WWE TBT: How Does Every Match from WWE Backlash 2002 Hold Up?

On the surface, Backlash 2002 was a forgettable follow-up to a memorable WrestleMania X-8, the first chapter in a tumultuous spring for WWE in the brand extension era. In reality, it was a purveyor of things to come, a sign of what the company's future would look like, for better or worse.

From Brock Lesnar's first pay-per-view and official in-ring appearance, to Edge's first foray into a high-profile main event-level program with a fellow future Hall of Famer, the event set the stage for the future on the industry in ways that few could have imagined at the time.

In celebration of the classic post-WrestleMania spectacular, relive the events of the historically significant extravaganza, find out if the matches hold up and what effects the April 21, 2002 pay-per-view had on Vince McMahon's sports-entertainment empire nearly two decades later. 

Undercard

Credit: WWE.com

The undercard of the 2002 Backlash pay-per-view featured some incredible talent and really helped bolster the overall quality of a card.

Tajiri def. Billy Kidman to win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship (Grade: B)

The opening contest of the night was a fast-paced match with some creative counters and a crowd that bought into every near-fall late. Tajiri utilized vaunted red mist late to score the tainted pinfall victory and beat Kidman for the same title, in the same arena, as the first time they met.

Scott Hall def. Bradshaw (Grade: D-)

Too much time and attention were paid to Ron Simmons and X-Pac on the floor while the action inside the ring was labeled the dreaded "bowling shoe-ugly" by Jim Ross. Hall picked up the win as WWE continued to milk every last cent out of the New World Order reunion.

Jazz def. Trish Stratus to retain the Women's Championship (Grade: C)

The newly-heel Molly Holly attacked Stratus before the match, sending her back-first into the ring steps. Jazz picked her challenger apart and ultimately tapped her out to the STF in a match that showed a hint of the fiery in-ring performer (and future Hall of Famer) Stratus would become.

Eddie Guerrero def. Rob Van Dam to win the Intercontinental Championship (Grade: B)

The first chapter in a rivalry that would last through the early summer, this was a showcase for Guerrero, who won the title in a surprisingly one-sided match. Van Dam got some of his stuff in but a targeted attack to the back and neck of RVD, as well as a backbreaker on the title belt, set Eddie up for a frog splash that earned him the win in his first pay-per-view back since his rehiring.

Billy and Chuck def. Maven and Al Snow to retain the tag team titles (Grade: C+)

Surprisingly enough, the fans were invested in this one, particularly in hopes of seeing the winner of Tough Enough's inaugural season and his trainer pull off the upset. They did not but their fire, coupled with solid psychology and some straight-up cheating from newcomer Rico made for a better-than-expected match.

Jeff Hardy vs. Brock Lesnar

Credit: WWE.com

Before he was the reigning, defending, undisputed WWE champion, Brock Lesnar was a rookie competing his first televised match at the Backlash pay-per-view.

The Next Big Thing debuted the night after WrestleMania X-8, bowling over Spike Dudley and making an emphatic statement to the rest of the locker room. In the weeks that followed, he would attack unannounced, proving no one was safe.

When future Hall of Famer Lita refused to "play nicely" with Lesnar's advocate Paul Heyman, the mad genius of extreme sicced his beast on Matt Hardy. Seeking revenge for his brother's brutal assault, Jeff Hardy squared off with Lesnar at the PPV.

It was a mistake.

Lesnar obliterated Jeff, beating him down and delivered a wicked F-5 onto a steel chair. "Don't pin him! Hurt him!" Heyman exclaimed from ringside, shooting Lita a glare while doing so. Lesnar obliged, delivering three spine-crushing powerbomb before the referee called for the bell, mercifully ending the match and declaring Lesnar the winner.

Result

Lesnar defeated Hardy by referee stoppage

Grade

A

Analysis

This was exactly what it needed to be. Lesnar continued his tear through the roster en route to his eventual WWE Championship win at SummerSlam in August.

Hardy was the perfect choice to battle Lesnar in this match. As the beloved babyface, fans were behind him and wanted to see him pull off something, anything, to slow the momentum of his opponent. When he did not, the reality of The Beast's unrelenting onslaught set in.

Historical Significance

This is where it all began. Years of pay-per-view stardom, be it in WWE or UFC, began with his knockout win over Hardy.

The sheer dominance in this one match, then in the four months that followed before culminating in consecutive wins against Hulk Hogan and The Rock, set him up as the company's long-awaited breakout star. It would take some time before he developed into a worker reflective of his meteoric rise in the company but the potential was there, as was the explosiveness that would come to define his in-ring style.

Edge vs. Kurt Angle

Credit: WWE.com

Seemingly thrown together as a program to keep both Edge and Kurt Angle busy, their rivalry produced several unforgettable moments, the first of which was their match at Backlash.

An action-packed match that never saw either man gain a real, sustained advantage, it featured several reversals and counters that kept fans guessing.

Late in the match, it appeared as though the 1996 Olympic gold medalist Angle had cost himself a win when he introduced a steel chair to the proceedings and inadvertently bounced it off the ropes and into his own face.

The former WWE champion recovered, though, and pinned his game opponent following an Angle Slam.

Result

Angle defeated Edge

Grade

A+

Analysis

The match of the night. Bar none.

The sequencing and athleticism of the competitors, and Angle's own aggression, really helped elevate what was already a really good match. On a night where Edge was looking to prove his worth as a main event star on SmackDown, he was every bit Angle's equal between the ropes and did just enough to prove everyone who had expressed faith in him right.

