For a long time Backlash was essentially a show of WrestleMania rematches. That began to change after 2012 when it stopped being an every year event. Now it is it’s own show completely unassociated with the biggest show of the year and has happened at other points in the calendar. That has it’s pros and cons, and is also reflective of how the WWE has changed the way they book things during the year. WrestleMania now is largely treated like a season finale, where the competitors in the biggest matches often go their separate ways afterwards. Back in 2007 the Mania feuds continued through this show and sometimes late into the year.
World Tag Team Championship: The Hardys (c) vs Lance Cade and Tervor Murdoch
Ok I watched this mostly on fast forward. This appears to be one of those times where the creative guys didn’t have anything good for the tag belts or the Hardys, so they just put them together because it works. This is something that still goes on to this day, by the way: certain wrestlers and certain titles often find each other because it works and creative doesn’t have any better ideas. Murdoch, who is not related to the late Dick Murdoch but cosplays as him because he resembles him, was just the NWA World Champion in 2022 by the way, and that’s not particularly a compliment of either him or that storied world title. The Hardys basically played the hits here and retained the titles, what I watched of it was fine. Perfectly acceptable way to open a pay per view.
Women’s Title: Melina (c) vs Mickie James
Women’s wrestling in WWE has gone through several stops and starts since the mid 90s; this was one of the good periods that sadly would not last long enough. This was that stretch when the bra and panties and pillow fights were being phased out, but before the two minute match era that almost killed the women’s division. JR and Lawler were on commentary for this one and I feared the worst but King actually kept himself in check relative to some of his other work during women’s matches. Jerry Lawler’s commentary during anything involving women is one of the worst parts of watching anything from the Attitude or Ruthless Aggression Eras.
James was now a full fledged babyface a year after her big feud with Trish Stratus. The match starts out with the two ladies trading headlocks and headscissors before Melina fakes an eye injury to sucker punch Mickie and get the advantage. From there it turns into more of a brawl. At one point Melina locks in a very unique full nelson type move (she used her legs instead of her arms and turned it into a pin attempt), and takes advantage of the referee’s five counts to lock in a few chokeholds. A lot of good back and forth here, but the end comes kind of abruptly when Melina rakes Mickie’s eyes then lands a reverse DDT for the three count. To add emphasis JR referenced Mickie taking a serious shot to the head earlier in the match, but whatever it was wasn’t noticeable enough to make sense of the startling finish. Honestly it felt more like they were told to wrap it up and did so. All that being said this was a good match, not as good as the best of what the women’s division offers today but still better than a lot of what we see now.
Maria Kanelis, in one of her early appearances, interviews Edge about his upcoming Fatal 4 Way for the World Title. Edge is interrupted by Mr Kennedy, holding the Money in the Bank briefcase, to let Edge know that he’s lurking around for the winner.
US Title Match: Chris Benoit (c) vs MVP
Uhhh……awkward! OK, I’m not going to give another dissertation on Chris Benoit; I’ve said all I need to say here. In short, F- that guy. This is the first Mania rematch on the card. I’m not gonna say a lot about this one, because quite frankly I’m not here to praise that guy no matter how good he was. On the other hand MVP did a really good job in his own right. Good match here, lots of references from Michael Cole and JBL to Benoit’s surgically repaired neck that ring even more creepy now. Benoit wins with a small package. NEXT!!!
Next we have a backstage conversation between John Cena and Randy Orton, where Orton suggests they take out Edge and Shawn Michaels first but Cena twists his words around to suggest Orton is proposing something else entirely.
ECW Title Match: Bobby Lashley (c) vs Umaga, Vince and Shane McMahon
Rematch number two has Taz and Joey Styles back on commentary. We have a sports entertainment match here. Lashley had beaten Umaga at Mania, and Vince got his head shaved as a result. Bent on revenge Vince went after Lashley and ultimately set up this match, a three on one handicap match for the ECW Title. It goes about how you would expect – Lashley handles both McMahons, and goes back and forth with Umaga, but the odds are too much to overcome. The match was fine, and was quintessential Mr McMahon-esque chicanery but was also a way for Vince to take a dig at a former competing company by winning it’s world title.
World Title Match (Last Man Standing): Undertaker (c) vs Batista
Our third rematch, this one from one of the all time underrated WrtestleMania matches ever. They let it all hang out here fighting in the ring, at ringside, and on the stage. Tables were broken, finishers were used, but neither guy could put the other one down for a 10 count. This match moved at a more deliberate pace than the Mania match but was still really good in its own right. The finish was one of those things where if you didn’t like it you may have hated it. It would definitely get ripped to shreds were it to happen today. A double 10 count draw is totally a cop out to set up another match but it was reached in spectacular fashion so I’ll allow it. Especially since this was the second match in what would be one of the great feuds of the decade.
WWE Championship Match: John Cena (c) vs Edge vs Randy Orton vs Shawn Michaels
Cena and Michaels met at WrestleMania and a week prior to this show in a 60 minute Iron Man match, Orton and Edge were added (in kayfabe) due to having their match time cut by the Iron Man match. To no one’s surprise this match kicked major ass, which to be expected when you have four of the best ever in the same ring. As is customary with these type of matches there were a lot of set pieces involving two guys teaming up or one guy getting shots in on everyone, and lots of false finishes. The closing minutes where it looked like Shawn might pull it out were great, as was the finish that saw Cena pull out the win. Could these guys do this kind of thing in their sleep? Sure. That doesn’t make this any less great.
Final Grade: B+
This was a short show for this era, going only six matches. None of them were bad, and the main event was lots of fun. I highly recommend this one for the ease of watching it if nothing else, but it is a legit good show.
Stroke of Genius 