WWE™ Backlash™ - RAW™ Only Pay-Per-View
Location: Verizon Wireless Arena, Manchester, New Hampshire
by "Rockin" Robin Drodge
Event
Date: May 1, 2005
Report Date: May 1, 2005
Match number one - Intercontinental Championship.
Intercontinental Champion, Shelton Benjamin Vs Chris Jericho. This match was the opener for Backlash™. It was very good. Shelton was placed in the Walls of Jericho; it appeared that he would tap out, however this did not happen. Later, Jericho applied the Walls of Jericho for a second time, at which time Benjamin rolled out of the move three times before rolling up Jericho to score the pin-fall victory and to retain his Championship. After the match ended, Todd Grisham attempted to interview Chris Jericho, but it appeared that Jericho was really frustrated and had nothing to say to Todd. After this Jonathan the "Coach" Coachman interviewed Edge about his match with Chris Benoit. He said that he was "Mr. Money in the Bank" and that tonight he would be the last man standing in his match with Benoit.
Match number two - Tag Team Turmoil for the World Tag Team Championship.
World Tag Team Champions, William Regal and Tajiri Vs The Heart Throbs, Vs La Resistance Vs Simon Dean and Maven Vs Hurricane and Rosey. The rules were that two teams would start off the match, once a team was eliminated; another team would enter the ring until there was only one team left, that team would become the World Tag Team Champions. The first two teams to start the match were The Heart Throbs and the World Tag Team Champions, William Regal and Tajiri. It seemed that the fans weren't too much interested in this. The Heart Throbs were eliminated first when William Regal rolled up Romeo. The next team to enter and get eliminated were Simon Dean and Maven. Then La Resistance entered the ring next where they eliminated Regal and Tajiri. Last into the ring were Rosey and the Hurricane. In the end, it saw Rosey place the Hurricane on his shoulder so he could jump off the top rope to splash Robere Conway, to score the pin-fall victory and to become the new World Tag Team Champions.
Match number three - Last Man Standing. Edge Vs Chris Benoit.
The rule for this match is that the first wrestler that can't answer the 10 count would lose the match. I thought that this was a very good match and the fans were really into this. However for Edge, while he was wrestling, the fans were screaming, "you screwed Matt and we want Matt". Benoit hit five German Suplexes but that did not knock Edge out. Then Benoit hit a diving head butt from the top of a ladder that was brought into the ring. This still didn't work. Then Edge brought in his brief case that he uses to carry around his Contract for a World Heavyweight Championship opportunity whenever he wishes to use it. He hit Benoit with a DDT on the brief case, however this didn't work. Then he delivered the spear and it didn't work. He tried it a second time but still Benoit got up. Then finally Edge used a brick that was in the brief case and hit Benoit in the head, resulting in Benoit being knocked down and could not get back up before the count of ten. Edge was the winner and the last man standing.
Then Jerry the "King" Lawler got in the ring and brought the Divas out to show the fans in the arena, and people who were watching the pay-per-view, a preview of the Diva 2005 magazine. The Divas that came to the ring were: Christy Hemme, Maria, Candice Michelle, Lillian Garcia, Victoria and Stacy Keibler. After going through some of the pictures in the magazine, such as the best photo of themselves, the King wanted to ask the Divas some personal questions; but before he could do so, the "Master Piece" - Chris Masters made his way to the ring and the King and the Divas left.
Chris Masters came out to issue a challenge to anyone who could break his finisher known as the Masterlock. He offered $3,000 to anyone who could try to break his Masterlock. So what he did is that he picked someone out of the crowd to come into the ring to see if they could break his finisher and to collect his money offer. The person whom he selected was a female, her name was Melissa Coates. All he wanted to know from her was her name and where she was from. She told him she was from Manchester, New Hampshire. Chris Masters put Melissa Coates in the Masterlock, which didn't last long because the Referee, who was in the ring, called for the bell, resulting in Masters keeping his money.
Match number four - Kane (with Lita in his corner) Vs Viscera (with Trish Stratus in his corner). This match was not the best. However, just like Edge, during the match the fans were screaming at Lita, "you are a slut and we want Matt". Later in the match, Viscera was distracted by Lita, and when he turned around he received a big boot from Kane and then he followed it up with a choke slam to pick up the pin-fall victory. After the match was over Trish got on the mike and told Viscera that he had failed her and that if he had any plans of spending the night with her that it was over. She said that she would not lower herself to sleep with him and then followed it up with a few other discouraging comments. After this Viscera picked up Trish and put her into a bear hug and then threw her down on the mat in the ring. As he started to leave, he decided to come back and deliver a big splash to Trish before he left. Trish was down in the ring and needed medical attention. Some EMTs came out and took her out of the ring on a stretcher.
