Event: WWE Monday Night RAW
Airdate: Sunday, April 29th, 2007
Location: The Philips Arena in Atlanta, GA
Results by PowerWrestling.com
WWE Backlash Opener:
Backlash opened with a video package about Wrestlemania and the events that have followed leading to the three main events tonight. Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler welcomed us to the show, then tossed it over to Joey Styles & Tazz, who then tossed it to Michael Cole & JBL. I guess we won’t have to worry about any announcers losing their voices tonight.
World Tag Team Championship Match
Referee: Jack Doan
Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch vs. The Hardys (c)
Jim Ross and Jerry Lawler called this one. Ross put over that Murdoch was trained by Harley Race and Cade was trained by Shawn Michaels. I believe that’s the first time that has ever been mentioned on WWE television.
The start:
Matt started off with Cade, with Cade backing Matt into a corner and breaking clean. They locked up again, and Matt grabbed a headlock and took Cade to the mat. There was a chant for the Hardys. Cade shoved Matt into the ropes and hit a back elbow, then decked Matt with a right hand. Matt came back with punches and hiptossed Cade, then gave Murdoch one when he ran in. Murdoch rolled to the floor, and Matt went back to the headlock. Cade pulled Matt into his corner by the hair and tagged in Murdoch.
Mid-match notes:
Murdoch missed a clothesline and Matt slammed him, then hit a fistdrop. Jeff tagged in and hit a slingshot dropkick on his way in. The Hardys hit Murdoch with an elbowdrop/legdrop combo for a two count, then a double elbow and a senton/fistdrop combo. Jeff hit Murdoch with a Whisper In The Wind, which ended up more like a Blockbuster, but Cade broke up the cover. Cade and Murdoch were sent to the floor, and Jeff used Matt as a springboard to jump over the top rope onto both opponents. Back in the ring, Matt gave Murdoch a second rope elbow to the back of the head for a two count. Matt hit a clothesline in a corner, then went for a bulldog, but Murdoch shoved Matt into a corner and hit a clothesline to the back of the head. Cade and Murdoch double teamed Matt in their corner, and Cade went for a powerbomb, but Hardy reversed it into a Russian legsweep. Jeff tagged in and dropkicked Cade to the floor, then clotheslined Murdoch. Jeff tried for a kick to the floor, but Cade caught it and yanked Jeff down hard to the floor. Back in the ring, Cade hit Jeff with a spinebuster for a two count as Matt broke up the cover. Cade slammed Jeff, then tagged in Murdoch and lifted him up for an elevated legdrop on Jeff. Murdoch gave Jeff a neckbreaker.
Cade clotheslined Hardy for a two count. Jeff blocked a suplex attempt by Murdoch and rolled him into a small package for a two count. Murdoch came back with a boot to the face, then dragged Jeff to his corner to work him over more. Cade put Jeff in a chinlock, but Jeff got out with a jawbreaker. Murdoch tagged in and gave Jeff a back suplex for a two count. Murdoch hit some crossface blows, then tagged in Cade, who hit a knee to Jeff’s back. Murdoch tagged right back in and stomped Jeff. Jeff kicked away a backdrop attempt by Murdoch. Cade tagged in, but Jeff hit him with an enzugiri. Murdoch tagged back in and knocked Matt off the apron and kept Jeff from making a tag. Murdoch went for a jump off the second rope, but Jeff got his feet up. Murdoch stopped himself, but missed an elbowdrop and Matt got the hot tag. Matt knocked Cade out of the ring and bulldogged Murdoch for a two count. Jeff went for a jump off of Matt on Murdoch in the corner, but Murdoch was moved by Cade and Jeff hit the corner hard (looked like he slipped, as he hit the middle turnbuckle). Matt hit a Side Effect on Murdoch, but Cade jumped off the top rope with a double axhandle to break it up. Murdoch hit a slow motion Canadian Destroyer for a two count on Matt.
The Finish:
Murdoch went for a fireman’s carry, but Matt turned it into a Twist Of Fate. Cade pulled Matt to the floor from ringside, and while Matt fought Cade on the floor, Jeff hit Murdoch with a Swanton Bomb. Matt slid back into the ring after outpunching Cade and covered Murdoch for the win at the sixteen minute mark.
