Trick Williams kept his hands on the WWE Men's United States Championship at Backlash 2026 after surviving a kendo-stick-strewn chaotic war with an increasingly unhinged Sami Zayn, sidestepping a final Helluva Kick to land the Trick Shot for the pinfall.
The rematch from the controversial Gingerbread Man finish saw Zayn arrive in Tampa flustered before the bell. "An erratic Sami Zayn swings at Trick before the bell, becoming further rattled by the way things have been going lately," Cultaholic's Tom Campbell wrote in his Backlash recap. "Trick takes charge from the bell with a flying clothesline and a few strikes and stomps in the corner."
Lil Yachty's ringside presence proved the wildcard. The rapper, swinging a kendo stick like an extension of his arm, became the focal point as both men jockeyed for control. "Outside the ring, Sammy changes the mood by hurling Trick into the steel steps. He goes to brain Trick with the steps, but Yachty puts a stopper to that," Campbell described. "Sammy continues to control this one, remaining flummoxed by how the crowd have turned on him as of late. Loud Sammy Sucks chants leave Zayn in pain as does a super-kick and a zigzag from Trick."
Momentum changed hands repeatedly. Wrestling Battle's recap captured the match's see-saw structure. "The match quickly evolved into a back-and-forth contest with both men trading momentum. Trick impressed with a jumping neckbreaker, powerslam, and a near fall after hitting the Book End, while Zayn came close to victory with a sunset flip powerbomb and a perfectly executed Blue Thunder Driver. Sami also cleverly faked a knee injury to catch Trick off guard, nearly stealing the win with a small package."
The kendo stick swung between every available combatant. Zayn struck Williams with it. Yachty then struck Zayn. Both men kicked out of finishers that should have ended things. In the closing sequence, Campbell described Trick reading the play in time. "Sammy goes for a Hoover kick on Trick, but Trick was slick and quickly flicked out the stick and shot his shot with the trick shot for the three. Williams celebrated retaining his US championship whilst Little Yachty made it rain with dollar bills. That Trick once again did indeed whoop."
Wrestling Battle echoed the closing description. "Sami fought back fiercely, even taking out Lil Yachty with a hell of a kick. But as he charged for one final hell of a kick on Trick, Williams avoided disaster by side stepping the attack and delivering the devastating Trick Shot. Trick secured the pinfall victory, successfully retaining the WWE Men's United States Championship after a hard-fought and chaotic encounter."
The finish almost certainly closes the Zayn-Williams chapter for now, freeing the champion to chase a more elevated programme heading into summer. Zayn's heel turn momentum, which began with the Gingerbread Man incident weeks ago, also accelerated with another desperate manoeuvre, signalling WWE may push the long-running fan favourite deeper into villainy as Tampa booed him out of the building.
For Williams, the night cemented his transition from breakout star to title fixture. Beating a former three-time World Champion in a featured spot on a premium live event extends the longest reign of his career and validates Paul Heyman's repeated public praise. His next defence is expected to be announced on the post-Backlash Raw, with Andrade and Carmelo Hayes both touted as potential challengers.
Lil Yachty's involvement also opens a separate storyline thread. The rapper's increasingly active role at ringside positions him as more than a celebrity guest, and WWE creative is reportedly weighing a longer arc around the partnership as Williams' run as champion stretches towards its next milestone.
