These Are the WWE Superstars Competing at Backlash 2025

May 10 is just days away, which means the WWE Universe is mere hours from the first Premium Live Event since WrestleMania: Backlash 2025!

These are the official, announced matches for the must-see event:

John Cena vs. Randy Orton - Undisputed WWE Championship

It's official: At Backlash, for the 82nd time in their careers, John Cena and Randy Orton will find themselves on opposite ends of the ring — this time, with the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line.

The more things change, the more things stay the same.

John Cena and Randy Orton's rivalry has spanned decades, and it's fitting that Cena's first official title defense since dispatching Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania is against an opponent he knows like the back of his hand. Cena has already made it known to the WWE Universe that he intends to retire as Undisputed WWE Champion once his retirement tour is complete — but, of course, Randy Orton had a thing or two (and an RKO or two) to say about Cena's proposed roadmap.

For two Superstars who have given the wrestling world some of its most iconic moments, what's left for Cena and Orton to do? Well, for the first time, they find themselves in positions the WWE Universe thought they'd never see them in.

In a way, this match has never happened before in history, with Randy Orton defending WWE against someone who wants to burn it to the ground in John Cena. A heroic Orton attempting to stop a villainous Cena in his tracks is simply a scenario that has never played out on WWE television before — and at Backlash, fans will finally see if this "new" version of Cena has what it takes to defend a championship without the support of everybody in the arena.

It's a can't-miss main event worthy of an event like Backlash — something tells us to be prepared to witness an all-time classic.

Lyra Valkyria vs. Becky Lynch - Women's Intercontinental Championship

As it turns out, Lyra Valkyria shouldn't have trusted Becky Lynch in the first place.

Just 24 hours after Lynch's shocking return to WWE at WrestleMania — which saw "The Man" replace an injured Bayley and win the Women's Tag Team Titles alongside Valkyria — the duo lost those same titles. And that's when Lynch's dark side came out and sent shockwaves through the WWE Universe:

It wouldn't be long until Lynch revealed that she was behind Bayley's injury at WrestleMania, defining her villainous role once and for all. Of course, this didn't sit well with the Women's Intercontinental Champion, who decided to put up her title on behalf of Bayley and the rest of the women's locker room. In other words, if Lynch thought she could just march back into WWE after a prolonged absence and run roughshod through the women's division, she'd have to go through Valkyria first!

At Backlash, the two will clash in a historic matchup. When the dust finally clears, Becky Lynch could leave St. Louis with the Women's Intercontinental Championship — a title she's never won.

But for the champion, a win over a living legend like Becky Lynch could propel Lyra Valkyria to new heights and further cement her already-impressive title reign as one of the most memorable runs ever. Fans are truly divided — after all, John Cena has already proved how beneficial embracing the dark side can be, and all eyes will be on "The Man" at Backlash.

It predictably leads to one question: How far will Becky Lynch go to become the Women's Intercontinental Champion?

Gunther vs. Pat McAfee

At WrestleMania, Jey Uso defeated Gunther for the World Heavyweight Title, setting off a chain reaction of events that has led to — somehow — Pat McAfee calling out Gunther for a one-on-one match at Backlash.

During the Raw After WrestleMania, the Ring General took his frustrations out on announcer Michael Cole, leading McAfee to physically interject, his emotions clearly getting the best of him. It did not go well for McAfee:

Days later, as McAfee was on the road to recovery, he issued a shocking challenge to Gunther at Backlash, and the match was quickly made official!

To the naked eye, this contest may be the most lopsided match ever scheduled in WWE. But once you factor in Pat McAfee’s already-impressive in-ring resume — and Gunther’s surefire arrogance going into Backlash — this match has all the makings of a historic upset. While Gunther is unmatched inside the ring (as evidenced by his lengthy reign as World Heavyweight Champion and record-breaking run as Intercontinental Champion), McAfee has the heart, determination, and athletic ability to shock the world in St. Louis. Whether that happens remains to be seen, but fans should expect the host of The Pat McAfee Show to pull out all the stops to ensure his hand gets raised at the end of the night.

However, as angry as Gunther has been since losing his title, he’s still one of the most dangerous men in the locker room — and Pat McAfee could easily discover he’s bitten off more than he can chew.

Jacob Fatu vs. LA Knight vs. Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre - United States Championship

Is this the most star-studded United States Championship bout of all time? It doesn’t get much bigger than Jacob Fatu defending his title against LA Knight, Damian Priest, and Drew McIntyre in a Fatal 4-Way Match! After winning the championship at WrestleMania, Fatu is in the unenviable position of defending against three of the most capable Superstars in the WWE locker room.

So, how did this match come about? Well, after witnessing this during the May 2 episode of SmackDown, General Manager Adam Pearce had no choice but to make the Fatal 4-Way Match official for May 10:

Sometimes, WWE storylines collide in the most unexpected ways. With John Cena scarcely appearing on SmackDown with the Undisputed WWE Championship — the countdown is on until his retirement, after all — whoever walks out of Backlash will be the de facto top champion on Friday nights, making this matchup all the more epic.

While Jacob Fatu dispatched LA Knight at WrestleMania to kick off his title reign in grand fashion, he must do the impossible to ensure the title stays in The Bloodline — defeat the former U.S. Champion and two former world champions, all equally laser-focused on taking the spotlight away from the mighty Samoan. The WWE Universe should expect nothing less than a crazed, hard-hitting Fatal 4-Way in St. Louis!

Dominik Mysterio vs. Penta - Intercontinental Championship

Dirty Dom's first major singles title reign in WWE will be put to the test in St. Louis as he faces off against one of the greatest luchadors to ever step in the ring, Penta.

Since Penta made his WWE debut just a few months ago, the WWE Universe has routinely been dazzled by the man who seems genuinely unstoppable. Living by the mantra of Zero Miedo ("no fear"), Penta certainly has what it takes to capture every championship WWE offers, and it could all start at Backlash. However, it certainly won't be a cakewalk for the Mexican Superstar, considering that Dominik Mysterio has now received the full support of the WWE Universe since winning the title at WrestleMania.

Against all odds, Mysterio has gone from arguably the most hated man in the locker room to a fan favorite. In fact, Dominik has seemingly upped his game in the ring to match the fans' collective enthusiasm in recent weeks, too. There's way too much momentum riding on the new Intercontinental Champion to all come crashing down at Backlash... right?

To make matters infinitely more interesting, the two men each have a singles victory over the other in the last few months. Penta soundly defeated Dominik a few days before WrestleMania, while Dirty Dom returned the favor in a title defense on Raw at the Raw After WrestleMania. The series is tied at one win apiece leading into the epic showdown at Backlash!

No matter the outcome, Dominik Mysterio and Penta clashing for the Intercontinental Title should be a breathtaking match that will force the WWE Universe to potentially choose between two beloved Superstars.

You can tune in to Peacock to watch Backlash 2025 on Saturday, May 10. In the meantime, catch up on all things WWE Universe on Peacock.