WWE Backlash PPV: 25 Greatest Moments

The first Backlash ever took place on April 25th, 1999.  Backlash was usually the first pay per view after Wrestlemania.  It was always a fun watch.  Many great matches and memories took place at the event. 

The very last Backlash took place on April 26, 2009.  This lasted 10 years total and was filled with great matches.  Here in this slideshow, we will count down the top 25 matches that took place here from the first Backlash to the last.

The Rock vs Steve Austin

Austin after retaining the World Title

The very first match on this list is one of the greatest of all time.  Rock and Austin.  Two people who defined an era met in this Wrestlemania rematch at Backlash: In Your House for the WWE Title.  Like always, they had an amazing match up.  It had many moments where you thought you had no idea who would win this one.  In the end, it was Austin who won after a stunner and reluctant count by Vince McMahon. 

Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit

Chris jericho with the Walls of Jericho on Benoit

The second match on this list was an Intercontinental Title match from Backlash 2000.  It was an amazing match between two technical competitors.  The match went back and forth between these two but ended in controversy after Benoit won by disqualification, even after hitting Jericho with the title belt while the referee was knocked down. 

Triple H vs the Rock

The Rock during his entrance

This match simply put was a great one (no pun intended).  While you could say it may have been overshadowed by their Iron Man match at Judgment Day, this was a huge moment in the career of the Rock, as he won his fourth WWE Title here.  Triple H would later win it back in that Iron Man match, and then the Rock would win it again soon after in a WWE Title six man tag team match at King of The Ring.  

Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit

Kurt Angle vs Chris Benoit

Backlash 2001 featured this great match.  This was a 30 minute Ultimate Submission match.  The only way you could win was by submission, and this match went back and forth between the two.  Another great match by two great technical competitors. 

Kurt Angle got the first fall after a leg lock to Benoit; just a few minutes later, Benoit made Angle tap out with a cross arm-breaker.  Angle's second fall was done with an Ankle Lock to Benoit.  After this, Angle got yet another fall after putting Benoit in the crossface.  Benoit would retaliate by putting Angle in a Boston Crab for his second fall.  Benoit then made Angle tap using the STF. 

The match was tied with less than one minute remaining.  The bell eventually rang, which would have made this match a draw.  However, the referee called for overtime.  Benoit ended the match with a crossface of his own. 

Kane and the Undertaker vs Steve Austin and Triple H

Triple H and Steve Austin vs Undertaker and Kane

The main event for Backlash 2001.  This match was a tag team match for the Tag Team, Intercontinental, and WWE Title.  The team, known as The "Two Man Power Trip", made up of Steve Austin and Triple H, held all the gold going into this one and left with it all too.  This match ended after an interference from Vince McMahon and Triple H hitting Kane with a sledgehammer for the win. 

Steve Austin vs the Undertaker

Steve Austin vs The Undertaker, with Ric Flair as the special guest referee

This was a number one contenders match for the WWE Championship at Backlash 2002.  Austin and Undertaker had fought before, but this time, there was a twist.  Ric Flair was the special guest referee.  Before this match, Flair had his problems with both Austin and Undertaker.  This was a great match that ended in controversy, as Austin had his foot on the rope while being pinned.  This would later set up a feud and great match on Raw between Austin and Flair. 

Triple H vs Hulk Hogan

Triple H vs Hulk Hogan

This was the WWE Title match for the Backlash 2002 pay per view.  It was a dream match between two competitors from two different era's.  It had interferences from both Undertaker and Chris Jericho.  Jericho tried interfering to make Hogan win, but even after hitting him with a chair, he was unsuccessful.  Undertaker later came out and hit Triple H with a chair, costing him the title and setting up a match between himself and Hulk Hogan at Judgment Day.

John Cena vs Brock Lesnar

Cena and Lesnar face to face

Backlash 2003's WWE Title match featured a young John Cena taking on Brock Lesnar.  This match was set up after John Cena defeated Eddie Guerrero, Chris Benoit, and The Undertaker.  It was another great match that showed off what talents Cena had back then.  While Brock Lesnar won the match, John Cena would end up getting pushed much farther up the WWE Ladder in the years to come.   

The Rock vs Goldberg

The Rock and Goldberg face to face

This match at Backlash 2003 was, simply put, amazing.  It was a dream match everyone wanted to see between WWE and WCW's best.  While sadly it was one of The Rock's last matches, Goldberg would go on to win the World Heavyweight Title for the first and only time in WWE. 

