WWE is planning a celebrity tag team match for Backlash on May 9 in Tampa, and the match will directly follow the WrestleMania 42 main event program.
According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, current plans call for Randy Orton and Pat McAfee to face Cody Rhodes and Jelly Roll at the event. The match would extend the rivalry between Orton and Rhodes beyond WrestleMania 42, where Orton challenges Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship in the night one main event on April 18, while adding a celebrity element on both sides.
Meltzer wrote: “McAfee will team with Orton against Rhodes & Jelly Roll coming out of WrestleMania and be a key match at the Backlash PPV on 5/9, at least as of plans that were confirmed to us by multiple people and were still in play at press time.”
Jelly Roll’s involvement has been teased for several weeks. Randy Orton targeted the country rap artist during the buildup to WrestleMania, and seeds have been planted for Jelly Roll to respond on Rhodes’ side.
The angle involving all three people continues this Friday on SmackDown from San Jose. WWE has advertised that Rhodes will respond to McAfee on the show, and McAfee revealed Thursday that he also has a “massive surprise” planned for the night. The episode will be the second-to-last SmackDown before WrestleMania 42.
WWE Backlash takes place May 9 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
