Heel Turn: Jacob Fatu makes statement at Backlash, all eyes on TNA star Leon Slater and more

There was a batch connected the enactment coming into WWE's Backlash premium unrecorded event. Jacob Fatu was looking to marque a connection against Roman Reigns, Trick Williams hoped to beryllium helium wasn’t a fluke and The Miz and Kit Wilson tried to flight a "curse."

For the astir part, Backlash went arsenic planned. Reigns defeated Fatu to clasp the World Heavyweight Championship but received a vicious beatdown aft the lucifer was over. Williams defended the United States Championship against Sami Zayn arsenic the challenger was distracted by Lil Yachty during the match.

Jacob Fatu wrestles Roman Reigns during WWE Backlash astatine Benchmark International Arena successful Tampa, Fla., connected May 9, 2026. (Kevin Sabitus/WWE)

The WWE Universe was abuzz with who Danhausen’s enigma spouse was going to be. Wilson and The Miz saw arsenic Mini-hausen emerged from a "cloning machine" to supply backup to the "Very Nice, Very Evil" superstar. Danhausen received a full clump of assistance from a fewer Mini-hausens done the match. In the end, it was Danhausen who scored a pin connected The Miz.

Meanwhile, Bron Breakker picked up 1 of the biggest victories of his vocation erstwhile helium defeated Seth Rollins. Breakker nailed Rollins with a torpedo spear astatine the extremity of a hard-fought match.

Then, determination was the Iyo Sky-Asuka match

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A caller chapter

IYO SKY and Asuka clasp during WWE Backlash astatine Benchmark International Arena successful Tampa, Fla., connected May 9, 2026. (Michael Owens/WWE via Getty Images)

Iyo Sky and Asuka enactment connected arguably the lucifer of the nighttime during Backlash. The atrocious humor that had festered betwixt the 2 competitors came to a boiling point. Asuka had painted Sky with her poison mist successful a confrontation earlier the match.

But it was Sky who would get the amended of Asuka. Two Bullet Train Attacks from Sky and the Over the Moonsault is what helped Sky to the victory. Asuka tried to unsighted Sky with poison mist, but Sky enactment up Wade Barrett’s notebook to artifact the blue.

Sky deed the Over the Moonsault perfectly and got the 3 count. But what happened adjacent whitethorn person signaled a caller roadworthy for Asuka.

Asuka was seen successful tears arsenic she and Sky embraced successful the mediate of the ring. Before the match, Asuka posted a cryptic photograph of herself looking retired the window. Then, Sky posted a connection astir her lucifer for Asuka connected X.

"Our communicative comes to its last section with today's match," she wrote. "The infinitesimal the lucifer ended, my bosom was filled with each sorts of emotions.

"Meeting ASUKA-san, Spending the aforesaid clip together, Being capable to larn truthful overmuch up adjacent -- These are irreplaceable treasures to me. Thank you truthful overmuch ASUKA-San. We emotion you ASUKA-San."

This didn’t look to beryllium the extremity for Asuka but it decidedly felt similar a "see you later" moment.

WWE STAR DANHAUSEN REFLECTS ON FIRST MONTHS WITH COMPANY, GIVES UPDATE ON DANHAUSENETTES

"Fairway to Hell" scores a hole-in-one

It was lone a one-hour event, but All Elite Wrestling's (AEW) "Fairway to Hell" peculiar received precocious praise connected Saturday night. The matches were held astatine the SoFi Center successful Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, which is an indoor play halfway that holds The Golf League events.

The greenery and the soil traps stayed successful spot arsenic the ringing was acceptable up successful the mediate of it all.

Darby Allin defended the AEW World Championship against Pac, Mark Davis became the caller AEW nationalist champion with a triumph implicit Jack Perry, The Divine Dominion of Megan Bayne and Lena Kross made casual enactment of Rachel Ley and Ruthie Slay and "Speedball" Mike Bailey defeated Kiran Grey.

Aside from the wrestling, the stunning visuals of Allin throwing Pac into a bunker and Pac tossing Allin disconnected the 2nd platform near fans delighted.

It was decidedly a hazard to usage the venue for pro wrestling, but it paid disconnected successful AEW’s favor. There volition surely person to beryllium different taping oregon 2 from the installation successful the future.

All eyes connected Leon Slater

Leon Slater enters the arena during NXT astatine the WWE Performance Center successful Orlando, Fla., connected Jan. 6, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE)

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) has a large prima successful Leon Slater and if destiny has it, helium volition acceptable a grounds should helium decision Cedric Alexander for the rubric aboriginal this week.

Slater and Alexander volition conflict it retired connected Thursday nighttime connected "Impact." If Slater wins, helium volition beryllium the longest reigning X Division champion surpassing Austin Aries.

Aries held the TNA X Division Championship for 298 days aft winning it astatine No Surrender 2011. He aboriginal vacated the title successful speech for a changeable astatine the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Slater won the rubric successful July 2025 astatine Slammiversary.

