[Vince laughing sinisterly]
[Vince] Shawn Michaels, I will unleash the apocalypse on you.
It's gonna be you, and your tag team partner.
The good Lord Almighty versus me,
and the product of my semen, my son, Shane.
You have finally gone completely insane.
I swear to God,
Shawn Michaels will not be walking out of here on his own power.
-Tonight's gonna be violent. -[J.R.] Shawn Michaels has snapped.
-Tonight's gonna be brutal. -[J.R.] That must be a 20-foot ladder!
-[King screams] -[J.R.] Oh, my God!
[Vince] Shawn Michaels broke all my commandments
and now will face the Backlash.
[man] Fatal smackdown! Oh, no, no. Don't do this.
[King] Don't do this. No!
Tonight, you are going to endure your own personal hell.
[Vince] When my son, Shane, and I get finished with Shawn Michaels,
he will worship at my feet.
Praise be the name of Vincent Kennedy McMahon!
[Vince laughing maniacally]
[echoing] Hallelujah!
[J.R.] The biggest prize in the land.
[Cena] That's what this is about.
[Joey Styles] John Cena has regained the Championship.
Edge has shocked the world.
[J.R.] Triple H is back on top of the mountain for a tenth time.
The Game begins now.
-Backlash… -Backlash…
At Backlash, it is no tomorrow.
I have one mission.
[King] They all want the same thing. They all want the WWE Title.
That is mine.
[Edge] I'm going to become a two-time WWE Champion.
[Cena] This means you rise to the occasion.
You got your match, bitches.
[Triple H] I will go through anyone, if it means taking that Championship.
[man] Stakes are high. They don't get higher than this.
-At Backlash… -…I'll take…
…what's mine.
[King] Three superstars, one title.
-Who's it gonna be? -[J.R.] Who's it gonna be?
[narrator] And now, RAW presents…
["Baby Hates Me" by Danko Jones playing]
…WWE Backlash.
♪ My favorite situations ♪
♪ Are always sticky kinds ♪
♪ I'll be the first to cast stones ♪
[audience cheering]
♪ I'll sing it from a mountain ♪
♪ Just take me to the top ♪
[J.R.] We welcome you, ladies and gentlemen,
to the Eighth Annual Backlash,
live from Lexington, Kentucky.
I'm Jim Ross, alongside Jerry "The King" Lawler.
We welcome you, ladies and gentlemen,
to the pay-per-view extravaganza.
And finally, tonight, King,
the WWE Championship will be settled once and for all.
That's right. Three superstars, only one title.
And tonight, some man, one of those superstars is going to be able to claim
that he is The Champ.
And what about Mr. McMahon? I think he is losing it.
I'll tell you, Rupp Arena, this is my own stomping ground.
And I got a feeling, somebody's gonna get stomped tonight.
Let's take you over to our colleagues. Hugo Savinovich and Carlos Cabrera.
[speaking in Spanish]
[Chris Masters' theme music plays]
[audience booing]
Oh, come on. Come on.
[yells]
[bell dings]
[Lilian] This contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, from Los Angeles, California, weighing in at 275 pounds…
The Masterpiece, Chris Masters.
[J.R.] Two former tag team partners, kicking it off tonight here at Backlash.
And, King, these two, Masters and Carlito,
have had quite a historic past in the last month.
[King] Oh yes, they have.
See there.
I think, there is where the table started to turn right here.
Oh! That sneak attack from behind.
That Back Cracker from Carlito onto The Masterpiece.
And then, Carlito was all over Chris.
[J.R.] And then, Carlito shows up
-with teacher Matt Striker. -I'm warning you.
Put down the apple now.
[audience exclaiming]
[J.R.] Carlito spitting that apple in the face of the teacher, Matt Striker
and then falling victim to the unbreakable, seemingly, Masterlock.
[King] So, it's come to this, has it?
Master's somewhat vain, a… arrogant young man,
at 23 three years of age.
Certainly a… amazing physical specimen.
[Carlito] I spit in the face of people who don't want to be cooler.
-[Carlito's theme music plays] -[Lilian] And making his way to the ring,
from the Caribbean, weighing in at 220 pounds,
Carlito!
[King] J.R., did you say
Masters was "somewhat vain"? [laughs]
[J.R.] Trying to be... Start the show off with a somewhat even keel here.
-[King] Okay. -[J.R.] And frankly, same adjectives
that we have used to describe The Masterpiece
regarding "vain, arrogance, somewhat conceited,"
it certainly is part of Carlito's world.
[King] Both of these youngsters think that they are "it."
[J.R.] Carlito, 27 years of age.
The son of a real wrestling legend,
Carlos Colón, The King of the Caribbean.
[audience cheering]
[J.R.] And Carlito has a experience advantage here.
Both these men know each other very well,
but Masters' size and his power may be the deciding factor in this match.
[King] I think they are trying to figure out
which one should be talking smack right now.
[arguing indistinctly]
[J.R.] That's not a debate.
Here at the…
home of the…
-[bell dings] -…University of Kentucky, Wildcats.
Here in the historic Rupp Arena. And…
[King] This is what took place between these two. There's a slap!
-[audience booing] -[King] And there's a big right hand.
This is the kind of discussion that took place between these two,
before they went for matches, when they were partners.
-[J.R.] When they were getting along. -[King] Yeah!
[J.R.] Certainly these two, not getting along any longer.
-[King] Hey! Hey! Hey! -[J.R.] And now…
Masters is using that shortcut, that T-shirt to choke the lying Carlito.
Referee Mike Chioda signed this contest one-on-one here tonight,
to kick off Backlash. We have him here with us,
wherever you may be.
[King] I got a feeling that this is going to be the most…
I don't even know how to describe it.
Probably the most unusual, interesting pay-per-view
that I have ever been involved with.
[J.R.] Both dropkicked into the lateral press. Couldn't get one as…
Masters, with all that upper-body strength.
-[Masters grunts] -[J.R.] He's… He is a… really a…
Put together amazingly well, Chris Masters.
[King] You and I have had the pleasure of calling
matches of many, many different superstars here in the WWE,
but never called one involving God before, have we?
[J.R.] Mr. McMahon has put God.
[King] What-- Oh, my gosh!
[J.R.] I wonder who he checked God's dates with.
Nice high back body drop as, uh,
Masters elevates Carlito.
And Masters again going for the cover, not wasting any time,
-and got a near-fall out of that. -[King] You know it is Sunday.
God doesn't usually work on Sunday, does he?
[J.R.] Guess he is off, observing the Sabbath.
-[Carlito grunts] -[J.R.] Mr. McMahon, what a…
Every week that goes by, this… man gets a little bit more strange.
But in any event, we'll talk more about that
as this night progresses, as…
[King] I'm sure you will.
[J.R.] As Carlito…
Was a little overpowered in the early going.
Carlito's gotta use his feet.
[King] Whoa! Look at that strength you were talking about.
That's gonna be difficult for Carlito.
-Hey, look at this! -[J.R.] And…
[King] Look at this!
[J.R.] Carlito with the Masterlock.
[audience cheering]
[J.R.] Some have called it the full nelson
over the years, obviously,
but Masters has really perfected it.
And Masters breaks the Masterlock of Carlito.
Something that no one has done to Masters.
Masterlock does fall.
[King] I don't think Carlito can even-- Smashed him!
He better just stick with the full nelson.
Then he outsmarts, uh…
the national champ-- Oh!
[J.R.] Carlito with a low bridge and then...
over the top rope, nice crossbody, high-risk move by Carlito.
I've got to think, King, that for Carlito to be successful,
-he's got to do more of this. -[King] You're right.
This is, as you say, a high risk move and that's… You see him…
Well, it worked out that time.
[Chioda] Six!
[J.R.] Referee Mike Chioda has a ten-count to utilize
and Carlito back in at seven.
