(Two days til Backlash)
It was Friday Night SmackDown, and the card for Backlash was slowly building up. The Bliss Republic and the Brotherhood are on their toes as they ready for battle at the pay-per-view event along with the revelation of the mysterious One-Winged Angel.
The card for Backlash was organized:
Blood Shepherd (c) vs. Drew McIntyre - Singles match for the WWE Championship
Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens vs. Seth Rollins and Finn Balor - Tag team match
Travis Sharp (c) vs. Josh Stevens - Singles match for the Intercontinental Championship
Io Shirai vs. Kairi Sane - Singles match
Randy Orton (c) vs. Pete Dunne - Singles match for the United States Championship
The matches for tonight's show are:
Josh Stevens and Peyton Royce vs. Travis Sharp and Billie Kay - Mixed tag team match
Chase Destiny vs. Keith Lee - Singles match
Alexa Bliss vs. Candice LeRae - Singles match
For the last couple of weeks, a grudge built up between Josh and Travis along with their significant others, Peyton and Billie. Since the betrayal of Josh on his former tag team partner Elleon, the American Nightmare chose to volunteer for his fallen brother. The mixed tag team match will put fuel in the fire.
Josh and Peyton were ready for the fight against their former best friends.
Josh: this match will hurt us
Peyton: I know, but they are blinded by the Fiend's corruption
Josh: let's go honey
Peyton: right behind you babe
The Fallen Warrior and the Venus Flytrap left the locker room for the match.
(Stevens and Royce vs. Sharp and Kay)
After the entrances were made, the two teams stared down at one another while Travis raised his Intercontinental Championship, the title that Josh is vying for. The titles in the Republic's control were the WWE Championship, Universal Championship, Intercontinental Championship, United States Championship, Raw Women's Championship, SmackDown Tag Team Championship and the NXT UK Women's Championship. Josh looks to take away a piece of the Republic and bring it to the Brotherhood.
The bell rang, and the ones to start were the former IIconics. Billie and Peyton stared at each other.
Billie: you should've not betrayed us
Peyton: I only did what was right, and trust me you'll soon understand
Billie: enough talk!
The two women locked up and went in a quick sequence since they know each other for 14 years. Billie ducked Peyton's spinning heel kick and Peyton ducked an attempted forearm shot from Billie.
Billie pushed Peyton, but it provoked the Venus FlyTrap and the SmackDown Women's Champion retaliated with a dropkick, sending Billie to fall back. The Femme Fatale tagged in her man, the American Nightmare. Travis came in and asked for Josh to come fight him.
The Fallen Warrior came in and decked Travis with a right hand. Then the two traded shots as there was bad blood for one another. Josh got Travis with an uppercut followed by kicks in the corner. Josh was fired up and splashed Travis in the corner.
(End of match)
Travis nailed Josh with Sharp Attack while Billie took care of Peyton on the outside. As the Intercontinental Champion went for the cover, Josh managed to kick out much to the shock of the American Nightmare. As he measured his former brother for another Sharp Attack, he was interrupted by a theme.
Travis and Billie turned to see on the Titantron, the One-Winged Angel. They watched as the figure raised his arm and called for a fireball to land on a house. As the fire burned the structure, in the pile of rubble shows the emblem of the Bliss Republic. The figure walked away in the wall of flames before a message appeared on the screen.
"Two more days"
As the screen faded to black, Travis turned around and was caught in Josh's 25th Hour. The Fallen Warrior pinned Travis while Billie was held back by Peyton. Josh and Peyton picked up the win thanks to the mind games assist by the One-Winged Angel.
(In the Brotherhood's locker room)
The group were once again perplexed of the One-Winged Angel's intentions.
Roman: I really want to know who this guy is
Rhea: we have two more days to figure who he is
Kevin: seeing what he does, he's dangerous and not to be messed with
Rhea: well that's a bit of a vague hint
Keith: I'll predict he'll strike again during my match
Roman: you're facing the Universal Champion, man
Keith: well then, Chase's destiny is he will bask in my glory
The Limitless One left the locker room for his one on one non-title match with the Universal Champion, Chase Destiny.
(In the ring)
Chase and Keith made their entrances, and the Limitless One got the crowd behind him.
Crowd: oh bask in his glory; oh bask in his glory
Chase and Keith smirked at each other and the two locked up. Keith used his freak strength to push the Universal Champion back, shocking the Warrior of Justice. The crowd chanted again and Keith played along by moving his fingers in the orchestra motion.
(End of match)
Chase used his feat of strength to lift the 300 plus pound man for the Limit Breaker and he got it. He went for the pin, but Keith kicked out, shocking the Universal Champion as no one has kicked out of the Limit Breaker before.
As Chase stood up and measured Keith, he was interrupted by the same music that cost Travis and Billie their match earlier. On screen was the One-Winged Angel and Chase smirked and called him out for a fight.
Chase: come on!
The Angel raised his head up and revealed his eyes which are in silver color. He disappeared and left another message.
"This Sunday, you shall beg for forgiveness"
As Chase was perplexed, he turned and was caught with a pop up Spirit Bomb for the pinfall win.
In the Bliss Republic's locker room, the group were now upset, but Alexa looks to get the group back on track as she goes against the Brotherhood's Candice LeRae. Chase came in.
Chase: damn it!
Charlotte: babe, it's okay; you'll get him next time
Chase: just hope without the One-Winged coward doesn't interfere
Alexa: well everyone, time to send the Brotherhood a message of what happens when you mess with the Bliss Republic
The Goddess left for her match.
(Alexa vs. Candice)
Candice Wrestling looks to boost the Brotherhood's momentum with a upset win over the leader of the Bliss Republic. Johnny Wrestling was at ringside cheering on his wife. The two women locked up.
(Fast forward to the end)
Candice locked in the Gargano Escape on the Goddess, but Alexa managed to grab the bottom rope forcing the submission hold to break. As the two women got up, Alexa got Candice with a running dropkick, sending Candice out of the ring.
Johnny helped his wife to get back in the ring, but as soon as Candice was in the ring, Johnny was floored with an RKO Outta Nowhere from the Viper. Mrs. Gargano saw what happened to her husband and was concerned, but as her back was turned, Alexa took the opportunity and flattened Candice with the snap DDT for the cheap pinfall win.
The United States Champion got in the ring and raised the Goddess' arm, but the celebration was cut short as the same theme from earlier played. On screen showed the One-Winged Angel holding a long Samurai sword on his left hand. He moved aside and it was the Bliss Republic symbol. The figure then went to deliver eight rapid sword slashes to the symbol, destroying it. The screen faded to black with one final quote before the revelation.
"This Sunday, you will all perish"
As the show came to an end, Alexa and Randy stood in the ring feeling confused and perplexed.