WWE Backlash Preshow Coverage: Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English
We go live into the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois and Renee Young, Peter Rosenburg, and Booker T welcome us to the show. Renee throws it to Dasha Fuentes in the Social Media Lounge and she informs us that her guest later tonight will be Sami Zayn. We then see Shinsuke Nakamura’s locker room and then take a look at the video hype package for the match between Nakamura and Dolph Ziggler. Booker says Nakamura’s name rings volume and compares him to The Great Muta. Rosenburg says he is excited to finally see Nakamura get to work in the ring tonight. Booker says Nakamura will take it to another level tonight and Ziggler will have to take it to another level tonight. Rosenburg and Booker both say that Nakamura has more pressure on him and must get the win tonight, but neither officially make a prediction.
We see interview with Tye Dillinger and Aiden English, who are in tonight’s preshow match. Dillinger says he is finally coming back to Chicago and is excited, but English interrupts. English says Dillinger has interrupted him twice on Smackdown Live, but he will debut his best piece yet, The Perfect Downfall, when he beats Dillinger. Dillinger says he will deliver another beat down to English and throws him a tissue and tells him to try not to cry about it.
James Ellsworth has joined the panel. Ellsworth says The Welcoming Committee is feeling great. He says they have left Smackdown Live standing tall over Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Naomi over the last few weeks. He says he is the homeboy of the Welcoming Committee and reminds us that he has beaten AJ Styles three times. He says he comes up with the plans and they always works. Ellsworth says his girl, Carmella, has two victories over Naomi and they want her to have a match for the WWE Smackdown Women’s Championship. He is asked about his relationship with Carmella, and he says she is his homegirl. He gets a call from Carmella and leaves. Rosenburg says The Welcoming Committee will win tonight and Booker agrees.
The panel talks about the match between Baron Corbin and Sami Zayn. Booker says Zayn has the biggest heart of anybody on the roster, but Rosenburg says that won’t matter against Corbin. Booker and Renee pick Zayn to win, while Rosenburg goes with Corbin. Talk then transitions into the match between The Usos and Breezango. Booker says he is not a fan of Breezango because they joke around to much and he likes The Usos because they take everything seriously. Rosenburg goes to speak, but Erick Rowan walks up and stands behind the table before walking away. Rosenburg and Booker both pick The Usos to retain the titles.
We go backstage and see Dolph Ziggler. He says he is prepared and that Nakamura has not existed to him before tonight. Ziggler says it’s easy to show up and debut, but Nakamura will not deliver tonight. Ziggler says their match is first and he would hate to have to follow the clinic that he is going to put on tonight. He says he cannot wait to tell all the Nakamura fanboys “I told you so.”
We see the video hype package for the match between Kevin Owens and AJ Styles. Rosenburg says people may love Owens, but Styles is the best Superstar in the WWE and says their match will be the Match of the Night tonight. Booker says Styles has delivered since he has been here, but says he is not the best in the locker room. Booker says this is a dream match and everyone will remember where they were when this match took place. Booker picks Owens to retain, while Rosenburg picks Styles to win the United States title.
We join Dasha Fuentes and Sami Zayn in the Social Media Lounge. Zayn is asked if he thinks he has a chance of beating Baron Corbin tonight. He says he is the underdog, but beating Corbin will prove that he shouldn’t be. He is asked if he has gotten better opportunities since coming to Smackdown Live. He says there have been more opportunities to get in the ring with different guys and it’s a fresh start. He is asked his secret for always having a positive attitude. He says he recovers well from tough losses, but he wouldn’t say he always has a positive attitude about everything.
Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English
English takes Dillinger down with a side headlock takedown, but Dillinger counters and takes English down to the mat and taunts him. English connects with a back elbow to the jaw and takes Dillinger to the corner. Dillinger counters and sends English face first into the turnbuckle. English scurries away and Dillinger chases, but English drapes Dillinger over the top rope. English drops Dillinger with a DDT. English back into the corner and charges at Dillinger. English connects with a hip attack as we head to a break.
We’re back and English is still in control and applies a rear chin lock to Dillinger. Dillinger fights to his feet, but English drives a knee into his back. Dillinger breaks the hold and takes English down with a roll up. English gets out at two, but Dillinger delivers an atomic drop. Dillinger chops English a few times and takes him down with a forearm. Dillinger delivers ten left hands in the corner and drops the knee pad. English rolls out of the ring, but Dillinger tosses him back in. English rolls outside again and drapes Dillinger over the rope rope. English goes up top, but Dillinger catches him and tosses him down to the mat. Dillinger goes for the frog splash, but English moves and tosses Dillinger down with a release suplex. English goes for the cover, but Dillinger kicks out at two. English almost starts crying, but stops and grabs Dillinger. He delivers a scoop slam and goes up top. He goes for a senton, but Dillinger moves. English charges at Dillinger, but Dillinger catches him and delivers the Tye-breaker and gets the pin fall.
Winner: Tye Dillinger.
Back to the panel, and they begin talking about the match between Erick Rowan and Luke Harper. Rowan walks up again and sits down at the table again. He pulls sheep masks out of his bag and crumbles them up. He steals Rosenburg’s handkerchief and stuff it inside another mask. He puts the mask on and pats Rosenburg on the back before he leaves. The panel then talk about the match between Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton. Booker says Mahal is ready to go and Rosenburg says Orton is sometimes known for not stepping it up in matches, but he better step it up tonight. We then see the video hype package for the match as the Backlash Preshow comes to a close.
