Shining a Spotlight 4.29.10: Backlash 2000

We are in the post-Mania period for WWE which means several things. The big one is the annual pink slip go-around for talent. A shame seeing Mickie James go, she was a great female worker but always thought Shelton Benjamin might do better in TNA. We’ve also had the Extreme Rules PPV which wasn’t too bad but lacked some real impact.

That reminded me of how we are missing Backlash already. I was annoyed when WWE decided to do away with that show as that really was a big deal for the company. The first post-Mania PPV would showcase the impact of the biggest show of the year with rematches, new stars being boosted and pushing some new programs while wrapping up others. It’s more intriguing to think about now since it’s been ten years since the all-time best Backlash show of all.
　

Backlash 2000. April 30, 2000, MCI Center, Washington D.C.

　
A month earlier, Wrestlemania 2000 had been a real show-stopper for the company, highlighted by the first ladder match with the Dudleyz, the Hardyz and Edge & Christian. The main event was what got attention as, with help from Vince McMahon, HHH became the first heel to win in the main event at Mania, beating the Rock, Big Show and Mick Foley in an elimination match to retain the WWF title. It was a shock to fans, who had assumed Rock would rise to the top here and left some bad tastes in several mouths.

So for Backlash, a rematch between the Rock and HHH was announced. They teased fans a bit in the meantime with Jericho beating HHH for the title on RAW but HHH forced referee Earl Hebner to reverse the decision and then fired him. Some can use 20/20 hindsight to say WWF would have been better off with Jericho keeping the belt but at the time, fans were expecting the Rock as champion. It’s hard to argue as 2000 overall was a truly fantastic creative year for WWF overall and this show really kicked that up.

Vince tried to throw things in HHH’s favor by announcing Shane would be the special referee. However, Linda McMahon decided to even things up by saying Stone Cold Steve Austin would be in the Rock’s corner. Vince tried to sow seeds of doubt, hinting that the relationship between Rock and Austin would make them enemies. Austin threw a hint when he made an appearance on Smackdown, saying the only side he was going to be on was his own but used a crane to drop a cinder block on the DX Express bus, blowing it to pieces.

So the fans were pretty hot for the show as it was about to get started. Deborah, still married to Austin at the time (and sounding like she‘d had a few before the show), came out as special ring announcer for the opening match where X-Pac and Road Dogg took on Edge & Christian for the tag team titles. E&C were still mostly baby faces at the time, not yet the arrogant jerks that would make them true stars and the heat of their fantastic Mania win got them a big pop from the fans. The match was a lot better than you might think and interesting how Dogg is over with the crowds while Pac was starting to get the universal hate that’s followed him since. The bout had some great touches you don’t see in tag bouts anymore like DX doing a fake tag to work over Christian behind the ref’s back and Edge countering soon after with a flying head butt behind the ref’s back and getting the hot tag. It soon disintegrated into a wild brawl with Tori distracting the ref but accidentally getting wiped out. X-Pac finally hit Edge with the X-Factor but the refs were breaking up Tori and Dogg arguing outside, giving Christian the chance to slide in and hit X-Pac with the ring bell, letting the champs retain to a big pop.

Next up the Light Heavyweight title was on the line with Dean Malenko challenged by Scotty Too Hotty. The two kicked it off fast with Scotty blocking a power bomb but getting cut off while going for a face buster. Malenko went right to work on Scotty’s knee, pounding it without mercy, including several shots at it while it was wrapped around the ring post. A great spot had Scotty go for an enzuigiri but in one move, Malenko ducked it and slapped on a leglock. Scotty did manage to hit it but Malenko killed his comeback with a knee blocking a corner charge. The joy of the match is not only watching Malenko take Scotty apart with surgical precision but also mocking the guy as he does so. A spinning toehold was countered for two and the two soon got into a brawl outside. Scott went to the top but was superplexed off but managed to bounce back to knock Dean down. He was up first with a backslide for two, Malenko going for a cloverleaf but that was countered into another two. Dean went for a power bomb but Scotty got out of it to hit a bulldog. That set up what has always been one of the single goofiest moves in wrestling history, the Worm. This one was even more annoying as Scotty, apparently forgetting the whole point of the last several minutes of the match, proceeded to hop on his injured leg. It only got two anyway as Malenko then rolled him up, using the ropes as leverage but the ref saw it and broke it up. Scotty tried to whip him into the ropes but Malenko reversed it and hit a power bomb for two. They eventually made their way to the top where Scotty went for a superplex but Malenko managed to reverse it in mid-air for a DDT which naturally led to a pin.

After that great bout, we got a bit of a downer with the Acolytes (not yet the APA) facing the Big Bossman and Bull Buchanan. It was pretty much a mess of punches and kicks all around with Bossman hitting Bradshaw with his nightstick, allowing Bull to hit a scissors kick to get the win.

