Line #18 Wrestling/Backlash


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/wwe_backlash_logo.png]]
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3	Backlash is a Wrestling/{{WWE}} pay-per-view event that was created in 1999. The event is held at every April (2005 and 2016 being the exception). Started as an ''In Your House'' event (and the 28th and final event of the ''In Your House'' PPV series), ''Backlash'' was rebranded as an annual PPV event for WWE in 2000. During the brand-extension, the event was made exclusive to ''[[Wrestling/WWERaw Raw]]'' in 2004 through 2006. In 2007, the brand-exclusive events ended, and ''Backlash'' became tri-branded. ''Extreme Rules'' replaced ''Backlash'' in its late-April slot in 2010. It returned as a ''[[Wrestling/WWESmackDown SmackDown]]''-exclusive event in September 2016. The scheduled 2019 event was canceled and replaced by ''Stomping Grounds'', but Backlash was reinstated in 2020. In 2021, Backlash was scheduled for the May PPV slot, returning it to its original position of being the post-[=WrestleMania=] PPV in which the 2021 edition was titled ''[=WrestleMania=] Backlash''.
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5	''Backlash'' has often featured rematches from ''Wrestling/WrestleMania'', or matches based on events that took place at ''[=WrestleMania=]'', [[MeaningfulName hence the name]]. This is also the possible reason for the PPV's aforementioned name change...until 2023 renames it back to ''Backlash''.
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7	!!This event contains examples of:
8	* TheBadGuyWins:
9	** 1999: Wrestling/TheUndertaker defeated Wrestling/KenShamrock. Wrestling/TripleH defeated [[Wrestling/SeanWaltman X-Pac]]. The Wrestling/MinistryOfDarkness defeated The Brood.
10	** 2001: The [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin Power]] Wrestling/{{Trip\|leH}} defeated [[Wrestling/TheUndertaker The Brothers]] [[Wrestling/{{Kane}} of Destruction]] in an AllOrNothing match for the WWF, IC, and Tag Titles.
11	** 2002: Wrestling/TheUndertaker defeated Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin to become the #1 contender for the WWF Undisputed Title. [[Wrestling/CarleneMoore Jazz]] defeated Wrestling/TrishStratus to retain the Women's Title. Wrestling/EddieGuerrero defeated Wrestling/RobVanDam to win the Intercontinental title. Wrestling/KurtAngle defeated Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}}. Wrestling/BrockLesnar defeated Wrestling/JeffHardy. Wrestling/ScottHall defeated [[Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield Bradshaw]].
12	** 2003: Half the card was won by heels. Sean O'Haire defeated Wrestling/{{Rikishi}}. [[Wrestling/CarleneMoore Jazz]] defeated Wrestling/TrishStratus for the Women's Title, Wrestling/BigShow [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown destroyed]] Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio\|Jr}}, and the team of Wrestling/TripleH, Wrestling/RicFlair, and Wrestling/ChrisJericho defeated Wrestling/ShawnMichaels, Wrestling/KevinNash, and Wrestling/BookerT.
13	** 2004: Wrestling/RandyOrton defeats Wrestling/MickFoley in a Hardcore match, thus ending the feud the two had since mid-2003.
14	** 2005: Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} defeated Wrestling/ChrisBenoit in a Last Man Standing match, which ended their feud that started in late 2004.
15	** 2006: Wrestling/{{Umaga}} [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown destroyed]] Wrestling/RicFlair, and Wrestling/VinceMcMahon and his son Wrestling/{{Shane\|McMahon}} defeated Wrestling/ShawnMichaels and "God".
16	** 2007: Wrestling/{{Melina}} defeated Wrestling/MickieJames to retain the Women's Title, and Wrestling/{{Vince\|McMahon}} and Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon along with Wrestling/{{Umaga}} defeated Wrestling/BobbyLashley for the Wrestling/{{ECW}} Championship in a Handicap match.
17	** 2008: The only heel victory on the entire card was the women's tag team match where Wrestling/BethPhoenix's team was victorious.
