[crowd cheering]
[J.R.] Michaels is in no… He's in never-never land.
And Michaels is a bloody mess!
Triple H is desperate!
The sense of urgency is overwhelming…
…as this fight of honor has erupted!
Chris Benoit's 18-year odyssey has culminated
by winning the World's Heavyweight title
at WrestleMania!
[Benoit] And so it begins, again.
I've got lightning in a bottle.
[Triple H] No one steals my thunder.
[Benoit] I chased it for 18 years, and I'm not letting go.
A lifetime of sacrifice…
[Triple H] Gone in a flash.
[Benoit] …realized in an instant.
[Triple H] I create and destroy careers.
[Shawn] Lightning won't strike the same place twice, but I will.
[Triple H] And now, I will finish yours.
[Benoit] Lightning in a bottle. The power, the image.
[Triple H] Burned in my brain.
[Benoit] It fuels me, it walks beside me. It haunts my thoughts.
-[Triple H] A thunderclap. -[Benoit] A strike of intensity.
-[Shawn] A flash of immortality. -[Triple H] Lightning in a bottle.
-[Benoit] Tonight, I strike. -[Triple H] Tonight, I strike.
[Shawn] Tonight, I strike.
[Benoit] I've got lightning in a bottle.
[Shawn] And so it begins… again.
["Eyes Wired Shut" by Edgewater playing]
[narrator] And now RAW presents
WWE Backlash!
-[crowd cheering] -[fireworks popping]
♪ I've thrown away ♪
♪ I've thrown away again ♪
♪ The chance, the want to change ♪
♪ I've thrown away… ♪
[J.R.] Along with the thousands on hand here in the Rexall Place
in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada,
and a worldwide audience, we welcome you to Backlash.
I'm Jim Ross alongside Jerry "The King" Lawler.
And, King, it is an electrifying environment here tonight.
What a night this is. Chris Benoit's hometown,
and we hear him talking about lightning in a bottle.
Do you ever notice how success goes to a man's mouth?
Now that he's a champion, you can't shut him up.
But I think Triple H will shut him up tonight.
We are being joined tonight at ringside by our Spanish associates,
Carlos Cabrera and Hugo Savinovich.
[speaking in Spanish]
[Shelton Benjamin's theme song playing]
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first from Orangeburg, South Carolina,
weighing in at 248 pounds,
Shelton Benjamin.
[J.R.] He's an absolutely amazing young athlete
who's had jaw-dropping results
since being drafted here to RAW.
He beat Triple H, this Shelton Benjamin, King,
two weeks in a row.
-And who can say they've done that? -[King] Well, not many people.
But this kid says it.
He shouted it from the rooftops.
He's bragged about it. He's written emails,
he's been on television shows, radio,
and but tonight, it's gonna all come back to haunt him
'cause he's gonna get taken to school by Naitch.
[J.R.] Also, in addition to those two victories,
Shelton Benjamin was beaten down by Evolution.
He had 16 stitches, we are told, in his head.
-He wanted retaliation on Evolution. -[King] Look at this.
[J.R.] He got that retaliation on Ric Flair last week,
and Flair has demanded this one-on-one match here tonight.
[bell dinging]
[King] And I can't wait. Just look at him.
Isn't this amazing? This kid winning.
This Shelton Benjamin winning over Triple H is a bigger upset
than the Amazing Mets or…
Uh-oh. Are you ready to go to school, J.R.?
[crowd cheering]
Benjamin better be ready.
[Ric Flair theme music plays]
[announcer] And from Charlotte, North Carolina,
The Nature Boy, Ric Flair!
[J.R.] Arguably the greatest world champion in the history of our business.
A 16-time world champion,
who by the way, won his first major title,
the NWA Mid-Atlantic TV title, in 1975.
And King, that was the year that Shelton Benjamin was born.
[King] Oh, my God.
[J.R.] Well, how fitting is it that this happens here tonight?
[King] It's gonna be all about experience, J.R.
And man, right there, look at Ric Flair.
We should refer to him tonight as Professor Flair
because he is about to conduct…
Well, he's about to take this kid to school
and conduct a teaching session like you've never seen in your life.
There, he just taught that referee a little respect.
[J.R.] And that's a little head game for the referee, quite frankly.
[King] Why is that?
[J.R.] How many times does a wrestler demand that a referee separate the ropes?
[King] Look at this. I just saw it.
And now he demands that this-- I don't know who that nobody is.
Take care of that robe. Don't let that robe hit the ground.
Flair one half of the World Tag Team Champions,
along with Batista.
There's no lack of confidence in Shelton Benjamin…
[bell dinging]
But you've really gotta…
Shelton's gotta check his hold card here
because Flair is the dirtiest player in the game.
-[both exclaim] -[King] Wait a minute.
[J.R.] Single-leg takedown by Shelton Benjamin, and then he…
former All-American at the University of Minnesota.
Also a Junior College Wrestling All-American.
It's just you and me, brother.
[King] When I look at this Shelton Benjamin's face,
he's always got that silly smirk, that grin on his face.
Maybe he's just too stupid to be intimidated.
[J.R.] Nice fireman carry takeover by Shelton Benjamin.
[King] Does Benjamin not realize he's in the ring
with the World's Greatest Wrestler?
[J.R.] I'm sure that he does. And I'm sure that Shelton appreciates
and even respects Ric Flair.
[crowd booing]
-But Shelton also-- -[King groans]
[King] Where… where… where's the respect, J.R.?
[J.R.] When Ric Flair along with Evolution
put 16 stitches in this kid's head…
[King] This… Oh.
Here comes some respect right here.
[J.R.] There are the rights and lefts after that one knife edge.
Reversal of the Irish whip by Benjamin.
-What agility. -[King] What the heck?
[J.R.] Amazing agility and balance.
Flair's been in the ring with too many better pure athletes
than this young man is in Flair's illustrious and wonderful, long career.
[King] Look at this kid, he's jumping all over the place. What the heck?
-Stop him, Naitch. -[J.R.] Dropkick.
[J.R.] Ric putting this-- quicker than a hiccup is Shelton Benjamin.
And Benjamin clotheslining Flair over the top to the floor.
Benjamin has been a great athlete since he was old enough to remember.
All-State in three sports in high school in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
[King] Big deal, this kid's so young, how long has that been?
He's not had an illustrious career like The Nature Boy.
The Nature Boy has earned respect.
[J.R.] Back body drop on the outside.
[King] Shelton Benjamin's never done anything to,
to earn any respect from anybody.
[J.R.] Benjamin rolling back in to break the referee's 10-count.
I didn't say anything negative about Ric Flair's career.
I'm just going to tell you this:
Shelton Benjamin beat Triple H two weeks in a row.
[King] It was a fluke.
-[J.R.] He beat The Game, King. -[King] Two flukes!
[J.R.] That's your opinion. I don't agree with it.
[King] He's gonna make a career off that.
Well, we'll get things back in there.
Everything will be right with the world tonight.
-[laughs] There you go. -[J.R.] Thumb in the eye from the teacher.
And the pupil getting knocked down with a knife-edge chop.
[King] After Naitch finishes off this punk tonight,
-all will be right with the world. -[J.R.] There's no doubt in my mind
that Flair's gonna try to gain a measure of retribution
for his close friend, The Game.
And Shelton Benjamin,
slamming Flair right off the top turnbuckle.
And a knockdown. Boy, this kid is quick.
Resilient, quick, young, strong.
[King] And cocky. And arrogant.
[J.R.] I think he's very respectful, in my view.
And Flair continues holding on,
sensing that Benjamin would try to do something…
[King] Take your time, get your composure.
Everything's all right. You're in command.
Everything's going your way. Sorta.
Uh-oh.
[J.R.] Flair now has the opportunity.
Let's see if the 16-time champion can capitalize.
[King] Ric's just had a back spasm.
[J.R.] Flair looking for the Figure-Four.
Inside cradle by Shelton. And Shelton Benjamin….
[King exhales]
[J.R.] Oh, so quick, he got back on his feet, did Benjamin,
catching Flair with a clothesline, working it…
[King] Come on. Caution, Benjamin.
[referee] Come on, get him out.
-[King] Now look at this. -[crowd] One, two, three, four, five.
[J.R.] Straight right hands, aware of the referee's five-count.
And he doesn't want to be disqualified here.
Ric Flair, oh, man, kicking that knee.
Flair the master of the Figure-Four Leglock.
[crowd groans]
And Flair knows a variety of painful and torturous ways
-to damage a knee. -[King] Yes, he does.
Incapacitate those legs.
Get him all set up, finish him off with a Figure-Four.
That's Nature's game plan.
But first he wants to teach this kid some respect.
[J.R.] Benjamin's left knee
getting hammered there by "Nature Boy" Ric Flair.
[King] You were taught respect at a young age, weren't you, J.R.?
[J.R.] Absolutely. My daddy took me to the woodshed on many occasions.
[King] Finally, Shelton Benjamin is gonna be taken to the woodshed,
whatever that means, I don't know.
[J.R.] And Flair again focusing on that shin now, on the ankle.
-Again on the shin. -[Chioda] Are you giving up?
[J.R.] Flair may be thinking about that Figure-Four,
no doubt that's gonna be in Flair's game plan.
We've seen him beat so many greats of this business
using that Figure-Four Leglock to his advantage.
And now here again, taking advantage of the ropes.
[King] Take advantage, Ric. You know what would be great, J.R.?
Wouldn't it be great to see Shelton Benjamin back off tonight
to the Figure-Four? Wouldn't it? Admit it.
[J.R.] Doubt if I'd categorize it as being great.
-[King] Highlight of my night. -[J.R.] Certainly a distinct possibility.
[King] One of the highlights of my night.
[J.R.] I've seen a lot of greats submit to Flair's Figure-Four, don't get me wrong.
And Benjamin now having a hard time.
That certainly is smart strategy by Flair.
Takes the quickness, at least
a large degree of quickness away from Shelton.
-[King] Here we go! -[J.R.] Flair looking for the Figure-Four.
-[King] Get ready to tap. -[J.R.] And sets it in.
-Well, not quite. -{Jerry] He's got that leg.
-[J.R.] Shelton got it… -[King] There you go, he got it now.
He's got it now.
[J.R.] Flair had the Figure-Four set in, in the center of the ring.
[King] Look at that look of confidence on the face of Ric Flair.
He knows he's got this man.
-Tap! -[J.R.] And there's a count on it!
Ric Flair. No one has ever utilized a Figure-Four Leglock in their career
any better than "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, in my opinion.
And Flair has got Shelton Benjamin in the center of the ring…
[King] Benjamin, just tap. That's all you gotta do.
He's trying to do here, J.R.
[J.R.] Still trying to use his strength
to turn Flair over and reverse the Figure-Four.
-And he does! -[King] What?
[J.R.] And Flair now reverses it back, and Flair in the ropes.
Referee Mike Chioda calls to break, gets one.
But Shelton Benjamin holding that left knee.
[King] I don't think Flair even wanted to win.
He just wanted to inflict a little more pain,
a little more suffering and teach a little better lesson to this kid.
[J.R.] I think Flair would take a victory any way, any time
that he can get it in this match.
[King] He didn't want to cut this young man's education short.
[J.R.] Hard chop and a knockdown.
Flair hooking a near leg this time, and Shelton kicking out.
[King] This kid's on scholarship tonight.
[J.R.] You just want him to stay after school.
[King] He's gonna have to stay after school.
-[J.R.] Detention! -[King] He's on detention. Right.
Watch this.
[J.R.] Flair's thinking about something here.
He's not the dirtiest in the game for nothing.
[King] Professor Flair has just thought of something.
Yes, he has. Oh, yes!
[J.R.] Flair bringing a visual aid into the classroom.
[King] Just a little extracurricular education here.
-What's the referee doing? -[J.R.] What do you mean?
What'd you want him to bring in, a bazooka?
Shelton Benjamin standing toe-to-toe with the legendary Ric Flair.
[King] It was a teaching aid.
[J.R.] Shelton going downstairs. Right hands again.
Flair being knocked back in the corner. Flair right back to that knee.
You knew that was coming eventually, but it hit hard.
One too many whoos and the enzuigiri.
It caught Flair in mid-whoo.
-[King] Come on, Naitch. -[J.R.] Anybody's ballgame here now.
But Benjamin's gotta…
You gotta wonder how damaged that left knee is of Shelton Benjamin.
[King] All I'm wondering is how big the head of Shelton Benjamin would be
if he escapes this match with some sort of victory.
Naitch, you gotta put a stop to this punk.
-This should do it, right here. -[J.R.] Shelton back downstairs.
Caught a heel kick and knocked down Flair.
Got Flair right in the chest and knocking Flair off his feet,
did Shelton Benjamin.
[King] Can stop your heart, right in the sternum like that.
Come on, Naitch. He's up.
[J.R.] Flair in great shape. A veteran.
From Charlotte, North Carolina. A battle of the Carolinas here.
[King] Oh, this is the big one, no!
We're a long way from Tar-Heelia. And one hand.
Shelton Benjamin scoring with the rights and lefts now.
[King] Come on, Naitch!
-Whoa! -[J.R.] Flair. Great velocity.
Flair, splitting that apron.
He may have torn a groin there.
Handling that-- Threw Flair into that turnbuckle at great velocity.
[King] And, oh, no, this is not good.
[J.R.] Flair outside, back in, vertical suplex
from the youngster.
No!
-[J.R.] Shelton Benjamin still in his 20s. -[Ric] No, no!
-Don't let this fool you! -[King] Oh, no!
I told you. Didn't I tell you?
Oh! He is a mastermind.
[J.R.] One hard, thunderous chop,
and Flair again knocks down Shelton mid-way--
And again, Flair climbing to the top turnbuckle.
[King] Come on, Naitch, there you go.
[J.R.] Flair's got something in mind right-- Oh.
Don't know what it was, but it wasn't that.
Wait a minute. What… what's on Flair's hand?
[King] What was that?
[J.R.] King, I thought that was… that could've been brass knucks.
[King] No. Naitch doesn't need that kind of teaching aid.
-Look out! -[J.R.] Clothesline off the top.
-The cover, the hook! -[crowd] One, two, three.
Shelton Benjamin has just locked up Ric Flair!
[announcer] Here is your winner, Shelton Benjamin.
[King] Hold it.
[J.R.] Shelton Benjamin, after beating The Game two weeks in a row,
comes here tonight at Backlash
and defeats the legendary Ric Flair.
-[King] Can't believe what I'm seeing. -[J.R.] Are you a believer now?
[King] No, I… I…
I'm confused as to what had Ric distracted over there.
[J.R.] Flair's right hand.
Those are knucks.
Flair had a pair of brass knucks on his hand
as an act of desperation,
and Shelton Benjamin leaping halfway across the ring,
bottom line, Shelton Benjamin has come to Backlash
and has defeated Ric Flair.
[King] I can't believe it. This can't be. Look at his head.
It's just growing as we speak!
Randy, first of all, thanks for taking the time to do this interview.
Evolution not exactly getting off to a great start tonight.
Do you think that Ric Flair's loss to Shelton Benjamin
could be a bad omen for things to come in your match against Mick Foley?
Let me tell you something, Todd.
Shelton Benjamin comes over to RAW, he's been here a few weeks, big deal.
People act like it's the Second Coming or something. I mean, come on.
So what he's on a winning streak? What about my winning streak, Todd?
I'm the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion
in the last seven years. Seven years!
That's very impressive, if I do say so myself.
I've beaten legend after legend after legend.
Hell, I even beat Mick Foley himself at WrestleMania XX.
Still… still, Todd, no respect.
[sniffs] But, tonight…
[chuckles]
Tonight here at Backlash,
you see, it's gonna be different. I'm going to earn that respect.
Randy Orton is gonna deliver a beatdown to Mick Foley
or Cactus Jack, whoever decides to show up tonight.
I'm gonna deliver a beatdown
that causes Mick Foley to enter retirement
once and for all.
But aren't you a little scared of what Mick's gonna do to you?
-He says he's gonna bring a barbed-wire-- -Scared?
Todd, come on. Mick Foley can do whatever he wants.
He can talk about all the violence,
all the blood, all the brutality,
everything that he holds so dear to his heart.
I've seen the Xplosion matches over in Japan.
I've seen the cage matches right here on WWE.
I've seen all the sadistic things that he can do.
But there's one thing, Todd.
Randy Orton's gonna show Mick Foley
a side of him that he hasn't seen before.
Randy Orton's gonna show Mick Foley
a side of him that he'll never forget.
You see, Mick's like a dog.
He's like an old, sad…
[laughs] …toothless dog.
And what do you do to an old, sad, toothless dog, Todd?
