Backlash

Sunday, April 29th in Rosemont, IL

Dudley Boyz versus X-Factor

– Jim Ross and Paul Heyman welcomed fans to Backlash as the Dudley Boyz — Bubba Ray, D-Von and Spike — headed to the ring! The trio from Dudleyville took on X-Factor — X-Pac, Justin Credible and Albert. The Dudleys got the early advantage in the match, as the sold-out crowd at the Allstate Arena in Chicago chanted for tables! The teams soon started using double- and triple-team maneuvers to try and gain the advantage in the bout. Bubba Ray and D-Von soon hit the “wassap!” on Justin, and then Bubba told his brother to get the tables! But Albert nailed D-Von with a boot to the face before he could nab any “wood.” Back in the ring, X-Pac and Justin hit the “X Marks The Spot” double-kick on Bubba Ray, and scored the win! After the pin, Albert continued to assault Bubba, and X-Pac and Justin went outside the ring and grabbed a table! But the Dudleys fought off X-Factor, and gave X-Pac a 3-D through the table!

– Winners: X-Factor by pinfall

In the parking area, a limo arrived at the arena, and the Duchess of Queensberry got out! Commissioner Regal welcomed her to the arena.

Lilian Garcia interviewed Kurt Angle about his 30-minute Ultimate Submission Match, and Angle said he was supremely confident heading into the unique match-up.

Hardcore Championship: Rhyno versus Raven

– Rhyno put his Hardcore Title on the line against Raven, in a battle of two former ECW Champions. Raven made sure to bring a shopping cart full of goodies to the ring in an attempt to regain his title. Raven tried to end the bout early, but the manbeast would not stay down. The battle soon moved outside the ring, where Rhyno assaulted Raven with the steel steps and a folding chair. But as Rhyno set Raven up for a gore from the steps, Raven moved and Rhyno crashed through the chair! Raven tried to score a quick fall, but he could not keep Rhyno down. Rhyno smashed the shopping cart against Raven’s face, and moments later, Raven knocked Rhyno’s head into the cart! The two continually assaulted each other with the weapons, brutally assaulting each other with headshot after headshot. Soon, Raven nailed Rhyno with a trash can as Rhyno held the cart — sending the cart crashing on top of the manbeast! Raven then ran Rhyno down with the cart, but Rhyno recovered and nailed Raven with a street sign. Rhyno then went for the gore, but Raven ducked and Rhyno sent himself through the shopping cart! Raven tried to take advantage, but amazingly, Rhyno kicked out! Moments later, Rhyno hit the gore and pinned Raven to retain his title!

– Winner and Still Champion: Rhyno by pinfall

Michael Cole was interviewing Shane McMahon when Stephanie

McMahon-Helmsley told Shane he should apologize to Vince, and then maybe Vince would call off the match. She told Shane he was living in a fantasy world. Shane said there was no way he would apologize — and the Last Man Standing Match would have a happy ending.

As Stone Cold Steve Austin and Debra arrived at the arena, Kevin Kelly asked about his chances of retaining his title. The Rattlesnake said there was no way he would lose his championship.

Coach then tried to interview the Duchess of Queensberry about the rules of the match, but as she was about to do so, William Regal ran over and told Coach to go away!

Duchess of Queensberry Match: William Regal versus Chris Jericho

– Prior to this bout, Regal introduced the Duchess of Queensberry to the crowd at the Allstate Arena. The duchess was seated in a throne at ringside. Jericho poked fun at the duchess as he headed to the ring, still unaware of the rules of this bout. Jericho tried to hit the commissioner with aerial maneuvers early on, but Regal did everything he could to keep Y2J grounded. But Jericho battled back, hitting a top-rope hurricanrana on the Federation’s goodwill ambassador! Jericho soon hit a bulldog on Regal, and followed up with a Lionsault. But as he went for the pin, the bell rang. Howard Finkel announced that the time limit for Round 1 had expired, according to “Duchess of Queensberry” Rules. Regal then tried to roll Jericho up, but Y2J kicked out. Regal then nailed Jericho with a suplex, and Jericho landed right on his forehead, whipping his neck backwards. Regal then locked on the Regal Stretch, but Y2J made it to the ropes. Jericho soon turned Regal over into the Walls of Jericho, and Regal tapped! But the duchess informed Howard Finkel that according to “Duchess of Queensberry” Rules, you can’t win by submission! Angered, Jericho approached the duchess. Regal met him outside the ring, and smashed him in the head with the duchess’ scepter — which was perfectly legal according to the duchess, since there were no disqualifications in the match! Back in the ring, Regal scored a near fall. The commissioner continued his assault, hitting Y2J with a variety of suplexes. But Y2J battled back, and gave Regal a low blow! Jericho then kicked Regal — right into the duchess! Outside the ring, Jericho knocked out Regal, and threw the duchess into the ring! He then locked her in the Walls of Jericho! But Regal snuck up and assaulted Y2J with three chairshots. He then pinned Jericho to win the unique contest.

