Report by Marc Middleton
Dark Match:
* Kofi Kingston defeated Dolph Ziggler after a spinkick.
WWE Backlash 2009:
* The 2009 Backlash pay-per-view kicks off live from Providence, Rhode Island with a video package of WrestleMania 25, believe it or not. This leads into the Backlash video package with a woman speaking in the background of clips hyping tonight’s matches.
ECW Championship Match: Christian vs. Jack Swagger
Tonight’s first match will be for the ECW Championship. Out first is the challenger, Christian, to a nice pop. Out next is the ECW Champion Jack Swagger. They go at it to start the match, back and forth. Christian gets a near fall early on and locks on a headlock.
Swagger takes control and sends Christian to the floor. Swagger works him over before going back into the ring for a near fall. Front suplexes by Swagger as he tries to wear Christian down. Swagger wrestles Christian to the mat and keeps the offense going. Swagger counters a move in the corner for another 2 count. Swagger locks on a bearhug in the middle of the ring. Swagger keeps the hug locked but takes Christian to the mat, still wearing him down.
Swagger continues to overpower Christian, getting another 2 count in the ring. Swagger breaks his hold and throws Christian into the corner but runs into an elbow. Christian runs into a big knee of Swagger’s. Swagger goes for a big splash in the corner but Christian puts his knees up and Swagger lands hard. Christian fights back with right hands and a forearm off the ropes. Cage hits a rollup move off the second rope for a 2 count on Swagger after some back and forth action. Swagger slams Christian hard and both are down.
Swagger with a gut wrench before slamming Christian back in the corner and putting him on the top. Christian manages to hit a big tornado DDT off the top but only gets a 2 count on Swagger. Swagger slams Christian again but looks tired. Swagger lifts Christian on his shoulders but gets dropped. They’re on the apron and Swagger tries to back suplex Christian onto the concrete. Christian holds onto the ropes and they go at it on the apron. Christian dumps Swagger back into the ring and goes to the top. Swagger stops him with a headbutt and backdrops Christian off the top rope to the mat. Swagger with a splash off the top for a close 2 count.
Swagger counters a backslide and rams Christian into the corner. Christian rolls Swagger up for a 2 count. Another big slam by Swagger for a close 2 count. Swagger removes the padding from the top turnbuckle. Christian goes to the opposite corner and does the same. Christian drops Swagger into the exposed corner and drops the Killswitch for the pinfall, the win and the ECW Championship.
Winner and New ECW Champion: Christian
– We go backstage where Christian is being congratulated by guys like Tommy Dreamer and Finlay. Christian turns around and Edge is waiting on him. Edge says something about Christian thinks he is better than him now. Edge says it will be just a few hours before he has a title too. They say something else but I didn’t catch it. The crowd did pop when they saw Edge and Christian together.
Chris Jericho vs. Ricky Steamboat
Out for the next match is Chris Jericho followed by WWE Hall of Famer Ricky Steamboat, who gets a nice pop. Steamboat looks awesome. The bell rings and they lock up. Jericho takes it to the corner first. They go at it with some nice counters by Steamboat. Jericho ends up getting the best of Steamboat and taking him to the mat. Jericho taunts Steamboat after a big atomic drop.
Jericho hits a big hip toss for a 2 count on Steamboat. Headlock now by Jericho. Jericho keeps the headlock applies and takes Steamboat back to the mat. Back drop by Steamboat but Jericho keeps the hold locked, still taunting him. Steamboat still tries to fight back but can’t. Jericho runs the ropes and goes to ram Steamboat’s head into the corner. Dragon counters and slams Jericho’s face into the corner. Steamboat takes control now.
They crash to the mat. More back and forth action. Steamboat ends up countering a move and hitting a big crossbody on Jericho for a close 2 count. Out of nowhere Jericho nails the Codebreaker in mid-air and Steamboat is laid out. 2 count by Jericho as Steamboat gets his foot on the ropes. Steamboat gets a close count this time. Jericho locks on the Walls of Jericho in the center of the ring. Steamboat taps out as Jericho keeps the hold locked.
Winner: Chris Jericho
After the match, Steamboat acknowledges the crowd and they give him a “you still got it chant.”
– We go backstage with Beth Phoenix, Rosa and Santino Marella. He is on the phone with Santina and she says she is on the way to the arena. Beth asks him what he’s doing. He says Santina is a real woman and will defend her Miss WrestleMania title anytime. Santino tells Beth to go out there to kiss Khali tonight. Beth says she won’t and she isn’t kissing Santino anymore either. This upsets Santino and says he fakes every you know what.