Aries reacted to Slater approaching his grounds astatine the extremity of April.

"Big instrumentality of @LEONSLATER_ and I person nary uncertainty helium volition surpass my record, but helium volition besides bash it having ne'er stepped successful the ringing with me. Number of days is great, but quantity ≠ quality," helium wrote connected X.

Mason Rook arrives astatine NXT

Mason Rook has lone been with WWE NXT for 2 weeks and helium has already made it wide that helium has his sights acceptable connected the NXT Championship.

NXT champion Tony D’Angelo went one-on-one with Tavion Heights successful a non-title lucifer connected Tuesday night. Kam Hendrix interfered successful the match, but NXT North American champion Myles Borne came successful and chased him off.

D’Angelo deed Heights with Dead to Rights and won the match. As D’Angelo was paying his respect to Heights, Rook attacked him from behind. Rook picked up D’Angelo implicit his shoulders and drove him into Heights, who was seated successful the corner.

Rook was the 1 lasting tall.

"My sanction is Mason Rook and I’ve arrived successful NXT," helium said to the camera.

Rook, formerly known arsenic Will Kroos, made a sanction for himself successful Progress Wrestling wherever helium was the Progress atlas champion. He besides spent clip connected the autarkic circuit successful Britain arsenic good arsenic Pro Wrestling Noah successful Japan.

"Like I said, Mason Rook has arrived successful NXT," helium said arsenic helium walked to the back. "And if you didn’t know, present you know."

John Cena besides showed enactment for Rook.

AEW Double oregon Nothing paper comes together

Darby Allin and Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) person to hash retired the last details but it looks similar they are trending toward a hairsbreadth vs. rubric lucifer astatine Double oregon Nothing for the AEW World Championship. Allin inactive has to support his rubric connected "Dynamite," but MJF volition beryllium expected to amusement up and motion the lucifer declaration if helium wants to support contending for the title.

On its face, the paper is beauteous stacked. Double oregon Nothing volition instrumentality spot connected May 24 astatine Louis Armstrong Stadium successful Queens, New York.

• Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita for the AEW International Championship.
• Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler (c) vs. Adam Copeland and Christian Cage successful an I Quit lucifer for the AEW World Tag Team Championship.
• Chris Jericho, Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, Jack Perry, Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson vs. Ricochet, Bishop Kaun, Toa Liona, Mark Davis and 3 Don Callis Family members successful a stadium stampede match.
• Thekla (c) vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Kris Statlander vs. Jamie Hayter for the AEW Women’s World Championship.

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Triplemania 34 getting 2 nights

While John Cena’s earth-shattering quality was announced astatine Backlash, different important uncover was made that would impact the pro wrestling world.

Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (AAA) volition big its premiere event, TripleMania, implicit the people of 2 nights successful September. The archetypal nighttime volition beryllium Sept. 11 astatine a determination inactive to beryllium announced. The 2nd nighttime volition hap connected Sept. 13 astatine the Mexico City Arena.

It’s the archetypal clip that Triplemania volition beryllium held implicit 2 nights. It volition beryllium the 34th Triplemania successful the company’s history.

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Other notes from a week successful pro wrestling

Women's United States Champion Tiffany Stratton makes her entranceway during SmackDown astatine VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena successful Jacksonville, Fla., connected May 8, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)

• John Cena announced the enactment of the John Cena Classic astatine Backlash.
• Trick Williams retained the United States Championship successful a triumph implicit Sami Zayn astatine Backlash
• Tiffany Stratton retained the Women’s United States Championship successful a triumph implicit Kiana James connected "Friday Night SmackDown."
• Darby Allin defended the AEW World Championship against Kevin Knight and Pac during the week.

• Kazuchika Okada defeated Bryan Keith to clasp the AEW International Championship.
• Mark Davis won the AEW National Championship successful a triumph implicit Jack Perry astatine "Fairway to Hell."
• AEW announced the instrumentality of the Owen Hart Tournament.
• Bear Bronson and Brian Myers retained the TNA World Tag Team Championship implicit K.C. Navarro and Nic Nemeth.
• Lei Ying Lee captured the TNA Knockouts Championship successful a triumph implicit Arianna Grace.

• Wendy Choo retained the Evolve Women’s Championship arsenic her lucifer with Laynie Luck went to a nary contest.
• La Catalina had her archetypal lucifer successful AAA, defeating Jessy Jackson. After the match, Flammer, La Hiedra, and Lady Maravilla came retired to onslaught her. Lola Vice and Bayley made the save.

• The South Korean lad set known arsenic BTS took successful a Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) amusement implicit the weekend. The guys were seated ringside. Místico and Titan defeated Angel de Oro and Barbaro Cavernario successful a two-out-of-three falls lucifer successful the main event.
• Brick Savage signed with Major League Wrestling, according to Fightful.