This live blog will be updated throughout Saturday’s Backlash card, beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET on Peacock.
UPDATE: John Cena defeats Randy Orton, retains WWE Championship
It was only fitting that we got one final classic between these two legends in John Cena’s final year in WWE. A rivalry that started close to 25 years ago culminated in Orton’s home town of St. Louis on Saturday, and it did not disappoint. The match started with a very methodical pace, as the two traded punches and sleeper holds.
Cena took an absolute beating from Orton in this match, eating four RKO’s and two Attitude Adjustments through both the announce table and a table that Orton set up outside the ring. After referee Chad Patton was inadvertently taken out twice, Orton was ready to deliver his signature punt to Cena’s head. However, R-Truth came out to save his long-time friend, and after taking an RKO of his own, Cena then hit Orton with a low-blow.
With the ref still down, Cena picked up the WWE Championship and hit Orton across the skull. As Patton regained himself, he crawled back into the ring for the 1-2-3, and Cena retained his title.
We have never seen Cena stoop to these levels to win matches ever in his career, but he has really taken to this heel persona, and is determined to end his WWE career by retiring with the championship.
Backlash 2025 was absolutely incredible from start to finish.
UPDATE: Gunther defeats Pat McAfee
This was more of a bar fight than a wrestling match, but a very entertaining one at that. For those unfamiliar, Pat McAfee is not a wrestler, but rather the color commentator on Monday Night Raw. This match came about because McAfee brought up how Gunther lost his World Heavyweight Championship after tapping out to Jey Uso at Wrestlemania. This led to to Gunther choking out McAfee on Raw.
Gunther, to no surprise, dominated this match, hitting McAfee with countless kicks and chops. Michael Cole actually got involved after leaving the announce table, but it ultimately proved moot, as Gunther locked in the sleeper hold on McAfee, who faded quickly, forcing the referee to stop the match.
Overall, it was a great showing by the former NFL Pro-Bowl Punter.
UPDATE: Dominik Mysterio defeats Penta, retains Intercontinental Championship
This match was all over the place. Mysterio and Penta each exchanged moves in the early going, with the latter showing off his Luchador abilities by hitting a flying cross-body off the ring post outside the ring. He then hit Dirty Dom with a Mexican Destroyer Powerbomb on the apron.
This is when things went sideways, as Mysterio’s friends from the Judgement Day came out to interfere. Carlito distracted the referee, but Finn Balor took too long to get a steel chair and the ref saw what was happening and sent them all packing. After Penta hit the group with a flying flip over the top rope, he then turned his attention back to Mysterio.
Unfortunately, Chad Gable — disguised as El Grande Americano — hit Penta with a head butt with a steel plate in his mask. This allowed Mysterio to hit a frog splash on Penta and retain the title.
UPDATE: Lyra Valkyria defeats Becky Lynch, retains Women’s Intercontinental Championship
After the outstanding fatal-4 way to open the night, this match could have easily been a natural let down, but it turned out to be a classic.
It was an extremely physical match from the jump, with Lynch hitting Valkyria with a baseball slide in the early going. She then went over to Valkyria’s fiance sitting ringside and began to taunt him. This is a new side that we’ve seen from Lynch, as she turned heel on the Raw after Wrestlemania.
After that it was the champ who dominated this match. She hit Lynch with every move in her arsenal, including a superplex off the top rope, inverted fisherman’s suplex, sit-down powerbomb, flying leg-drop and moonsault.
After absorbing all this punishment, Lynch would hit the champ with a pair of her signature manhandle slams, but Valkyria kicked out both times. After popping her in the nose, Lynch would try and pin Valkyria, but the champ reversed it and rolled up Lynch to retain the title.
Lynch then lost her mind and attacked Valkyria post-match.
Make no mistake, this was a coming out party for the Intercontinental champion.
UPDATE: Jacob Fatu retains United States Championship
What an absolute banger to start off the night. The match started off with the four superstars split off into twosomes, with McIntyre and Priest and Fatu and Knight each exchanging blows outside the ring. All four of these behemoths had their moments to shine in this match, with Knight, McIntyre and Priest all getting their licks in early on the champ.
Things got heated late, with both McIntyre and Priest spilling out into the crowd after the latter pulled the referee out of the ring, which prevented the Scottish psychopath from becoming the new champion. Priest would end up delivering a South of Heaven chokeslam to McIntyre through a table, taking both men out of action.
Meanwhile, back in the ring, LA Knight hit Fatu with a pair of flying elbows and looked poised to pin the champ, but Solo Sikoa interfered and prevented Knight from winning. Sikoa was not alone apparently, as wrestling free-agent Jeff Cobb made his WWE debut and took Knight out by throwing him into the ring post.
Fatu looked on in disbelief before hitting Knight with a moonsault to retain the title.
Backlash full card
WWE Championship
(C) John Cena vs. Randy Orton
WWE Women’s Intercontiental Championship
(C) Lyra Valkyria vs. Becky Lynch Belair
WWE Intercontinental Championship
(C) Dominik Mysterio vs. Penta
United States Championship Fatal 4-Way
(C) Jacob Fatu vs. Damian Priest vs. LA Knight vs. Drew McIntyre
Men’s Singles Match
Gunther vs. Pat McAfee