Backlash 2000

Legacy Review

Backlash 2000

April 30, 2000 from the MCI Center in Washington, DC

Commentary: Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler

Looking at just the card this show already looks more like Wrestlemania than Wrestlemania did, including the expected WM main event. On paper the only trade I'd make is putting the triangle ladder match here. Another reason for the WM-like feel is the announcement that, after making his first appearance since being run over at Survivor Series on a recent Smackdown, Steve Austin will be here, and is expected to be in the Rock's corner. On that Smackdown, by the way, was the famous segment where Austin destroyed the fancy DX Express bus that had been commandeered by the McMahon-Helmsleys as their personal chariot. The McMahon-Helmsley regime has spent much of the build trying to sow doubt in Rock's mind on whether he can trust Austin or not.

The stage setup is really cool, with swinging "scythes" (made out of the usual stage metal beams) across both sides in keeping with the show's logo.

WWF Tag Team Championship: Edge & Christian (c) def Road Dogg & X-Pac (w/Tori) in 8:37- Before either team comes out Debra gets an entrance as the guest ring announcer for this match. She'd been off TV for a while to be with her real life husband (for the time) Austin during his recovery. Thankfully she doesn't get much of a reaction like she would have previously. Unthankfully Lawler gets insta-annoying as soon as he sees her. As expected, she's atrocious as a ring announcer. After the bell the crowd instantly gets into an "X-Pac sucks" chant. Pac and Edge start. Lockup! Nice basic start. Pac uses the ropes to flip out of a hammerlock, hits an armdrag and brags. Speed run and an Edge spinning heel kick sends Pac all the way out to the floor. Pac is pissed and Dogg has to calm him down. Pac gets back in and spits at Edge, then tags out. Edge flying headscissors on Dogg. E&C do their own version of the Hardyz' Poetry in Motion. Dogg goes to the ol' heel eye poke to get some space. Christian powerslam on Pac. He goes for mounted punches. Dogg pulls him down from the apron, snapping Christian over the top rope. DX work Christian over on the floor. Dogg hooks on a front facelock and they do the phantom tag spot, allowing DX to do a double corner beatdown. Tori chokes Christian. I think. Looks more like she's hugging him. Christian's comeback is cut off with Dogg's dancing jabs and shimmy kneedrop. Crossbody collision! Edge takes advantage of Pac tying the ref up and hits Dogg with a headbutt off the top rope. Christian covers for 2. DX go for a double backdrop but Christian counters into a double reverse DDT. A pure double Destino right there, with the flip over and everything. Crawl and tag to Edge. Edge catches Pac leaping and powerbombs him for 2. Christian breaks up Dogg's pumphandle slam (too much grinding, almost like he was enjoying it). The Unprettier is broken up. Edge spear on Dogg! Tori gets on the apron and grabs Edge by the hair. Pac takes Tori out! Edge roll up for 2. They're fighting everywhere as Pac gets an X-Factor on Edge, but the ref is busy elsewhere. Christian comes in and nails Pac with the bell! Edge covers for the pin! Big pop for the win too. We get a shot of Pac and he's absolutely gushing blood from the bell shot. Damn. The was pure classic tag formula, right out of the RNR/Midnight playbook, but extremely well executed and the crowd was into it the whole time. E&C dragging a good match out of Pac and Dogg in this period is a borderline miracle. ***

 

