WWE Backlash 2005

WWE Backlash 2005

Manchester, New Hampshire - May 2005

CHAMPIONSHIP RUNDOWN: Coming into this RAW-brand show, the World Heavyweight Champion was Batista, the Women's Champion was Trish Stratus, the Intercontinental Champion was Shelton Benjamin, and the World Tag Team Champions were Tajiri and William Regal. 

The build for this show was all about the return of Hulk Hogan and Triple H/Batista II, a rematch from the previous month's WrestleMania XXI, but our opening contest was Chris Jericho challenging Shelton Benjamin for the Intercontinental Championship. This match started off with some impressive shows of agility by Benjamin before Jericho upped the intensity with a hurricanrana on the floor. Jericho took control and brought the match back into the ring, Y2J working a bit heelish despite - as far as I know - being a babyface at the time. Benjamin got a huge pop for his insane vertical leap from the mat to the top rope to perform a superplex and then, moments later, another big one for tossing Jericho into the air and letting him drop face-first. It is not surprising why Benjamin was considered a potential future main eventer at this time, though every attempt they tried to add something to his character ended up flopping - mostly because having bleached hair is not a gimmick and being a Momma's Boy isn't a good one. The crowd bites on a couple big nearfalls, including one coming off a springboard bulldog by the champion. Jericho attempts a Walls of Jericho, but Shelton won't turn. Shelton catches him with his T-Bone Suplex, but only gets 2 as Y2J gets his legs under the ropes. There's a great little sequence leading to Jericho actually applying the Walls, the crowd going insane. Shelton manages to grab the ropes and the crowd boos. Jericho goes after him, but Benjamin surprises him with a surprise spinning heel kick for anther 2.7 count. Benjamin eventually gets a sneaky pinfall to secure the victory. This was a good opening contest and a strong showcase for Benjamin. I wouldn't go as far as calling it "must see" just because there wasn't enough character-driven drama in it for me to get invested in. (3/5)

After an interview with Edge, its time for our World Tag Team Championship Match - a Tag Team Turmoil bout (basically a gauntlet match) starting off with The Heartthrobs vs. Tajiri and William Regal (the defending champions). The Heartthrobs were Antonio and Romeo, their gimmick basically being Night At The Roxbury-esque party boys. They didn't last very long in the WWE and never made it anywhere else either. Very good wrestling out of Regal and Tajiri early on, the foreign faces wowing the crowd with their technical prowess. Regal looks to be in the best shape of his career at this point, lean and mean. After eliminating the Throbs, Simon Dean and Maven came out next, another team that wouldn't last too long (Maven would be released in July). Regal and Tajiri make relatively quick work out of them before La Resistance - Sylvan Grenier and Rob Conway - make their way down the aisle. A loud "USA" chant breaks out but ends rather quickly as (I'm guessing) the audience realizes there's not a single American in the ring (actually, Conway is American but had become loyal to Quebec). The Frenchmen steal the win and are declared the new champions, but the match ain't over as Hurricane and Rosey come out as the next entrants. Helms takes a really good bump early on, his legs bouncing off the post before he spills to the outside and the audience grimaces in pain for him. La Resistance try to the slow the match down, Helms playing the face-in-peril. Rosey gets the hot tag and takes out both members of La Resistance, nearly getting a 3-count with a slam on Conway. The match ends with a wonderful finishing spot as Rosey sits on the top turnbuckle and Helms climb on him, hitting a huge splash off of Rosey's shoulders to win the gold. I'm not usually a fan of these matches, but they kept all the individual bouts short and the pace was kept swift. (2.5/5)  

