Rebooking every WWE PPV ever from 1985-present day

Backlash 2020

Date: June 14th, 2020

Location: Sprint Center, Kansas City, Missouri

Card

Raw Tag Team Championships

The Hurt Business (MVP & Shelton Benjamin) (C) w/Bobby Lashley vs Cedric Alexander & Apollo Crews

(Shortly following Wrestlemania, Crews is traded to Raw and forms a tag team with Cedric Alexander. Together, they become #1 contenders to the tag team championships by beating The New Day, The Street Profits, and Andrade & Angel Garza in a Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match. MVP says that Crews and Alexander are 2 upstanding citizens and would make a perfect addition to The Hurt Business, it's just a shame they have to be beaten down. Crews & Alexander say that they don't need to be a part of some club for 40-year-old men to succeed. MVP activates the freebird rule to the title reign so Bobby Lashley can defend his US title later on in the night. Towards the end of the match, Crews completes a hot tag to Cedric, and the first thing Cedric does is immediately hit Apollo with a superkick, turning heel. Cedric then beats the hell out of Apollo, throwing him into the ringsteps and hitting him with the Lumbar Check, all while The Hurt Business are smiling. Cedric then gets Apollo on the apron, tags him in, throws him back into the ring, and allows Shelton Benjamin to plant Apollo with Paydirt for the win. Cedric officially joins The Hurt Business post match when he shakes MVP's hand. Cedric explains his actions the next night on Raw, saying that he knew that partnership with Apollo wasn't going to go anywhere, so he couldn't scoff at the opportunity to learn under 3 former world champions in MVP, Bobby Lashley, and Shelton Benjamin, and not only would he rather learn, he'd rather earn.)

Smackdown Women's Championship

Bayley (C) w/Sasha Banks vs Ruby Riott

(Following her saving Liv at Money in the Bank, the now face Ruby Riott enters into a feud with Bayley and Sasha Banks. Ruby says that Bayley can't keep going around trying to end careers by dropping steps onto people's legs that are wrapped with steel chairs, especially someone who she considers family. Bayley says that's ironic that Ruby says she considers Liv family, considering she spent the past few months trying to end her career, just like she'll do to Ruby at Backlash. In the leadup, Bayley and Sasha beat Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross for the Women's Tag Team Championships, allowing Bayley to become a double champion. Also in the leadup, Ruby heavily tries to convince Liv Morgan to be in her corner, saying that she knows she's wronged Liv in the past 6 months with the things she's said and done, but she apologises for everything she ever did to her, she forgives Liv for the stuff Liv did to her, and Liv needs to do the same. Liv tells Ruby that she always held her back, made her do everything for her, made her life a living hell in those last few months of The Riott Squad, and not only that, Ruby told her that she never needed her to begin with, and on top of that, where was she when Sarah had her leg broken by Bayley and Sasha, she didn't come out to help, which shows she doesn't care, so if she isn't even willing to save Sarah, why should she have Ruby's back, she can go it alone. Following the match, Bayley and Sasha grab two kendo sticks, and just as they're about to hit Ruby with them, Liv Morgan's music hits, and she comes out wielding a chair, but stops once she gets to the midway point of the entrance ramp, sets up the chair, and just sits in it, all while Sasha and Bayley batter Ruby with kendo sticks. As Bayley & Sasha leave, Liv then enters the ring with the chair, hoists it over her head as if she's about to attack Ruby, but, with tears in her eyes, can't bring herself to do it, drops the chair, and heads to the back. Later on in the PPV, Ruby confronts Liv backstage about why she didn't help, why didn't she hit her with the chair, with Liv telling Ruby "I can't take you continuing to ask for forgiveness from me, I need you to leave me alone, I need space". Liv then takes her stuff and leaves the arena.)

Chad Gable & Mustafa Ali vs Sheamus & King Corbin

(On the Smackdown after MITB, the Consortium Opposing Chad's Keyboard Sabotage (C.O.C.K.S) offer Chad a contract, with Corbin saying "Originally, Adam Pearce wanted you arrested, I think you should've been arrested you little punk but Pearce decided that he wants you back on Smackdown, can't believe you did it all by yourself Chad, Pearce respects the hustle". Chad reads the contract, signs it, with Sheamus then saying "Now, Adam Pearce owns you, fella, and any accidents that happen in the workplace, are nice and legal, fella". Chad says he's not surprised, and that it was very important that he didn't do this alone. The lights then go down, the screen flickers, the hacker appears again in silhouette form, takes off his hood to reveal he's, Mustafa Ali. The lights then go back up, and Ali is in the ring, with Ali and Gable fighting off Corbin and Sheamus.)