18	** 2009: Two respective main event matches involve Wrestling/RandyOrton and Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}}, two of the top heels at that time, respectively winning the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships. Orton, along with his Legacy teammates Wrestling/{{Ted Dibiase\|Jr}} and Wrestling/CodyRhodes, defeated Wrestling/TripleH, Wrestling/{{Batista}}, and Wrestling/ShaneMcMahon in a 6-man tag match in which Triple H's WWE title was on the line, while Edge defeated Wrestling/JohnCena in a Last Man Standing match due to Wrestling/BigShow's interference, claiming his 9th world title. Additionally Wrestling/ChrisJericho defeated Wrestling/RickySteamboat to end their feud. "[[Wrestling/SantinoMarella Santina Marella]]" beating Wrestling/BethPhoenix is a borderline case, as while the Santina character was a face, Marella was still a heel as Santino.
19	** 2016: Wrestling/TheMiz defeated Wrestling/DolphZiggler to retain the Intercontinental Championship, and Wrestling/AJStyles defeated [[Wrestling/JonMoxley Dean Ambrose]] to win his first ever WWE Championship.
20	** 2017: Wrestling/JinderMahal defeated Wrestling/RandyOrton to win his first ever WWE Championship, and Wrestling/TheUsos defeated Wrestling/{{Breezango}} to retain the Smackdown Tag Team Championships.
21	** 2018: Wrestling/{{Carmella}} defeated Wrestling/CharlotteFlair to retain the [=SmackDown=] Women's Championship, and Wrestling/RubyRiott defeated Wrestling/{{Bayley}}.
22	** 2020: Wrestling/RandyOrton defeated Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}}, Wrestling/{{Bayley}} and Wrestling/SashaBanks defeated Wrestling/AlexaBliss and Wrestling/NikkiCross and [[Wrestling/BillieKay The]] [[Wrestling/PeytonRoyce IIconics]] to retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships, and Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} defeated Wrestling/JeffHardy.
23	** 2021: Wrestling/BobbyLashley defeated Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre and Wrestling/BraunStrowman to retain the WWE Championship. Wrestling/RomanReigns defeated [[Wrestling/ClaudioCastagnoli Cesaro]] to retain the Universal Championship. In the pre-show, Wrestling/{{Sheamus}} defeated [[Wrestling/TrevorMann Ricochet]].
24	** 2022: [[Wrestling/SamoanDynasty The Bloodline]] defeated the team of Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre and [[Wrestling/RandyOrton RK]]-[[Wrestling/MattRiddle Bro]]. Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} defeated Wrestling/AJStyles. Omos defeated Wrestling/BobbyLashley with the help of MVP.
25	** 2023: [[Wrestling/SamoanDynasty The Bloodline]] defeated the team of Wrestling/SamiZayn, Wrestling/KevinOwens, and Wrestling/MattRiddle. Austin Theory defeated Wrestling/BobbyLashley and Bronson Reed to retain the US Championship. Wrestling/RheaRipley defeated [[Wrestling/TheaTrinidad Zelina Vega]] to retain the [=SmackDown=] Women's Championship.
26	** 2024: [[Wrestling/SamoanDynasty The Bloodline]] (Solo Sikoa and [[Wrestling/GuerrillasOfDestiny Tama Tonga]]) defeated Wrestling/KevinOwens and Wrestling/RandyOrton with the help of re-debut Tanga Loa.
27	* BigDamnHeroes: In 2000, Wrestling/{{Stone Cold\|SteveAustin}} ran in to help [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] finally take the WWF Championship from Wrestling/TripleH.
28	* BrokenWinLossStreak:
29	** Wrestling/TripleH hadn't won a World Title match at this event until 2008. [[YankTheDogsChain He lost again in the following year, however.]]
30	** Wrestling/ChrisBenoit was undefeated at this event until 2005.
31	** Wrestling/MattHardy was undefeated at this event until 2009[[note]]Though he had actually lost to Wrestling/ValVenis at the 2004 event's pre-show[[/note]].
32	* TheBusCameBack: The event was discontinued at the beginning of TheNewTens, but returned in 2016.
33	* CallBack: In Backlash '04, which took place in Canada, Wrestling/ChrisBenoit locks Wrestling/ShawnMichaels in the Sharpshooter in the middle of the ring, which is what Shawn did to Wrestling/BretHart in Survivor Series '97 regarding the Wrestling/MontrealScrewjob.
