The next Smackdown branded WWE PPV Backlash on May 21, 2017 at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. That give 7 weeks of build for this event, which has been unheard of for decades. There will be a RAW branded PPV in the interim, Payback in San Jose, CA on April 30.

Despite this stretch until Backlash, Smackdown already seems to be building towards the main event, a Wrestlemania rematch. Bray Wyatt is invoking his rematch clause against Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. Cryptic as ever, Wyatt has challenged Orton to a unique specialty match that no one seems to know the rules to but Bray himself.

“I want to fight in a different kind of match.

One that will not only push your body,

but it will push your mind as well.

I promise I’m going to drive you to a new level of insanity.

You will be twisted far more than you’ve been twisted before.

Not just mentally, but physically as well in what I like to call a House of Horrors match.”

• Bray Wyatt, Smackdown 4/4/17

Randy has readily accepted, despite not knowing the nature of this match. What will be revealed about this mysterious bout in the weeks leading to Backlash? It’s worth mentioning that though the challenge has been accepted, it has not been officially announced for Backlash as of press time. There has been much speculation about what exactly a “House of Horrors” match will entail.

Some early speculation is that this will be very similar to an “Asylum Match”, innovated by Dean Ambrose against Chris Jericho at Extreme Rules last year. This match saw a cage with weapons suspended above for the taking. This seems like a non-creative route to go for a main event match. The Asylum Match was not a main event and it wasn’t exactly praised as a match concept.

Could this be a match held outside of the arena in a remote location like a haunted mansion or even a return to to the Wyatt Compound? Probably not.

This match could very well be inspired by the WCW Halloween Havoc 1991 opener of Sting, El Gigante, & The Steiner Brothers (Rick & Scott Steiner) Vs. Big Van Vader, Cactus Jack, Abdullah The Butcher, & The Diamond Studd. The climax here saw Abdullah being electrified after being strapped into an electric chair that descended into the ring. [clink id=”2″ target=”_blank”]You can actually watch this match on the[/clink] WWE Network [clink id=”2″ target=”_blank”]by clicking here[/clink].

The most likely scenario with what we currently know is this will be a special effects match. Expect similar pageantry to the light effects the encapsulated the canvas at Wrestlemania or Wyatt’s ability to teleport. It’s an experimental match type that could fail miserably, but is a risk worth taking because it could end up being well received as part of the evolution of pro wrestling.

WWE Backlash is a Smackdown Branded  Special Event taking place 5/21 on the WWE Network