This is a one-fall match to kick off Backlash…
on a night where the WWE Championship
will be decided between three men.
-[audience] Two! Three! Four! Five… -[J.R.] There's the southpaw,
from Samoa.
Finds his mark with those left hands.
[King] And believe me, with The Masterpiece and Carlito,
this match you're watching,
is the biggest match on this pay-per-view tonight.
Both of these guys… A win for either one of these guys is gonna be big.
[audience booing]
-[J.R.] Masters a… -[King] Uh-oh! Oh!
[J.R.] …23-year-old young man from Southern California.
Shows great strength
hurling Carlito.
And Carlito-- Carlito's head, I think, hit the top turnbuckle.
[King] It was like a whiplash effect there.
I don't know if his head hit the turnbuckle,
or if his neck just snapped back.
[J.R.] A lateral press and a hook of the leg…
-Two! -[J.R.] Again, a near-fall
created by the strength and power of Chris Masters,
The Masterpiece.
[audience chant] Masters sucks!
[King] The fans here in the Rupp Arena are voicing their opinion.
They think that Masters sucks.
[J.R.] Much like they do Rick Pitino.
-One! Two! -[King laughs]
[J.R.] The coach at Louisville just down the road.
[Masters screams]
[J.R.] Again, that bulking size,
with the pace slowed down to a Masterpiece-like level,
is paying dividends thus far for Chris Masters.
A leglock by Masters and again…
body-to-body and a chest-on-chest, got a near-fall again.
[King] Masterpiece pretty much now… commands--
Basically, kind of, manhandling Carlito. Look at this.
[J.R.] One has to only…
wonder how much punishment Carlito's gonna be able to take
at the hands of his bigger, stronger adversary.
And it looked at one time
as if these two were well on their way to becoming,
perhaps, the finest tag team combination
on Monday night RAW,
until they met up with Big Show and Kane.
[King] These two young men, as we've talked about--
They both have tremendously bright futures here at WWE.
They both have tremendous egos.
And when you get a team like that,
you usually don't stay together that long.
[J.R.] Carlito, only 27 years of age.
He's got caught in the reverse elbow, more high-impact stuff.
Smashmouth style by Masters.
Again, the cover, and again another near-fall.
That's gotta be their fourth or fifth near-fall
created by Masters in this matchup.
But the match will not end on a point system.
[King] Masterpiece with that big handful of that…
that hair… of Carlito.
Carlito got several heads' worth of hair.
[J.R.] Masters turns and scores the neckbreaker,
again, applying the pressure to the neck of Carlito.
Cover, and referee's hand again, coming down.
And all that pressure on the neck and head
certainly would seem to be a precursor
to Chris Masters
using the Masterlock at some point.
Clothesline for the neck and hip.
-[King] How old did you say Carlito was? -[J.R.] Twenty-seven.
[King] Any more of those, he's not gonna make it to 28.
[J.R.] Great right hand. Referee's got to get in there
and admonish Masters.
[King] Watch this again, and listen to this impact.
-[loud snap] -[body thuds]
[J.R.] Nothing fancy about Master's offense.
Certainly a victory here on pay-per-view.
This match is seen worldwide…
[Carlito grunts]
…would no doubt benefit the career
of both these young men.
[King] Not only will it benefit the career,
but it will do wonders for each one of these guys,
or whoever's the victor, for their ego.
Because both of these guys thought
that they were the reason for the success of their tag team.
And now, looks like the Masterlock…
is about to be applied. Whoa! Whoa! Fight!
[J.R.] Nice roll-up. Can it be?
A near-fall.
Nice counter to that attempted Masterpiece.
[King] Well, I gotta think that that's the one thing Carlito's been doing.
Preparing for this match, trying to come up with some counters
for that… that Masterlock.
[J.R.] Springboard, reverse elbow,
as Carlito tries to quicken the pace,
Carlito still holding that head.
Nice athletic move here, King.
[King] Check this out one more time, that springboard
into a nice elbow right to the jaw of The Masterpiece.
-Wait a minute. -[J.R.] Carlito's grabbing his apple.
-[King exclaims] -[J.R.] A little sleight of hand there.
[King] He just threw that apple in the air
and it distracted Chris Masters.
He watched that apple fly by, took his…
So to say, his eyes off the ball…
But he took his eyes off Carlito for a moment. He got…
It was kinda short, dropkick.
[J.R.] Low dropkick, right to the kneecap.
And then follows it up, does Carlito.
Again in the left side, if you notice,
where those poles are.
Carlito, now, picking up the pace here.
Lowered his head.
-[King] Look at this! -[J.R.] Nice counter.
-And a dropkick, Carlito, -[King] Nice, high dropkick that time.
[J.R.] Taking to the airways,
and taking down Chris Masters.
Carlito, using more aerial maneuvers
thus far in this match than we've seen.
-[King] It's a cover. -[J.R.] That won't get it.
[audience screams, boos]
And Masters got his shoulder up.
Masters almost asleep at the wheel there.
I didn't think there was a chance in the world
that Masters would have been pinned,
but the referee's hand was coming down on three,
and Masters almost…
took a little siesta at the wrong time.
[King] The referee may have taken a siesta.
-Oh. -[Carlito screams]
[J.R.] Short, sternum first, quick to the turnbuckle.
And now, again, Masters really manhandling Carlito,
and no disrespect meant to Carlito.
There's a distinct size and strength advantage for Masters here.
[King] Watch out. This is not gonna bode well for Carlito…
Oh, wait a minute.
-[J.R.] And Masters… -[King] Nice move.
[J.R.] …got the elbow to the face, and Masters…
not like anybody else. Really despises getting hit
-on those handsome features of his. -[King] Ay, ay, ay. Look at Carlito!
-[J.R.] Carlito on top. -[King] Look out!
[J.R.] Carlito with a moonsault. Not sure how much he got of it.
He's got the leg, nonetheless-- And a near-fall.
Masters never met a mirror he didn't like.
[King chuckles]
[King] I heard that after he checks out of his hotel room,
the mirrors don't cool off for about 30 minutes.
Watch it there.
[J.R.] Masters looking for that Masterlock again. Can't find it.
And, finally…
-[King] Almost got it now! -[J.R.] Lock those hands!
Carlito negotiating Masters to the turnbuckle.
-Masters ain't a… -[King] Yes!
[J.R.] Top turnbuckle!
And that Back Cracker…
-after the turnbuckle. -[audience] One! Two! Three!
-[bell dings] -And Carlito steals one.
[Carlito's theme music plays]
[Lilian] Here is your winner…
Carlito!
[J.R.] Well, both men perceive themselves
to be cool, gutsy.
Both are arrogant.
But on this occasion, the speed and the resourcefulness of Carlito
was too much for Masters.
[King] Let's see a little of what you call "resourcefulness."
That was resourceful right there.
Driving Masterpiece's face into that turnbuckle.
And the backbreaker was good.
But this is the resourcefulness, right here.
-Using the rope for leverage. -[bell dings]
[J.R.] Carlito made sure that the referee was
in a position to see the shoulders of Masters,
and not the feet of Carlito on the ropes.
Carlito gets a victory here…
in the most dubious of circumstances.
[King] There we are. We're taking a look at,
as you said, historic Rupp Arena,
right here in beautiful Lexington, Kentucky,
and the picturesque horse farms all around.
This is a wonderful place
and a great shot for this pay-per-view tonight.
[J.R.] The horse capital of the world, and here's a handsome young filly.
Here's Maria.
[King] Oh, yeah.
What an exciting night here at Backlash.
Some of you may not have been too happy with Masters' victory over Carlito.
But let's hear what you had to say
about who's going to leave Lexington, Kentucky the WWE Champion.
-Is it gonna be Edge? -[audience booing]
-Or Triple H? -[audience cheering]
Or The Champ, John Cena?
