WWE Backlash 2024 in Lyon, France - Terminez l'histoire

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Totally out of the loops for a few weeks (not even watched Dynasty yet), but after seeing a few clips from Backlash (and learning that Gable Stevenson had been given the boot, which certainly kept me in my best dispositions toward watching some WWE product), and since it was been showcased on TV a few days after the fact, I decided I had to watch it.

I told you the crowd was gonna be insane, but I that was understating what actually happened. They made the show (which really wasn't anything special, only the main event was great) totally unique, and for very good reasons which went totally above the head of the international audience. Like I said before, the biggest stars of the show were Agius & Chereau, the French announcers. Because THEY are responsible for this. They are the reason why there has been a hot pro-wrestling fan community in France. They built it thanks to their announcing, they made it popular. They've been around for more than 20 years now, and they are easily in the very best pro-wrestling announcers ever short list. So the crowd was not only hot for the wrestlers, but they were basically honoring Agius & Chereau all night long, because they know what they owe them. They are fans because of them. You could hear how humbled they both were at times. When Cody dropped Styles through their table and the "Agius Chereau" chant started, they actually were signaling the crowd to not chant for them but for the wrestlers. It was made even sweeter by the fact they were reunited for the first time in a long while for a PLE, as Chereau doesn't do the PLE anymore since they had moved them on the Network/Peacock only a few years back (he's under contract with a TV station, so he could not appear on the Network/Peacock). And haven't been announcing ringside in 10 years.

I still can't wrap my head around the fact the crowd did the "Simplement deux!" (which is basically a Chereau "gimmick" call) chant ALL NIGHT LONG FOR EACH AND EVERY COUNT. That's insane. From that perspective alone, it was just a legendary night, and the culmination of more than 20 years of building a WWE fandom in France, not just "the first PLE in France". When Corey introduced them as "hometown living legends" at the beginning of the show (I was regularly switching between languages, although mostly listening the the French announcers of course), he wasn't overstating it. To this audience, they absolutely are. For Agius, who's a bit younger than me but who started watching in 86 and started announcing for late WCW as a 19 year old kid, it must have been totally overwhelming. As the class-act that he is, he paid hommage to Carpentier, Hauray, Brassard & Rougeau (and yeah, even Blondin & Letourneur, who were WCW announcers) during the show.

I absolutely could have done without the chanting of the Marseillaise (jeeez, people), but apart from that minor quibble, the chanting was brillant all night long, especially the use of the cringe "Il est vraiment phénoménal !" chant for AJ which totally killed me. The performers all looked completely amazed by the reactions (Orton, Naomi, Jey were visibly having the time of their life). The fact they actually got fucking sound level alerts in the building is insane stuff. 

Show itself, crowd noise apart, was okay. Opening match was quite fun. Orton certainly looks like something runs in his veins, but it's not adrenaline. That was quite a memorable debut for Tama Tonga in WWE, I doubt he ever gets anymore heat. More power for Tanga Loa getting a contract despite being completely washed up after a near career-ending injury (not that he was ever better than "ok"). It really is all about the bloodline. Three-way women's match, well... Again, I never ever want to hear about how WWE's women division is so great and above AEW's. Tiffany is a lot of fun, looks awesome (and it's part of why she is pushed, let's be real) and I got a kick out of her doing the Lady Frost thingy and the Best Moonsault Ever. They sure don't learn no fLiPpY InDy ShIT at the Performance Center... Naomi has a place in my heart since her TNA stint. Bailey looked pretty sloppy at times, I must say. Jey vs Priest was such a nothing match without the crowd. Not bad, but the definition of "there". The women tag-team titles match was a mixed bag porn of really good and not so good. Jade Cargll is her old self, looking great doing a few spots, and kinda lost at other times. Also, next to Bianca, she doesn't look that imposing, and certainly not as athletic either. When you get both of them together, BeLair looks much, MUCH better on every level, unless you're a simp for just muscles and size. Asuka and Kairi are still excellent, and a title change was quite cool.

Main event was great. It's crazy how big and jacked Styles looks. WWE surely is all about wellness and shit, between him and Orton. He's certainly not the worker he used to be, but still ace, and Cody's main event style, well, it's basically exactly the style he did before. Much much better than the Roman Reigns dullfest that they presented for years, and a great way to cap off the first PLE in France.

But again. This was ALL about that damn crowd honoring Agius & Chereau. Well done.

I wanted to give a special shoutout to the Lyon crowd. You guys were on fire the whole night, making so much noise without overshadowing the matches! Thank you for bringing such incredible energy and making the show feel even bigger than it already was!