WWE Intercontinental Championship

Ricochet (C) vs Elias

(Elias becomes #1 contender to the Intercontinental Championship following a Battle Royal victory. Elias says that Ricochet proclaims to be the One and Only, but after their match he can add some words to that, being The One and Only man who lost the Intercontinental Championship to Elias. Ricochet says that Elias has constantly come up short time and time again, and he won't finally break through at his expense. Elias tears his pec in this match.)

WWE United States Championship

Bobby Lashley (C) w/MVP, Shelton Benjamin, and Cedric Alexander vs Kevin Owens

(KO beats Angel Garza and Buddy Murphy to become #1 contender to The Almighty's US title. KO says that he finds it cute that Lashley, MVP, and Benjamin decided to become the reincarnated version of The Nation of Domination, because that's gonna be the only positive about The Hurt Business after Bobby loses the US title. Lashley says that he's the CEO of The Hurt Business, and KO will be the latest person to have that world of hurt inflicted on them.)

Raw Women's Championship

Shayna Baszler (C) vs Asuka

(Asuka sets her sights on Baszler following her banishment of Kairi Sane from WWE. Asuka says she is going to make Shayna pay for what she did to her friend. Shayna says that this thing of a Japanese woman trying to avenge Kairi Sane by beating her for a championship seems very familiar, she just can't put her finger on it, but just like whatever happened last time, Asuka won't be walking out as champion.)

Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship

Braun Strowman (C) vs EC3 vs Daniel Bryan

(Following MITB, EC3 continues to target Strowman and his World Heavyweight Championship, costing him in a match against Daniel Bryan. Bryan says that he won't accept getting a victory over the World Heavyweight Champion like that, and wants a rematch against Strowman for the World Heavyweight Championship where EC3 is banned, which Adam Pearce agrees to give to him. EC3 turns heel by brutally attacking Bryan before the match, throwing him off the stage. EC3 says he's tried his best to continue to be this nice guy that does things for the fans, but he can't take it anymore, and he needs that World Heavyweight Championship to get some damn respect. Strowman says that not only is EC3 trying to take his championship, he's stealing his attitude, and is gonna pay for that, and as for Bryan, he won't be so lucky after that fluke win he got over him.)

WWE Championship

Drew McIntyre (C) vs AJ Styles (By Disqualification)

(AJ returns from being buried alive following Money in the Bank and goes after WWE Champion Drew McIntyre, a title shot he secures after defeating Aleister Black, where after the match, he jams Aleister Black's right eye into the corner of the Steel Steps. AJ says that his time in the "phantom zone" has made him re-evaluate his career, and he realises he hasn't been the same since he's been WWE Champion, he needs that belt back. Drew says that AJ was a phenomenal champion, but it's not his time anymore, it's Drew McIntyre's time, and AJ won't get in the way of that. In the closing moments of the match, AJ has Drew set up for a Phenomenal Forearm, but before he goes for it, the lights go out, and when they come back up, Aleister Black is in the ring, and Aleister's right eye is a mess, as the color of it is now white and it's surrounded by a mysterious black & white substance. AJ goes for The Phenomenal Forearm, but Black hits AJ with a Black Mass, causing a DQ. After Black hits a Black Mass on AJ, he turns around and sprays Drew McIntyre in the eyes, turning Black heel. Black then lays out Drew with a Black Mass, before hoisting up McIntyre's WWE Championship.)

Edge vs Randy Orton

(On an episode of Raw in May, Randy Orton confronts Edge and tells him that he was the better wrestler in their Steel Cage match, but he couldn't beat him in a straight-up wrestling match, which leads to Orton challenging Edge to a straight up wrestling match. There is no "The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever" tagline for this match either. This is the same match as in real life, with Edge unfortunately tearing his triceps.)