[audience cheering]
Triple H plus Pedigree equals pinfall of one, two, three.
John Cena, without a doubt. He's earned his spot. He's gonna keep it.
The Rated-R Superstar. Nobody but Edge. Come on, now.
Without a doubt Triple H, The Game, The Cerebral Assassin.
Cena is gonna win because Edge and Triple H can't see this.
Edge. He's the better wrestler, all around, high flyer, quickest.
Edge taking it all the way.
Oh, Triple H is gonna take it home because he's The Game.
I've been watching them from Iraq. I'm watching them now.
Today's my birthday.
So, happy birthday to me. Triple H is gonna kick some butt.
Wow, it seems there aren't too many Edge fans out there.
But tonight we'll have to see what happens when…
Ow!
Do you really think Edge and I actually care
what Rosco P. Coltrane out in Lexington, Kentucky thinks tonight?
Mm-mm, no.
These are the same fans
that have been calling me a ho.
[audience cheering]
You know, I've kept my mouth shut long en--
Um, uh, really? 'Cause from what I hear,
you like to keep your mouth pretty wide open.
[audience cheering]
Want me to knock you out?
-Mm-mm, no. -"Mm-mm, no."
So, shut up.
And I will tell you what I am gonna do with my mouth.
I'll tell you and all these people
that they can laugh all they want.
Because I'm gonna be the laughing when Edge walks out
the new WWE Champion.
[audience booing]
And we're going to take that title.
We're not gonna have a live sex celebration.
But we are gonna have a private…
sex celebration.
[audience booing]
Because, unlike these people,
I actually get some.
[audience booing]
[King] Ow.
[speaking in Spanish]
[audience booing]
[speaking in Spanish]
[in English] Everybody, listen… [chuckles]
…to me.
[speaking in Spanish] Ha-ha!
My name is
Armando Alejandro Estrada.
[audience booing]
And I present to you,
the man who is going to destroy
the Nature Boy, Ric Flair. Ha-ha!
[audience booing]
Ladies and gentlemen,
Umaga!
[Umaga's theme song playing]
[bell dings]
[Lilian] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, from the isle of Samoa,
weighing in at 350 pounds,
Umaga!
[J.R.] I'll tell you what I think, this Umaga is, uh,
a little north of, uh…
-[Samoan war cry] -[J.R.] …of 350.
Just by looking at him, but man, oh, man.
A few weeks ago, King,
when he interrupted the Nature Boy, Ric Flair…
Look at this. Look at Ric Flair's head snap back
at the impact of a man that I say weighs closer to 400 pounds.
[King] Let me tell you something.
That's hard to watch right there for us,
and I'm sure that the Nature Boy has seen this over and over,
and it's not a very pretty sight, as you say.
Umaga manhandling Ric Flair.
But let me remind you,
that was an attack from behind, if you remember.
[J.R.] Exactly.
[King] Gonna be a different story here tonight with the Nature Boy
looking this giant right in the eyes.
[J.R.] Well, Flair made a…
impression, to say the least, on Umaga,
at least, certain parts of his anatomy, last week.
[Ric] Woooo!
[Ric Flair's theme song playing]
[Lilian] And making his way to the ring,
from Charlotte, North Carolina,
the Nature Boy, Ric Flair!
[J.R.] Fans on their feet here at the Rupp Arena…
as the incomparable Nature Boy, Ric Flair,
a former 16-time World Heavyweight Champion,
makes his way to the ring. The 57-year…
[King] Here we go!
[J.R.] Being met on the outside by Umaga.
And in… in the face.
Important here, King, is,
Umaga's just too big, just too strong,
for Ric Flair to handle.
[King] Well, I don't like the fact that, uh…
as you said, Ric Flair was met on the outside by Umaga.
More or less attacked
-before the match officially started. -[bell rings]
That, in my opinion, does not bode well for Flair.
[J.R.] Referee Mickie Henson has called the bell.
We are officially on the way.
Umaga has yet to lose in the WWE.
And Armando Alejandro Estrada
has quite the find in this… Samoan--
Thumb to the eye, one of the dirtiest play in the game.
And Estrada has…
[King] Alejandro is saying he thumbed him in the eye.
Thumb in the eye, nothing compares to that!
[J.R.] And a low blow by Flair.
Flair, a hard shot.
Flair's gonna be successful in…
-in getting Umaga off his feet… -[King] Oh! Another one.
[J.R.] And Flair, maneuvering the referee,
manipulating the referee, with the second low blow in this match.
[King] Look at him. Oh, those chops.
From Flair to Umaga, did not take that big monster off his feet.
But well, well-aimed shot to the throat of Flair, knocks the Nature Boy down.
[J.R.] Umaga's probably got a 60-inch chest.
And Flair was laying those hard knife edge chops in.
And look out here.
[King] There you go!
[J.R.] And Flair able to avoid obvious disaster.
But Umaga rolling to the outside.
This is a huge, powerful man.
-[King] Oh, man. Did you hear that? -[J.R.] Hard shots.
But look at the effect
those knife edge chops have on Umaga--
[King] Look at him! Oh!
[J.R.] And the Nature Boy…
Man, he may have saved his…
[King] His skin.
[J.R.] His skin… in more ways than one there.
[Henson] Two!
[King] Check this out one more time.
This big monster…
Head first into what would've been Ric Flair,
but it turned out to be that steel ring post.
[J.R.] And a scary part about it is
Umaga's head and the sternum hits the ring post,
Umaga is back up, he's still vertical.
And Flair with that chop block finally starts to wear down Umaga.
No!
[King] Well, what is the…
Here you go, you're gonna see some
patented Nature Boy, now going after those legs.
[J.R.] Flair kicked off from the attempt Figure-Four.
Umaga, now…
big size.
-[Umaga grunts] -[J.R.] Oh!
Strength, power, he's got everything over Flair,
except that great experience
and Flair's daunting will to win and survive.
Applying flying headbutt,
as Flair is tied upside down in the Tree of Woe.
The 350 or 400 pound, or whatever you wanna…
He's a big son of gun, is that Umaga.
[King] Well, I'm afraid he's gonna go for it again, and this time…
I don't think Ric's gonna be able to get away! Gosh!
[Ric grunting in pain]
[J.R.] Ric can't move his… his head.
Almost popped like a pimple
between Umaga's backside and that bottom turnbuckle.
[King] Look of ecstasy on the face of Estrada.
Look out, Ric!
[J.R.] Flying headbutt off that second row.
I'm telling you, King, this Umaga is…
is going to be someone in the-- that we are going to have to deal with.
And more importantly, the RAW locker room's gonna have to deal with.
And that Samoan Spike-like maneuver
-right to the throat. -[Henson] Two! Three!
[J.R.] And I can't believe what we've just witnessed.
How many times has Ric Flair lost this decisively?
[Lilian] …Umaga.
King, we have seen Ric Flair in every environment.
You've known him for over 20 years,
-as have I. -[King] Yeah.
[J.R.] I don't think I've ever seen Ric Flair
be completely physically dissected
as we have just seen here.
[King] And look at the size of this victory cigar
that Armando-- I'll just say it, Alejandro Estrada--
look at the size of that cigar.
[J.R.] The 350-pound Umaga
has physically destroyed the legendary Ric Flair
in literally record time here at Backlash.
[King] Let's check this out one more time.
If you find yourself in this position,
hanging upside down at the mercy of Umaga,
and then literally between a rock and a hard place there,
and this taped thumb, like a steel spike into your throat…
[J.R.] That Samoan-like spike
right into the carotid artery, the throat of Ric Flair.
Umaga remains undefeated,
but on his résumé, he can say he dominated Ric Flair at Backlash.
[King] One thing I don't think we're gonna have to worry about
is seeing Estrada tomorrow night at RAW.
[J.R.] You don't think so?
[King] Isn't there one of those illegal immigrant work stoppages tomorrow?