Next up - Chris Benoit vs. Edge in a Last Man Standing Match. The story coming into this match is that Edge had won the inaugural Money In The Bank Ladder Match at WrestleMania XXI by targeting Benoit's arm. There's a loud "You Screwed Matt!" chant early on and then an even louder "We Want Matt!" one minutes later, this match occurring just a couple weeks after it was revealed that Lita had cheated on longtime beau Matt Hardy with Edge while he was recuperating from a knee injury (in real life, that is). Hardy was fired in April for airing his dirty laundry, but would end up rehired in July when Vince realized how he could use the real-life drama to propel Edge's career. Anyway, the first few minutes is just some straight-up tough guy 'rasslin' with the two Canadians hitting each other with all sorts of strikes. Out of the ring they go and then into the crowd, brawling in the stands. They don't last too long out there, though, and into the ring they go where Benoit applies a Sharpshooter and Edge taps out - but the ref won't call it because this is a Last Man Standing match. Ugh. Terrible. I know Edge wasn't an established main eventer yet, but it still doesn't make much sense that he would "instinctively" tap out so soon. Benoit hits him with a trio of Suplexes and then some running forearms to knock him to the arena floor for a count of 8. A loud "Get The Tables" chant starts, but is broken up when Benoit attempts a suicide dive only to be met by a trash can lid! Edge followed it up by bashing the lid over his noggin a second time, putting the Crippler on the ground for a count of 6. They end up on the top rope in the corner and Edge hits Benoit with a superplex through the trash can for a count of 8. Edge brings a ladder in and we get the first truly RIDICULOUS spot of the match as Edge gets german-suplexed from halfway up the thing. That is just a completely insane maneuver and somewhat hard to watch considering what would happen with Benoit about two years after this. Benoit follows it up with an even more self-harming diving headbutt from the very top of the ladder, a move that Edge rolls out of the way from. Edge grabs his briefcase but Benoit gets hold of him and applies the Crossface. When Edge taps here, it makes total sense but draws no reaction because they'd prematurely had Edge tap out to a Sharpshooter in minute 5. Benoit releases the hold but Edge is back on his feet. Benoit hits him with another 2 German Suplexes, but Edge fights out of it and hits the Impaler on the briefcase. Edge then rocks him with one of the nastier Spears I've ever seen him perform, putting Benoit down for 8. Edge nails him with a SECOND spear and the crowd tries to cheer him back to his feet, eventually inspiring him to get up at another 8 count. This time, instead of using a spear, Edge grabs a brick and strikes him in the back of the head of it! We've seen guys survive a ton more, but because this match didn't go too extreme with its violence, that finish felt worthy. I'd still call this one of the lesser Last Man Standing bouts I've seen, saved mostly by Benoit's ever-fearless performance and signature self-abandon in the hopes of giving the crowd a good show. (2.5/5)

Lita is then shown backstage, talking to Kane about the stakes of his match against Viscera. The segment ends with Lita kissing he storyline husband Kane, which is just gross. 

Back in the ring, Jerry Lawler is holding a copy of a WWE Divas Magazine. He then welcomes the RAW divas - Christy Hemme, Maria, Candice Michelle, Victoria, Stacy Keibler, and, from her seat at ringside, Lillian Garcia. Each Diva reveals their favorite photo in the magazine and Lawler reacts like they're really risque when, truthfully, its all pretty PG stuff. I mean, Victoria's picture features an iguana siting on her back. When they get to Keibler, the crowd gives her the loudest pop of the segment (followed by Lillian). As Jerry is about to ask each diva an "intimate, personal question," he is interrupted by the arrival of "The Masterpiece" Chris Masters. I was about to give this match a -1 rating, but having Masters come out and perform his Master Lock Challenge saved this for me just because this is the type of variety show stuff I think adds nice flavor to a wrestling show. Masters picks a woman out of the crowd - future Extreme Dodgeball player, Melissa Coates - and applies the hold, shaking her violently back and forth and then dropping her on the mat. 

Backstage, Trish bumps into Viscera, who had a storyline obsession with her at this point. Trish and Viscera have enough chemistry to make their creepy interaction work, but its still icky. Anyway, to the ring we go for Kane vs. Viscera. Kane comes flying off the top rope and onto the floor as yet another "We Want Matt" chant erupts. Back on the mat, Kane dominates and the crowd begins chanting "Lita Sucks." Despite how much heat Lita had on her, I'd argue that if the same scenario played out today, much more of the crowd would be aware and the heat would be nuclear. Viscera hits an impressive sidewalk slam. Kane attempts a chokeslam but Viscera knocks him out of the ring with a clothesline. Lita tries to protect her husband from fer damage but gets tossed aside for her trouble. Trish tries to get involved with a chair but Lita nails her with her crutch to a huge reaction! That was cool. Kane comes flying off the top again, but Viscera catches him and hits him with his sit-out chokeslam for 2. Lita gets in the ring and Vis corners her, attempting to plunge his tongue down her throat. Kane breaks it up, though, and this time he connects with the chokeslam for 3. For whatever reason, Kane's victory gets a pop despite he and Lita being the heels. During the post-match, Trish Stratus mocks Viscera, calling him a "fat, chicken-eating loser." Viscera bearhugs her and shakes her like a ragdoll then, much to the delight of the crowd, crushes with her a splash. Again, this isn't "good" - hell, the line about Viscera eating chicken was downright racist - but this was also Viscera's most relatable role, the most over he ever was, and Trish Stratus was excellent at turning lemons into lemonade. The match wasn't too long and the crowd was into it. No worse than average. (2.5/5)

