberto Del Rio were fighting for that title on the opening match of RAW and/or WrestleMania back then? 

I kid you not - I fear those dark days for that title are going to be sooner more than later. It was bad enough when Jinder Mahal held that damn thing for the better part of last year. It's a damn shame too when AJ Styles (arguably the best worker in the company along with Rollins) is busting his ass to keep it relevant, despite being in a lackluster feud with Shinsuke Nakamura. That mess though? That feud is it's own pile of crap all on it's own, not to mention the icing on this shit sundae being the double nutshot/low blow to end a damn No DQ match of all things by double count out. This whole thing would be over if both guys would actually wear a damn athletic cup for protection. 

Nakamura's all smiles going along with this whole "No speaky English" bit when I'm sure Vince McMahon is foaming at the mouth to make him Kung Fu Naki 2018.

The Roman Reigns experiment has failed - on MULTIPLE levels. It's time to pack up and move on.

I wanted to choke Roman AND everyone on WWE Creative for this match running over 11PM on a Sunday night when it's not even anywhere close being a WrestleMania-caliber show.

It's been what, FOUR YEARS, since Vince McMahon tried this experiment and we're still here in 2018 with Vince McMahon forcing this narrative down our throats. Say what you will about John Cena but even his rise to fame wasn't this forced back in the day. 

Roman Reigns is a solid in-ring worker, but he's definitely not the guy to be carrying the company into the future, no matter how hard Vince McMahon wants that to happen. It would be best to just regulate Reigns to some midcard feuds and out of the main event picture for a long while to get that taste of failure out of everyone's mouths - then maybe they can pull that heel turn and salvage the guy for people to give a damn but as it stands currently, it's hard to be a fan of that guy. He's definitely NOT the guy that needs to beat Lesnar. To be honest, they missed the boat to let Strowman do it a few months ago when he was at the height of his popularity and the lackluster feuds and directionless narrative for his character is only going to drag him down into the comedy route and there's little escape from that. Just ask all of those guys in The New Day or Heath Slater. When Vince has it in his head that you're going to be traveling goof then it's going to be hard to get that stink off of you unless you leave the company and comeback like Gallows (previously Festus) and Drew Galloway/McIntyre after reinventing yourself on the indies. Then again, if I were a betting man, I would bank on Bobby Lashley being the one who ends up dethroning Lesnar at Summerslam as that's the only remaining marquee match that neither of them have done that would be worth their while. It's not like WWE are at a loss of options to go with for who should be in Roman Reigns' spot as "the guy" for the company, it's just that WWE are pretty damn ignorant to crowd responses to him and definitely have blinders on when it comes to the rest of the tons of talent they have signed to contracts.

I can't speak for anyone else but it frustrates me on days end that this company has so many indie greats on payroll, yet refuses to utilize that talent properly. Everyone else can see that Roman Reigns isn't the guy so why can't WWE Creative or more importantly, Vince McMahon?

There's not a single compelling narrative for neither of the Women's Championships on either RAW or SmackDown!

Don't look at me like that Bliss. I didn't book this shit. 

After her stellar debut at WrestleMania against the team of Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, Ronda Rousey was nowhere to be found in action on this card. So much for that whole bit about she's "full-time" like everyone else on the roster. I would bet the farm on this that in a few months, Ronda Rousey will end up having the female equivalent of Brock Lesnar's deal in terms of limited appearances and what not.

Despite their strong debut, the IIconics have been nothing more but jobber fodder on the main roster. It was strange too - they were on the kick-off show panel briefly, but didn't interfere in Carmella's title defense against Charlotte Flair. I suppose WWE said that was too obvious to see coming that even Ray Charles saw it, so didn't opt for that finish. Regardless, anything was better than that entire match of Carmella shrieking like a banshee and holding Charlotte in rest holds for what felt like twenty minutes for the bulk of that match. I'm a fan of Carmella's gimmick/character, but much like Alexa Bliss (we're about to get to her in a minute too...), her ring work leaves a lot to be desired. I understand the argument of "Oh but heels aren't supposed to do much and just garner heat!", but heels aren't supposed to bore me to sleep either. Baron Corbin's already king of that profession if that's the case...

Alexa Bliss and Nia Jax's title match wasn't any better, following another lackluster build with Bliss continuing her "Moment of Bliss" vignettes where she cites examples of Nia's bullying while shading in a few body shaming jabs in there. Be A Star my ass... We're at this level of childish storylines even though WWE wants to continue to shove this whole "women's evolution" thing down our throats when we're still booking Attitude Era/Diva Search Era-level storylines. Stuff like this doesn't do the girls any favors and it definitely doesn't do the company any favors with promos like Nia's that were clearly forced and scripted there. If WWE keeps this up, people will start to reject this whole movement for the women and this whole thing will blow up in their faces before they could cash in on that inevitable Four Horsewomen of NXT vs. Four Horsewomen of MMA match.

There's a lot of great matches between the women on both the main roster and down on NXT, but the story behind them are either facepalm-worthy or non-existent. 

The talent that should be carrying the company are littered throughout the infamous "mid-card hell" or held down underneath a glass ceiling instead of being given the ball and allowed to run with it

The reigning Intercontinental Champion, Seth Rollins, had a taste of a main event push prior to his injury, but ever since he came back he's been firing off at all cylinders. His opponent on this show - The Miz - hasn't held the WWE Championship for well over seven years. These are two Superstars who could easily carry both brands if given the opportunity. They can definitely deliver in the ring, with their match on this show being a perfect example of that. 

At some point, WWE needs to just get the Universal Championship off Brock Lesnar and kick him to the curb if he's not willing to commit to semi-full schedule. Alas, we probably won't see Lesnar drop the title until after he breaks CM Punk's record as the longest reigning WWE title holder of the modern era at 434 days - which he's guaranteed to do since (as of this posting) he's not scheduled to defend the title at Money in the Bank.

I will never understand what is WWE's fixation on these "temporary band-aids" garner a boost in ratings either from part-timers coming back, a random NXT call-up or roster split trade/move, or a return from injury, then either don't do anything of value from these individuals outside of a single noteworthy match or two while their regular workhorses get the shaft. Wouldn't it make more sense to have the workhorses at the forefront and have those band-aids to complement what you already have instead of hitting the "oh shit" button whenever someone gets injured and having to play damage control on your spoiled goods - i.e. workhorses and regular full-time talent that have been damaged from poor booking and horrible gimmicks.