I don't think he'll show up.
But I'm afraid Umaga will be there.
-[Speaking in Samoan] -[King] This guy is a freak.
Check out the guns, baby. Yeah! [chuckles]
-Man, looking good, looking good. -Yeah.
Ready to take Shawn Michaels out? You and I?
Damn right.
Wait a minute. What'd you say?
This is… This is not a Handicap Match.
This is not you and me against Shawn Michaels.
Let me remind you,
this is a tag team match.
It's the McMahons together
against Shawn Michaels
and his partner,
God.
I know you're gonna handle Michaels.
Drop that elbow just like you did last week,
but this time, I want you to send him straight to hell.
Let's get one thing straight between you and me.
When it comes to Michaels' tag team partner,
you leave God to me.
-Oh, he's all yours. -Yeah.
Because there's nothing God can do
that I can't do.
I'll give you an example. Give me that bottle for a second.
Excuse me a second. Watch this, okay?
Now watch.
Okay, here, hold this.
Now watch.
[boots stomping]
You know what that was?
Yeah, you're making a mess.
No, no.
I'm walking on water.
See? It's not that difficult.
Oh, I got something else for you. Watch this.
-Dad, let's-- -I know, the match is coming up, I know.
Watch this.
Damn, this thing is sticky.
You know what this is? Huh?
There's this-- I don't quite have the story right.
There's this, um…
Something about th-the bread,
and lots of bread coming after that, and more fishes,
and that sort of thing,
and breaking the bread and getting the hook out of the fish's mouth,
and, you know…
I don't need this at the moment. But watch this. Now, watch.
[whooshes] It was easy.
[whooshes]
How about that?
Okay. You ready to go?
Yeah, but shouldn't we wait for it? Wait.
But, Dad, wait for what?
Now!
[laughs maniacally]
It's bountiful. Ha! It's bountiful.
[laughs maniacally]
Yes! Yes! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Oh. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Shane, look, look!
It's an omen.
It's a sign.
Yes.
Holy mackerel!
[laughs maniacally]
Damn, that thing stinks. [groans]
[man] Your father should be fired!
Uh, Dad.
[audience laughing]
Can it get any more bizarre?
I think now, Vince can forgive his own sins.
-I don't-- -Ladies and gentlemen,
it goes from the bizarre
to, well, a little bit more bizarre, perhaps.
-Yeah. -Because…
We're getting ready to see the WWE Women's Championship on the line.
Mickie James, the champion,
to be challenged by the former champion, Trish Stratus,
who lost to Mickie James, King, at WrestleMania.
♪ You used to be so special ♪
[J.R.] Here's what happened… Here's what happened earlier in the month…
when Trish came into WrestleMania as the champion.
[King] As the women's champion. And I think at that point-- Oh!
Well, I think that I'm starting to say, at that point she was still
Mickie James' idol or hero.
But then it changed somewhere in this match.
-[bell dings] -[J.R.] Well, the mid kick put Trish down.
And, you know, King, since… since that time, we have seen…
We have seen Mickie dress… and dress like Trish…
-Right. -…and seen Trish dressed like Mickie.
What do you make of this situation? What do you think we're gonna see?
Well, I think it's certainly more than identity crisis.
I think that, in Mickie's mind--
I've said this before--
imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery, stalking is.
And she became a stalker.
And maybe this will be… come to an end tonight.
Well, Trish Stratus is one of the greatest,
if not the greatest, women's champion ever.
Has an opportunity here tonight, to regain her gold,
but it is not gonna be easy.
[Mickie James' theme music playing]
[J.R.] King, look! Mickie actually looks like Mickie.
[King laughs]
[Lilian] This contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it's is for the WWE Women's Championship.
Introducing first from Richmond, Virginia,
she is the Women's Champion,
Mickie James!
[King] Well, actually, I like it better when Mickie looks like Mickie.
I mean, she's a hot diva.
I don't know why she's just not content with that.
[Trish Stratus's theme music playing]
[Lilian] And introducing the challenger, from Toronto, Canada,
Trish Stratus!
[King] Hey, wait a minute.
Trish looks like Trish! Good!
[J.R.] And the fans here in Rupp Arena,
in the shadow of the University of Kentucky Wildcats,
coming to their feet,
and Trish looks to have her game face on. No doubt about that.
[King] I've got a feeling we're gonna see
a couple of little wildcats go at it, right now.
[J.R.] Trish has turned back to challenge so many great female competitors.
But the thing about it, King, is that
Mickie, obviously, is in need of a little psychotherapy.
Probably wouldn't hurt any of us, quite frankly.
But be that as it may, Mickie's a little manic
and very unpredictable.
[King] I could volunteer some sessions.
-[J.R.] Some couch time? -[King] Yeah, couch time, of course.
[J.R.] Referee Jack Doan holding up the Women's Championship,
that will be decided here.
Trish here, before WrestleMania,
was the reigning Women's Champion for well over a year.
I've always said that Trish is Toronto's most beautiful gift
-to the WWE. -[bell dings]
Man.
And Mickie looks perplexed.
[King] Or schizophrenic.
But she says herself, schizophrenic beats being alone.
[J.R.] I think she likes living in that lunatic fringe, does Mickie James.
One fall to a finish here, with the Women's Title on the line.
[King] Yeah, I think that's kind of a comfort zone for her.
Oh, man, look at Trish's outfit.
[J.R.] Arm wringer applied by Mickie James.
The irony of Mickie James is that…
And-- Oh, nice.
Leg trip by Trish Stratus into a pinning predicament.
The irony of Mickie James, in my view, is that
she can be, I mean, completely out there.
She is manic, she can be depressive.
She can be obsessive-compulsive.
Trish trying to play a little head game there.
[King] Yeah. Whoa! Nice.
The MaTrish move and then…
[J.R.] Into the headscissor.
Mickie can't wrestle.
And Trish, now, coming to fight here
and gaining the early advantage quite distinctively.
[King] Well, you're right.
Mickie can't wrestle because she… she watched closely--
Oh! --and patterned herself after Trish.
[J.R.] I tell you what,
women's wrestling's come a long way since the days of…
the early days of The Fabulous Moolah
and the late Kay Noble and others.
-And… -[King] Right in the eye.
[J.R.] And that was a… Oh.
[King] Right to the… Right to the eye of Mickie James.
[J.R.] Remember, Trish is gonna get Mickie back in the ring again.
[all exclaiming]
[J.R.] A Lou Thesz press off the apron.
And Trish not wasting any opportunities here,
and makes sure that Mickie gets forced back into the ring.
-[Mickie screams] -[J.R.] Trish can win title back here now…
-[Doan] Two! -[J.R.] For-- Near-fall.
[King] Let me see that… One more time, that…
-[J.R.] Scissor kick on mouth. -[King] Kicked in the face.
And this is where that chick-kick did-- Bang!
[King] Oh, that-- I'm surprised that didn't put Mickie's lights out.
-[wrestlers yell] -[King] Oh.
[J.R.] Trish just splash in the corner.
And Mickie James has not been able to come out of locks.
[audience cheering]
Trish Stratus has dominated this match.
[King] Oh, look at that fall.
[J.R.] Perhaps, spoke too soon.
As Mickie dumped Trish over the top rope,
all the way to the floor,
and Trish seems to be holding her right arm.
And she is right-handed.
[King] Let's see if we can see what happens here.
Oh, man, yes.
I don't know if her arm was hyperextended there at her elbow or what.
[man] Go, Trish!
[King] A very awkward looking, scary looking fall.
[J.R.] And the other bad break there. No pun intended for Trish.
-Seven! -[J.R.] She is a right-handed competitor,
and it's the right arm that's hurt.
And now Mickie has the opportunity
to widen the offensive advantage here
-and exploit that injury if possible. -One! Two!
[J.R.] With a cover and near-fall.
