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Backlash (2005)
Encyclopedia
Backlash was the seventh annual Backlash
professional wrestling
pay-per-view
(PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE), which took place on May 1, 2005 at the Verizon Wireless Arena
in Manchester, New Hampshire
. The show's six matches showcased prominent WWE wrestlers, who acted out the franchise's stories in and out of the ring. The event starred talent from the Raw
brand
.
In the main event, Batista defeated Triple H
in a singles match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
. From the five scheduled bouts on the undercard, two received more promotion than the others. The first was a tag team
match, in which Shawn Michaels
and Hulk Hogan
defeated Muhammad Hassan and Daivari
. The other was a Last Man Standing match, a match where a wrestler is unable to respond to a ten count by the referee would lose. Edge defeated Chris Benoit
after Benoit failed to get to his feet before the referee's count to ten.
Backlash helped WWE increase its pay-per-view revenue by $4.7 million, through ticket sales and pay-per-view buys.
with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storyline
s. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains
or fan favorites
as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. All wrestlers belonged to the Raw
brand – a storyline division
in which WWE assigned its employees to a different program, the other being SmackDown!.
The main event at Backlash was a standard wrestling match for the World Heavyweight Championship
, in which Batista defended the championship against Triple H
. The buildup to the match began after WrestleMania 21
, WWE's previous pay-per-view event, where Batista defeated Triple H to win the championship. On the April 11 episode of Raw
, one of WWE's primary television programs, it was announced that Batista would defend the championship against Triple H at Backlash, after Triple H invoked his rematch clause. The following week, Triple H had a no disqualification match, a match where neither wrestler can be disqualified, allowing for weapons and outside interference, against Raw commentator Jim Ross
, in which Ross won by pinfall after Batista interfered and hit Triple H in the head with a steel chair
. On the April 25 episode of Raw, Batista defeated Christian in a singles championship match, where Batista retained his title. After the match, Triple H assaulted Batista and hit the World Champion with a Pedigree.
The pay-per-view event featured the build up of a rivalry among two tag team
s, a group of at least two wrestlers. The two groups were Shawn Michaels
and Hulk Hogan
versus Muhammad Hassan and Daivari
. The night after WrestleMania, Michaels thanked the fans for their support towards him, despite Michaels losing at the event. Michaels continued, but was interrupted by Hassan and Daivari. Michaels, however, was in no mood to listen to Hassan's comments regarding Michaels loss. As a result, Michaels slapped Hassan, which led to Hassan and Daivari to attack Michaels, leaving him unconscious in the ring. The following week, Michaels approached authority figure Eric Bischoff
, a portrayed match maker and rules enforcer, in which he demanded a handicap match with Hassan and Daivari, a match consisting of one wrestler or team of wrestlers facing off against a team of wrestlers with numerical superiority such as two against one, or three against two. Bischoff refused to schedule the match, but informed Michaels to find a partner and he would grant him the match. Michaels then made a plea for Hulk Hogan to come back and team with him. On the April 18 episode of Raw, Hassan again led an attack on Michaels until Hogan appeared to save Michaels and accept his offer.
Another preliminary match was between Edge versus Chris Benoit
in a Last Man Standing Match. At WrestleMania, Edge won the first ever Money in the Bank ladder match
, gaining himself a contract that gave him a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship within one year. On the April 4 episode of Raw, Edge chose not to use his contract that night, deciding to wait until the right opportunity. When Edge declined to force Batista into a title defense, Eric Bischoff scheduled Edge in a match against Chris Benoit. Benoit won the match by pinfall after performing a roll-up. After the match, Edge attacked Benoit's injured arm with a steel chair. Two weeks later, Benoit and Edge faced off in another match, in which ended in a no-contest, leading to Bischoff to book the Last Man Standing match for Backlash. Other feuds that received less promotion and culminated into matches at Backlash include WWE Intercontinental Champion
Shelton Benjamin
versus Chris Jericho
for the title in standard singles bouts. William Regal and Tajiri
versus Rosey and The Hurricane versus The Heart Throbs
(Antonio Thomas
and Romeo Roselli
) versus La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier
and Robért Conway) in a tag team turmoil match for the World Tag Team Championship, and a singles match between Kane
(accompanied
by Lita
) versus Viscera
(accompanied with Trish Stratus
).
on pay-per-view
, Tyson Tomko
defeated Val Venis
on Sunday Night Heat
.