WWF Light Heavyweight Championship: Dean Malenko (c) def Scotty 2 Hotty in 11:47- Hey, a Light Heavyweight title match on a PPV! You put the belt on Malenko and good things happen. There's even a new belt, finally replacing the old one that still had the old WWF logo on it. These two have actually traded the title back and forth a couple of times on weekly TV. Now Debra is thankfully out of the way I can mention that Lillian Garcia is working her first ever PPV as ring announcer tonight. Quick start with Scott getting the upper hand. With his hat still on. There's large blood stains on the ring mat from Pac getting busted open big time earlier. Scotty counters a powerbomb attempt into an armdrag. Lost his hat though. Dropkick for 2. More counters and Scotty hits a back suplex. He decides to moonwalk, allowing Malenko to hit him from behind. Some more counters that Scotty gets the upper hand on. He's completely outwrestling Dean freaking Malenko. Talk about flipping the script. Finally Malenko has enough and takes Scotty down with a huge clothesline. He runs Scotty into the turnbuckle connector, then runs his back into the apron. Scotty quickly slugs back in the corner. Malenko hits a basement dropkick to Scotty's knee, then sets to work on it. Malenko posts the knee. Scotty tries an enzuguri but Malenko ducks it. He hooks up a legbar and tries for extra rope leverage but ref Jack Doan immediately catches him. He kicks Scotty's leg out of his leg. Another enzuguri Scotty counter attempt and this time it hits. Malenko recovers and gets back on the knee. Figure four attempt. Scotty pushes out and rolls Malenko up for 2. Clothesline from Malenko. Malenko charges and both guys tumble through the ropes to the floor. Scotty grabs Malenko and drops him on the apron. He goes up top but Malenko joins and hits a superplex. Scotty clothesline duck and backslide for 2. Malenko goes for the Cloverleaf but Scotty counters into a small package for 2. Back suplex from Malenko, but Scotty punches him the whole way down and both guys are down. Scotty flips out of a powerbomb attempt and hits a bulldog. Big spot time. Everything stops for the Worm. Malenko gets a roll up in the corner and tries for rope leverage but gets caught again. Going all the way for the top rope might have been a bridge too far. Standing switches and counters and Malenko hits a double underhook powerbomb for 2. Powerslam for 2. Scotty tries to dump Malenko over the top rope, but Malenko uses that to snap Scotty over the top rope. Now Scotty sets up for a superplex. Malenko counters in midair into an avalanche DDT! That gets the pin! Fantastic finish. Considering how rough the Too Cool/Radicalz tag matches could be, largely due to the difference in wrestling styles, this came together really well and might be Scotty's best match ever, though it would have been better if he didn't stop selling the knee halfway through. ***1/2

In the crowded McMahon-Helmsley locker room Vince confirms with the Stooges (Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco) that they are indeed back on board, then says it's "all hands on deck" tonight.

 

Bull Buchanan and The Big Boss Man def The APA in 8:27- No shock jump start with brawling all over. Bradshaw hits Buchanan with a big boot and DDT in the ring as things settle in. Tackle off the top rope for 2. Buchanan flips over a backdrop attempt and hits a clothesline. Bradshaw hits another tackle and a swinging neckbreaker. Buchanan gets beat down in the APA corner. Faarooq back suplex on Boss Man. Tackle for 2. Bradshaw knocks Boss Man around on the floor. In the ring the same two have trouble getting on the same page. BM dodges in the corner and runs Faarooq over, sending Faarooq in peril. The heels work quick tags on him. They work the phantom tag spot in again, the second time tonight. Buchanan clothesline for 2. Faarooq hits a spinebuster and gets the hot tag to Bradshaw. Tackle on Buchanan. DONNYBROOK! Faarooq and Boss Man brawl on the floor while Bradshaw and Buchanan fight in the ring. Bradshaw goes up top. Boss Man grabs his foot and Buchanan gives him a superplex. Clothesline from Hell! Boss Man breaks the pin up while he and Faarooq cross through the ring to continue brawling on the floor. Boss Man nails Bradshaw with the nightstick. Buchanan hits a guillotine ledgrop from the top rope and gets the pin. Like the opener they also tried to work the basic tag formula, but with much less success. Given the teams involved they would have been better off going for a full wild brawl the whole match. *

Backstage the Hardyz agree to work together when they need to but confirm they're willing to fight each other if it comes to that. Jeff says "Not the first time we've fought". Elsewhere, Crash Holly tries to make the same deal with his cousin Hardcore Holly and gets smacked upside the head for asking.

