Backlash April 21, 2002 Skittles Slayer
Billy Kidman vs. Tajiri (w/Torrie Wilson dressed in the Japanese kimono) for the Cruiserweight Title
Tajiri got the advantage in the beginning of the match with a kick to the temple. Tajiri then goes for the backspring elbow but Kidman hits him with a dropkick. Tajiri hits Kidman in the jaw with a solid kick for a 2 count. Kidman got control and went for the Shooting Star Press (!!) but Tajiri manages to move out the way. Tajiri gives Kidman a kick to the head and gets a near fall. Kidman hits a huge powerbomb and almost gets the three. He then lifts Tajiri up for another one but Tajiri spits the red mist on him and rolls him up for the 3 count. New champ. *** stars.
Bradshaw vs. Scott Hall
Scott Hall took control early in the match. X-Pac hit Bradshaw in the face and then started arguing with the ref. Then X-Pac started taunting Bradshaw. Bradshaw rammed Pac’s face into the ring post. Hall then got the schoolboy on Bradshaw for the 1-2-3. ** stars.
Backstage, Vince McMahon walked into Ric Flair's office and said he thinks he's starting to like the RAW owner's style. No matter what an owner does for his employees, Vince said it would never be enough. He stated how distrustful of owners employees are and said that Flair was either a fool or brilliant for putting Austin and Undertaker in a No. 1 contender's match. Vince said he was starting to understand Flair. Flair said he could never understand him, and said that he would never become like Vince McMahon.
Jazz vs. Trish Stratus for the Women’s Title
Trish enters first and waits for Jazz to come down but instead Molly comes down. Molly told Trish that the people didn’t want to see someone trashy walking around with the Women’s Title, they wanted someone wholesome like herself. With that, Molly attacked Trish while Jazz made her way down to the ring. Jazz and Trish brawl and then Jazz hits her with a stiff powerbomb. She goes for the cover but Trish kicks out after a two count. Jazz continued to beat Trish around the ring. But Jazz mistimed a body press and smacked into the turnbuckle. Trish rolled up the champ but only produced a two count. Soon after, Jazz grabbed Trish and put her in a Boston Crab. Trish managed to reach the ropes, but Jazz dragged her back to the center and locked on a crossface. Trish was unable to get away and had to tap out. ** and ½ stars.
Some guyBrand Spankin New WWF Employee and MUCH better than any existing face annoucners, Mark Loyd asked Jazz about Molly’s interference but she just scowled and walked away.
Brock Lesnar vs. Jeff Hardy the Melting Snowman
I saw no point in this match. They’re building this guy up as a "monster" but he’s winning against guys half his size. The one amazing thing he did was throw Rikishi around. That’s about it. Anyway, Brock hit Jeff and then Jeff hit him back and gave him a crossbody. Brock shrugged it off and gave Jeff a belly to back suplex. Jeff stayed in the game by taking Brock down with the Whisper in the Wind and following with a double leg drop onto Brock's midsection. With the monster on the ground, Jeff hit the Swanton Bomb but Brock threw him off like rag. Jeff then went and grabbed a steel chair but the ref took it. Brock then hit a brutal spinning facebuster (does his finisher have a name?) and continued beating on Jeff until the ref actually stopped the match and awarded the win to Lesnar. ** stars.
Edge vs. Kurt Angle
I was really looking forward to this match. Edge and Angle lock up while the crowd chants "Angle sucks". Edge gave Angle a dropkick and a flapjack. He then clotheslines Angle out of the ring. Kurt recovered and pulled Edge outside the ropes, but was smacked into the ring post and taken back between the ropes. Soon after, Angle gathered momentum by slamming Edge to the mat. Angle took control, locking Edge in a sleeper hold. Edge managed to get out of it and hit a belly to belly suplex. Edge goes for the cover after smashing Angle’s face onto the mat but gets a 2 count. Edge went up to the top rope but Angle got up and suplexed him off the top rope. He then gave him 3 German suplexes (reminds you of Beniot) but Edge manages to get up and suplex Angle. Edge then threw Angle out of the ring and hits a flying crossbody off the top rope. He threw Angle in the ring and hit a flying dropkick off the tope rope. He goes for the cover but gets a 2 count. Angle then blocks a neckbreaker and hit the Angle Slam. Edge somehow kicks out but Angle manages to put the ankle lock on Edge. Edge reverses it and rolls him up but again gets a 2 count. Angle goes and gets a steel chair and is about to hit Edge when Edge ducks, Angle hits the chair on the ropes and smacks himself in the face (one of the funniest things I’ve seen in the WWF in awhile). Edge goes for a spear but Angle moves and hits the Angle Slam getting the 3 count. *** stars.
