WWE Backlash was a 2008 professional wrestling event put on by World Wrestling Entertainment. It was the 10th Backlash event, the 4th event of 2008 and the 220th event overall in the alternate WWF timeline. Emanating from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, the show was billed with a triple main event, consisting of a Ladder Match for the vacant World Heavyweight Title between Edge and Shelton Benjamin, a Last Man Standing match for the WWE Title between John Cena and Randy Orton and a Hell in a Cell match between The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar.
Prelude[]
Shelton Benjamin had fought against Edge at Wrestlemania 24 for the World Heavyweight Championship. The match had initially ended in a disqualification due to outside interference from La Familia, an intentional DQ on Edge's part in order to keep the title. However, Smackdown Co-General Manager Theodore Long overruled this decision, ordering the match to restart, which allowed the Gold Standard to score the pin and win the World Heavyweight Title. The following week on Smackdown, the other general manager of Smackdown (and love interest of the former champion) Vickie Guerrero announced that Long had overstepped his authority as GM and, per Vince McMahon, Shelton Benjamin was being stripped of the title. Before she could award it to Edge though, Long interjected and stated that while it was correct that Benjamin would be stripped of the belt, the belt itself would instead be vacated. He then booked a Ladder Match at Backlash to crown the undisputed World Heavyweight Champion.
In the main event of Wrestlemania, John Cena had ended the lengthy WWE title reign of Randy Orton, surviving the onslaught of Legacy in order to recapture the championship. The following night on Raw, following a title defense against Ted DiBiase, Cena was viciously attacked by the former champion, who used his devastating Punt Kick to knock Cena out cold. Orton then announced that he would exercise his rematch clause at Backlash, and that said rematch gave him the right to decide what kind of match it would be. Orton then challenged Cena to a Last Man Standing match, where the loser would be the first man unable to answer the referee's ten count.
The Undertaker's streak at Wrestlemania had very nearly ended at the hands of Brock Lesnar, as the former UFC fighter had taken the Phenom to his absolute limit. The end to their match had also been controversial, as Taker seemingly won with the Hell's Gate submission, only for Brock to have appeared to have pinned Taker's shoulders to the mat simultaneously. With the series between the two tied at one a piece, a final match was made to be held inside Hell in a Cell to determine once and for all who the better man was.
The Glamazon Beth Pheonix had appeared at Wrestlemania in a huff that she had no match on the Showcase of the Immortals, claiming to be the greatest woman wrestler in WWE history. However this claim was challenged by the shocking return of Chyna. The Ninth Wonder of the World made her first appearance in a WWE ring in almost 8 years and made short work of the Diva's Champion in a Non-Title contest. This earned her a title shot at Backlash against the Glamazon.
Event[]
Coming Soon...
Results[]
| No. | Results | Stipulations | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Show | Chavo Guerrero d. Charlie Haas by Pinfall | Singles Match | 10:29 |
| 1 | Rey Mysterio, CM Punk & Matt Hardy d. John Morrison, JBL & The Miz by Pinfall | Six Man Tag Team Match | 12:00 |
| 2 | William Regal (c) d. Finlay by Pinfall | Belfast Brawl for the WWE Intercontinental Title | 15:21 |
| 3 | The Boom Squad [Kofi Kingston & Colt Cabana] d. Legacy [Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase] (c) by DIsqualification | Tag Team Match for the World Tag Team Titles | 14:02 |
| 4 | Batista d. MVP by Pinfall | Singles Match | 5:03 |
| 5 | Chris Jericho d. Triple H by Pinfall | Singles Match | 8:20 |
| 6 | Chyna d. Beth Phoenix (c) by Disqualification | Singles Match for the WWE Divas Title | 11:09 |
| 7 | The Undertaker d. Brock Lesnar by Pinfall | Hell in a Cell Match | 16:08 |
| 8 | John Cena (c) & Randy Orton Wrestled to a No Contest | Last Man Standing Match for the WWE Championship | 15:44 |
| 9 | Edge d. Shelton Benjamin | Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Championship | 16:30 |
Aftermath[]
Following the end of the Ladder Match for the World Heavyweight Title, Shelton Benjamin would enter a feud with his former tag partner Charlie Haas, who had cost him the match, while Edge would enter a feud with The Undertaker. Cena and Orton would wrestle again the following night on Raw, in which Orton would fluke his way into regaining the title thanks to an interfering Big Show, setting up a Triple Threat match at Judgment Day. This would be the last appearance of Brock Lesnar in a WWE Ring for a number of years, as he returned to the UFC.