– Winner: William Regal by pinfall

The Big Show entered Mr. McMahon’s locker room, and the Federation chairman told Show not to hold back just because Shane was his son.

30-Minute Ultimate Submission Match: Chris Benoit versus Kurt Angle

– This grueling bout matched up two of the most technically sound superstars in World Wrestling Federation history for 30 minutes of action. Prior to the bout, Angle said that the city of Chicago had been short on winners ever since Michael Jordan’s retirement. He said the city was full of pigs, and said Benoit would be squealing like a pig before the night was through. The men put on a pure wrestling exhibition as the match began, trying to wear down each other’s stamina early, and hoping to gain an early advantage. Benoit went for the Crossface just three minutes into the bout, but Angle quickly jumped to the ropes. Moments later, he tried again, but again Angle got to the ropes. Five minutes into the bout, Benoit locked on the Crossface and Angle tapped — but the two were outside the ring, and therefore, the submission didn’t count! Frustrated, Angle went for a chair, but the referee convinced him to put it down. As Angle got back in the ring, he quickly locked on a painful armbar, and Benoit tapped out! [Angle 1; Benoit 0]

– After a 30-second rest period, Angle seemed more aggressive then before, targeting Benoit’s knees. But as he went for a chop block, Benoit caught him and tried to lock on the Crossface, but when he couldn’t, he rolled him into an armbar, and Angle tapped! [Benoit 1; Angle 1]

– As the match resumes, Benoit tossed Angle shoulder-first into the ringpost. Benoit then went back to the armbreaker, but Angle got to the ropes. The two superstars soon got tangled in the ropes, and when Benoit shoved the official away, Angle nailed Benoit in the head with a steel chair and put Benoit in the ankle lock. Benoit quickly tapped! [Angle 2; Benoit 1]

– Angle was about to go back to the ankle lock, but the ref reminded him that there was a 30-second rest period. Now with 19 minutes left, Angle locked on the Crossface, and Benoit tapped out again, this time to his own hold! [Angle 3; Benoit 1]

– After the rest period, Angle strategically beat down the Wolverine, and the action spilled outside the ring, where Angle bounced Benoit’s head off the announce table. Back in the ring, Benoit scored a huge move, backdropping Angle over the top rope all the way to the floor. The Wolverine didn’t relent, attacking Angle’s left shoulder outside the ring. But Angle recovered, and put Benoit in the ankle lock outside the ring! Back in the ring, Angle wrenched Benoit’s right arm in an armbreaker, but the Wolverine would not give up, already down 3-1. Moments later, Angle locked on an abdominal stretch, and it was clear that the Wolverine was in a lot of pain. With 13 minutes to go in the bout, Benoit caught Angle and locked him in a sharpshooter, but Angle got to the ropes. Moments later, Benoit rolled through a maneuver and locked on a version of the Boston Crab, which forced Angle to tap! [Angle 3; Benoit 2]

– Angle was still leading. After the rest period, Angle tried running from Benoit, and it was clear that the Olympian was hurting. The Wolverine caught up with Angle outside the ring and pounded on him. At the 10-minute mark, the two men duked it out in the ring. Angle knocked Benoit out of the ring and tried to keep him from re-entering the squared circle. Once the Wolverine made it back in, Angle went for the ankle lock on two occasions, but Benoit made it to the ropes both times. The two men traded chops outside the ring at the 7-minute mark, and moments later, Angle locked up Benoit once again. With just about five minutes to go, Benoit tried to rally back, as Angle just tried to hold on for another 300 seconds. Angle held onto Benoit in a sleeperhold, but Benoit powered out with a jawbreaker as the clock passed four minutes to go. With Benoit reeling, Angle hit a pair of belly-to-belly suplexes. Moments later, Benoit got a sudden burst of energy, nailing two German suplexes. After some holds and some counterholds, Benoit put Angle in the ankle lock, and the Olympian tapped out to his own hold! [Benoit 3; Angle 3]

– The bout was tied. The next submission would probably determine the winner, with just 96 seconds to go. As the clock went under a minute, Benoit hit another German suplex, but Angle escaped a second using a low blow. Angle then went for a quick ankle lock, but Benoit got to the ropes. With 11 seconds to go, Angle locked on the ankle lock, but Benoit held out for the bell! The Wolverine was writhing in pain, but Benoit had held out — it was a tie!