TV Title Changes

07/07/2020 - Damian Priest defeats Dominik Dijakovic to win the NXT North American Championship

NXT Takeover: Boston

Date: August 20th, 2020 (it takes place on a Thursday so it doesn't go up against the AEW Dynamite episode that saw Brodie Lee squash Cody for the TNT title)

Location: TD Garden, Boston Massachusetts

Card

Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match for the NXT Tag Team Championships

Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser & Giovani Vinci) (C) vs Breezango vs Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs Legado Del Fantasma (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro) w/Santos Escobar

(On the 05/12/20 episode of NXT, Imperium beat the team of Matt Riddle & Timothy Thatcher to win the vacant NXT Tag Team Championships. Other than that, there isn't much story to this match other than all four teams want the titles.)

Finn Balor vs Timothy Thatcher

(Following a qualifying match for the NXT North American Championship Ladder Match that sees both men lose to Dexter Lumis in a match where Lumis gets injured and is forced to be pulled from the match, Finn Balor (the man who wasn't submitted by Lumis in the match) is granted a second chance match against KUSHIDA (who wasn't pinned in his triple threat qualifying match involving Cameron Grimes and Drake Maverick), where Thatcher costs Balor the match. Thatcher says that because Balor didn't tap, he now doesn't have an opportunity at the North American Championship. Balor says that Thatcher is a sore loser who is gonna catch the beating he deserves.)

5-Man Ladder Match for the NXT North American Championship

Damian Priest (C) vs Bronson Reed vs Johnny Gargano vs Cameron Grimes vs KUSHIDA

(Following Damian Priest winning the North American Championship from Dominik Dijakovic at The Great American Bash TV Special, Damian Priest requests to William Regal that he sets up a 5 man ladder match for Takeover Boston, because he wants to show all the NXT fans that he's a fighting champion, which William Regal agrees to do. A number of Triple Threat qualifying matches are set up. Cameron Grimes defeats KUSHIDA and Drake Maverick to qualify, Johnny Gargano defeats Ridge Holland and Oney Lorcan to qualify, Bronson Reed defeats Roderick Strong and Killian Dain to qualify, and due to an ankle injury suffered by Dexter Lumis, who defeats Finn Balor and Timothy Thatcher in a Triple Threat to qualify, Lumis is pulled from the match due to an ankle injury and replaced by KUSHIDA, who defeats Finn Balor in a second chance qualifying match. It's The Archer of Infamy who retains his title in the end.)

Adam Cole vs Pat McAfee

(Following him losing the NXT Championship to Keith Lee at In Your House, Adam Cole makes an appearance on The Pat McAfee show, which goes horribly wrong with Adam walking out on the set and slapping Pat after Pat treas him like sh*t the whole time. Pat then shows up on NXT a few weeks later, attacking Adam Cole and punting him. Adam (who along with the rest of The UE are now faces as a result) challenges Pat to a match at Takeover Boston, guaranteeing to send that nerd back to football. Pat accepts, vowing to prove that Adam is a soft little b*tch.)

NXT Women's Championship

Io Shirai (C) vs Dakota Kai w/Raquel Rodriguez

(Following a title defense over Tegan Nox, the now babyface Io Shirai is attacked by Dakota Kai and Raquel Rodriguez. The following week, Kai beats Rhea Ripley in a #1 contenders match to secure a title shot against Shirai. Kai says that everyone has placed Io Shirai on this unobtainable pedestal, where everyone thinks she's so great, she's untouchable, she's the best, yeah right, because she's never beaten Dakota Kai, because she's in Io's head, and Io knows it, and at Takeover, she will be walking out the new NXT Women's Champion. Io says that Dakota is acting like she's some big star, but until she betrayed Tegan Nox, no one knew who Dakota was, until they found she was a manipulator who uses people, Candice Lerae, Tegan Nox, and eventually, Raquel Rodriguez, and behind all of that treachery is the same old little girl who was terrified of Shayna Baszler, and just like she was of Shayna, at Takeover 30, she will be terrified of her.)

