WWE has moved on from WrestleMania, and now it’s time for Backlash.
The wrestling world never stops, and with Las Vegas in the rear view, the focus turns to this weekend in Tampa, Florida, with another stacked card.
From championship clashes to grudge matches and a mystery tag partner, WWE has loaded up Backlash from top to bottom, including some bouts fans expected to see at WrestleMania.
Thrown in a much-hyped appearance from the recently retired John Cena, and this has all the makings of a special night, which kicks off a hectic few weeks for the sports entertainment giant.
In May alone, fans have Backlash, followed by Saturday Night’s Main Event on May 23, and Clash In Italy a week later.
Before all that, here’s everything you need to know for this weekend’s event.
When is WWE Backlash 2026?
WWE Backlash isn’t far away now. Everything kicks off on Saturday (May 9) at 11pm for fans in the UK.
How to watch Backlash on Netflix?
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You know the drill by now! As with almost all WWE action now, UK fans can watch Backlash either live or on demand via Netflix.
The show is part of your regular subscription, so it’s as simple as logging in and hitting play.
For UK viewers, the Netflix subscription includes a huge amount of WWE content, including live weekly episodes of Raw, NXT and SmackDown, plus monthly PLEs and hundreds of historic events.
Other shows include both seasons of the tell-all docu-series WWE Unreal, and the new four-part documentary Hulk Hogan: Real American.
WWE Backlash 2026 full match card
- World Heavyweight Title: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
- Iyo Sky vs. Asuka
- US Title: Trick Williams (c) vs. Sami Zayn
- Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker
- Danhausen & mystery partner vs. The Miz & Kit Wilson
When is WWE next in the UK?
Tickets for the WWE European Summer Tour are available now from wwe.com/events. Here are the full dates, including new shows in London and Sheffield.
- May 28: M&S Bank Arena (Liverpool)
- May 29: SmackDown at Olimpic Arena Badalona (Barcelona)
- May 31: Clash In Italy at Inalpi Arena (Turin)
- June 1: Monday Night Raw at Inalpi Arena (Turin)
- June 2: Zenith de Strasbourg
- June 3: MEO Arena (Lisbon)
- June 4 Palacio Vistalegre (Madrid)
- June 5: SmackDown at Unipol Arena (Bologna)
- June 6: Palazzo delio Sport (Rome)
- June 7: Nelson Mandela Forum (Florence)
- June 8: Monday Night Raw at Accor Arena (Paris)
- June 20: Utilita Arena (Cardiff)
- June 21: Utilita Arena (Birmingham)
- June 22: Monday Night Raw at The O2 (London)
- June 23: SmackDown at The O2 (London)
- June 24: Utilita Arena (Sheffield)
Who is Danhausen’s mystery partner at Backlash?
Metro’s WWE expert Alistair McGeorge gives his thoughts on the tag match.
There are plenty of options for Danhausen’s partner this weekend, but two names make sense above all others.
Now, there’s a chance it could be Jelly Roll, particularly after Kit Wilson hinted there were plans for their feud to be part of WrestleMania before things changed.
However, given the way Jelly and Pat McAfee were written off at Mania (and the backlash, no pun intended, to the overwhelming use of celebrities lately), it might be that WWE decides against that one for now.
Honestly, I think CM Punk will be the one, and hear me out. Punk and Danhausen are good friends away from the ring, and it’s no stretch to imagine the former world champ would get a kick out of them teaming together.
After losing to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, he hasn’t established his next feud yet, and he’s currently not on the Backlash card.
This would be a fun way to give the crowd a pop, get Punk out there in a unique way, and give Kit and Danhausen another rub after working with John Cena in Las Vegas. Another option is Mr Iguana, if WWE wants to get a great reaction without bringing Punk into the fray. Either one feels like a win-win.
What is John Cena’s Backlash announcement?
John Cena retired from wrestling in December 2025, calling time on his in-ring career while promising he will always be part of the WWE family.
That proved to be the case last month when he hosted WrestleMania, and now it’s been confirmed he will be at Backlash on Saturday.
On X, he wrote: ‘It’s official! I’m headed to #WWEBacklash! After months of planning and effort, I am SO excited to break some history-making news! I can’t promise it’ll be perfect, but I can promise it will change the WWE experience for Superstars and fans!’
Fans have been wondering what this special announcement will be, especially with Cena really hyping up its impact.
According to reports, the signs are pointing towards it involving the recently-unveiled Club WWE, which has been described as ‘the ultimate insider membership programme’ offering ‘exclusive access, rewards and experiences’.
From ‘inside scoops’ and behind-the-scenes footage to presales, meet-and-greets and more, WWE and Cena have really been pushing the new project.
Of course, the 17-time world champ is teasing something ‘history-making’, so it’s fair to assume they have something major up their sleeves.
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