WWE BACKLASH 2004
Rexall Place
Edmonton, Alberta
April 18, 2004
Results from lordsofpain.net
Shelton Benjamin versus Ric
Flair
Shelton smiled brightly as he watched Flair enter, and he looked to really enjoy
taking on the man on Pay-Per-View. No one has said it, but Flair is in much
better shape lately. His pecks are still lacking, but his abdominal area is
impressive for a man his age. The two men did some show-boating to start the
match. Benjamin gave Ric a slap which caused him to flop down. Shelton went for
an early splash, only for Flair to duck and Shelton to jump up on the ring ropes
impressively. The match went outside, where a back body drop left Benjamin in
charge. In the ring, Flair gained an advantage, but made a big mistake by going
to the top rope. Suddenly, something amazing would happen. The screen would
flash “SAP Difficulties.” Oh my God! Flair began working the leg, but was
showing pain in his back. Ric locked in a figure four leg lock, which was
escaped traditionally with a roll over. Still, Flair was in control. He went for
a chair but the referee took it away, and Shelton had a come back. He hit an
enziguri and both men were down. Shelton Irish whipped Flair outside the ring,
and took him back in with a vertical suplex. Flair had a brief come back, but
was still putting on brass knucks in the corner when the All-American hit the
inverted Stinger Splash and a flying clothesline off the top rope for the
victory. This match was technically well done, but had no energy. The dull crowd
(rare for Canadian fans) didn’t help matters. **
Orton was interviewed backstage about Shelton’s victory over Flair being a bad
omen for Evolution. He reminded everyone that he was also on a winning streak –
the longest running Intercontinental Champion in seven years. He promised to
retire Mick Foley, or Cactus Jack, permanently. Randy said he wasn’t scared of
what Mick was going to do to him tonight because he was going to put him down
like an old dog.
Jonathon Coachman versus Tajiri
Coach came out in a ridiculous looking basketball outfit. He surprised Tajiri
with an arm drag, and then played the fox. What other recapper can make The Most
Dangerous Game references? He dodged around the ring, avoiding Tajiri’s kicks,
until the Japanese Buzz Saw accidentally kicked the ring post. He then began
working over the leg of Tajiri, much to the surprise of the announcers. A “Coach
sucks” chant briefly hit the arena, followed by boos. Coach had Tajiri in a
submission leg lock and Tajiri used his good leg to kick out of it. Tajiri was
still down though, so Coach tried going to the top rope. That was a mistake,
knocked him off his feet and onto his crotch. Put in the “Tree of Woe” Tajiri
used his good leg to dropkick the back of Jonathon’s head. From here it was all
Tajiri. He handspring elbow and a few types of kicks. Coachman tried cheap pin
with his feet on the ropes, but the referee saw. Tajiri locked on the Tarantula
and was setting up his finisher roundhouse – when Garrison Cade ran in. He
attacked Tajiri while the official was not looking, allowing for a roll up
upset. *
Triple H was shown entering the arena. The long-running storyline of Christian,
Jericho and Trish is detailed in a video package. It featured seizure inducing
camera work, where the film was ran at a slow speed for a choppy look. This show
is becoming painful to watch.
Christian and Trish Stratus versus Chris Jericho
The crowd woke up for Jericho and to chant “Slut.” Chris tried to get his hands
on Trish but she ran. He had a few vertical Suplexes for Christian. He went for
Trish, so the CLB ran at him – and right out of the ring. A springboard drop
kick knocked Christian out again. Jericho followed, and Trish ran again when he
got close. A few near falls, and Jericho was running the ropes and knocked Ms.
Stratus off the apron. This distracted him so Christian could take control. He
worked Chris over a bit, and then tagged in Trish. While Jericho was held she
slapped him around a bit. When Jericho started getting up she darted to tag her
man back in. Jericho started a comeback, ready to slingshot Christian into the
corner, but was kicked away. When he fell forward, however, he head butted
Christian in the ground. Now Chris was firmly in control. Christian tried a
Scorpion Death Drop (I think that is what it was called) and Jericho reversed it
to a Northern Lights suplex. Back and forth action and Trish was trying to
interject into it when Jericho was whipped into their corner. Still Jericho was
on top of most of the offense, so she came in. Jericho threw Christian out of
the ring and spanked the Diva. Christian came from behind to hit the unprettier,
but when tagged in Trish couldn’t get the pin. Now Jericho was fighting both of
the pair almost constantly – to good success. A missed Lionsault left him in the
Texas Clover Leaf, which Chris reversed into the Walls. Trish came in, so he put
her in the Walls. Christian tried rolling her up for a pin fall, but Jericho
escaped and set Christian up for yet another Walls. Instead of applying it,
however, he sling shot him into Trish in the corner and rolled Christian up off
the reversal. Great action that was a bit too hectic to tell a cohesive story.
