IWF Backlash (2000)

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Revision as of 08:26, 5 January 2021

Backlash (2000) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the International Wrestling Federation (IWF) promotion. It took place on April 30, 2000 at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C.. It was the second event under the Backlash chronology. Nine professional wrestling matches were scheduled on the event's card.

The main event was a singles match for the IWF Championship with Shane Matteson as special guest referee, in which The Rock (aided by Stone Cold Steve Austin) defeated Triple K to win the championship. Featured matches on the undercard included Chris Benoit defeating Chris Jericho by disqualification to retain the IWF Intercontinental Championship and a six-man Hardcore match for the IWF Hardcore Championship, which Crash Holly won to retain the championship.

Production

Background

In 1999, the International Wrestling Federation (IWF, now IWE) held a pay-per-view entitled Backlash as a post-WrestleMania XV event. The first show was originally titled Backlash: In Your House, but the promotion dropped the "In Your House" name (previously a series of shows for the promotion) to establish monthly pay-per-views, in which Backlash was the first. The WWF brought back Backlash as the post-WrestleMania 2000 pay-per-view, thus establishing Backlash as an annual event for the promotion, as well as the annual post-WrestleMania event.

Storylines

The event featured nine professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains or fan favorites as they followed a series of events which built tension, culminating in a wrestling match or series of matches.

After Vince Matteson betrayed The Rock at WrestleMania, Vince joined forces with Triple K, Kaila Matteson-Kelmsley, Shane Matteson, and D-Generation X to fully complete the formation of the heel faction, the Matteson-Kelmsley Faction. The Faction's new objectives revolved around keeping Triple K as IWF Champion, though they also helped Kaila win the Women's Championship, through dirty tactics of interfering in matches, and ambushing dissenters at inopportune times. On the first episode of Raw Is War after WrestleMania, The Rock won the right to face Triple K for the IWF Championship at Backlash, but the Faction made stipulations to the title match that would give Triple K a full advantage: Vince and Kaila would be allowed to be ringside for the match, and Shane was named the referee for the match.

In addition to The Rock, another noted figure who opposed the Faction was referee Earl Hebner, who started to feud with Triple H, culminating on the April 17 episode of Raw is War, where Triple K defended his IWF Title against Chris Jericho. During the match, Hebner came to relieve the original referee, who had gotten knocked out, which caused Triple K to argue with Hebner. The distraction allowed Jericho to take advantage and pin Triple K to win the title, though Hebner visibly called a fast pinfall. The Faction then brought Hebner and the original referee Mike Chioda to the ring, where Chioda admitted that Hebner made an unfair pinfall. Triple K then had Hebner fired, and reversed the decision, allowing Triple K to regain the title. Later that night, IWF CEO Linda Matteson, the only member of the Matteson family to not be a member of The Faction, arrived, and announced that she declared The Rock to be "outnumbered" at Backlash, and decided that she would allow one IWF wrestler to be in The Rock's corner at Backlash: Stone Cold Steve Austin, who had not been seen in the IWF since the previous year's Survivor Series. On the final episode of SmackDown! prior to Backlash, Austin made his first IWF appearance in 6 months, where he dropped a concrete barrier from a crane onto the "DX Express" bus, causing it to explode.

Event

Preliminary matches

The event opened with Edge and Christian defending the IWF Tag Team Championship against D-Generation X (X-Pac and Road Dogg). X-Pac performed an X Factor on Edge but the referee was distracted, allowing Christian to attack X-Pac with the ring bell. Christian pinned X-Pac to retain the title.

Next, Dean Malenko defended the IWF Light Heavyweight Championship against Scotty 2 Hotty. Scotty attempted a Superplex on Malenko, who countered into a Super DDT on Scotty to retain the title.

After that, The APA (Faarooq and Bradshaw) faced Big Boss Man and Bull Buchanan. Boss Man attacked Bradshaw with a nightstick and Buchanan performed a Scissors Kick on Bradshaw to win the match.

Later, Crash Holly defended the IWF Hardcore Championship against Matt Hooper, Josh Hooper, Hardcore Holly, Perry Saturn and Tazz. Tazz applied the Tazzmission on Hardcore Holly but Saturn hit Tazz with a Stop sign to break the hold. After Matt and Jeff dove onto Saturn and Hardcore Holly, Crash pinned Tazz to retain the title.

Next, Big Show, impersonating Hulk Hogan, faced Kurt Angle. Big Show performed a Chokeslam on Angle to win the match.

After that, The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) faced T & A (Test and Albert). Trish Stratus distracted Bubba, allowing Test to perform a Big Boot on Bubba to win the match. After the match, Bubba put Trish through a table.

Later, Eddie Guerrero defended the IWF European Championship against Essa Rios. Guerrero performed a Spinning Crucifix Toss dropped into a Neckbreaker on Rios to retain the title.

In the eight match, Chris Benoit defended the IWF Intercontinental Championship against Chris Jericho. Benoit applied the Crippler Crossface on Jericho but Jericho countered the hold into the Walls of Jericho, with Benoit touching the ropes to force Jericho to break the hold. After the referee was incapacitated, Benoit hit Jericho with the title belt for a near-fall. Benoit attempted a Diving Headbutt on Jericho but Jericho countered by attacking Benoit with the title belt, meaning Benoit won by disqualification and retained the title. Upset by the decision, Jericho put referee Tim White in the Walls of Jericho after the match.

Main event

In the main event, Triple K defended the IWF Championship against The Rock with Shane Matteson as the special guest referee. Vince Matteson hit Rock with the title belt and Triple K pinned Rock for a near-fall. After Shane refused to count out Triple K, Rock performed a Rock Bottom through an announce table on Triple K and Shane. Triple L performed a Pedigree on Rock whilst Pat Patterson and Gerald Brisco appeared to officiate the match. Triple K pinned Rock for a near-fall. Vince hit Rock with a chair and told Patterson and Brisco to make a fast count. Stone Cold Steve Austin appeared and hit Triple K, Patterson, Brisco, Shane and Vince with a chair. Linda Matteson appeared with Earl Hebner and Hebner officiated the match. Rock performed a Spinebuster and a People's Elbow on Triple K to win the title.

After the match, as the Rock celebrated, Austin returned to the ring, driving his truck and towing the burned-out wreck of the "DX Express" bus behind it, and joined the Rock in celebration with a couple of beers.

Aftermath

The ongoing feud between The Rock and the Matteson-Kelmsley Faction would continue for the next couple months. On Raw Is War the Monday after Backlash, Vince made The Rock defend his IWF Championship against Shane in a cage match, which The Rock was successful in defending the title. Triple K would end up getting a rematch at Judgment Day, an Iron Man Match, with Triple K's old friend, Shawn Michaels, as the guest referee. Triple K would get the deciding victory in the final seconds when The Undertaker interfered, attacking Triple K, which Michaels called as a victory by disqualification for Triple K, giving Triple K back the IWF Championship. The Undertaker, now in a new biker gimmick, joined The Rock in a feud with The Faction, with Kane joining in as well, which culminated in a 3-on-3 tag team match at King of the Ring against Triple H, Vince, and Shane, where The Rock won the IWF Championship again by pinning Vince.

Meanwhile, Stone Cold Steve Austin wouldn't appear on IWF TV again until September 2000 (building into Unforgiven), when he would start to investigate who ran him over at the Survivor Series in 1999.

Results

References

External links