You put him down.
You put him out of his misery.
And tonight, right here at Backlash,
that's just what I'm gonna do.
I'm gonna put Mick Foley down.
Out of his misery.
Once and for all.
[crowd booing]
[Jonathan Coachman's theme music plays]
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
From Wichita, Kansas, weighing in at 235 pounds,
Jonathan Coachman.
[J.R.] Well, Coach, seemingly has a great deal of confidence.
He looks to be in great shape, there's no doubt about it.
Can't take away Coach's athletic ability before he came to the WWE,
but in the last couple of weeks,
Coach's paths have crossed with Tajiri in some unique ways.
Yeah. Hey, Tajiri, what's up?
[Coach screaming]
[King] What did we call it, a little hazing incident?
Tajiri was getting welcomed to RAW
and spit that green stuff right in Coach's eyes.
[J.R.] And then two weeks ago, it was Coach that cost Tajiri
a victory against Christian.
[King] I don't know if he actually cost him a victory.
He did distract Tajiri.
-[referee] One, two, three. -[bell dinging]
[King] It don't take anything away from Christian.
'Course, Coach claimed the victory, didn't he?
[J.R.] Coach had the opportunity to get out of the situation last week
when he had Al Snow as a ninja. That didn't pay off.
-The match is here. It's now! -[Tajiri's theme music plays]
[announcer] And from Japan, weighing in at 206 pounds,
Tajiri.
[J.R.] One thing I can say is Tajiri, a very accomplished competitor.
Former Tag champion.
ECW Television Champion. NWA Light Heavyweight Champion.
Accomplished martial artist. His legs and feet are his strengths,
and his experience as far as in-ring competition.
[King] I like the Coach's headband. I thought that headband was stylish.
-You need to start wearing one. -[bell dinging]
Thought Coach would surely wrestle in it.
[J.R.] Coach has got to be aware also of that mist.
-[King] Did you see that? -[J.R.] Nice arm-break takedown by Coach.
He's been preparing.
[King] He's been training for this match
by watching The Three Stooges videos, I think.
Look at this, now watch this.
[J.R.] Waist lock. Coach reverses, surprised about that.
[King] Who's been teaching Coach these wrestling moves?
[J.R.] Coach is not a bad athlete, I'll tell you.
Heard about his collegiate career as a basketball player.
Very honored at McPherson.
That kick there…
That's what Coach has got to stay away from.
He can't get near Tajiri. Those kicks'll knot up your quads.
And that's exactly what Tajiri's trying to do here.
Whoa, almost kicked Coach's head off.
[King] That's what he tried to do there. Get away, Coach!
[J.R.] Coach trying to get some distance from Tajiri.
Oh. Uh-oh.
Tajiri aiming for Coach's head
but found the ring post instead,
and that might be a deciding or difference-making situation here.
[King] You did something good, Coach. Don't stand there and look astonished.
Capitalize on it. There you go.
[J.R.] Coach wrapping Tajiri's leg around the ring post.
Coach, the host of Sunday Night Heat
again working on that leg of Tajiri,
Tajiri aiming for Coach's head, struck the post.
Now Coach going for a cover.
Bad technique, quite frankly.
Coach the host of Sunday Night Heat. He's the Kevorkian of commentators.
He and Al Snow both.
[King] Now he'd like to put Tajiri out of his misery.
[J.R.] Not a bad strategy here to take Tajiri's legs from him.
[King] Oh, man.
[J.R.] And Coach dropping that weight right on that knee.
-The knee joint of Tajiri. -I tried to tell you.
-[King] You're shocked, aren't you? -[J.R.] I'm surprised.
[King] You're at a loss for words.
I thought this match would be over by now.
I thought Tajiri would've made such short work outta Coach.
[J.R.] Coach, what was that? Nice back heel trip.
-I'll tell you what, I'm-- -[King] Look at this!
-What? -[J.R.] Coach has got a legbreaker.
[King] Coach promised on Heat that he was gonna shock the world.
[J.R.] Coach with a submission move here.
-On the… -[Coach grunts]
On that damaged leg of Tajiri.
Tajiri trying to roll away from the pressure.
[King] There's a reversal. Coach is in a lot of trouble now.
[J.R.] Coach quickly gets to the ropes. That's not a bad thing to do…
condition that he's in.
[King] That's a veteran move, J.R.
Well, Coach, capitalize now. There you go.
If he were to make Tajiri tap out or submit,
you know how humiliating that would be to Tajiri's fellow countrymen?
[J.R.] Tajiri would lose great face.
[King] I know all about Japanese culture.
[J.R.] Do you?
[King] I watch all the Godzilla movies.
-[J.R.] Coach again! -[King] Oh, no, look out!
[J.R.] And Tajiri sunset flip.
Coach able to counter out of that.
[King] I'm shocked at Coach.
[J.R.] You got to believe that Tajiri's left leg is hurting him
more than he's wanting us to know. Or Coach to know, more specifically.
[King] Look at Coach going back to this move.
He is trying to make Tajiri tap out.
[J.R.] Coach desperately hanging on, getting the ropes for an unfair advantage.
[King] That is a veteran move.
Al Snow has obviously been coaching Coach.
Somebody has. Somebody somewhere.
[J.R.] Coach denying that he was using the ropes.
He hasn't changed that much.
[Coach] Ask him. Ask!
[King] So, mixed martial arts lite.
-[J.R.] Submission move. -[King] Easy now.
[J.R.] Tajiri kicking the middle of the back, the spine
-or even those kidneys. -[King] Oh, right in the nose!
-[J.R.] Right in the face. -[King] Coach's nose!
[J.R.] Coach does not like his face touched.
[King] No, he doesn't.
[J.R.] Fancies himself as a very handsome young man.
-[Doan] Two! -[King] He's no Randy Orton, now.
[Doan] Three!
[King] Nose is swelling as we speak. Look at it.
[J.R.] Coach pulls himself back up.
Tajiri still trying to navigate back to a vertical base here.
Finally does.
Coach catches Tajiri coming in. Got a size advantage here.
-[King] Coach, stay focused. -[J.R.] Right back on that leg.
That's not bad strategy, whether you like Coach or you don't.
[King] This may be bad strategy.
[J.R.] He just about fell outta the ring, but that's another story.
[King] I don't know if this is a wise move, Coach.
[J.R.] Coach's ground attack was working. I don't know about this.
[King] He's high risk. He's a high-flying coach now.
[both groan]
He just fell faster than Martha Stewart's stock.
[J.R.] I hope he's wearing a cup.
And Tajiri with a right hand.
And now Coach in a very precarious position here.
[King] Yes, he is.
[J.R.] Tajiri hammering.
Just embarrassed Coach is tied up to the Tree of Woe, upside down.
[King] Ohh! Oh, my gosh!
[J.R.] Golly, what a shot to the back of the head was that.
Baseball slide kick.
-And now Tajiri with a cover. -[Doan] One, two…
And Coach again grabbing the ropes.
[King] Can we see that? Better yet, let's listen to it.
-[loud thud] -Oh, my God!
[J.R.] Coach's head bounced right off the turnbuckle.
[King] I'm surprised that Coach
-is still functioning. -[J.R.] A thumb to the eye.
Coach must've watched Ric Flair moments ago.
Got that thumb right into Tajiri's eye.
Oh, uh, Tajiri with a handspring elbow catching Coach.
[King] He should've watched some of Tajiri's matches.
[J.R.] Tajiri again with that low dropkick.
Tajiri trying to get the feeling, circulation back in that knee.
[King] I feel sorry for Coach if Tajiri does get to 100%.
-[J.R.] Shots. -[King] Time to make Tajiri…
-[referee] Hey, hey, hey! -…kick Coach like a buzzsaw.
[J.R.] The Japanese buzzsaw, Tajiri.
-Forcing Coach back in the corner. -[King] Oh, no.
[J.R.] Coach trying to get a T-bone here.
And almost stole it, did Coach.
[King] Did he win? He thinks he's won!
-Coach, he thinks he's won. -[crowd booing]
[J.R.] Coach hoped he had won, but he did not.
Good officiating by Jack Doan.
[King] Can't believe the referee saw his feet on the rope.
-[J.R.] Uh-oh, look out. -[King] Oh, no, look at this!
[J.R.] Jonathan Coachman finds himself in the Tarantula.
-Tarantula. -[King] The look on Coach's face.
That's pain personified right there.
[J.R.] He screamed like a pig under a gate when he got mist.
Hey, wait a minute.
What the hell is Garrison Cade doing out here?
-[Doan] Two, three! -[King] What?
-[bell dinging] -[J.R.] Come on!
[King] Oh, no!
[announcer] Here is your winner, Jonathan Coachman!
-[King] Coach is on a winning streak. -[J.R.] I don't believe this.
[King] Look!
[J.R.] Shelton Benjamin upsetting Ric Flair
was one thing, but this is…
-This is… -[King] You're calling it?
[J.R.] The sky has fallen here.
[King] Coach promised a victory on Heat.
Coach just delivered.
[J.R.] Coach has promised a lot of things he hasn't delivered on.
[King] Let's see this and listen one more time. This kick.
Slow motion.
Coach's head bouncing off,
but then let's check out how this match was won.
[J.R.] This match was won because the referee had his back turned…
dealing with the Coach and Garrison Cade.
Bang, that big right hand
right to the face of an unsuspecting Tajiri.
-Your next one's right here. -[J.R.] Coach wins it.
With the help of Garrison Cade.
Ladies and gentlemen, our main event tonight.
The Final Encounter with Triple Threat rules,
with the world title on the line.
[King] Oh, yes, there you see it.
HBK, The Showstopper, Chris Benoit and Triple H.
They're gonna get it on for the biggest prize in the world.
[J.R.] And ladies and gentlemen, earlier tonight on Heat,
Triple H arrived here in Edmonton.
And no doubt that Triple H would love to ruin the champion's homecoming
and once again become the World's Heavyweight Champion.
A very focused champion.
But, ladies and gentlemen, coming up next,
a handicap match, Chris Jericho vs. Christian and Trish,
and this is a tragic story of true love gone bad,
betrayal and perhaps retribution for Chris Jericho.
Trish, there's something I want to ask you.
I just wanted to know, maybe at some time, if you'd like to go out and grab a bite,
-or just… -So, are you asking me on a date?
Yeah, I guess I am asking you on a date, Trish.
Well, I would love to go on a date with you.
[Shawn] I can't stop thinking about you, night and day.
All the time. I can't stop thinking about you, no matter what I do.
I don't want that to stop.
Where the hell is your head?
[Christian] Trish ruined our friendship!
-[Jericho] She sunk her claws in. -[Christian] Ruined our friendship.
So I had to take matters into my own hands.
I did this for you.
[J.R.] At WrestleMania XX was one of the darkest days
of Chris Jericho's career.
[Christian] At WrestleMania,
I'm going to knock some damn sense into your head.
And you will never…
ever…
be the same again!
Jericho, I got the girl.
You see, Trish, she wants a man.
Someone a little rough. A man.
[Trish] You never appreciated me.
You never appreciated this.
I'm a three-time Babe of the Year.
You're not even in my league.
Wasn't Babe a talking pig?
I'm not in your league?
I'm Chris Jericho! I'm a sexy beast, baby!
I'm gonna get Chris back for what he said.
Backlash is gonna be
Chris Jericho vs. Christian and Trish Stratus
-in a handicap match. -[Trish] What?
I'm gonna do the work. I'm gonna beat Jericho's ass.
And when the time is right, I'm gonna tag you in,
and all you have to do is cover him.
One, two, three.
[Jericho] I have to congratulate Christian and Trish Stratus.
At WrestleMania, they humiliated me.
At the biggest event in the history of this company, they got me.
I haven't forgotten. I'm gonna have my revenge.
I'm gonna get you two.
Chris Jericho vs. the creepy little bastard,
and the filthy, dirty,
disgusting, brutal,
bottom-feeding trash-bag hoe.
[Christian] Trish wants a man.
And that's something you should try being sometime, Chris.
-[Trish] We humiliated you. -[Christian] We embarrassed Chris.
[Christian] And you will never be the same again!
Believe me, Backlash is going to be the worst night of Jericho's life.
-[Christian and Trish's theme music plays] -[King] I can't wait for this one.
There they are.
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following is a handicap match scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first from Toronto, Canada,
the team of Christian and Trish Stratus.
[King] They may be the hottest couple in the world. Much hotter than…
Jessica Simpson and who… Nick… Whatever his name is.
-[J.R.] Lachey. -[King] Bless you.
[J.R.] They're vicious and delicious.
Or so the cover of the RAW magazine says.
Christian, an eight-time Tag champion.
Nine-time champion. He's held four different titles here at WWE.
And this young lady… I am so disappointed in her.
-[King] What? -[J.R.] Oh, I just…
I thought she was always a real nice young woman.
[King] Oh, everything about her is nice.
-[J.R.] You ever look beyond cleavage? -[King] Those are nice.
[J.R.] I know those are nice.
Have you never seen a woman's breasts before?
-[King] I'm talking about her eyes. -[J.R.] What's wrong with you?
[King] How could you not look at Trish Stratus?
-[J.R.] No hard feelings… -[King] She's beautiful.
[J.R.] You don't even know if she has teeth.
[Chris Jericho's theme song playing]
[crowd cheering]
[announcer] And a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada,
weighing in at 230 pounds,
Chris Jericho!
[King] And I do know about Chris' feet.
[J.R.] Jericho the first person in WWE history
to hold five different titles in this organization.
At one time known as Corazon de Leon
in 1993, in Mexico, meaning "the heart of a lion."
[King] And he was the first ever Undisputed Champion in the WWE.
I give him that.
He's just a loser with women, that's all.
[J.R.] This is not about a championship,
it's about pride and dignity.
And we know the game plan is quite simple for Christian and Trish.
Christian says he'll keep Jericho down
-while Trish kicks him. -[King] That's so vile.
You want me to tell you about her feet? They're small.
-[King] Why? -[J.R.] Nothing grows in the shade.
[King] There you go.
You know about Trish. You know more about her than I thought.
[J.R.] Game plan is simple for Christian.
He's gonna take Jericho down, or so he says,
enabling Trish to cover Jericho and make a pin.
[King] Humiliation. That's what this match is all about.
As if Jericho hasn't been humiliated enough already.
[J.R.] At one time, Christian and Jericho were the best of friends.
[King] Until Jericho started hitting on Trish.
Did you hear those wimpy…
He had the worst pickup lines I've ever heard in my life.
-[crowd booing] -No wonder she didn't fall for them.
-[J.R.] Here we go. -[bell dinging]
Ref Chad Patton calls for the bell.
[King gasps]
[J.R.] Righthand knockdown by Chris.
-Oh, look at the Jezebel run! -[King] Stay away from Chris.
[J.R.] Trish is legally in this match.
[King] And Jericho would love to get his hands on her.
-In more ways than one. -[J.R.] So would you.
And Jericho high-back body drop on Christian.
[King] I'm not legally in the match.
[J.R.] This match is not starting off very Christian-like.
[crowd chanting]
Right hand by Jericho.
-This crowd begins a… -[King] Look at this crowd.
What a disrespectful chant.
[J.R.] Who you think they're referring to?
-[King] I hope not Chris… -[J.R.] Bingo.
[Jericho grunts]
[J.R.] Look at this, standing vertical suplex by Jericho.
Tell you now, this 'un may end quicker than nought
at this pace.
[King] What's that? Look at this. Jericho is still trying to impress Trish.
He's still trying to show off for her, that's all he's trying to do.
-But get a grip. -[J.R.] Oh, Jericho!
Turned his back on Christian, and that's a bad mistake,
a mistake that Jericho usually does not make.
[King] The problem with Jericho is he's still smitten with Trish.
[J.R.] I think I got that. I think we all got that.
-[J.R.] Nice move there. -[King] Oh, look out.
[J.R.] Christian using that full head of steam…
and Jericho used it against his adversary.
And Trish looks like she just saw her life flash before her eyes.
Springboard dropkick by Jericho, kicking Christian to the outside.
[King] If Christian got incapacitated, Trish would have
to somehow finish this match. She doesn't want that to happen.
[J.R.] I think we'll be sunburned in Edmonton
before Christian tags in Trish, that's what I think.
[crowd chanting]
[King] Look at Trish!
Get away, get away, Trish.
[J.R.] Christian trying to sneak in the backdoor.
Jericho, too smart for her and too smart for Christian.
Jericho will never forget WrestleMania XX,
the biggest stage of them all,
where he was humiliated to the nth degree.
[King] With the entire world watching.
[J.R.] These two adversaries in the ring.
Jericho with that reverse elbow off the top.