CM Punk vs. Kane
The pyro explodes and Kane comes out for the next match. Mr. Money in the Bank CM Punk is out next. They lock up as the bell rings and test each other out. Kane takes it to the corner with right hands and knocks Punk to the mat. Punk ties Kane’s arm up in the ropes and goes to the top, crashes down and starts with kicks and punches. Kane knocks Punk to the mat but he comes right back and sends Kane to the floor. Punk flies over the top but Kane catches him by the throat. Punk makes it to the apron and dives off with a clothesline on Kane on the floor.
Punk brings it back in the ring and works Kane over. Kane throws him into the corner, hitting the ring post and comes with a big sliding kick. Punk ends up on the floor and Kane comes after him. Back in the ring and Kane with a 2 count. Kane wraps his legs around Punk’s body on the mat now.
Back on their feet and Punk tries a comeback but Kane drops him with a huge clothesline. Kane hits a big back breaker out of the corner over his knee and bends Punk’s back over the knee. Punk with a kick to the face off the ropes. Kane grabs him and slams him down with a big chokeslam. Punk goes to work with kicks and works on Kane’s arm. Kane rams Punk back in the corner. Punk catches Kane on the ropes in another spider like move. Punk with a clothesline off the top.
Punk runs into a big boot. Kane goes to work and climbs the top but wastes time. Punk with a roundhouse kick to Kane on the top. Punk goes for the GTS but Kane falls off his back. Punk with the knee in the corner and a bulldog for a 2 count. Punk leaps off the ropes but gets dropped by a big right hand. 2 count by Kane.
Kane goes for a big sideslam but Punk counters it and turns it into an armbar. Kane manages to counter with a sideslam and get a 2 count. Kane calls for the chokeslam but Punk goes to work with kicks and punches. Kane grabs him by the throat and nails a huge chokeslam for the pinfall and the win.
Winner: Kane
I Quit Match: Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy
We get a video promo for The Hardys feud before going to the match. The Hardys make their separate entrances to the ring and we get ready to go. The bell rings and they go at it. Jeff takes Matt to the mat early on forcing Matt to go to the floor to regroup. Jeff flies over the top and lands on Matt with a plancha.
Jeff pulls out the steel steps, uses them and gets a running start before leaping off the steps into Matt. Back in the ring and Jeff drops Matt over the ropes. Jeff works over Matt in the corner now and nails his big kick to the face. Jeff stomps on Matt and drops a series of leg drops. Jeff goes to the second turnbuckle and drops down on Matt.
The ref asks Matt if he wants to quit. Jeff jumps on Matt’s back with a sleeper hold. Matt manages to drop into the corner and Jeff hits the turnbuckle. Matt with an elbow drop now and some right hands. Matt takes it to the corner but Jeff counters and goes to the top. Matt knocks Jeff to the floor. The ref pulls out the mic and asks Jeff if he wants to quit. Matt comes outside and works on Jeff now before bringing him back in the ring. Matt pulls his legs around the ringpost and works him over. The ref checks on Jeff again. The crowd chants for tables. Matt back in the ring now and he takes Jeff’s knee out and continues working on the leg. Matt locks on a figure four.
The ref checks on Jeff again, twice while in the hold. Matt drops a knee on Jeff’s knee and continues working on the legs. Jeff gets to his feet but Matt kicks his legs out. Another figure four by Matt now. Jeff still tells the ref no. Jeff reverses the figure four and puts the pressure on Matt. The ref checks him. Matt rolls the hold and breaks it. Matt is limping now. Jeff misses an enziguri kick and Matt takes him back to the mat with a leg hold.
The ref checks on Jeff some more but he won’t quit. Matt tells Jeff to quit, screaming at him. Matt takes Jeff to the top and drops him in a tree of woe. Matt goes to the floor and pulls Jeff’s neck back. He still won’t quit as Matt screams at him. Matt puts him back on the top and goes for a big back drop. Jeff fights him off and sends him to the mat. Hardy with a big Whisper in the Wind and both men are down.
They trade shots on their feet now and both go back down. Jeff locks on a Texas cloverleaf but Matt won’t quit. Matt is tapping out but that won’t end the mat. Matt breaks the hold. Back on their feet now and Jeff goes for the Twist of Fate but can’t hit it. Leg drop by Jeff. Jeff nails the Twist of Fate now and goes to the top. Jeff nails the Swanton off the top on Matt. The ref checks on Matt but he still won’t quit. Jeff goes back to the top and nails another Swanton. Matt still won’t quit.