The first match of the event was Shelton Benjamin
versus Chris Jericho
for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
. The match started out with Benjamin having the upper hand. Benjamin then hit a springboard off the ropes, but Jericho countered it with a hurricanrana off the ring apron to the floor. Jericho utilized a chinlock on Benjamin. Jericho then climbed to the top rope, but was stopped by Benjamin when he leaped to the top rope hitting a superplex on Jericho. Jericho then hit a running enzuigiri, but only got a near fall. Benjamin hit the T-Bone Suplex, but Jericho put his foot under the bottom rope to stop the pin. Jericho locked in the Walls of Jericho
, but Benjamin got to the rope. Jericho then locked in the Walls of Jericho again but Benjamin countered it into a roll-up to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
The next match was the Tag Team Turmoil match for the World Tag Team Championship. Tajiri
and William Regal were the champions heading into the match. The teams come out at random, but it was the champions Tajiri and William Regal who come out first. The Heart Throbs
come out second. Tajiri utilized a lot of kicks and then locked in the Tarantula. The Heart Throbs then kept Tajiri isolated, but Tajiri pinned Antonio with a roll-up. Simon Dean and Maven
entered into the match next, trying to pick apart the weakened Tajiri. That elimination did not last very long as Regal made the tag and cleaned house, putting Dean away with a shot to the head. La Résistance came in next, but Regal and Tajiri tried to fight back. Regal was then rolled up, with a handful of tights. Rosey and The Hurricane were the last two men to enter the match. Hurricane was then smashed on the turnbuckle post. Hurricane and Rosey got the pin when Hurricane leapt off the shoulders of Rosey, who was perched on the top rope to grab the win.
The third match of the night was a Last Man Standing match between Edge and Chris Benoit
. The match started out with Benoit getting the upper hand. Edge then got the upper hand by throwing Benoit sternum first into the turnbuckles. Benoit then applied the Sharpshooter
on Edge. Benoit then performed multiple German suplexes on Edge, which sent Edge outside to the floor. Benoit dived through the ropes, but was met with a trash can lid to the face. Edge hit a superplex on Benoit through a trash can. Edge grabbed a ladder and dragged it into the ring, only to get a German suplex off of the ladder. Benoit missed a diving headbutt off the top of the ladder, Edge grabbed the Money in the Bank
briefcase, but was caught in the Crippler Crossface. Edge got out of the Crippler Crossface and performed an Edgecution on Benoit on the briefcase. Benoit reached his feet at nine, only to get speared by Edge. After spearing Benoit again, Edge pulled a brick out of his briefcase and hit Benoit in the back of his head, leaving Benoit unable to answer the ten count.
The next match for the night was Kane
, accompanied by Lita
, versus Viscera, accompanied by the WWE Women's Champion
Trish Stratus
. Kane's early attempts to take Viscera off his feet resulted in Kane being knocked down. Viscera then was clotheslined out of the ring by Kane. Trish tried to hit Kane with a steel chair, but Lita hit her with a crutch
. Viscera then executed a Chokebomb on Kane, but only got a two count. Kane then came back and hit a big boot and a chokeslam
to get the pinfall. Trish then verbally slammed Viscera, who responded by performing a bear hug and a splash on Trish, who was then taken out on a stretcher
.
The fifth match of the night was Hulk Hogan
and Shawn Michaels
versus Muhammad Hassan and Daivari
. Hogan and Hassan started things off and Hassan was immediately sent into the turnbuckles. Hogan double clotheslined both his opponents and then he and Michaels teamed up with a big double boot to the face of Hassan. Michaels climbed to the top rope but missed an elbow drop. Daivari was tossed outside where Hogan bashed him. Michaels hit Daivari with a flying forearm smash and a kip up. Michaels was about to hit Daivari with Sweet Chin Music, but instead Hassan hit Michaels with a lead pipe. Hassan then took advantage and locked Michaels in the Camel Clutch. Michaels fought his way to his feet and dropped Hassan with an Electric Chair. Hogan then got tagged in and went for a leg drop
to Daivari, but was instead hit with a lead pipe by Hassan. As the referee has his back turned at Hogan, Michaels hit Daivari with Sweet Chin Music allowing Hogan to get the pinfall and win the match for his team.
The main event was for the World Heavyweight Championship
between champion Batista and Triple H
. In the opening seconds Flair grabbed Batista's leg, providing the distraction necessary for Triple H to attack Batista and gain an early advantage. Both men attempted to hit their finishers early on, but both attempts failed. Triple H went for another Pedigree attempt, but was backdropped over the top rope to the floor. Batista returned to the ring and walked into a spinebuster for a two count. Batista then went for a Batista Bomb, but Triple H hit Batista in the head with the championship belt. Batista performed a spinebuster on Triple H, but there was no referee to make the pin. Jack Doan
then run put and made the pin, but only got a two count. A second Batista Bomb attempt was stopped with a low blow by Triple H. Triple H then backed Batista into a corner and punched him ten times. Batista then performed another Batista Bomb to win the match and retain the championship.
held a Gold Rush Tournament to determine who would be the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. The matches were Kane
versus Christian, Shawn Michaels
versus Shelton Benjamin
, Edge versus Chris Jericho
and Chris Benoit
versus Triple H
. Kane, Michaels, Edge and Benoit all advanced to the next round. The next week, Edge faced Michaels and Kane faced Benoit. Edge and Kane advanced to the finals. One week later the finals took place between Edge and Kane. Edge won the tournament after Lita
helped Edge win. One week later, Edge faced Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship. Batista won the match by pinfall after executing a Batista Bomb. Edge then started a feud with Kane, which lasted until Kane defeated him at Vengeance
.
The next night on Raw, Triple H and Batista verbally taunted each other. Three weeks later, after Batista's world title match against Edge, Ric Flair
attacked Batista. Triple H then came out and hit Batista with a sledgehammer
. Afterward, Triple H told Batista that they were going to have a match in a Hell in a Cell and performed a Pedigree on Batista onto the title. At Vengeance, Batista retained the title against Triple H. In June, Batista was drafted to SmackDown in the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery
, which, as a result, ended the rivalry.
usually can accommodate 11,000, but the capacity was reduced for the event. This event grossed over $700,000 from an approximate attendance of 14,000 which was the maximum allowed. Backlash helped WWE earn $21.6 million in revenue from pay-per-view events versus $16.9 million the previous year, which was later confirmed by Linda McMahon
, the CEO
of WWE, on September 7, 2005 in a quarterly result. Canadian Online Explorer
's professional wrestling section rated the event six out of 10. The rating was higher than the Backlash 2006 event
, which was marked as a "complete disaster". The World title match was rated a seven out of 10. Additionally, the singles match between Kane and Viscera was marked a four of 10.
WWE Backlash
Backlash was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced every April by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. The event was created in 1999, with its inaugural event produced as an In Your House event in April of that year. The event in 2000 was rebranded as an...
professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
(PPV) event produced by the World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
(WWE), which took place on May 1, 2005 at the Verizon Wireless Arena
Verizon Wireless Arena
The Verizon Wireless Arena is an indoor events arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, and seats 9,852 for ice hockey and just under 10,000 for basketball and some concerts.Verizon Wireless paid for the arena's naming rights...
in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
. The show's six matches showcased prominent WWE wrestlers, who acted out the franchise's stories in and out of the ring. The event starred talent from the Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
brand
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
.
In the main event, Batista defeated Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
in a singles match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
. From the five scheduled bouts on the undercard, two received more promotion than the others. The first was a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
match, in which Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
defeated Muhammad Hassan and Daivari
Shawn Daivari
Dara Daivari is an Iranian American professional wrestler, currently performing on the American independent circuit as Shawn Daivari. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as simply Daivari and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Sheik Abdul Bashir.-Career:Daivari...
. The other was a Last Man Standing match, a match where a wrestler is unable to respond to a ten count by the referee would lose. Edge defeated Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
after Benoit failed to get to his feet before the referee's count to ten.
Backlash helped WWE increase its pay-per-view revenue by $4.7 million, through ticket sales and pay-per-view buys.
Background
The event featured six professional wrestling matchesMock combat
Mock combat involves the execution of combative actions without intent to harm. Participants can engage in such sparring for ritual, training, recreational or performance reasons...
with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storyline
Narrative thread
A narrative thread, or plot thread , refers to particular elements and techniques of writing to center the story in the action or experience of characters rather than to relate a matter in a dry 'All knowing' sort of narration...
s. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains
Heel (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a heel is a villain character. In non-wrestling jargon, heels are the "bad guys" in professional wrestling; the term heel coming from the term take to you heels, which means to run away which heel champions tend to do to avoid losing their titles.storylines...
or fan favorites
Face (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a babyface or face or in simple words, a fan favorite is a character who is portrayed as a heroic relative to the heel wrestlers, who are analogous to villains...
as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. All wrestlers belonged to the Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
brand – a storyline division
WWE Brand Extension
WWE, formerly the World Wrestling Federation and World Wrestling Entertainment , currently promotes its core business of professional wrestling through two "brands" named after their two major television shows Raw and SmackDown...
in which WWE assigned its employees to a different program, the other being SmackDown!.
