Backlash 2002

Backlash 2002 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) promotion, which took place on April 21, 2002 at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The event starred talent from the Raw and SmackDown! brands. It was the fourth event under the Backlash chronology, the third consecutive Backlash presented by Castrol GTX and the final U.S.-produced pay-per-view to use the WWF name. This was the first WWF pay-per-view event after the Brand Extension. The last time a WWF Pay Per View was held in Kemper Arena was WWF Over The Edge 1999, in which Owen Hart, competing as the Blue Blazer, fell 78 feet to his death from a harness during his ring entrance. Nine professional wrestling matches were scheduled on the event's card
The main match from the SmackDown! brand featured Hulk Hogan defeating Triple H to win the WWF Undisputed Championship and the featured match from the Raw brand was an encounter between The Undertaker and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin with Ric Flair as special guest referee, which The Undertaker won. The other main match from Raw was a Singles match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship between Rob Van Dam and Eddie Guerrero, which Guerrero won by pinfall to win the championship.
==Background==
The event featured nine professional wrestling matches with outcomes predetermined by WWF script writers. The matches featured wrestlers portraying their characters in planned storylines that took place before, during and after the event. All wrestlers were from either one of the WWF's brands - SmackDown or Raw - the two storyline divisions in which WWF assigned its employees.
The event featured nine professional wrestling matches with outcomes predetermined by WWF script writers. The matches featured wrestlers portraying their characters in planned storylines that took place before, during and after the event. All wrestlers were from either one of the WWF's brands – SmackDown or Raw – the two storyline divisions in which WWF assigned its employees. The main feud leading into Backlash 2002 on the SmackDown! brand involved the Undisputed Champion Triple H against "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan. At the April 4th Smackdown, Vince McMahon named Hogan as the #1 contender for the title at Backlash. Later on that night, Hogan came out in Red and Yellow for the first time since his return to the WWF in order to talk about the match, with Triple H saying he won't back down. The next week, Hogan came out to help Edge chase off Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle after Edge fought Jericho. Later on, Triple H fought against Angle as Jericho interfered. Hogan came out to help Triple H to win the match, only for Angle to push Triple H at Hogan after the match, making Hogan attack Triple H and get taken out by Jericho and Angle. The next week, Hogan confronted Jericho as Angle came to help Jericho, prompting Edge to run for the save. In the main event, Jericho and Angle fought Hogan and Triple H, as Hogan accidentally hit Triple H with a Steel Chair. After the match, Triple H hit Hogan with the chair. On the same night, it was confirmed that if Triple H would lose his title match, he would be drafted to Smackdown.
The main feud on the Raw brand was between The Undertaker and Steve Austin. At the April 1st Raw, Ric Flair awarded Triple H with a new title belt, only for the Undertaker to challenge Triple H for a title match at Backlash. The same night, Steve Austin decided to sign with the RAW brand, however he gave the Stunner to both Ric Flair and Vince McMahon. The next week, Undertaker confronted Flair about the Vince making the title match for Backlash, making Austin come out and confront him. Flair booked two #1 contenders matches at Raw, the first being Undertaker vs Rob Van Dam and the second being Austin vs Scott Hall, with the winners facing each other at Backlash for the #1 contendership. Austin and Undertaker then brawled and both won their matches, however, as Flair helped to chase X-Pac from Austin's match, Austin stunned him again. The next week, Flair fined Austin $5,000 and announced that he will be the referee for the match. Scott Hall and X-Pac came to attack Austin, making Flair book Austin and Bradshaw against Hall, X-Pac and Undertaker in the main event. After the match, which Austin won, Undertaker nailed him with a Steel Chair in the head.
The secondary feud on the SmackDown! brand was between Edge and Kurt Angle. At the April 4th Smackdown, Edge approached Angle and gave him pictures with insulting remarks. The two men fought later on that night with Angle getting DQed after hitting Edge with a Steel chair. On that night, Angle interfered in a match between the Rock and Chris Jericho, only for Edge to chase him off. The next week, Angle attacked Edge during Edge's match with Jericho and hit the Angle Slam. The next week, Edge saved Hulk Hogan from an attack by Jericho and Angle, and then interfering in the main event tag team match and hit Angle.