Winners and still World Tag Team Champions, The Hardys
Backstage:
Backstage, Shane McMahon was psyching up Umaga. Vince McMahon showed up, wearing a skullcap. Vince said if they win the match tonight, they will put the ECW World Title on Shane McMahon. Shane seemed to like the idea, but then came back and said that after what Bobby Lashley did to Vince, he thinks Vince should be the ECW World Champion. Shane and Vince were both giving each other dirty looks behind the others’ back.
Women’s Championship Match
Referee: Chad Patton
Mickie James vs. Melina (c)
The start:
Melina grabbed a hammerlock at the start, but Mickie reversed out of it and grabbed an armbar. Melina reversed, but Mickie cartwheeled out of it and hit a monkeyflip. Mickie took Melina to the mat with a side headlock, but Melina grabbed a headscissors to get out. Mickie kipped up out of the headscissors. Melina hit a kick to the gut and took Mickie down with a headlock, and not it was Mickie using a headscissors to break out. Melina pulled out it it, then complained about being poked in the eye, which was a distraction for a sucker punch.
Mid-match notes:
Melina hit some shots, but Mickie came back with shoulderblocks in a corner and a monkeyflip, followed by a series of right hands. Melina came back with a shot to the throat, but Mickie kicked Melina as she charged at her. Mickie went to the top rope, but Melina shoved her off and Mickie fell hard to the floor. Mickie made it back to the ring by the eight count and Melina threw Mickie by the hair for a two count. Melina choked Mickie on the ropes, then kicked her to the mat for a two count. Melina applied a full nelson with her legs, and rolled Mickie into a pinning position for a two count. Melina then used the ropes for leverage, but got caught, so Melina had to break the hold.
Melina went for a suplex, but Mickie rolled her into a small package for a two count. Melina stood on the middle rope and picked up Mickie by the throat for a choke. Melina then drove Mickie to the mat with a vertical bodypress. Melina pulled Mickie by the hair and got a two count. Melina put Mickie in a crossface chickenwing, but Mickie broke out. Mickie went for a kick, but Melina caught it and yanked her to the mat, into a split. Mickie then swept Melina’s leg and she fell into a split. Both women, on the mat in splits, started punching it out. Mickie got the better of the exchange, then hit a dropkick. Mickie hit a series of punches, tossed Melina by the hair, then hit a neckbreaker for a two count.
The Finish:
Melina kneed Mickie in the gut. Mickie caught a charging Melina in a headscissors, but Melina threw it off, sending Mickie to the apron. Mickie hit a forearm from the apron, then went to the top rope and hit a flying bodypress for a two count. Melina eye gouged Mickie, then hit a reverse DDT for the pin at the nine minute mark.
Winner and still Women’s Champion, Melina
Backstage:
Backstage, Maria interviewed Edge. Edge talked about how he wasn’t tried tonight, while John Cena and Shawn Michaels had to battle for an hour last week. Edge said he would win his third WWE Title tonight. From her cleavage, Maria pulled out a question she was told to ask Edge, which was how he won his first WWE Title. Edge pointed out how he used his Money In The Bank match to win it, then wanted to know who told Maria to ask that question. She pointed behind Edge, where Ken Kennedy was standing. Kennedy said he hoped Edge wins tonight, and mentioned how brutal the bout will probably be, before patting his briefcase and walking away.
United States Championship Match
Referee: Jim Korderas
Montell Vontavious Porter vs. Chris Benoit (c)
The start:
They locked up, and MVP broke clean on the ropes, then tried to grab a leg, but was stopped by the referee as they were in the ropes. They circled each other, and MVP threw some leg kicks. MVP went for a leg dive, but Benoit stuffed it. MVP went for a front facelock instead, but Benoit armdragged out of it, hit a second armdrag, then took him down with a drop toe hold. Benoit went for a Crippler Crossface, but MVP made the ropes and went to the floor to regroup.
Mid-match notes:
MVP took Benoit down to the mat with a side headlock takedown, but Benoit grabbed a headscissors. MVP floated over and into a pinning position, but Benoit bridged up and grabbed a backslide for two, then hit a back suplex and applied the Sharpshooter. MVP crawled to the ropes to break the hold. Benoit hit a knee to the gut, then a knee to the head. Benoit went to chop MVP in the corner, but MVP covered up. MVP reversed a whip and sent Benoit chest first into the corner, then hit a boot to the back of the head for a two count. MVP hit some forearms on the mat, then applied a trapped arm cravate. Benoit elbowed out of it, but MVP hit a knee to the gut. MVP went for a boot to the face, but Benoit hit him with an elbow. Benoit then ran into a belly to belly suplex by MVP for a two count. MVP hit a kick to Benoit’s back, then applied a trapped arm chinlock. MVP hit an elbow to the back of Benoit’s head, but Benoit responded with chops.
MVP missed with a clothesline, and Benoit hit three consecutive German suplexes. Benoit called for the diving headbutt, but MVP latched onto Benoit’s foot. Benoit lifted MVP up and hit a Northern Lights suplex, but MVP’s feet were in the ropes. Benoit charged MVP, but MVP hit a Hot Shot for a two count. MVP hit a neckbreaker for a two count. MVP lifted up Benoit, but Benoit took him down with the Crippler Crossface. MVP made the ropes, then scurried to his feet so he could kick Benoit before he could get up. MVP snap mared Benoit and applied a reverse jujigatame armbar. MVP grabbed the ropes for leverage, but the referee caught him and made him break the hold. MVP hit Benoit with a running kick to the head for a two count. MVP went for another boot, but Benoit ducked it and gave MVP five consecutive German suplexes. Benoit went to the top rope and dove off, but MVP got his knees up and caught Benoit in the gut with them. MVP applied a single leg crab, and Benoit struggled, with the crowd chanting his name. Benoit made the ropes to break the hold.
The Finish:
MVP hit Benoit in the back and went for a vertical suplex. He lifted Benoit up, but Benoit hit him with knees to the head while being suspended upside down. MVP lost the suplex and Benoit was taking MVP to the mat for the Crossface, but MVP rolled out of it and looked to be going for the single leg crab again, only for Benoit to roll MVP over into a small package for a three count at the fourteen minute mark.
Winner and still United States Champion, Chris Benoit
Backstage:
Todd Grisham was going to interview John Cena, but Randy Orton interrupted him. Orton said that he and Cena had some things in common. Orton said he and Cena were young and handsome. He said they should get together tonight, take out Edge and Michaels, and then see who the better man is. Cena noted Orton’s comments (handsome, get together, see who the better man is) and implied that Orton was homosexual. Orton said Cena had him all wrong, but Cena said he doesn’t judge people, remarked about Orton’s pose, and walked off. Orton said the only pose there would be tonight would be Cena lying down in the ring with Orton on top of him. Ron Simmons entered, looked at Orton (who realized what he had just said), and Simmons delivered the “Damn”.
ECW Championship Match
Handicap Match
Referee: Scott Armstrong
Mr. McMahon, Shane McMahon and Umaga vs. Bobby Lashley (c)
It was announced that the winner of the pinfall gets the ECW World Title. Joey Styles & Tazz are calling this match. No Armando Alejandro Estrada with Umaga, due to Lashley beating him up last week. Shane, Umaga and Vince all had their own entrance before Lashley came out.
The start:
Shane McMahon started the match with Lashley. Lashley hit a takedown and delivered some right hands, then hit a clothesline in the corner and stomped Shane down. Lashley hit a spinebuster, then pointed at Vince while Shane crawled to the floor. Shane got back in the ring and tagged Umaga. Umaga missed a charge and Lashley hit some punches, kicks and elbows.
Mid-match notes:
Umaga caught Lashley with a kick, then decked him. Umaga elbowed Lashley down and hit some punches. Lashley fought back, leapfrogged Umaga off the second rope, then hit a clothesline in the corner. Lashley went for a belly to belly suplex, but Umaga headbutted out. Lashley came back with a clothesline, sending Umaga to the floor. Shane ran in and Lashley hiptossed him over the top rope. Lashley dared Vince to come in. Umaga got on the apron, and Lashley knocked him down. Shane came in and Lashley suplexed him. Umaga ran in and charged Lashley, but Lashley moved and Umaga ran into Shane. Lashley hit Umaga with some punches. He went to rebound off the ropes, but Shane pulled down the top rope and Lashley fell to the floor. On the outside, Umaga threw Lashley into the steps, then back into the ring. Umaga hit a legdrop, then whipped Lashley hard into a corner. Shane McMahon tagged in and put Lashley in a Fujiwara armbar, then switched to a hammerlock. Shane elbowdropped Lashley’s arm, then applied an armbar with a headscissors. Lashley struggled in the hold for a while, then stood up, lifted Shane in the hold and slammed him down to the mat. Lashley covered, but Umaga broke it up.
Umaga tagged in and hit a diving headbutt on Lashley. Umaga kicked Lashley, then stood on his throat. Umaga applied a bearhug, and Lashley struggled in that for a while. Lashley fought out, but Shane kicked him from the apron and Umaga planted him with a Samoan Drop. Shane tagged in and hit an elbowdrop, then drove some knees into Lashley’s back. Shane hit a pair of elbows to the back, then drove in some forearms. Shane applied a camel clutch on Lashley, and Lashley struggled in that hold for a while. Lashley eventually stood up and rammed Shane in a corner, then hit an exploder suplex, a shoulderblock and a clothesline. Lashley knocked Umaga off the apron, then backdropped Shane. Lashley put Shane in a Torture Rack, then dropped to his knees. Lashley went to cover Shane, but Umaga ran in and Lashley jumped up and speared Umaga. Lashley gave Shane a running powerslam, but Vince ran in and broke up the cover. Lashley and Vince went face to face. Lashley lifted Vince for a slam, but Shane hooked Lashley’s leg and Umaga chopped Lashley to break it up. The referee was getting Vince and Umaga out of the ring, and Shane hit Lashley with the title belt. Vince yelled for the tag, and Shane gave it to him. Vince covered, but Lashley kicked out.
The Finish:
Vince got up angry, and Lashley cradled him from behind, but Shane broke it up. Vince tagged Umaga, who gave Lashley a top rope splash. Vince called for the tag again, and covered Lashley, but Lashley kicked out. Vince tagged in Umaga, who hit Lashley with another top rope splash. Vince tagged back in (actually, Umaga didn’t even realize it at first, as Vince reached in and tagged him as he was standing near the corner), got the cover and won the match at the sixteen minute mark.
Winners – Shane McMahon, Umaga and new ECW Champion, Mr. McMahon
The Aftermath:
Shane and Vince celebrated, then carefully shook hands with Umaga. Vince had the ring announcer reiterate that he is the new ECW World Champion. Vince paraded around ringside with the belt. Joey Styles and Tazz talked about the history of ECW, and how it has led to Vince McMahon being the ECW World Champion.
Backstage:
Vince McMahon (who never lost his do rag tonight) and Shane McMahon were shown in the back, and they sent Umaga to the showers. Sabu, Rob Van Dam, Sandman and Tommy Dreamer were standing in the back. Vince said he was an “Extreme” Champion. The McMahons mocked RVD and Sabu’s poses, and Vince grabbed Sandman’s beer and drank it. Shane and Vince chanted “E-C-Dub” as they walked away. Sandman moved like he was going to go after them, but Dreamer held him back and just glared at the departing McMahons.
World Heavyweight Championship Match
Last Man Standing Match
Referee: Mickey Hensen
Batista vs. The Undertaker (c)
JBL and Cole had the call for this match, obviously. The only way for the match to end is when a wrestler is down for a ten count. Batista has his right thigh bandaged, Undertaker has his right elbow taped up.
The start:
Batista ran right into a big boot by Undertaker at the bell, and the champion followed with some elbowdrops. Taker whipped Batista across the ring, but ran into a Batista elbow. Undertaker ducked a chokeslam, but Batista elbowed out of it. Taker hit a weak flying clothesline. Taker hit two headbutts, then went for the Old School ropewalk and hit the forearm to the back.
Mid-match notes:
Undertaker hit two more headbutts, but Batista reversed a whip and hit a powerslam, almost losing the handle. Batista actually told the referee to count him, and we’re only three minutes in. Taker was up at six, and Batista knocked Undertaker to the floor. Batista went to ram Taker into the ringsteps, but Taker blocked it and rammed Batista into the steps. Undertaker hit some kicks and punches on the outside, including a kick to Batista’s bad leg. Taker rammed Batista into the steps again, then kicked the bad leg twice. Batista fired back with punches, but Taker kicked his bad leg again. Undertaker placed Batista on the ring apron and kicked him in the head, then delivered the ring apron legdrop. Undertaker went to whip Batista into the ring steps, but Batista reversed it and sent Taker knees first into the steps. Batista rolled Undertaker back into the ring. Batista started climbing the ropes, but Undertaker hit him with two punches. Undertaker set up for a superplex, but Batista threw some punches. Taker responded with headbutts, then took Batista down with the superplex. The referee counted, with Taker up at eight and Batista right behind him. Batista was favoring the leg greatly. They traded punches, and Batista ducked a shot and hit a clothesline. Taker got up at eight, and Batista hit another clothesline.
Batista slammed Undertaker, then hit a legdrop… with his bad leg. Taker grabbed Batista by the trunks and pulled him through the ropes and to the floor. Undertaker pulled the top off of the Smackdown announce table and removed the monitors. Undertaker went for Batista, but Batista whipped him into the security wall. Batista went to slam Undertaker on the table, but Taker blocked it and gave Batista a backbreaker on the floor. Undertaker grabbed a section of ring steps and hit Batista in the head with them. Batista was busted open, but got up before the ten count. Undertaker hit a series of punches, then put Batista on the announce table. Undertaker stood on the security wall, then legdropped Batista through the Smackdown announce table. Batista used the security wall to pull himself up at the nine count. Undertaker tossed Batista back in the ring and hit a pair of avalanches in the corner. Underaker hit Snake-Eyes, then went for a boot to the face, but Batista got a burst of adrenaline and hit him with a spear as he bounced off the ropes. Taker got up at seven, but Batista put him down with a spinebuster. Undertaker started to get up, and Batista gave him two spinebusters in a row.
Undertaker got up at nine, and Batista went for the Batista Bomb, but Taker drove him into the corner. Batista went for a punch, but Undertaker ducked it and chokeslammed him. Both men were down. Taker got up at seven, Batista noly got up at nine. Undertaker stood on the second rope and hit some punches, but Batista pulled him off the ropes and powerbombed him. Batista was up at four, Undertaker noly got up at nine. Batista went to ringside and grabbed a steel chair. Batista hit a chair shot to the head, then pulled Taker up off the mat and set up for a powerbomb on the chair. Undertaker blocked it and backdropped Batista, who hit his bad leg on the chair. Batista got to his feet, but Undertaker grabbed him and hit the tombstone. Batista managed to get up at nine, then slumped on the ropes. Taker kicked Batista to the floor, then punched him up the rampway. They made it to the entrance stage and Undertaker teased throwing him off. Batista fought back with punches, then set up for a powerbomb on the stage.
The Finish:
Undertaker punched Batista’s bad leg to escape, then kicked it. Taker hit a boot to the face, then a punch. Undertaker lifted Batista, but Batista floated over him. Batista speared Undertaker, and they both went off the stage. They went through a platform, and two sets of steel scaffolding that made up part of the set fell down. There was also that really silly pyro blast that goes off when guys get knocked “into production equipment”. The referee counted both men out at the twenty one minute mark.
Winner – Draw, still World Heavyweight Champion, the Undertaker
The Aftermath:
Undertaker slowly got up and rolled out of the wreckage. Batista did the same on the far side of the stage.
Fatal Four Way Match for the WWE title: John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels vs. Randy Orton vs. Edge
No count outs or DQ’s in this one. Its the first man that scores the pinfall victory is the WWE champion. Cena receives the usual mixed reaction. JR pointed out that this is the first fatal four way in the history of Backlash. The match starts with jawing by all four men. I could sense a “Cena sucks” chant. Cena and HBK go after Rated RKO, and then HBK goes after Cena. HBK gives Cena a series of Ric Flair like chomps. Announcers point out that Cena and HBK fought for 56 minutes on Raw. Rated RKO did a stare down, and then went after each other. Cena clotheslines Orton and HBK on the outside, then receives a baseball slide by Edge. HBK does a moonsault off the top rope onto Cena, Edge and Orton on the arena floor. As the match progresses, Cena is getting more heel heat. Lots of near falls. During the match, Edge and Orton talk as if they are going to team up. They work over HBK. Edge and Orton put HBK into a double boston crab. Cena came out of nowhere to make the save.
Edge feels the five knuckle shuffle. Edge and Orton ram Cena into the barricade, but then HBK rams Orton into the ring post. Edge was going to piledrive Orton through the announce table, but Edge hits HBK with a chair. Edge then hits Orton with a chair. Back in the ring, STFU by Cena on Edge. Edge makes it to the ropes. STFU by Cena on Orton. HBK comes in and clears house. HBK goes to the top rope and drops the elbow on Cena, and then calls for the sweet chin music. Edge broke it up. Edge drops the elbow on Edge. Cena blocked an elbow attempt by HBK on Orton. RKO on HBK, but Cena made the save. Impaler by Edge on Cena, but he kicked out. Edge spears RKO, but runs into a FU, followed by sweet chin music. All four are on the mat, and the referee makes the three count. He declares Cena the winner, and retains the title.
Winner and STILL WWE Champion, John Cena