Chris Jericho made an unexpected trip to the ring. Y2J entered the ring and said that 30 days ago he headlined WrestleMania as the first Undisputed Champion. But there he stood at Backlash without a match. He said he was nothing more than a common spectator, and that was unacceptable to him. But the fact is, Y2J said, that he was still better than anyone in the Federation. Jericho mocked Hulk Hogan and said that all the Hulkamaniacs would be very disappointed. He promised that Hogan would not win the title that night. If Jericho couldn't get a match, he would just leave. His music hit and he began walking up the ramp.
Eddie Guerrero vs. RVD for the IC Title
This was the other match that could make or break my opinion of the whole damn show. RVD gets the early advantage by hitting Eddie with a spinning heel kick. Eddie fought back and tried a suplex but RVD reversed it and went for the pinfall only to get a 2 count. They moved to the outside of the ring and RVD threw Eddie on top of the barrier and hit a guillotine kick from the ring. When both men got back in the ring Eddie tried to weaken RVD’s back with submission maneuvers and suplexes. Guerrero signaled for the frog splash and climbed the top rope, but was kicked in the head by RVD. Guerrero then smashed RVD hard to the mat with a sunset flip from the second rope. RVD struck back with a spinning heel kick to the face soon after. Guerrero grabbed the IC title from ringside, but RVD kicked it out of his arms. The ref got in the way and was temporarily disabled, allowing Guerrero to hit a neckbreaker onto the title. He followed with his version of the frog splash and became the new champion. *** and a ½ stars.
Undertaker vs. Austin for the #1 Contenders spot
This match was so ridiculously stupid I didn’t write anything down. It was way too long and pointless in the way that Ric Flair didn’t choose sides so there was no point as him being the special guest referee and that Hall and Pac came down to the ring and preceeded to stand there and do nothing. They stood there and left after the match was down. Taker gets the pin but Austin’s foot was on the rope but Flair didn’t see it. Total crap match (not that anything with Taker in it rates any higher than a 2 with me). * star.
Billy and Chuck vs. Maven and Al Snow for the Tag Team Titles
Billy and Chuck maintained control of the match. But a drop toehold from Al Snow caused Chuck to fall on Billy’s nuts. Rico tried to help out, but his spinning heel kick took down Billy. Maven caught Chuck with a flying crossbody but couldn't get the pin. The tide soon turned, however, as Chuck kicked Maven square on the jaw and Billy covered Maven for the win. * and ½ stars.
HHH vs. Hogan for the Undisputed Title
The match starts out with Hogan and HHH pushing each other, testing each other sorta. Jericho interfered in this match, attacking Hogan but then HHH attacks Jericho. Hogan hit HHH with the leg drop but the ref was busy arguing with Jericho. Hogan got back up and took down The Game with a boot once again. But Triple H got up and subdued Hogan and landed a Pedigree! The ref came over to make the count, but the Undertaker raced down and clocked the ref! Taker then smashed The Game with the steel chair! Hogan got to his feet and punched Taker out of the ring. The Hulkster bounced off the ropes, hit Triple H with the leg drop and covered him for the win! The Hulkster captured his first-ever Undisputed Championship. HHH then shook hands with Hogan, keeping him as a tweener. Come on, the guy is an awesome heel. ** and ½ stars.
Overall this PPV was a total lackluster. The two "main events" were ranging from horrible to mediocre SD or RAW match. The best match of the night was a tie, Kidman vs. Tajiri (the one thing everyone predicted did not happen, Torrie is still with Tajiri) and Edge vs. Angle. Out of 10, I give this a 5. Also, what was the point of the tag match? I don’t think anyone gave a shit about this match. Luckily, I don’t pay for the PPV’s. What a waste of $34.95 (and that’s American too. That’s around $55 Canadian).
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