WWE Backlash — 2017
Date: May 21, 2017
Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
Match card:
Tye Dillinger def. (pin) Aiden English in 8:20 — Singles match
Shinsuke Nakamura def. (pin) Dolph Ziggler in 15:40 — Singles match
The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) (c) def. (pin) Breezango (Fandango and Tyler Breeze) in 9:18 — Tag team match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships
Sami Zayn def. (pin) Baron Corbin in 14:35 — Singles match
Natalya & Carmella & Tamina def. (sub) Naomi & Becky Lynch & Charlotte in 10:04 — Six-person tag team match
Kevin Ownens (c) def. (countout) A.J. Styles in 21:11 — Singles match for the WWE United States Championship
Luke Harper def. (pin) Erick Rowan in 9:01 — Singles match
Jinder Mahal def. (pin) Randy Orton (c) in 15:44 — Singles match for the WWE Championship Title change
One of the biggest upsets in WWE history happened as WWE champion Randy Orton fell to Jinder Mahal in the main event of Backlash.
Since moving over to Smackdown Live, Mahal has undergone a career resurgence. Much like JBL's rise in the mid-2000s on the blue brand, Mahal has racked up win after win, been treated as a main event player, and was paired with the Singh brothers to further establish his credibility.
Mahal's 3MB days — even his time before that with The Great Khali — feels like forever ago, as Mahal has a different look, exudes far more confidence, and now looks the part of a main eventer on Smackdown Live.
Still, Mahal's victory is a shocker as coming into the night, he hadn't won a championship in the WWE of any kind before capturing the biggest title on the blue brand.
For Orton, this will be one of his most-forgettable reigns as Top Dog, that started with a surprise victory over Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 33 only to drop the belt to Mahal not long after.