Nice move, hook to the far leg,
but Christian kicks out at one.
[King] Jericho brought this all on himself.
-Remember the bet, J.R.? -[J.R.] Yep, for one Canadian dollar.
[King] That was Jericho's idea.
[J.R.] That as ill-conceived, no doubt about that.
-[King gasps] -[crowd cheering]
[King] Did he hit her?
-[J.R.] His back did. -[King] Did Jericho strike Trish?
[J.R.] His back hit her front.
Jericho hung up on that top rope.
And Christian again with a head of steam, this time finds his mark.
-[King] There you go. -[J.R.] Driving Jericho off the apron.
[King] Can we see it one more time?
I want to see if Jericho actually struck Trish.
Watch this. I think he did this intentionally.
-That was definitely intentional. -[J.R.] How the hell do you figure that?
[King] Like one of those backhanded elbow things.
[J.R.] Terrible that she was--
uh-oh-- looking to deliver, and in any event, it doesn't matter
because Christian is in full control right here at this point in time.
Christian a very accomplished competitor, we can't take that away from the CLB,
but be that as it may.
[King] "Caring, Loving Boyfriend," that's what that stands for.
-For Trish. -[J.R.] Nine-time Tag champion,
that's a very impressive accomplishment.
[King] She's so proud of her man. Turn this way.
[crowd booing loudly]
-[J.R.] Tag in. -[King] Here's the tag!
She's gutsy.
[J.R.] A tag made with Jericho in trouble.
[King] Business is about to pick up.
[J.R.] Look at those slaps.
[King] What's she doing?
[J.R.] The referee's got to get Christian out of the ring at some point.
[King] Come on, baby, do your stuff.
-She likes it rough, you know, J.R. -[J.R.] Yeah, sure.
[King] She's about to get rough with Jericho.
-[J.R.] Chin kick by Trish. -[King] Beautiful. Man, that was great.
This is humiliation.
This has got to be so embarrassing for Jericho.
-Hey, wait a minute. -[J.R.] Hold it.
Trish quickly makes the tag.
Very quickly makes the tag.
Christian back in. Christian adding a little insult to the injury.
[King] It's a slap fest.
Chris started it, Chris is gonna finish it.
[J.R.] Reverse chin lock with the right knee close to the spine.
Jericho grounded here by Christian.
[King] What was that we saw earlier?
What was that original pick-up line that Jericho used on Trish?
It was so corny.
What'd he ask her? What's your sign or something?
-[J.R.] I don't know. -[crowd chanting]
[King] I'll tell you what it is,
Trish is an earth sign, and Jericho is a water sign.
Together, they would've made mud.
That's why she got with Christian.
[J.R.] This crowd getting behind Chris Jericho,
who's trying to fight back into it,
but cut off offensively by Christian.
-Look out here. -[King] This is bad.
[J.R.] Jericho may be looking for the Walls of Jericho…
Jericho's head inadvertently
run into below the belt there on Christian.
[King] Look at Trish. Trish is concerned.
She should be.
Lean over a little more, Trish. Be a little more concerned.
Oh, no.
-[referee] Two. -[King] Oh, there you go.
Real concerned.
[J.R.] Puts you on the first row of the choir, that low blow,
and now Christian's got a chance to make a tag in. What if she won't?
[King] She's got a boo-boo.
[J.R.] The roll-over.
Jericho almost got it.
Jericho got a near fall there.
Jericho now trying to build some momentum
and runs right through Christian.
-[King] Come on, Christian. -[J.R.] Jericho with the shoulder block.
-[J.R.] And Jericho… -[King] Oh, no!
[J.R.] Hard takedown.
That may be it there.
And this time, it's a long two-count.
[King] Trish is getting hot. I don't blame her.
[J.R.] Thanks for keeping us updated on that.
The Trish Update provided by Jerry Lawler.
-Look out here. -[King] Here we go. This could be it.
[J.R.] Look at that Unprettier with Christian.
Northern Lights suplex by Jericho.
-And Jericho got a near fall. -[King whistles] That was close.
[J.R.] Nicely done suplex by Chris Jericho.
Heart shot.
[King] Look out, Trish!
[J.R.] Oh, on the outside.
Trish slapped Jericho.
The end may be near now.
Oh, my gosh. What impact, that's gotta be it.
-[King] Let Trish cover him! -[J.R.] And Jericho kicked out.
Christian may still be reeling from that low blow, I'm not sure,
but in any event, Jericho's tenacity pulled him out of that predicament.
[King] Christian looks like he's getting a little flustered here.
Keep your cool, Christian.
[J.R.] Boy, he's a sleazy-looking rascal, isn't he?
[King] What do you mean, sleazy? I'm sure Trish don't think so.
[J.R.] Quick right hand knocking Jericho back to the canvas.
[King] That's what it takes to get a chick like Trish.
Maybe we should get a sleazy look.
-Look at this. -[J.R.] Trish in here illegally.
-Uh-oh. -[King] Oh, no!
-[J.R.] Trish in the ring now. -[King] Don't you hit her!
-[J.R.] She's in the match! -[King] No!
[J.R.] She's in there illegally right now.
What's Jericho gonna do with this woman?
[King] He's breaking, that's what he's doing.
-[J.R.] You wish. -[King] He wishes.
-[J.R.] Wait a minute. King, look. -[King] No!
[J.R.] Jericho is giving Trish a spanking.
[King] Taking her to the woodshed.
-[J.R.] A little old-fashioned discipline. -[King] Uh-oh, here we go.
[J.R.] Christian now gonna seize the moment.
[King] There's some discipline for you.
[J.R.] The Unprettier, it is absolutely over.
That's the game plan, Trish'll make the cover.
-[King] This is Christian's plan. -[J.R.] Oh, Jericho.
[King] What? I love that plan.
[J.R.] Christian tagged himself back in.
Hook for the leg.
Jericho kicks out again.
Not enough body weight for Trish on that first pinning predicament.
[King] Back to the drawing board now.
[J.R.] Jericho gets a new lease on life here if he can capitalize.
And Trish back in.
[King] That was intentional for sure.
[J.R.] Absolutely intentional. She brought it on herself, did Trish.
-Coming in the ring illegally. -[King] They're all down.
-[crowd counting] -[King] Wait a minute--
[J.R.] Referee's counting the two men who are legal.
-[crowd] Three! -[King] Poor Trish.
[crowd] Four!
Look at this. You see that?
I'll be right back. I think Trish needs some mouth-to-mouth.
-Let me go down there. -[J.R.] Referee's got the…
-Sit down, will you? -[King] She needs mouth-to-mouth.
-Or at least a massage. -[J.R.] Referee's up to eight.
Both men are up now at nine.
Right hands.
Oh, man. This is where it counts. Wait.
Jericho again running right through with Christian with that forearm.
[King] Is Trish all right?
-[J.R.] Go look at her. Go check on her. -[King] You told me to stay here.
Come on. Oh, no.
-[J.R.] Lying across that second rope. -[King] Oh, no. Look at Christian.
You're in trouble now. Jericho building up steam.
[J.R.] Jericho driving his body right into Christian.
-And now, that modified Bulldog. -[King] Oh, no!
He went into the mat like a lawn dart.
But still with the wherewithal to bring those knees up.
The Lionsault well scouted.
[King] Oh, no, she is hurt. I gotta go.
-I gotta go help her. -[J.R.] Sit down!
-[King] She needs medical attention. -[J.R.] You're not a doctor.
She doesn't need a veterinarian.
[King] I play one on TV sometimes.
Watch this Cloverleaf attempt here.
Submission move by Christian,
in this Texas Cloverleaf submission move.
[King] That's locked in. I think this is gonna be very humiliating.
Jericho's gonna have to tap out in front of not only Trish but…
[J.R.] Jericho may be tapping in a heartbeat here.
Jericho trying to reverse the pressure.
[King] Put the pressure on, Christian!
[J.R.] Jericho turning on his back here.
Inside cradle-- no, no, no.
-Jericho looking for the-- -[King] Here's Trish.
[J.R.] Trish again interfering.
Trish in the Walls of Jericho.
-[King] Help her! -[J.R.] And Christian with the roll-up.
To the count of three? No, not three.
It is not three. It's a two and a half.
Christian again looking for that Unprettier.
Jericho again looking for the Walls of Jericho.
And Jericho-- Christian catapulted right into Trish in the corner.
Running enzuigiri.
Running enzuigiri by Jericho.
-And three, it's over. -[bell dinging]
[announcer] Here is your winner, Chris Jericho.
[King] I can't believe the three-time Babe of the Year got blasted.
[J.R.] A young man with the heart of a lion, Chris Jericho.
At least with a measure of retribution here tonight
winning this handicap match
at Backlash against Christian and Trish.
[King] I can't believe it.
Not one of these matches has gone the way I thought they would.
What's happening here?
[J.R.] Well, it's Backlash, and anything can happen on RAW,
on a RAW pay-per-view.
[King] And Trish was up there, holding her precious little back,
and then she got blasted right in the face.
And then this. Ohh!
[J.R.] Running enzuigiri.
[crowd] One, two, three!
I'm sure Jericho feels better about himself, as far as I'm concerned,
winning this handicap match against Christian and Trish.
[King] But he's still a loser with the chicks.
[mouthing]
-[J.R.] Oh, I know what Trish is saying. -[King] I like to read her lips.
-[J.R.] Well, I think… -[King] I like to read in bed too.
[J.R.] Jericho surveying his damage.
At Backlash, Chris Jericho was successful in this Handicap match.
Hi, Gail Kim. You'll sign my magazine?
[screaming]
[both screaming]
Eugene, this is the girl's locker room. You can't be in here.
[all screaming]
Get out! Get out!
No, no, no. You'll go blind. Come on, dear boy, come on.
Ladies, I'm dreadfully sorry.
Look at that! I-I'm joking--
Oh, my goodness!
-Get out of here! -Pervert!
[Victoria's theme music plays]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the WWE Women's Championship.
Introducing first from Los Angeles, California,
she is the Women's Champion, Victoria.
[King] Oh, she's all woman, J.R.
[J.R.] No doubt about that.
One of the most popular WWE Women's Champions we've had in a long time.
And I think before it's all said and done,
this young lady is really gonna make her mark,
here on RAW and here in the WWE game.
[King] Oh, she is hot.
[Lita's theme song plays]
[King] Here's another crowd favorite, J.R.
Oh, yeah.
[announcer] Introducing the challenger, from Sanford, North Carolina,
Lita.
[J.R.] Lita won Battle Royal on RAW two weeks ago
and earned tonight's championship opportunity.
It's gonna be interesting to see how the fans go here in this match.
As you alluded to, two very popular Divas
competing for the Women's title here in this match tonight.
[King] The Women's Championship is at stake, and like you said,
there's no reason to dislike either one of these hot Divas.
[J.R.] Lita and Victoria are both making their in-ring Backlash debut.
[King] That's what it's all about right there.
[J.R.] Lita was the champion in 2000.
For a time, the Women's Champion.
[bell dinging]
It's been four years since she held the Women's title,
looking to regain the gold.
I think both these young ladies, I don't know how they are personally,
but… Nice takedown by Lita.
[King] I know you'd like to get to know 'em personally.
[J.R.] I'm a very happily married man, I'll have you know.
-[King] In love with your wife, is it? -That's another story.
-[King] You like polka dots, J.R.? -[J.R.] Usually.
[King] Check out that ring attire that Victoria's wearing.
[J.R.] You're a real… You notice all these…
-You like subtleties. -[King] You like lime green?
Actually, those aren't polka dots, I think those are holes in the attire.
-Don't you think? -[J.R.] I don't have my glasses on.
I can't hardly see. But side headlock, I can see that.
Side headlock by Victoria.
Uniquely using that left arm as a…
-Taking a nice little takeover on Lita. -One, two…
Lita started her career wrestling in Mexico.
She used a lucha libre style.
She's also pretty darn versed in martial arts
submission maneuvers.
[referee] One, two… She's up.
-[J.R.] On her back here. -[referee] One, two… She's up.
[J.R.] Victoria trying to…
Spinning combination, nice trick by Lita.
Bridging up. Arm-drag takedown.
[King] I am certainly a connoisseur of fine-looking women,
and they're two of the finest right there in the WWE.
I'm not gonna take anything away from both.
These girls have great wrestling ability.
-[J.R.] They're athletes. -[King] It's fun to see them…
It's fun to see them go at it for the Women's title.
[J.R.] They're great athletes, there's no doubt about that.
-Certainly-- -[King] Whoa! Look at this.
This is not good.
[J.R.] Certainly goes without saying, they're great athletes,
enough to be on RAW and here on Backlash.
[King] Victoria might have fell right on the back of her head.
[J.R.] Victoria getting--
Still getting her faculties to get back in the ring, as does Lita.
Lita out of action not that long ago with a serious neck injury.
She's completely healed from that.
[King] Look at… Did you just notice that
on Lita's outfit, is that a little hanky she's got hanging
off her posterior there, J.R.?
-[J.R.] Looks like a hanky. -[King] That's nice.
[J.R.] Nice backslide.
Victoria with the backslide, and Lita rolls out of it.
[King] Does Lita still wear the thong?
-[referee] One, two… -[J.R.] Lita with the cover.
Tell me how I, as J.R., would know if Lita still wears a thong?
[King] I don't know, you know every detail there is to know about everything.
You even remember what Michael Jackson used to look like.
-[referee] One, two… -[King] Look at this.
-[referee] One, two… -[J.R.] A winning combination.
-[referee] One, two… -[King] And counter, another counter.
-[referee] One, two… -[J.R.] These counters.
[King] Amazing!
-[referee] One, two… -[J.R.] Victoria trying to slide out.
Trying to get those shoulders off the canvas.
Lita held her down for a two-count.
And Victoria might be a little stronger than Lita.
[King] She muscled Lita right up there. Look at her arms. Look at the physique.
[exclaims] Look at her go.
-[J.R.] Standing moonsault by Victoria. -[referee] One, two…
[J.R.] What a great athletic move.
[King] That moonsault was something Lita made famous here in the WWE.
That might ruffle some feathers there for Victoria to use Lita's…
[J.R.] Starting the reverse chin-lock, surfboard-like maneuverer by Victoria.
-[referee] Stay up. -[King] I kinda like what happened with
Victoria's body right before she went into that…
that move there. Almost like she went into a trance.
Her body started shaking, and vibrating, and gyrating.
Do you like that, J.R.?
[J.R.] I'll tell you what we're seeing.
That suplex takeover and a cover.
She's not battery-operated, you know.
She's a human being. She's excited. This is for the Women's title.
Victoria is the Women's Champion.
[King] That why she started shaking like that?
[King] Watch this. You know what's coming here, go ahead, call it.
If this works, this could do it. Man, that's beautiful.
[J.R.] And a strength submission move here.
[King] That is a thing of beauty. It's a beautiful maneuver.
[J.R.] Hurt's her thorax.
[Lita groaning]
[J.R.] Lita being tortured here by Victoria,
but has thus far, anyway, has been a very,
hard-fought yet scientific match-up.
[King] It's very, very physical. Lita may have underestimated
the ability that Victoria has… possesses here.
-[King] Look at this reversal. -[J.R.] Lita countered.
And Lita now with a clothesline.
Lita getting up a head of steam here.
One-legged monkey flip by Lita.
And another clothesline on Victoria,
who's in trouble. And so is our championship.
Scoop slam.
And Lita driving the elbow right in the face of the champion.
Going for three and going for the title.
But got a near fall, did Lita, the challenger.
[King] Just two. But Lita's got the momentum right now.
[J.R.] Snaps to it. And a quick up by Lita.
And again Victoria finds herself in that hip scissors counter.
[King] Lita's got that thing down to a science.
-[J.R.] Off the center of the ropes. -[King] Uh-oh, sleeper.
-This could do it. -[J.R.] Lita with the sleeper on Victoria.
[crowd] Lita! Victoria!
[J.R.] Crowd really split between cheering for Lita and Victoria.
[King] Try to use that on some of my dates.
[referee] You stay up?
[King] Got her in a reverse chin lock. Now what?
[J.R.] Great submission move. Look at that.
Lita trying to crick the neck of Victoria.
[King] Things are really getting interesting now.
[J.R.] Victoria desperately tries to get to the ropes here.
[referee] One, two, three!
[J.R.] That'll do it. Her neck's hurting. Victoria's neck is twisted there.
[King] There a torqued neck…
-Is there a thong anywhere in sight? -[J.R.] I think the referee's aware of it.
-I do hear that. -[King] That is scary.
Look out!
[referee] One, two…
-[J.R.] Lita kicks out. -[crowd booing]
[King] Look at the look on Victoria's face.
