Recaps
WWE Backlash: Top 5 Takeaways
WWE delivered in its follow-up to WrestleMania 42 with its PLE Backlash 2026 emanating from the Benchmark International Arena in Tampa in front of a red-hot crowd who was fully invested in all of the matches on the card, and where, if the rumors are true that WWE parent company, TKO is going young, they certainly put over their younger superstars in a major way.
In the end, Roman Reigns cheated to get the edge on Jacob Fatu to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but in that wake of that move, Fatu went ballistic and attacked the OTC. Iyo Sky and Asuka set the bar for the best match of the night, where in its aftermath, it appears an emotional Asuka says goodbye, or goodbye for now, to the WWE Universe.
Bron Breakker got the biggest win of his career defeating Seth Rollins; which left questions about Rollins’ future, which he addressed at the WWE Backlash Post Show, John Cena’s got a new tournament and title named after him, and Danhausen is proving to be so over with the crowd, no matter what he does. Now comes the build towards August’s two night SummerSlam which begins from here. With that, here are Michael Fairman TV’s top five takeaways from Backlash.

Courtesy/WWE
1. ROMAN, WE HAVE A PROBLEM
The Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu match was a gem. Throughout it, the crowd was often split on who they were rooting for. It was also unclear who was the babyface and who was the heel. Fatu was clearly about to put Reigns down, when the wily OTC pulled the ref into the melee which allowed him to reach over and grab the turnbuckle, exposing the steel ring post. Next, he shoves Jacob head first into it and secured the pin.
However, afterwards, Fatu loses it and continues to attack and attack Reigns, as officials try to get him out of the ring. He even attacks RAW GM, Adam Pearce. When the smoke cleared, Fatu screamed to the camera, this isn’t over, while Reigns said that Fatu will never get a shot again in the title (in so many words).
Fatu came away as a genuine threat to the Tribal Chief. Questions to be answered: Will there be a rematch at Clash in Italy in a few weeks? Does Reigns cheating to win fully bring him back to the full on heel he was for the four years he and the Bloodline ran down the competition in the WWE? Stay tuned.
MATCH GRADE: A

Photo: WWE
2. BRON BREAKKER IN THE TITLE PICTURE
The opening match which was part of the free first hour of Backlash on ESPN, kicked-off with The Vision’s Bron Breakker vs former Vision leader, Seth Rollins. In the back-story, after Rollins needed shoulder surgery, he had to relinquish the WWE World Heavyweight Championship currently held by his former Shield partner, Roman Reigns. The Vision attacked their leader with Breakker putting down Rollins, to facilitate Rollins’ time off-screen for surgery.
Now, with Rollins back as the babyface and Breakker the full on heel, the two went at it in a great match bell-to-bell. However with Breakker getting the clean pin, it’s clear they are pushing the guy to top status. Will Bron and manager, Paul Heyman stay with the rest of The Vision (Logan Paul, Austin Theory and the injured Bronson Reed) or will they break off into their own 1-2 punch for a world title?
As for Seth, in the post show interview, he indicated he has to get back to the drawing board and retool himself as he turns 40 in just a few weeks, and just how he needs to come back stronger. Seth shared he realizes he is not in his prime after so many sidelining injuries. Our take: Maybe Seth was told he needed more time off by the doctors from his shoulder surgery and this paves the way for another break before a full-time return.
MATCH GRADE: A

