Despite a great deal of uncertainty backstage with the return of Vince McMahon, WWE has been flying high in 2023.
Attendances at live shows have been up, interest around the company is as high as it’s been for years, and WrestleMania 39 was another huge success, especially financially. On May 5th, the WWE roadshow rolled in Puerto Rico for SmackDown, before Backlash took place 24 hours later.
While the bloody clash between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar headlined the card, Bad Bunny vs. Damian Priest was the real main event. The match surpassed all expectations as the Hip Hop star returned to Puerto Rico to the kind of reception usually reserved for legends such as Steve Austin and The Rock.
The match also featured run-ins from Puerto Rican favourites Carlito and Savio Vega, to the delight of those watching. Speaking to Sportskeeda’s UnSkripted, Vega praised Bad Bunny for his performance, hinting that the sports entertainment giant is interested in using him again at SummerSlam.
This kid has two full matches,” Vega said.
“One at WrestleMania, and this singles match against Damian Priest. He’s natural. You know, they take him step by step all the way to the end, but he has the mentality. He has the power, he’s hungry for that. He loves it, he wants to make it good… He has it, and I hear they’re maybe talking about SummerSlam for him. I don’t know. They know what they’re going to do. But Bad Bunny hit the ball out of the park.”
WWE Backlash The Most Successful Ever
In the wake of the event, WWE announced that the show in Puerto Rico had been the most successful Backlash event in history. The company stated that the event was the most-streamed and highest-grossing show under that banner, as well as breaking records for merchandise and sponsorship.
H/t to Wrestling Inc