I think Victoria thought she had this match won at that point.
Lita in a lot of trouble here, obviously.
-I can't hear you! -[crowd cheering]
[J.R.] Victoria going up.
[crowd groans]
Victoria with a moonsault.
[King] Lita was able to get out of the way at the last second.
[J.R.] I don't think Victoria got nearly as much as she wanted.
There's a roll-up. This should…
Victoria's strong. Physically strong.
[King] I'm not getting as much of this match as I want.
Modified Twist of Fate there by Lita, the hook on her leg.
[King] Victoria got a-- See that.
See if Lita was able to get out of the way of this moonsault.
Just at the last second.
[J.R.] Not what Victoria had envisioned
when she took the high risk.
And Victoria trying to counter Lita,
trying to use her strength advantage
here on Lita, but Lita counters with nice technique.
-The inside cradle. -[referee] One, two…
-[King] Get her! -[bell dinging]
[J.R.] And Victoria wins it with an inside cradle.
[announcer] Here is your winner and still
the WWE Women's Champion, Victoria!
[King] What a great match.
[J.R.] Certainly a hard-fought match.
[King] No losers in that match, actually.
-[J.R.] Hey, wait a minute. -[King] Wait a minute. Look at this.
[J.R.] Good God. What's the meaning of this?
-Molly Holly and Gail Kim… -[bell dinging]
When both these women are fatigued and just…
-[King] Oh, man! -[J.R.] Goodness gracious.
Both Lita and Victoria--
after a very competitive match now--
being woman-handled by
the former champion and the bald woman in that wig, Molly Holly.
[King] How do you know that's a wig?
She's bald!
call 'em the crazy kids.
[J.R.] I don't understand this. What's the motivation for this?
[crowd booing]
[King] They're trying to send some sort of message.
I think they accomplished what they set out to do.
[J.R.] Use email!
[King] That's a realistic-looking wig.
-[Molly] Not gonna forget about this. -[King] Even got artificial dandruff.
The championship is mine.
[J.R.] Oh, there's what it's all about, right there.
Well, your hair's gone and so is your championship.
You want to win it back, get a match. That was uncalled for.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, we are just moments away
from the Intercontinental Championship match-up, and King,
I wonder if this is really about
winning or losing the Intercontinental Title,
or is it about survival
for Randy Orton?
Well, I know what you think about Randy Orton.
He's not high on your list,
but to me Randy Orton is the next superstar
of the entire World Wrestling industry here.
I mean, this guy is something special.
And tonight Mick Foley's gonna try to put an end to Randy Orton.
[J.R.] Randy Orton is a very arrogant and conceited young man.
-[King] See, listen to you. -[J.R.] But very talented.
It is Slobberknocker time for young Master Orton.
[Orton] Reality check, Mick.
I'm the Intercontinental Champion.
I'm only 23 years old.
Mick, I haven't even reached my prime yet.
And look at you, you're fat,
disgusting.
You're all broken down, you're a glory hound,
and you're blinded, Mick, by your own ego
as to the fact that your time is over.
If I have to beat it into your skull, Mick Foley,
in the year 2000, sure you might have been the Hardcore legend,
but right now,
you're just Randy Orton's bitch.
[Mick] Randy Orton, you want a piece of me so bad, then we do it on my terms.
One-on-one, Evolution banned from ringside,
Intercontinental title up for grabs.
No rules, no-holds-barred, anything goes.
Will you become the Hardcore legend at Backlash,
or will you always be a sniveling, no-guts, little wimp?
Yes or no, Randy?
What's it gonna be?
Yes.
[Mick] I've always found the world of hardcore
really had nothing to do chairs.
It had nothing to really do with tables,
garbage cans, cookie sheets.
The name "Hardcore" signified
that I love the fans enough to put
my body through unimaginable pain.
Even when I had the chance to take part in some barbaric matches,
deep down in my heart,
I rested with the comfort that I was doing it out of love.
And I swore I'd never go back.
But in trying to recapture the passion that I thought I lacked
at WrestleMania, I went back and looked at the tapes.
And it wasn't the barbed wire,
it wasn't the tacks that caught my eye,
it was my eye.
And it was there that said deep down,
maybe there was a little part of me
that didn't mind inflicting that type of damage.
Deep down, I heard the screams, the suffering, the agony.
Maybe deep down, I even loved it.
[echoing] All coming all together now.
Randy Orton, these are honorable men.
They never spit in my face.
They never took cheap-shot,
triple-team efforts to send me to the hospital.
But the fact is,
when I had the chance, I wrapped the arm in barbed wire,
and I tore them apart.
So, if I were you,
I'd be asking myself a simple question,
that question would be, "Then what the hell is this man
going to do to me at Backlash
knowing full well he hates my guts?"
The answer, Randy Orton, is simple.
I'm gonna tear you apart.
I'm gonna take Barbie,
and I'm gonna…
And I'm gonna teach you what it means
to be hardcore.
I'm gonna tear,
I'm gonna go hard,
and I'm going to…
…love it.
[Randy Orton's theme song plays]
[King] There he is.
There's the man.
[J.R.] Take a good look at his face.
You may never see it in this condition again.
[King] That makes you happy, doesn't it?
[J.R.] It does not.
-[King] Look at this. -[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following is a no-holds-barred,
falls-count-anywhere match,
and it is for the Intercontinental Championship.
Introducing first, from St. Louis, Missouri,
weighing in at 255 pounds,
he is the Intercontinental Champion,
Randy Orton!
[J.R.] Randy Orton is making his Backlash debut
in what I am sure will be a night that Randy Orton will never forget
as long as he is in this business--
perhaps as long as this young man lives.
Because I think that Randy Orton
may be in store for a restaurant-quality beating
here tonight at Backlash.
[King] He is a handsome young man.
He is model material.
It would certainly be a shame to have a face like that disfigured.
[J.R.] Randy Orton, Intercontinental Champion.
With gold on the line. you got to wonder
what price Orton is willing to pay
to retain his championship here tonight.
[King] You gotta remember what happened in WrestleMania, J.R.
[Mick Foley theme music plays]
[King] Listen to this. Sounds like a car wreck.
[announcer] Introducing the challenger,
from Long Island, New York.
Mick Foley!
[J.R.] And Mick Foley is in Cactus Jack attire.
[King] That's scary.
[J.R.] Wait, he's carrying Barbie.
I never thought Cactus Jack would play with Barbie.
But Barbie is that baseball bat
that's got barbed wire around it.
[King exclaims]
[King] Orton's barbed wire went ragged.
[J.R.] Randy Orton's barbed wire came unraveled.
-Here we go. -[King] Has it started already?
This is not right. Oh, look out.
[J.R.] I don't know whether to call him Mick Foley or Cactus Jack.
We may be calling him the next Intercontinental Champion.
-My God! -[King] He's a creep. He's sick.
And demented.
[J.R.] Baseball bat entwined by barbed wire.
And down goes the cameraman.
-[King] Look out. -[J.R.] Oh, God, a drop-toe hold by Orton.
[King] Thank goodness.
[J.R.] Foley face bounces right off the steel steps.
-[yelling] -[King] Oh, now he's got Barbie.
[crowd booing]
[J.R.] I can see Orton playing with Barbie.
And now Foley and Orton fighting over this barbed wire here.
[King] Watch your hands. Be careful with your hands.
The test of will is…
[J.R.] Almost in the face of Randy Orton, that barbed wire.
[King] Oh, Lord.
…that grip of Foley's.
[crowd chanting] Foley! Foley! Foley!
[King] All these fans… Oh, no.
[J.R.] The first ever Hardcore Champion, Mick Foley,
with a right hand on…
[King exclaims]
[King] Oh, baby.
[J.R.] That'd kill some brain cells, I tell ya.
[King] There aren't many left up there to begin with.
[J.R.] Foley couldn't get his hands up to protect himself.
Taken two shots to the head.
And a third one. Foley is in trouble.
Big time trouble. Remember, there's no disqualifications,
there are no count-outs, falls count anywhere,
in this no-holds-barred match.
Got to put up out of desperation,
right in the face of the Intercontinental Champion.
-[King] Oh, no. -[J.R.] Now it's out.
Randy Orton likes the feel of a trashcan wrapped around his skull.
[King] This is gonna be ugly. This is gonna be like a horror movie.
Gonna be worse than Freddy vs. Jason.
-Get up, Randy. -[J.R.] This Cactus Jack manifestation
that Foley can conjure up
is a sick and sadistic individual
with no conscience.
[King] There he goes. Talk about sick and sadistic,
that's what this barbed wire-covered bat is.
[J.R.] Put a kick right to the face with those leopard-skin boots,
Vintage Cactus Jack now.
Ticking away at the Intercontinental Champion now.
Foley today weighed in at 272,
his lowest weight since 1989.
Oh, downstairs again.
Foley finding his mark in a running knee lift.
Wrestling too with that million-dollar knee
by Foley, almost beheading the champion.
And a leg drop
right in the face, a cover. The champion in trouble.
And Foley got a near fall.
[King] So you got nothing better to do than go around asking
Mick Foley how much he weighs?
Why don't you ask him what he's planning
on doing to poor Randy Orton in this match?
[J.R.] As a matter of fact, I did.
And we're seeing it.
[King] Right, he wants to torture Randy. He wants to disfigure Randy.
[J.R.] We're seeing exactly what we thought we were going to see coming in.
-And it is… -[King] Oh, no!
[J.R.] As they say, you haven't seen nothing yet.
Oh, look at that. Foley wants to…
[King] Here's a disfigured face for you.
It's disfigured from being in matches like this.
[J.R.] Swinging neck break from outside.
[King] This is not what Randy Orton needs this early in his career.
[J.R.] Orton, really, I think would want to get this over early,
as early as possible to avoid
the contact… Wait a minute.
Cactus Jack.
[King] Get down from there, you broken-down old dog!
[J.R.] Orton on the floor. Orton trying to scurry away.
And you can't blame him for that.
[King] Come on, Randy, you got to put this dog to sleep.
[J.R.] The audacity of Orton calling Foley a toothless old dog earlier tonight.
[King] There's a little smile on his face.
He's lost so many teeth, it looks like this tongue's in jail.
Here we go.
-[King laughs] -[J.R.] Oh, my God.
Mick Foley just got suplexed.
The back of his head ricocheting off this steel rampway.
However, falls count anywhere and a counter.
Referee's here only to count the pin fall. That's it.
Falls count anywhere. Can't be disqualified.
You need to be counted out.
The backslide by the champ.
Pinning predicament. Foley able to roll off and kick out at two.
[King] Come on, Randy. Save your face.
You gotta save face, literally.
-[loud thud] -[King exclaims]
Can you feel it, J.R.?
[J.R.] On the cover now. The cover here.
The sickening thud of that man's skull.
-Listen to this. -[loud thud]
[King] Wow, it vibrates right through our bodies,
throughout the body of everybody in this arena here in Edmonton.
[J.R.] Got floored by Randy Orton.
Foley, Cactus Jack…
He may be concussed here.
Wouldn't be the first time. Whoa, again.
The challenger bouncing, his head bouncing off the steps.
[King] When are you gonna get off Randy Orton's bandwagon?
You got to hand it to this kid. He is a true legend today.
Just think-- look back at all the legends he's done in.
-And now he's fixin' to have this one. -[J.R.] Now he's got Barbie.
Orton's got that baseball bat…
Foley's trying to keep that barbed wire out of his face.
[King] Foley sacrificing his hands in favor of his face.
[J.R.] Orton trying to pull that barbed wire across the face and the eyes
of Cactus Jack.
[King] Pull, Randy, pull.
[J.R.] No disqualification. Low blow is legal.
[King] You had to throw that in there. Had to define low blow.
Everything that Cactus Jack wants to do in this match is legal.
[J.R.] And everything Orton wants to do is legal.
[King] All Orton wants to do is just win. Oh, no!
[J.R.] Socko.
[King] Not that stinkin', nasty, filthy,
rotten, disgusting Socko.
-You don't know where that sock has been. -[J.R.] I just saw.
And a Mandible Claw might be forthcoming.
-If that is… -[King] Oh, no.
[crowd cheering]
[J.R.] Wait a minute. Cactus a little psychotic here.
[King] No, he's trying to make a decision.
Socko or Barbie. His two favorite playthings.
[crowd boos]
[crowd cheers]
He's gonna let the crowd make the decision?
They don't know what they want for lunch!
-[J.R.] It's gonna be Barbie, King. -[King] Oh, no.
Yeah, whatever'll do the most damage.
[J.R.] Orton finally just back up.
[King exclaims]
[J.R.] A barbed-wire bat right in the face of the Intercontinental Champion.
[King] Right into that handsome, GQ-cover face.
Oh, no, this is awful.
-He's been disfigured. -[J.R.] The current is flowing
on the face of the Intercontinental Champion.
[King] Not again.
[J.R.] Cactus Jack driving that baseball bat
wrapped in barbed wire again in the skull,
into the face of this kid.
[King] This is a travesty. There goes his modeling career.
He'd have been on the cover of every magazine…
[J.R.] He's gonna be on the cover of Disfigurement Weekly,
if Cactus Jack has his way.
Look at the blood flowing on the Intercontinental Champion.
[King] Oh, this is horrible, Randy Orton's gonna wind up,
God forbid, looking like Mick Foley.
Come on, Randy.
[J.R.] Orton beaten back in the corner. Great right hands.
[King] Can't the referee do something about this?
How is he allowing this beating?
-[crowd cheering] -[King] Bang-bang.
[J.R.] Bang-bang indeed.
Both barrels of Mankind.
Cactus Jack ramming his knees
right in the face of the bloody Intercontinental Champion.
-And this really… -[King] Wait a minute, that's enough.
Take that bat, that barbed wire-covered bat…
You said he was sadistic, J.R.,
but I didn't know Cactus Jack was this bad.
[J.R.] Sick and sadistic with no conscience.
-Again? -[crowd booing]
Look at that. Come on, that's torture.
Pain and torture…
-[King] Look at the flesh on his face! -…that's befallen Randy Orton.
[J.R.] And Orton with a look of pure fear.
-[crowd exclaims] -[King] Oh, God.
[J.R. exclaiming]
[King] If Randy were to see himself in the mirror right now,
he'd go into shock.
[Mick grunting]
[J.R.] The end is near.
The end has got to be near for the Intercontinental Champion.
[King] That's enough with that bat.
-[crowd gasps] -Oh, my God. No!
[King exclaims]
[crowd booing]
[J.R.] I don't think we can describe what we just saw.
[King] He's not only sick, he's perverted.
He's trying to disfigure Randy Orton downstairs.
This is terrible.
[crowd cheering]
[J.R.] And this crowd cheering for him.
[King] And listen to this sick, sadistic crowd.
They're actually cheering something like that.
[King] Now what's going through that warped mind?
[J.R.] Cactus Jack doing a lot of things.
[King] Oh, look, that's poor little Randy's barbed wire.
[J.R.] Now what?
[crowd cheering]
-[King] What! -[J.R.] A gasoline can.
-[King] What in the name… Gasoline can? -[J.R.] I'll tell you what…
[King] Referee, you got to step in.
[referee] What are you doing?
[J.R.] Mike's got him. This is…
[King] Wait a minute, he's got a lighter too.
[J.R.] This is not…
Somebody should stop this.
Match or not, no-holds-barred, my ass.
[Eric] Foley!
[crowd booing]
Cactus Jack, whatever the hell you call yourself.
You go ahead, you light that.
And not only will you lose this match,
but the Fire Marshall will shut this show down.
Every one of these 15,000 people
will go home and millions of people around the world
will not see the end of Backlash.
So whatchoo gonna do?
-[J.R.] He's right. -[crowd booing]
-[King] No, you can't. -[J.R.] Mick, don't do it.
-[King] You've gotta… -[J.R.] Listen to reason here.
Listen to reason, Mick.
-Thank goodness. -[crowd booing]
The smell of that gasoline
is reeking throughout the arena.
[King] Well, I can't believe that finally Cactus Jack, Mick Foley,
did the right thing for once. Oh, no!
[J.R.] This has got to be over.
Cactus Jack not even going for the cover.
This is… it's obvious here
what's on the mind of this incarnation of Mick Foley.
[King] Look, he doesn't want to win the match, J.R.
He's not going for any cover. Oh, my God.
All he wants to do…
[J.R.] What in the hell is that?
[King] …maim and disfigure and even dismember Randy Orton.
What is that?
[J.R.] Well, that's a heck of a lot of barbed wire, I'll tell ya.
[King] Can you imagine if Randy Orton's beautiful body ever hit that?
