WWE Backlash 2008

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I thought was a perfectly acceptable ppv, but it didn't really excite me either.

 

That's how I felt. I think watching Show / Khali had something to do with it though.

 

Other thoughts:

 

- It's nice to see Hardy finally win the U.S. title, but I was hoping they would've waited until next month so MVP could've been the champ for an entire year.

 

- Batista should've won. but I'm glad to see Jericho's involvement didn't lead to anything.

 

- It was hilarious to see Randy Orton copying David Caruso (talking with his head turned to the side). I figured Randy was looking at the cue card guy since he probably couldn't remember his lines.

 

- The main event was longer than it should've been, but I don't mind HHH being WWE Champion as long as he doesn't hold the fucking belt until WM 25.

 

- JBL talking shit to Orton as he was trapped in the STFU was priceless.

[cheetoe 0]

Just got back from the show. I thought it was better than what some people are saying... could have just been the live "vibe" though.

 

Wrestlemania video package is great, Flair segment got nice ovation from the crowd.

 

The dark match between Miz/Morrison and Wang Chung should have been on the card instead of Show/Khali. Besides the boring chants, lots of people got up to go get food/drinks/piss. I was one of them... It was really horrible.

 

In a way it's gonna be sad to see the MVP/Hardy fued end. They work so well together. Every match between them has been entertaining. Good to see Hardy win. I like Jeff but i think Matt is the better wrestler of the two.

 

Michaels/Batista was really good. This was the first time I've seen HBK wrestle live. Money well spent in my opinion... The crowd was split, but HBK got more cheers/chants as the match progressed. Batista was booed pretty heavy at the end of the match. He s usually over pretty big here in Baltimore, so I was a little shocked.

 

Divas match was fun. The segment where everyone hit their finishers had some sketchy timing but hey... Melina is Hot. Mickie is Hot. Nattie Niedhart is kind of chubby. Bad girls are sexy. anyways...

 

Edge/Undertaker was slow to start off. Some people in my section were starting to grumble about it being boring. Lots of kids love 'Taker. I was told to shut up by a bunch of them when I tried to get a "Lets go Edge" chant started. If you heard it on TV it was me, my friend and a guy seated behind us, Everyone else cheered Undertaker. The last 7-8 minutes of this match was fantastic. Crowd was really into the ending. They cheered heavily when the strecher came out for Edge and continued as he was wheeled away. Brutal... lol.

 

Main event was great too. I read in an earlier post that the crowd cheered Cena when he came out but that's not really accurate. He was getting booed by what I would estimate was around 60 percent of the crowd, maybe more... It sounded pretty loud to me, so I dunno but the crowd was definitely split. Orton had some fans present, but the crowd was behind HHH bigtime. It was kind of funny when Cena was eliminated, there was a moment where everyone paused and did a double take. I think everyone is so conditioned to Cena winning that it was a shock when he was knocked out early. HHH and Orton really have great chemistry together I think. ( no gay jokes hah ) Crowd popped massive when HHH won and Orton hung around long after HHH walked up the ramp. Staggering at first then just wandering around the outside of the ring in shock/disgust.

 

I got pics but i was seated in the middle concourse at the back of the arena so they aren't like magazine quality. I'll reseize some and post em somewhere for you guys to see sometime tommorrow.

[PILLS! PILLS! PILLS! 0]

Just got back from the show. I thought it was better than what some people are saying... could have just been the live "vibe" though.

 

Did it hurt when the fireworks burned you?

[Guest]

My thoughts on the PPV

 

HHH winning the title is really not my favorite thing in the world, but hey, the guy hasn't held the belt for more than a day since 2005. That's quite a while for someone who's continually at the top of the card. I've got no problem with it. Don't know where Cena and JBL go from here, but we'll see about that one. I'd like it if they feuded with each other.

 

Taker over Edge is no surprise. The surprise is that he went over so convincingly. The ending should mean both guys are moving on...or not.

 

Shawn going over means that his program with Batista will continue. Good.

 

Didn't think WWE was going to put the US Title on Matt Hardy so quickly after returning from injury, but much like the other stuff, nothing wrong with it. I'd like to see MVP move on.

 

That's about all I can say. Nothing really big coming out of this show...even with the HHH victory. The important stuff on RAW looks to be with guys that weren't even booked like Regal and Kennedy. Which is good, I mean, I love Regal.

[Matt Young 0]

Just looked at some pics. After the separate brand PPV thing ended, WWE was still using blue ropes for former SD PPVs and red for former Raw shows, but that seemingly ended this year once they went red for all non-major shows. So why the fuck was Backlash, a former Raw show, featuring blue ropes?

