PWI Weekly for May 18, 2026
At Backlash: Brutality, Unexpected Sentimentality, And More Than A Bit Of Silliness
REMEMBER WHEN WWE DECIDED that Backlash was going to be called WrestleMania Backlash? Good times. Although the 2026 installment of the event didn’t have WrestleMania in the title, it did feature some matches and moments that would have been right at home on WWE’s biggest stage. In this edition of the PWI Weekly, we shine a torch on a few of them.
WRESTLER OF THE WEEK
Although Jacob Fatu didn’t technically walk out victorious, it could be argued that he finished Backlash as the one on top.
True, the record books will show that Roman Reigns retained the WWE World heavyweight championship in the main event, but that stat alone doesn’t tell the whole story. It’s hard to recall another wrestler who physically dominated Reigns as much as Fatu did in their main-event clash. “The Samoan Werewolf” imposed his will on “The Tribal Chief” for much of the contest, even though he fell to a spear after hitting his head on an exposed turnbuckle.
After the match, Fatu made a quick recovery and put a beating on the champion. This is a literal blood feud that appears to only be warming up.
A QUICK WORD ABOUT …
Following her defeat at the hands of Iyo Sky, we saw a very different side of Asuka at Backlash. The villainous “Empress Of Tomorrow” showed her softer side and openly wept as she congratulated her long-time friend and rival. In the aftermath, rumors began circulating that the match served as Asuka’s swansong as a full-time competitor. While that is still to be confirmed, it could explain the emotional scenes.
If this is truly the end of Asuka’s career as an active wrestler, what a run it has been for the tenacious multi-time champion!
SPOTLIGHT ON …
When it was announced that John Cena would be in Tampa for Backlash, WWE fans were curious as to why. As it turned out, he would announce the creation of the “John Cena Classic.” While all of the details still appear to need ironing out, Cena stated that the JCC would be a new match series replete with a new championship (of the same name) to be awarded to the winner.
The winner of what exactly? Well, that’s not exactly clear yet. Oh, and the real kicker? Cena remarked that actual wins and losses wouldn’t necessarily matter; the champion would be chosen with input from fans, and “Hustle, Loyalty, And Respect” would be a factor.
Will it be a winning concept? That remains to be seen. Good or bad, though, there is little doubt that this will be a novel approach.
CLONEHAUSEN
When Danhausen needed a partner he could trust in his battle against Kit Wilson and The Miz, he went to the most common place of all: a cloning machine.
Okay, maybe that’s not such a common place. However, it’s very much in Danhausen’s wheelhouse. At Backlash, Minihausen was born.
In truth, Minihausen was portrayed by the accomplished luchador Mascarita Dorada, who handily proved his worth as a tag team partner. The comedy hijinks in the match aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. Still, the mirth on display served as a nice reminder that wrestling needn’t always take itself so seriously.
TERRITORIAL DISSINGS
Speaking of Danhausen, here he is—presumably using either a time machine or Adobe Premiere—to go back and get in on the infamous “At Backlash” promo video from 2006.