Fans Send Clear Message, Why Reigns vs. Fatu Won't End at Backlash, More WWE Raw Fallout
The April 27 edition of WWE Raw delivered big Backlash build from Sames Auto Arena in Laredo, Texas.
Jacob Fatu convinced Roman Reigns to put his World Heavyweight Championship on the line at the premium live event on May 9.
Iyo Sky answered a Becky Lynch open challenge for the Women's Intercontinental Championship. Asuka cost Sky the match, setting up a contest between them for Backlash.
Joe Hendry made his Raw debut with a concert calling for the firing of Logan Paul, drawing the ire of The Vision. Oba Femi opened his own open challenge to anyone brave enough to face him.
This show set the stage for a dramatic Backlash as well as plenty more exciting WWE action to come.
Buckle Up For Lengthy Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu Feud
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At first, Jacob Fatu's challenge to Roman Reigns seemed random, aided by the need for a quick credible opponent for the new world heavyweight champion.
After two weeks, The Samoan Werewolf looks like so much more.
Fatu's grievance with Reigns feels real and allows him to play either the aggrieved tweener or heel against The OTC going forward.
The story has legs because of that real-life heat mixing with the storyline flair.
While they will fight at Backlash, there is no way Fatu will beat Reigns in their first match.
However, it would make sense for this to only be the beginning. Fatu can rebound from a loss by building himself back up and eventually earn a rematch where he feels like a real threat.
Especially since he is primarily on SmackDown, WWE could believably separate them until a big stage like Night of Champions for the rematch.
At that point, WWE should consider if it may just be the right move to crown Fatu because he has already proved his main event worth in 2026.
WWE is Rushing Bron Breakker vs. Seth Rollins
2 of 5Coming out of WrestleMania 42, there may not have been a bigger story than Seth Rollins vs Bron Breakker.
Paul Heyman's ace was back with force and ready to get back to feuding with The Visionary in a story that began one year ago.
There was no reason to rush this match, yet just three weeks after 'Mania, the two will collide for the first time on a show that already had a strong foundation.
WWE could have easily put The Vision vs. Seth Rollins and The Street Profits or even delayed a trios clash until Saturday Night's Main Event while Rollins and Breakker got promo time to sell this as a must-watch match.
Clash in Italy on May 31 will need big matches, and Rollins vs. Breakker felt perfectly suited for a hot European audience that had awaited this collision.
Instead, WWE is rushing this contest. At best, they will deliver an inconclusive finish to set up future rematches, which would not make for an interesting spot on a five-match card.
At worst, this feud is going to quickly lose steam and leave Rollins and Breakker without a clear direction heading into the summer.
WWE Already Paying the Price For Releasing Kairi Sane
3 of 5Iyo Sky challenging Becky Lynch for the Women's Intercontinental Championship should have felt like a huge moment.
Asuka costing The Genius of the Sky a chance to win the title should have stood out as the final straw before these two needed to collide at Backlash.
Instead, all of it was overshadowed by the missing piece, the woman who should have been at the side of The Empress of Tomorrow: Kairi Sane.
The Pirate Princess was released by WWE on Friday to the confusion of everyone, not only due to her immense talent but also her importance to one of the company's biggest stories.
Asuka vs. Sky was always a feud about the freedom of Sane, and The Genius of the Sky was only stepping in the ring with The Empress to help her friend.
This was a story strong enough to justify a WrestleMania singles match. Now, it barely feels worthy of a spot on the Backlash card.
On top of the story implications, fans in attendance and social media have called out for the return of Sane at a level only rivaled by R-Truth's release last year.
If fans keep pushing #WeWantKairi on social media and chanting for Sane on air, perhaps she can have a similar happy ending, returning to WWE quickly.
Otherwise, WWE will be haunted by this ill-timed and poorly conceived release for years to come.
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Joe Hendry Has an Easy Road to Success on Raw
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At WrestleMania 41, Joe Hendry made his shocking in-ring debut on the main roster while still under contract with TNA.
Even in a loss, it was clear WWE had marked the Scot as a must-sign talent who would quickly head to the main roster.
Hendry has already appeared on SmackDown and NXT in the past year, but his Raw appearance this week felt like his first true introduction to the main roster.
From here on out, he is a member of the red brand and seemingly feuding with The Vision.
His first Raw concert went well and established the standard he can use in WWE for years to come. His concerts create or build rivalries, leading to matches where he can back up his words with action.
Hendry stands out from the pack due to his gimmick and styling that should make him a reliable midcard act for a long time.
While he does not have the obvious upside of other recent NXT call-ups, he may be the safest because his gimmick can work at any level of competition.
Oba Femi's Path to King of the Ring is Clear
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Oba Femi truly arrived on Raw when he answered the challenge of Brock Lesnar, and The Ruler has turned that challenge around to the rest of the roster.
For the next few months, Femi can run through various challengers in steadily more competitive matches that set the stage for his true rise up the ranks.
The Ruler should already be slated to win the King of the Ring tournament that will likely culminate at Night of Champions on June 27.
An undefeated (on the main roster) Femi challenging Reigns at SummerSlam following the King of the Ring win would be the biggest match Raw could possibly deliver.
There is no reason WWE should deviate from this plan, no matter who steps up to Femi or Reigns before The Biggest Party of the Summer on August 1-2.
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