34	* {{Calvinball}}: In 2001, then-commissioner Wrestling/WilliamRegal faced off Wrestling/ChrisJericho in a [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquess_of_Queensberry_Rules "Duchess of Queensbury Rules"]] match. Jericho tries to pin Regal? The match is divided into two rounds, and round one just ended. Jericho gets a submission? No, submissions aren't allowed. Regal gets disqualified? It's No Disqualifications. Regal won the match.
35	* DawnOfAnEra:
36	** The 2007 event was the first PPV to be tri-branded, as wrestlers from Raw, Smackdown, and ECW competed at the show.
37	** The 2016 event was the first [[Wrestling/WWESmackdown Smackdown]] PPV since the second Brand Split[[note]]It was also the first time that the event was ''Smackdown'' exclusive, as it was mostly a ''Raw'' event during the original Split[[/note]] and features Wrestling/AJStyles and Wrestling/BeckyLynch respectively winning the WWE World and Smackdown Women's Titles, their first championship golds in WWE. Speaking of Lynch, she was the inaugural champion.
38	** Much like the 2007 event, the one in 2018 was the first dual branded PPV outside of the Big 4 to be dual branded.
39	* DefeatingTheUndefeatable:
40	** Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} ended Wrestling/ChrisBenoit's undefeated streak on this PPV during the 2005 event.
41	** Wrestling/JeffHardy ended [[Wrestling/MattHardy his brother's]] undefeated streak on this PPV during the 2009 event.
42	* DoubleKnockout:
43	** The Last Man Standing match between Wrestling/{{Batista}} and Wrestling/TheUndertaker in the 2007 event ended this way after Batista speared The Undertaker off of the stage.
44	** The No Disqualification match between Wrestling/AJStyles and Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura in the 2018 event ended this way after both men knocked each other out after performing simultaneous {{Groin Attack}}s.
45	* EasilyForgiven: Subverted with the "I Quit" match that Wrestling/JeffHardy and Wrestling/MattHardy had at the 2009 edition. The storyline leading to the match had Matt attacking his brother several times, including trying to blow him up with pyro and insinuating that he had something to do with the fire that destroyed Jeff's house and killed his beloved dog, on top of costing his brother the WWE Championship to Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}}. Come the event, Matt begged for Jeff's forgiveness while he was hogtied to a table while Jeff was preparing a double leg drop from a rather tall ladder, including saying "I quit!". It ''looked'' like Jeff was going to back down after that, but he vaulted himself over the ladder and leg dropped Matt anyway, breaking Matt's arm in the process. Matt wouldn't be forgiven until several months down the line during his brother's famous feud with Wrestling/CMPunk, in which he had to prove himself by helping Jeff several times.
46	* EndOfAnAge: The 2002 event is the last PPV featured by the company under the WWF name.[[note]]At least in the U.S.; British fans did have one more PPV under the WWF name that year in ''Insurrextion'', a UK-exclusive PPV, which ended with the name change literally ''the day after the PPV'' as well as the infamous "Plane Ride From Hell" when the crew returned to States.[[/note]]
47	* FaceHeelDoubleTurn: In 2000, Wrestling/TheDudleyBoys, who were heels, and the team of Wrestling/{{Test}} and [[Wrestling/MattBloom Albert]] (T&A) along with their manager Wrestling/TrishStratus, who were faces, reversed their roles during their feud, with fans being very supportive of Trish getting powerbombed through a table.
48	* AHeroToHisHometown: Backlash 2023 focused on this due to it taking place in UsefulNotes/PuertoRico, with the audience rooting for Puerto Rican born [[Wrestling/TheaTrinidad Zelina Vega]] [[note]] Vega was born in Queens, New York City, U.S and is of Puerto Rican descent.[[/note]] and Music/BadBunny.
49	* HistoryRepeats:
50	** Wrestling/TripleH has lost a World Title match at ''Backlash'' a total of ''six times'' (2000, 2002, 2004-2006, and 2009), half of those times (2000, 2002, and 2009) he was the defending Champion. He has also competed in this event in a six-man tag team match twice (2003 and 2009) as well as for a singles title in a tag team match twice (2001 and 2009).