Cactus Jack vs Randy Orton

Randy Orton vs Cactus Jack

This match at Backlash 2004 was anything but technical.  It was bloody, hardcore, violent, and entertaining from start to finish.  This match would feature two by fours, thumb tacks, tables, among other things.  This Intercontinental Title match helped prove Orton belonged in the main event scene.  This was definitely one of the best matches in his career, as he would end up going to Summerslam to beat Chris Benoit for the World Heavyweight Title. 

Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Benoit

Shawn Michaels, Triple H, and Chris Benoit

This Backlash 2004 match was a re-match from Wrestlemania.  Benoit had made Triple H tap at Wrestlemania  using the crossface to win the World Heavyweight Title.  And here at Backlash, he would make Shawn Michaels tap out to the sharpshooter.  Both were amazing matches, but this match would leave no doubt that Benoit deserved the title.  Benoit would go on to lose the title at Summerslam. 

Edge vs Chris Benoit

Edge in the Sharpshooter applied by Benoit

This match at Backlash 2005 deserves a lot more talk than it gets.  It was an epic Last Man Standing match.  Edge had finally turned heel, where he would start to get recognized as a main event superstar.  He beat Benoit here to go on and win the Money In The Bank match at Wrestlemania and defeat John Cena for his first WWE Title. 

Triple H vs Batista

Triple H vs Batista

This match was the main event for Backlash 2005.  It was a re-match from Wrestlemania, where Batista would win his first World Title from Triple H.  It was another great match that would help Batista prove he deserved the title.  Triple H during promo's would say Batista feared the pedigree; he was obsessed with getting the title back.  In the end, however, Batista would beat him again in this match to retain the title. 

Triple H vs Edge vs John Cena

Triple H vs Edge vs John Cena

John Cena had successfully defeated Triple H at Wrestlemania to retain his WWE Title.  Triple H wanted another match, but so did Edge, who Cena had also beat to regain the title after Edge won it from Cena at New Years Resolution earlier that year.  The title would end up being defended in a triple threat match. 

The beginning of the match saw Edge outside the ring while Cena and Triple fought in the ring, and eventually, Edge would catapult Triple H into a ring post, making Triple H bleed.  This was a very competitive match but Cena would end up winning ro retain the title.  The end of the match saw Triple H hitting Cena, Edge, and the referee with a sledgehammer. 

Batista vs the Undertaker

Batista and The Undertaker face off

The Undertaker and Batista had a great match at Wrestlemania.  This re-match at Backlash 2007 was made to settle the score as to who was the better of the two. However, this match would end in no contest, as both men were unable to get to their feet by the count of 10.  This was a brutal Last Man Standing match that would end with Batista unable to get it back until he later faced The Great Khali for the title at Unforgiven. 

Shawn Michaels vs Randy Orton vs Edge vs John Cena

John Cena facing Shawn Michaels, Edge, and Randy Orton

This would be Raw's main event for Backlash 2007.  It would be a great fatal four way match between four great superstars who had all held the world title before.  This match saw each man involved show off their skills, including Shawn Michaels performing a Moonsault onto each men.  In the end, John Cena would win after he fell on Orton after getting a Super Kick from Shawn Michaels.  John Cena again retained his title. 

MVP vs Matt Hardy

Matt Hardy after winning the United States Title.

Apart form being a great match, it ended the best feud of the year, as Matt Hardy finally captured the United States Title after defeating MVP with a Twist of Fate.  This match is definitely one of Hardy's greatest matches, as he would later go on to win the ECW World Title. 

The set up for this match was just as great as the match itself.  MVP would claim he was better than Hardy at everything.  They met in various different competitions such as pizza eating, basketball, and chess.  They would also win the WWE Tag Titles while in their feud and lose them later on to John Morrison and The Miz.  After this loss, MVP viciously attacked Hardy, setting up this match at Backlash 2007. 

Unlike most title matches nowadays, this one really had a good story behind it. 

Batsta vs Shawn Michaels

Shawn Michaels and Batista face to face

This was another great match with a great story behind it here at Backlash 2008.  Shawn Michaels had just retired Ric Flair in their match at Wrestlemania.  Batista did not take that very nicely.  Flair was a big part of Batista's life and career.  Chris Jericho would be the special guest referee for this match, giving it a lot more hype. 