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
, in which Batista defended the championship against Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
. The buildup to the match began after WrestleMania 21
WrestleMania 21
WrestleMania 21 was the twenty-first annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on April 3, 2005 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. It started off with an interpormotional battle royal, for which Booker T...
, WWE's previous pay-per-view event, where Batista defeated Triple H to win the championship. On the April 11 episode of Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
, one of WWE's primary television programs, it was announced that Batista would defend the championship against Triple H at Backlash, after Triple H invoked his rematch clause. The following week, Triple H had a no disqualification match, a match where neither wrestler can be disqualified, allowing for weapons and outside interference, against Raw commentator Jim Ross
Jim Ross
James William "Jim" Ross is a professional wrestling commentator, former professional wrestling referee, restaurateur, occasional wrestler, and former company executive of WWE, where he currently works as a commentator on the WWE Raw brand...
, in which Ross won by pinfall after Batista interfered and hit Triple H in the head with a steel chair
Folding chair
A folding chair is a light, portable chair that that folds flat, and can be stored in a stack, row, or on a cart.-Uses:Folding chairs are generally used for seating in areas where permanent seating is not possible or practical. This includes outdoor and indoor events such as funerals, college...
. On the April 25 episode of Raw, Batista defeated Christian in a singles championship match, where Batista retained his title. After the match, Triple H assaulted Batista and hit the World Champion with a Pedigree.
The pay-per-view event featured the build up of a rivalry among two tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
s, a group of at least two wrestlers. The two groups were Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
and Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
versus Muhammad Hassan and Daivari
Shawn Daivari
Dara Daivari is an Iranian American professional wrestler, currently performing on the American independent circuit as Shawn Daivari. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as simply Daivari and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Sheik Abdul Bashir.-Career:Daivari...
. The night after WrestleMania, Michaels thanked the fans for their support towards him, despite Michaels losing at the event. Michaels continued, but was interrupted by Hassan and Daivari. Michaels, however, was in no mood to listen to Hassan's comments regarding Michaels loss. As a result, Michaels slapped Hassan, which led to Hassan and Daivari to attack Michaels, leaving him unconscious in the ring. The following week, Michaels approached authority figure Eric Bischoff
Eric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
, a portrayed match maker and rules enforcer, in which he demanded a handicap match with Hassan and Daivari, a match consisting of one wrestler or team of wrestlers facing off against a team of wrestlers with numerical superiority such as two against one, or three against two. Bischoff refused to schedule the match, but informed Michaels to find a partner and he would grant him the match. Michaels then made a plea for Hulk Hogan to come back and team with him. On the April 18 episode of Raw, Hassan again led an attack on Michaels until Hogan appeared to save Michaels and accept his offer.
Another preliminary match was between Edge versus Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
in a Last Man Standing Match. At WrestleMania, Edge won the first ever Money in the Bank ladder match
Money in the Bank ladder match
The Money in the Bank ladder match is a professional wrestling ladder match held by WWE. The match can feature anywhere from six to ten participants from any WWE brand, with the objective being to retrieve a briefcase that is suspended 20 feet above the ring...
, gaining himself a contract that gave him a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship within one year. On the April 4 episode of Raw, Edge chose not to use his contract that night, deciding to wait until the right opportunity. When Edge declined to force Batista into a title defense, Eric Bischoff scheduled Edge in a match against Chris Benoit. Benoit won the match by pinfall after performing a roll-up. After the match, Edge attacked Benoit's injured arm with a steel chair. Two weeks later, Benoit and Edge faced off in another match, in which ended in a no-contest, leading to Bischoff to book the Last Man Standing match for Backlash. Other feuds that received less promotion and culminated into matches at Backlash include WWE Intercontinental Champion
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted...
versus Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
for the title in standard singles bouts. William Regal and Tajiri
Yoshihiro Tajiri
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :...
versus Rosey and The Hurricane versus The Heart Throbs
The Heart Throbs
The Heart Throbs is the name of a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Antonio Thomas and Romeo Roselli, currently wrestling on the independent circuit. Thomas and Roselli are billed as being popular "with the ladies", and typically approach the ring while performing pelvic thrusts to the...
(Antonio Thomas
Tom Matera
Thomas "Tom" Matera is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Antonio Thomas. He is best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment on the Raw brand as one half of The Heart Throbs....
and Romeo Roselli
Romeo Roselli
Giovanni Roselli best known as Romeo Roselli is a professional wrestler and actor best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment on the Raw brand as one half of the "Heart Throbs" and is not to be confused with another wrestler by the name of Kid Romeo.-Career:Roselli began wrestling...