51	** Wrestling/JohnCena was in the main event from 2006-2009. In those four years, he entered the event as a defending champion thrice (2006, 2007, 2009) and successfully retained his title during the first two times. Also, two of those appearances were in Fatal-Four Way matches (2007 and 2008).
52	** Speaking of Cena, he and Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} had clashed in this event 3 times (2006, 2007, and 2009). The first involved a triple-threat match which involved Wrestling/TripleH, the second involved a Fatal-4-Way which involved Wrestling/ShawnMichaels and Wrestling/RandyOrton, and the last one was a one-on-one Last Man Standing match, with Edge capturing his 9th world title.
53	** Wrestling/RandyOrton and Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} faced each other in this event (2007 and 2020). The first involving a Fatal-4-Way which involved Wrestling/JohnCena and Wrestling/ShawnMichaels and in a one-on-one match.
54	** The 2016 event featured Wrestling/BeckyLynch being crowned as an inaugural Women's Champion for the second time in her career. The first was in 2005, when she became the first ever [=SuperGirls=] Champion (now ECCW Women's Champion).
55	** Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre and Wrestling/BobbyLashley faced off in this event twice (2020 and 2021). The first encounter being a singles match where [=McIntyre=] successfully defended his WWE title while their second encounter was a triple threat match which involved Wrestling/BraunStrowman and Lashley successfully defended his WWE title.
56	** [[Wrestling/DwayneJohnson The Rock]] came to this event as the No. 1 contender for the World Title twice, first in 1999 then the following year. He successfully captured the gold in the latter.
57	** The event took place at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island three times (1999, 2009, and 2022). Also, in 2017, the event took place at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois for the second time, the first being in 2001.
58	** Wrestling/TheUsos and a relative defeated Wrestling/MattRiddle's team in a six-man TagTeam match in 2022 and 2023.
59	* IcyBlueEyes: The poster of the 2016 event has [[Wrestling/JonMoxley Dean Ambrose]] with these[[note]]His natural eye color is baby blue[[/note]].
60	* InelegantBlubbering: Zelina Vega in the 2023 edition is shown in tears in the beginning and the end of her match, since she is the hero representing her country of Puerto Rico against Rhea Rhipley.
61	* ItsTheBestWhateverEver: The Edge/Orton match for 2020 has been given over-the-top marketing by WWE as the "Greatest Wrestling Match Ever". To further emphasize it, the tagline was also used in [[https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1264006572705005569 other matchup graphics for the show]] whilst the event's theme tune was "[[Film/TheGreatestShowman The Greatest Show]]" by Music/PanicAtTheDisco.
62	* KissOfDistraction: Wrestling/TrishStratus had been doing this to [[Wrestling/TheDudleyBoyz Bubba Ray Dudley]] in April 2000. Then at the PPV, she did it again, but it probably [[IdiotBall wasn't very wise of her to flip her hair and smirk, making it obvious she had been trying to manipulate him...]]
63	* KubrickStare: All the posters except the 2017 one have the featured wrestlers in this stance.
64	* LoserLeavesTown: More along the lines of "Loser Goes To Other Brand". From Backlash '02, if Wrestling/TripleH loses to Wrestling/HulkHogan, he will be drafted to [[Wrestling/WWESmackdown Smackdown]].
65	* MeleeATrois: There are only a few main event matches in this event which feature more than two wrestlers competing for the WWE or World Heavyweight Championship (2001, 2004, 2006, 2007, and 2008). Though, there are some non-main event examples as well.
66	** 2000: Crash Holly (c) vs. Wrestling/MattHardy vs. Wrestling/JeffHardy vs. [[Wrestling/BobHolly Hardcore Holly]] vs. Wrestling/PerrySaturn vs. Wrestling/{{Tazz}} for the WWF Hardcore Championship.
67	** 2001:
68	*** Wrestling/MattHardy (c) vs. Wrestling/{{Christian}} vs. Wrestling/EddieGuerrero for the WWF European Championship.
69	*** Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin and Wrestling/TripleH vs. Wrestling/TheUndertaker and Wrestling/{{Kane}} in an AllOrNothing match for the WWF (held by Austin), IC held by HHH) and Tag Titles (held by the Brothers of Destruction).