Some of Mickie's expressions on her face are scary.
-One! Two! -[King] Seeing it on her face right now
for some reason.
[J.R.] Trish again, holding that arm.
Jack Doan, getting down.
Got a good look at another near-fall.
[Trish screams in pain]
-One! Two! -[J.R.] I can't imagine…
Love for you to go on a double date assignment.
Go on a double date with Mickie James.
Take your favorite girlfriend
and give us a report back on how things went.
[Trish screaming]
[King] Uh, I don't think it would work. I told you, I asked her out.
She asked me if she could bring a date.
[J.R.] And right now…
Trish has been grounded…
-[Trish screaming] -…quite convincingly by Mickie James.
Winner's title on line here in Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky.
-We have a… -[King] Whoa, look at this now!
-Come on, ref. She's choking with the… -[J.R.] And…
-[Doan] Ring the bell! -[bell dings]
-[J.R.] Mickie's got a break. -[Doan] Disqualification.
-[audience booing] -[King] What?
[J.R.] I don't think Mickie broke on…
[Lilian] Here is your winner, by disqualification,
Trish Stratus!
[J.R.] You know, I'm not so sure that
Mickie didn't get herself disqualified on purpose there.
Mickie knows the rules, she's gotta break on four.
She'll be disqualified on five.
And Mickie did not obviously break on the four-count.
Referee had no choice but to call for the bell
-and signal a disqualification. -I still have my belt!
-My title! It's mine! -[King] Well, Trish is asking, uh,
Mickie James to come back and restart the match,
-but I gotta be honest with you… -It's mine!
[King] Trish's right arm… she's hurting.
Can we see that one more time in the truck there?
Yeah, watch this fall as Mickie James dumps Trish.
Look at Trish's right arm. Oh, yeah.
[J.R.] Trish… a hyperextended elbow hurt the shoulder.
I mean, watch this.
There's that choke right in front of referee.
One, two, three, four, five…
-They got to five. -[bell dings]
[King] It can't get any more blatant than that.
I-I'm like you, I think there's a method to her madness there.
She knew what she was doing.
-All mine! -[J.R.] Well, the bottom line
is that Mickie James is still the women's champion.
Ladies and gentlemen, it seems I made a little mistake early tonight.
The winner of the Masters-Carlito match was Carlito!
Now, with that said, my guest at this time, Shawn Michaels!
[audience cheering]
Shawn, Mr. McMahon asked me to ask you…
Is your tag team partner, God, going to show up tonight?
You know, Maria, I do my best
to not shove my Christianity down everybody's neck.
But make no mistake about it, the Lord is with me,
as he is always with me.
[audience cheering]
Now, that being said,
he expects me to do what he always expect,
and that is to go out there and use the gifts
that he has given me to the best of my ability,
which is exactly what I'm gonna do.
So, let's call this what it is, Vince.
It is a Handicap Match.
Two against one.
Because at WrestleMania, you found out
you couldn't hang with HBK, one on one.
So, tonight it'll be Vincent Kennedy McMahon,
and his son, Shane Brandon McMahon
against yours truly, the "Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels.
But the results, I guarantee you, are gonna be the same.
The McMahons will be brought down to their knees.
[audience cheering]
And who knows, when it's over,
I might even have Vince McMahon himself crying out to God!
[audience cheering]
But then again…
maybe not.
And if that's the case, Vince, that's okay,
because myself and Lexington got two words for ya.
[audience shouting] Suck it.
[audience cheering]
[bell dings]
This match is a Winner Take All match
for both the Money in the Bank
and the Intercontinental Championship.
[Shelton Benjamin's theme song plays]
[Lilian] Introducing first, from Orangeburg, South Carolina,
weighing in at 248 pounds,
he is the Intercontinental Champion,
Shelton Benjamin!
[J.R.] Intercontinental Champion Shelton Benjamin
has a huge opportunity here
to not only retain his Intercontinental Title
but also to win the contract
that is inside the Money in the Bank briefcase,
in the possession of Rob Van Dam.
And, of course, that contract allows the holder
to challenge for the championship
any time the holder chooses within the next 12 months.
[King] And this is such a big match, I thought that…
hopefully Mama would have been back here ringside with Shelton.
[J.R.] She's probably in catering.
[King] I heard Mama told Shelton, "You're not gonna push me around anymore."
Could that be the case?
[J.R.] How could he? I mean, it's a hernia waiting to happen.
-[audience cheering] -[King] Here we go.
[Rob Van Dam's theme music playing]
[Lilian] And from Battle Creek, Michigan,
weighing in at 230 pounds,
he is Mr. Money in the Bank.
Rob Van Dam!
[J.R.] Well, it's obvious that Van Dam's favorite number is 420.
And at WrestleMania,
he won the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
The briefcase was hanging high above the ring.
Van Dam, my man, was able to climb the ladder,
secure the briefcase.
Inside that briefcase is a contract
that says Van Dam can challenge the WWE Champion
or the World Champion any time Van Dam chooses
in the next 12 months and, King, by the way,
Edge won it last year at WrestleMania,
and it paid off very handsomely for Edge earlier this year.
[King] Yes, it did.
[J.R.] Edge won the WWE Title in the early part of January,
after John Cena had successfully defended
the WWE title in the Elimination Chamber.
[King] That's right. When you got that briefcase,
holding that contract in your hand, timing becomes everything.
And Edge used that perfect timing to become the champion.
And then, I mean, you don't sit in it.
He's remained in that championship picture, as he is tonight.
Same thing could happen for whoever comes out victorious in this match.
Winner Take All.
[J.R.] That's pretty simple, folks. Winner Take All is right.
[King] J.R., we were talking about Shelton's mama, earlier.
And I've been reminded that she underwent surgery and is still convalescing.
You know what it's like to undergo surgery, don't you?
[J.R.] I do. I sure do. I wish her the best.
[King] What did-- Dr. McMahon, did he really do that surgery on you?
[J.R.] Dr. Heiney?
[King chuckling] What that… That wasn't Dr. Heiney.
-[J.R.] The evil proctologist. -[King laughs] That must've hurt.
And remember, you know, my favorite nurse, Slobberknockers, she was the best.
-[J.R.] She was a beaut, wasn't she? -[King] Oh, yes.
[J.R.] Was that good television or what? Here we go.
It's Intercontinental Title versus a Money in the Bank.
Somebody's gonna leave here with all of it.
[King] I wonder how that helmet fit in there.
Right, this is gonna be a great match.
[audience chanting] E-C-DUB! E-C-DUB!
[J.R.] Shelton immediately quick go behind takedown,
a former University of Minnesota wrestling, All-American.
Three-sport all-stater from the state of South Carolina is Shelton Benjamin.
Certainly is very, very proud of his athletic feats,
as he should be.
But man, he has had a somewhat of a personality change,
somewhat of a metamorphosis over the last several months.
[King] I think his mama instilled that new attitude in him.
[audience chanting] RVD! RVD!
[King] If Mama showed up,
Shelton didn't take anything off anybody.
[audience continues chanting] RVD!
[J.R.] So Benjamin's gonna leave here with the Money in the Bank briefcase
and the contract, more importantly.
And his Intercontinental Title.
Or he's gonna leave here empty-handed.
And Van Dam is gonna leave here with everything.
Winner Take All in this one-fall match here tonight at Backlash,
Lexington, Kentucky,
the site of our first ever WWE pay-per-view
in this historic sports city.
[King] What about the athleticism shown there by Shelton Benjamin?
I mean, both of these young men, that's what they're known for.
We've heard it said, Rob Van Dam can do things in this ring
that nobody else could do.
But that young man right there, Shelton Benjamin,
he's pretty impressive as well.
[J.R.] This match quite possibly could be and should be
the most athletic one-on-one match
for the entire Backlash pay-per-view here tonight.
[King] I'm glad you said one-on-one.
