WWE Backlash Predictions: Will John Cena Or Randy Orton Close Out Their Storied Rivalry With A Win?

WWE Backlash goes live from St. Louis this Saturday night on Peacock and internationally on Netflix.

Randy Orton will certainly have the home field advantage as he looks to close out his storied rivalry with John Cena by defeating the 'Never Seen' 17-time World Champion and capturing his 15th World Title in the process.

Will the Viper be able to protect his family's legacy by saving the WWE Championship from permanent retirement? Will Lyra Valkyria be able to prove that she's better than 'The Man' Becky Lynch? Could Jacob Fatu be one and done as Men's United States Champion? Can Pat McAfee survive a fight with Gunther, let alone win?

You have questions and hopefully our panel can provide some answers. Rick Ucchino, Zack Heydorn and Sid Pullar are back to offer their analysis and final predictions for Saturday's Premium Live Event.

Check out their more in depth discussion on each Backlash match in the video above and don't forget to subscribe to The Takedown on SI YouTube channel for all of our exclusive interviews, weekly talk shows and more!

Pat McAfee vs. Gunther

You have to give Pat McAfee credit. He may not have the biggest brain (he'll be the first to tell you that), but he has big balls. He also has passion and he's loyal to fault. When Gunther decided to lay hands on Michael Cole, McAfee didn't hesitate to come to his defense. Unfortunately for him, no good deed goes unpunished. McAfee won't back down and he won't quit, but you can expect a dominant performance by Gunther. The Ring General secures a nice bounce back win on Saturday.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: Gunther
Zack Heydorn: Gunther
SP3: Gunther

Jacob Fatu vs. LA Knight vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest for the Men's United States Championship

Men's United States Championship Fatal 4-Way | WWE.com

Separately, these four men put on two of the best matches from WrestleMania weekend. Now they'll have the opportunity to create magic together at Backlash. Grab some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the ride as Jacob Fatu, Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest and LA Knight deliver what should be a strong candidate for match of the night. The result however, will never be in doubt. There's no way that the Samoan Werewolf drops the United States Championship in his first defense.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: Jacob Fatu
Zack Heydorn: Jacob Fatu
SP3: Jacob Fatu

Dominik Mysterio vs. Penta for the Men's Intercontinental Championship

The WWE creative team have kind of booked themselves into a no-win situation with this weekend's clash for the Men's Intercontinental Championship. Either they halt the momentum of Dominik Mysterio by having him drop the gold three weeks after winning it, or Penta fails for a fourth time to capture the IC Title. They'll protect Penta in defeat by utilizing standard dirty Judgment Day tactics, but our panel expects Dom to walk out of St. Louis with another victory.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: Dominik Mysterio
Zack Heydorn: Dominik Mysterio
SP3: Dominik Mysterio

Lyra Valkyria vs. Becky Lynch for the Women's Intercontinental Championship

On screen, Becky Lynch is desperate to out Lyra Valkyria as the loser The Man claims her to be. Behind the scenes she has to be one proud mentor as the Women's Intercontinental Champion has stepped up to the challenge of facing the G.O.A.T in a major way. This rivalry feels like it's just getting started and there are avenues to continue it with really any outcome. By hook or by crook, Rick and Sid believe that The Man is walking away with her first Intercontinental Championship on Saturday.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: AND NEW... Becky Lynch!
Zack Heydorn: Lyra Valkyria
SP3: AND NEW... Becky Lynch!

John Cena vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Championship

The clock may be ticking down to the end of John Cena's in-ring career but there are more stories to tell. The end of his storied rivalry with Randy Orton is just the beginning of his run as WWE Champion. We all expect the reign of the 'Never Seen' 17-Time World Champion to continue after this Saturday. The predictable result should not hinder energy inside the Enterprise Center as Cena and Orton square off one final time. It will be interesting to see how Cena comes out on top.

Predictions:

Rick Ucchino: John Cena
Zack Heydorn: John Cena
SP3: John Cena

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