Photo: WWE
3. THE POETIC GOODBYE FROM ASUKA
Iyo Sky and Asuka provided the WWE universe with an incredible match: rough and tumble, technically excellent, and it told the story of the former mentee of Askua’s taking on her teacher and the passing of the torch, if you will.
All of this against the backdrop of chants for Kairi Saine, who many believed, even though she was recently released by the WWE, would show back up in in this match-up and double-cross Asuka. But, sadly, Saine appears to be truly gone.
In the end, Sky was victorious, but it was the emotional embrace after the match that felt like a turning point for Asuka. Then in a follow-up post, Ivo Sky gave thanks to Asuka as she leaves on X and Asuka had a post on Instagram set to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”
Sky wrote: “Our story comes to its final chapter with today’s match. The moment the match ended, my heart was filled with all sorts of emotions. Meeting ASUKA-san, Spending the same time together, Being able to learn so much up close— These are irreplaceable treasures to me. Thank you so much ASUKA-San.”
Reports on Sunday, say Asuka is leaving for “personal reasons” that are not being divulged, but she will be ‘semi-retired.” Asuka is 44 years old, but will she be back one more time before hanging up her boots? We shall see.
MATCH GRADE: A+

Photo: WWE
4. JOHN CENA THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
John Cena returned to a WWE ring just one month after hosting WrestleMania. This time, Cena was in Tampa,where he lives, so it was not too big of a stretch for the G.O.A.T to make an appearance.
The 17-time champion revealed that there will be John Cena Classic; an evening where NXT talent will wrestle more established WWE talent for the chance to win a new championship. And that’s not all! The fans will vote that night of who should be crowned the inaugural champion, which Cena says will become a yearly event.
The way it was presented by Cena, left us a bit confused: Is the title called the “John Cena Classic Championship?” Is it something to be defended throughout the year on WWE and NXT programming and PLE’s? Will it mean anything in the end, or will it elevate the talent the WWE universe wants to see get a push on the main roster? Please fill in the blanks WWE and or Cena!
ANNOUNCEMENT GRADE: B

Photo: WWE
5. DANHAUSEN AND MINHAUSEN
Right now, Danhausen can do no wrong in the WWE. Since his arrival, the organization has put him to good use and it’s clear the WWE writing team is having a field day with him!
The major mystery going into Backlash was …. who will be Danhausen’s partner when he was offering $400 of human monies to team with him against The Miz and Kit Wilson. When the time came to unveil who was in the crate that would be his partner, out came a mini version of himself called Minihausen who would go on to team with him in the ring. Later, more minhausens appeared as the old school attitude-era type gimmick went full tilt.
While this was not the payoff we were hoping for; the gimmick seemed to go over with the fans. The question is, will the WWE go way back to the style of yore when Vince McMahon would pull something like this, couple that with the Gingerbread Man funeral on Friday Night SmackDown, or will it cool off? Whatever the case, Danhausen is here to stay and we are here for it!
MATCH GRADE: B+

Photo: WWE
HONORABLE MENTION: Lil’ Yachty
The Trick Williams vs. Sami Zayn rematch for the United States Championship was a much better match than last month at WrestleMania 42. Williams went in with the title belt and left with the belt, as Zayn’s world continues to crumble and his heel run looks firmly cemented. The WWE universe wants to “boo” Sami and cheer Trick!
However, it should be noted, rapper Lil’ Yachty, who has been in Trick’s corner, is one of the better celebrities who gets into the melee and makes it look believable! He’s taken shots and delivered come Candy Cane kendo stick blows to Zane in this one. He’s a keeper!
MATCH GRADE: B
So, what did you think of WWE Backlash 2026? What were your favorite moments of the night? Weigh-in via the comment section, but first check out some of the highlights below. Followed by the Michael Fairman Channel’s special WWE Backlash watchalong episode that was live on What’s Up? Wrestling.
Beyond the Gates
BEYOND THE GATES Throws it Back to the 70s and ‘Foxy Brown’ with Andre and Dani Fantasy
On the Friday, May 8 episode of Beyond the Gates, the CBS daytime drama served up another fantasy sequence between married couple Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman) and Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley). The moment happened after Dani overheard a suspicious conversation and teasingly asks her hubby if he is spy?
This launches into story time by Dani, when she dreams up a scenario straight out of the look of the Blaxploitation films of the early to mid 70s. We are talking Pam Grier in Foxy Brown, Richard Roundtree in Shaft, and Sweet Sweet Badassses Song from Melvin Van Peoples and others.
In Dani’s story, both she and Andre are spies at Orphey Gene’s. Andre reveals he wears an eye patch. In the fantasy, Andre is also deemed to be a men’s underwear photographer from Iowa. The two seems to be double agents.

