WWE Backlash 2018 Updated Card, Top Storylines After Final SmackDown

WWE Backlash 2018 will mark the dawn of another new era in the company, as all events will be co-branded moving forward. Sunday's pay-per-view will feature the fallout from WrestleMania 34 and Greatest Royal Rumble, as well as set the stage for the spring and summer seasons in WWE.

Although Raw will have their fair share of solid matches on the card, SmackDown Live will have an especially strong presence on this show. The blue brand made out extremely well in the most recent Superstar Shake-up, and this will be the program's first chance to prove how stacked of a roster they truly have.

As of this writing, this is the current card on tap for Backlash 2018:

• AJ Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in a No Disqualification Match for the WWE Championship
• Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe
• Seth Rollins (c) vs. The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship
• Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass
• Nia Jax (c) vs. Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women's Championship
• Jeff Hardy (c) vs. Randy Orton for the United States Championship
• Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
• Carmella (c) vs. Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship

This past week's editions of Raw and SmackDown did an effective job of building excitement for the upcoming event and getting fans familiar with the show's top storylines, but these are the angles you should be paying extra attention to.

How Will AJ Styles Exact Revenge on Shinsuke Nakamura?

Credit: WWE.com

In the three times Shinsuke Nakamura vied for the WWE Championship while a babyface, he failed on every occasion. It wasn't until his loss to AJ Styles at WrestleMania 34 that The King of Strong Style finally snapped and severed ties with the WWE Universe.

However, he has been a different (and much more comfortable) competitor since his heel turn. Quite frankly, it is the most momentum Nakamura has ever had on the main roster, and surely he won't let this opportunity to capture the prestigious prize pass him once more.

On the flip side, Styles is determined to exact revenge on Nakamura in some form or fashion. After all, he has endured low blow after low blow at the hands of Nakamura, so he won't rest until Nakamura gets his comeuppance.

With this championship clash being announced as a No Disqualification Match on SmackDown, that opens the door for both men to use weapons and go to the extreme against each other. Look for that stipulation to play a part in the outcome of this bout, possibly with Nakamura clinching the gold.

Will The Miz Make History by Regaining the Intercontinental Championship?

Credit: WWE.com

No one has been more associated with the Intercontinental Championship in recent years than The Miz. He has been credited for bringing the belt out of irrelevancy and back into the spotlight, having held it a whopping eight times since 2012.

Although his most recent stint with the strap came to an end at WrestleMania, he'll have a chance to regain it for a record-tying ninth time at Backlash when he faces current champ Seth Rollins. If he emerges victorious, he would also make the title official property of SmackDown.

It's a shame this story hasn't been properly focused on lately due to the two being separated by the Superstar Shake-up, but they've have bad blood for so long that it has hardly mattered. It's also a well-known fact that they have exceptional in-ring chemistry together, so the match itself should be nothing short of stellar.

Miz lost a tag team match on Tuesday's SmackDown, though he was never pinned. On the other hand, Finn Balor put Rollins through the wringer on Monday night, so he'll be walking into his upcoming title defense at a distinct disadvantage.

Can Carmella Conquer Charlotte Flair in Her First Title Defense?

Credit: WWE.com

Carmella spent many months biding her time in the background of SmackDown's women's division as the inaugural Ms. Money in the Bank. When the time was right, she capitalized on a downed Charlotte Flair to cash in her contract and become the new SmackDown Women's champion.

As grand of a star as Charlotte is, Carmella has had no issue fitting right into the title mix. She has bragged and boasted time and time again about beating the Flair family scion, but at Backlash, Charlotte will get her chance to get the gold back in her grasp.

The real story of this matchup will be to what lengths Carmella will go to retain her title. The IIconics clearly played a role in Charlotte losing the strap in the fashion she did two nights removed from WrestleMania, so their presence could felt here as well.

As for Carmella, this will be her first true test as champion. If she can prove she is on the same level as Charlotte by holding her own here and walking away with the title in tow, she could have a lengthy championship reign ahead of her.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.