Backlash--"The Night of Champions"
April 27, 2008
ECW Title--4 Corners
Rey Misterio v CM Punk v Shelton Benjamin v Chavo Guerrero (C)
Backstory: CM Punk and Rey Misterio both petition Smackdown GM Teddy Long for a rematch with Chavo Guerrero, to which Long agrees. Long makes a tag match for Smackdown! for Punk/Rey v Chavo/Shelton. Shelton levels Chavo with a superkick during the match and stakes his claim to the ECW Title. Long decides to add Shelton to the match, because he is impressed with Benjamin's hunger for the title.
Book it: Solid opener. Punk and Shelton look good, but they become consumed with one-another after a very heated exchange early in the match. The two jaw with each other even when they aren't in the ring together. The two are not the legal men as words get more heated, and they begin to battle on the outside, when Rey hits the 619 on Chavo for the 1,2,3. Rey is your new ECW Champion. Winner: Rey Misterio via pinfall with a 619.
Aftermath: In a backstage interview, Rey promises to defend the belt with honor and expresses how he feels he has come full circle in the US. ECW gave him his break and now he wants to take them to greater heights.
Intercontinental Title Match
Mr. Kennedy v Jeff Hardy (C)
Backstory: Two young up-and-comers with a lot to prove from their WM performances. Hardy lost to Shawn Michaels, while Mr. Kennedy failed to repeat as Mr. Money in the Bank. Mr. Kennedy was able to defeat Umaga in a #1 Contenders match via countout with a Mic Check on the floor. Kennedy vows that he will ground and pound Hardy to begin the Kennedy Administration as IC Champion.
Book it: Jeff Hardy is able to frustrate Kennedy early in the match by avoiding the grounding and keeping a faster pace than Kennedy intended. Kennedy is able to grab the advantage by taking out one of Hardy's legs. Kennedy puts on a very impressive showing by grounding Hardy. Hardy has a few flurries but is unable to sustain any offense. Each time he has some momentum, his leg is taken out by Kennedy, who is able to land the Mic Check and the Kenton Bomb, as insult to injury, for the victory. Winner: New Intercontinental Champion Mr. Kennedy via pinfall from Kenton Bomb
World Tag Team Title Match
WWE Tag Champs--Miz/John Morrisson v World Tag Champs--Y2J/HHH (C)
Backstory: On the Raw following WM24, a frustrated Y2J addresses his fans and promises that he will win WWE gold in the near future. Later in the program, GM William Regal books a World Tag Team Title Match for the following week between Champs Cody Rhodes/Hardcore Holly v Sanlito (Santino Marella/Carlito). Y2J asks for a shot at the titles in the match. Regal agrees as long as Jericho can find a partner. The following week, Regal runs into a pissed HHH (who hasn't been seen since taking the pinfall at WM24) as he enters the building. HHH wants another shot at the World Title, but he is rebuffed by Regal. Regal states that Triple Haitch must work is way up again and get some Ws. Y2J approaches HHH later on and ask him to be his partner for the tag title match, which H accepts. Needless to say, new tag champs are crowned. With the decision to make Backlash "A Night of Champions," HHH and Y2J make an open challenge for the PPV. The open challenge was unexpectedly answered by WWE Tag Champions Miz and Morrisson. When asked if their titles would be on the line also, the WWE Champs decline and ask who have Y2J/HHH ever beaten to get a shot at their belts. A confident Y2J/HHH agree to defend stating that when they win, they are taking the WWE Tag straps.
Book it: No slow motion entrance for the WWE Tag Champs. Miz and Morrisson appear more focused than ever. They are able to use their double-teaming and tag continuity to frustrate the veteran yet relatively new team of H/Jericho. They are able to cut off the ring and isolate Jericho for an extended period of time. The young punks are able to continually bait HHH into the ring so that they can punish Y2J. During one of these interventions, Miz/Morrisson are able to hit Jericho with powerbomb/neckbreaker combo. Miz is pinning Y2J as the ref turns around, and Morrisson prevents HHH from breaking up the pin (which HHH doesn't seem to eager to do). Winners: New World Tag Team Champs--WWE Tag Champs Miz and Morrisson
Aftermath: HHH leaves Y2J in the ring as the New Tag Champs celebrate. I guess The Savior and The King of Kings couldn't coexist.
Money In the Bank v US Title (Winner Takes All)
Matt Hardy v MVP (C)
Backstory: Hardy and MVP had been fueding for months over the US Title before injuries derailed the program. MVP was diagnosed with a heart condition, so he and Hardy were made a team. They ended up winning and losing the tag titles. Before they could have a match for the US Title, Hardy was injured and sidelined for a few months. Hardy made his return at WM24 as an entrant in the Money in the Bank ladder match. Hardy was able to pick up the victory and rekindle his fued with MVP by beating him to the case and exploiting MVP's past health history. In the weeks after WM, there had been escalations between the two. Hardy stated that he still wants the US Title; MVP stated that Hardy took a cheap shot, and he wants vengeance. MVP wanted a non-title match but decides to a title match if Hardy is willing to put up the Money in the Bank case. Hardy agrees so he can settle this issue with MVP once and for all.