 

Six Pack Match for the WWF Hardcore Championship: Crash Holly (c) def Hardcore Holly, Tazz, Perry Saturn, Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy in 12:18- Like the hardcore battle royale at WM this has unique rules, but basically the polar opposite of that match. In this one, champion Crash has to be involved in the decision for it to end, either pinning or being pinned. That pretty much means the entire match is going to be the other five guys ganging up on him. Crash has the usual shopping cart of toys with him on his entrance. While Crash is trying to hide from everyone Saturn, who comes in last, attacks him from behind in the aisle. Everyone gets early shots and pin attempts on Crash in the ring with others breaking it up. Crash tries to run again and everyone chases to the stage area. Crash climbs one of the scythes! Matt follows him up. They trade punches and Crash dangles by his foot, then works a bit down and falls slightly more comfortably into everyone else's arms. Matt stays up there. Matt dives down off the scythe onto everyone! That gets a "holy shit" chant. Saturn throws Crash through another scythe and the bottom part of it breaks off. Jeff uses a swinging scythe to flying headscissors Saturn! Nice. They work back to the ring with the Hardyz double teaming Crash. Tazz comes in with trash can lid shots for both of them. Poetry in Motion on Tazz. Tazz clotheslines Jeff into a chair. 2x4 shots fly around. Tazz covers Crash for 2. After a big Tazz clothesline Matt makes a cover for 2. Hardcore comes in with a street sign shot for 2. The Hardyz then try to pin Crash on the floor and everyone gangs up on Crash again. Crash gets a dropkick on Tazz in the ring for 2. Sunset flip on Saturn for 2. A long extension cord gets introduced and will be used to choke people for a bit. Tazz nails the Hardyz with a sign. The Hardyz bring in a couple of cookie sheets. Jeff springboard moonsault for 2. Hardcore superplex on Crash. Saturn hits a brain buster. Hardcore falcon arrows Crash onto a chair! The Hardyz get a ladder out! JR amusingly notes the pop for the ladder. Everyone gets run over with the ladder. Hardcore is whipped into it. Jeff climbs up. Matt hits Crash with a Twist of Fate. Jeff swanton bomb off the ladder! He covers, but then the Hardyz start fighting each other over who gets the pin! Tazz double clotheslines them. Tazzmission on Crash! Saturn breaks it up with a stop sign shot. The Hardyz dive onto everyone on the floor. Everyone except Tazz, who's laid out in the ring. Crash crawls over, covers him, and gets a pin! Like WM, a reasonably fun car crash match. The Hardyz were on another level when it came to gimmick matches at this point, they couldn't miss. **3/4

Since Wrestlemania, Big Show has more or less lost his mind. He's become "Hollywood" Show, dancing and goofing around and doing impersonations. This is the feud where, among others, he was Fat Bastard from Austin Powers and subjected us all to his horrendous attempt at a Scottish accent. Angle said Show was a "waste of talent" and here we are.

 

The Big Show def Kurt Angle in 2:35- Show's impersonation tonight: none other than Hulk Hogan. He's the "Showster". Full Hogan gear, including an attempt at a bald cap and Hogan's mustache. He even comes out to Real American, does the shirt tear, cuts a Hogan promo, all of it. I think it's safe to say at this point WWF isn't worried in the slightest about WCW. Ironically, Hogan and Russo were just about to have their big on screen blowup that would lead to Hogan leaving the promotion. Angle jumps from behind. Show instantly goes into Hulk Up mode. JR: "It's the old no sell!". Three punches, big boot, legdrop....ANGLE KICKS OUT! Impossible! Show clearly didn't do something right. Angle ducks a clothesline and chop blocks Show. He goes to work on Show's leg. Third I going strong tonight. The crowd starts chanting "Hogan"! Fantastic. JR says it's the most chants Hogan's had in years. It's also an early sign of how the WWF crowd would embrace Hogan again when he came back in '02. Show tosses away his bald cap. I think playtime is over. Big chops on Angle. Short clothesline. Chokeslam and good night. Not much of a match but the whole setup was fun enough. Angle getting squashed here not only didn't hurt, it might have actually helped his credibility with fans in the short term. 3/4*

For months the Dudleyz have been obsessed with putting as many women through tables as they could. After Wrestlemania their latest target was Trish Stratus. Trish even encouraged this, doing provocative promos involving tables. Then when it came time for Bubba Ray to go through with it, Trish kissed him to distract him, and it worked, making her the first woman to give Bubba Ray the same sexual thrill as a table breaking did. In theory this was all supposed to make the Dudleyz mega heels, but in the environment of the time it only got the crowd more behind them.