We get an interesting package hyping Muhammad Hassan and his manager/sidekick, Daivari. Hassan had attacked Shawn Michaels on Raw, who proceeded to request a handicap match against them. Bischoff denied him, though, so Michaels had to find a partner and he found the most American one possible - Hulk Hogan. This all led to our next contest, Hogan's first after about a 2-year hiatus. Hogan comes out to a massive ovation followed by an enormous "Hogan" chant, the crowd fully into the nostalgia trip. The opening minutes are all shtick and they get a huge reaction, Hogan starting things out against Hassan by shoving him into the corner and then applying a headlock. Daivari comes in and the double-team begins, but Hulkster fights back with a double-clothesline and then another one just to Hassan. Hogan sends Hassan into Michaels' boot and then tags him in to take over. A loud "HBK" chant starts up but its clear that his own overness has been "trumped up" by his proximity to Hogan. That's not to say Shawn wasn't popular in his own right, but...The "work" in this match is nothing to write home about, but few were expecting a mat classic and its not like Daivari and Hassan were much better than just average. Michaels calls for Sweet Chin Music but, when Hogan tries to prevent Hassan from interfering, distracts the ref and ends up allowing Hassan to strike with a metal pipe. Daivari makes the cover but Hogan breaks it up as Michaels gets puled into the corner to get beaten down by the heels. They cut the ring in half and Michaels plays the face-in-peril, the crowd dying for a hot tag. Hassan applies a camel clutch and the commentary really misses the opportunity to play up Shawn's history of lower back problems. Michaels miraculously escapes by getting to his feet and hitting Hassan with an electric chair, the crowd once again rooting for the hot tag. As Hassan crawls over to Daivari, Shawn finally makes the tag and Hogan comes in to a huge pop. He unloads on both heels, bashing them headfirst into each other before dropping Daivari with a signature big boot. Hogan calls for the Leg Drop but Hassan strikes again with the lead pipe! Daivari covers, but Hogan kicks out and "hulks up," Daivari's rights having no effect on the Immortal One. Hogan hits him with his trademark offense, but once again Hassan distracts him. Hogan fights him off and, when the ref's back is turned, Shawn hits Daivari with a Superkick to get the big win! Hogan and Shawn celebrate in the ring for a little bit, Michaels sending Daivari out of the ring for good measure. They do some dancing and it seems all is good, even doing some poses together, really milking the moment. They even bring in a fan with a ridiculous Hulk Hogan tattoo on his back. All in all, this was designed to please the crowd and the nostalgic fans at home as well and, in that regard, it worked - though, knowing that this would not, in fact, be Hogan's last match (even if it was probably his last good run), makes it less meaningful. (2.5/5)

Before our main event, we get a quick promo from Triple H and then an even better promo out of Christian (backed up by Tomko) in the ring. Christian targets John Cena specifically, addressing his "fellow main eventers" by delivering a "rap" about all the people he doesn't like on Raw and SmackDown. This was the kind of work that made people very much believe that Christian deserved a strong push around this time - a push that he ultimately did not receive (which led to him jumping ship to TNA and becoming a true main eventer there). (+1)