The next match was a unique six man fight for the Hardcore title. This was just about the golden period for the belt where Crash Holly would institute a 24/7 rule, leading to classic bits of him being challenged at airports, arcades and other places, making him a great paranoid nut job. In this case, he was up against both Hardyz, Perry Saturn, Tazz and Hardcore Holly. The pre-match promos had the Hardyz agreeing to work together; then when Crash asked Hardcore if they’d work together, Hardcore slapped him across the head. The stip was that the only way the match could end was if Crash was pinned or he pinned someone else. Naturally, that led to everyone going right after poor Crash with multiple two-counts but then starting to fight each other. The first big spot had Matt chasing Crash to the giant hooks at the entranceway, where Crash was sent sailing into the four guys on the floor and then Matt leapt off to splash everyone. Not to be outdone by his brother, Jeff swung from a hook to rana Saturn. Things moved back into the ring with Hardcore doing his best Hacksaw Dugan impression by slapping people with a 2X4 until Taz got a hold of it. A road sign was soon involved as everyone took turns pounding on poor crash with both Jeff and Saturn hitting moonsaults on him for two each. It didn’t take long before the Hardyz brought in a ladder for a huge pop and cleaned house with it. Matt got a Twist of Fate and Jeff hit a swanton from the ladder on Crash but Matt broke the pin to try and get Crash himself. As they fought each other, Tazz slapped the Tazzmision on Crash but Saturn broke it up with a wicked shot to Tazz. Everyone ended up fighting outside the ring, giving Crash the chance to slide in and pin Tazz to retain, grabbing the belt to run to the back and building on what would soon be a legend.

　 The next bout was a match that’s gotten a fun rep today as Kurt Angle faced the Big Show. Angle was clearly on the rise, despite having lose the IC and European titles at Mania to Benoit and Jericho respectively without getting pinned for either. Angle was set up against Show, who was beginning a bit of dressing in whacky costumes before matches. Angle got easy heel heat by running down D.C. on the mic while walking down the aisle, dropping Marion Berry among other names. But the Big Show would one-up him beyond infinity as “Real American” started playing and he came out dressed in yellow trunks and boots, red kneepads and a bald cap and bandanna. The fans were already howling as he did the posing and shirt-tearing in the ring but then he got on the mic for a dead-on Hogan impression, with multiple “Dude” and “brother” and at this point, I was slumped in my chair, holding my sides, with tears coming out of my eyes. Angle attacked and Show started to “Hulk up” right away, getting more laughs. He did the big boot and the leg drop but it only got two. Angle attacked the leg and the crowd started to chant “Hogan, Hogan” so Show managed to come back and hit the choke slam for the win. Ultra short job but this remains one of the most intentionally funniest things you’ll ever see in a wrestling ring.

The next bout had the Dudleyz facing T&A, the two teams feuding for a while as several times the Dudleyz had teased putting Trish through a table but she used her feminine wiles on Buh-Buh Ray to get him to let her go. The pre-match promos played on that and you have to remember that in this time, Trish was little more than extremely hot eye candy, nowhere near the athlete she would become. The match was rather messy with multiple double-teams by the heels and Trish distracting, letting Test hit Buh Buh with a big boot for the win. The post-match was more interesting as the Dudleyz cleared house and then grabbed Trish. She planted a big wet one on Buh Buh but instead of letting her go again, he grabbed her, lifted her to the top and power-bombed her through a table, a pretty awesome move on Trish’s part.

Another feud was continued as Eddie Guerrero defended the European title against Essa Rios. The two had been feuding with the additional feud of Chyna on Eddie’s side and Lita (then just a hot valet) on Essa’s side going at it. Eddie acted like this was a prom as he came out to the ring in a ‘57 Chevy dressed in a tuxedo. He removed the jacket and shirt but proceeded to wrestle in his bow tie and pompadour pants. Damn, I miss this guy. It is interesting to note the slight differences in Eddie’s style before his 2001 breakdown and Rios proved a nice light heavyweight to battle, leading to a nice mix of quick wrestling moves around and outside the ring. Chyna laid out Essa at one point and slapped him again. Lita went to the top rope to attack Eddie but Chyna shoved her off and into a announcer’s table in a sick spot. Essa mounted a comeback nailing Eddie across the table. Eddie raced into the ring and then out the other side but Essa caught him with an awesome rolling cross-corner splash. Essa went to the top but Chyna hit him with a low blow, allowing Eddie to get a superplex. He went for the frog splash but Essa got back up and arm barred him off the top. He went for a splash but Eddie got his knees up and hit a swinging neck breaker for the win. Afterward, Lita tore off Chyna’s prom dress, leaving her in blue bra and panties and Chyna (who actually had something resembling a female body at the time) decided to flaunt it.