) versus La Résistance (Sylvain Grenier
Sylvain Grenier
Sylvain Grenier is a Canadian professional wrestler, who is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment in the La Résistance tag team. He is currently a French language announcer for TNA Impact! on RDS....
and Robért Conway) in a tag team turmoil match for the World Tag Team Championship, and a singles match between Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
(accompanied
Manager (professional wrestling)
In professional wrestling, a manager is a secondary character paired with a wrestler for a variety of reasons. The manager is often either a non-wrestler, an occasional wrestler, an older wrestler who has retired or is nearing retirement or, in some cases, a new wrestler who is breaking into the...
by Lita
Amy Dumas
Amy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006....
) versus Viscera
Nelson Frazier, Jr.
Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment...
(accompanied with Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus
Patricia Anne Stratigias , better known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and television personality currently signed with WWE. She is also a former fitness model....
).
Event
Before the event aired liveLive television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
on pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...
, Tyson Tomko
Travis Tomko
Travis David Tomko is an American professional wrestler, known by his ring name Tomko, who most recently worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he previously was a member of Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance and often worked alongside A.J. Styles. He was also notable for his...
defeated Val Venis
Sean Morley
Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment...
on Sunday Night Heat
WWE HEAT
WWE Heat was a professional wrestling television program produced by World Wrestling Entertainment...
.
The first match of the event was Shelton Benjamin
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted...
versus Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
WWE Intercontinental Championship
The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand...
. The match started out with Benjamin having the upper hand. Benjamin then hit a springboard off the ropes, but Jericho countered it with a hurricanrana off the ring apron to the floor. Jericho utilized a chinlock on Benjamin. Jericho then climbed to the top rope, but was stopped by Benjamin when he leaped to the top rope hitting a superplex on Jericho. Jericho then hit a running enzuigiri, but only got a near fall. Benjamin hit the T-Bone Suplex, but Jericho put his foot under the bottom rope to stop the pin. Jericho locked in the Walls of Jericho
Boston crab
The Boston crab is a professional wrestling hold that typically starts with the opponent lying supine on the mat, with the wrestler standing and facing them. It is a type of spinal lock where the wrestler hooks each of the opponent’s legs in one of his arms, and then turns the opponent face-down,...
, but Benjamin got to the rope. Jericho then locked in the Walls of Jericho again but Benjamin countered it into a roll-up to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
The next match was the Tag Team Turmoil match for the World Tag Team Championship. Tajiri
Yoshihiro Tajiri
, is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :...
and William Regal were the champions heading into the match. The teams come out at random, but it was the champions Tajiri and William Regal who come out first. The Heart Throbs
The Heart Throbs
The Heart Throbs is the name of a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Antonio Thomas and Romeo Roselli, currently wrestling on the independent circuit. Thomas and Roselli are billed as being popular "with the ladies", and typically approach the ring while performing pelvic thrusts to the...
come out second. Tajiri utilized a lot of kicks and then locked in the Tarantula. The Heart Throbs then kept Tajiri isolated, but Tajiri pinned Antonio with a roll-up. Simon Dean and Maven
Maven Huffman
Maven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American...
entered into the match next, trying to pick apart the weakened Tajiri. That elimination did not last very long as Regal made the tag and cleaned house, putting Dean away with a shot to the head. La Résistance came in next, but Regal and Tajiri tried to fight back. Regal was then rolled up, with a handful of tights. Rosey and The Hurricane were the last two men to enter the match. Hurricane was then smashed on the turnbuckle post. Hurricane and Rosey got the pin when Hurricane leapt off the shoulders of Rosey, who was perched on the top rope to grab the win.
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
. The match started out with Benoit getting the upper hand. Edge then got the upper hand by throwing Benoit sternum first into the turnbuckles. Benoit then applied the Sharpshooter
Sharpshooter (professional wrestling)
The Sharpshooter, originally named Sasori-gatame, Scorpion Hold in English, is a professional wrestling submission hold. The move is also known by several other names: cloverleaf leg-lace Boston crab, standing reverse figure-four leglock, and, the most commonly known alternative, Scorpion Deathlock...
on Edge. Benoit then performed multiple German suplexes on Edge, which sent Edge outside to the floor. Benoit dived through the ropes, but was met with a trash can lid to the face. Edge hit a superplex on Benoit through a trash can. Edge grabbed a ladder and dragged it into the ring, only to get a German suplex off of the ladder. Benoit missed a diving headbutt off the top of the ladder, Edge grabbed the Money in the Bank
Money in the Bank ladder match
The Money in the Bank ladder match is a professional wrestling ladder match held by WWE. The match can feature anywhere from six to ten participants from any WWE brand, with the objective being to retrieve a briefcase that is suspended 20 feet above the ring...
briefcase, but was caught in the Crippler Crossface. Edge got out of the Crippler Crossface and performed an Edgecution on Benoit on the briefcase. Benoit reached his feet at nine, only to get speared by Edge. After spearing Benoit again, Edge pulled a brick out of his briefcase and hit Benoit in the back of his head, leaving Benoit unable to answer the ten count.
