WWE Backlash 2025

By Steve Ward

The fallout from WrestleMania 41 culminated this evening in St. Louis, Missouri as WWE presented Backlash from the Enterprise Arena. This evening’s card featured five bouts with four holding a title in the balance and was headlined by John Cena defending his Universal Championship against Randy Orton.

United States Championship Fatal Four Way

Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest vs. LA Knight

Winner: Jacob Fatu via pinfall

 

The tempo of this match remained at a fever pitch throughout. Late in the contest, Priest took both himself and Drew McIntyre out of the match after delivering a South of Heaven from the top of a sound crate through a pair of tables. LA Knight then laid Fatu out on the announce table and scaled to the top rope. First, Solo Sikoa emerged to pull Fatu out of harm’s way. As Knight pursued Solo, he was blindsided by an unknown assailant soon revealed as Jeff Cobb! Knight was then thrown into the ring and served up for Fatu to put him away.

 

Women’s Intercontinental Championship

Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria (c)

Winner: Lyra Valkyria via pinfall

 

These two women teamed up at WrestleMania to claim the Women’s Tag Team Championship only to lose them 24 hours later on RAW. This caused The Man to reveal her true colors and lay waste to Lyra leading us to tonight’s encounter. Both women pulled out all stops but, in the end, Lyra withstood multiple Manhandle Slams, the Disarm Her, and an exposed turnbuckle to end up winning with a pinfall reversal.

 

WWE Intercontinental Championship

Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta

Winner: Dominik Mysterio via pinfall

 

After Penta was cost his chance at claiming the Intercontinental Championship on RAW recently, he was granted another opportunity tonight. Late in the match, The Judgement Day tried to get involved only to be stopped by the referee and banned from ringside. While the referee was still distracted, El Grande Americano emerged to headbutt Penta with a loaded mask. This set the stage for Mysterio to hit the frogsplash and seal his victory.

 

Gunther vs. Pat McAfee

Winner: Gunther via submission

 

The night following WrestleMania Gunther took exception to the commentary being delivered by Michael Cole and Pat McAfee and assaulted the two. That prompted McAfee to call out Gunther bringing us to tonight. McAfee made the match interesting and received a little help in the form of outside interference from Michael Cole, but in the end, Gunther put him away with the Sleeper Hold.

 

WWE Universal Championship

Randy Orton vs. John Cena (c)

Winner: John Cena via pinfall

 

John Cena and Randy Orton resumed their 25-year rivalry tonight in Orton’s hometown for possibly the last time with Cena’s new Universal Championship on the line. Randy Orton controlled most of the match and seemed poised to win his 15th world championship until Cena decked the referee inadvertently with the title. In the closing minutes, Orton had Cena squared up for the punt only to be stopped by the man who calls Cena his childhood hero despite being older than him, R-Truth. R-Truth promptly received an RKO for his efforts. As Orton yelled at Truth, who had rolled out to the arena floor, Cena delivered a low blow to Randy. Cena then finished Orton off with a shot to the head with the Universal Championship and pinned him just in time for the referee to recover and count the pinfall.