Jeff gets a table from under the ring and brings it in, setting it up. Matt rolls out to the floor and Jeff goes after him. Jeff nails a Twist of Fate on the floor. Back in the ring now and Jeff puts Matt up on the table. Jeff goes outside and grabs a rope and some duct tape. He tapes Matt’s legs together and then his hands. Jeff takes the rope, wraps it around the table and then around Matt, strapping him to the table. The ref checks on Matt but he won’t quit. Jeff goes to the floor and brings in a ladder to the ring. Matt pleads with Jeff as he stands the ladder up. Jeff looks him in the face before climbing the ladder. Matt asks him to stop. Matt tells Jeff he loves him. Jeff climbs the ladder and the ref puts the microphone in Matt’s face. Matt says he is sorry about everything and he loves Jeff, saying they are brothers. Matt says they can be the Hardy Boys again and says their mom wouldn’t want this watching from heaven and brings up their dad. Matt says he quits and Jeff comes over the ladder with a big leg drop and through Matt and the table.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
– Todd Grisham is backstage with Randy Orton. He has nothing left to say to Shane McMahon or Triple H, but has words for Batista. He tells Batista since the days of Evolution, nothing has changed for Batista – he is still doing Triple H’s dirty work. Orton tells Batista to not get DQ’d tonight or Triple H will lose the title. Orton questions how important Triple H and the WWE Title is to Batista. Orton tells Batista he will see him out there.
The Khali Kiss Cam with Santina Marella
The Great Khali’s music hits and out he comes with Ranjin Singh. Singh says it’s spring time and Khali thinks love is in the air. Khali can have any WWE Diva he wants to kiss but has chosen Santina, Singh says. Singh tells Santina to come on out. The music hits and out comes Santina Marella, trying his best to look hot. Santina says there’s nothing more than she wants to kiss Khali but the reason she hasn’t is because she’s not who she says she is. Khali demands she explain herself. Santina says she has been trying to pass as something she’s not – a single girl. She says she is in love with another man and has such strong feelings for him that she can’t kiss Khali. Khali wants to know who. Santina thinks for a minute and says it’s Jim Ross, saying since WrestleMania he has been courting her, calling her his little slobberknocker. JR looks legitimately shocked. Santina says they are in love. Ranjin says Khali didn’t know and wouldn’t want to break up a happy couple, so they don’t have to kiss. The catch is that Santina has to prove her love to Jim Ross right now and kiss him. Ross says no way, this is not going to happen. Ross obviously didn’t know this was coming. Cole calls him Mr. BBQ Man and he asks him who fed that line. Good stuff here. Ross won’t enter the ring. Santina says she feels the vapors. The music hits and out comes Beth Phoenix with Rosa and she’s pissed. She’s sick and tired of this Santina stuff. She challenges Santina for her Miss WrestleMania crown right now.
Beth tells the ref to get in here right now for a match. Ranjin interrupts and says Khali is upset that Beth would interrupt a moment between people in love. Beth is pissed and she says this is Santino, not a real woman. Beth talks to Khali now and insults the women of Punjab and insults Khali. Beth and Khali are almost face to face in the ring. Khali drops a fist on the top of Beth’s head and she goes to her knees. Beth gets back up and Khali knocks her back to the mat. Rosa checks on Beth but Santina rushes over and pushes her off. Santina covers Beth and counts 1-2-3. Santina celebrates like a nut as if she has just won. Khali sees this and corners her in the corner. Santina goes to leave but Khali pulls her back. Santina escapes to the floor but her top falls off. Santina acts like he’s hiding her breasts as she runs off and Khali celebrates in the ring.
– We cut to a video package of the events leading up to tonight’s WWE Title match with Shane McMahon, Batista and Triple H taking on Legacy.
Six-Man Match for the WWE Title: Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase vs. Triple H, Batista and Shane McMahon
Lilian Garcia is in the ring with introductions and rules for the match. Out first is Shane McMahon followed by Batista, to nice pops from the crowd. Out next is the WWE Champion Triple H to another nice pop. Voices plays next as Legacy make their way to the ring as a whole.
The bell has not rang yet as HHH and Orton fight up the ramp and through the arena. Cody, Ted, Shane and Batista are in the ring. Triple H comes back to the ring but no Orton. Ted and Cody go to the floor to figure out what’s going on. The bell rings and it’s a 3 on 2 match to begin. Batista and Cody start it out and Batista unleashes, ramming him back in the corner with shoulder thrusts. Batista continues to own Cody. Batista tags in Shane for a double team move off the top.