[crowd chanting] Holy shit!
[J.R.] My sentiments exactly.
[King] Randy, get out of there. Randy's not even seen that contraption.
Randy, you got to save your career. Save your body.
Just don't give up the title. You gotta get…
[J.R.] Orton almost blinded by his own blood here.
-And hard right hands from Cactus Jack. -[King] No, no.
[J.R.] The barbed wire lying in the ring.
[King exclaims]
-[King] What about that? -[J.R.] Foley got one.
Oh, my God, body slam!
On the bed of barbed wire.
Cactus Jack body-slammed on a bed of barbed wire.
[King] Oh, my God.
[crowd chanting]
[King] That finally put a smile back on the face of Randy Orton.
[J.R.] Orton quickly going for the cover. And Cactus Jack kicks out.
[King] It's gonna take more, Randy.
I hope Randy doesn't get a glimpse of his own bloody, mangled face.
[J.R.] Orton said he was gonna show us a side of himself
that we've never seen before.
-[King] Here it comes. -[J.R.] That's starting to manifest here.
[King] Be careful with that thing. Might cut you.
Now what's he gonna do? Oh, no.
[J.R.] What?
[King] Trying to get it out of the ring.
[J.R.] I don't think so.
I don't think Orton's trying to get it out of the ring.
He's positioning that barbed wire in the corner.
[King] Well, who brought it in the ring?
Look at Cactus Jack, his arms are bleeding.
His back is bleeding.
His neck is bleeding.
[J.R.] Cactus Jack setting down that base, trying to hold himself in the corner.
[King] Throw him.
Oh, no!
[J.R.] Orton reverses Cactus.
Cactus' flesh is hanging from that barbed wire.
[King] Oh, man, he went in there face-first.
[J.R.] Man, this is not for the weak at heart, I'll tell you that.
[crowd chanting]
[King] Oh, in the face and the arm.
What you gonna do now, Cactus Jack?
This was your sick idea.
You reap what you sow.
[J.R.] No-holds-barred.
Both men knew the consequences
coming in, but I never in my wildest dreams
believed it would get this extreme.
[crowd chanting] Foley!
-[King] Look at Randy Orton's face. -[J.R.] Now what?
Orton brought this out to the ring.
[King] What is that?
[J.R.] Bag of something. Who knows at this stage?
[King] What is it?
-[crowd exclaiming] -[J.R.] Oh, my God.
-King, look, thumbtacks. -[King] Thumbtacks!
[J.R.] Thousands of thumbtacks.
-[King] My God. -[J.R.] Thousands of thumbtacks
have just been poured in the ring.
Well, first, the barbed wire.
And now those damned thumbtacks.
[King] Maybe those damned thumbtacks…
This is…
This is what… Cactus Jack has bragged about,
being thrown into thumbtacks before.
Wonder if he's ever been RKO'd into it.
[crowd chanting] Foley!
Here it comes!
-[J.R.] Oh, my God! -[King] Oh, my God!
-Oh, my God. -[J.R.] The thumbtacks.
In the back of the champion.
-He looks like a human pincushion. -[King] Oh, my God.
Randy!
[J.R.] How much pain can this kid be in right now?
[King] Look at his arm! Look at his back.
-Oh, no! -[J.R.] Oh, my God.
The cover. We got two.
[crowd exclaims]
[King] How can he kick out of that?
[J.R.] That's a great question.
I'll tell you what, Randy Orton, I didn't think he'd kick out.
I didn't think he was tough enough to kick out, but he is.
[King] We're gonna need a surgeon.
Look at Randy Orton, I feel so sorry for him.
Look at his face. Look at his back.
[J.R.] God, those thumbtacks, they're all in the ring…
They're in this kid's arms, his back, look at that, his hands…
-[King] Somebody help him! -[J.R.] In his fingers.
[King] Somebody help!
[J.R.] Oh, my God.
[King] Wait, look out, Randy.
This is enough. This is just brutal, J.R.
[J.R.] I can't disagree with that.
Look at this. Where the hell they going?
[King] Stop, stand down.
I hope it's over, thank goodness.
[J.R.] Trying to get a camera back there.
[King] I think we've seen enough. I just wish…
I just witnessed the passion of Randy Orton. It was awful.
-[J.R.] Wait a minute. It's not over. -[King] They're bringing them back.
[J.R.] It's not over. Right hands by Foley. Look at him.
[King] Oh, my God. Oh no!
[crowd cheering]
[J.R.] Mick Foley, Cactus Jack,
just sent Randy Orton for a death ride.
Bang-bang!
-[King] Oh, it's over. -[J.R.] Sick and twisted.
This one is getting way, way outta hand.
Way outta hand.
[King] Thank God the referee is calling to stop this thing.
[J.R.] EMTs coming out.
Trainers coming out.
[King] He's been pierced and punctured.
-[J.R.] Good God Almighty. -[King] Is he alive?
Look at this. Oh, my God.
[J.R.] Whammo, onto those thumbtacks in his back.
Orton wanted to be an alleged killer.
[King] Look how sadistic this man is.
This man does not belong in our profession, J.R.
He does not belong in our business.
He is sick, twisted, warped and…
I don't have words to describe him. Look at poor Randy Orton.
[J.R.] I'm not gonna condone all the action that we've seen
by Cactus Jack,
but you gotta admit to a certain degree
-he was provoked… -[King] Oh, yeah, provoked, my ass.
Look at him. He's… He is proud of what he's done.
Look at him. Look at him.
-[J.R.] Good grief, that's-- -[King] He's striking the referees.
[J.R.] I don't condone that at all, either.
[King screams] Oh, my God.
[J.R.] For the love of God, the elbow off the stage,
deep into the heart of the Intercontinental Champion.
We are witnessing a human demolition derby.
[crowd] Holy shit!
[King] I can't even believe it. Look at this again. Look at this idiot.
He'll sacrifice himself
to put an end to poor Randy Orton.
[J.R.] Falls count anywhere. It could end right here.
[King] What do you mean falls? This is it. It could be over.
Just give up, Randy. Don't go any further.
[J.R.] Orton's still got a back full of thumbtacks.
-And the cover. -[crowd] One, two, three!
[J.R.] Oh, my God. Orton's up on three. I don't know how he did it.
-[King] What? Randy! -[crowd booing]
This is superhuman, J.R.
You saw the blood.
[referee] He got it up, man! In two!
[J.R.] Cactus Jack saying it was three.
But indeed it was not three.
[King] Cactus Jack's gotta be wondering now, what is it gonna take?
What more could you possibly dream up in that twisted, warped mind of yours?
[J.R.] After throwing Orton off the stage,
and just prior to that, thumbtacks,
-almost fire… -[King] I shouldn't say that.
And I know this idiot's got something else on his mind.
Look at those thumbtacks still stuck in the back of Randy Orton.
His arms, his back, his hands.
[J.R.] I think you made a very accurate assessment.
Cactus Jack has gotta be thinkin' "What do I have to do
to beat Randy Orton here tonight?"
He's still got a back full of thumbtacks.
[King] I feel so sorry for Randy.
When the light hits him just right,
I swear I think I see a halo over his head.
[crowd chanting] ECW!
[King] His beautiful body has been disfigured and his face, maimed.
All because of Foley or Cactus Jack or whatever
you want to call that warped individual.
[J.R.] Intercontinental Champion Orton can barely stand.
-[King] Not again, please. -[J.R.] Don't do it.
Pin him outside, Cactus.
[King] Referee, you gotta somehow step in.
[J.R.] The threat of gasoline, the use of barbed wire,
now thumbtacks, what in God's name can be next?
[King] He wants to put him in the thumbtacks again.
[J.R.] Oh, double-arm DDT.
A double-arm DDT on the champion.
The cover and we…
Foley is absolutely, without a doubt, frustrated.
[King] Frustrated? He's gotta be in shock, if he can be in shock.
J.R., can you believe, can you believe the endurance of this Randy Orton?
[J.R.] No, I can't.
[King] Can you believe what he's withstood, what he's endured?
[J.R.] We're seeing as he said a different side of Randy Orton here tonight.
[King] Now look at that sick Mick Foley. There's no quit in him either.
[J.R.] Foley's breathing, he's fighting.
We all know that.
[King] Somebody get those-- Oh, what was that?
Is that Barbie? Yes, Barbie! Holy God!
Barbie came home.
[J.R.] Foley got hit with that barbed-wire bat.
[King] I hope it ripped his nose off.
Oh, wait a minute, ripped his eye out.
[J.R.] Foley bleeding over the eye. And that one went downstairs.
Oh, man. Across the back.
Wailing on those kidneys with that barbed-wire bat.
[King] Those barbs sinking deep.
-into the flesh of… -[J.R.] Cactus putting on the sock.
[King] Does nothing hurt this Cactus Jack?
[J.R.] Oh, the Mandible Claw!
The Mandible Claw on the Intercontinental Champion.
[King] Oh, no.
The nasty, stinkin', Claw. That's Socko.
[J.R.] And the Champion is fading away now.
Maybe this is what is gonna finally take.
[King] Fight it, Randy. You've fought so valiantly up to this point.
Please keep fighting.
Don't give up. Oh, look at that fighter.
What a heart of a champion.
-[J.R.] One uppercut-- -[King] There's an uppercut for ya!
[J.R.] That is absolutely legal.
[King] Yes, you said it was legal, and you're right, for a change.
Come on, Randy.
[J.R.] What a physically, grueling intense match.
We are witnessing live here at Backlash.
And the Mandible Claw again.
-[King] Don't give up, Randy. -[J.R.] Cactus with the Mandible Claw.
RKO! RKO out of nowhere.
[King] That's the end, gotta be.
[J.R.] Somehow, someway, a bloody Intercontinental Champion
Orton hits the RKO.
-And it's over! -[crowd] One, two…
Yes, Cactus kicks out.
[King] The referee drove one of those thumbtacks into his hand.
[J.R.] I can't believe that Cactus kicked out of the RKO.
[King] I can't believe this entire match.
It's not even a match, it's a war,
I don't know what you would call this. It's a slaughter.
[both exclaiming]
[J.R.] RKO into the bat.
RKO into the baseball bat.
-[King] That did it. -[bell dinging]
You dance with who brung ya!
[announcer] Here is your winner, Randy Orton.
The Legend Killer lives!
[J.R.] Oh, this was unbelievable.
What we said before we started,
it will be a slobberknocker out there,
and this has been the damnedest slobberknocker I've ever seen.
The Intercontinental Champion
took everything that Cactus Jack could dish out.
With two RKOs,
the second on that barbed-wire bat.
[King] That's right. There's Flair and Batista.
I don't think this is so much as congratulations,
this was just a…
This is just to pick up the pieces, so to speak.
[J.R.] I've driven by some car wrecks,
with less… With less damage than this.
[King] Oh, look at Foley. He brought Barbie to the dance,
and she was his downfall.
[J.R.] Randy Orton is still the Intercontinental Champion.
He will never forget this day. No doubt about that.
When you ask Randy Orton what he did on Sunday, April 18th, 2004,
he's gonna tell you, "I beat Cactus Jack,
"in a Cactus Jack kinda match."
[King] Well, we gotta get some EMT-- We gotta get…
Is there a plastic surgeon in the house?
[J.R.] Well, Randy Orton had a box with him.
And in that box, he brought out thumbtacks.
And he wore many of them.
[King] Randy went for the RKO instead.
He fell back so hard.
Legs, back, arms…
Right into those thumbtacks.
-[crowd exclaims] -And then…
[J.R.] Cactus Jack has jumped, off the stage, it was the elbow
to the heart of the champion. And then this is how it ended.
-[crowd groans] -[J.R.] Holy snakes, Cactus Jack's face
RKO'd over the baseball bat.
-With the barbed wire on it. -[bell dinging]
[King] What a war.
Randy, go and get emergency treatment.
Get your face sewn up. It's too valuable.
[J.R.] These two men, no doubt will ever be the same.
We saw a different side of Randy Orton.
A sign perhaps of things to come.
[King] Wow.
Your boy's got a DVD and it's hot like flames.
The new John Cena joint.
"Word Life" is the name, baby.
Old-school battle raps like me against Rikishi.
Kurt Angle, Big Show. You know they can't see me.
Catch me up in Iraq, punkin' out Vinni Mac.
Giving Steph a smack, your boy is back.
Uncut footage, bonus matches galore.
Cop it at the shop zone in your video store.
They don't got it in stock, here's what you do.
Sink your shoulder off and tell the manager.
[man] John Cena, Word Life. Available now.
J.R., let me ask you, finally,
did that make a believer out of you about Randy Orton?
You know, up till now, you've just…
You don't have anything good to say about him.
I mean if Randy Orton went out and walked on water
you'd say, "Oh, look, Orton can't swim."
But that tonight, that performance, had to even make a believer out of you.
He is a legend killer.
He's tougher than a $2 steak. There's no doubt about it.
The third generation Intercontinental Champion.
Wait a minute. Is that all you can say about it?
Tougher than a $2 steak, after that?
Why don't you just kiss my bump on the backside?
Oh, please, let me just tell you something.
If that's the best you can do-- a great athlete?
He's a legend killer.
He beat a legend. He beat the legend right at his own type of match.
If you know all about it, then why're you asking me?
I'm giving you an opportunity to get on this kid's bandwagon.
-He's didn't do anything. -Sing his praise.
[J.R.] He's a heavyweight.
-He may be the greatest-- -[King] Look, look.
That is what Evolution is all about.
You see that, tonight, you went from being a legend killer,
to being a legend.
I'm proud of you, kid.
-Yeah. -Let's go.
Triple H, Evolution is now 1-1 for the night.
What do you think your chances are winning the World Heavyweight Championship
in The Final Encounter?
Chances?
You a gambling man?
'Cause I wouldn't bet against me.
You see,
all these people out here,
they can cheer for Chris Benoit.
They can have parades for him, they can say how great a guy he is.
Whether they like it or not.
I've been waiting for this day since WrestleMania.
And tonight,
a victory over Shawn Michaels
would be sweet.
But beating Chris Benoit,
here, the hometown hero,
on Chris Benoit day,
that, my friend, that is where the money is at.
So do yourself a favor,
don't bet against me.
'Cause lightning will not strike twice in the same place.
And I can guarantee you, one way or the other,
I walk outta here, the World Heavyweight Champion.
[crowd booing]
[J.R.] Strong guarantee by The Game.
And Randy Orton maybe on his way
to being the greatest Intercontinental Champion ever.
[King] I hope right now, of course he's a legend.
I hope right now he's on his way to the hospital to get sewn up.
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following Tag-team contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first from the province of Quebec,
at a combined weight of 477 pounds,
Rob Conway and Sylvain Grenier,
La Resistance.
[J.R.] Well, the two men are residing now in Quebec City, Quebec.
The workers around the ring are trying to get the thumbtacks
and barbed wire and everything else.
[King] There could be anything around that ring that could disfigure you.
[J.R.] I am in shock about what we just saw. I cannot believe…
[The Hurricane's theme song plays]
[J.R.] …what both men put themselves through. Amazing.
[announcer] And at a combined weight of 590 pounds,
Rosey and The Hurricane.
[J.R.] Well this match, played earlier tonight on Heat.
[King] And you know what? As many shocks as we've had so far,
the most shocking thing we've seen,
I'm going to make a shocking prediction right now.
[J.R.] What's that?
[King] I look at the hurricane as being merely a tropical depression,
but I think, and I'm gonna predict,
that The Hurricane is gonna be victorious.
[J.R.] All right, well, that's a fair prediction.
Bet? You wanna bet?
[King] You're gonna bet against The Hurricane?
[bell dinging]
-[King] You don't like hurricanes. -[J.R.] I didn't say that.
-I didn't say that. -[King] I'm trying--
I'm trying to agree with you. I am trying to side with you.
I knew you were gonna go against them. The French-Canadian guys here.
[J.R.] I'm just asking if you wanted to bet.
Hurricane and Rosey, certainly an unorthodox team.
At least that's my assessment of the fellow with the green hair.
And a guy with a bathrobe for a cape.
[King] They're superheroes.
[J.R.] Side headlock by Hurricane.
[King] Probably should be out fighting crime somewhere right now.
-First this match. -[J.R.] Side headlock takedown by Conway.
Conway grows up in Louisville, Kentucky,
moves to Quebec City and becomes a French sympathizer.
Figure that out. You don't hear that in a country song anywhere I've ever heard.
[King] You listen to country music?
[J.R.] I listen to both kinds, country and Western.
[King] Oh, boy! Look at this!
[J.R.] Nice athletic move by Conway.
[King] Come on, Hurricane. I'm bettin' on you.