The next match for the night was Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
, accompanied by Lita
Amy Dumas
Amy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006....
, versus Viscera, accompanied by the WWE Women's Champion
WWE Women's Championship
The WWE Women's Championship was a professional wrestling championship in the World Wrestling Entertainment promotion. Created in 1956, it was the oldest active professional wrestling championship in World Wrestling Entertainment history until its retirement in 2010 as a result from a unification...
Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus
Patricia Anne Stratigias , better known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and television personality currently signed with WWE. She is also a former fitness model....
. Kane's early attempts to take Viscera off his feet resulted in Kane being knocked down. Viscera then was clotheslined out of the ring by Kane. Trish tried to hit Kane with a steel chair, but Lita hit her with a crutch
Crutch
Crutches are mobility aids used to counter a mobility impairment or an injury that limits walking ability.- Types :There are several different types of crutches:...
. Viscera then executed a Chokebomb on Kane, but only got a two count. Kane then came back and hit a big boot and a chokeslam
Chokeslam
A chokeslam refers to a type of body slam in professional wrestling in which the wrestler grasps their opponent's neck, lifts them up, and slams them to the mat. It is common in televised wrestling because it is simple and relatively safe, yet looks powerful on camera...
to get the pinfall. Trish then verbally slammed Viscera, who responded by performing a bear hug and a splash on Trish, who was then taken out on a stretcher
Stretcher
A stretcher is a medical device used to carry casualties or an incapacitated person from one place to another. It is a simple type of litter, and still called by that name in some cases....
.
Hulk Hogan
Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling ....
and Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
versus Muhammad Hassan and Daivari
Shawn Daivari
Dara Daivari is an Iranian American professional wrestler, currently performing on the American independent circuit as Shawn Daivari. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as simply Daivari and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Sheik Abdul Bashir.-Career:Daivari...
. Hogan and Hassan started things off and Hassan was immediately sent into the turnbuckles. Hogan double clotheslined both his opponents and then he and Michaels teamed up with a big double boot to the face of Hassan. Michaels climbed to the top rope but missed an elbow drop. Daivari was tossed outside where Hogan bashed him. Michaels hit Daivari with a flying forearm smash and a kip up. Michaels was about to hit Daivari with Sweet Chin Music, but instead Hassan hit Michaels with a lead pipe. Hassan then took advantage and locked Michaels in the Camel Clutch. Michaels fought his way to his feet and dropped Hassan with an Electric Chair. Hogan then got tagged in and went for a leg drop
Leg drop
A leg drop or legdrop refers to an attack used in professional wrestling in which an attacking wrestler will jump and land his leg across a fallen opponent's chest, throat, face or head or in some cases, the groin/lower-abdominal area...
to Daivari, but was instead hit with a lead pipe by Hassan. As the referee has his back turned at Hogan, Michaels hit Daivari with Sweet Chin Music allowing Hogan to get the pinfall and win the match for his team.
The main event was for the World Heavyweight Championship
World Heavyweight Championship (WWE)
The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand...
between champion Batista and Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
. In the opening seconds Flair grabbed Batista's leg, providing the distraction necessary for Triple H to attack Batista and gain an early advantage. Both men attempted to hit their finishers early on, but both attempts failed. Triple H went for another Pedigree attempt, but was backdropped over the top rope to the floor. Batista returned to the ring and walked into a spinebuster for a two count. Batista then went for a Batista Bomb, but Triple H hit Batista in the head with the championship belt. Batista performed a spinebuster on Triple H, but there was no referee to make the pin. Jack Doan
Jack Doan
John Michael "Jack" Doan is a veteran professional wrestling referee currently signed with WWE.-Career:Doan joined WWE in October 1991 as a truck driver. From there, he took robes from Superstars at ringside, played music at shows, worked as part of the ring crew, and continued to drive the...
then run put and made the pin, but only got a two count. A second Batista Bomb attempt was stopped with a low blow by Triple H. Triple H then backed Batista into a corner and punched him ten times. Batista then performed another Batista Bomb to win the match and retain the championship.
