The unofficial WWE new year is upon us! With Wrestlemania 22 in the rearview mirror, we’re full speed ahead on the road to Backlash! With a ton of unfinished business ready to blow on the RAW side of things, Backlash is primed to deliver with 7 action-packed matches! Of course, you should expect some twists and turns along the way, sprinkled in with sledgehammers, Spears, and destruction!
“The king grinned red as he walked from the place…”
Reigning
WWE Champion John Cena may won the battle against
“The King of Kings” Triple H at Wrestlemania 22, but he certainly did not win the war…at least, not quite yet. Following Wrestlemania 22, “The Game” made it abundantly clear that he wasn’t going anywhere, and was primed to take back his seat at the head of Monday Night RAW.
John Cena, known to be a fighting champion, quickly accepted Triple H’s challenge for a rematch at Backlash on the April 10 edition of Monday Night RAW:
“Triple H, I’ll be honest with you. I’m not a fan of yours. I personally think you’re a legend in your own mind. But…with that being said…I respect the hell outta you, and everything you’ve done for the WWE. I’ll give you another shot at my WWE Championship at Backlash. You’ve earned the respect of challenging for my title, and I’ll give it to you…under one condition…if I beat you again, which I plan on doing…you can no longer challenge for this title so long as I am champion!”
“The King of Kings” didn’t care much for the ‘honorable’ notion that John Cena was willing to accept his challenge, and took things a step further on the go-home edition of Monday Night RAW on April 24:
April 24, 2006
Non-Title Match
John Cena vs. Charlie Haas
Closing Moments:
…Charlie Haas goes for an exploder suplex, but Cena blocks it! Cena with a right hand that knocks Haas back a few steps. Cena bounces off the ropes…
FLYING SHOULDER BLOCK! Haas pops right back up…
SITOUT HIPTOSS! Cena hoists Haas up…
SIDE-RELEASE POWERBOMB!
Cena holds his hand high in the air, and in unison, half of the crowd plays along…
“YOU CAN’T SEE ME!” Cena dusts his shoulder off…
FIVE KNUCKLE SHUFFLE! Cena is calling for the end…Haas stumbles to his feet…
FU! Cena hooks the leg…
1…2…3!
Winner: John Cena
“My Time is Now” blasts throughout the arena as Cena holds his WWE Championship high above the air, posing on the top turnbuckle when suddenly…
TRIPLE H COMES SPRINTING DOWN THE RAMP, SLEDGEHAMMER IN HAND!
Cena doesn’t see “The King of Kings” as he is too busy celebrating with his title. Triple H waits for Cena to hop down…
SLEDGEHAMMER TO THE FACE OF JOHN CENA!!
Cena is immediately
BUSTED OPEN! Triple H doesn’t stop the onslaught as he continues to jolt the sledgehammer into Cena’s sternum!
Triple H lifts the motionless Cena and wraps his arms in between the ropes! Triple H rears back and
SMASHES THE SLEDGEHAMMER RIGHT INTO JOHN CENA’S RIBS!!
Triple H lifts up his trusted sledgehammer, the top bright red with blood from John Cena’s forehead, as a devilish grin forms on his face. Triple H then picks up the fallen WWE Championship and holds it in his other hand.
“Triple H is a man possessed. John Cena has woken up the devil! Is this a sign of things to come on Sunday at Backlash, King?!?”
Jim Ross shouts as the credits roll, while Triple H holds up both his sledgehammer and the WWE Championship high above his head…
END RAW FOOTAGE
Following the heinous attack to close out Monday Night RAW, our WWE.com Exclusive reporter Jonathan Coachman caught up with “The King of Kings” as he was making his way back to the dressing room. Triple H made his statement pretty damn clear:
“John Cena! Let me remind you who has the keys to this castle. I’m not looking for a charity match. You can respect me all you want, but at the end of the day, your respect for me is as empty as your head is right now after I blasted my sledgehammer into it! Tonight was just a TASTE of what you should expect to walk into Sunday night at Backlash, as I come to re-claim my throne!”
The match was officially made and to make it even more exciting, was given a
“No Holds Barred” stipulation. One thing is for certain, and that is Triple H is a very dangerous man at the current moment. Between his loss on the grandest stage of them all at Wrestlemania 22 and his thoughts about John Cena giving him a “charity” re-match at Backlash, “The King of Kings” is primed and ready to beat John Cena at Backlash!