Courtesy/CBS
After the scenes aired, the official Beyond the Gates Instagram account and Karla Mosley shared it on social, and many of the BTG cast jumped in the comment thread, as the series always brings it in the hair and make-up and wardrobe department and they had this down.
Sean Freeman said, “Sooo much fun shooting this one 🔥,” while Karla Mosley added, “The way I have been waiting for this episode to drop!” BTG Writer, Danielle Paige shared, “One of my fave days to write!!!”
While some fans loved it, others were not so in love with it. Check out the satire below featuring Dani and Andre’s 70s Foxy Brown-esque fantasy.
Then let us know, did you enjoy the repartee and think it was clever, plus the wardrobe, make-up and hair throwing it back to decades ago in the cinema … or do you think it was a waste of time on an episode and would prefer not to see fantasy sequences? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
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General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Nina Stabs Brennan with Drew’s Meds During His Brawl with Valentin
Nina Reeves (Cynthia Watros) was all over the place and frantic on the Friday, May 8 cliffhanger of General Hospital leading to disastrous consequences, plus Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) learns from intel from Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) that Rocco is the culprit who shot Cullum, and Sonny (Maurice Benard) and Ethan (Nathan Parsons) catch Ric (Rick Hearst) and Ava (Maura West) seemingly scheming over a big payday.
Here’s what went down: in the major turning point, Nina is once again unable to inject Drew (Cameron Mathison) for the second time with the syringe Willow gave her to keep Drew in his locked-in state. She starts rambling in Drew’s room on how she doesn’t want to be doing this, and for him to not stare at her. Suddenly the front door rings, and she puts down the syringe, while Drew looks on.
Once she gets to the door, it’s Jack Brennan (Chris McKenna), who Valentin (James Patrick Stuart) forced her to invite over. Nina hides the syringe and places it under a toy truck on the bookcase. When Jack entered, he questioned her as to why he is here, assuming it’s news about Valentin. Jack reminds Nina she should be concerned about their arrangement, not the one he has with Willow.

Courtesy/ABC
NEEDLE POINT
Now, Nina is becoming more hysterical as she needs an update from him on the evidence she wants to use against Drew. However, Jack does not give her any details or prognosis. He also adds that his boss is on him, and until Cullum lets up, she and Willow need to be patient. With nothing to hold over Drew she could use, Nina wants to get Jack out of the house before Valentin arrived, but it’s too late. Valentin confronts his nemesis with gun drawn.
As Valentin holds both Nina and Jack at gunpoint, he came at her for double-crossing him, and Jack realized Nina lured him into this trap! Valentin demands to know where Jack sent Josslyn, but Jack says he has no idea what he is talking about!
Next, the two go at it for control of the gun, while Nina is screaming for them to stop. Meanwhile, Drew can hear the whole thing down the hall. Panicked once again, Nina grabs the syringe to seemingly jab Valentin, but the men switched places as they fought, and Jack got the syringe-full of Drew’s meds instead.

Courtesy/ABC
MY SON THE SHOOTER
Elizabeth comes to see Dante and they walk through who could have been on the pier the night Cullum was shot. It is then she admits that when Rocco was brought into GH for what he and Lulu claimed was a knife cut, she knew then, the hand injury looked like a slide bite from shooting a gun. Suddenly, the pieces all come together for Dante and why Jason would take the fall for his son, because he is Sonny’s grandson and Danny’s brother. Dante also figures out that Britt and Lulu have known the truth and kept it from him. He is rocked to the core.
Speaking of Rocco, Lulu (Alexa Havins) is now seeing the other more menacing side of the man she believes is Nathan West. However, his twin, Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) is firmly telling Lulu they have to get Rocco out of town to keep him safe now that Cullum is getting out of the hospital, but she takes his demands badly. Lulu tells Cassius he has no right to tell her what to do with her child. Could you see Lulu ending up just like Josslyn? Kidnapped under Wyndemere? Stay tuned.