 

T&A (w/Trish Stratus) def The Dudley Boyz in 11:06- The Dudleyz do the Suzuki-Gun jump before the bell. Bubba Ray chases Trish around the ring until he runs into a Test clothesline. D'Von and Albert go back and forth in the ring. Bubba Ray diving clothesline on Albert. He shouts down at Trish, then drops a trio of elbows for 2. Albert's comeback is cut off with an eye poke. Double suplex from the Dudleyz and they hit the crotch headbutt double team. Albert gets a boot up in the corner on D'Von and tags. T&A avalanche/big boot double team combo for 2. D'Von hits a tackle. Test hits a gutwrench powerbomb. Double reverse slam on D'Von for 2. Albert hits a powerslam, then press slams Test onto D'Von for 2. In between moves they're doing a lot of jawing at Bubba Ray. D'Von hits a swinging neckbreaker and we have ANOTHER phantom tag spot on this show. At least they did it a bit differently this time. D'Von stays in peril. Test clothesline for 2. D'Von gets a boot up in the corner and sunset flips Albert for 2. Albert sit out powerbomb for 2. Bubba Ray distracts and D'Von superplexes Albert. Also been a lot of those on this show. Getting like mid-'90s New Japan when everyone was doing superplexes as transitional moves. Both sides tag and Bubba Ray does the hot tag run. Everyone in the pool! Reverse 3D on Test for 2. JR thought it was the proper 3D and is shocked at the kickout. Albert powerbomb on Bubba Ray. D'Von pulls Bubba Ray away from a Test elbow off the top rope. Trish gets on the apron and loses her jacket to distract Bubba Ray. And the rest of us. Damn she was hot back then. Well, I say back then. Pretty much never stopped. Test nails Bubba Ray with a big boot and gets the pin. Meh. *1/2

After the bell the Dudleyz take T&A out. Bubba Ray grabs Trish. D'Von gets the table. The crowd is totally behind the Dudleyz on this. Trish kisses Bubba Ray again. Not this time! Trish goes through the table! Bubba Ray is satisfied. Trish does the stretcher job, and we follow her all the way into the ambulance. As the ambulance leaves a '57 Chevy pulls in. It's Eddie Guerrero and Chyna! Since WM Chyna has succumbed to Eddie's Latino Heat. Apparently they were off at a prom. Why is Eddie off at a prom at his age? Because, with Chyna's help, he just completed his GED of course. Ref Jack Doan sticks his head in the window, gets on Guerrero for being late, and tells him his match is RIGHT NOW and he better get in there or he forfeits the title. Unfazed, Guerrero decides to drive the car straight into the arena....

 

WWF European Championship: Eddie Guerrero (c) (w/Chyna) def Essa Rios (w/Lita) in 8:38- Guerrero pulls the car all the way into the aisle, lets Chyna out, then pops the trunk, takes his tux shirt of and gets his belt. Essa Rios was previously known as Aguila, the same Aguila that challenged Taka Michinoku for the Light Heavyweight title at WM 14 at the tender age of 20. He'd later make his biggest career mark as Mr. Aguila in AAA and CMLL. After training in Mexico as a wrestler and working in ECW (where she also trained in the Funkin' Conservatory as the only woman there) Lita made her WWF debut as Rios' valet in February, and was doing a bit where she'd repeat all of Rios' finishing moves on his defeated opponent after the match. Guerrero wrestles this whole match in his dress pants, cummerbund and even with his bowtie still on. Bowties are cool. He dropkick Rios in the back right after the bell. Speed run, Rios almost trips over Guerrero, and Guerrero hits a leg lariat. Tiltawhirl exchange. Guerrero hits a Saito suplex. Arm takedown and Guerrero cranks on it for a bit. Rios takes the knucklelock and starts to run up the ropes. The camera focuses on a shot of Chyna and we don't see what happened. The crowd is reacting negatively and JR is almost laughing so I assume there was a massive botch of some kind that's been edited over afterward. I hate it when they do that. Rios armdrags Guerrero to the floor. He goes for a dive but Guerrero sidesteps and Rios splats on the floor. Stair shot. Guerrero hits the slingshot senton back in. He tosses Rios back out and Chyna pops him. Back in Rios hits a dropkick. Missile dropkick for 2. Guerrero jawbreakers out of a chinlock. Rios flips out of a powerbomb attempt with an armdrag. More speed with Rios doing a monkey flip and Guerrero flying all the way into the ropes and crunching hard on the mat. Guerrero dodges an armdrag and Rios goes outside again. Another Chyna shot. Plancha from Guerrero! He sets up a powerbomb on the floor, but obviously sets up so his back is to Lita. Lita gets up on the top rope. Chyna pushes her off and she flies into the announce table! Rios backdrops Guerrero on the floor. Asai moonsault! Rios overshot and landed straight on the English announce table! JR damn near got taken out there. Going back in Rios hits a wild sloppy kick off the top rope. Guerrero goes back out and Rios hits a somersault plancha over the corner. Up top again but this time Chyna pulls him off. Guerrero goes up and check another match off tonight with a superplex. Guerrero hits a brain buster and goes up top. Rios hops up and armdrags him off! Rios moonsault! Guerrero gets his knees up! He puts Rios in a Canadian backbreaker, spins around with an airplane spin, then drops a neckbreaker and gets the pin. It had some moments but was too rough for most of it to really be any good. Lawler and his damn fake Hispanic accent gets old real quick too. **1/4

