Real Reason WWE Booked Brock Lesnar vs. Cody Rhodes For Backlash
At WrestleMania 39 Cody Rhodes failed to finish his story as he lost to Roman Reigns and now things are just going from bad to worse as Rhodes is destined to lock horns with Brock Lesnar.
On the Raw after WrestleMania, Reigns refused a rematch request from Rhodes and instead, The American Nightmare suggested that as he had to contend with Solo Sikoa in his title match as well that they should have a tag team bout.
Brock Lesnar stunned everyone when he emerged as Rhodes’ partner and the match was set for the main event. But those hoping to see Lesnar compete in his first Raw match since he defeated Tommy Dreamer in a Singapore Cane match in July 2002 were left disappointed when The Beast Incarnate destroyed Rhodes before the match.
Many expected that would lead to a bout between the two men but where and when was the question. WWE will return to Saudi Arabia on May 27th and given Lesnar’s penchant for those shows – and the money on offer for them – many will have assumed that match would take place there. However, Cody Rhodes issued a challenge to Lesnar for a bout at Backlash in Puerto Rico and when Lesnar appears on Raw on the 17th of April, it looks like the bout will be made official.
As noted on PWInsider Elite, Brock Lesnar taking on Cody Rhodes and competing on only the fifth May WWE pay-per-view of his career at Backlash is because the company wants plenty of “marquee bouts” as the event is also acting as promotion of Puerto Rico as a travel destination.
This is said to be in the same way that WWE looks at their shows in Saudi Arabia as well as Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales as they promoted the destination almost as much as the event itself.
As well as Lesnar/Rhodes, storylines in WWE would suggest Backlash could also see a massive six-man tag team match between Roman Reigns & The Usos taking on Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, and Matt Riddle while IYO SKY has a title match in her future as she became number one contender to Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Championship.