[J.R.] Don't ever doubt the athleticism.
[King] What he's capable…
[J.R.] Got headlocked by Shelton Benjamin.
And Van Dam is certainly, uh--
has a great deal of unorthodox offense. I like it.
It keeps you off-balance.
Shelton a little preening, somewhat arrogant.
And as the last few months--
-[King] Look at that roll. -[J.R.] Takedown by Van Dam.
And Van Dam with that great leg strength--
Arm drag takedown.
And another by Van Dam.
-[King] Oh. -[J.R.] Shades of…
the outstanding Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
with those deep arm drag takedowns.
And Van Dam has got his…
his share of fans here tonight.
-Van Dam, a former star in ECW. -[audience chanting] Rob Van Dam!
Has dominated in the WWE, as well.
Rob, over that left eye, got quite a little mask on there…
from that very first arrogant slap delivered by Shelton Benjamin.
[J.R.] These men just returning from a sold-out tour of almost two weeks.
In Europe.
[King] I was there, I missed you over in jolly old England.
[J.R.] I was jolly back in Oklahoma,
just for the record.
-And Van Dam pushed back into the corner. -[referee] One! Two! Three!
He'll get a clean break.
Which Chad Patton has asked for.
Request denied by Shelton Benjamin.
[audience chanting] We want fire.
[J.R.] Great right hand. Benjamin knocking down…
Van Dam. I'm surprised Benjamin is not wrestling more
and then brawling less.
And the unorthodox Van Dam, the man with the educated feet.
-[man] Yeah, baby. -[King] Shelton Benjamin,
a little disappointed with himself that he, uh,
got caught off guard but…
Nice spinning kick there from Rob Van Dam.
It's easy to get caught off guard by Rob Van Dam.
Those feet come flying at you from every direction.
[J.R.] Benjamin, uh, making his way back up to the apron now.
Again, Benjamin-- These men are very cautious,
and rightfully so, ladies and gentlemen, because all you got to do--
Just consider what's at stake here.
Benjamin can leave with his title,
and the Money in the Bank Ladder Match contract,
which is huge.
[King] You said, uh…
You know, very neat work there.
Earlier, you said these guys were preening.
This match is still in the preening and posturing stage right now.
They're still in the feeling each other out
and trying to impress each other, right now.
[J.R.] But then, for Rob Van Dam, he's an individual.
He's his own man. We know a lot about RVD.
He's a very unique man,
and his educated feet, as they are,
now taking down Shelton Benjamin again on those clotheslines.
Van Dam looking to not only become the Intercontinental Champion again,
but to also retain his Money in the Bank contract, and…
[King] Nobody home for the Rolling Thunder.
[J.R.] Shelton Benjamin thinks he's avoid--
Contact!
And a high risk move.
Beautiful crossbody,
a suicidal-like maneuver by Van Dam.
And Van Dam…
He is… It's all or nothing for Van Dam.
[King] Right out here in front of us.
Rob Van Dam incoming
right onto the noggin of Shelton Benjamin.
Oh.
And we see Rob Van Dam coming in again, but stopped by that knee.
-[J.R.] Van Dam… -[King] Look at this!
[J.R.] Shoulder pull!
-[King] Man! -[J.R.] My God.
[J.R.] That was a sunset flip.
A version of a sunset flip from the inside out, King.
[King] But then it was converted into a powerbomb.
I mean… Watch this.
Here comes the sunset flip part right there.
But from here that becomes the powerbomb onto the floor.
Man.
[J.R.] And Benjamin knows that he's gotta get Van Dam back in the ring.
It is my understanding this match must end by pinfall or submission.
I may be wrong on that, that's my understanding.
The cover and a near-fall.
[King] Let's take one more look at this.
-[thud] -Man, do you hear that?
[J.R.] That was the old proverbial splat
of the lower back and kidney area of Van Dam.
Just a…
Well, a very ugly way of landing on the outside here.
-[RVD screaming] -[J.R.] Now, if Benjamin can maintain
the focus on this lower back, King, and the kidneys,
Van Dam may not be able to get back in this thing.
[King] Well, that powerbomb-- Oh!
Certainly, swung the pendulum in the favor of Shelton Benjamin.
[J.R.] Let's not forget that Van Dam-- There's a cover,
hook of the far leg, got a near-fall.
Let's not forget that Rob Van Dam,
with his tremendous ability to strike.
-He is a striker. -[audience chants] RVD!
[J.R.] Without a doubt.
He is one hard kick to the face away from winning any match he's in.
[King] At any time. Crowd now trying to get behind Rob Van Dam.
And, personally, I think there's a mistake on the part of Shelton Benjamin.
If you ask me, all that's doing
is giving Rob Van Dam a little time to recuperate here.
There you go. That's what you got to do.
You gotta stay on top of your opponent.
[J.R.] Certainly want to thank all the countries around the world
that are watching Backlash live tonight.
We thank you for inviting us to be a part of your day, your evening,
as it may be, to invite us into your home.
Backlash will be seen in tape delay
in over 60 countries, in nine languages,
once all this is said and done,
and all is said and done
may be moments away for Rob Van Dam,
unless Benjamin makes a… a mistake here,
and it doesn't look like Benjamin is in a mistake mode,
the style that he's wrestling.
[King] He is feeling pretty cocky, pretty confident right now.
Smile on his face.
Big knee to the face of Rob Van Dam.
-[J.R.] And the cover. -One! Two!
And a little low on that cover.
That was not the soundest of covers by Benjamin
who followed up on that Mr. Wrestling II-like running knee lift,
but he got a little low on that cover, and Van Dam was able to kick out.
You don't want to give Van Dam a lot of second chances.
Perfectly executed backbreaker.
Again, focusing on the lower back,
and that has been… has been Benjamin's strategy, King,
posting that left knee into the spine, now, of Van Dam,
poking on the back.
And Van Dam
is being subjected to a gut check.
[King] Yes, he is.
So far, Van dam hanging in there,
but tougher by the minute to hang.
-[King] Oh. -[J.R.] Camel clutch.
And The Iron Sheik is nowhere inside.
[King] Boy, you're getting to mention a lot of old wrestlers here tonight.
[J.R.] I got a lot of material.
-[King] Iron Sheik used to wrestle too? -[J.R.] Yeah. Oh, they're famous.
[King] There you go.
[RVD screams in pain]
[J.R.] And look at the… Benjamin pulling back on that camel clutch.
And you can see the…
[King] It's like almost down on his-- on his throat.
Yeah, the referee agrees.
[J.R.] That's a choke.
Tosses Van Dam to the rope…
off the immediate break.
And it wasn't really a clean break, but a break nonetheless.
And Benjamin again…
Hard slam, again focusing on the lower back.
Nice strategy by Shelton Benjamin.
-[RVD screams in pain] -[King] Of course.
Shelton hugely slammed Rob Van Dam, trying to send him right through that mat.
[J.R.] But about the athleticism of Van Dam or Benjamin,
a guy that was a national heavyweight wrestling champion in the amateurs.
At the same time he ran a 4.25, 40.
With the NFL draft and all that this weekend,
and all the times being banded about.
That's world-class time for a world-class athlete.
Van Dam, riding back up.
We have seen Van Dam overcome amazing odds
and put his own body at risk on so many occasions
to be successful.
And look back at…
Whoa, setting up that T-Bone suplex.
[King] Really dropped nicely by Rob Van Dam,
and Rob Van Dam going once again for Rolling Thunder.
Boy! He rolled right into that.
Could Shelton-- That could do it!
[J.R.] The Samoan drop.
Will it be…
And Van Dam rolled his hips
that got his left shoulder off the canvas.
Not really a kick-out,
but the Rolling Thunder ended up being a Samoan drop,
a very unique counter by Shelton Benjamin.
[King] If you don't believe it, check it out one more time.
Here's the Rolling Thunder coming up.