Shane works over Cody before tagging in Triple H. Triple H stomps Cody in the corner before throwing him to the other corner. Triple H continues to stomp and kick on Cody. Cody with a kick to the head but Triple H clotheslines him. Shane is tagged back in now for another double team move. It’s Ted in the ring now as Shane continues to work him over. Batista comes back in and Ted kicks him in the head and tags in Cody. Batista with a big suplex. Ted comes back in now and manages to get Batista in the corner. Cody is tagged back in and they continue the assault on Batista in the corner.
It’s Ted and Batista in now and Batista nails a huge spinebuster and goes for the Batista Bomb. Ted manages to roll to the floor and avoid it. Batista follows Ted in the entrance way and brings him back to the ring. Randy Orton runs down, runs Batista into the ringpost and throws him in the ring. Orton is tagged in now and he starts stomping on Batista. Orton mounts Batista with right hands. Orton backs Batista in the corner with an uppercut and tags in Cody for some double teaming. More stomping in the corner now. Cheap shots by Ted and Orton.
Orton comes back in and works over Batista. Orton has him in the ropes, holds him in position and drops the big DDT. 2 count by Orton on Batista. Ted is tagged back in as Batista continues to be beat down. Ted wears Batista down with a headlock. Batista powers out with a back drop. Batista tries to make a tag but Orton comes in and stops it. Orton is the legal man now as he continues to stomp on Batista and taunt him. Orton drops knees on Batista now.
Orton applies a headlock now. Batista fights out of it but Orton catches him with a right. Batista manages to land a headbutt. Shane and Cody are tagged in at the same time and Cody lands a bunch of rights to knock him down. Cody decks Orton and covers Cody for a 2 count. Shane throws Cody to the floor. Shane takes down Ted and drops Cody’s neck over the ropes. In the ring, Shane climbs the top and nails a big elbow drop on Cody for a 2 count as Orton pulls him to the floor. Orton throws Shane over the steel steps. The ref didn’t see this. Orton is tagged in and suplexes Shane for a 2 count. Orton drags Shane to their corner and tags in Ted.
Ted gets a 2 count on Shane and drags him back to the corner for more punishment and a tag to Cody. 2 count by Cody. Cody beats down Shane some more. Orton is tagged in for more double teaming on Shane. Orton taunts Shane and nails a nice dropkick. 2 count by Orton. Orton drags Shane back for more double teaming as Ted comes back in. Ted comes off the second rope and drops knees on Shane’s gut. Ted with a chinlock on Shane. Cody comes back in and works over Shane and gets a 2 count. Neck hold applied by Cody now. Shane tries to make a tag but Ted comes in and stops it.
Ted works over Shane now before getting dropped. Orton and Triple H are tagged in at the same time. Triple H ends up dumping Ted and Cody to the floor. HHH nails a big spinebuster for a 2 count. Batista comes in and knocks Ted back to the floor. Ted drops Batista into the fan barrier. Triple H goes for a Pedigree in the ring but Cody stops it and drops him. Shane sends Cody to the floor and takes him into the crowd to fight. Rhodes uses the steel chair on the floor but the ref doesn’t see it. Triple H goes for a Pedigree again after an RKO attempt. He sees Batista with the chair outside the ring and tries to grab it. The ref turns to Batista. Orton nails a RKO on Triple H. The ref turns around and counts, it’s only a 2 count. Orton nails the puntkick to get the pinfall, the win and the WWE Title! They rang the bell at the wrong time here and botched the finish.
Winner and New WWE Champion: Randy Orton
– After the match, Orton and Legacy head to the back. Triple H is laid out in the ring after the punt kick. Batista and Shane sit in the ring around him as WWE officials and medics come down. They put Triple H in a stretcher and on a neck brace. We go to replays of the punt kick. Triple H is taken to the back on a stretcher as we go to a break.
Last Man Standing Match for the World Heavyweight Title: Edge vs. John Cena
After a long promo for this match, Lilian Garcia is in the ring with introductions and rules. Out first is the challenger Edge followed by the World Heavyweight Champion John Cena. Cena’s music hits and he comes out to a pretty nice pop from the crowd.
The bell rings to start the match and Cena looks around at the crowd. Edge has some words for Cena. They get the crowd into it before locking up. They tangle and go to the corner. Edge goes to the floor and Cena chases. Back in the ring and they’re still testing each other. Slow start to the match. They lock up again and Edge applies a headlock. Shoulder block now by Edge. Edge works over Cena in the corner. Cena whips him out of the corner and nails a suplex. Cena scoops Edge but Edge counters for a neck breaker type move. Edge with a big clothesline now.