Even in defeat.

Historical Significance

This was the precursor to the SmackDown Six, a group of competitors that would routinely deliver pay-per-view quality matches every week for the blue brand. Angle, Edge, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, Chavo Guerrero and Chris Benoit tore houses down as the centerpieces of Paul Heyman's creative efforts and all of them benefited exponentially from the opportunity to showcase their skills.

More importantly than that, this was Edge's first flirtation with the main event.

It was clear from the moment he split from Christian the previous August that WWE officials saw a main event star in the Toronto native. This was his first chance to show them they were right and he excelled. While a significant neck injury would halt his progress up the card, he would rise to the top of the industry, capturing his WWE Championship in just under four years.

"Stone Cold" Steve Austin vs. The Undertaker

When Raw owner Ric Flair drafted The Undertaker with the No. 1 pick in the WWE Draft, he knew he was getting an enormous pain in the ass based solely on their intensely personal rivalry that culminated in a bloody brawl at WrestleMania X-8. He also recognized the anti-authority history of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. 

When those two Superstars collided with a shot at the WWE Undisputed Championship at stake, Flair knew he had to interject himself and he did just that, booking himself as the guest referee.

Austin and Undertaker, two familiar foes with hundreds of matches against each other to draw from, wrestled a painfully dull match that even the crowd had trouble investing in.

Stone Cold would fire off a flurry of offense but get cut right back down by Big Evil.

Then came the first of Flair's two bumps.

Austin dropped his opponent with a Stone Cold Stunner but there was no referee to make the count. When Flair recovered, Undertaker downed Austin and the slow pace commenced. Another ref bump saw The Deadman use a chair on Austin, only for Stone Cold to kick out at the last second when Flair initiated the count.

Moments later, The Phenom kicked the same chair back in the face of his opponent and made the cover. Flair missed Austin's foot on the rope and awarded the win to his sworn enemy.

Result

Undertaker defeated Austin

Grade

F

Analysis

This was proof that even the most decorated and celebrated performers are not immune to bad nights. The pieces were in place for a drama-filled, story-heavy match if nothing else but what ensued was a horrifically boring, slow and uninteresting match between two guys not at all associated with those terms.

A totally disjointed match in which it never once felt like Austin and Undertaker were on the same page, it became bogged down in overbooking and unnecessary referee bumps that only highlighted how absurdly boring the contest was.

Historical Significance

As fondly as the American Badass persona is remembered, it was in that role that Undertaker first heard rumblings of being too old and needing to retire. When looking at his body of work at that time, some of the criticism was certainly warranted.

Slow and sluggish, with a very limited skill set that did not seem to extend much beyond basic kicks, punches and the occasional implementation of a standing dragon sleeper, he was not a particularly interesting performer.

That he constantly looked to be working in some pain did not help matters.

It was not until he returned to his Deadman persona and began introducing elements of Mixed Martial Arts while working with stars like Kurt Angle, Edge and Batista that he was able to evolve as an in-ring performer and go on the greatest run of his career from that perspective.

WWE Undisputed Championship Match: Triple H vs. Hulk Hogan

On the heels of a classic encounter with The Rock at WrestleMania X-8, Hulkamania ran wild over WWE. Nostalgia was high and fans were enthusiastic about The Hulkster's return to the company that made him a household name.

Triple H had just captured the WWE Undisputed Championship from Chris Jericho at the same Showcase of the Immortals, the culmination of a grueling journey back to the top of the industry following a torn quadriceps the previous May that threatened his career.

Their match was a titanic clash, a contest cloaked in mystery as no one really knew who would emerge with the title.

The Game worked over Hogan's surgically repaired left knee and assumed the role of aggressor throughout the match. He forced The Hulkster to fight from underneath and he did just that...until late in the match when Chris Jericho appeared and blasted Hogan with a steel chair.

After all, a win for Triple H would mean Jericho would get a shot at the title. The Game, not wanting to win that way, disposed of Y2J, only for Undertaker to appear and lay him out. Much like the champion, Hogan refused the easy win.

He fought Undertaker off, then dropped the leg for a most unlikely victory.

Hogan and Triple H engaged in a sign of respect to close out the show.

Result

Hogan defeated Triple H to win the Undisputed Championship

Grade

C-

Analysis

Triple H tried. He really did. After an ill-advised Attitude Era-esque fight into the crowd, he settled things down and worked around Hogan's limitations. The Hulkster just had so many limitations at that point it became almost impossible to have a traditional match and, like it or not, Triple H had not shaken off the ring rust enough to replicate what Rock was able to do a month earlier.

Throw in unnecessary overbooking that only further highlighted the sleight of hand WWE Creative was working hard for and you have a stinker of a main event that was, unfortunately, not the only one Hogan would be at the center of in post-Mania WWE.

Historical Significance

This was the first time WWE really went overboard with rewarding the fans' hunger for nostalgia.

Today, we are used to guys like The Rock, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels and Goldberg coming back and getting over on the young talent of the current day product. Back then, in 2002, it was new territory.

Triple H had done everything right. He had come back from a debilitating injury, put in all of the rehab time and endured horrendously bad writing on his road to WrestleMania. To see his title reign ended so quickly just to put over fans' sudden love affair with the Hulkster felt like a mistake. 

And it was.

Just as Goldberg dethroning The Fiend in Saudi Arabia was and any number of nostalgia-fueled head-scratchers that have plagued the company in the 18 years since.