The World Wrestling Federation had something to prove and prove it they did. On the heels of a uninspired WrestleMania the WWF staged their best pay-per-view so far this year – Backlash – from the Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Excluding a unbearably boring, 18 minute-plus submission hold extravaganza between The Undertaker and Ken Shamrock which had the crowd chanting”End this match! End this match!”, the WWF superstars took the advice of Food Network chef Emeril Lagasse and kicked it up a notch.
The wild main event of the evening had The Rock challenging Steve Austin for the WWF World Heavyweight Title. Though it was a return match from WrestleMania, everyone involved put enough imagination into it that the Backlash main event topped last month’s pay-per-view match-up.
To infuriate Austin, The Rock brought Stone Cold’s Smoking Skull belt with him to the ring after being shown dragging it on the ground as he entered the arena earlier in the evening. Austin rushed the ring hurling the World Title belt over the ropes. Unable to fend off the onslaught, The Rock was battered into a corner by Austin. Special guest referee and Acting WWF Chairman – Shane McMahon – admonished Austin backing him out of the corner. The Rock pummeled a distracted Austin stomping him into the mat. Shane ordered the Smoking Skull belt to be taken back to his office for safe keeping.
Austin and The Rock exchanged stomps, punches and kicks until The Rock reversed an Irish Whip dumping Austin over the top rope to the floor. Getting a head of steam, The Rock gave Stone Cold a running clothesline. The Rock whipped Austin into a steel fence, picked up a fire extinguisher and brained him in the head. Reversing another Irish Whip The Rock flung Austin into some lighting equipment and a steel fence on one side of the entrance way. A wicked clothesline knocked Austin back down onto the steel fence as he tried to stand.
Stone Cold blocked and executed a suplex on The Rock. The ex-People’s Champion hit the concrete floor with a dull thud. Deciding that one good turn deserves another, Austin threw The Rock into the lighting apparatus and steel fencing on the other side of the entrance way. Austin picked up a metal equipment case hitting The Rock in the head then clotheslined him onto the fallen fencing. Wrapping a cable around the Rock’s throat Austin choked him out. An equipment case on wheels also came into play as Austin rammed it full-force into Rocky’s skull. The Rock smacked against a steel fence and steps prior to Austin rolling him back in the ring.
The WWF Rattlesnake stomped The Rock in a corner but Shane McMahon interrupted the attack violently pushing Austin. The Rock charged at the occupied WWF champ. Austin backdropped Rocky over the ropes in the nick of time. Rolling him onto the Spanish announce team’s table, Austin prepared The Rock for some serious damage. Rocky low-blowed Austin and Rock Bottomed him through the table. Swiping a headset from one of the Spanish announcers The Rock badmouthed Austin. Stone Cold reached for a steel chair however Shane McMahon grabbed it out of his hands. A clothesline from The Rock sent Austin over the retaining wall and into the front row. Austin landed awkwardly holding his knee.
Shane McMahon pleaded with The Rock to end the match. Ignoring the heir apparent to the WWF throne, Rocky ripped a camera out of a ringside cameraman’s hand saying…”This is The Rock’s camera!”. Filming a fallen Austin, The Rock gave him the finger and turned to shoot the crowd. When The Rock swung the camera back Austin was standing giving him the finger back smiling. Austin Stunned Rocky (camera and all) through the other announce table.
Returning to the ring, Shane McMahon swung at Austin with the World Title belt. Austin ducked and Shane beaned The Rock. Though earlier on the telecast on Shane had promised on his Grandfather’s grave that he would count three if Austin had The Rock in a pinning predicament, Shane stopped at two, backpedaled out of the ring to the dressing room giving Austin a double-finger. Vince McMahon shoved past Shane with a referee in tow. Shane confronted his father. McMahon clocked Shane with the Smoking Skull belt and ordered the new referee to officiate the match.
The Rock hit Austin with the World Title belt only getting a two count. Foot to the stomach. Belt to the head. Stunner. One. Two. Three. Austin retains the WWF World Heavyweight Title. McMahon tossed Austin the Smoking Skull belt and walked away.
As Austin chugged beer, Stephanie McMahon was shown being chauffeured away in her Dad’s limo. Stephanie yelled to the driver to stop the car and wait for her father. The sliding partition separating chauffeur from passenger rolled down revealing The Undertaker at the wheel!
“Where to, Stephanie?,” cackled The Undertaker.
- The next WWF pay-per-view is Over The Edge on May 23rd.
WWF Backlash Results
The Brood Vs The Ministry Of Darkness (Median, The Acolytes)
- The crowd was on Median’s case the entire match. Once a Godwinn, always a Godwinn I say.
- At 11:38, Viscera splashes Christian against the ring and rolls him back in. Bradshaw catches Christian with a Lariat for the victory.
- Winners: The Ministry Of Darkness (Median, The Acolytes) at 11 minutes and 38 seconds.