**
Backstage, Eugene read WWE Divas magazine, and wandered into the women’s locker
room. He tried to get her to sign his magazine and she screamed. Molly came in,
and Eugene screamed over her bald head. She grabbed her wig and also began
scream. William Regal ran in, pulling the very special young man away. A very
short advertisement for Smackdown! aired. A video package of Chris Benoit in his
hometown and career is shown. He was shown at various places, greeting crowds of
fans and talking about the honor it is for today to be Chris Benoit day. He
arrived backstage to an ovation, and his family was shown in the crowd.
Women’s Championship Match: Victoria versus Lita
Lita was wearing a very nice lime green fishnet top. This match resembled a lot
of ECW women’s matches, with more near falls and reversals than actual moves.
Every move, from a standing moonsault and vertical suplex (Both by Victoria) led
directly into a pinning combination. Lita was placed in one of my absolute
favorite submissions, the surfboard. She ten had a comeback while put in place
for a Samoan drop by hitting a head scissors. More pinning combinations, before
a sleeper was applied. Victoria had a comeback, and went for a moonsault off the
top on Lita. Lita rolled towards the ring, and the women’s Champion face landed
on Litas back and legs mostly. I wasn’t sure who in psychology who should have
been hurt, but Lita played like it didn’t affect her so I suppose Victoria. Out
of no where (No build up, I blinked during whatever finisher was used) Victoria
scored the pin fall. ½* After the match, Molly and Gail Kim ran down and
attacked the pair.
A video package for Randy Orton and Mick Foley’s feud was shown. The highlight
was, once again, Foley’s interview playing over the video clips.
Hardcore Rules Intercontinental Championship Match: Randy Orton versus Cactus
Jack/Mick Foley
Randy Orton came down wearing a shirt (Smart man) with the golden pyrotechnics
of Evolution and a trash can filled with weapons. He had his own 2X4 covered in
barbed wire, which was badly wound. Cactus Jack ran down with Barbie, and
immediately went to use her on Orton. Randy used the trashcan to block and ran
to the outside. He used a drop toe hold into the ring steps to disarm Foley, and
the two fought over the bat. Foley got the upper hand, but was only able to use
the ruined trashcan on Orton. He through Orton into the ring, and used some more
traditional offense on the Champion. He took Orton back outside and hit a
swinging neck breaker. Foley went to the ring post, but Orton crawled away
before he could do anything. Cactus followed, and ate a belly to back suplex on
the steel ramp. Orton tried a few pinning combinations, and threw Foley’s head
back into the ramp again. Back to the ring, Orton tried to gouge Foley’s face
with Barbie, but he ate a leg in the crotch before he could. Cactus brought out
Mr. Socko, but then grabbed Barbie. He asked the crowd which to use, and they
wanted Barbie. He ran it into the champion’s face, and he was bleeding. Cactus
Jack worked the face as the blood flowed, bang bang. He ground the bat over
Randy’s face to the crowd’s delight. Then, he leg dropped it into Orton’s
crotch. I hope that is gimmicked barbed wire. Jack went under the ring and
grabbed a tank of gasoline and poured it over Barbie. Bischoff ran down, and
announced that if he lit that bat the fire marshal would shut the show down. He
relented, but went under the ring for something else: a plank of wood covered in
razor wire. Orton (Who had lost his shirt by now) threw powder into Jack’s eyes
before he could be propelled into it though, and Mick was the one who took the
sick bump. That only got a two count, so Randy set it up in the corner. Mick
fought the Irish whip, and eventually reversed it – only for it to be reversed
again. Foley hung from the wire, with his arm bleeding. Orton went into a box he
had brought into the ring, and produced a bag. What was in the? Thumb tacks. He
poured them over the ring, but his RKO was ducked and he ended up with a back
full of them. That was a very, very sick visual. Orton looked like a pin
cushion, bleeding from a hundred tiny holes. He kicked out of a pin and ran to
the back. Foley gave chase, and brought him back to the stage. Foley threw Randy
off of the stage through a few tables. Bang bang… Jesus Christ. The EMTs began
checking out the champion, and Jack posed atop the stage. The officials tried to
keep Foley away, but he wouldn’t relent. He jumped off the stage and delivered a
flying elbow drop. He covered Randy, and somehow the Champion got his shoulder
up. So Cactus Jack took the bloody Orton back to the ring. Mind you, the ring
was still covered in thumb tacks, so every move caused both men to at least land
on a few of them. He nailed a double under hook DDT for yet another two-count.
Foley set the razor-wire plank up in the corner again, but somehow Orton went
off to attack again. He repeated nailed Foley with Barbie, but ran into Mr.
Socko whom had been recovered. Orton fought out of two mandible claws, and hit
the RKO out of no where. That wasn’t enough to pin Foley, so he delivered a
second right onto Barbie. Finally, Mick stayed down. It was a hardcore match,
and shall be graded as such – a hell of one at that. **** Evolution came down to
carry Orton away.
WWE Fanatic Series: The Stone Cold Truth. Well, that is ironic. The announcers
talked about Orton’s impressive victory. Backstage, Evolution carried Orton away
by his arm pits, and Triple H appeared to tell him he went from being Legend
Killer to a Legend. Orton was barely conscious. Triple H was then interviewed,
and it made it known he would win the Heavyweight Championship.