After the bell Rios dropkicks Guerrero and Chyna. Lita comes in and pulls Chyna's dress off. OK then. For the love of God someone find a damn off button on Lawler please. Chyna's mad, but Guerrero's just fine. He looks almost as happy as Bubba Ray Dudley after breaking a table. Almost. That'll come later.

Back in the locker room Vince claims he's found out that Austin's had "transportation difficulties" tonight and may not make it.

 

WWF Intercontinental Championship: Chris Benoit (c) def Chris Jericho by DQ in 15:03- Another big pop for Jericho. No jump start here, they let the crowd settle and lock up. Very roughly. In fact they tumble out to the floor! Slap exchange on the floor and ref Tim White restores order. Headlock takedown exchange. Chest to chest staredown. Benoit gets a leg takedown that sets off a series of cradle exchanges. Chopfest! Jericho gets a drop toe hold and does some ground and pound. Bret bump from Jericho and it's early ROLLLLLLLLLLLING GERMANS time. Jericho grabs the ropes to block #3. Benoit dumps him over the top to the floor. Tope suicida! Jericho dodges and Benoit falls HEAD FIRST into the floor! He protected himself but still, damn. Whip reversal on the floor. Jericho leaps over the stairs, but then Benoit kicks them back into him! Gutwrench gutbuster back in. Another Bret bump from Jericho. Benoit stomps him down in the corner but Jericho comes back up slugging. Benoit dodges a dropkick and slingshots Jericho into the corner. He suplex drops Jericho on the top rope. Snap suplex for 2. Benoit hooks on an abdominal stretch, with some extra shots to the ribs. Jericho fights out and hits a back elbow. Lionsault! Jericho hurts his arm on the way down. Think Benoit was supposed to counter but didn't. Eye rake and chops from Benoit. Jericho hits a spinning heel kick. More Benoit chops. Jericho gets the misdirection bulldog for 2. His turn for some chops. He dodges a Benoit knee into a roll up for 2. Now Jericho takes his turn to suplex drop Benoit on the top rope. He goes for the springboard dropkick but Benoit swats it away. Benoit goes up top but Jericho crotches him. Back superplex, but Benoit twisted in midair (not completely successfully) and both guys are down. Benoit drapes an arm over for 2. Backslide fight that ends in a stalemate. Jericho hits the double powerbomb. Stack up cover for 2. Benoit uses his kickout to hook the crossface on! It's locked in! Jericho fights and barely gets a foot on the rope. Benoit goes for it again. Jericho hits back elbows to counter. Walls of Jericho! Benoit gets to the ropes. Jericho hits the ropes. Benoit ducks and Jericho tackles White! Benoit goes out and gets the belt. He nails Jericho with it, gets White up and covers. Jericho kicks out! Benoit suplexes Jericho onto the belt and goes up top. Headbutt off the top. Jericho dodges, but Benoit falls into the belt! White calls the DQ, awarding the match to Benoit. HUGE boos for that finish. Afterward Jericho goes full Ken Shamrock and puts White in the Walls. You'd like to see a definitive finish, but this was still a very good match that in the end only set up an even better one. ***3/4

 