“A bitter place, and a broken dream…”
“The Rated R Superstar” Edge enjoyed a very hard-fought victory over Mick Foley at Wrestlemania 22. However, Edge left Wrestlemania 22 with a bitter taste in his mouth watching John Cena hoist up the WWE Championship that was around his waist just a few short months earlier.
There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that the Hardcore Match Edge endured against Mick Foley changed him forever. It has brought out a darker, extreme, and more brutally honest side of Edge. This was very apparent on the April 10 edition of Monday Night RAW when Edge and Lita came down to the ring, giving Edge a chance to speak his mind…
April 10, 2006
…Edge and Lita head down the entrance ramp and walk straight towards the ringside area. Edge demands a microphone and a chair. He slides the chair into the ring, sets it up, and sits down on it. Lita stands over Edge’s shoulder, placing her hand on her man’s back. Edge crosses his foot over his leg and leans back in the chair, ready to speak. However, the crowd is HOT on Edge tonight, throwing every profane chant they can think of at him.
“I came out here tonight to speak my mind. And then I looked out into the crowd and realized how much I FUC**NG HATE YOU PEOPLE! Can somebody in the back dim the lights, I can count on one hand how many teeth the people sitting in the front row collectively have on one hand!”
“FUCK YOU EDGE!” chants break out, and the crowd also sprinkles in some expletives at Lita for good measure. Somebody in the back listens to Edge as they dim the lights. One sole spotlight shines down on “The Rated R Superstar” as he finally speaks.
“Ever since Wrestlemania, something has changed in me. I’m not happy. Y’see, winning that Money in the Bank briefcase last year, it jumpstarted my career. To heights I knew I was capable of reaching…but I needed a leg up to get to that level…and now I’m on that level…but look around. Yeah, I got the hottest babe in the world by my side, but everything else is missing. No briefcase, no WWE Championship. Just me and my thoughts…”
The crowd is still hot on Edge who re-positions himself and starts back up…
“And as I sit here and ponder my next move, I can still smell my burning hair from Wrestlemania. I can still feel the thumbtacks and barbed wire in my flesh. It gives me a sense of power…but not the power I need right now. No…see…carrying around that Money in the Bank briefcase gave me a sense of power that I’ve never felt before. Knowing I was the most dangerous man on the roster and at any given point in time I could strike…that’s what power feels like…”
Edge leans forward as the camera zooms in on his face.
“So, I came out here tonight to put Rob Van Dam, the man who is currently in possession of MY briefcase…on notice. RVD, I know you’re in the back, probably high as a kite right now…but if you are listening…just know…I WANT MY BRIEFCASE BACK!”
The mention of RVD gets the crowd cheering for the current Money in the Bank holder…”
“See, RVD, you don’t bring honor to the briefcase. You don’t bring respect to the briefcase. You don’t bring prestige to the briefcase…you bring absolutely nothing to that briefcase! You are simply a novelty act that in about three months will run its course and everybody will forget you even HAD the briefcase to begin with…You’re nothing like me…and right now, I am still THE guy on Monday Night RAW…no…I’m the best wrestler in the WWE….better yet, I’m the best wrestler in THE WORLD today! And I will do whatever it takes to regain the power I held…with MY briefcase in MY possession…”
The camera is still zoomed in on “The Rated R Superstar’s” face…
“And mark my words. I’m saying this now, and I’m only saying this once. Somehow, some way, I WILL get MY briefcase back…and I WILL walk out of next year’s Wrestlemania 23 as the WWE CHAMPION!”
Edge stares intently into the camera as the lights turn back on. He drops the mic as he and Lita exit up the ramp, still pissed off at the world…
END RAW FOOTAGE
From there,
Rob Van Dam responded by telling Edge that he has never backed down from a fight in his life, and a fight from a second-rate wannabe hardcore wrestler will certainly not turn him away. RVD was so confident in his ability to beat Edge that he even put his Money in the Bank Briefcase on the line in a match at Backlash!
Rob Van Dam is one of the hottest superstars in the WWE at the current moment, and the confidence he has right now is sky high. But, could RVD possibly be a bit over-zealous in putting his freshly won Money in the Bank Briefcase on the line just weeks after winning it? Edge has proven that he has what it takes to carry the WWE, and whether you love him or hate him, he has proven that he can be THE guy once the bell rings.
Everything will come to a head when Rob Van Dam puts his Money in the Bank Briefcase on the line against Edge at Backlash!
“You’re gonna wish that GOD was your tag team partner!”
“The Heartbreak Kid” Shawn Michaels and the
owner of the WWE, Vince McMahon went to WAR at Wrestlemania 22, with Michaels outlasting not only Vince, but also all five members of The Spirit Squad, and Shane McMahon. However, HBK may have won the battle, but the war waged by the billionaire Vince McMahon still brews on. Vince McMahon has made it abundantly clear numerous times that he wants to end Shawn Michaels once and for all, put him on the shelf indefinitely and end his WWE career. However, Shawn Michaels has proven time and time again during his war with Vince McMahon that he is still in peak shape, at the top of his game, and not going anywhere any time soon.
HBK, starting to show his playful D-Generation X side a little more with each passing week on RAW, continued having fun at Vince and Shane’s expense. Vince responded by sticking The Sprit Squad on Shawn at every possible chance he could get. The games continued until finally McMahon took things a step further when he decided to make a match for Backlash- A 2 on 1 Handicap Match pitting Vince and his son Shane up against Shawn Michaels!
“Shawn Michaels, we’re gonna stack the odds against you in ways that you couldn’t even imagine! Come Backlash, you’re gonna wish that GOD was your tag team partner, because you’re gonna need all the prayers in the world to make it out of Backlash on your own two feet!”
Shawn Michaels finds himself in familiar territory heading into Backlash. Seven men gunning for his head simultaneously, while somehow finding a way to stave them all off. Will Shawn Michaels walk out of Backlash with another win over The Chairman? Or will the power of Vince, Shane AND The Spirit Squad be too much for HBK to overcome?
“Going for it all, I’m just trying to be the best!”
Reigning
Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin defeated
“The Nature Boy” Ric Flair back in February to regain the Intercontinental title. Following an unsuccessful run for both men in the Money in the Bank match at Wrestlemania 22, they are back embroiled in a feud over Benjamin’s title.
Shelton Benjamin has turned over a new leaf since Wrestlemania 22, ditching his mama in the process. Shelton is keen on proving to the world that he doesn’t need his mother to help him win matches, and is looking to take the Intercontinental title to new heights, and ultimately parlay the reign into an eventual WWE Championship opportunity.
Ric Flair, still kicking as well as ever, has his sights set on taking back the title he lost to Shelton Benjamin, and even tried to persuade Shelton on an episode of Monday Night RAW.
With both men inside the ring, Shelton Benjamin put over Ric Flair and even said that Flair was hands down the best wrestler to ever lace up a pair of boots. Flair thanked Shelton for the compliment…
“Shelton, look here, pal. I’ve been in the ring with EVERYBODY…and nobody has the gift you have. You are a future WORLD CHAMPION! Your ascent to the top of the WWE should begin now. Not me. No, see, I’m an old dog, Shelton. I don’t have many years left inside this ring. You’re the next big thing! So, why don’t you let me get one more spin with that Intercontinental title while you climb up to your rightful spot at the top of the WWE?”
Shelton Benjamin nods his head before responding…
“You’re right, Ric. I do have a gift. But, it isn’t quite my time right now to chase after the WWE Championship. That time will come, but not right now. No, right now I’m focused on restoring this title back to the way it once was, because from September to February it was nothing more than a PROP and a JOKE!”
Shelton’s fighting words quickly flipped the script from an exchange of pleasantries to a vicious verbal beating. From there, the match was officially signed-Shelton Benjamin putting his Intercontinental Championship on the line against Ric Flair at Backlash! Ric Flair is out to prove that his reign as IC Champion wasn’t a fluke, rather Shelton’s win over Flair was, in fact, a fluke!
“The Tag Team Division comes to a boiling point!”
Kane and The Big Show have reigned supreme in the Tag Team division since winning the titles back in November. Since then, they have been the gold standard in the division, picking up impressive wins over the likes of Batista and Rey Mysterio, and more recently
Carlito and Chris Masters at Wrestlemania 22.
