Backlash (2006)

Backlash (2006) was the eighth annual Backlash professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). It took place on April 30, 2006, at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, and was presented exclusively through WWE's Raw brand during the first brand-split era. The event used the established Backlash concept: storylines and rivalries that developed from the consequences of WrestleMania, in this case WrestleMania 22. The card contained seven televised matches and was structured around three principal attractions. The headline match was a triple-threat contest for the WWE Championship involving reigning champion John Cena, Triple H, and Edge. Cena retained the championship by defeating both challengers. A second major attraction was a No Holds Barred tag-team match in which Shawn Michaels was paired with the symbolic figure of “God” against Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon. The McMahons won after a heavily manipulated and interference-filled contest. The third central match combined the WWE Intercontinental Championship with the Money in the Bank briefcase. Rob Van Dam defeated Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin, retaining the briefcase while also winning Benjamin's championship. Other matches continued several prominent Raw storylines. Mickie James defended the WWE Women's Championship against former champion Trish Stratus; the match ended in a disqualification after Stratus was attacked with a wristband, allowing James to retain because the title could change hands only by pinfall or submission. Umaga defeated Ric Flair, while Carlito defeated Chris Masters. A match between Big Show and Kane ended without a decision after an interruption tied to Kane's “May 19th” storyline. Backlash was commercially significant within WWE's 2006 pay-per-view schedule. It generated 273,000 pay-per-view buys, exceeding the comparable figure reported for the 2005 event. WWE's reported pay-per-view revenue for the event was US$19.9 million, below the US$21.6 million reported for the previous year's Backlash. A home-video edition released on May 30, 2006, reached second place on Billboard's recreational-sports DVD sales chart during the week of June 24, 2006. The event also marked a transition in WWE's presentation model. It was the last Backlash held as a Raw-exclusive event during the first brand split, because WWE discontinued brand-exclusive pay-per-views after WrestleMania 23 in 2007. When exclusive pay-per-views returned with the second brand split in 2016, Backlash was associated with SmackDown rather than Raw. Brand-exclusive pay-per-views were discontinued again after WrestleMania 34 in 2018. As an individual event, the 2006 edition is therefore best understood as a historical WWE live-entertainment property rather than an apparel or consumer-goods brand.

Backlash was established by WWE in 1999 as a pay-per-view concept dealing with the consequences of WrestleMania. The 2006 edition was the eighth event in the series and returned to an April date after the 2005 installment had been held in May. It was staged on April 30 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, and used WWE's first brand-split structure by presenting only performers from the Raw division. The event's main championship storyline involved John Cena, Triple H, and Edge. Cena had retained the WWE Championship against Triple H at WrestleMania 22, while Edge had previously used the Money in the Bank contract to win the title before losing it back to Cena at the 2006 Royal Rumble. Triple H then won the Road to WrestleMania Tournament to obtain a championship opportunity, while Edge argued that he deserved another chance based on his previous title history. A sequence of handicap and singles matches on Raw established the three-way championship contest. Cena ultimately retained the title through a roll-up pin over Triple H. A separate feud paired Shawn Michaels with the fictional or symbolic representation of God against Vince and Shane McMahon. The angle drew on the long-running dispute surrounding the 1997 Montreal Screwjob and on the McMahons' claim that Michaels's WrestleMania victory over Vince had occurred through divine intervention. Their No Holds Barred match included weapons, interference from the Spirit Squad, and an extended assault on Michaels before Vince pinned him. The women's championship program continued the rivalry between champion Mickie James and Trish Stratus. James had defeated Stratus at WrestleMania 22 and retained the championship at Backlash when the rematch ended by disqualification after she used a wristband against Stratus. Elsewhere, Umaga defeated Ric Flair, Carlito defeated Chris Masters, and the Big Show versus Kane bout ended in a no contest following the mysterious “May 19th” interruption associated with Kane's storyline. The event's winner-takes-all match produced one of its most consequential results. Rob Van Dam defeated Shelton Benjamin to become Intercontinental Champion while retaining the Money in the Bank briefcase. In the following weeks, Van Dam announced that he would cash in the contract at ECW One Night Stand. He was subsequently drafted to the revived ECW brand and defeated Cena for the WWE Championship at that event. WWE reported 273,000 pay-per-view buys for Backlash 2006. Its reported pay-per-view revenue was US$19.9 million, compared with US$21.6 million for the prior year's event. Sony Music Entertainment issued the DVD on May 30, 2006, and the release reached number two on Billboard's recreational-sports DVD sales chart. The 2006 show was the final Backlash to be Raw-exclusive during the first brand-split period. WWE ended brand-exclusive pay-per-views after WrestleMania 23, later revived the practice during the second brand split with Backlash associated with SmackDown, and discontinued the format again after WrestleMania 34.

• 2006

  Eighth Backlash event staged

  [1]Backlash (2006)en.wikipedia.org

  The eighth Backlash took place on April 30 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky, as a Raw-exclusive event.

• 2006

  Rob Van Dam captures Intercontinental Championship

  [1]Backlash (2006)en.wikipedia.org

  Van Dam defeated Shelton Benjamin while retaining the Money in the Bank briefcase.

• 2006

  DVD release

  [1]Backlash (2006)en.wikipedia.org

  The event's DVD was released on May 30 and later reached second place on Billboard's recreational-sports DVD chart.

• 1999

  Backlash series established

  [1]Backlash (2006)en.wikipedia.org

  WWE introduced Backlash as a pay-per-view event focused on the consequences of WrestleMania.

A post-WrestleMania WWE pay-per-view centered on revenge, fallout, and unresolved rivalries from the company's flagship event.

• Professional wrestling event · 2006

  Backlash 2006 pay-per-view

  A WWE pay-per-view broadcast and live arena event featuring seven scheduled matches, including three principal matches for the WWE Championship, the Intercontinental Championship and Money in the Bank briefcase, and a No Holds Barred tag-team contest.

• Home video · 2006

  Backlash 2006 DVD

  A home-video edition of the event released by Sony Music Entertainment on May 30, 2006. The release later peaked at number two on Billboard's recreational-sports DVD sales chart.

• 2006

  Final first-era Raw-exclusive BacklashStrategy

  Background

  The event was presented only with Raw-brand wrestlers during WWE's first brand split.

  Action taken

  WWE staged Backlash as a brand-exclusive pay-per-view.

  Aftermath

  Brand-exclusive pay-per-views were discontinued after WrestleMania 23 in 2007. When the format later returned, Backlash was associated with SmackDown rather than Raw.

  Source

1. 1Backlash (2006)en.wikipedia.org