Another feud on the Raw brand was between Scott Hall and Bradshaw. On the April 1st Raw, the nWo took over the old APA office. Bradshaw tried to attack them but they outnumbered him. On the same night, the nWo attacked Kane during X-Pac's match with him, prompting Bradshaw ho rescue him. The next week, X-Pac defeated Kane in a Falls Count Anywhere match, as the nWo took Kane's mask. Bradshaw once again came to help Kane. Later on that night, after Ric Flair suspended Kevin Nash, Bradshaw pervented Undertaker from interfering in the Scott Hall-Steve Austin match. The next week Bradshaw came to help Austin brawl against the Undertaker and the nWo, and as a result the match was made for Backlash. In the main event, Bradshaw pinned X-Pac but was attacked by Hall after the match.
Another feud from the Raw brand was between Intercontinental champion Rob Van Dam and Eddie Guerrero. On the April 1st Raw, after Rob Van Dam retained his title against Booker T, Eddie Guerrero made his return to the WWF and hit the Frog Splash at RVD. The next week, Eddie interfered in the Rob Van Dam-Undertaker #1 contenders match and cost RVD the match. On the next week, Eddie was awarded the title match at Backlash, saying that the Intercontinental title and the Frog Splash belong to him. Later on, Eddie Guerrero and William Regal defeated RVD and Spike Dudley with Eddie pinning Spike. After the match, RVD tried hitting Eddie with the Five Star Frog Splash, only for Regal to pull Eddie out of the ring.
A smaller feud from the Smackdown brand was Cruiserweight champion Billy Kidman against Tajiri. On the April 4th Smackdown, Kidman approached Torrie Wilson, his former girlfriend, and told her he was going to defeat Tajiri for the Cruiserweight title, making Tajiri jealous. Kidman defeated Tajiri for the title on the same night. The next week, Tajiri yelled at Torrie after winning a match, making Kidman attack him. On the next week, Tajiri teamed up with Chavo Guerrero and defeated the Hurricane and Kidman, getting a rematch at the Pay-Per-View. Tajiri kicked Kidman in the head after the match.
==Aftermath==
The night after Backlash, The Big Show betrayed Austin in a tag team match against the nWo and joined the stable. For the next two weeks, Big Show claimed that he turned on Austin because he was in the main event for the WWF Championship at WrestleMania 2000 while Austin had neck surgery but the following year at WrestleMania X-Seven, Austin competed in the main event for the WWF title while Big Show wasn't. At WrestleMania X8, Austin was scheduled a match against Scott Hall while Big Show was at WWF New York Times Square. Later that night, Austin and Bradshaw united with Flair in a battle against the nWo stable, but Flair betrayed both wrestlers and became affiliated with the nWo although he never officially joined. Flair's betrayal eventually led to Booker T's drafting by Flair to be the newest nWo member on May 13, 2002. And a feud between Austin and Flair escalated on that episode when Austin gained revenge by costing Flair the WWF Undisputed Championship against Hulk Hogan. This led to a Handicap match at Judgment Day pitting Austin against the team of Flair and Big Show, which Austin won.
After defeating Steve Austin at Backlash, The Undertaker set his sights on the new WWF Undisputed Champion Hulk Hogan by challenging him to a match for the Undisputed title at Judgment Day. In 1991, they first fought for the WWF Championship during two different pay per view events. At the Survivor Series event, Undertaker defeated Hogan to win his 1st WWF title. Hogan regained the title over The Undertaker in a rematch at This Tuesday in Texas. The title was eventually declared vacant until the 1992 Royal Rumble event when Ric Flair won the title by winning the Royal Rumble match that also involved The Undertaker and Hogan. Their feud restarted on the April 25 episode of SmackDown!, when Jericho defeated Triple H to become the number one contender due to The Undertaker's interference. Afterwords, Jericho and The Undertaker attacked Triple H until Hogan came down to the ring and assaulted The Undertaker. On the April 29 episode of Raw, when Undertaker interfered in Hogan's non-title match with William Regal by assaulting Hogan. The Undertaker then took Hogan's leather belt and whipped him with it and busted him open with the belt buckle. The following week, Hogan got back at The Undertaker by driving a Semi truck and running over Taker's 18-wheeler prized motorcycle, thus destroying it. On the May 13 episode of Raw, The Undertaker nailed Hogan from behind with the tire-iron then tied Hogan's ankles to his own motorcycle. Moments later, The Undertaker drove his motorcycle around the hallway with Hogan tied to it before ramming Hogan into the pile of boxes and pipes, leaving Hogan lying motionless. At Judgment Day, with the help of Vince McMahon, The Undertaker defeated Hogan to win the Undisputed Championship, his first WWF Championship win in nearly three years.
