WWE Backlash 2016: Feuds Guaranteed to Increase Excitement for Event

Every since the brand split, SmackDown has evolved from a sports entertainment show into a wrestling show. There's less glitz and fewer high spots. Instead, there has been more emphasis on the old-school storytelling that has been effective for over a more than a century.

It starts with commentator Mauro Ranallo, who (gasp) calls the wrestling moves during the match rather than focusing exclusively on the storylines. We have in-ring promos that are less scripted and more natural. The overall focus is on the wrestlers rather than the metadrama of Shane McMahon, Daniel Bryan or any other authority figure.

The rivalries are less cartoonish. They're building slowly, which means they're made to last. WWE's booking is usually short term, only focusing on the current show and the show immediately after. But none of these rivalries seem like they're ending at Backlash, which is a great thing. Maybe we'll get finally get the proper match/rematch/blow-off build that seems to be lacking.

Here's are the feuds that are making Backlash on Sept. 11 exciting. We're only nine days away.

Carmella vs. Nikki Bella

Carmella is finally becoming her own woman. For too long, she was Enzo Amore lite, and that's a bad thing, because no one on the roster has Enzo's raw energy; she was screwed before she even started. But this feud against Nikki Bella gives her a little bit of an edge. And even though she's being booked as a heel, she's really a tweener; enough fans dislike Nikki enough to cheer Carmella on during one of her beatdowns.

Both women will compete in the Six-Pack Challenge at Backlash. And even though on paper, Nikki should be the favorite to win the title, Carmella will probably cost her that opportunity. And then, the two of them can feud one-on-one. It gives Nikki a lower-card match where she can shake off the ring rust, and it gives Carmella the chance to work with a veteran talent who can mentor her.

American Alpha vs. Heath Slater and Rhyno

This feud isn't set in stone quite yet, but given the booking, it's safe to make a prediction. Next week, Slater and Rhyno are going to beat the Hype Bros. American Alpha is going to beat the Usos. And that means the two tag teams will square off against each other at Backlash for the championship.

Who's going over? On one hand, you have Heath Slater, who is insanely entertaining, and Rhyno, who's the perfect straight man and comedic foil. On the other hand, you have American Alpha, one of the most talented and skilled tag teams in WWE from a technical standpoint.

Does WWE want a reliable comedy segment every week? Or does it want to give the new tag team belts some immediate prestige? Either way, the tag team division on SmackDown is thin.

Who would take the belts off American Alpha once they have them? The Vaudevillains? The Ascension? It's unlikely, but WWE might give Slater a push. The guy has 100 kids to feed, after all.

Randy Orton vs. Bray Wyatt

Whether it happens at Backlash or a couple of months from now at the blow-off match, Wyatt desperately needs to go over Orton.

The fans are starting to turn on him during his promos (you can hear the "What" chants in the background). And Orton, who probably doesn't have much longer to be an active wrestler, needs to do the right thing here. A solid decisive win over Orton could give Wyatt the mojo to challenge for the world title.

If Wyatt takes the RKO and the loss so that Orton can get a cheap pop, the fans will love it, but in the long run, it won't be what's best for business. It's time to build new stars.

The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan

It seems that, after lighting the internet ablaze with the greatest promo of the year, The Miz will not get to follow through on it. This past Tuesday, the WWE backed off of a potential Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz feud and instead sent Dolph Ziggler into the ring in Bryan's place. The Talking Smack incident was addressed and then quickly swept under the rug.

According to ESPN's Jonathan Coachman (h/t Marissa Payne of the Washington Post), Bryan got his feelings legitimately hurt during the standoff. WWE might also be wary of giving the fans false hope; inevitably, they'll want to see a physical confrontation between the two men, and Bryan might not be in the position to follow through on that.

Still, what a shame. Any possible way that Bryan can insert himself into this feud, or take on a more active role, even verbally, would be welcome.

Baron Corbin vs. Everyone

The more airtime WWE can give Baron Corbin, the better.

Corbin has a natural, heelish demeanor, and that's something all of the fans can get behind. I loved this latest match because it showed that Corbin has no allegiances whatsoever; he plays up that lone wolf status to the hilt, and whether a heel or a babyface is standing in his way, he's going to attack him, no questions asked.

Braun Strowman and Nia Jax are fighting in jobber squash matches every week, and this is what Corbin used to do in NXT as well. Maybe it's time for Corbin to go back to that, so that we can see him every week. Make him white hot, and when it comes time for him to go up against a roster competitor, everyone will know who he is.

AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose

When these two fought earlier in the summer, Dean Ambrose went over in convincing fashion. But that was before the draft and before AJ Styles beat John Cena cleanly at SummerSlam. This was once a solid main event closer for Raw; now, it's a marquee match befitting of a pay-per-view.

This is Styles' moment, and barring an Ambrose heel turn, it's difficult to see a scenario in which Styles doesn't win. Ambrose has been a solid but unexceptional champion. His "lunatic" gimmick prevents him from being the sort of representative champion that Cena, Reigns or Rollins can be, and he talks less now than he did when was in The Shield.

Styles is a better face for the brand, and out of everyone on SmackDown, he gets the loudest response.