WWE WrestleMania Backlash: 2022 results including Ronda Rousey vs Charlotte Flair - is Roman Reigns leaving?

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The first post-WrestleMania pay-per-view from WWE was broadcast last night (8 May), with WrestleMania Backlash 2022 presenting fans with a card full of rematches from April.

Only one of the six matches on offer were fresh match-ups, and only one bout was contested for a title.

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So what happened at WWE’s first post-WrestleMania pay-per-view, and what are the matches worth checking out for the time-strapped wrestling fan?

Here is everything you need to know.

What’s worth watching?

There’s so much professional wrestling out there, that it’s sometimes hard to keep up with it.

Even if you only watch WWE, the company still puts out around eight hours of regular TV a week.

That’s not to mention the promotion’s bigger rivals, like upstarts AEW, or New Japan Pro Wrestling; the weekly diary for a wrestling completionist gets pretty full, pretty quickly.

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So, to help you cut through the noise, we’ll be recommending the matches to dive in on, and the ones to skip, so you can watch what matters, and gloss over the filler.

So what was worth watching at Backlash? Here are the matches you should check out, along with our ratings out of five.

(Photo: WWE.com)(Photo: WWE.com)
(Photo: WWE.com)

NationalWorld Recommends - WrestleMania Backlash 2022

  • Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes - 4.5/5
  • AJ Styles vs. Edge - 3.5/5
  • Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey - 4/5
  • Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro vs. The Bloodline 4/5

What happened at Backlash?

OK, if you’ve gone away and checked out our recommended matches for yourself, you’ll have a good idea as to what happened.

But if you’re so pressed for time you’re not even able to watch those bouts, here’s a rundown of the big talking points from the show.

Firstly, the full list of results:

  • Cody Rhodes defeats Seth Rollins
  • Omos defeats Bobby Lashley
  • Edge defeats AJ Styles by referee’s decision
  • Ronda Rousey defeats Charlotte Flair (title change)
  • Madcap Moss defeats Happy Corbin
  • The Bloodline defeat Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro

Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes

(Photo: WWE.com)(Photo: WWE.com)
(Photo: WWE.com)
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The match between Rhodes and Rollins began with a lockup before a rapid succession of counters, then an increase in tempo.

After taking the Cross Rhodes, Rollins managed to get his foot on the rope to prevent a pin, before hitting Rhodes with a Pedigree, which the American Nightmare kicked out of.

Rhodes pinned Rollins with a roll-up and a handful of tights, a disappointing finish to a great contest that will undoubtedly be remembered as the finest of the evening. - although he was arguably getting Rollins back for a similar manuevare attempted just moments prior.

Bobby Lashley vs. Omos

The two big men went at it again in one of the weaker bouts of the night.

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The finish came when MVP used his cane to assault Lashley while the ref was distracted, allowing Omos to win with a two-handed chokeslam.

AJ Styles vs. Edge

Both males charged at each other as soon as the bell rang, brawling to kick off the third WrestleMania rematch of the evening.

Styles managed to get in little bursts of attack every now and then, but the majority of the match saw Edge controlling the majority of the action.

As they worked towards the matche’s conclusion, a hooded figure yanked Styles off the top rope while the ref was distracted, allowing Edge to place him in a modified crossface sleeper hold for the victory.

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That mystery person was revealed to be Rhea Ripley, who has a new black haircut and appears to have joined Edge’s Judgement Day stable.

Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Ronda Rousey

(Photo: WWE.com)(Photo: WWE.com)
(Photo: WWE.com)

The only title match of the night was contested under a lack of rules with an “I Quit” stipulation, and the pair used kendo sticks, threw cameras, and fought up into the crowd in this encounter.

Rousey hung her opponent upside down from the top turnbuckle and locked her in an armbar until they both fell to the floor, breaking the hold.

After locking in the armbar with the use of a steel chair, Rousey forced Charlotte to say “I Quit”, and won the bout to become the new SmackDown women’s champion.

Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss

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The weakest match of the night by far, Happy Corbin vs. Madcap Moss came to a sudden and strange stop when Moss won with an unexpected sunset flip.

Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro vs. The Bloodline

Another strong match, this six-man tag closed out the show in an expectedly chaotic manner.

The referee began to lose control as the bout progressed, with everyone fighting in and around the ring.

Reigns used a urinagi to put McIntyre through the announce table, while Riddle used an RKO from the top rope to take down Jey Uso, before The Tribal Chief split him in half with a Spear to win.

Is Roman Reigns leaving WWE?

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Prior to the event, Roman Reigns - WWE’s biggest star - hinted that his current WWE run could be coming to an end soon because he is embarking on a "new phase" in his life and career.

Speaking to a WWE live event crowd, Reigns said: “I’m starting to work into a new phase in my career, and I honestly don’t know if I’ll be back here again. If that’s the case, I just wanna say thank you for all these years of support.”

Reigns has shown a desire in pursuing a Hollywood career in the future, something his cousin, The Rock, has accomplished.

With his big win as part of WrestleMania Backlash’s six-man tag main event, it seems like he is sticking around for now.

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Reigns is still firmly involved into WWE creative plans for "the foreseeable future," according to a backstage source (via Fightful), and they don't anticipate him leaving "anytime soon."

Producers, employees and upper management have not been told of any anticipated extended absences.

Reigns has been "accommodated and incentivised" to keep WWE at the top of his priority list as they continue to develop programming around him, according to another insider.

It was also suggested that Reigns was hinting that he will be attending less WWE live events in the future, while still appearing on television.

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