Edge drops Cena again and waits for him to get up. The referee counts Cena to the six count as he gets up. Edge hits him before he can and they trade shots. Cena goes down again. The ref starts counting again as Edge waits. Edge meets him and they trade shots again. Cena runs the ropes and Edge drops him on his face. Edge locks on a sleeper hold but Cena makes it to the ropes and pulls for leverage. Edge pulls Cena back into the center of the ring with the sleeper.
Edge jumps on Cena’s back and keeps the sleeper locked. Edge takes him to the mat, still with the sleeper on. Edge breaks it and waits for Cena to get up as the ref counts again. Cena gets up, hits a shoulder and an atomic drop on Edge to take him down. Cena calls for the five knuckle shuffle but Edge kicks him in the head before he can hti it. Edge gets up and locks on the Sharpshooter. Edge moves to the corner and pulls the ropes for leverage before breaking the hold. The ref starts counting Cena down again.
Cena gets up on the apron but Edge runs the ropes and sends him flying off the apron and to the floor infront of the announcers. The referee starts counting again. Edge goes to the floor after Cena and uses the steel steps. Edge puts Cena infront of the steps and runs at him but Cena moves out of the way and Edge hits the steps. The ref starts counting Edge. Cena tries to throw Edge into the other steps but Edge counters and Cena collides with the steel. More counting from the ref as Cena is down on the floor.
Cena gets up and manages to throw Edge into the steel steps this time. The ref counts down on Edge now as Cena looks on. Cena rolls Edge back in the ring. Cena brings part of the steel steps into the ring. Cena gets in the ring and runs into Edge’s boot. Edge puts him in the corner and rams him with the steps. Edge puts the steps over Cena’s body in the corner and hits them with a running dropkick and Cena looks hurt now. The ref counts again. Edge runs at Cena but gets dropped over the top rope to the floor. Another count now by the ref. Too many counts. Edge gets to his feet on the floor but Cena comes running with the steel steps, throwing them over the top rope and into Edge’s face. Edge goes down and the ref counts.
Edge gets up and Cena brings him back in the ring. They trade shots in the middle of the ring. They lean on each other to prevent from falling. Both men go down. The ref starts counting on both of them. They finally gt up and Cena goes for the former FU. Edge counters but Cena grabs him for it again. Edge goes for a move but Cena counters and goes for the former FU again. Edge counters this and drops Cena. Edge tells Cena he can’t see him and goes for the five knuckle shuffle. Cena catches him in the STF. Edge taps but that won’t end the match here.
Cena breaks the hold and Edge is down as the ref starts counting. Edge gets up and Cena lifts him for the Attitude Adjuster again. Edge counters and nails a spear. Both men are back down. Edge is up first. He goes to the top but Cena stops him. Cena grabs Edge for an Attitude Adjuster on the second rope and nails it. Edge and Cena are both down. Cena is up first. Edge finally makes it up at 9 but drops back down. Cena comes off the top rope but Edge catches him with a spear in midair. Both are down again.
They get to their feet and Cena just falls through the ropes out to the floor. Edge goes out after him and exposes the announcers table. Edge puts Cena on the table. Cena counters and lifts him for an Attitude Adjuster. Cena throws Edge with the move over the barrier and into the crowd, ontop a bunch of fans in the second row. Insane move. It looked like they had a bunch of indy guys sitting there to look like fans. Edge is down in the middle of the fans as the ref counts him down. Edge gets up and Cena fights him up the stairs through the crowd. More like chases. They fight out to the concessions area. Edge is running around and they go back to the fan area. Cena chases Edge down the steps.
Cena hits a running bulldog off the steps into a production equipment area. Edge and Cena fight it out near the entrance way on the side now. Edge cracks Cena with something and they fight up on the stage now. Edge drops a DDT on Cena. The ref starts counting. Edge goes behind the screen and gets a chair. As Cena gets up, Edge runs and cracks him with the chair in the head. Edge hits Cena in the head again with the chair.
The ref counts as Edge leans up against the set and Cena is laid out. Somehow Cena manages to get to his feet. Edge runs at him but Cena grabs him for an Attitude Adjuster. Big Show runs out and picks Cena up. Show throws Cena off the stage into a big spotlight that explodes when Cena hits it. Cena is laid out inside the big light. Cena is covered in glass and the ref counts to 10 before raising Edge’s hand.
Winner and New World Heavyweight Champion: Edge
– After the match, Edge sits with his new World Heavyweight Title belt as WWE officials and a few wrestlers rush out to check on John Cena, who is still inside the spotlight. They put a brace on Cena’s neck and help him out and onto a stretcher as Edge’s music plays. The show goes off the air as Cena is taken away on a stretcher.
