WWE Backlash 2017 Results: Did Jinder Mahal Beat Randy Orton? Recap, Video For Every Match

Jinder Mahal is the new WWE Champion. That’s not something any wrestling fan considered to be a remote possibility just a few weeks ago, but it’s a reality after WWE Backlash 2017 Sunday night.

Mahal’s win over Randy Orton in the main event highlights the results of the “SmackDown Live” pay-per-view. He is now the fifth WWE superstar to hold the title in 2017, joining Orton, AJ Styles, John Cena and Bray Wyatt.

Considering the resumes of the last four wrestlers to hold the WWE Championship, it wasn’t surprising when they won the blue brand’s No.1 belt. Cena and Orton have had a combined 29 world title reigns, while Styles might be the best wrestler on the planet. Wyatt has only been on WWE’s main roster for four years, but he’s already had big WrestleMania matches against Cena and The Undertaker.

Mahal, on the other hand, has come completely out of nowhere. He hadn’t been much more than a jobber since last summer, re-joining WWE after July’s brand split, though that is clearly no longer the case.

Here’s a look at the entire WWE Payback 2017 match card:

WWE Champion Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal

Just as The Singh Brothers helped Mahal get the advantage in the last few weeks, they assisted the challenger in his title win. Forced to deal with them, Orton tossed both men onto the announcers’ table, eventually bringing them into the ring. The 13-time world champion was distracted long enough for Mahal to hit his finisher.

Winner: Jinder Mahal

United States Champion Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles

It was the only match on the night that didn’t end with a pinfall or submission. Styles was counted out after his leg got tangled in the wires of the TV monitors that sit on the announcers’ table. Look for these two to have a rematch at the next PPV.

Winner: Kevin Owens

SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Breezango

In just a matter of weeks, Fandango and Tyler Breeze have managed to become one of the most entertaining parts of WWE TV. They managed to utilize their comedy inside the ring, getting the Chicago crowd to be in their corner for the entire match. Fandango was pinned after getting hit with a super kick, but there’s a chance that Breezango isn’t out of the title picture just yet.

Winner: The Usos

SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi, Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch vs. Natalya, Carmella & Tamina

The Welcoming Committee continued their dominance over the babyfaces with yet another win. Natalya submitted Becky with the sharpshooter, and she could earn herself a SmackDown Women’s Championship shot in the near future.

Winner: Natalya, Carmella & Tamina

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler

As the first match of Backlash, Nakamura and Ziggler set the tone for the rest of the night. Ziggler pulled out all the stops, but Nakamura kicked out of both the Fameasser and the Zig Zag to eventually get the victory.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura

Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin

As high as WWE might be on Corbin, it hasn’t translated into any big wins of late. After losing the Intercontinental Championship Match to Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania 33, Corbin was defeated Sunday night. He dominated most of the match, but Zayn managed to hit a Helluva Kick for the pinfall.

Winner: Sami Zayn

Luke Harper vs. Erick Rowan

Harper used a clothesline to defeat Rowan, who had previously beaten him in a singles match less than two weeks ago. With Bray Wyatt having made the move to “Monday Night Raw,” WWE needs to find a direction for the two former Wyatt Family members.

Winner: Luke Harper

Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English (Kickoff Match)

It’s no surprise that Dillinger got the win, though it didn’t mean much since there was no real build towards the match. Hopefully, he can find his way onto the main card of the next “SmackDown Live” PPV.

Winner: Tye Dillinger