Batista narrates WrestleMania Backlash intro, “Army of the Dead” zombies appear as lumberjacks
Former WWE Champion Batista sent some of his “Army of the Dead” zombies to tonight’s WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view.
We noted earlier how Batista tweeted a pre-show tweet and said he couldn’t make it to the pay-per-view, but some of his “friends” would be there. It was previously announced that Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” movie would be sponsoring WrestleMania Backlash. Those “friends” of The Animal’s were a large group of zombies.
The zombies were used for the Zombies Lumberjack Match between The Miz and Damian Priest. The match saw Priest get the win, but at one point he and Miz teamed up at ringside to fight off a group of zombies. Morrison ran away early during the match but came back down the ramp to fight off several zombies. He ended up getting pulled over the barrier by a few zombies, and then eaten. The finish of the match saw Priest get the win but then retreat to safety as the zombies invaded the ring to eat The Miz while he was down.
Regarding the storyline reason for the zombies, Adam Pearce revealed on Twitter that he was behind the match change. This goes back to RAW where Priest asked Pearce to make the match with The Miz a Lumberjack Match, telling him he could bring “RAW Superstars, SmackDown Superstars, aliens or even zombies.”
Batista also narrated the opening video package for tonight’s WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view. You can see that video below.
“Army of the Dead” had a limited theatrical release this past weekend, and will hit Netflix this coming Friday. You can click here to watch the first 15 minutes of the zombie heist movie.
Stay tuned for more. You can see Batista’s original tweet below, along with photos and video clips from the Zombie Lumberjack Match at WrestleMania Backlash, and the opening video package narrated by The Animal:
Wishing good luck to all the WWE Superstars competing tonight at #WMBacklash. Sorry I couldn’t make it … but some of my friends will. #ArmyOfTheDead @WWE
— The Artist Formerly Known as Super Duper Dave (@DaveBautista) May 16, 2021
Yo, we were kidding! #WMBacklash https://t.co/t05h4OzJWi
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) May 17, 2021
It is official. https://t.co/uJNHABc8cf
— Adam Pearce (@ScrapDaddyAP) May 17, 2021
"I'm going to make sure everything is in place so that @ArcherOfInfamy falls right into our thirst trap."
… 😳#WMBacklash #LumberjackMatch @mikethemiz @TheRealMorrison pic.twitter.com/WoxdraBh6j
— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) May 16, 2021
😱😱😱#WMBacklash @TheRealMorrison #LumberjackMatch pic.twitter.com/Z4v5HQItKP
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
There's a chill in the air tonight at #WMBacklash… #ArmyoftheDead @NetflixFilm #BrandPartnership pic.twitter.com/TI6DZFsKoq
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
The #ArmyOfTheDead is about to take over #WMBacklash! @NetflixFilm #BrandPartnership pic.twitter.com/QQBEBTPnrE
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
🏹🏹🏹#WMBacklash #LumberjackMatch @ArcherOfInfamy pic.twitter.com/d9jEprosXZ
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
WHAT IS HAPPENING?!?!#WMBacklash #LumberjackMatch pic.twitter.com/JCVfAbxxe9
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
"The Lumberjacks are ZOMBIES!" 😱#WMBacklash Zombie #LumberjackMatch #ArmyOfTheDead @mikethemiz @ArcherOfInfamy pic.twitter.com/8t1buCdMzw
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
LOOK OUT! 🧟♂️#WMBacklash @mikethemiz @ArcherOfInfamy Zombie #LumberjackMatch pic.twitter.com/J6Z9kUOyaC
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
Johnny…
JOHNNY?!?!#WMBacklash Zombie #LumberjackMatch @TheRealMorrison pic.twitter.com/VkiUVWYcYC
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
#ArmyoftheDead takes over #WMBacklash in the Zombie #LumberjackMatch! @NetflixFilm @ZackSnyder #BrandPartnership pic.twitter.com/EEfFZFRDMr
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
.@ArcherOfInfamy survives the Zombie #LumberjackMatch!#WMBacklash #ArmyOfTheDead pic.twitter.com/Hsx9P47trI
— WWE (@WWE) May 17, 2021
Cornette is gonna looooooove this.
Cornette hates Miz but loves MJF.
Cornette hates Miz and doesn’t like stupid things (e.g. teleporting) happening in wrestling but he loves horror movies so Cornette will be in 2 minds of hating it because zombies in wrestling most likely feels stupid to him and Cornette loving it because The Miz was the victim.
Remember 2 weeks ago when the WWE said that Blood and Guts set the business back 30 years?
Vince: We need to do something, and people are catching on to us borrowing ideas from AEW. We need something fresh.
Triple H: Well, there used to be a promotion called Lucha Underground. They used to do crazy stuff. They’d have mystics, zombies, and even staged a decapitation.
Vince. Excellent, I love it. Let’s do that.
Triple H: The decapitation?
Vince: No, the zombies, everyone loves zombies.
Triple H: Phew. What a relief. I thought you wanted us to cut off someone’s head.
Vince: Save that idea for Survivor Series.
Triple H: Um, Okay.