First hour of WWE Backlash to air on ESPN 2
ESPN viewers will get another chance to watch a WWE PLE on cable television.
WWE announced during Friday’s SmackDown that the first hour of Backlash, which takes place on May 9 in Tampa, will air on ESPN 2 starting at 6 pm ET.
The company aired the first hour of WrestleMania for free on cable television for the first time last month. The first night of WrestleMania 42 on ESPN 2, which featured The Usos & LA Knight vs. The Vision & iShowSpeed and Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre in an unsanctioned match, drew 1.6 million viewers with a 0.62 in the coveted 18-49 rating.
The following night on ESPN, which featured Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar, Lesnar’s apparent retirement from pro wrestling, and a ladder match for the Intercontinental title, scored 1.8 million viewers and a 0.65, a slight uptick from the night prior.
Matches announced for Backlash include Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker, IYO SKY vs. Asuka, and Roman Reigns defending the World Heavyweight title against Jacob Fatu.
Bryan Rose is an editor from California that has been covering professional wrestling for well over a decade. He officially joined F4WOnline as an editor in 2017.