WWF Backlash was a 2000 professional wrestling event put on by the World Wrestling Federation. It was the 2nd ever Backlash event, the 4th event of 2000 and the 124th event overall in the alternate WWF timeline. Emanating from the Firstar Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, the main event was a triple threat match for the WWF Title between The Rock, Triple H and The Big Show. Other matches on the card included Kane facing Bad Ass Billy Gunn, the Tag Team Titles on the line between Edge & Christian and The Dudley Boyz, and a 4-Man Scramble Match for the Intercontinental Title between Chris Benoit, Chris Jericho, Tazz & Kurt Angle.
Prelude[]
Coming out of Wrestlemania, The Rock had defeated Triple H to regain the WWF Championship. The McMahon-Helmsley Regime immediately targeted the new champion, spurred on by WWF Chairman Vince McMahon rejoining with his children (having stated his earlier actions against Triple H were a form of "tough love,"). Vince immediately made a match at Backlash between The Rock and Triple H, adding that Shane McMahon would be the special guest referee this time around. However this was overturned by Vince's wife, Linda McMahon, who announced that not only would Shane not be the Special Guest Referee at Backlash, but that the match would be a Triple Threat match, with the winner of a Chain Match between Kane and The Big Show being added to the match. Big Show won that match (with help from Bad Ass Billy Gunn), thus getting added to Backlash. Triple H initially made it seem like Big Show was there only to help him secure the title, but this seemed to create tension with his longtime enforcer who claimed to be seeking the title for himself.
Billy Gunn, longtime tag team competitor and member of the Regime, was chastised by both X-Pac and Triple H for being a "weak link" in the Regime, due to being the man who was pinned in the six man tag at Wrestlemania. Eager to prove himself, Gunn took it upon himself to interfere in the Chain Match between Big Show and Kane, costing the Big Red Machine a chance to regain the WWF Championship. While this did get him back in the good graces of the Regime, it also drew the ire of Kane, who targeted the New Age Outlaws. He chokeslammed Road Dogg through an announce table on an episode of Raw (writing Road Dogg off TV, as he needed to have shoulder surgery due to lingering injuries) and then set his sights on the self-professed "Mr. Ass" at Backlash to gain a measure of revenge.
After winning the tag team titles in the Triangle Ladder Match, Edge & Christian were immediately set on by the former champions, The Dudley Boyz, who attempted to regain their titles. On an episode of Raw, the Dudleys blindsided Edge & Christian, putting them both through tables as was their custom action. They then added insult to injury by following up with a non-title victory, earning a title shot at Backlash. As for their Triangle match opponents, the Hardys, they were engaged in a short-term feud with the new team of Test & Albert, along with their manager Trish Stratus.
The Intercontinental Title match at Wrestlemania had ended in controversy, with a double finish. Tazz had locked the champion, Kurt Angle, in a Tazzmission, while Chris Jericho had Chris Benoit locked in the Walls of Jericho. The referee, not seeing Tazz choke out Angle, counted the submission victory for Jericho, giving him the title. Further complicating matters was the fact that Benoit defeated Jericho for the title the following night on Raw, while Angle handed Tazz his first pinfall loss on an episode of Smackdown. This would set up a Four-Man Scramble match, which would be set to last for 30 minutes. Whoever was champion (the title being passed to whoever the last person to get a fall) at the end of 30 minutes would become the undisputed Intercontinental Champion.
Event[]
Coming Soon...
Results[]
No. | Results | Stipulations | Time |
---|---|---|---|
FFA | Kidman d. Funaki by Pinfall | Singles Match | 6:33 |
1 | Sabu (c) d. Crash Holly by Pinfall | Hardcore Match for the WWF Hardcore Title | 9:27 |
2 | Eddie Guerrero (c) d. The Godfather by Pinfall | Singles Match for the WWF Television Title | 11:20 |
3 | T&A [Test & Albert] w/Trish Stratus d. The Hardy Boyz [Matt & Jeff Hardy] w/Lita by Disqualification | Tag Team Match | 10:30 |
4 | Kane d. Bad Ass Billy Gunn by Pinfall | Singles Match | 13:50 |
5 | Chris Benoit (c) d. Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho & Tazz in a Scramble Match | Championship Scramble for the WWF Intercontinental Title | 30:00 |
6 | Rikishi d. X-Pac by Pinfall | Singles Match | 7:16 |
7 | Edge & Christian (c) d. The Dudley Boyz by Pinfall | Tag Team Match for the WWF Tag Team Titles | 12:00 |
8 | The Rock (c) d. Triple H w/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley & The Big Show by Pinfall | Triple Threat Match for the WWF Championship | 18:07 |
Aftermath[]
The feud between the Rock and Triple H would reach its culmination at Judgment Day with a 60 Minute Iron Man Match for the WWF Title, set up by newly appointed WWF Commissioner Mick Foley. Following their Disqualification Victory, T&A would go on to challenge Edge & Christian for the Tag Team Titles, only to be interrupted by The Hardy Boyz, setting up a six person tag match at Judgment Day. Meanwhile the tag champions would turn heel and enter a feud with Too Cool and Rikishi over the titles, teaming with Chris Benoit in the process. Jericho and Angle's feud would also continue for one more month in a 2 out of 3 falls match at Judgment Day.