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Date and Location for WWE Backlash Reportedly Set Following WrestleMania 42

WWE Backlash is reportedly returning to Puerto Rico in May of 2026, just a few weeks following WrestleMania 42.
Rick Ucchino|
WWE
WWE | WWE

WWE will reportedly be heading back to San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2026.

Sources close to the event are telling John Pollock and Brandon Thurston of Post Wrestling that WWE Backlash will take place on Saturday, May 9, just three weeks after WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A venue for Backlash was not named in the report, but three years ago, the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot played host to both the PLE and the Friday Night SmackDown that preceded it. 

"Wrestlenomics reported that the 2023 events in Puerto Rico saw SmackDown sell 14,282 tickets and grossed a gate of $1,048,295. Backlash, the next night, sold 15,145 tickets and generated a $1,447,558 gate," Post Wrestling wrote in their report.

Backlash 2023 was headlined by Brock Lesnar battling current WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, but that was also the night that multi-time Grammy Award winner and Super Bowl LX halftime performer Bad Bunny competed in his critically acclaimed San Juan Street Fight against Damian Priest.

It's too soon to say whether Bad Bunny will be at Backlash when the show returns to Puerto Rico in 2026, but it's more than fair to assume that WWE would welcome him back to the ring with open arms.

This news from Post Wrestling comes on the heels of a report from WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select earlier this month, that WWE will also bring a currently unnamed Premium Live Event to Italy on Sunday, May 31.

The addition of Backlash to the calendar, means that the creative team will be responsible for booking two PLE's in the six weeks directly following the conclusion of WrestleMania 42.

Current 2026 WWE Premium Live Event Schedule

WWE Royal Rumble
WWE

Royal Rumble: Saturday, January 31 at KAFD in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Elimination Chamber: Saturday, February 28 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois

WrestleMania 42: Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19 at Allegiant Stadium, in Las Vegas, Nevada

WWE Backlash (not yet confirmed by WWE): Saturday, May 9 at an unknown venue in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Italian Premium Live Event (not yet confirmed by WWE): Sunday, May 31 at an unknown venue

SummerSlam: Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Money in the Bank: Sunday, September 6 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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