NXT Championship

Keith Lee (C) vs Karion Kross w/Scarlett (By Technical Submission)

(Following Keith Lee's title victory over Adam Cole, Karrion Kross makes it his mission to get Lee's attention and secure his title. He starts by brutalising Dominik Dijakovic, forcing him to leave on a stretcher following their match. Kross says that there's 2 ways he can do things with Keith Lee, the easy way, where he gives him his shot at the title, or the hard way, where Lee's loved ones continue to suffer. Following an attempted attack on Mia Yim, Lee gives Kross a shot at the title, saying he's going to pay with his life. Kross wins by making Lee pass out to the Kross Jacket, but also injuring his shoulder in the match, and having to vacate the title the following week. This is also Lee's final NXT match.)

I've been watching NXT UK a lot in recent weeks to know what to book for it. There will be more NXT UK Takeovers going forward.

Summerslam 2020

Date: August 23rd, 2020

Location: TD Garden, Boston, Massachusetts

Card

Pre Show

Nikki Cross vs Alexa Bliss

(Following their tag title loss, Alexa Bliss starts to become a bit unhinged, a bit crazy, with Nikki trying to calm her down. Alexa finally snaps on the 08/03/20 episode of Raw after a loss to The IIconics, turning heel on Cross, leading to this match. Alexa is also in her supernatural gimmick, but with no Bray Wyatt alliance and no Lilly Doll in sight)

Loser Leaves Town Match

Mandy Rose w/Heavy Machinery vs Sonya Deville

(Fire N Desire implode after month’s of backstage brawls and sneak attacks! Sonya takes an indefinite hiatus away from WWE due to the real-life stalking incident)

Main Card

Open Challenge for the Money in the Bank Briefcase

Shinsuke Nakamura (MITB Holder) w/Paul Heyman vs Roman Reigns

(In the weeks leading up to Summerslam, Shinsuke Nakamura announces that he will issue an open challenge for his Money in the Bank Briefcase at Summerslam. Roman Reigns makes his triumphant return after months away due to injuries, wearing a shirt that says "Wreck Everyone and Leave". Towards the end of the match, Roman accidentally hits the ref with a Superman Punch, allowing Naka to hit a german suplex on Reigns and get him into position for the Kinshasa, when Paul Heyman enters the ring, and shockingly low blows Nakamura. Heyman then gets Roman to his feet, and offers a handshake to Roman, which Roman accepts, officially turning Roman heel. Roman then hits a spear on Nakamura, a new ref runs down, Roman goes for the pin, 1-2-3, Roman is now Mr. Money in the Bank. Following the match, Roman hits Naka with a conchairto, writing Shinsuke off TV for the rest of the year.)

Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match for the Raw Tag Team Championships

The Hurt Business (Cedric Alexander & Shelton Benjamin) (C) w/MVP vs The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Big E) vs The Street Profits vs Andrade "Cien" Almas & Angel Garza w/Zelina Vega

(Not much story, all 4 teams want the tag team championships.)

WWE United States Championship

Bobby Lashley (C) w/The Hurt Business vs Apollo Crews

(Crews returns in early August and sets his sights straight for The Hurt Business following Alexander's betrayal. Apollo says that he may not be able to get his hands on Cedric for turning on him, but he'll sure as hell take the US title from the clutches of Bobby Lashley and The Hurt Business. MVP says Apollo is weak for not accepting The Hurt Business's offer, and Lashley will make him suffer for it.)

Smackdown Tag Team Championships

Sheamus & King Corbin (C) vs Chad Gable & Mustafa Ali

(The blowoff to the Smackdown Hacker storyline. Towards the end of the match, all of the lights in the arena and the trons fade to black, 1 by 1, where across the titantron say "you were warned", with the lights coming back on, but a number of men wearing the oringal Smackdown Hacker mask surround the ring. This distracts Corbin who gets hit with a Chaos Theory into the 054, allowing Ali and Gable to become the new tag team champions.)

Stretcher Match for the Raw Women's Championship

Shayna Baszler (C) vs Asuka

(After coming up short in their Submission Match at Extreme Rules, Asuka wants one more match with Shayna Baszler... a Stretcher Match! Asuka says that she wants Shayna to feel the same pain she inflicted on Kairi when she had to be stretchered away at Money in the Bank, and that same pain is gonna cost her the Raw Women's Championship. Shayna says that she loves that Asuka wants a Stretcher match, cause she gets to go 2 for 2 in sending away The Kabuki Warriors on a stretcher.)