La Resistance versus Hurricane and Rosey
The crowd was dead for this one, which is why it was on of course. Seriously,
you could have heard a pin drop in the arena. Mid way through the match I was
not paying attention to, Eugene came down and began playing with La Resistance’s
flag. Eugene ran into the ring and began running the ropes madly. Meanwhile,
there was a match going on. Somewhere in Eugene’s antics Hurricane scored the
pin fall. *
A quick run down of Edge’s “Feud” with Kane is shown.
Kane versus Edge
Johnny Nitro was not introduced as the special guest referee, which I was under
the impression would be the case. JR pondered whether or not there was an
athlete in the upcoming NFL draft that was comparable to Kane. I wonder what
that was in reference to. Edge was on offense early on, taking the action to the
Big Red Machine. Edge took Kane outside and removed the monitors from the
Spanish announce table, but had his broken hand slammed into the ring steps
before he could make any use of that. Back and forth the match went, with little
to no psychology. Both men tried their finishers, with the official Earl Hebner
getting thrown from the ring. Edge clocked Kane with his cast and scored the
pin. *1/2
A video package set up the main event.
Heavyweight Championship Match: Triple H versus Shawn Michaels versus Chris
Benoit
Benoit got a big ovation, especially when he posed with his belt right in
Hunter’s face. The match began, and both Michaels and Benoit teamed up initially
to take Hunter out of the ring. Of course, that pairing quickly ended, and HBK
and Chris were dueling with one another. The match hit a quick formula; two men
would wrestle after one man was thrown to the outside. A “You screwed Bret”
chant erupted when Shawn was squaring off with Hunter. Benoit came back in the
ring, and cleared house with Suplexes and chops for everyone. He threw Shawn to
the outside of the ring Flair style and locked Hunter in the Crippler Cross
face, but it didn’t last. Chris went outside to deal with a recovering Shawn,
throwing him into the guard rail repeatedly. Hunter gained control and had set
Benoit up for a Superplex, but Shawn ran in and tossed Benoit over the top to
the outside. Hunter was given and electric chair off the ropes. Both challengers
knocked one another down, and Benoit came off the top with a Dynamite head butt.
Hunter broke up the pin, because HBK was out. Hunter was taken outside, and HBK
was left with Benoit. Michaels tried a flying clothesline but hit the official
instead of the Champion, and now the referee was unconscious outside the ring.
Hunter wanted to pedigree Benoit, but it was reversed into the Sharpshooter for
a huge pop. HBK tried to clothesline Benoit out of it, but that was reversed
into the cross face. Still no referee, so Benoit went to try and revive the
official. When he went back in, Shawn put Benoit into the Sharpshooter to a huge
round of Boos. A new referee ran down, and it was Earl Hebner. Everyone in
Canada was holding their breath for that one. Hunter blissfully broke up the
hold. Another “You screwed Bret” chant, but I cannot tell who it was directed at
this time. All three men fought in the ring now, and the crowd was 100% behind
Benoit during it all. Benoit and Hunter was fighting each other in front of the
Spanish announce table, and HBK went for a cross body off the top rope.
Unfortunately for him, both men moved out of the way and he crashed through the
table alone. How is that for SAP difficulties? Now, Triple H and Benoit were
together in the ring and the Game was firmly in control. He threw Benoit into
the ring post, and dragged the champion around to punish him slowly. He put the
Champion in the camel clutch in the center of the ring. More punishment was
inflicted upon Benoit by the Game, but it was all countered suddenly when the
Champion hit the three German Suplexes in a row. The Dynamite Head butt was
signaled, by Triple H moved out of the way. Now all three men were down. HHH
delivered the pedigree, but was slow to grab the pin. Too slow I guess, as
Michaels had finally recovered to stop the pin. Michaels and Hunter squared off
in the center, with stiff blows for one another. All three men were down on the
ground, and HBK kipped up. He gave Hunter the flying elbow off the top onto HHH,
and called for Sweet Chin Music. The crowd booed it. Instead of delivering the
super kick to Hunter, however, he gave it to Benoit. Hunter delivered a low blow
to stop Shawn’s momentum. He tried to pedigree HBK, but got back body dropped
outside the ring for his troubles. What did Hunter find under that ring on the
outside you ask? He found the sledge hammer, of course. He nailed Shawn Michaels
right in the center of his back while he was trying to pulling Benoit in. Hunter
readied another blow, but was pulled out by the Champion. Hunter attacked
Benoit, and set up the ring steps to pedigree Benoit onto them. The Champion
fought out, however, and used a slingshot to toss Hunter into the ring post and
into the crowd. Back in the ring, Shawn was tuning up the band, but the kick was
caught. Benoit tossed him down, and put the Heartbreak Kid into the
Sharpshooter. He strained for the ropes to no avail, and the Game tried
unsuccessfully to crawl in to break up the hold. With no chance of escape and in
excruciating pain, Shawn Michaels tapped out to the Sharpshooter.