The next match is a bit harder for me to watch today and a shame it’ll probably never be collected on DVD for obvious reasons as Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit went at it for the IC title. Needless to say, it was a terrific match between them starting off with multiple chops on each other. It is a bit harder knowing what we know now to see Benoit miss a head butt off the top rope, shaking him up. A great bit is where Benoit got Jericho into an abdominal stretch with Lawler complaining about how that’s not that painful a move. As if hearing Lawler, Benoit started to pound Jericho’s ribs with his free hand. Jericho managed to break it and hit a Lionsault but his ribs were too hurt to make the proper cover and only got two. Another great moment occurred as Jericho miffed a springboard dropkick but Benoit acted like he meant for that to happen. More great moves occurred like Jericho reversing a backslide into a power bomb and then Benoit slipping out of the pin for a long Crossface. Another Crossface attempt was turned into the Walls of Jericho before Benoit reached the ropes. A flying forearm by Jericho took out the ref, giving Benoit the chance to grab the title belt and hit Jericho with it. That only got two so Benoit suplexed Jericho onto the title and went to the top for a flying head butt but Jericho caught him with the title belt, earning the DQ. A poor finish but still a terrific match.

Finally, the main event was upon us with Vince coming out alongside Pat Patterson and Jerry Briscoe to announce Austin was not going to be coming. The odds were against the Rock but he still came out to a huge pop as Stephanie accompanied HHH. They slugged it out, HHH going for an early pedigree but Rock back dropped him and then laid in kicks. Shane showed his “impartial” side by pulling him off and Rock was dumped to the floor where Vince threw him into the post. It was fun seeing HHH keep going for covers and Shane trying to make the counts fast enough but failing. Of course, when HHH got Rock into a sleeper, it would have been the perfect time for Shane to call for the bell but guess they didn’t want to replicate Montreal exactly. The brawls continued with the two laying each other out with clotheslines and as the Rock got up, Vince ran into the ring to hit him with the belt. After brawling outside, Rock hit HHH with a DDT but Shane refused to count the pin so Rock nailed him with punches to send him over the top rope. HHH knocked the Rock outside the ring and went for a Pedigree on the announcer’s table only to get a low blow. Rock grabbed him for the Rock Bottom as Shane got on the table to yell at him. So, Rock hit Shane, put him behind HHH and hit them both with a Rock Bottom through the table. The cameras had priceless shots of Stephanie and Vince just standing and staring with open-mouthed shock as was much of the crowd. Rock managed to roll into the ring so Vince attacked him from behind, allowing HHH to hit the Pedigree. Shane was still out so Brisco and Patterson came in with ref shirts, each trying to make the count but Rock kicked out. They beat him down and held him so Vince could nail the Rock over the head with a chair. HHH grabbed the Rock and prepared to give him another Pedigree…

And the glass shattered.

The crowd exploded as Austin, boasting a bit of a beer gut but still Stone Cold, came striding the aisle with a chair in hand. HHH charged him and Austin booted him in the gut and hit him across the back with a chair. He then booted Patterson and hit him with a chair and spun around to catch Brisco across the head. Inside the ring, a stunned Shane was barely on his feet as Vince turned him around in time to catch a chair shot from Austin. It was Vince’s turn as Austin got down in his face to scream at him. HHH was back in the ring only to get another boot, a chair across the back and then across the head. Austin left the ring as everyone lay destroyed. As Austin walked down the aisle, Linda McMahon began heading toward the ring with a stern expression and Dave Hebner by her side. Stephanie walked over to scream at her but Linda shoved her down to the ground to a huge pop. Back in the ring, HHH tried to charge the Rock with the chair but Rock caught him with a spine buster, then milked the crowed setting up a People’s Elbow. He covered HHH and after a pause, Linda sent Hebner in to make the three count.

The crowd erupted in cheers as the match ended, Vince and his cronies still recovering outside with Stephanie screaming out. Rock slowly recovered to enjoy the moment, holding the belt high as he mounted each turnbuckle. His music cut off as Austin’s began and Stone Cold came in driving a truck towing the burned out remains of the DX Express behind him. In the ring, Austin and Rock looked at each other for a long moment before Austin handed Rock a can of beer. He opened his own and toasted the Rock. Rock then toasted the belt before drinking and the fans enjoyed the two biggest faces of the company celebrating.

This was an amazing show, one of the best PPV’s you could see. True, the Bossman/Bull/APA battle was a mess but the rest of the show was pretty good with some truly amazing matches and a terrific comedy bit with Big Show. The main event is everything wrestling should be, wonderfully booked with the hero overcoming all odds to win the title with help from another hero. A terrific show and a great showcase for how the post-Mania period can bring about just as much great action as Mania itself and highlighting one of the best periods of WWF ever. Ten years and still a great show to watch and enjoy to remind you why you’re a wrestling fan.

Next week I look at an interesting backstage book on the business. For now, the spotlight is off.