Book it: Mat classic! MVP and Hardy go tooth and nail/hold for hold. Periods of intense brawling, scientific wrestling, counters, submissions, strikes etc. Hardy takes a few shortcuts here and there, but the announcers cover for him by analyzing how much is at stake in the match. Hardy is able to counter a superplex into a top rope twist of fate for the pinfall. Matt Hardy is your new US Champ and Mr. Money in the Bank. Winner: Matt Hardy via pinfall with a Super Twist of Fate
Long and Regal are shown in a private conversation discussing a potential shake-up between the two brands.
WWE Title--4 Way Elimination
John "Bradshaw" Layfield v "HBK" Shawn Michaels v John Cena v Randy Orton (C)
Backstory: As a triumphant Randy Orton gloats over his pinning of Triple H and retaining of his title at WM24, he is challenged by John Cena for Backlash. Cena simply states that Orton has yet to pin or submit him. Cena's challenge is interrupted by HBK and then JBL who both suggest that they deserve title shots, because, unlike Cena, they were victorious at the "granddaddy of them all." William Regal decides to grant them their requests. (Title shots based upon merit-Cena--never pinned for title/HBK--defeated Jeff Hardy at WM24/JBL--defeated Y2J at WM24)
Book it: Orton and JBL figure that they can work together in a de facto tag match against HBK and Cena to get rid of one early (due to previous problems between HBK and Cena as tag partners). Miscommunication between Cena and HBK leads to a splintering of their makeshift partnership. HBK ends up hitting the SCM on JBL, but the force of the kick knocks JBL into Cena. The ref counts it as a tag. As HBK unknowingly turns to pin JBL, Cena slides into the ring with an FU for HBK. Cena eliminates HBK. Orton comes in and attacks Cena. Orton/JBL dismantle Cena in what has become a handicap match. Cena goes into Superman mode and is able to get Orton 1-on-1. During the fray, Cena backs Orton to a corner. JBL enters the ring and is preparing for the CFH on Cena from behind. Cena ducks, causing JBL to flatten Orton with a CFH in the corner. Cena grabs a distracted JBL and hits the FU for the 1,2,3. JBL is rolled to the outside. Cena attempts to finish Orton off quickly with the throwback in the middle of the ring on Orton. Cena goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle (What a silly ass move). When he attempts to rebound off of the ropes, he is tripped by JBL into an RKO by Orton. Winner: Randy Orton via pinfall with an RKO
Aftermath: Randy grabs his title and is heading with JBL to the back when JBL begins to lag a bit to jaw with a fan. Orton continues on when he is leveled by JBL with a Northern CFH (a lariat to the back of the head) that nearly turns Orton inside-out. JBL then places the title on the chest of the unconscious Orton before standing over him with the longhorns to the air.
World Heavyweight Title (The Last Dance)
Batista v The Undertaker v Edge (C)
Backstory: Batista is granted the #1 Contender position due to his retiring of "Nature Boy" Ric Flair at WM24. Taker is admitted into the match to make it a 3-way from a grateful Teddy Long, who is once again the GM of Smackdown thanks to UT's tombstone on Vickie Guerrero. (Undertaker made her pay for Edge's sins.) Teddy grants both men their shots with the condition that this will be the last shot for both men during Edge's reign. (Teddy feels that it is time to freshen up the Smackdown World Title scene.) Edge is furious with the thought of a 2 on 1 beating but loves the thought of no more Tista or Taker during his reign. {The bottom line here is that someone needs to beat Edge to guarantee more shots. Can Tista and Taker work together to stay in the main event picture? Who gets the pinfall? In one last note, TnT end up destroying the Rated Rmy to guarantee that they have Edge alone}
Book it: Edge spends the bulk of the match as a test dummy for Tista/Taker. Problems arise as Tista and Taker will not allow the other to get the pin. During the fray, Tista spears Taker into the ref, which knocks the ref to the outside. Taker is able to counter Tista's bomb and chokeslams him. From the back runs a returning "Nature Boy" Ric Flair armed with a steel chair. After chokeslamming Tista, Taker turns into an Edge spear. As Tista tries to rise, he is taken out with a sickening chair shot from Flair. Edge drops a chair shot on Taker for good measure as Flair revives the ref. Edge pins Tista to retain his title and prevent any more shots for Taker or Tista. Winner: Edge via pinfall from an "opportunistic" Chair Shot
Aftermath: Flair grabs a mic and stands over the prone Batista. "You, you took my career and now I take yours. As long as I have breath in my body, you will never be world champion again. The Curse of the Nature Boy begins." Taker tries to get at Flair for costing him the title. Edge, who has been almost forgotten about at this point, clocks Taker again, only this time with the title. Flair and Edge begin laying the boots to Taker and Tista. Flair grabs the mic again. He tells the world that his return was two-fold. He introduces the world to "the new dirtiest player in the game--Edge." Edge proclaims that he is "The 2nd Coming." Flair and Edge celebrate to close with the big, gold belt.
And scene... stay tuned for the first installments of Raw and Smackdown, as brought to you by The Television Champ!!!
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