WWF Championship: The Rock def Triple H (c) (w/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and Vince McMahon) in 19:22- Shane McMahon is once again the special guest referee for this match. The last couple of years he's reffed more WWF Title matches than Hebner. Speaking of Hebner, he was recently fired by the McMahon-Helmsley regime for refusing to be crooked for them. Trips comes out first, then Vince takes a mic to remind everyone of the "card subject to change" clause and that Austin will NOT be here tonight. As is customary now huge pop for Rock's entrance. Long staredown to let the crowd soak up and settle in. Huge "We want Austin" chant. Slugfest start. HHH is the first one down. Early Pedigree attempt Rock backdrops out of. He stomps HHH down in the corner before Shane physically drags him away. HHH hits a neckbreaker. So no one gets the idea that all they want is Austin, now the crowd does a Rocky chant. HHH flips Rock over the top to the floor. After some usual ringside knockaround Vince runs Rock into the post. HHH and Shane hug before HHH covers for 2. No fast count there at least. More slugfest. HHH hits the Harley Race high knee for 2. Big HHH suplex. Kneedrop for 2. HHH hooks on a sleeper. They go to arm drops and Rock fights up. HHH puts his feet on the ropes to get him down again. Rock fights out and HHH hits a clothesline for 2. Mounted punches. Rock counters by dropping HHH on the top turnbuckle. Double clothesline. Vince comes in and nails Rock with the belt. HHH crawls and covers. SUPER fast count from Shane but Rock still kicks out! Vintage Rock corner punches. Clothesline. Trips flip out to the floor! He hurt his arm on the way down. Rock hits a clothesline on the floor. Back in HHH hits a facebuster. Rock DDT. He covers. Shane refuses to count! Rock swings a punch and Shane flops all the way over the top to the floor! HHH whips Rock into the stairs. He sets up the Spanish announce table while still selling the arm. Pedigree setup on the table. Rock low blow! He cinches up for the Rock Bottom. Shane tries to intervene. Rock grabs him too! DOUBLE LAYER ROCK BOTTOM THROUGH THE SPANISH ANNOUNCE TABLE! Well, after some issues earlier in the year I'd feel pretty sure that one would get the table to break. Vince and Steph are shocked. Rock drags HHH back into the ring. Vince hits Rock from behind. Rock stares down and attacks Vince! Low blow from HHH. Pedigree! But there's no ref. Vince calls for someone to come out. It's both the Stooges, with ref shirts on. Patterson counts. Rock kicks out! The Stooges attack Rock and it's a full on gang beatdown. HHH is still selling the arm. He's doing it so good I'm actually wondering if he tweaked something for real. Vince gets a chair. He knocks himself down while swinging for Rock. GLASS SHATTER! STONE COLD! STONE COLD! He's got a chair. HHH takes a shot trying to cut Austin off in the aisle. Chairshots for the Stooges. One for Vince. Another for HHH. Austin leaves. As he does Linda McMahon comes out with Hebner in tow. Linda shoves Steph down! Rock gives HHH the spinebuster. People's Elbow! Cover. Linda tells Hebner to get in! Hebner counts 3! Rock finally wins the title! The arena explodes. Well, you could probably power a small country for a month with the energy generated from all the overbooking in this match. It mostly fits the time and story, but at the same time it's still awfully over the top and pretty nuts. Still, when left to their own devices HHH and Rock always bring the goods and this is no different. Not to mention Rock finally winning the title as a face is a long awaited and fully deserved big moment, one that should have been at Wrestlemania. ***1/2

 

After Rock's celebrated a bit Austin's music hits again. Austin drives his truck into the arena! And he's towing the destroyed DX Express! Austin gets out, gets some beer and gets in the ring. Rock isn't sure what's going to happen. Austin offers a beer. No tricks. Rock takes it, toasts the belt, they drink, and Austin leaves. Best to let that mega money match percolate for a bit. Besides, despite his appearance here Austin wasn't close to being ready to come back. He wouldn't be medically cleared until the fall.

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- A very nice recovery from a down WM to get back on the 2000 PPVs hot streak. It's one of those shows where there's no blowaway upper echelon match or matches, but there's pretty consistent quality all through the card, and just as good most all the angle and story beats hit the mark. This is WWF's best creative hot streak since at least mid-'98, if not '97.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B+