A video recap airs before our main event - Triple H challenging Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship. Ric Flair comes out first to introduce Triple H, this show really stretching its legs by this point. The build-up for this match was all about Triple H's Pedigree and Batista's supposed fear of it and the opening minutes make that story extra clear as The Game nearly hits his finish twice (and Batista almost hits a Batista Bomb too). I'm not a massive fan of Triple H, but I have to acknowledge the psychology here and give credit where its due - this is a match with a clear story, a clear face/heel dynamic, and smartly-worked transitions. Batista was a limited work - then, now, forever - but he had an incredible look and, considering his size and power, had underrated vulnerability. With Triple H clearly leading the match, the pace is methodical but not necessarily slow. Triple H controls a lengthy stretch and gets additional help from Flair, Batista hitting the occasional offensive move but getting cut-off repeatedly. Finally, Batista hits a succession of maneuvers, including an irish whip into the steps on the outside. Batista looks to hit a Batista Bomb but Triple H catches him with a World Championship Belt shot with the ref's back turned! Triple H makes the cover, but only gets 2! The Animal and The Game trade shots and Triple H attempts a pedigree, but Batista back-body drops him. Batista goes for a clothesline, but Triple H dodges and the ref gets knocked out. Triple H makes the cover and gets a blind 5 count. I'd always heard that Triple H put Batista over super strong in their series but he's pretty well-protected here as he basically gets a 10-count on his Pedigree finish. Triple H attempts another one, but Batista counters it with a huge spinebuster as another referee makes his way down the aisle. Batista goes for another back-body drop but Triple H counters it into his facebuster variation. Triple H goes for another Pedigree, but Batista sends him into the corner and hits him with a series of big clotheslines. As Triple H tries to regain his composure on the ropes, he kicks the ref in the balls and escapes a Batista Bomb attempt. Shenanigans ensue and Batista gets hit with a lowblow that sends him into the corner. Triple H pummels Batista in the corner, but Batista reverses it into a Batista Bomb to get the 3. The finish was a bit overbooked and I'm not sure the crowd ever bit on any of Triple H's nearfalls, but this was a decent enough, straightforward contest. (3/5)

I wasn't watching WWE in the spring of 2005, but by the summer, I was back to watching weekly with some buddies and roommates while living in Athens, Ohio, and attending Ohio University. The impetus for that return to fandom (after around a 4-year break) was two-fold: the hype around the eventual Shawn Michaels/Hulk Hogan match and the other tent pole spectacle of the SummerSlam 2005 card - Rey Mysterio vs. Eddie Guerrero in a ladder match for the custody of Mysterio's son Dominick. It also helped that one of my buddies in particular - shout-out to Adam Lee - let me borrow a Ring of Honor tape and WWE, as this show exemplifies, was moving away from the embarrassing, sordid, and desperate storylines that marred the post-Attitude Era and actually trying to go back to basics a little bit (which dovetailed nicely with my friends and I's renewed interest in "low culture" after years of being music-obsessives and wanna-be hipsters). Sure there was still sultriness to the presentation of the divas and the Stratus/Viscera drama was more than suggestive, but compared to Hot Lesbian Action? Necrophilia? The rumored Stephanie/Vince incest storyline that never saw the light of day? Lita and Kane's marriage was comparatively wholesome. Elsewhere on the card, Muhammad Hassan and Daivari were edgy, but not wholly original; "Evil foreigners" had been a part of wrestling for decades by this point and 20 years earlier, Sgt. Slaughter was burning the American flag on Saturday morning TV. Chris Masters' shtick was a throwback to the crowd work of Ted DiBiase. While he didn't appear on this show, Carlito was getting a run around this time, spitting apples in people's faces and cutting over-the-top promos that wouldn't have been out of place in 1988. At the same time, Batista and John Cena were seen as fresh main eventers even if their actual in-ring skills weren't praised or appreciated by the "smart" portion of the audience. Some months later the WWE would begin a promotion claiming "The Power Is Back" and it did kinda feel that way for a time (partially because the WWE had also returned to its "home" network, USA, by then). In some ways, the goodwill the company was getting from the fans helped make a show like this click. There's not a single match I'd consider great, but the crowd is into every single bout and many of the wrestlers are positioned properly, allowed to showcase their talent and play to their strengths. There's variety. There's not too much comedy. There's the past (Hogan and Flair), the present (Triple H, Benoit, Kane), and the future (Batista, Hassan, even Edge and Christian to some degree) all getting featured in the right way. With a Kwang Score of 2.83-out-of-5 and lots of stars on the card, I've got no problem giving this...

FINAL RATING - Watch It...With Remote in Hand