– OVERTIME: The referee demanded that the match continue under Sudden Death rules — the next submission would win the bout! As overtime began, Angle attacked Benoit’s knee and ankle. As the crowd chanted “Angle sucks,” Benoit tried rallying back, reaching down deep for a last bit of strength. Suddenly, he locked Angle in the Crossface in the middle of the ring — and Angle tapped!

– Winner: Chris Benoit 4; Kurt Angle 3

Backstage, the Undertaker and Kane talked strategy. The Taker looked upset with his brother, whose arm was still heavily taped. Triple H and Stephanie watched on and mocked the Brothers of Destruction. Stephanie said that they would go down in defeat, much like her brother Shane would.

Last Man Standing Match: Shane McMahon versus Big Show

– The Big Show was a man on a mission in this bout, looking to destroy Shane McMahon as Vince McMahon watched on from backstage. As the match began, Shane grabbed a kendo stick and nailed the Big Show from all angles. Shane even assaulted Show with the “Shane and the Beanstalk” book he read from last week on SmackDown! The Big Show was able to hit Shane with one big punch, however, and the Boy Wonder was down. Inside the ring, Shane recovered and repeatedly crashed a steel chair against Big Show’s head and back — but the Show wouldn’t stay down for the 10-count! Shane then went under the ring and got an ether-soaked rag, trying to force the Show into unconsciousness. As the crowd chanted “Shane-O-Mac,” the Show collapsed onto the mat. But as the ref began to count the Show down, Mr. McMahon ran to the ring and assaulted his son with a steel chair! As Mr. McMahon left, both Shane and Show were down in the ring. Show got to his feet at the count of 8, and then picked up Shane! The 7-footer brutalized the Boy Wonder — caring less about the ref’s count and winning the match than about brutalizing Shane in front of Vince. The Big Show hit Shane with the Final Cut, and then told the ref to count. But when the ref got to 8, the Show again picked up Shane! After slamming him down with a mighty chokeslam, the ref again began to count. But again at 8, the Show picked Shane up! The Show locked Shane in a backbreaker, but Test ran to the ring and kicked the Show in the face! Test continued to attack the Show, but the Show recovered and knocked Test from the ring. Outside the ring, the Big Show decimated Test — but by doing so, he gave the Boy Wonder time to recover. Show and Test battled to the top of the entrance way, and Shane soon followed down the aisle. The Boy Wonder snuck up behind the Big Show and hit him with a street sign. But the Big Show grabbed a lead pipe and stalked Shane. Soon Shane started climbing up the superstructure on the Backlash set. Amazingly, the Big Show followed him up the scaffolding! Test snuck up behind the Show and knocked the Show out. Shane then delivered an elbowdrop onto the Big Show from the top of the scaffold — from nearly 50 feet in the air! The ref started to count, and Test propped Shane’s body up on the roving camera! The ref got to 10 — and Shane McMahon was the Last Man Standing!

– Winner: Shane McMahon

In the McMahon/Helmsley locker room, Mr. McMahon was irate that Shane had defeated the Big Show. Stephanie calmed him down, and Vince said that from this day on, he only had one son — and his name was Triple H. Vince and Triple H then hugged as Stephanie watched on and smiled.

At WWF New York, Steve Blackman and Grand Master Sexay gave their thoughts on Shane’s amazing leap.

European Championship: Matt Hardy vs. Eddie Guerrero vs. Christian

– Matt Hardy — who won the European Championship this past Thursday on SmackDown! — defended against Christian and Eddie Guerrero in this Triple Threat Match. Edge, Jeff Hardy, Saturn and Malenko were not at ringside for the contest. The action was fast and furious in this bout, and most of the attention was focused on Matt Hardy and Christian, who usually function in a tag-team environment. Eddie — the competitor in the bout with the most singles experience — picked up a couple of early near-falls, but Christian and Matt were resilient as always. As the action spilled to the outside, the referee became distracted, and Edge speared Matt Hardy outside the ring. Moments later, Jeff Hardy got in the ring and attacked Edge, but Edge deposited Jeff outside the ring. As Christian hit the I’m Prettier and went for the pin, Jeff came off the top woth a Swanton Bomb. Matt then hit the Twist of Fate on Christian to retain his European Title!