WWE Intercontinental Championship

Ricochet (C) vs EC3

(EC3 turns his attention back to the IC title following Extreme Rules. EC3 says that he hasn't been the same since he lost that title, he needs that belt back, and he doesn't care if he upsets all the uneducated marks & keyboard warriors online by beating Ricochet for that belt, he is a star, and Ricochet just doesn't have the starpower required to hold that title. Following the match, Sami Zayn returns with his version of the IC title, as the 2 IC Champs faceoff.)

WWE Women's Tag Team Championships

Bayley & Sasha Banks (C) vs The Riott Squad

(On the 08/07/20 episode of Smackdown, Bayley and Sasha are about to break Ruby Riott's leg, when Liv Morgan makes her return after a month away and fights off Bayley and Sasha Banks, with Ruby then offering her hand. Liv then grabs Ruby's hand, pulls her up, and the 2 women embrace, reforming the Riott Squad. Liv and Ruby promise to make Bayley and Sasha pay for everything at Summerslam, while Bayley and Sasha say that they can't wait to break both of their legs at Summerslam. Liv gets the win with Ob-Liv-ion on Sasha.)

Unsanctioned Match

Seth Rollins w/Buddy Murphy vs Dominik Mysterio w/Rey Mysterio

(Following the beating Seth Rollins gave his father at Extreme Rules, Dominik Mysterio attacks Seth Rollins and challenges him to a match at Summerslam. Rollins says he doesn't wanna beat up some kid who has his whole future ahead of him, but if this is what he wants, then so be it.)

Fatal 5-Way Match for the WWE Championship

Drew McIntyre (C) vs AJ Styles vs Aleister Black vs Kevin Owens vs Randy Orton

(Following Extreme Rules, AJ Styles and Aleister Black each demand a remach against Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship, when Kevin Owens then comes out and says that AJ has had one shot too many, and Aleister just got beat,sod it's time for someone else to get a shot at Drew. Randy Orton (who's just hospitalised Christian, Ric Flair, Big Show, and Shawn Michaels) then comes out and says that he has sent multiple legends to the ER this year, he deserves to be rewarded for it and wants a title shot. Drew says he'll take all 4 of them on at the same time.)

Firefly Funhouse Match

"The Fiend" Bray Wyatt vs Triple H

(Following Mania, a 6th slash is added to the funhouse wall, and we don't see Bray for a bit as The Fiend takes its toll on him. In July, Bray re-emerges, in NXT, to confront his father (upon seeing Bray in NXT, Finn Balor freaks the f*ck out). NXT wrestlers slowly get injured one by one. Bray's "father", Triple H, eventually confronts Bray to get him to stop, and Bray says the only way for it to stop, is if they have a Firefly Funhouse Match at Summerslam. The match is a rundown of Triple H's career, all the betrayals, all the hurt. There's a curtain call throwback, a drive through wedding between Triple H and the Vince doll, but Bray says to Triple H "the worst betrayals are the ones you don't see coming, when you raise us up, nurture us, but fail to protect us. You can create us, but that doesn't give you the right to destroy us, you can put a suit on a monster, but that won't soak up the blood, that won't pick up the pieces, of the Chyna dolls you've broken". Bray then becomes The Fiend, defeats Triple H, and there are now 7 slashes in the wall.)

Triple Threat TLC Match for the World Heavyweight Championship - Money in the Bank Cash-in

Braun Strowman (C) vs Jeff Hardy vs Roman Reigns w/Paul Heyman (MITB Holder)

(After coming up short against The Monster Among Men at Extreme Rules, Jeff wants another match against Strowman at Summerslam, one where he has the advantage, in an environment where he thrives, T, L, C. Strowman accepts, saying it doesn't matter what type of match it is, he'll take great pride in battering Jeff once again. Towards the end of the match, Jeff hits a Swanton to Strowman through a stack of tables outside the ring, where Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman come down with a referee, Roman cashes in to add himself into the match, climbs the ladder, unhooks the belt to become the new World Heavyweight Champion.)

TV Title Changes

08/25/2020 - Karrion Kross vacates the NXT Championship due to injury