[J.R.] I am still in shock by that no-holds-barred match.
[King] Here we go.
[J.R.] …takeover by The Hurricane.
[King] Not surprised. I just felt something.
And Rosey as well. I felt something in Hurricane tonight.
It's just like a sense of confidence from that young man.
-[J.R.] Rosey and Hurricane. -[King] Look at this. That's gotta hurt.
[J.R.] Interesting teamwork. by Rosey and Hurricane.
Cover now by Hurricane on Conway.
[King] You think Hurricane has a Fortress of Solitude?
[J.R.] Reverse elbow by Hurricane,
who now goes up top.
I can't get over the fact that Mick Foley lost.
At a Hardcore match. That's his specialty.
I mean, I don't remember…
you can count on one hand the…
Nice slam there.
Off the top rope, that's an innovative and a destructive move
by Rob Conway.
[King] Hurricane, don't make me look bad now.
[J.R.] King, think about the first Backlash in '99.
Foley was born out of a boiler-room brawl.
[King] You know what, did you hear Triple H?
I gotta agree with him, and you need to agree with him as well.
[J.R.] There's the cover. If I don't, you're gonna yell.
[King] I mean, you gotta agree with Triple H,
and the fact that this young Randy Orton is not just a legend killer,
he became a legend himself.
The youngest legend on the cover.
The youngest legend of all time.
[J.R.] Well, he's 23 years old.
Randy Orton, his greatest days are still ahead of him.
But he can always say that at 23, he beat Cactus Jack,
Mick Foley, whatever you want to call him,
in Cactus Jack's kinda match.
He took everything Cactus had to throw at him.
[King] I want to tell you something. The way…
What happened tonight, I don't see anything at all
that could stop Orton now, do you?
[J.R.] I don't know what to think.
-[King] Hurricane… -[crowd cheering]
[J.R.] Bearhug by Sylvain Grenier.
-[King] No, wait a minute. -[J.R.] "Hello, King, it's Eugene."
-[King] I see him. -[J.R.] I like him. Eugene.
-[King] Do you? -[J.R.] Absolutely.
He loves wrestling. He loves to wrestle.
He loves being around wrestlers.
[King] He's nuts to be about the ring.
Have you seen him wrestle yet?
[J.R.] The only sad thing about it
is he's Bischoff's nephew. He can't help that.
Rosey's getting tagged in.
[King] 'Cause he's special.
[J.R.] And look at this. Right into the slam for Conway.
And Grenier gets a Sidewalk Slam.
[King] You think Eugene went to a special school?
[J.R.] No, I don't think about that.
Side slam.
-And then the lateral press. -[King] Where's he going?
[J.R.] Hey, look, he's a good-hearted kid.
-He really is. -[King] I didn't say he wasn't.
Easy on those fingernails.
[J.R.] Rosey run right through La Resistance.
[King] Remember last week on RAW when he got those flags?
[J.R.] He's enamored by blue and white.
[King] He's playing peek-a-boo.
-[King exclaims] -[J.R.] He thinks he's a superhero.
[King] It'd make a nice cape.
[J.R.] Hurricane just threw them…
Eugene is enamored with that Quebec flag.
[King] Oh, come on, Hurricane.
Use your "Hurra" powers. Here we go.
He really flew! The Hurricane flew.
-[J.R.] High-risk move by The Hurricane. -[King] Don't you try that, Eugene.
No, don't you try that.
[J.R.] Hurricane only…
[King] Hurricane stop Eugene. He's gonna go up.
[J.R.] Eugene. What's he doing?
Eugene finally got in the ring. Look at him.
[King] He's hitting the ropes, he does that well.
[J.R.] He's having the time of his life here.
[King] Ref, can you get Eugene out of the ring?
[J.R.] With a match going on, Eugene is overzealous, I guess.
[King] What if he came out here and did this in that Triple Threat Match later?
Someone needs to collar this kid.
-[J.R.] There's William Regal. -[King] Thanks goodness.
How does he get-- [exclaims]
How'd he manage to get away from Regal?
-[J.R.] Look at this, Hurricane… -[bell dinging]
[King] Hey, I see it!
[announcer] Here are your winners, Rosey and The Hurricane.
[J.R.] And Eugene celebrating with…
-[King] Thinks he won. -[J.R.] …Hurricane and Rosey.
[King] Get him out of there, William.
What'd we bet? We need a payoff.
[J.R.] I bet that, if you want, you can wear my hat tomorrow night.
-In Calgary. -[King] Look at Eugene.
[J.R.] He's having the damnedest time.
[King] William Regal has got his hands full.
He's not through yet.
[J.R.] Regal in a challenging position.
managing Eugene's career. From Eric.
Ladies and gentlemen, still to come tonight.
And it cannot get any bigger, any better,
any more dramatic
than The Final Encounter Triple Threat Match
for the World's Heavyweight Title, King.
Earlier tonight,
we saw the arrival earlier of Triple H and Chris Benoit,
Shawn Michaels arriving here earlier tonight as well.
[King] I was just thinking there's been a lot of,
the entire talk of this town,
has been about Chris Benoit and then we heard from Triple H,
but this guy may turn out to be the wild card in this whole scenario.
[J.R.] We got the fans here at Rexall Place
here in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Our set in anticipation.
-For our main event. -[King] Hey, there's Wayne Gretzky.
It looks like he's in a Hardcore match, looking to hit somebody with that.
[J.R.] Ladies and gentlemen, it was just a few weeks ago,
that we saw the shocking return of Edge.
After a 13-month absence,
Edge's return was right into RAW,
and promptly made an impact
in the eyes of our General Manager Eric Bischoff.
[King] Yes, Edge Spearing the boss.
You don't cross the boss. Edge should've learned that by now.
[J.R.] And then Edge showed his fearlessness,
by confronting the monster, Kane.
Edge had broken his hand in training.
-[King] Oh, come on. -[J.R.] Confronting Kane…
It looked like Kane was gonna get the better of Edge
until Edge Speared Kane,
and Edge discovered that that cast
can be used as a weapon.
[King] Wait a minute. You're saying that Edge discovered that?
This was a ploy all along. That hand's not broken.
Nothing more than a weapon that Edge's planning on using on Kane.
[J.R.] And Edge certainly admonished
by Bischoff's Apprentice last week.
Johnny Nitro.
If the referee at Backlash catches you using that cast,
even once, not only will you automatically lose,
you will be suspended on the spot.
[laughs] How do you like that, Edge?
[J.R.] Well, Edge showed Johnny Nitro exactly how he liked it.
By Spearing Nitro right out of his sling.
[King] The Edge has been Spearing everything in sight.
[J.R.] Well, up next, ladies and gentlemen,
it's been 14 months since Edge's been in a WWE ring.
Edge returns back to meet the monster, Kane.
[Kane's theme music plays]
-[King] Think of the devil. -[J.R.] Literally.
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, weighing in at 320 pounds, Kane.
[J.R.] A big man. Nasty human being is Kane.
Former WWE Champion.
[King] Don't go too far, don't stretch things by calling him a human being.
I'm not so sure about that.
[J.R.] He has given us pause to wonder
about his humanity. You especially.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, it's our pleasure--
no, privilege-- to be down in Calgary tomorrow night.
We move from Edmonton, Alberta to Calgary, Alberta,
and the home of the Hart family.
The late Stu Hart, greatest of all time.
We'll be in Calgary, tomorrow night, for RAW Live.
[King] There's nothing like seeing RAW live!
[Edge's theme song plays]
Here comes your boy, J.R.
-[J.R.] Why is he my boy? -[King] You love this kid.
[announcer] From Toronto, Canada, weighing in at 248 pounds…
Edge!
[King] I wouldn't be surprised if you and him didn't have a brain session,
a little brainstorming,
to come up with the idea of him with that
with having a fake broken hand and putting that cast on.
[J.R.] Okay, I admit it. I asked him to break his arm,
break his hand…
[King] I don't know whether his arm is broken.
I haven't seen any X-rays.
I do see a big, old heavy cast on there
that he could use for a weapon, though.
[J.R.] Well, I can assure you that his hand is broken
and the cast is legitimate.
[King] Can you assure me he won't use that as weapon in this match?
[J.R.] I cannot, sir.
[King] Johnny Nitro said he'll be suspended if he does.
[J.R.] And the referee catches it.
-[King] What does that mean? -[J.R.] That means he has to see it.
How many times…
[King] I'm sure you sat down with Edge
and said, "Don't let the referee catch you."
Use that cast as a weapon, just don't get caught.
It's not cheatin' if you don't get caught.
-Is that right? [J.R.] You taught me that.
When I was a kid, I used to watch Stu wrestle…
-[King] Is that right? [J.R.] Right hand by Edge.
And it's gonna take him for a ride.
[J.R.] Kane is a guy that…
It's hard to figure a game plan for Kane that's effective.
[King] He'll let Edge hit him with his right hand all night long.
Just don't hit him with that weapon.
[J.R.] You know, I don't think there's an athlete in the upcoming NFL draft
that's more athletically gifted than Kane.
At 6'9", maybe little bit more, maybe 6'10 1/2",
and 330, and you look at him.
He's a scary guy.
[King] Now you're trying to get him to go play football?
[J.R.] I'm trying to make a point.
[King] He would squash football players.
-[crowd] One, two, three, four, five… -[King] Choke slam them.
[J.R.] Edge hit five shots, on Kane to no avail.
Look at that. And a slam right down
with huge authority and velocity.
[King] Spear that.
[J.R.] When you get success sometimes
and caused a lot of damage and heartbreak that Kane has caused people.
You forget the success that Kane has had in the WWE.
[Hebner] Three, four…
[King] I won't forget it. How could you forget anything about Kane?
I remember everything about him.
I remember when he made J.R. stand for "just roasted."
-You remember that? -[J.R.] I sure do.
And I'll never forget. Nice move there by Edge.
Edge using that right, left hand…
[King] Watch him, Ref, watch him.
[J.R.] Edge looking for a spear, and Kane felt it or saw it.
Hit him with a baseball slide downstairs.
Looks like he's slowed down a little bit.
-[King] Think he used that cast. -[J.R.] Into the post.
There's certainly a reckoning now.
[King] Poor Spanish announcers.
[J.R.] Down the hatch, sooner or later.
[King] Hugo and Carlos.
That's their monitors, how they gonna be able to tell what the action is.
[J.R.] Rolled back into the ring to stop the referee's 10-count.
[Hebner] Stay in here! I'm telling you…
Poor Earl Hebner trying to admonish Edge.
[both exclaim]
-[J.R.] How do you-- -[King] There you go.
[J.R.] A broken hand, cast and all,
slammed into the steel steps.
And now around the ring post.
[King] This guy ought to be in Hollywood.
He really is acting like his hand is broken.
[J.R.] His hand is legitimately broken, I can assure you.
[King] I think it's a weapon.
Oh, this hand is broken, this is the best thing for Kane to do.
Smash it to smithereens.
Soften that cast up.
[J.R.] Kane stomping away at that damaged hand of Edge,
and referee Earl Hebner, having his hands full,
trying to get Edge and Kane to break on the 5-count.
It's just outside the ring. I don't understand why this…
[King] No doubt taking time to break his hand again.
How's that, boy, huh?
[crowd chanting]
[J.R.] Edge in a bad way here. Taking this match with a broken hand
against an animal like Kane takes a lot of guts.
Some may say it doesn't warrant more guts than brains,
[King] Or perhaps…
-His hand is not really broken. -[J.R.] And there's a cover by Kane.
[King] Would you wrestle a match against somebody with Kane's ability and size
-and stature if you had a broken arm? -[J.R.] No.
[King] You would call in sick.
"Hey, look, we're gonna have to postpone. Give my hand time to heal."
[J.R.] This old Sooner would wrestle Kane with the Mounties. All of them.
-From every province. -[King] Where are the Mounties?
I've not seen one Mountie since I've been in Canada.
[crowd chanting]
Wait a minute, J.R., weren't Mounties Tag-Team champions one time?
[J.R.] I do not think they were.
At least I don't think so.
Edge in pain. This is a…
-[King] Remember that, J.R.? -[J.R.] Yes, I do.
Now, the gentlemen here…
Standing up…
-[King] …catchy tune that. -[J.R.] Kane with a wrist lock now.
That's not a place that the Edge wants to be.
[King] Put the pressure on.
What is it about Edge that makes him appeal to all these young girls?
Why are they so crazy about Edge?
[J.R.] I'm not a young girl, never been one.
[King] He's got rockstar status or something.
[J.R.] Sidewalk Slam there.
-[King] Is it his hair? -[J.R.] I don't know if that's the…
[King] If his hair gets any longer,
he's gonna look like that country singer you love.
Crystal Gayle.
-[J.R.] Who told you that? -[King] You did.
[J.R.] I did not. Kane knocked down by Edge.
[King] Watch it! [exclaims]
[J.R.] A roller kick caught Kane in the face and knocked down the monster.
[King] Look, there it is.
[J.R.] Edge, don't be stupid.
[King] He can't control himself any longer.
[J.R.] Don't want to be stupid here.
That didn't pay dividends. For Edge anyway.
Edge cannot let… You don't wanna get…
His first match back in 14 months,
and then you get suspended… Kane goes upstairs.
[King] Look, the kid was off for 14 months.
You'd think another month wouldn't have made any difference.
He could've let his hand heal. If it is indeed broken.
[J.R.] Listen, King, that is the right thing to do.
I can tell you, his hand is broken.
And Kane taking a chance.
Nothing there.
[King] Oh, something there.
[J.R.] DDT action for Edge.
[King] And Kane's face in the floor.
[J.R.] Kane breathing hard.
Lying motionless on the canvas after that DDT by Edge.
[King] Whoa! Looks as though he may be out.
But he has risen.
[J.R.] He has risen. Kane has risen. No doubt.
[King] The referee ducked out of the way of that Spear.
That could've been deadly.
[J.R.] Oh, that's downstairs.
And a cast to the head. The referee's on the outside.
And a low blow, with a cast to the head. The Spear.
And the count, what'll it be?
-[King] Wait a minute. -[bell dinging]
-[J.R.] Yes, it is! -[King] Suspension.
Suspension!
[announcer] Here is your winner, Edge!
[King] You saw it, J.R.
Come on, ref!
[J.R.] I just saw him…
[King] What, you got both contacts in the same eye?
Come on, Ref.
The cast was used as a weapon.
[J.R.] I know the referee raised Edge's hand for the victory.
[King] Look at that lump on Kane's head.
[J.R.] My damn glasses.
[King] Right there was the low blow, look at that.
[J.R.] Well, the referee was outside the ring,
[King] I know, I'm just saying, the ref didn't see anything.
-You saw it, didn't you? -[crowd] One, two…
[J.R.] I'm not the referee.
[King] Oh, that poor broken hand. Look at the smile on his face.
[J.R.] Bottom line, 14 months away,
Edge returns and beats Kane, if you can believe it.
[King] He'll pay for this.
[JBL] What greater success story is there in America than me?
What I want, I get.
And you, Eddie, you got something that I want.
Well, King, it's Main Event time.
I've been waiting on this a long time.
-I'm sorry. -I've been waiting on this.
I know you're excited, J.R.
I'm a little excited. It doesn't get any bigger than this.
I mean, it's all about the biggest prize in our industry.
The World Heavyweight Champion.
The professional lives of three men,
all have one thing on their mind,
is to leave here the World's Heavyweight Champion.
They will cross-- their paths will cross for the last time
tonight, in The Final Encounter.
[J.R.] For the first time in WrestleMania history,
the world title on the line with Triple Threat rules.
HBK and Chris Benoit
will challenge the World's Heavyweight Champion, Triple H.
Three men with one goal.
[King] This is gonna boil down willpower.
Who has the will to win?
[J.R.] All these men are battered. They're hurt, they're bruised.
Two are bloody,
their life under attack.
-No, counter! -[King screams]
[J.R.] It'll cost H, will Triple H tap? The title's on the line.
Benoit gripping it tight.
-It's over. -[bell dinging]
[King] No!
[J.R.] Chris Benoit 18-year odyssey
has culminated
by winning the World's Heavyweight title
at WrestleMania XX.
[Shawn] WrestleMania XX was definitely
the biggest night of my career.
People said it was the greatest match
in WrestleMania history.
[Triple H] And now at Backlash,
it will become the greatest rematch of all time.
[Triple H] Three guys, believe honestly in their hearts,
that they're the best.
Three of the greatest of all time.
All with something to prove.
Benoit, that he's more than just a one-hit wonder.
Shawn Michaels, that he's still the icon.
And Triple H, that that World Heavyweight Championship
still belongs to me.
So now it's time to separate
fact from fiction.