70	** 2004: Wrestling/ChrisBenoit (c) vs. Wrestling/TripleH vs. Wrestling/ShawnMichaels in the rematch from ''Wrestling/WrestleMania XX''.
71	** 2006: Wrestling/JohnCena (c) vs. Wrestling/TripleH vs. Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}}.
72	** 2007: Wrestling/JohnCena (c) vs. Wrestling/ShawnMichaels vs. Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} vs. Wrestling/RandyOrton.
73	** 2008: Wrestling/RandyOrton (c) vs. Wrestling/TripleH vs. Wrestling/JohnCena vs. [[Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield JBL]].
74	** 2020: Wrestling/{{Bayley}} and Wrestling/SashaBanks (c) vs. Wrestling/AlexaBliss and Wrestling/NikkiCross vs. [[Wrestling/PeytonRoyce The]] [[Wrestling/BillieKay IIconics]] for the Women's Tag Team Championships.
75	** 2021:
76	*** Wrestling/RheaRipley (c) vs. [[Wrestling/KanakoUrai Asuka]] vs. Wrestling/CharlotteFlair for the WWE Raw Women's Championship.
77	*** Wrestling/BobbyLashley (c) (with [[Wrestling/MontelVontaviousPorter MVP]]) vs Wrestling/BraunStrowman vs Wrestling/DrewMcIntyre for the WWE Championship.
78	** 2023: Austin Theory (c) vs. Wrestling/BobbyLashley vs. Bronson Reed for the WWE United States Championship.
79	** 2024: Wrestling/{{Bayley}} (c) vs. Wrestling/NaomiWrestler vs Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women's Championship.
80	* MundaneMadeAwesome: In the 2023 event, the [[Wrestling/TheaTrinidad Zelina Vega]] vs Wrestling/RheaRipley match had Zelina being given a slipper as a weapon, to which the Puerto Rico fans reacted with raucous cheers.[[note]]For those not in the know, the slipper, or ''la chancla'' was used by mothers to knock sense into their children if they misbehaved[[/note]]
81	* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Wrestling/BigShow gives one to Wrestling/{{Rey Mysterio\|Jr}} in 2003. After {{No Sell}}ing ''three'' [=619s=] in a row and defeating him handily, Rey was taken out on a stretcher board. Big Show, however, came back down, picked up Rey still strapped to the board and swung the board like a baseball bat against the ring post (which would be sick in itself, but the immobile Rey also splatted face-first to the mat).
82	* OddballInTheSeries: The 2016 event is so far the only one not held in either April or May (it was held in September) and not preceded by (or at least close to) ''Wrestling/WrestleMania'' [[note]]The 2018 event was instead preceded by a special PPV SpinOff of the ''Wrestling/RoyalRumble'', which was the one that followed that year's ''[=WrestleMania=]''[[/note]].
83	* SeanConneryIsAboutToShootYou: Several posters:
84	** The one for the 2001 event has Wrestling/TripleH's silhouette about to smash his trademark sledgehammer.
85	** Invoked by the one for the 2008 event, which features Wrestling/TheUndertaker maliciously holding a SinisterScythe.
86	** The one for the 2017 event has Wrestling/ShinsukeNakamura about to do the [[FinishingMove Kinshasa]].
87	* SeriesMascot: Wrestling/TripleH has served as the face of this PPV the most, being the featured superstar in the posters for the 2001, 2002, 2005, and 2006 events.
88	* SinisterScythe: Wrestling/TheUndertaker is holding one in the 2008 poster.
89	* SlasherSmile: Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} in the 2007 poster.
90	* SoreLoser: Wrestling/TripleH in 2005 and 2006.
91	** After losing to Wrestling/{{Batista}} in the 2005 event, Wrestling/TripleH lost his temper and gave the referee a pedigree.
92	** In 2006, Wrestling/JohnCena defeated Wrestling/TripleH and Wrestling/{{Edge\|Wrestler}} in a triple threat match to retain the WWE Title after giving Triple a roll up pin. Triple H reacts by attacking Cena, Edge, and the referee with his sledgehammer, thus standing tall in the ring.
93	* WearingAFlagOnYourHead: In the 2023 edition, Zelina's outfit is decked out in the colors of the Puerto Rico flag. Justified in this case since she hails from Puerto Rico herself.

Context Wrestling / Backlash