Aftermath
The next night on Raw, General Manager Eric BischoffEric Bischoff
Eric Aaron Bischoff is an American entrepreneur, and professional wrestling booker and on-screen personality currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling...
held a Gold Rush Tournament to determine who would be the number one contender for the World Heavyweight Championship. The matches were Kane
Kane (wrestler)
Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury....
versus Christian, Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December...
versus Shelton Benjamin
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted...
, Edge versus Chris Jericho
Chris Jericho
Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer...
and Chris Benoit
Chris Benoit
Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide...
versus Triple H
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley...
. Kane, Michaels, Edge and Benoit all advanced to the next round. The next week, Edge faced Michaels and Kane faced Benoit. Edge and Kane advanced to the finals. One week later the finals took place between Edge and Kane. Edge won the tournament after Lita
Amy Dumas
Amy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006....
helped Edge win. One week later, Edge faced Batista for the World Heavyweight Championship. Batista won the match by pinfall after executing a Batista Bomb. Edge then started a feud with Kane, which lasted until Kane defeated him at Vengeance
Vengeance (2005)
Vengeance was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on June 26, 2005 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was the fifth annual Vengeance event. Professional wrestling is a type of sports entertainment in which...
.
The next night on Raw, Triple H and Batista verbally taunted each other. Three weeks later, after Batista's world title match against Edge, Ric Flair
Ric Flair
Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world....
attacked Batista. Triple H then came out and hit Batista with a sledgehammer
Sledgehammer
A sledgehammer is a tool consisting of a large, flat head attached to a lever . The head is typically made of metal. The sledgehammer can apply more impulse than other hammers, due to its large size. Along with the mallet, it shares the ability to distribute force over a wide area...
. Afterward, Triple H told Batista that they were going to have a match in a Hell in a Cell and performed a Pedigree on Batista onto the title. At Vengeance, Batista retained the title against Triple H. In June, Batista was drafted to SmackDown in the 2005 WWE Draft Lottery
2005 WWE Draft Lottery
The 2005 World Wrestling Entertainment Draft Lottery took place over a three week period in June. There were ten draft picks and an eleven-person trade conducted between the promotion's two brands: Raw and SmackDown!, where twenty-two superstars were drafted and traded overall...
, which, as a result, ended the rivalry.
Reception
The Verizon Wireless ArenaVerizon Wireless Arena
The Verizon Wireless Arena is an indoor events arena in Manchester, New Hampshire, and seats 9,852 for ice hockey and just under 10,000 for basketball and some concerts.Verizon Wireless paid for the arena's naming rights...
usually can accommodate 11,000, but the capacity was reduced for the event. This event grossed over $700,000 from an approximate attendance of 14,000 which was the maximum allowed. Backlash helped WWE earn $21.6 million in revenue from pay-per-view events versus $16.9 million the previous year, which was later confirmed by Linda McMahon
Linda McMahon
Linda Marie McMahon is an American professional wrestling magnate and politician. She is notable for her career developing WWE with her husband Vince McMahon. She was in the company from 1980 to 2009. During this time, WWE grew from a small regional business in New York to a large multinational...
, the CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of WWE, on September 7, 2005 in a quarterly result. Canadian Online Explorer
Canadian Online Explorer
Canadian Online Explorer is a bilingual online news and information site from Canada.A subsidiary of Quebecor Media, Canoe.ca is a leading local and national interactive media provider of news, entertainment and services, helping to inform and connect Canadians...
's professional wrestling section rated the event six out of 10. The rating was higher than the Backlash 2006 event
Backlash (2006)
Backlash was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on April 30, 2006 at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky...
, which was marked as a "complete disaster". The World title match was rated a seven out of 10. Additionally, the singles match between Kane and Viscera was marked a four of 10.
