Backlash is tilting toward celebrity spectacle

We are nine days away from WrestleMania 41, yet the creative office seems obsessed with the post-Mania comedown. WWE is already locking in plans for a celebrity tag match for Backlash on May 9. It is the classic post-Mania strategy: dangle a shiny toy in front of the casuals and hope they forget the mid-card doldrums.

Bringing in mainstream names for a quick pop is fine if you enjoy the spectacle. However, it reeks of a company that doesn't trust its own mid-card roster to sell tickets in mid-May. Watching a reality star or a C-list actor try to take a basic bump in the ring is a specific kind of headache that rarely pays off for long-term storytelling.

The Asuka vs IYO SKY disaster

While the bookers scramble to fix the Backlash card, the long-term outlook for the women's division is looking grim. We were supposed to get Asuka and IYO SKY locking horns on the grandest stage, but recent reports suggest those plans are officially up in the air. It is a genuine shame because that match is the kind of technical clinic that elevates the entire division.

Instead of locking in that dream match, we are left wondering if the creative team even knows what to do with two of the most gifted workers on the planet. The uncertainty here is exhausting. When you have two legends at the top of their game, you don't stall them for random celebrity spot-fests. You book the match and get out of the way.

The booking room needs a reality check

The fixation on cross-over appeal is understandable from a quarterly earnings perspective. But every show dedicated to celebrity guest spots is a show where a homegrown talent isn't getting the spotlight they earned. We see more celebrities angling for WWE training every time a check is cut for a high-profile guest appearance. It turns the professional wrestling ring into a vanity project for outsiders.

This is a booking failure of the highest order. At the 41st edition of WrestleMania, the focus should be on the performers who have been putting their bodies on the line since January. Pushing aside a potential show-stealer like Asuka and IYO SKY to make room for tag matches involving people who don't know a wrist-lock from a wrist-watch is a mistake. It disrespects the audience’s intelligence and the performers' legacy.

I’m not saying celebrities don’t have a place, but they shouldn't be the centerpiece while the actual roster is left guessing about their creative direction. If the brass thinks a celebrity tag match is the solution to moving Backlash tickets, they are living in a fantasy world. They have the best talent in the business right now. They should start using them for something other than glorified walk-ons.