Backlash (2003) - Event

Event

Before the event aired live on pay-per-view, Scott Steiner defeated Rico in a match on Sunday Night Heat, which aired on TNN. The first match of the event was a tag team match for the Tag Team Championship, between Los Guerreros (Eddie and Chavo Guerrero) and the reigning champions, Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas). The match began as Team Angle gained early advantage over Los Guerreros, after they performed a leapfrog stun gun on Eddie. After the double team, Benjamin and Haas prevented Eddie from tagging Chavo into the match for a period of time, but Chavo was eventually tagged into the match, where he gained the advantage over Haas. While Chavo was the legal wrestler in the match, Eddie illegally entered the ring and hit a frog splash on Haas, only for an unsuccessful pin attempt by Chavo. After the pin attempt, Eddie and Benjamin fought onto ringside, where Benjamin tripped Chavo, who was in the ring about to perform a suplex on Haas. The situation caused Haas to land on Chavo into a pin cover. Benjamin held Chavo's leg down, preventing him from kicking out, allowing Team Angle to retain the Tag Team Championship.

The second match of the event was Sean O'Haire (with Roddy Piper) versus Rikishi. O' Haire gained the early advantage, as he clotheslined Rikishi down to the ring mat. Soon afterwards, Rikishi was able to retaliate, as he attacked O'Haire in the ring corner, which led to a stink face attempt. The turn of events led to the attempted interference of Piper, who tried to hit Rikishi with a coconut. Rikishi, however, grabbed the coconut and broke it over Piper's head. The distraction allowed O' Haire to perform the Prophecy on Rikishi, into a pinfall. The next match was a Tag team match for the World Tag Team Championship between The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley) and the reigning champions, Kane and Rob Van Dam, with Chief Morley as the special guest referee. The match began with Kane and Van Dam in control of the match, after Kane performed a spinebuster on Bubba Ray. D-Von, though, gained the advantage after delivering a sidewalk slam onto Van Dam. Later in the match, Kane regained control, which proceeded into a chokeslam attempt on Bubba Ray. Morley, however, gave Kane a low blow. Afterwards, Lance Storm attempted to interfere in the match on Kane and Van Dam's behalf, to no avail, which proceeded with a 3-D from The Dudley Boyz onto Morley, thus knocking out the official of the match. The distraction by Morley and Storm allowed Kane to successfully deliver a chokeslam, followed by a Five-Star Frog Splash onto Bubba, into a pinfall officiated by a new referee. Therefore, Kane and Van Dam retained the World Tag Team Championship.

The fourth match of the event was for the Women's Championship, where Jazz, who was accompanied by Theodore Long, faced the reigning champion, Trish Stratus. As a part of the storyline, Stratus came into the match with injured ribs and was advised not to wrestle by doctors, but was forced to wrestle by Raw General Manager, Eric Bischoff. Both women wrestled a back and forth match, until Stratus gained the advantage over Jazz by performing Stratusfaction (springboard bulldog) on her. During the pin attempt, Long threw his shoe onto Stratus's head, causing the pin to be broken. The interference allowed Jazz to roll-up Stratus into a pinfall to become the new Women's Champion. The following match was The Big Show versus Rey Mysterio. Throughout the match, Mysterio used his quickness against The Big Show's size advantage, including performing three 619s on The Big Show. During the third 619, Mysterio attempted a West Coast Pop, yet, The Big Show was able to catch Mysterio in mid-air, reversing the move into a chokeslam and pinfall. After the match, Mysterio was placed on a stretcher by EMTs. The Big Show picked up the stretcher with Mysterio still on it and slammed it against the ring post, similar to swinging a baseball bat.

The sixth match was for the WWE Championship between John Cena and the reigning champion, Brock Lesnar. Lesnar gained the early advantage over Cena by performing a suplex and hitting Cena's head on the commentators' broadcast table. Cena, however, retaliated as he threw Lesnar into the steel ring steps, which caused him to bleed from the head. Lesnar then delivered a spinebuster onto Cena, regaining control of the match. After a spear from Lesnar which sent Cena into the ring corner, Cena attempted to push Lesnar into the referee to no avail. The distraction, however, allowed Cena to hit a low blow on Lesnar. Subsequently, Cena attempted to hit Lesnar with a steel chain, though, the referee confiscated the chain before he used it on Lesnar. The situation allowed Lesnar to perform the F-5 on Cena into pinfall to retain the WWE Championship.

The featured (and final) match on the undercard, was a six-man tag team match between the team of Triple H, Ric Flair, and Chris Jericho facing the team of Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, and Booker T. The team of Triple H took the early advantage, after Triple H illegally entered the ring and performed a Pedigree on Michaels. Michaels' team, however, took control of the match when Nash was tagged in and attacked all three opposers. As Nash wrestled Jericho, Booker T performed the scissors kick on Flair, which proceeded into Nash and Triple H brawling at ringside, Jericho and Booker T brawling at ringside, and Flair and Michaels wrestling in the ring. As Flair and Michaels wrestled, Flair was able to lock in the figure-four leg lock, while Jericho illegally entered the match and performed a Lionsault on Michaels, who was locked in the hold. Nash, who continued to brawl with Triple H at ringside, noticed the turn of events and entered the ring where he delivered a Jackknife Powerbomb on Jericho and threw Flair onto the referee. As the referee was knocked down, Triple H hit Nash with a sledgehammer and pinned him, earning the victory for himself, Flair, and Jericho.

The main event was Goldberg versus The Rock. Early into the match, The Rock taunted Goldberg at ringside to avoid wrestling him. As The Rock returned into the ring, Goldberg performed the Rock Bottom, The Rock's signature maneuver, on him, gaining the early advantage. Goldberg proceeded into hitting The Rock with a spear, but he dodged the spear, resulting in Goldberg hitting the steel ring post. The Rock took advantage over the situation, as he locked Goldberg in a sharpshooter. Goldberg broke the hold by grabbing the ring ropes and performed a successful spear on The Rock. The Rock, though, was able to perform a spinebuster, Rock Bottom, and People's Elbow on Goldberg into an unsuccessful pinfall attempt. Afterwards, Goldberg delivered two spears and a Jackhammer into a pinfall.