Updated WWE Backlash 2018 Pro Wrestling Betting Odds

Written by Jim Murphy

–The first of the new ‘co-branded’ PPV events will be WWE Backlash 2018.

–The ‘Backlash’ PPV was first held in 1999.

–’WWE Backlash 2018′ takes place on May 6, 2018, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Back to what approximates ‘business as usual’ in the WWE following the somewhat bizarre ‘Greatest Royal Rumble’ event in Saudi Arabia. ‘WWE Backlash 2018’ is the first of the new ‘co branded’ PPV events which will feature both the RAW and Smackdown brands. The recent roster changes that occurred at the ‘2018 Superstar Shakeup’ are still being assimilated and the card for this event reflects this reality. The Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe match, for example, was scheduled before the roster changes. Following this match, Samoa Joe goes off to Smackdown with Reigns destined for RAW so don’t expect a lengthy feud between the two to develop.

The odds below reflect the card as of Wednesday, May 2. I’ve updated the odds for all eight matches and added a number of ‘star rating’ proposition bets. There’s not really any news afoot of any additional matches being added to ‘Backlash 2018’ though if you know anything about the WWE it’s that a match is never set in stone until the bell rings. Like most recent WWE cards it looks solid ‘on paper’ with the potential of being excellent. Then again, there’s always a ‘downside risk’ that the wrestler’s won’t work up to their capability or just not ‘mesh’. Several of the WWE’s best workers are in matches against opponents that won’t help things in terms of match quality. Daniel Bryan, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens will be limited by their opposition which is why both matches are expected to ‘contend’ for the ‘lowest star rating’ award. Bryan, Zayn and K.O. are more than capable of delivering an excellent match against decent opposition but that’s not really the case here. The two women’s matches are also a question mark–the WWE’s distaff can work a solid match but none of the four in action here are of the level where they can ‘carry’ a match if nothing else is working.

The main event–a ‘No Disqualification’ match between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura should be more than solid. Not surprising, given that both men are among the top half dozen or so wrestlers on the planet. For whatever reason, however, none of the WWE matches between Styles and Nakamura have come close to their first high profile singles match against each other. That was the co-main event of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 at the Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2016. In their match for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, Styles and ‘The King of Strong Style’ put on an excellent 4 3/4 star battle ultimately won by Nakamura. Both of their recent WWE encounters have been a cut below that with a 3 3/4 match at ‘Wrestlemania 34’ and a match in the same range (probably more of a 3.5 star matchup–the official Meltzer ratings haven’t been released at the time of this writing) at the recent ‘Greatest Royal Rumble’ show in Saudi Arabia. Even so, both are so good it would be almost impossible for them to do anything that weighed in below 3.5 stars.

AJ vs. Nakamura is my favorite for the highest star rating on the show but all of the other men’s singles matches (with the exception of the previously discussed Daniel Bryan vs. Big Cass match) are capable of reaching or exceeding four stars. Given the quality of competitors in these matches they should easily do 3 stars or higher.

WWE BACKLASH 2018 PRO WRESTLING BETTING ODDS UPDATED MAY 2, 2018

WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Shinsuke Nakamura: +150
AJ Styles: -180

SINGLES MATCH

Daniel Bryan: -350
Big Cass: +300

WWE SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Charlotte Flair: -150
Carmella: +130

WWE RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP

Alexa Bliss: +500
Nia Jax: -750

SINGLES MATCH

Roman Reigns: -450
Samoa Joe: +375

WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Seth Rollins: -450
The Miz: +375

WWE UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH

Jeff Hardy: -250
Randy Orton: +210

TAG TEAM MATCH

Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley: -350
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn: +300

TOTAL NUMBER OF TITLES TO CHANGE HANDS AT ‘WWE BACKLASH 2018’?

Over 1.5: +210
Under 1.5 -250

Title holders at end of broadcast will be used to grade this bet

TOTAL NUMBER OF TITLES TO CHANGE HANDS AT ‘WWE BACKLASH 2018’?

Over 0.5: +130
Under 0.5 -150

Title holders at end of broadcast will be used to grade this bet

WWE BACKLASH 2018 STAR RATING PROPOSITION BETTING ODDS

THE WRESTLING OBSERVER/DAVE MELTZER’S STAR RATING FOR THE SHINSUKE NAKAMURA VS. AJ STYLES WWE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH?

Over 3.5 stars: +135
3.5 stars: +105
Under 3.5 stars: +190

THE WRESTLING OBSERVER/DAVE MELTZER’S STAR RATING FOR THE DANIEL BRYAN VS. BIG CASS MATCH?

Over 2.5 stars: +200
2.5 stars: +125
Under 2.5 stars: +105

THE WRESTLING OBSERVER/DAVE MELTZER’S STAR RATING FOR THE CHARLOTTE FLAIR VS. CARMELLA SMACKDOWN WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH?

Over 3 stars: +175
3 stars: +110
Under 3 stars: +135

THE WRESTLING OBSERVER/DAVE MELTZER’S STAR RATING FOR THE ALEXA BLISS VS. NIA JAX RAW WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH?

Over 3 stars: +175
3 stars: +110
Under 3 stars: +135

THE WRESTLING OBSERVER/DAVE MELTZER’S STAR RATING FOR THE JEFF HARDY VS. RANDY ORTON UNITED STATES CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH?

Over 3.5 stars: +135
3.5 stars: +120
Under 3.5 stars: +170

THE WRESTLING OBSERVER/DAVE MELTZER’S STAR RATING FOR THE SETH ROLLINS VS. THE MIZ INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH?

Over 3.5 stars: +125
3.5 stars: +110
Under 3.5 stars: +200

THE WRESTLING OBSERVER/DAVE MELTZER’S STAR RATING FOR THE ROMAN REIGNS VS. SAMOA JOE MATCH?

Over 3.5 stars: +125
3.5 stars: +110
Under 3.5 stars: +200

THE WRESTLING OBSERVER/DAVE MELTZER’S STAR RATING FOR THE BRAUN STROWMAN/BOBBY LASHLEY VS. KEVIN OWENS/SAMI ZAYN MATCH?

Over 3 stars: +160
3 stars: +125
Under 3 stars: +135

WHICH MATCH WILL HAVE THE HIGHER STAR RATING?

Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax RAW Women’s Championship Match: +130
Charlotte Flair vs. Carmella Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: -150