4 WWE stars who were buried at Backlash 2025

WWE Backlash 2025 delivered five big matches to the fans and is now in the rearview mirror. While the St. Louis premium live event tried to make all its stars look good despite defeats, here are four wrestlers who got buried this Saturday regardless.

#4. Gunther didn’t get the ending he deserved

Gunther took on Pat McAfee at WWE Backlash. The commentator chose to fight The Ring General owing to the former World Heavyweight Champion’s attack on him and Michael Cole at RAW after 'Mania. The outcome of the match was already clear - a man as dominant as the Austrian, with just three main roster defeats in his career, was going to win at the PLE.

Despite this, the match felt like it dragged on for longer than it should have. WWE tried to flesh out the sadistic and punishing side of Gunther with this fight, showing him enjoying inflicting pain on McAfee as Michael Cole begged him to stop. However, a quicker loss for the commentator would have felt more impactful.

Instead, McAfee also landed several good blows and secured near falls, unlike other unstoppable forces in WWE like Brock Lesnar and Jacob Fatu, who often kick out at one. In the end, he even acknowledged his opponent for his efforts, something in complete contrast to his character, who has never been a babyface before.

It remains to be seen how he will be pushed after this. At Backlash, however, WWE could have done more justice to him following his WrestleMania 41 loss to Jey Uso, especially when fans were majorly disappointed to see The Ring General tap out in a lazy finish.

#3. Nick Aldis lost more authority at WWE Backlash 2025

Nick Aldis almost always eats an RKO when he is standing in the vicinity of Randy Orton. The same happened before the crowd in St. Louis when their hometown star landed his finisher on the SmackDown General Manager once again.

Notably, Aldis had rushed to the ring to check up on the second referee of the match after he was also taken out by John Cena, like the first one. However, while the GM brought four officials with him, none of whom were medics, he didn’t bring a third referee for the match. All this while, The Viper had Cena pinned and could have easily become the new Undisputed WWE Champion.

Frustrated by this, Randy Orton caught Nick Aldis with an RKO and didn’t spare his officials either. With this, The Viper has now landed his finisher on the GM thrice since his return at the 2023 Survivor Series.

This definitely made The Apex Predator look good. However, it undermined Aldis’ authority even more, on a brand where only Chelsea Green seems to be seeking his permission to do something instead of just going along with whatever she desires.

#2. Penta lost another title match

Penta El Zero Miedo challenged Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship at WWE Backlash. The match saw interference by The Judgment Day. Although they didn’t land any big hits on Penta, they distracted the referee long enough for El Grande Americano to headbutt the Mexican luchador with his now customary piece of metal under the mask.

While it was clear that WWE wouldn’t be dethroning Dominik Mysterio in his very first PLE title defense, the match made Penta look bad. Making the former AEW star the number one contender without much effort is a big question mark in itself. This rankles many fans, especially when he wasn’t even involved in the WrestleMania 41 finish, where Dirty Dom Frog Splashed both Bron Breakker and Finn Balor, pinning the latter to win the belt.

Giving him a title rematch on RAW after ‘Mania was also an odd move. These bookings have now given El Zero Miedo two consecutive losses in his IC Title pursuit. Moreover, the finish of the Backlash match has hinted that El Grande would be his next opponent. But, this doesn’t just keep Penta in another midcard feud; the feud’s eventual result will most likely favor Americano. Thus, the Mexican luchador was also buried in St. Louis.

#1. Drew McIntyre was denied another title win

Drew McIntyre was the Number One Contender for the United States Championship. However, his one-on-one confrontation with Jacob Fatu was turned into a Fatal Four-Way match by Nick Aldis following Solo Sikoa’s interference in a regular singles match between LA Knight and Damian Priest.

While this already worked against The Scottish Warrior, he still managed to land a Claymore on The Megastar and almost pinned him for the win. However, Damian Priest pulled the official out of the ring before he could hit the canvas for the three count.

This later led to a duel between Priest and McIntyre, their fight spinning into the crowd, and ending with a South of Heaven Chokeslam on a table. Neither superstar was seen in the match any further. This was an odd booking decision, considering The Scottish Psychopath had already achieved a decisive victory against The Punisher.

Moreover, WWE isn’t just making Drew McIntyre compete for a midcard title now, his feud with Priest doesn’t carry a sliver of the fire of the rivalry he shared with CM Punk last year. Notably, he was also banged up when The Punisher Chokeslammed him, as his head missed the table that was supposed to soak up the damage and hit the floor cleanly.

Medical staff were seen rushing to the spot immediately after the two landed. While the Scotsman is reportedly fine, he could take a hiatus from WWE in the coming days. However, it remains to be seen if the Stamford-based promotion moves him back onto the top card or not, considering he has given brilliant matches and promos to the fans for more than two years now.

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