The feud between Edge and Kurt Angle continued after Backlash on the May 2 episode of SmackDown!, when Angle challenged Edge to a rematch but this time in a Hair vs. Hair match, which Edge accepted. On the May 16 episode of SmackDown!, during a segment between Edge and Triple H, Angle and Chris Jericho attacked both men, ending with Jericho manhandling Edge while Angle cut his hair once with the scissors as an example for their Hair vs. Hair match at Judgment Day. Later that episode, Angle and Jericho defeated Edge and Triple H in a tag match after Angle nailed Edge with the steel chair and followed it with an Angle slam for the win. After the match, Angle tossed Edge's hairpiece onto Edge. In a Hair vs. Hair match at Judgment Day, Edge defeated Angle and shaved the Angle's head bald following it.
Triple H and Chris Jericho continued their feud on the April 25 episode of SmackDown!, where Jericho defeated Triple H in a Number 1 Contenders match due to interference by The Undertaker, who also cost Triple H the Undisputed title at Backlash. The following week, Jericho challenged Hulk Hogan for the Undisputed title in a No disqualification match with a stipulation added that if The Undertaker or any Raw superstar interferes in the title match, will be suspended. During the title match, Triple H interfered and distracted Jericho, enabling Hogan to pin Jericho to retain the title. On the May 9 episode of SmackDown!, Vince McMahon ordered that if Triple H lays his hands on McMahon, there will be consequences. Triple H then challenged McMahon to fight him in the ring until Hardcore Holly, Test, Lance Storm, Christian and Reverend D-Von came to the ring and beat Triple H down. Jericho then came down and nailed Triple H with the steel chair then locked him in the Walls of Jericho, ending with McMahon to announce a Hell in a Cell match at Judgment Day, which would be a WrestleMania X8 rematch between the two. Later that night, Jericho and Triple H interfered in each other's matches. First, Reverend D-Von defeated Triple H after Jericho nailed Triple H with the donation box. Then during Jericho's tag team match along with Angle against Edge and Hulk Hogan, Triple H interfered and nailed all four of them with a sledgehammer. Vince McMahon distracted and dared Triple H to nail him with a sledgehammer, enabling Jericho to nail Triple H with the steel chair. They concluded their feud at Judgment Day, when Triple H defeated Jericho in a Hell in a Cell match.
Brock Lesnar continued his feud with Matt and Jeff Hardy on the April 22 episode of Raw when Lesnar defeated Matt Hardy by knockout. On the May 13 episode of Raw, the Hardy boyz fought Lesnar in a Handicap match and won by disqualification due to interference by Lesnar's manager Paul Heyman. Heyman then announced a tag team match pitting Lesnar and himself against the Hardyz at Judgment Day. During the event, Lesnar and Heyman were victorious after Heyman pinned Jeff Hardy following an F-5 by Lesnar.
==Results==
;
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*Sunday Night Heat: The Big Show defeated Justin Credible and Steven Richards in a Handicap Match (2:11)
*Tajiri (w/ Torrie Wilson) defeated Billy Kidman (c) to win the WWF Cruiserweight Championship (9:08)
*Scott Hall (w/ X-Pac) defeated Bradshaw (w/ Faarooq) (5:43)
*Jazz (c) defeated Trish Stratus to retain the WWF Women's Championship (4:29)
*Brock Lesnar (w/ Paul Heyman) defeated Jeff Hardy (w/ Lita) (05:32)
*Kurt Angle defeated Edge (13:25)
*Eddie Guerrero defeated Rob Van Dam (c) to win the WWF Intercontinental Championship (11:43)
*The Undertaker defeated "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (with Ric Flair as special guest referee) in a WWF Championship #1 Contenders match (27:03)
*Billy and Chuck (Billy Gunn and Chuck Palumbo) (c) (w/ Rico) defeated Maven and Al Snow to retain the WWF Tag Team Championship (5:58)
*Hulk Hogan defeated Triple H (c) to win the WWF Undisputed Championship (22:04)
==Other on-screen talent==
;Commentators
*Jerry Lawler
*Jim Ross
;Interviewers
*Jonathan Coachman
*Michael Cole
*Lilian Garcia
;Ring announcer
*Howard Finkel	
;Referees
*Mike Chioda
*Charles Robinson
*Theodore Long
*Jimmy Korderas
*Tim White
*Earl Hebner
==See also==
*List of WWE pay-per-view events
*WWE Event History
*Backlash
==DVD release==
* Backlash 2002 on DVD
==External links==
* Backlash 2002 Official Website
* Backlash 2002 at CAGEMATCH.net
* Backlash 2002 at Online World of Wrestling
* Backlash 2002 on WWE Network
Category:Backlash
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events
Category:2002 pay-per-view events
Category:Events with Handicap matches
Category:Events with Guest Referees