WWF Backlash started in April 1999 as one of the final pay per views in the "In Your House" series. Starting in 2000, it became an annual event as the official post-Wrestlemania pay per view. Backlash was reknown for Wrestlemania rematches and extending fueds that seem to have reached their peak a month before. Starting this month, it is being replaced by "Extreme Rules," a gimmick pay per view characterized by various forms of No Holds Barred/No Disqualification matches.
Backlash was a great event that will be missed by many, especially Shane McMahon, who was in the thick of all of Backlash's best matches.
In honor of Backlash, Bleacher Report contributor Evan Fein compiled a list of the event's ten greatest and most memorable matches. Shane was involved in the top four matches on the list.
#4: 2006 - Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon vs Shawn Michaels and God
Shawn Michaels beat Vince McMahon in a classic bout at Wrestlemania. This led to a crazed McMahon to believe that Shawn Michaels was being helped by God. After going off the deep end, the chairman put himself in a tag team match with his son against Shawn Michaels, and HBK's partner, God.
The bout was as funny as it was controversial. Before the match, Vince ordered the referee to check God for foreign objects. It appeared that the team of Michaels and God was too much for the McMahons, when the Spirit Squad got involved and turned the bout into a 7 on 1 handicap match. As usual, it was a great performance by Michaels and a very memorable bout.
#3: 1999 - Steve Austin(c) vs The Rock
Austin, Rock, WWF title, Need I say anymore? The Rock got his rematch against Austin after losing his title to The Rattlesnake at Wrestlemania. Shane McMahon was the special guest referee.
It was a classic Rock/Austin bout that changed the direction of every main event storyline in the company. Vince McMahon, worried about the Undertaker's Ministry, turned face by attacking his son and refusing to screw Austin. Austin beat Rock with a Stunner and a shot across the head with the title belt.
Immediately following the match, Undertaker kidnapped Stephanie McMahon in a classic segment. The next week, Shane and Undertaker formed the Corporate Ministry and The Rock became a top face.
#2: 2001 - Shane McMahon vs Big Show
This was a last man standing match. Very few people remember anything about the match except how it ended.
When Shane McMahon started climbing up the Backlash set, everyone expected Big Show would just drag him down, or maybe Shane would do a drop kick from a few feet.
What happened next was possibly the most memorable bump in the history of wrestling.
Test knocked out Big Show from behind and left him lying down by some sort of dumpster. Shane climbed up at least 50 feet high and looked down to see Test encouraging to jump. The boy wonder crossed himself and leaped down, knocking out both himself and Big Show.
I don't know how he actually pulled that off without killing himself or Big Show. This was the first time I ever watched wrestling and felt scared. Fortunately, both of them were alright and Shane won the match.
I doubt anyone will ever top Shane's leap of faith in terms of sheer "wow!"
#1: 2000 - Triple H(c) vs The Rock
In terms of buildup, fan reaction and psychology, this match was just the whole package. Rock, the number 1 good guy, basically faced off against the entire McMahon-Helmsley faction in what was pretty much a giant handicap match.
With Shane McMahon as the guest referee, victory seemed to be impossible for The Great One. When Shane refused to count the pinfall, Rock hit a double Rockbottom on both him and Triple H through the announcers table.
The rest of the regime beat the hell out of Rocky until Stone Cold saved the day with a steel chair.
Then, Linda McMahon shoved her daugher and brought back face referee Earl Hebner. Rock hit a People's Elbow, Hebner counted to 3, and Rock was the champion.
The fans literally hit the roof. When Rock won the title, it was one of the biggest pops ever. After the match, Austin came back and the two attitude era heroes celebrated in the ring with a few beers.
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Every year at Extreme Rules, the Superstars and Divas of WWE face off in some of the most wild, career-threatening matches in existence. With that in mind, WWE.com scoured the archives to find some of the strangest stipulations ever contested. What we found was dangerous, destructive and, sometimes, downright ridiculous. But of the tens of thousands of bouts that have been waged in WWE history, these are the 25 most bizarre.