- Match Rating: 7 / 10.
Al Snow (challenger) Vs Hardcore Holly (champion) (WWF Hardcore Title Match)
- Snow wears the”crimson mask” early bleeding from his forehead.
- The fans boo when Snow and Holly battle to the backstage area and into the parking lot.
- Snow is slammed off of some concrete steps into a garbage bin.
- Snow and Holly fight in a pay-per-view production truck. Snow hip-tosses Holly onto the roof of a car and follows up with a flying elbow drop.
- Snow recovers from being Super-Plexed onto a table to whack Holly with Head.
- Al Snow is your new WWF Hardcore Champion. Yes. Sometimes there is justice on this mudball we call Earth.
- Whoo! “Hardcore” Chris is thrilled he can still watch WWF-related programs. (See our Countdown).
- Winner: …and new WWF Hardcore Champion…Al Snow at 15 minutes and 35 seconds.
- Match Rating: 7 / 10.
- The Ministry cuts a promo saying a tragedy will occur tonight. The Undertaker makes reference to a”higher power” guiding The Ministry’s actions.
The Godfather (champion) Vs Goldust (challenger) (Intercontinental Title Match)
- A replay of the recent house show bouts Kama: The Ultimate Fighting Machine…I mean Godfather…and Goldust have been in.
- Goldust takes forever to throw that special”blinding dust” (baby powder) into the Godfather’s eyes. Papa Shango…I mean…The Godfather kicks the dust into Goldust’s own eyes. Under The Godfather’s direction, Goldust beats on The Blue Meanie.
- Kama Mustaffa…I mean…The Godfather splashes both Goldust and Meanie in the corner.
- Godfather retains his belt via a Death Valley Driver.
- Winner: …and still Intercontinental Champion…The Godfather at 5 minutes and 12 seconds.
- Match Rating: 4 / 10.
The New Age Outlaws Vs Owen Hart and Jeff Jarrett
- The winners will face X-Pac and Kane for the WWF World Tag Team Title belts on Smackdown this Thursday.
- A replay of the recent house show bouts these two teams have staged.
- Debra won’t show her breasts so Gunn exposes his butt.
- Gunn hits a flying legdrop on Hart for the 1-2-3.
- Gunn shows his butt again. The Road Dogg does some really lame 1980’s breakdancing. Geesh.
- Winners: The New Age Outlaws at 10 minutes and 27 seconds.
- Match Rating: 6 / 10.
Mankind Vs Paul Wight (Boiler Rook Brawl)
- Oh, my God!
- There’s so much brutality in this bout you want the ref to call it just so that Mick Foley will live to wrestle another day. I hope Foley’s insurance is paid in full.
- Mankind breaks a plate glass window over Paul Wight’s head. Wight bleeds from his forehead and Foley’s hand is cut REALLY badly.
- Wight knocks a huge metal apparatus on Mankind who is pinned to the floor and begins choking. Wight has to free Mankind and stalls so he can get his wind back.
- Wight Chokeslams Mankind off a ladder, through two tables and boxes of broken glass.
- Mankind is slammed on some solid steel fixtures. Mankind breaks a pipe spraying foam into Wight’s face. A table of long steel pipes is tipped over on Wight who can’t crawl out from under them.
- Mankind crawls out of the room to win the insane bout leaving bloody handprints on the floor and walls.
- Test and Bossman jump Mankind. Wight fends Bossman off. Mankind Soccos Test.
- Winner: Mankind at 7 minutes and 50 seconds.
- Match Rating: 10 / 10.
X-Pac Vs Triple H
- Tremendous effort by both superstars.
- Hunter injures X-Pac’s neck mid-way through the match and works on it with various submission holds.
- X-Pac X-Factors Triple H but…there’s no ref. He’s knocked out by an inadvertent X-Pac karate kick. Chyna low blows and reverse neckbreakers X-Pac. The lights go out. Kane powerwalks to the ring. Kane chokeslams Chyna and Hunter then deposits them in opposite corners. X-Pac Bronco Busts Hunter and Chyna. Hunter sneaks up on X-Pac Pedigree him.
- Winner: Triple H at 19 minutes and 19 seconds.
- Match Rating: 9 / 10.
Ken Shamrock Vs The Undertaker
- From start to finish, a yawner with Shamrock and Taker using every submission move known to man.
- Taker wins by Tombstoning Shamrock. Bradshaw enters with a baseball bat and pounds away on Shamrock. Bradshaw chokes out Shamrock with the bat.
- Winner: The Undertaker at 18 minutes and 53 seconds. .
- Match Rating: 3 / 10.
The Rock (challenger) Vs Steve Austin (champion) (WWF World Heavyweight Title Match)
- Winner: …and still WWF World Heavyweight Champion…Steve Austin at 17 minutes and 10 seconds .
- Match Rating: 10 / 10.
- Total Event Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes.
- Overall Event Rating: 8 / 10.