Backlash (2004) - Aftermath

Aftermath

On the April 19 edition of Raw, General Manager Eric Bischoff scheduled a World Heavyweight Championship match between Chris Benoit and Shawn Michaels for the May 3 edition of Raw. On the same night, an impromptu team of Benoit and Edge defeated Evolution (Ric Flair and Batista) for the World Tag Team Championship, making Benoit a double champion. Two weeks later on Raw, Benoit retained the World Heavyweight title in a scheduled match against Shawn Michaels, after interference by Triple H. On the May 10 edition of Raw, an encounter match between Shelton Benjamin and Triple H, resulted in Michaels attacking Triple H. Michaels actions resulted in a suspension from Eric Bischoff. Prior to Raw that night, Bischoff informed Triple H that he would face Benoit for the World title the following week on Raw. The following week, Benoit defeated Triple H to retain the World Heavyweight Championship. Also that night, a Battle Royal took place, in which the winner would go on to face Benoit at Bad Blood for the World title. During the match, Triple H, one of the participants in the match, was eliminated by Michaels, who was not a participant in the match.

On the May 24 edition of Raw, Bischoff lifted Michaels suspension, after Triple H pleaded that Michaels be reinstated. On the same night, Michaels confronted Bischoff wanting to know if he was scheduled in a match with Triple H at Bad Blood. Bischoff assured Michaels, but Triple H attacked Michaels from behind, after Michaels attacked Triple H outside the arena's parking lot. Bischoff gave orders to Raw superstars to attack Triple H and Michaels, if seen fighting. The roster tried breaking the fight up, but were unsuccessful in doing so. The result of the fight gave Bischoff the authority to schedule a Hell in a Cell match between Triple H and Michaels at Bad Blood. At Bad Blood, Triple H defeated Michaels by pinfall after executing two Pedigrees.

Following Backlash, Lita and Kane were put in angle, which involved Matt Hardy. It saw Hardy attack Kane to an attempt to prevent Kane from harming Lita. In the following weeks on Raw, Kane began repeatedly assaulting Hardy and attempting to seduce Lita. One incident saw Kane kayfabe kidnap Lita and hold her tied up backstage, where he supposedly asked her a "question." Later that night, Kane won a number one contenders Battle Royal match, in which he received a title shot at Bad Blood. At Bad Blood, Benoit was successful in defending the World Heavyweight title, after he pinned Kane with a roll-up.

During a match between Christian and Chris Jericho, Christian defeated Jericho after interference by Tyson Tomko; Tomko was revealed to be the "problem solver" for Christian and Trish Stratus. The following weeks on Raw, Tomko assaulted Jericho, until the May 10 edition of Raw, when Jericho defeated Christian in a Steel Cage match when he made Christian submit to the Walls of Jericho. As a result of the Steel Cage match, Christian suffered a legitimate back injury. After defeating Randy Orton and Batista in a tag team match, Tomko attacked Jericho, in which he powerbombed Jericho through the announcers table. On the June 7 edition of Raw, Bischoff booked a match at Bad Blood between Tomko and Jericho. At Bad Blood, Jericho pinned Tomko, after an Enzuigiri.