Following their victory over Carlito and Chris Masters, which featured miscommunication between the two, it seemed as if the honeymoon phase of Carlito and Masters’ team was now over. The duo argued all the way to the back, and the outlook looked bleak for the pairing.
Instead of turning their backs on each other, Carlito and Chris Masters turned over a new leaf. They teased a break up on RAW, but only to drag Kane and The Big Show into their trap. After it was evident that the duo planned the fake break up all along, they issued a challenge to Kane and The Big Show for a rematch at Backlash.
Carlito and Chris Masters were firing on all cylinders leading up to Backlash, until a real miscommunication in a Tag match on RAW which saw Carlito drill Masters with an errant elbow off the apron and into the barricade cast a shadow of doubt over their team. Masters, lip busted open from the elbow, stormed to the back, leaving Carlito to fend for himself.
So, the question still remains the same as Backlash- is there really trouble brewing in paradise between Carlito and Chris Masters? Or is their latest theatrics just that- theatrics?
Kane and The Big Show also seem to have an issue heading into Backlash. Some may say it is just two veterans working out their problems, while others may say it is Vince McMahon looking to drive a wedge in between the two so that he can recruit The Big Show to be his muscle.
On an episode of RAW, Vince cornered The Big Show right after a hard fought title defense. McMahon made it perfectly clear that he needed backup when it came to Shawn Michaels, and there wasn’t anybody better than The Big Show to fill that spot. Big Show told him to hit the road, but Vince was persistent, continually recruiting Big Show openly. Kane took exception to this when Big Show said he was pondering the decision.
Things came to a head on the following edition of RAW when the Tag Team Champions needed to be pulled apart backstage. Kane and Big Show began with a shouting match, which quickly turned into an all out brawl. Following the brawl, which neither man got the better of, the two reconciled and vowed to not let McMahon get in the middle of their title reign.
Two teams, each with their own set of personal problems will square off at Backlash, and the burning question being asked right now is- Are both sides playing their hand close to the vest in order to come out victorious at Backlash?
“Love and Lust!”
Mickie James shocked the world when she beat
Trish Stratus at Wrestlemania 22 to win the Women’s title. Mickie, who has openly stalked Trish for months, finally got what she wanted...or did she? Mickie doesn’t seem content with just the Women’s title at the moment, because it is clearly evident that she would still rather have Trish Stratus instead.
Things boiled over backstage on the April 17 edition of Monday Night RAW! Trish, realizing Mickie’s desire for her was still as strong as ever, decided to play into Mickie James and invited her to join her in the shower. Mickie quickly jumped at the chance, but Trish was waiting, fully clothed, and the two brawled in the shower. Trish then invoked her rematch clause and will now have another shot at Mickie and the chance to regain the Women’s title at Backlash!
“Dominance!”
“The Samoan Bulldozer” Umaga crashed on the scene the night after Wrestlemania 22, and quickly turned heads. The 350 pound beast, led to the ring by his manager- Armando Alejandro Estrada, has quickly shot up the rankings on RAW in short order.
Two other monsters on the RAW roster haven’t liked the spotlight being put on Umaga-
Snitsky and his pal
Heidenreich. The two attempted to jump Umaga on RAW, but quickly found out why this man is the real deal.
Snitsky will get his chance to knock Umaga back down the ladder, and the stipulation is if Umaga gets past Snitsky, he will immediately face Heidenreich. A Handicap match of sorts, with the caveat being that Heidenreich must stay backstage.
Will Umaga continue his rampage through the RAW roster and take out two of the biggest men in the WWE? Or will Snitsky show why he and Heidenreich are still the top two monsters on RAW?
Backlash Card
April 30, 2006
WWE Championship- No Holds Barred Match
©John Cena vs. Triple H
RVD’s MITB Briefcase on the Line
Rob Van Dam vs. Edge w/Lita
2-on-1 Handicap Match
Vince & Shane McMahon vs. Shawn Michaels
Intercontinental Championship
©Shelton Benjamin vs. Ric Flair
RAW Tag Team Championship
©Kane & The Big Show vs. Carlito & Chris Masters
Women’s Championship
©Mickie James vs. Trish Stratus
Gauntlet Match
Umaga vs. Heidenreich & Snitsky
*Predictions are welcome, thank you for reading!