But like you said, he rolled right into the Samoan drop.
And you know what,
that… that one second of not being able to roll Rob Van Dam over
will probably cost him the match there.
[J.R.] And Van Dam overcame six men including Shelton Benjamin
at WrestleMania earlier this month
in Chicago
to win the Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
[King] Look at this, Jim.
[J.R.] And Shelton doing some oratory,
maybe not his strength.
[King] Shelton's just rubbing his fingers together
and he's saying, "That's my money,"
talking about that Money in the Bank briefcase.
[J.R.] And Van Dam not talking.
Van Dam using that right hand very effectively.
And Shelton Benjamin's mouth lost him the advantage.
But look at this. Oh, my God. Look at the athleticism.
Benjamin leaping back-footed
from the corner of the ring to the top turnbuckle.
[King] The vertical leap from Shelton Benjamin.
We saw something similar to that in that ladder match you were talking about.
-Look at this, J.R. -[J.R.] Nice.
[King] Is there a better athlete in the WWE than Shelton Benjamin?
[J.R.] I don't remember-- Near-fall,
on the right side of your screen,
but it will be hard to argue, quite frankly,
that there is a better, pure athlete in the WWE, period,
than Shelton Benjamin.
And Benjamin now with that bodyscissors.
I won't use my Joe Stecher reference,
-just for you, King. -[King] Who?
-[J.R.] You wrestled him. -[King] You went with Joe Stecher?
Never heard of him.
[J.R.] Strength by Benjamin.
He has got his legs hooked, but he's trying to hook that bodyscissor.
Bottom line, that reverse chinlock has Van Dam grounded.
And in this position,
Van Dam's having a hard time kicking Benjamin with those feet.
[King] You got that right. I think he knows that.
He's just trying to wear Rob Van Dam down…
[King] Drain what little strength there is left in him.
Van Dam, right out of it.
[Shelton] Come on, die.
[J.R.] Van Dam's trying to keep moving.
Keep circulation going, keep that adrenaline pumping.
Trying to get this crowd here in the Rupp Arena,
a famous facility.
The site of 1985 NCAA Final Four.
-Reversal, Irish whip here. -[King] Oh!
[J.R.] And… Van Dam, luckily enough to hold on,
as Benjamin was really looking to deliver
a thunderous dropkick to the face.
[King] That could be a momentum shift right here,
if Rob Van Dam could capitalize on it.
Maybe not. Wait a minute.
Oh, nice. There you go, those educated feet.
[J.R.] Van Dam blocked and then shot with that kick right to the face.
Nice move by Van Dam, but can he follow up on that?
[King] Check it out one more time.
How quick those feet can come flying at him.
[J.R.] Heard the impact.
A splash in the corner.
Now nobody there,
and now Van Dam with the clothesline.
Making a… a proper clothesline.
[King] Here comes RVD.
[J.R.] Great kick by Van Dam.
[King] He's trying to tell this crowd here at Rupp Arena he's had about enough.
[J.R.] Van Dam, that lower back gotta be bothering him.
Gonna effect the kidney area, as well-- Reverse elbow.
He's a little overzealous.
Springboard kick by Van Dam,
another martial arts kick by Rob Van Dam. Van Dam…
-Spinning heel kick. Van Dam down… -[King] Rolling Thunder finally connects.
[J.R.] And finally, after about three attempts…
-[King] Third time's the charm. -…the Rolling Thunder.
-The cover and-- Oh. -[audience] One! Two!
Remember the Intercontinental Title of Shelton Benjamin,
the Money in the Bank contract
of Rob Van Dam,
all on the line,
everything's at stake in this match.
-[King] What a match it is. -[J.R.] Winner takes all, here tonight.
A tight slam.
And…
Split like a moonsault.
Beautiful move. Will it be?
[audience groans]
[King] So close.
That's gotta be frustrating for Rob Van Dam.
Hit a couple of your patented moves and still don't get the win.
But he keeps coming.
[J.R.] Shoulder blocked by Van Dam.
Monkey flip and the great athleticism by Benjamin, landing on his feet.
[King] Rob sensed it from the crowd.
[J.R.] Stepover heel kick again by Van Dam.
Van Dam has gone to the ground with a third attack.
[King] I think he's about to… he's contemplating an air attack now, J.R.
-[J.R.] Five-Star Frog Splash! -[King] Oh!
Nobody home.
[J.R.] Van Dam went for everything, got nothing.
-And a five-star DDT. -[King] Oh, man.
[J.R.] And talk about driving Van Dam's head into the canvas
with that DDT.
Will that be it?
Will that be enough?
-There's cover by Benjamin. -[King] Foot over.
[J.R.] And RVD keeps this match alive,
his hopes alive
in winning the Intercontinental Title
and retaining his Money in the Bank contract.
[King] Boy, and you can just say, barely alive there.
He's gonna try another attempt to…
[all exclaiming]
[King] Check out this DDT one more time. Wait, wait.
Another near-fall.
[audience cheering]
[King] There goes the Five-Star Frog Splash.
Look at that hang time.
[J.R.] Van Dam, certainly an amazing athlete, as is Benjamin.
Benjamin not the only great athlete in this match, I can tell you that.
But man, that Five-Star Frog Splash may be the…
have the beginnings of something to end.
[King] That DDT, after that missed prospect,
was amazing.
[J.R.] Involves a modified drop toe hold or what,
but it looked like Benjamin's head
went into the security wall on the outside.
Again, this doesn't do Van Dam any favors
for Benjamin to be on the outside.
Van Dam can't win the Intercontinental Title…
except being a hero.
Benjamin grabbing that briefcase.
[King] That's not yours yet.
Benjamin has been out-wrestled
in the last few moments, and a hard kick by Benjamin
that took Van Dam face first into the apron of the ring.
[King] You guys gotta realize you can't win this match on the outside.
There you go.
Shelton Benjamin getting Rob Van Dam back into the ring.
[J.R.] Benjamin's getting frustrated. Got that briefcase
to use as a weapon. That didn't…
That didn't pay off on that occasion.
And the Intercontinental Champion, now, on the top turnbuckle.
[King] Waiting…
[J.R.] Look at the balance. Look at the great balance and athleticism.
[King] Ready to swing in there like a vulture.
Here he comes!
[J.R.] And Van Dam rolling through.
[King] Oh.
Oh, man.
[J.R.] Van Dam using Benjamin's own momentum
against the Intercontinental Champion.
Van dam ducking that…
Oh, nice.
-[King] Nice reverse. -[J.R.] I certainly am wrong about Van Dam
who countered Benjamin
right into the hurricanrana.
[King] He's good. These guys are so fast, so quick,
using so many moves, so many counters, it's hard to call it.
-[J.R.] And again, now-- -[King] The briefcase.
[J.R.] Oh, referee got a shot there, inadvertently.
Benjamin's got that briefcase. Went for Van Dam's head with it.
And now, Van Dam's got his briefcase.
-To kick-- Oh, my God! -[audience cheering]
Van Dam tossed the briefcase
to Shelton Benjamin,
who instinctively caught it.
Rob said, "You want the briefcase?
Here, you can have it. For just a second.
Then you can have this big foot!" Look out!
[J.R.] Five-Star!
[King] Whoa! Man.
[J.R.] The briefcase to a face, a Five-Star.
The hook! For three!
-[bell dings] -[J.R.] And Van Dam has done it!
[Lilian] Here is your winner,
of both the Money in the Bank
and the new Intercontinental Champion,
Rob Van Dam!
[J.R.] Rob Van Dam has come to Backlash,
and he's leaving with the Intercontinental Title
and the Money in the Bank briefcase.
Winner Take All! Van Dam has done it.
[King] And this electrified crowd here
at Rupp Arena, Lexington loves it.
[Rob Van Dam's theme song playing]
[King] There it is.
He got it all.