Results
| # | Results | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson Tomko Travis Tomko Travis David Tomko is an American professional wrestler, known by his ring name Tomko, who most recently worked for Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he previously was a member of Christian's Coalition and the Angle Alliance and often worked alongside A.J. Styles. He was also notable for his... defeated Val Venis Sean Morley Sean Allen Morley is a Canadian professional wrestler better known by his ring name Val Venis, during his time with World Wrestling Federation, later known as World Wrestling Entertainment... |
Singles match | 05:40 | |
| 1 | Shelton Benjamin Shelton Benjamin Shelton James Benjamin is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler best known for his tenure in World Wrestling Entertainment. Benjamin has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling in high school and at the University of Minnesota. In addition, Benjamin has acted... (c) defeated Chris Jericho Chris Jericho Christopher Keith Irvine , better known by his ring name Chris Jericho, is an inactive Canadian-American professional wrestler, musician, songwriter, radio personality, television host, actor, author, and dancer... |
Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship WWE Intercontinental Championship The WWE Intercontinental Championship is a professional wrestling championship in WWE. It is the original secondary title of the promotion. Currently, it is the secondary championship exclusive to the SmackDown brand... |
14:30 |
| 2 | Rosey and The Hurricane defeated Tajiri Yoshihiro Tajiri , is a Japanese professional wrestler, perhaps best known for his appearances with Extreme Championship Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment. He is currently competing in SMASH as TAJIRI.-Early years :... and William Regal (c), The Heart Throbs The Heart Throbs The Heart Throbs is the name of a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Antonio Thomas and Romeo Roselli, currently wrestling on the independent circuit. Thomas and Roselli are billed as being popular "with the ladies", and typically approach the ring while performing pelvic thrusts to the... (Antonio Tom Matera Thomas "Tom" Matera is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Antonio Thomas. He is best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment on the Raw brand as one half of The Heart Throbs.... and Romeo Romeo Roselli Giovanni Roselli best known as Romeo Roselli is a professional wrestler and actor best known for his stint with World Wrestling Entertainment on the Raw brand as one half of the "Heart Throbs" and is not to be confused with another wrestler by the name of Kid Romeo.-Career:Roselli began wrestling... ), Simon Dean Mike Bucci Michael "Mike" Bucci is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. Bucci is probably best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and World Wrestling Entertainment as Simon Dean... and Maven Maven Huffman Maven Klint Huffman is an American professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment between October 2001 and July 5, 2005 under the name Maven. In 2008 he became a guest expert on the Home Shopping Network.-Early life:Maven was born to an African-American... , and La Résistance (Robert Conway and Sylvain Grenier Sylvain Grenier Sylvain Grenier is a Canadian professional wrestler, who is best known for his appearances with World Wrestling Entertainment in the La Résistance tag team. He is currently a French language announcer for TNA Impact! on RDS.... ) |
Tag Team Turmoil match for the World Tag Team Championship | 13:43 |
| 3 | Edge defeated Chris Benoit Chris Benoit Christopher Michael "Chris" Benoit was a Canadian professional wrestler whose career and life ended in a murder–suicide... |
Last Man Standing match | 18:47 |
| 4 | Kane Kane (wrestler) Glenn Thomas Jacobs is a Spanish-born American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name, Kane. He is signed to WWE, appearing on its SmackDown brand, but is currently inactive due to injury.... (with Lita Amy Dumas Amy Christine Dumas , known by her primary stage name Lita, is the lead singer for the band The Luchagors as well as a retired professional wrestler and WWE Diva active from 1999 to 2006.... ) defeated Viscera Nelson Frazier, Jr. Nelson Frazier, Jr. is an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring names Mabel, Viscera, Big Daddy V, and King V. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment... (with Trish Stratus Trish Stratus Patricia Anne Stratigias , better known by her ring name Trish Stratus, is a Canadian professional wrestler, actress and television personality currently signed with WWE. She is also a former fitness model.... ) |
Singles match | 06:09 |
| 5 | Hulk Hogan Hulk Hogan Terrance Gene "Terry" Bollea , better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American Semi-retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, and musician currently signed to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling .... and Shawn Michaels Shawn Michaels Michael Shawn Hickenbottom , better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American television host and retired professional wrestler. He presents the Outdoor Channel show MacMillan River Adventures, and is currently signed to WWE, where he has served in an ambassadorial role since December... defeated Muhammad Hassan and Daivari Shawn Daivari Dara Daivari is an Iranian American professional wrestler, currently performing on the American independent circuit as Shawn Daivari. He is best known for his work with World Wrestling Entertainment as simply Daivari and with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling as Sheik Abdul Bashir.-Career:Daivari... |
Tag team match Professional wrestling tag team match types Much like singles matches, tag team professional wrestling matches can and have taken many forms. Just about any singles or melee match type can be adapted to tag teams; for example, hardcore tag team matches are commonplace... |
15:13 |
| 6 | Batista (c) defeated Triple H Triple H Paul Michael Levesque is an American professional wrestler, professional wrestling authority figure, WWE Executive Vice President of Talent and actor, better known by his ring name Triple H, an abbreviation of the ring name, Hunter Hearst Helmsley... (with Ric Flair Ric Flair Richard Morgan Fliehr is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ric Flair. Also known as "The Nature Boy", Flair is one of the most well-known professional wrestlers in the world.... ) |
Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship World Heavyweight Championship (WWE) The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the SmackDown brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the WWE Championship of the Raw brand... |
16:23 |