Backlash (Y5)

## About

Backlash (Y4) was a WWE Pay-Per-View event, that took place in May of Year Five, featuring superstars from the Raw brand and showcased rivalries still festering from WrestleMania IV. The event was held in Hartford, Connecticut. The main even saw Triple H challenge Batista for the WWE Universal Championship. The pay-per-view event was widely praised, receiving an overall rating of 4.5 Stars.

## Storylines

### Chris Jericho & Goldust

After a fued erupted between these two superstars after several encounters in dark matches, Goldust would attack Jericho on the highlight reel. Now, these two icons would go head to head at Backlash. Goldust would win via pinfall after nailing the final cut on Jericho. After the match, Goldust would viciously attack Jericho.

### Bray Wyatt & Rhyno

Bray Wyatt, Hardcore champ would be hanging out backstage when Rhyno would attack him out of nowhere for the title. A ref would show up to make the match an official title match. Rhyno would manage to beat Wyatt after having the advantage of surprise.

### Ruby Riott & Beth Phoenix

This was the culmination of a rivalry that had been festering amongst the Raw women's division and Riott's Raw PPV debut. Ruby would get the first fall. Beth would make a come back and make Riott tap out for the second fall. Finally Ruby would get the final winning pinfall in an epic match up.

### The Shield & Edge and Christian

Finally, Rollins & Ambrose would be reunited as a tag team for the first time since there early days in NXT to take on Edge and Christian for the Raw Tag Titles (under the stipulation that if the two won that Ambrose would relinquish his NXT title). Edge would be in the match starting off and the Shield would not let him tag his partner Christian in for almost two thirds of the match. It would be a harrowing tag team competition, but ultimately the Shield would prevail against the champions. This would be both superstars first main roster title win. The segment would end with Ambrose laying down his NXT title in the middle of the ring signaling to the NXT locker room that the NXT World Championship was vacant.

### Bret Hart & Finn Balor

An amazing rematch. After Hart would take the title from Finn at WrestleMania IV, Finn would get his rematch and right a profound wrong in the eyes of the WWE Universe. Hart would relinquish the title to the victorious Finn, marking the champ's second Intercontinental title reign.

### Alexa Bliss & Bayley

One of the most anticipated WrestleMania IV rematches on the card would see Bayley finally stand up to the bully Alexa Bliss in no holds barred competition. It was an incredibly close match, and Alexa would manage to sneak a small package roll up for the victory. Ultimately, Bayley would triumph against her long time enemy, winning the WWE Raw Women's Championship for the first time. Spots would include a flying elbow from the top rope to the announce table. Bayley would get a chair and nail her opponent with a sickening head shot much to the crowd's satisfaction with her new anti hero persona.

### Batista & Triple H

The rematch that the WWE Universe was not happy about seeing. The blatant nepotism of Mr. McMahon had put Triple H in the number one contender spot once again for the WWE Universal Championship. The match was an amazing match regardless of how the audience felt about seeing public enemy no. 1 competing once again for the coveted title. Batista would blade, but would pull out the victory over Triple H. His celebration would not last long. Randy Orton, who had won the Royal Rumble (Y4) only to be robbed of a title shot one on one, and instead lost in a fatal four way to Batista who had not won the Rumble. Many of the fans felt that Orton should have had the title shot at Backlash, but he was repeatedly stepped over to the dismay of the Universe. After the match, Orton would appear from the ring side crowd and surprise the entire Universe by nailing a surprise RKO on the champ during his celebration. The WWE Universe was standing cheering as Orton stood over Batista holding the title over the title holder, signaling that Orton's time to get his one on one title shot may be near.