[Shawn] Once you step into that ring,
the only person you can rely on is yourself.
[Benoit] Because only one of us
can walk out the World Heavyweight Champion.
[J.R.] Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, and Triple H
in one ring at the same time.
[King] The Final Encounter for the World Heavyweight Championship.
[J.R.] Three men with one goal.
[Triple H] All with something to prove.
[King] Who has the will to win?
A rematch of the greatest WrestleMania Main Event of all time.
At Backlash, it's going to be The Final Encounter.
[Triple H's theme song plays]
[bell dinging]
[announcer] The following Triple Threat Match is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Introducing the challengers, first from Greenwich, Connecticut,
weighing in at 265 pounds,
Triple H.
[J.R.] You can describe this eight-time world champion in many ways.
In my view,
he's got the animalistic instinct of a Hardy…
The technical wrestling knowledge of a Jack Brisco
and the confidence of "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair.
And he's damn hard to beat.
[King] Now that is an understatement.
He's The Game.
[J.R.] And when it comes to the World Heavyweight Championship,
this man will be absolutely ruthless
and will do whatever his body will allow him to do
to leave Backlash,
the 9-time World's Heavyweight Champion.
You know, King, of the thousands,
the thousands of wrestlers that have preceded Triple H in this great business,
only four men have won more World Titles than Triple H.
If he wins tonight,
he ties two of them.
[King] And you will undoubtedly tell us who those two are later on.
[Shawn Michaels' theme song plays]
-Maybe? -[J.R.] We'll see.
[announcer] From San Antonio, Texas,
The Heartbreak Kid, Shawn Michaels.
[J.R.] Ladies and gentlemen, Shawn Michaels.
He's been called a lot of things.
The Showstopper.
The Heartbreak Kid.
Perhaps tonight he'll be called the Minister of Offense.
[King] But somehow, deep down in my gut,
I don't think he's gonna be called
the World Heavyweight Champion at the end of the night.
[J.R.] Shawn Michaels has a warrior's soul.
Triple H and Michaels have grown stronger.
No more heated rivalry, in my view, in this business,
than Michaels and The Game.
[King] But there's nothing more heated
than this man's passion for the World's Championship.
Triple H.
[Chris Benoit's theme music plays]
Speaking of World Championship…
[announcer] Now making his way to the ring,
Edmonton, Alberta's own,
weighing in at 224 pounds,
he is the World Heavyweight Champion,
Chris Benoit!
[J.R.] A standing ovation
for the Heavyweight Champion of the World
from his hometown crowd here in Edmonton, Alberta.
And there's Chris' kids.
Of course, they're residing down in Atlanta,
but Chris grew up here in Edmonton.
Moved here from Montreal when he was 11 years old.
[King] Boy, what an entrance.
And I can't wait for all this adulation and all of those smiles
to be wiped off the face of his family,
when Chris Benoit loses the World Heavyweight Championship here tonight.
[J.R.] Benoit.
This is what it's all about, ladies and gentlemen.
To be the World's Heavyweight Champion after an 18-year journey.
[King] Oh, look at this.
[J.R.] A lot of confidence in Benoit.
He's got the home-crowd advantage here.
Stepping right in the face of two icons,
first Michaels and now Triple H.
As if to say to both men,
You will not, by God, take this crown from me here tonight.
[King] Yeah, that remains to be seen.
Tell me about the odds again, J.R.
What about those odds we've been hearing about?
[J.R.] The odds are not good for Benoit to retain.
-[King] That's right. -[J.R.] And one reason is because
the first man to score a pin fall or submission leaves as champion.
Meaning that Benoit doesn't have to be involved
in the decision to lose the coveted Heavyweight Championship of the World.
[King] That's right.
[J.R.] Triple H had the same odds against him at WrestleMania.
And he lost the World's Heavyweight title
to Chris Benoit in the Crippler Crossface.
[King] The odds are definitely against the champion retaining.
Well, that's okay. It's not that bad to be a one-hit wonder.
[J.R.] I guarantee you, folks, these three
will leave nothing in the locker room tonight.
We're gonna get everything they've got. Here we go.
And Benoit throws a first blow, and it's on The Game.
And Shawn Michaels is running in.
[King] They're double-teaming The Game.
[J.R.] Benoit nailing Michaels.
Benoit and Michaels. Double-teaming Triple H again.
[King] Oh, now they're working together.
This is not right.
[J.R.] Triple H back body drop.
Isolate The Game. And then it'll be Michaels and Benoit.
Oh, I wouldn't mind seeing that. The clothesline.
The Game knocked over the top.
[King] Well, you're about to get your wish. Oh, man.
I think that was a tooth flying.
[J.R.] Michaels retaliates to the top. That's Benoit right back.
This is gonna be intense. This is gonna be grueling.
And the physicality. Oh, there's an example.
There's an example of physicality in this one tonight.
[King] These guys are literally trying to chop each other's heads off.
[J.R.] Benoit both feet up.
And a knockdown by the World's Heavyweight Champion.
[King] I don't know. If I'd have been Benoit,
I don't think I'd have brought my family and sat them on the front row…
[J.R.] Nice neckbreaker by Shawn Michaels.
[King] …with the odds against me like they are against Benoit.
[J.R.] Triple H is playing back in the ring.
A chop across that massive chest for his efforts.
And a right hand to the face.
And another right hand.
Shawn Michaels now trying to take over on The Game.
And is doing so-- thus far, anyway.
Whoa. Michaels reverses with a high knee.
Perfectly executed high knee by The Game.
[King] Get Benoit.
[J.R.] The Game guaranteed that Benoit would not leave Backlash
the World's Heavyweight Champion tonight.
[King] You know, the odds really aren't in Triple H's favor, either.
Because without a doubt… Look at that beautiful move.
[J.R.] Benoit disposed of,
leaving Michaels and Triple H one on one.
And remember, Benoit can be on the outside.
He doesn't have to be involved in the decision.
If Michaels pins Triple H, Michaels is the champion.
-[King] Or vice versa. -[J.R.] Exactly.
-[King] Uh-oh! -[J.R.] An atomic drop.
Great right. Knocking down The Game is Shawn Michaels.
[King] The reason I say the odds are
just as much or maybe even more against Triple H in this match
is because, you know, we've already seen that
Benoit and Shawn Michaels are gonna double-team
and team up and be buddies to go against Triple H.
[J.R.] I don't think they're buddies, King.
And, oh, Michaels sent early.
[King] Whoa, look at that.
[J.R.] Michaels knows it, felt it, has experienced it, able to counter.
Says, no, not this time.
-Both Michaels-- -[King] Look at that double team.
[J.R.] Both Michaels and Triple H double-teaming Benoit,
keeping the champion out of the ring, making it just one on one here.
[King] Oh, no, here we go.
[J.R.] And that released German suplex on the back of Michaels.
[King] Another one for The Game.
[J.R.] Benoit, that waist lock.
And Michaels trying to fight out of it.
Triple H couldn't connect with a clothesline,
and Michaels connects to the top.
Benoit on Michaels and on The Game.
[King] This action is so fast and furious,
it's hard to tell who's doing what to who.
[J.R.] Benoit now sets The Game for the ride.
Backside drop by Benoit, the World's Champion,
and the tables turn here.
Hard chop by Shawn Michaels.
And another chop by Michaels.
Michaels certainly has an undeniable passion
that all the great ones possess.
[both exclaiming]
[J.R.] No athlete I know ever had more passion than Shawn Michaels,
who's now on the outside of the ring in a bad way.
It's now down here, at this point, it's Benoit--
There's a crossface! A triple crossface!
This is what won Benoit the title at WrestleMania.
Shawn Michaels up on the apron. Benoit saw him.
Wanted to dispose of Michaels quickly.
[King] He knew that Michaels was gonna come in and disconnect that crossface.
Michaels is not gonna let Benoit get a victory over anybody.
[J.R.] Michaels' back, ramming into that security wall.
The Game, holding that arm.
Benoit thinking about it. Going right back down to Michaels.
[King] One more time.
[J.R.] Trying to incapacitate Shawn Michaels.
He's the world's champion.
Michaels with a history of lower back problems.
[King] That's gotta be the strategy of all three men in this type of match.
[J.R.] Benoit taking a chance, King.
High risk. Sometimes it bites you in the backside.
[King] He gave Triple H a little too much time to recuperate.
[J.R.] Triple H stepping up that second rope
and Benoit fighting back with those sharp, tight headbutts.
[King] Look at those headbutts by Triple H.
[J.R.] I haven't seen him use a headbutt in a long time.
This is for all the marbles.
World's heavyweight title on the line here.
[King] You're gonna see all the stops pulled out tonight.
Look at those headbutts.
[J.R.] Triple H using his head as a battering ram on Chris Benoit.
Triple H a pontiff of pain here.
[crowd chanting] Let's go, Benoit!
[King] This crowd chanting, "Let's go, Benoit."
There he goes.
[J.R.] Benoit dropped completely out of sight.
And Michaels has got Triple H in an Electric Chair move.
Michaels taking Triple H down in the Electric Chair.
We call Triple H the pontiff of pain, but look at this.
[King] This crowd was chanting, "Let's go, Benoit," and he went.
[J.R.] Straight to the floor, right in the face.
Benoit tougher than a $2 steak, we said, but man, he may be out of it.
Arm over. Could be.
And loose. Wait a minute.
-Referee Mike Chioda got a long two-count. -[King] To say the least.
[J.R.] Shawn Michaels had no doubt. Talked to him earlier today.
He has an overwhelming will
to once again be the Heavyweight Champion of the world.
[King] I tell you something, I love these Triple Threat Matches.
You don't even have to beat the champion to become champion.
Isn't that great?
It's a great concept.
[crowd chanting]
[J.R.] Triple H in big, big trouble here.
Shawn Michaels is always one second away
from kicking your head off with Sweet Chin Music.
And again, a face-buster. A mid-time face-buster by Triple H.
The Game scored with the face-buster.
[King] It would suit these two, Triple H and Shawn Michaels,
if it would just boil down in between them two.
That's how much they dislike each other.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
What an opportunist!
[J.R.] That Dynamite Kid-like headbutt.
Right off the top turnbuckle.
[King] This could do it. Benoit and Michaels.
Wait! Triple H. It's over. No, it's not. It's not over.
[J.R.] It would have been over, in my view,
if Triple H hadn't interrupted that count.
But that's what Triple Threat Matches are all about.
[King] Yes, it is.
That's gonna boil down to be the difference
between Triple H and Chris Benoit, in my opinion.
The Game is just so much smarter.
That's why they call him the Cerebral Assassin, J.R.
-[J.R.] Right hand by Benoit again. -[King] Oh, man.
[J.R.] Triple H fights right back with a knee to the solar plexus.
Another forearm by Benoit.
A lot of physicality. That might hurt.
[King] You can get excited about Benoit.
I'm not taking anything away from his athletic ability,
but he's a one-hit wonder, J.R.
What happened in WrestleMania will never happen twice.
[J.R.] Well, you know, you might be right.
And that's why we're having this match.
-[King] I was right about Hurricane. -[J.R.] That was big.
-And the Irish hit back. -[King] Oh!
[J.R.] Benoit dropped down. Michaels leaped over.
And the referee was right in a harm's way.
-[King] Now what? -[J.R.] Now what is right.
And I don't like this at all.
[King] Why not? It makes things interesting.
Whoa! Referee takes a big shot from HBK.
[J.R.] Referee walked right in the line of fire.
And now we got no official.
Michaels knocked to the outside by Benoit.
Triple H back in the ring.
And Triple H now… Oh! Loading the pinball.
[King] Ever the opportunist.
[J.R.] Triple H looking for the…
Benoit trying to fight. What's he gonna do here?
Benoit trying to wrap those legs of Triple H that could've been
The Sharpshooter, I'm not sure.
[King] Of course it's the Sharpshooter. What do you think he's going for?
-[J.R.] There it is. [King] Look at him.
[J.R.] He turned him!
-[King] Oh, no! -[J.R.] The Sharpshooter!
Bret Hart's Sharpshooter used here in Edmonton.
[King] Oh, no! The crossface.
[J.R.] Benoit went from the Sharpshooter on Triple H
to the crossface on Shawn Michaels.
[King] He's getting locked in. But there's no referee.
[J.R.] Michaels being tortured.
[King] But he's not tapping.
[J.R.] A pitbull like Benoit ripping at Shawn Michaels,
but there's no referee in sight.
[King] And I think Benoit just now realizes that.
[J.R.] You know, if the General Manager's on top of his game,
we might have another referee out here.
[King] Well, at least he came out here
and stopped the whole building from getting set on fire earlier.
I'm sure he's watching this somewhere.
[J.R.] Well, we've got no referee, and the world's title's at stake.
Good grief! Uh-oh!
And now, a double-leg takedown.
-Wait a minute. Wait a minute here. -[King] Oh, look at this!
-[J.R.] Hold the phone. -[King] Look at this! Sharpshooter!
[J.R.] Shawn Michaels using the Sharpshooter here at Backlash.
[King] How fitting is this?
-Oh, my God. -[J.R.] There's Earl Hebner.
[King] Oh, my God, you know what this means?
[J.R.] Earl Hebner asking Benoit if he wants to give up.
[King] Is this déjà vu all over again, or what?
Tap out.
Ring the bell! Ring the bell!
[J.R.] Benoit fighting, sucking his guts up with everything he's got.
[King] Ring it, Earl! You've done it before. Do it, ring it!
[J.R.] Michaels sitting back with a Sharpshooter.
Benoit being tortured. Then Triple H coming to…
Michaels let go of the hold
to defend himself against The Game.
[King] This crowd here in Canada,
I think they just collectively wet themselves.
Look at this. They're in shock.
[J.R.] Shawn Michaels.
[crowd chanting]
Again, with that overwhelming will to win.
-[King] Here we go! -[J.R.] Inside cradle.
And Benoit barely able to kick out.
Michaels a count away from becoming the world's champion again.
[crowd chanting] You screwed Bret!
[King] Earl Hebner has not endeared himself to these fans.
Or is that a chant for Shawn Michaels?
[J.R.] Been hearing that chant for seven years, almost.
[King] Oh, give it up.
Get over it.
I think Shawn Michaels is taking this personally.
[J.R.] Oh, hometown crowd…
[King] Let me tell you people something!
You make Shawn Michaels angry,
and he's gonna take it out on your hometown hero right there!
You're about to see it!
[J.R.] Michaels about to slam…
-Oh, the crossface. -[King] Oh, no.
[J.R.] Benoit countered. Crossface time.
The crossface! Benoit's gonna tear that arm!
[King] Don't tap! Don't tap!
-[J.R.] Michaels is gonna tap! -[King] Don't tap.
[J.R.] Oh, Triple H! God Almighty, Triple H.
What a collision!
Michaels was about to tap out.
Yeah, I had to believe Michaels was about to tap out
when Triple H interrupted the whole proceedings.
[King] Thank goodness for Triple H.
[J.R.] Man, the Cerebral Assassin.
[King] He's the smartest man in that ring, I can assure you that.
[J.R.] I think Triple H needs this title
to professionally survive in his own mind.
Look at this fight.
This is a fight. The hometown crowd trying to get behind Benoit,
but they got silenced from a Triple H DDT.
[King] Come on, hometown crowd, let's hear you chant now!
Come on, I don't hear you! I don't hear anybody saying anything!
[J.R.] The cover by The Game. The cover! Will it be?
Benoit!
Michaels lying motionless, Benoit able to kick out.
[King] Come on, let's see if we can get this crowd chanting,
"Let's go, Benoit!" Look, it's dead silence!
They know he's a one-hit wonder.
[J.R.] Triple H has silenced this crowd.
[King] They've seen Benoit choke before many times.
[J.R.] What a shot.
Man, what intensity here.
[King] Another shot of Benoit's wife ringside.
I'm sure she's seen him choke many times.
[crowd chanting] You tapped out.
[J.R.] Triple H being…
…chanted, "You tapped out." Just like he did at WrestleMania.
At the hands of Benoit and the Crippler Crossface.
Triple H may never live that down.
[King] Triple H is doing some tapping right now,
but he was tapping on the head of Benoit.
[J.R.] Benoit, man, he's a rabid wolverine.
He's like a four-wheel drive truck with a heart.
He just never stops.
And over the top went Triple H.
The great velocity, the power of Benoit, the leverage.
Benoit trying to hook up for those back suplexes,
but Michaels countered into the clothesline,
knocking down the champion.
There's a cover. Michaels again.
One second away was Shawn Michaels
from becoming the World's Heavyweight Champion.
[King] Shawn can take this thing, J.R., but listen to this crowd.