Match number five - Hulk Hogan and Shawn Michaels Vs Mohammed Hassan and Daivari. The fans were waiting to see Hulk Hogan wrestle in one more match. They got their wish when he teamed up with Shawn Michaels to wrestle Mohammed Hassan and Daivari. When Hogan made his way out for the match, the fans in the arena went wild for Hogan. The match was all right, in that it saw Hogan hulk up and hit the big boot on Daivari, then it was followed up with the sweet chin music by Shawn Michaels for Hogan to pick up the pin-fall victory for his team. Afterwards, the fans in the arena were still going wild for Hogan and I think they really enjoyed this match.
Before it was time for the main event, Tyson Tomko and Christian came out to do a promo. Christian said that there would be some Backlash™ if he weren't on the pay-per-view. He said that this could be the last time that he is on a RAW™ pay-per-view because next month it will be the draft lottery. He said he was a main eventer and wanted to deliver a message to the rest of the main eventers, so he attempted a wrap, however it was not the best. He said whether he is on RAW™ or SmackDown™ he will be a Champion, and then left the ring. Then Ric Flair came out to introduce Triple H for his match with Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Match number six - World Heavyweight Championship.
World Heavyweight Champion, Batista Vs Triple H. This match was all right. Triple H tried everything to hit the pedigree on Batista, but for the most part he failed. Then finally when he did hit it, the referee Mike Chioda, was knocked down and he appeared to be out. Ric Flair and Triple H tried to get him up to count the pin-fall but they had no success. Then another referee, Jack Doan, came in to replace Chioda and counted the pin-fall, but Batista kicked out of the pedigree. Towards the end of the match, Batista slinged shot Triple H, when out of nowhere Triple H hit a low blow, then Batista hit the sit-down power bomb from there to pick up the pin-fall victory to retain his Championship.
After the match was over, Triple H was very angry, and in fact, he pushed Ric Flair down and then pedigreed referee Mike Chioda. As the pay-per-view was going off the air you could hear Triple H screaming "No, No".
Some additional comments about Backlash™.
Jim (JR) Ross announced that the pay-per-view was sold out, however the number of fans in attendance was not announced, so I can only assume it wasn't a sell out given the fact the numbers weren't revealed.
I was very impressed with Shelton Benjamin in his match with Chris Jericho for the Intercontinental Championship. It seemed as though the fans didn't know who to cheer for and who to boo in the match, but the fans were mostly behind Jericho. I can assume from some of the things that Jericho was doing in the ring against Benjamin that he is going to turn "heel", given the fact he didn't do the interview after he lost another opportunity to become the Intercontinental Champion. I believe Jericho is going to be really frustrated and possibly take his anger out on the fans, resulting in him turning "heel".
I don't understand the point of the WWE™ having a Tag Team turmoil because it wasn't even announced on TV, and the fans in the arena didn't seem to be interested that much in this match. However, I was a little surprised in Rosey and the Hurricane winning the World Tag Team Championship. I was not expecting this, so that was the only good thing that came out of the Tag Team turmoil.
I don't understand what the WWE™ is trying to do with Chris Masters. No one really cares about him, and to me it was a waste of time for him to pick someone out of the crowd to see if they could break his Masterlock.
Chris Benoit and Edge put on a very good performance in the Last Man Standing match. However, I would rather have seen Benoit be the last man standing instead of Edge. I think the WWE™ is going to have a problem whenever Edge or Lita is wrestling in the ring or in someone's corner or whatever they do. It seems the fans are going to continue to chant either "You screwed Matt or we want Matt" or the final chant, "You are a slut". These are now being chanted at Lita and Edge for the situation between them and Matt Hardy.
I am not surprised what happened after the Kane and Viscera encounter. The reason is that Trish Stratus has a herniated or bulging disc in her back right now so this will be a way to explain her absence from the WWE™ over the next few weeks or months. At least now, she will have some time off to rest her back and hopefully get back to being 100 percent healthy very soon.
I think with Hulk Hogan wrestling one more match was just what helped the WWE™. The fans at the arena seemed to have enjoyed Hogan's performance. In my opinion, I think the WWE™ should consider having Hogan wrestle a few more times to make their loyal fans happy.
I thought the main event should have been the Tag Team match. My reasoning for this is because I think Triple H and Batista had a very huge task getting the fans interested in their match. It may have been because the fans were tired. In any event, I think the two matches could have been switched.
I am glad Batista did not lose the World Heavyweight title right away. He deserves to be the Champion for some time yet. However, if you thought that this is the end of the feud between Batista and Triple H, well you are wrong because it is rumoured to be a third encounter between Batista and Triple H at Vengeance in a "hell in the cell" match for the World Heavyweight Championship. I only wish that Batista could be wrestling someone else but I guess that this won't happen right away.
This
has been the "Backlash™" report written for The Canadian Connection by your author,
"Rockin" Robin Drodge here at
The Canadian Connection.
© 2004 Robin Drodge, All Rights Reserved
(This page was last updated on 2007-01-01 )
© 2004 Robin Drodge, All Rights Reserved
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