These two would argue on Chris Jericho's highlight reel a few times, and eventually, it led to this match.  Chris Jericho would argue that Shawn Michaels did the wrong thing at Wrestlemania, which is also what Batista had argued.  Jericho would also claim Batista would have done the same thing.  Jericho would end up getting Sweet Chin Music and the Batista Bomb in different weeks on his highlight reel for these comments, making there be a great wonder as to who (if anyone) would Jericho side with during this match at Backlash. 

It was a great match that Shawn Michaels would end up winning.  Batista would later win their Stretcher match at One Night Stand. 

Edge vs the Undertaker

Undertaker with his title after an attack from Edge

Edge and Undertaker met at a great match at Wrestlemania.  Undertaker of course would win and become World Heavyweight Champion, setting up this match at Backlash 2008.  Edge was obsessed with getting the title back and claimed he let himself and his wife at the time, Vicki Guerrero, down. 

Undertaker, though, would go on to win again here at Backlash to retain the title.  Edge would later win it back from Undertaker at One Night Stand. 

John Cena vs JBL vs Randy Orton vs Triple H

Randy Orton defending his title against JBL, John Cena, and Triple H

This would be Raw's main event for Backlash 2008.  It would be an Elimination Fatal Four Way for the WWE Title.  Randy Orton was champion going into the match, but Triple would end up leaving with the gold. 

JBL was first eliminated by John Cena with the STFU, then Orton would eliminate Cena after a Punt to the head, and at last, Orton would be eliminated by Triple H after a Pedigree.  This match would set up a big feud between Randy Orton and the new champion, The Game Triple H.  Orton would later win the title back at Backlash 2009. 

Jack Swagger vs Christian

Christian with the ECW World Title

This match would be one of the biggest matches in Christian's career.  Here at Backlash 2009, he would win the ECW World Title from Jack Swagger.  It was just a few weeks earlier that Christian had returned to WWE after a few years absence.  Christian challenged Swagger for the title, and this match was made.  It was a great match and proved that Christian does have what it takes to be a champion in the WWE. 

Ricky Steamboat vs Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho faced Ricky Steamboat at Backlash 2009

This match here at Backlash 2009 was not about titles; it was simply a dream match everyone wanted to see.  Chris Jericho had begun a feud with Micky Rourke and WWE Legends shortly before Wrestlemania.  He had defeated Jimmy Snuka, Roddy Piper, and Ricky Steamboat at Wrestlemania in a 3 on 1 Handicap match. 

Out of all these legends, Ricky Steamboat came closest to beating Jericho.  This match was set up to see if he could beat Jericho one on one.  However, Steamboat was unable to get the victory, and Chris Jericho would win here at Backlash.  However, it was a great match and lived up to all expectations. 

Matt Hardy vs Jeff Hardy

Matt Hardy who turned his back on his brother Jeff

This match up at Backlash 2009 was a I Quit match.  The story here was great, and so was the match.  Matt Hardy has cost Jeff the World Heavyweight Title by saying he was unappreciated by fans and the WWE alike because he was never given a chance the way Jeff was, which, quite frankly, was true, as he never had a deserved WWE or World Heavyweight Title.  Matt would beat Jeff at Wrestlemania in an Extreme Rules match and in a Stretcher match on Smackdown. 

However, this time, Jeff would beat Matt after making him say "I Quit" before putting him through a table with a Swanton Bomb. 

Triple H, Batista and Shane McMahon vs Randy Orton and Legacy

Randy Orton who would challenge Triple for the WWE Title

Randy Orton and Triple H had a very storied feud.  Since 2005 they had been feuding on and off.  They would beat each other time and time again whether it was for the World Heavyweight Title, the WWE Title, or no title at all. 

To make things more interesting here, this match here at Backlash 2009 was a Six Man Tag Match for the WWE Title.  Triple H had Batista and Shane McMahon on his time, while Randy Orton would have Legacy on his.  In the end, it would be Randy Orton who would win this match and become WWE Champion once again.  Randy Orton would then move onto a feud with Batista. 

John Cena vs Edge

John Cena and Edge facing off

This match between John Cena and Edge at Backlash 2009 was also a great match with a storied feud involved.  These two also faced each other countless times over the years over the World Title.  This match would be a Last Man Standing match for the World Heavyweight Championship.  It was a brutal match that would end up seeing Big Show chokeslam John Cena into a spotlight that exploded, helping Edge get the victory over Cena. 

The End

Another Backlash Logo

Backlash went on for 10 years, and it was always a great event to watch.  It has been ended and replaced by Extreme Rules, which has also been a great event.  Hope you liked this article, highlighting the best matches Backlash had over its 10 year run.