There's a real uneasiness
when you've got the combination of Shawn Michaels,
that referee, Earl Hebner, in the ring, and their hometown boy, Benoit.
[J.R.] Benoit has been a great success story,
leaving Edmonton with $20 in his pocket
to travel down the country to train in Stu Hart's dungeon.
He comes back to his hometown
as the Heavyweight Champion of the world right now.
Now Benoit's in trouble.
Triple H is in trouble,
and the one man in the ring is Shawn Michaels.
[King] Triple H didn't have it so easy when he was growing up either, you know.
He got picked up at his private academy by his chauffeur.
He had to endure the triggers of training, all kinds of stuff.
Look at this crowd! They need to shut up.
[crowd chanting] You screwed Bret!
Oh, they've done it.
Now they've made Shawn Michaels angry,
and he's gonna take it out on Benoit.
-Oh, look out! -[J.R.] Oh, my God!
Michaels missed Benoit and Triple H!
He went right over their heads, did Michaels.
And Michaels has crashed and burned into the announcement table.
My God Almighty.
Michaels looking for everything in one move.
If Michaels had hit that crossbody, this match could well be over.
[King] I think it is over for Shawn Michaels.
[J.R.] Benoit looking at Michaels showing perhaps some empathy, I don't know,
but Triple H capitalizing on it.
[King] Well, let's see this one more time.
Shawn Michaels going for both The Game and Benoit.
Like he said, he definitely crashed and burned.
[J.R.] Oh, my God!
Michaels is effectively taking himself perhaps out of this matchup.
Face-first on the steel steps.
[King] Triple H has taken Benoit out of the matchup.
[J.R.] Triple H has just found himself right behind the wheel
of a world championship vehicle.
[King] We got a referee being carried out.
We got Shawn Michaels probably needs to be carried out.
[J.R.] Triple H hard right hands.
Piston-like right hands from the biggest,
strongest man in this match.
[King] You gotta love this, J.R. I like it.
How's the hometown crowd like this?
Get away, referee.
Don't try to stop this.
[J.R.] Triple H again, that taped-right fist beating the holy hell out of…
-[King] Shawn is out. -[J.R.] We need medical help out here.
Michaels needs somebody to help him.
Shawn Michaels is not moving.
That's the first sign that there's something wrong.
[King] You don't get any help from the two in the ring right now, do you?
[J.R.] And Benoit got no help from that steel ring post.
-My God, what a… -[King] Things are just playing
right into the hands of Triple H right now.
The Game is definitely in the driver's seat.
[J.R.] No doubt about that.
[King] Michaels has effectively been eliminated,
now it's boiled down to what The Game wants.
One-on-one.
[J.R.] We said The Game was an eight-time champion.
-He wins tonight… -[King] And that's right,
and there can't be a more deserving champion than Triple H.
You know that's true, J.R.
[J.R.] He's gonna join some elite company tonight.
Verne Gagne and The Rock at nine world titles.
[King] Verne Gagne?
[J.R.] You don't know Verne Gagne is, you wrestled with him.
[King] Yeah, I like the finish.
[J.R.] That left shoulder just got snapped and cracked on that ring post.
And Michaels has not moved.
I would love for…
I'm concerned for Shawn Michaels.
I'm concerned for Chris Benoit, as a matter of fact.
[King] How about being concerned for Triple H?
[J.R.] He's not hurt.
[King] He's the man trying to win the championship.
He's the future of the business.
Show some concern for the best man in the ring.
[crowd chanting] Asshole!
[J.R.] Look at this crowd.
A very vocal crowd.
The hometown of Chris Benoit.
Nothing wrong with that. A right hand by The Game.
[King] They've got a lot of class, but it's all low.
[J.R.] The Game, he has opened up.
He has got so much control going on here.
-And a camo-plex. -[King] Oh, yes.
-I like this, J.R. -[J.R.] Shades of the Iron Sheik.
[King] A nice close-up on the face.
The pain-wracked face.
The toothless face of Chris Benoit.
[J.R.] Benoit's so tough.
You can count the times that Benoit has tapped out
or said, "I quit," on one hand in his 18-year career.
[King] I don't know why I dislike Benoit. I just do.
-Look at The Game, though. -[J.R.] The Game.
[King] You've got to love The Game. Come on, the pressure.
[J.R.] You've got to love Chris Benoit.
Don't you give a damn about a guy
that all he's ever wanted to do was be a wrestler.
He watched Stampede Wrestling here in Edmonton as a little boy.
He had 20 bucks in his pocket to go to train.
Not knowing if he was gonna make it or not.
Wrestled all over the world
to make it 18 years to WrestleMania.
And at WrestleMania, finally, King, he became the World's Champion.
[King] And you're asking me if I've got to love him?
[J.R.] I didn't ask you to love him. I asked you to respect him.
[King] The lightning is not gonna strike twice here tonight.
[J.R.] Benoit fights back with everything he's got.
If everything Benoit has, is it gonna be enough tonight?
[King] Pound him, Game.
Tap some sense into that loser's head.
[J.R.] How do you call the world's champion a loser?
[King] He's a choker. He's a one-hit wonder.
He's a great athlete. He's just not an icon like The Game.
Or even like Shawn Michaels, for that matter.
[J.R.] And again, The Game. Oh! Snake eyes.
Triple H, his face bounced off the top turnbuckle
with great velocity that time.
Benoit at least bought himself a little time.
But Shawn Michaels is still on the outside.
He's still motionless.
[King] Is there any medical help for Shawn Michaels?
Or is he just out of this match?
[J.R.] Well, I never have a heart attack out here.
You're just down here dying.
And a face-buster.
[King] Don't count on mouth-to-mouth from me.
[J.R.] The Game got a face-buster in again on, this time on Benoit.
[King] Oh, yes! Oh, no!
[J.R.] The German. The waist lock locked in tight.
Now I remember why I don't like Benoit. This.
Benoit! So tenacious.
Could the end now be near for Triple H?
[King] On the ropes!
[J.R.] Benoit released that one.
And Benoit now isn't as much as covering The Game.
The third time could have been the time.
And Benoit feels it. He sees it.
Benoit's home.
And he wants to retain his title.
[King] He's sensing the victory.
He thinks he's got that lightning in a bottle.
[J.R.] Benoit climbing to the top. Another high-risk move.
Benoit trying to get his balance.
And boom! Oh, my God.
First Michaels burns and crashes.
And now Benoit does the same.
[King] Benoit the showboat.
That's what happens to showboats.
They come crashing back down to Earth.
[J.R.] Benoit looking to deliver that headbutt off the top.
-My God, ladies and gentlemen… -[King] This is great.
HBK, the Showstopper.
And Benoit, the showboat. And his showboat just sunk.
Come on, Game. Yes!
[J.R.] Triple H downstairs. Looking for the Pedigree.
[King] Here we go, baby.
-[J.R.] The Pedigree. -[King] It's showtime.
[J.R.] We're gonna have a new champion.
The Pedigree. Benoit just got drilled.
He just got drilled. Let's not forget
that Triple H has just suffered through three German suplexes.
[King] And the crowd is in stunned silence, J.R.
Let's hear that chant. "Let's go, Benoit."
[J.R.] The cover. Triple H got the cover.
-Michaels out of nowhere. -[King] Where'd he come from?
Michaels out of nowhere
when it was damn sure obvious to me that Triple H had this match won.
[King] Oh, look at Benoit.
Benoit, you can thank not your lucky stars,
but you can thank Shawn Michaels that you're not back in one-hit wonder again.
I can't believe this. Where did he come from?
[J.R.] Three hearts, three souls, three minds,
all focused on one goal,
to become the Heavyweight Champion of the world.
Michaels and Triple H are back up.
They'd like to settle between these two.
These two rivals would love for it just to be them.
And Michaels gets knocked down and gets himself right back up.
[King] How is Shawn Michaels back on his feet
after flying through that table? Look at this!
[J.R.] Michaels' got a warrior soul
and again a knockdown, but Michaels will not stay down.
Triple H hitting Michaels as hard and as often as he can.
[King] That'll stop his show.
-[J.R.] Downstairs. -[King] Oh, no!
[J.R.] These two men are fueled by personal hatred.
Michaels, a flying arm, knocking down The Game.
Benoit's motionless now.
[King] Oh, my gosh.
Look at this carnage in the ring. They're all down.
What's gonna happen here?
-Oh, there's your answer. -[J.R.] Michaels somehow lifts up.
This crowd doesn't like it. They're pro-Benoit.
We know that. This is Benoit's hometown.
Michaels scooping and slamming The Game.
Michaels, that back has got to be killing him
after going through that table.
[King] These Canadians ought to be kissing Michaels' butt.
If it weren't for Shawn Michaels,
Triple H would be the new champion right this minute.
[J.R.] Shawn Michaels now will take a chance.
It's all or nothing for Michaels here.
-Oh, no! -[King] He got it.
[J.R.] Michaels got the elbow off the top.
And that should do it. That should do it.
[King] I told you Shawn Michaels could be the wild card.
Shawn Michaels could steal this thing.
[J.R.] Michaels got the elbow, but he's hurting so badly
that he can't get the cover.
He can barely stand. Michaels had to pull himself up.
[King] I think Shawn Michaels, his brain is scrambling.
He's running on pure instinct. He's having to look around.
I don't even know if he knows exactly where he is or what's going on.
[J.R.] Michaels has got one thing left.
And there is it.
The maestro of Sweet Chin Music.
The tenor of the band.
This crowd may not like it because they know how effective it is.
It takes one second and Michaels can end this match.
[King] They know him.
Shawn Michaels hits that Sweet Chin Music on Triple H.
Chris Benoit can kiss the title goodbye.
Benoit's up too.
[J.R.] Benoit moving around on Michaels.
He wants Triple H. Look at Triple H.
[King] Michaels got Benoit.
Oh, man.
Oh, my God!
[J.R.] Oh, low blow. There's nothing the referee can do about it.
Michaels almost took Benoit's head off.
The low blow on Shawn Michaels.
-[King] Hey, hey, hey, it's over. -[J.R.] Triple H is going to win this one.
[King] Check this out one more time.
Sweet Chin Music on the hometown hero.
[J.R.] Michaels' undeniable passion
kept him in this match
after that low blow.
And I hate to say it, but Chris Benoit,
you might want to count him out of this equation.
[King] You got that right.
Once again, if it weren't for Shawn Michaels.
[J.R.] Pedigree time.
Michaels with everything he had left elevating The Game over the top.
[King] Oh, God, what a match.
[J.R.] This is unbelievable. Come on.
[King] I don't know who-- Come on, Game.
[J.R.] The Game, Triple H looking for something.
It is.
-It's a sledgehammer. -[King] Oh, yes, it is.
The sledgehammer.
[J.R.] Couldn't see it in the first go around.
[King] Man's best friend.
[J.R.] Clear look at the sledgehammer.
[King] Or at least The Game's best friend.
[J.R.] And is this how The Game's gonna become the world's champion?
Michaels is trying to go pull Benoit
and get him in a pinning predicament after the Sweet Chin Music.
But The Game has got a sledgehammer in his hand.
[King] Don't tell anybody.
[J.R.] Oh, for the love of God.
Shawn Michaels! Hit him in the spine with that sledgehammer.
[King] Look at the ref. Where did that come from?
[J.R.] It doesn't matter where it came from. Home Depot.
Shawn Michaels just got hit down the spine with a sledgehammer.
[King] They have Home Depot in Canada?
[J.R.] Nothing this referee Earl Hebner, can do about it,
or any of us can do about it.
[King] Well, there's the difference maker.
[Hebner] Come on, get up!
[J.R.] The ruthless Cerebral Assassin.
[King] You gotta admire a man like that.
They will do absolutely anything to win this World Championship.
Come on. Here we go.
[J.R.] Benoit pulling…
…two legs out of the ring.
[King] Come on, ref. Get in there.
[J.R.] Benoit's face eating some more steel.
[King] Never mind, ref.
[J.R.] God Almighty, Benoit has taken a pounding.
He has taken one hell of a beating
by putting his hat in this match.
[King] See how much more he can take.
I think he's got too much confidence in his own ability.
[J.R.] Triple H moving the furniture around.
I don't know why.
[King] Rearranging things. Here's The Game, you know.
You're not questioning the Cerebral Assassin, are you?
[J.R.] I'm just asking a question, King.
-I guess that's why. -[King] That's why, right there.
[J.R.] Everything I say, I'm not questioning somebody.
I didn't know what he was doing. I know now.
Inflict more pain.
[King] Asking you shall receive an answer from Triple H.
[J.R.] Triple H standing atop the stairs as if he's the king of the mountain.
And he will be if he wins the world title here tonight at Backlash.
You've got to be kidding me.
Now this is sick and inhuman punishment here.
[King] But it could be very interesting.
[J.R.] Benoit trying to fight.
Benoit! Wait a minute.
Wait a minute, what is this?
Oh, Triple H.
[King] Triple H. He knocked him into the crowd.
[J.R.] His face ricocheted off the ring post like a basketball.
And Triple H right over the security wall
on the concrete in the first row of ringside.
[King] Now we really do need medical attention out here.
Take your headset off. Go back there and get somebody.
[J.R.] I don't think I can leave.
EMTs are still with Foley and Orton is all I can think.
[King] Forget Foley. Get the EMTs out here. Triple H is hurt.
[J.R.] Benoit backed up somehow, someway.
Benoit backed up The Game on the outside.
Shawn Michaels is tuning up the band.
Benoit has already suffered Sweet Chin Music once.
It could be over here. It will be over here.
[King] I had a funny feeling. I had a funny feeling about Michaels.
[J.R.] Back heel trip!
-Back heel trip. -[King] Oh, my God.
-[J.R.] Benoit fighting. -[King] Oh, my God.
-[J.R.] Sharpshooter! -[King] Oh, my God!
[J.R.] Benoit with a Sharpshooter on Michaels.
Sharpshooter on Michaels.
-[King] Fight it, Shawn. -[J.R.] Michaels is hurting.
[King] Don't stop this show.
[King] Come on, fight it.
[J.R.] Michaels is fighting with his warrior soul.
But Benoit's not trying to step back.
[King] Oh, pull.
-[J.R.] The Sharpshooter. -[King] Get to those ropes if you can!
[J.R.] Michaels in excruciating pain.
[King] He just inches away. Come on, Shawn. Just reach out.
You can just reach out and grab 'em.
-[J.R.] Michaels just inches. -[King] No, no, no.
[J.R.] And Benoit walks to the center of the ring.
Benoit trying to sit back.
Shawn Michaels is screaming in pain.
[King] Don't give up, Shawn. Fight it.
[J.R.] Michaels is fighting. Benoit's got the Sharpshooter.
Locked in, sent in. Punishing.
-The Game is up. -[King] Get in!
-[J.R.] Trying to get back in. -[King] Stop this.
[J.R.] Michaels is hurting. Is he gonna tap?
Is Michaels gonna tap?
[King] Come on, Game. Get in there.
-[J.R.] Yes, yes. -[King] No, no!
[bell dinging]
[J.R.] Michaels taps out. Benoit wins.
[announcer] Here is your winner
and still the World Heavyweight Champion,
Chris Benoit!
[J.R.] Who says you can't come home again?
And who says that Chris Benoit is a one-hit wonder?
What an ovation here in Edmonton.
Benoit's family at ringside.
We have just witnessed a war.
[King] Man.
I'll tell you what.
You know what, J.R.? I mean, I hate to say this.
I hate to even think this.
Is Benoit for real? Is that what this means?
[J.R.] You're damn right! Chris Benoit is for real.
Chris Benoit is the undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the world.
And he's got Triple H.
-And he's got Shawn Michaels. -[King] No.
[J.R.] There is but one world champion.
There is only one world's champion.
And his name is Chris Benoit.
[King] I'll be damned.
Chris Benoit is for real.
I'm in shock.
[J.R.] We said earlier, three hearts, three souls, three minds.
All focused on one goal.
To become the world champion tonight.
But the man that walked in against all the odds
showed his toughness, his tenacity,
his will to win.
It is Chris Benoit's time.
[King] This is what it would have been like
if Edmonton had won the Stanley Cup, isn't it?
[J.R.] The Rabid Wolverine has come back to his hometown.
And has successfully retained the Heavyweight Champion of the world.
[King] This has been one hell of a night, hasn't it, J.R.?
[J.R.] Benoit will be celebrating in his home in Atlanta soon.
But tonight he was back in Edmonton.
He's the Heavyweight Champion of the world.
Benoit has beaten two icons.
Benoit is for real.
Benoit is not a one-hit wonder.
Benoit is the man. -hit wonder.