Before we get to the match, it's necessary to talk about the show itself. This was another home-run premium live event from WWE this year who continue to crush it for their big shows even if the week to week TV is skippable. The big talking point on this show was the hot crowd with Backlash being held in Puerto Rico, their first major WWE event since New Years Revolution in 2005. 'Hot' crowd is doing them a disservice. This is an all timer crowd that we'll probably be making reference to 10 years from now. San Juan were even better than Chicago for Money In The Bank 2011 because they weren't just passionate for one wrestler and that carried through the event (although Bad Bunny came off like Elvis in Memphis) - they were passionate for every second of wrestling they could get that night. The reaction to the ring announcements for Bianca Vs Iyo in the opener let you know you were in for a special night.
The match I had circled on this show as something I needed to watch was Cody Vs Brock. Not only did that sound like such a perfect combination of roles and styles on paper, red-hot babyface vs heel monster of all monsters, a modern day Sting Vs Vader, as well as a welcome change from Brock being in there with the big heavyweights, but Cody is in such an interesting position booking wise coming off the loss to Reigns that whichever way Vince decided to go with this result felt significant. If Cody wins here, then things look good for him to still be the top babyface in WWE, if he was to lose then those are back to back bodyblows that in the viewers eye I'm not sure he could have recovered from to feel like a top star anymore. I was strongly willing on Cody to win this match because he had everything to gain AND lose from this match whereas the result means nothing to Brock really - his spot is sown up until he's sick of the paycheck. Whenever you have that level of personal anticipation for a match, and then it delivers, you end up really high voter on it so I wouldn't be shocked if some of you are surprised I haven't gone with Bianca/Iyo or Bunny/Priest as my favourite match of the night.
This was the good version of Brock formula match, the one that doesn't just plug his opponents into the role of eat suplexes and F5s and we're done in 5 minutes. This was the one that allows his opponent time to shine and for themes to develop. I love Cody diving at Brock during his entrance to set up the pre-match beatdown. Brock was a coward in his original attack of Cody on the post-mania Raw, so it felt just and deserved for Cody to get his own back and bash the steel steps into him multiple times and crack a chair over his back. It's also a believable way to make the match more of a even playing ground as in a fair fight there's really no way Cody should be beating Brock. Cody doesn't even have a technique advantage over Brock like Bryan used to good effect - the only advantage he has is his brain, his in-ring IQ to set up bear traps for Brock to stumble into.
Brock catching the third disaster kick to deliver a mid-air german was a great cutoff spot, bettered 30 seconds later when he catches a crossbody and flings Cody behind him with a giant fall away slam. I totally expected Brock to just do the simple, expected transition to the F5 in that spot but instead he broke out a fall away slam which was tremendous to see. He goes into some typical Brock stuff with the back to back to back to back germans, but during this we get a glimpse of that fantastic Brock selling in between the germans where he's breathing heavy, red faced, pacing around slowly, still winded from Cody's attack. He's got Cody down but he's not on cruise control.
Of course we have to talk about Brock bleeding hard way after diving face first into the exposed turnbuckle cable. BLOOD IN PUERTO RICO~! All these guys and girls wearing white gear during the night and not bleeding - pffff. Forget Carlito and Savio Vega, Brock gifted us with the real tribute to Puerto Rican wrestling. I can't help but think of how much of a buzzkill it would have been if anyone else bled on this show and the refs had to halt the contest - Brock is literally the only one who could get away with gushing like this for WWE. That second pop when the crowd see the blood start to pour from his forehead was excellent and then Cody not needing a second initiation by punching and kneeing Lesnar in the forehead was brilliant to see, When Cody did the back to back Crossrhodes I thought that might be enough to win it, but then we go into Brock's version of overtime (passing the 10 minute mark) as he recovers to hit an F5s. You really did fear the worst when that hit that because he's done it so often to just brush aside his opponents and win. Great kickout by Cody. Brock's face is a picture when he locks in the Kimura and the hard cam can pick him up screaming at Cody with blood all over his face, I'm gutted I couldn't find the better angle of it as my photo for the review.
Here's one criticism of the match though - I really didn't like the finish. It didn't even come off like a clever fluke of a pin. Cody just rolled forward, Brock didn't react and it was an anticlimactic finish as Cody raced to the back. I think an audible should have been called to come up with something a bit better than that once it's turned into a bloodbath, but maybe, hoping against hope, that means Cody will eventually beat Brock in a non-fluky way to finish this feud up. Lame finish aside, I think this is my favourite Brock match since the Finn Balor one 4 years ago.
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