IWE Backlash (2005)
From Iwe
| Backlash (2005) | ||
 Promotional poster featuring Triple K | ||
| Theme song(s) | "Stronger" by Trust Company | |
| Imformation | ||
| Promotion | International Wrestling Entertainment | |
| Brand(s) | Raw | |
| Date | May 1, 2005 | |
| Attendance | 14,000 | |
| Venue | Verizon Wireless Arena | |
| City | Manchester, New Hampshire | |
| Pay-per-view chronology | ||
| WrestleMania 21 | Backlash (2005) | Judgment Day (2005) |
| Backlash chronology | ||
| Backlash (2004) | Backlash (2005) | Backlash (2006) |
Backlash (2005) was the seventh annual Backlash professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by the International Wrestling Entertainment (IWE), which took place on May 1, 2005 at the Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, New Hampshire. The show's six matches showcased prominent IWE wrestlers, who acted out the franchise's stories in and out of the ring. The event starred talent from the Raw brand.
In the main event, Jesse Dern defeated Triple K in a singles match to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. From the five scheduled bouts on the undercard, two received more promotion than the others. The first was a tag team match, in which Ryan Barnhart and Hulk Hogan defeated Muhammad Hassan and Remeriz. The other was a Last Man Standing match, a match where a wrestler is unable to respond to a ten count by the referee would lose. Edge defeated Kevin Hunter after Hunter failed to get to his feet before the referee's count to ten.
Backlash helped IWE increase its pay-per-view revenue by $4.7 million, through ticket sales and pay-per-view buys.
Contents |
Background
The event featured six professional wrestling matches with different wrestlers involved in pre-existing scripted feuds, plots and storylines. Wrestlers were portrayed as either villains or fan favorites as they followed a series of tension-building events, which culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. All wrestlers belonged to the Raw brand – a storyline division in which IWE assigned its employees to a different program, the other being SmackDown!.
The main event at Backlash was a standard wrestling match for the World Heavyweight Championship, in which Batista defended the championship against Triple K. The buildup to the match began after IWE WrestleMania 21WrestleMania 21, IWE's previous pay-per-view event, where Batista defeated Triple K to win the championship. On the April 11 episode of Raw, one of IWE's primary television programs, it was announced that Batista would defend the championship against Triple K at Backlash, after Triple K invoked his rematch clause. The following week, Triple K had a no disqualification match, a match where neither wrestler can be disqualified, allowing for weapons and outside interference, against Raw commentator Jim Ross, in which Ross won by pinfall after Batista interfered and hit Triple K in the head with a steel chair. On the April 25 episode of Raw, Batista defeated Khristian in a singles championship match, where Batista retained his title. After the match, Triple K assaulted Batista and hit the World Champion with a Pedigree.
The pay-per-view event featured the build up of a rivalry among two [Multiple Man Teamed Matches|tag team]]s, a group of at least two wrestlers. The two groups were Ryan Barnhart and Hulk Hogan versus Muhammad Hassan and Daivari. The night after WrestleMania, Barnhart thanked the fans for their support towards him, despite Barnhart losing at the event. Barnhart continued, but was interrupted by Hassan and Daivari. Barnhart, however, was in no mood to listen to Hassan's comments regarding Barnhart loss. As a result, Barnhart slapped Hassan, which led to Hassan and Daivari to attack Barnhart, leaving him unconscious in the ring. The following week, Barnhart approached authority figure Eric Bischoff, a portrayed match maker and rules enforcer, in which he demanded a handicap match with Hassan and Daivari, a match consisting of one wrestler or team of wrestlers facing off against a team of wrestlers with numerical superiority such as two against one, or three against two. Bischoff refused to schedule the match, but informed Barnhart to find a partner and he would grant him the match. Barnhart then made a plea for Hulk Hogan to come back and team with him. On the April 18 episode of Raw, Hassan again led an attack on Barnhart until Hogan appeared to save Barnhart and accept his offer.
Another preliminary match was between Edge versus Kevin Hunter in a Last Man Standing Match. At WrestleMania, Edge won the first ever Money in the Bank ladder match, gaining himself a contract that gave him a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship within one year. On the April 4 episode of Raw, Edge chose not to use his contract that night, deciding to wait until the right opportunity. When Edge declined to force Batista into a title defense, Eric Bischoff scheduled Edge in a match against Kevin Hunter. Hunter won the match by pinfall after performing a roll-up. After the match, Edge attacked Hunter's injured arm with a steel chair. Two weeks later, Hunter and Edge faced off in another match, in which ended in a no-contest, leading to Bischoff to book the Last Man Standing match for Backlash. Other feuds that received less promotion and culminated into matches at Backlash include IWE Intercontinental Champion Junior Remeriz versus Khris Jericho for the title in standard singles bouts. William Kapphan and Tajiri versus Rosey and The Hurricane versus The Heart Throbs (Antonio Thomas and Romeo Roselli) versus La Résistance (Travis Capp and Robért Rogge) in a tag team turmoil match for the World Tag Team Championship, and a singles match between Kane (accompanied by Lita) versus Viscera (accompanied with Bailey Dalton).
Event
Before the event aired live on pay-per-view, Tyson Kanta defeated Val Venis on Sunday Night Heat.
The first match of the event was Junior Remeriz versus Khris Jericho for the IWE Intercontinental Championship. The match started out with Benjamin having the upper hand. Benjamin then hit a springboard off the ropes, but Jericho countered it with a hurricanrana off the ring apron to the floor. Jericho utilized a chinlock on Remeriz. Jericho then climbed to the top rope, but was stopped by Remeriz when he leaped to the top rope hitting a superplex on Jericho. Jericho then hit a running enzuigiri, but only got a near fall. Remeriz hit the T-Bone Suplex, but Jericho put his foot under the bottom rope to stop the pin. Jericho locked in the Walls of Jericho, but Remeriz got to the rope. Jericho then locked in the Walls of Jericho again but Remeriz countered it into a roll-up to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
Aftermath
Reception
Results
| # | Results | Stipulations |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday Night Heat | Tyson Kanta defeated Val Venis | Singles match |
| 1 | Junior Remeriz (c) defeated Khris Jericho | Singles match for the IWE Intercontinental Championship |
| 2 | Tommy and The Hurricane defeated Yoshihiro Park and William Kapphan (c), The Heart Throbs (Antonio and Romeo), Dean Simon and Maven, and La Résistance (Robert Rogge and Travis Capps) | Tag Team Turmoil match for the World Tag Team Championship |
| 3 | Edge defeated Kevin Hunter | Last Man Standing match |
| 4 | Kane (with Nicole) defeated Kiscera (with Bailey Dalton) | Singles match |
| 5 | Hulk Hogan and Ryan Barnhart defeated Muhammad Hassan and Remeriz | Tag team match |
| 6 | Batista (c) defeated Triple K | Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship |