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Sounds like it was a decent show. I was surprised to read Triple H won the title...like others, I don't have a huge problem with it. I was just sure Orton was going to retain. I will be curious to see where they go with this. Maybe a short feud with Regal or JBL, and then build to a Triple H/Cena match at Summerslam or something?

[Jaxxson Mayhem 0]

Foley did a great job announcing tonight and it made me look forward to seeing him weekly.

[AntiLeaf33 0]

Just looked at some pics. After the separate brand PPV thing ended, WWE was still using blue ropes for former SD PPVs and red for former Raw shows, but that seemingly ended this year once they went red for all non-major shows. So why the fuck was Backlash, a former Raw show, featuring blue ropes?

 

I'm not really sure why. The set was mostly red, though there was some blue on the Backlash logo on the ring apron, so I guess they wanted to co-ordinate the ring

[cabbageboy 0]

Maybe Orton's run finally erased the stigma of his 2004 debacle of a title reign, but just take a look at Orton's 2007 work alone in the first half of the year. Here was a guy who was playing 2nd fiddle to Edge and looking like a moron, was a non entity in the MITB at WM, jobbed at Backlash, lost clean to Edge to blowoff the Rated RKO storyline, and also lost to RVD in Van Dam's last serious WWE match (not counting that Santino thing). Pretty much all he did was beat up a 60 year old Dusty Rhodes and his boy to earn a title shot. It wasn't like he had a long win streak going into the Cena feud. Mostly he just kicked some people in the head and came up short in major matches.

 

Orton's dilemma is that WWE doesn't want to seriously put him over anyone. They kinda put him over Cena but it was never in a 1 on 1 match and Orton got nothing out of pinning Cena at WM. He may have beaten HHH for the title but it was HHH's third match of a PPV. He beat Michaels solely because HBK wasn't allowed to use his finisher.

 

To sum up, Orton isn't a good enough wrestler and he isn't compelling enough as a character on the mic to succeed with such wishy washy booking.

[Wrestlefreak 0]

First off, two things about the commentating last night. 1)LMAO at Lawler accidently saying "The atmosphere here is absolutely erect" 2) Mick Foley did a great job and his joke about Coach was really funny.

 

Now, As for the show itself, it was decent. Taker/Edge was great, but it didn't top their Mania match IMO. The finish was awesome.

 

The Fatal Four really picked up after Cena and JBL were eliminated. Orton should have retained, but at least Cena didn't go over.

 

I'm suprised HBK went clean over Batista, but it's a good way to continue an interesting feud.

 

Matt going over MVP was no great shock. Let's hope MVP moves on up now.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Fuck, MVP is gonna move to RAW and get jobbed out to HHH and Cena over the summer, isn't he?

[Atticus Chaos 0]

To sum up, Orton isn't a good enough wrestler and he isn't compelling enough as a character on the mic to succeed with such wishy washy booking.

 

Isn't a good enough wrestler? In the last year, he's contested terrific matches with Edge, RVD, Cena, HHH, HBK and Jeff Hardy. I remember him even making Hogan look half decent. He might have been jobbed out prior to his title run, but he looked damn good while doing it.

 

Anyone trying to claim Orton is a bad wrestler after years of top quality matches is, frankly, too blinded by their own hate to be objective.

[cheetoe 0]

Just got back from the show. I thought it was better than what some people are saying... could have just been the live "vibe" though.

 

Did it hurt when the fireworks burned you?

 

 

LOL! I think I was shielded from harm by all of the Undertaker signs the kids in the row in front of me had.

[Perfection 0]

To sum up, Orton isn't a good enough wrestler and he isn't compelling enough as a character on the mic to succeed with such wishy washy booking.

 

Isn't a good enough wrestler? In the last year, he's contested terrific matches with Edge, RVD, Cena, HHH, HBK and Jeff Hardy. I remember him even making Hogan look half decent. He might have been jobbed out prior to his title run, but he looked damn good while doing it.

 

Anyone trying to claim Orton is a bad wrestler after years of top quality matches is, frankly, too blinded by their own hate to be objective.

 

Agreed 1000%. I don't understand the orton hate at all.

[ANKLELOCK 0]

It's pretty much just from cabbageboy. the rest of us love Orton.

 

And I loved the way the Fourway was booked. Orton finally kicking Cena in the head and beating him fair and square, and HHH finally exacting revenge on Orton bringing his reign full circle. Great, climactic way to tie up the last year of storylines.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

The only problem I have with Hunter getting the belt back, is that if his reign is of any length, there's nothing new or compelling do with him. The only new feuds he can do are with JBL, and that doesn't exactly have a lot of promise, and Regal, and while the matches with Regal should be really good, it doesn't have a lot of life to it, and at best it's good for one 'B' PPV main event. Anything else he can do, he's already done.

[King Cucaracha 0]

Foley did a great job announcing tonight and it made me look forward to seeing him weekly.

 

Agreed. I thought Coach got a raw deal all around, but Foley was a real plus point on the show. Considering it was his first go around... well, second, I suppose... I thought he did a damn good job. The only slight problem was his timing at points, where he'd start a long analysis just as a big move was about to happen and had to cut himself off. But that should improve with time. He definately impressed me overall and I hope it works out long term.

 

I also really liked the ending to HBK/Batista, if it's going where I think it's going. That being, Michaels pulling a page out of Flair's book with a fake knee injury, Jericho calls him out on it (his facial expressions seemed to say he wasn't sure if he was buying that Michaels was really injured... and, really, why else would Jericho have been ref if not for that?), Batista is pissed, build to rematch.

[foleyfanforever88 0]

The only problem I have with Hunter getting the belt back, is that if his reign is of any length, there's nothing new or compelling do with him. The only new feuds he can do are with JBL, and that doesn't exactly have a lot of promise, and Regal, and while the matches with Regal should be really good, it doesn't have a lot of life to it, and at best it's good for one 'B' PPV main event. Anything else he can do, he's already done.

 

As bad of memories as it could bring back, Triple H vs. Jericho hasn't been done in a long time and could be really good, so long as Jericho gets a win or two.

[RepoMan 0]

I'm not against Tips having the title per say, but I think it was redicolous to have the title change one month after WM with no real build. That why I'm feeling 2003 style HHHate today.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

From the sounds of it, HHH was going to win the title at Mania, but they felt it was too predictable, so they held it off for another month.

[Lt. Al Giardello 0]

Fuck, MVP is gonna move to RAW and get jobbed out to HHH and Cena over the summer, isn't he?

 

I have the same fear...

[Hawk 34 0]

The only problem I have with Hunter getting the belt back, is that if his reign is of any length, there's nothing new or compelling do with him. The only new feuds he can do are with JBL, and that doesn't exactly have a lot of promise, and Regal, and while the matches with Regal should be really good, it doesn't have a lot of life to it, and at best it's good for one 'B' PPV main event. Anything else he can do, he's already done.

 

All the best options for Hunter aren't on Raw beyond JBL and a brief run with Regal. The one biggest and freshest option is something that is an absolute WM type feud and that's Edge. Cena is the money match and that could be done for 'Slam or saved for WM25. Outside of elevating the likes of MVP or Kennedy, they still have a possibility of giving Jeff another run but I wouldn't imagine they'd support a serious run for Jeff right away.

 

 

 

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Forgive me for asking, but why is Cena/HHH the money match? Didn't they do this already? I have almost no interest in the match, especially considering HHH's political history and what a high profile rematch usually means (the loser of the previous match getting his "win back").

[bob_barron 0]

They haven't wrestled in two years and they're the two most over people on RAW.

[Hunter's Torn Quad 0]

Forgive me for asking, but why is Cena/HHH the money match? Didn't they do this already? I have almost no interest in the match, especially considering HHH's political history and what a high profile rematch usually means (the loser of the previous match getting his "win back").

It's the money match because they're the two top stars of Raw. The first match was two years ago, so it's not like they went back to it right away. While a rematch usually means the loser of the first match getting his win back, that has very little bearing on whether it's going to be successful.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

This match you guys are talking about, would it be a face vs face straight up match or would someone have to be a heel for it? And if so, who?

[Hawk 34 0]

It would depend on what they are trying to accomplish. At this stage, it would likely be built as a face vs face match especially since no matter what, Hunter is going to be over and Cena will be boo'd. The key difference is that a purposely turned heel Cena might not achieve the same vitriol that he does as a face. Thus, very little should be done to either men for this potential encounter down the road.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Forgive me for asking, but why is Cena/HHH the money match? Didn't they do this already? I have almost no interest in the match, especially considering HHH's political history and what a high profile rematch usually means (the loser of the previous match getting his "win back").

Cena is Vince's boy, and is pretty much immune to any potential HHH political moves.

[Lil' Bitch 0]

I'm hoping once Cena / Helmsley II is in the works that they will finally allow Cena to go full-blown heel.

[cheetoe 0]

WWE Backlash pictures

 

Sorry about the wait. I tried to fix some of the blurry ones up. I have more but these seemed to be the best. Hope you guys enjoy.