Courtesy/ABC
BROTHERLY BETRAYAL?
Sonny is spiraling over his distrust for his brother Ric, especially after Ethan reported to him what he saw between Ric and Ava. Now at Ava’s gallery, Ric finishes his business with a mysterious seller. Next, he hands over a hefty commission to Ava at the moment Sonny and Ethan arrive. Sonny aims a gun at his brother, accusing him of betraying him and Ric looks stunned. We fade to black.
So, what do you think will happen now to Brennan? Will Willow and Nina have to keep drugging him too? If Drew missed his dose, will he come out of his locked-in state and start to have some motion in his arms or legs and make some sort of escape? Do you think Sonny is truly being double-crossed by Ric? And, what did you think of when Dante realized that Rocco shot Cullum and who is the person Jason took the fall for her? Weigh-in via the comment section, but first check out these key moments from today’s GH below.
General Hospital
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Josslyn Learns She’s Been Kidnapped by Cassius Faison
Now it’s sink or swim time for WSB agent Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy)! Can the skills she learned training under Agent Vaughn and being lured into the world of being a spy by Brennan, help her survive being locked up in the same room Anna Devane was? That is the latest wrinkle to her reality that kicked off on the Thursday, May 7 episode of General Hospital.
In story, after having a knockdown drag out fight with “Nathan,” eventually Josslyn is left unconscious and wakes up in the same room that Pascal and company had tormented Anna in for weeks. When she comes to, Josslyn is in a panic and does her best by breaking a hanger, (there are nice clothes left for her on clothing rack, and some snacks) and attempting to unlock the door to her freedom.
Enter, the ominous Cassius (Ryan Paevey). Believing he was still “Nathan” who has developed some sort of psychotic mental break, she pleads with him to let her help him. It’s at that moment, Agent Jacks gets an earful. Cassius reveals he is Nathan’s twin, Cassius Faison.

Courtesy/ABC
THE BIRTH OF CASSIUS
Josslyn tries to figure out how Liesl would not know she gave birth to twins. Cassius tells her Liesl believed he’d died at birth. It was his father, Cesar, who arranged the entire thing when he was born.
Next, Josslyn wondered how Nathan’s body could be gone from his grave, if he wasn’t still alive. Cassius shared he arranged to have Nathan’s body removed, and then hacked the PCPD database to replace Nathan’s fingerprints with his own. He gloats that no one would suspect him, since he is known as the good-guy cop at the PCPD.
Then, in a real kicker to Josslyn, she leans that Britt is the one who told Cassius she was a WSB agent, and then the lightbulb went off that Britt and Cassius are working alongside Sidwell and Cullum. Insisting he and his sister wanted out from under Sidwell and Cullum, and that he doesn’t want to have to kill Josslyn, Cassius warns her that her best shot at surviving is to do as he tells her and not cause trouble.
NO ONE WOULD SUSPECT
Josslyn says people will come looking her for, but in a smug manner, Cassius says nobody will ever suspect that “Nathan” would have anything to do with her disappearing. As she pleads, he walks out and locks her back in the room and regains his composure before he leaves.
Eden McCoy spoke with Soap Opera Digest about Josslyn’s shocking new predicament and shared, “I think Josslyn’s whole journey here is walking the line between being really vulnerable and really, really scared in this situation, but not being able to show that because it’s her job not to react that way. She’s trapped, she’s been kidnapped by a stranger and now she has to work overtime not to give in to her instinct to be scared. Instead, she’s got to incorporate her new training (as an agent).”
So, who will find Josslyn? What will happen when she comes face to face with Pascal again? Are they leaving just enough room for Cassius to come out of this without being a total “bad guy,” so when this storyline ends, it keeps Ryan Paevey on the canvas? Weigh-in via the comment section. In case you missed it, watch the moments below where Josslyn learns her captor is Cassius Faison!
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