– Winner and Still Champion: Matt Hardy by pinfall

Heavyweight/Intercontinental/Tag Team Championships: Steve Austin/Triple H versus Undertaker/Kane

– The three most prestigious titles in sports entertainment were all on the line in this unique contest among four of the top superstars in World Wrestling Federation history — World Wrestling Federation Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin, Intercontinental Champion Triple H, and Kane and the Undertaker, the Tag Team Champions. Kane’s left elbow was heavily taped for the bout, stemming from an attack by Stone Cold and the Game two weeks ago. Still, as Kane and Taker entered the ring, the Two-Man Power Trip ran for cover. Triple H and Austin tried to just leave, but the Brothers of Destruction tracked them down, and the match began in the entrance way. As the bout got underway, Triple H and Kane paired off, as did Taker and Austin. As expected the Power Trip focused on Kane’s injured arm. But the Big Red Machine soon tagged in the Undertaker, who took it right to the Texas Rattlesnake! The Taker threw Austin from pillar to post. When Austin extended his hand looking for a handshake, the Taker just kicked Austin right in the face. Kane then wanted to tag in, and Taker tagged him — reluctantly (since Taker can’t win the WWF Championship if Kane’s the legal man). Kane was soon knocked from the ring, and Triple H and the Taker ducked it out in the Taker’s yard — with Taker even going up top and walking the ropes, crashing down onto the Game! Moments later, Undertaker did the exact same thing to Stone Cold! Again, Austin and Triple H tried to leave the ringside area, and again, Kane tracked them down, and threw the Rattlesnake to the Taker in the ring. Taker set up Austin for the Last Ride in the ring, but Triple H saved his partner. The Power Trip double-teamed the Undertaker, wearing him down the same way they wore down Kane’s left arm over the past two weeks. Taker tried to fight back, hitting Triple H with a DDT. But the Taker was too out of it to cover the Game. Kane reached out for the tag, but Taker refused to slap his brother’s hand. The Rattlesnake soon scored with a Lou Thesz Press, and fists of fire onto the Undertaker. The Taker recovered, going for a double-chokeslam on the Power Trip. The two men battled back and knocked the Undertaker down. Kane then tagged himself into the match and knocked Triple H from the ring. The Big Red Machine hit a sidewalk slam on Austin, and then went up top and hit the Federation Champion with a clothesline. Triple H went up top, but Kane caught him and slammed him down. The Power Trip refocused their attack on Kane’s left arm. Austin looked for the Stunner, but Kane powered out. Austin then took Kane down with an armbar, and the Big Red Machine writhed in pain, his left arm dangling at his side. From there, the attack on Kane’s left elbow only grew more vicious. Austin pounded Kane’s arm with a steel chair outside the ring, until Taker chased the Rattlesnake away. Triple H then knocked Kane’s arm into the ring steps. Triple H then took a page out of Benoit’s and Angle’s books, wrenching Kane’s arm in a painful armbar submission move. As Kane tried to battle back, the Game tagged in Austin, who continued the assault, locking on an armbar of his own. Triple H soon hit a Pedigree on Kane, but didn’t go for the cover, instead tagging in Austin. With the ref distracted, Undertaker came in the ring and hit a chokeslam on Stone Cold! Stephanie tried to distract the ref — but the ref shoved Stephanie down! Kane knocked Triple H down, but the Game took the ref down with him. Kane then finally made the tag — but the ref didn’t see it! The ref screamed at the Undertaker to get out of the ring, but the Taker didn’t listen. The Taker brutalized both Austin and Triple H. He soon knocked the Rattlesnake from the ring and hit the Last Ride on Triple H! But when he went for the pin, the ref screamed at Taker that he was not the legal man! Austin then knocked the ref from the ring, and hit a Stunner on Kane! Austin and the Taker battled outside the ring, into the crowd, and Stephanie handed Triple H one of the title belts! But as he ran at Kane, the Big Red Machine got a boot up and knocked him down! Kane then kicked Stephanie as Stephanie climbed into the ring, and Mr. McMahon ran to ringside with a sledgehammer. Triple H then nailed Kane in the head with the sledgehammer and pinned him! Stone Cold and Triple H are now the Tag Team Champions — in addition to being the Federation Champion and Intercontinental Champion!

– Winners and Still/New Champions: Steve Austin and Triple H by pinfall

GERWECK POLL

What did you think of Backlash?

Thumbs Up – 21%

Thumbs In the middle – 23%

Thumbs Down – 25%

Didn’t See It – 30%