[J.R.] This crowd on their feet.
[King] What an amazing, amazing match.
[J.R.] What a turn of events.
Benjamin tried to use
that Money in the Bank briefcase to his advantage.
And he ate it.
Benjamin ate the briefcase.
And then look at this hang time.
My God, athleticism.
Rob Van Dam
driving the air out of Benjamin.
And Van Dam has won it all.
Things is, this has got to be one of the most significant victories
in Rob Van Dam's career.
[King] It's huge.
Intercontinental Champion.
He's still got the Money in the Bank briefcase.
The contract inside.
And one more look at this amazing frog splash.
Look at the impact. Rob Van Dam,
turning in a complete somersault after that impact.
[J.R.] Amazing velocity for Rob Van Dam
off the top of that Five-Star Frog Splash.
And so now, it was truly Winner Take All.
Ladies and gentlemen, Van Dam is the Intercontinental Champion.
Rob Van Dam is Mr. Money in the Bank.
I'd say Rob Van Dam is sitting at a pretty damn good spot right now.
I'll say one thing, he's obviously the happiest fan
in Rupp Arena right now, I can assure you. Look at that.
Sick match. Big win.
Well, King, we got a little thank you,
-to send out here now. -[King] Oh, yes, we do.
We wanna thank Danko Jones,
for… Well, it's for the official Backlash theme song.
It's gonna be my theme song. It's called "Baby Hates Me."
♪ You make me rock solid Hot and bothered ♪
[J.R.] Ladies and gentlemen, coming out momentarily,
two of the biggest men in the history of WWE,
former tag team partners.
As a matter of fact,
they may have been the most dominating tag team combination in WWE history,
and that's how this got started.
[man 1] The World Tag Team Champions, Kane and The Big Show.
It's the most dominating tag team champions in generations.
[King] They said it, I believe it. Kane and The Big Show are unstoppable.
[J.R.] Is there really two-man combination on God's green earth
that can beat Kane and The Big Show?
[man 2] World Tag Team Title on the line.
They do have spirit,
but is spirit enough to combat the gargantuan World Tag Team Champions?
[man 3] Ref has got a pair of sneakers to the face.
[King] Look out. Look out.
Wait a minute. Can they pick up the 500-pounder? Look out!
[man 4] The answer is yes.
-[King] Look out! -[man 1] Oh-ho, baby!
I don't believe it!
[Lilian] Here's your winner, and the new
World Tag Team Champions!
The Spirit Squad.
[Kane] May 19th.
[breathing heavily]
[echoing] May 19th, it's happening again.
Kane, it's me. It's okay.
It's okay.
You all right?
We've got work to do.
Let's go do this thing.
[man 1] The World Tag Team Championship's on the line.
The Spirit Squad defending against The Big Show and Kane.
Oh! And right now, Nicky is seeing that evil up close and personal.
[King] Easy, Kane. Wait a minute. What are you doing?
[man 1] The referee's called for the bell.
[man 2] This man is sick. Seems to me like he's sick.
[man 1] Oh! He's trying to break these kids in half.
Oh, no, don't do it.
-Not the referee. -[King] Look out!
[man 2] What the hell is Kane doing?
[King] Big Show, you gotta get in there and stop this.
You need to calm down.
[King] No! Oh, my God!
These guys were the Tag Team Champions.
-[man 1] Oh, my God. -[King] Look out!
[King] Kane snapped, and he just chokeslammed The Big Show.
[man 3] What's going on inside Kane's head?
[Lilian] Making his way to the ring, weighing in at 320 pounds…
Kane!
What did you say?
What did you just say?
You said, "May 19th."
Why did you tell everyone about May 19th?
I didn't say anything. I didn't say anything.
-[screams] -[King] Oh, no, no. Don't do it.
[Lilian continues screaming]
[Big Show] You and I have been friends. You and I have been partners.
As your friend, what's going on? What's the big deal?
[Kane panting] You said that date.
What date?
Come on, May 19th?
[King] Uh-oh.
[Kane] Don't say that again…
or else…
[King] I can't believe what I'm seeing. These men were partners.
There goes the bell.
[man] I don't think Big Show particularly wanted to do that.
But The Big Show had no choice.
May 19th.
[both grunt]
[Kane yelling]
[screaming in pain]
Ah! My eye.
I told you not to say that.
-I told you not to… -Kane, stop.
Kane, you son of a bitch!
[screams in pain]
Big Show, up next you go one-on-one against Kane.
Just want to get your thoughts on facing off
against your former World Tag Team Championship partner,
who's been going through some mental trauma recently,
apparently surrounding the release date of his new movie, See No evil.
You know, Todd, I've done everything I know to do as a friend
to try to help Kane.
I've tried to talk to him and I've tried to reason with him.
Okay, Kane has a movie coming out.
So what?
I was in Waterboy.
You didn't see me running around across the country,
attacking people and freaking out.
Now, okay, Kane's got problems.
Who doesn't?
You understand what I'm saying? Who doesn't have problems nowadays?
I don't know if May 19th is so traumatic for him for his past,
because, you know, his goldfish died,
uh, his puppy ran away.
I don't know what Kane's problem is with May 19th.
But I do know this.
Last week, Kane crossed the line.
And tonight,
it's an eye for an eye.
[audience cheering]
[bell dings]
[Lilian] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first,
weighing in at 320 pounds,
Kane.
-[Kane's theme song playing] -[J.R.] Whoa!
[J.R.] Well, Lilian Garcia, certainly hates him, to say the least.
The treatment that Kane has delivered to Lilian.
He was gonna chokeslam Lilian, was Kane,
just a few a few days ago.
Thank God, that Big Show intervened.
[King] He might as well have chokeslammed.
He threw her to the floor just like a rag doll.
[J.R.] This a really a strange situation.
One would think Kane would be happy.
He's gonna be starring in a major motion picture
that premieres on May 19th.
[loud blast]
[J.R.] But it seems as if the closer we get to that May 19th date,
the more deranged and conflicted Kane becomes.
[King] Guys, I don't think you wanna be holding up
those May 19th signs out there in the crowd.
♪ And no flame returns ♪
[King] Guys, come on, it's gotta be like Big Show said.
It's gotta be something more than the release date of his movie.
[Big Show's theme song playing]
[Lilian] And making his way to the ring,
weighing in at 507 pounds, and seven feet tall,
The Big Show!
[J.R.] You know, I admire The Big Show for trying to reason with Kane.
When these two guys were on the same page…
I'm not here to amend.
Least, since we've been working together all these years,
I've never seen a more dominant tag team
than The Big Show and Kane.
When they were together, when they were on the same page.
[King] Yeah, we both agreed.
They were gonna be unbeatable.
I didn't know how they were ever going to be stopped.
Until, like you said, this…
-this whole situation with this May 19th. -[audience chanting] May 19th!
Kane, here though-- Oh.
[bell dings]
[J.R.] Kane, not wasting any time here.
I really don't want to think about this matchup.
Look at The Big Show. Kane, a seven foot--
320 pounds, and a shade under seven feet, to be exact.
And the headbutt by The Big Show.
[King] Big Show's strength is scary.
As is, of course, Kane.
[Kane grunts]
[J.R.] These are two huge men that,
when they came together as a unit…
Oh, damn, that's…
That is just a devastating,
devastating impact there.
[King] You know, Kane's artistic.
[Big Show grunts]
[J.R.] And again…
Kane going for that eye.
And The Big Show hammering at that elbow.
Right at the elbow joint.
We saw that Kane was a-- They know, uh…
no sidetracks,
no detours.
Went right for The Big Show's eye last week on RAW.
[King] And that's where The Big Show said, we heard him say earlier,
Kane crossed the line there.
[J.R.] Watching that show at home back there in Norman, Oklahoma,
thinking, you know… Kane's movie's called See No Evil.
Certainly, that's what Kane had in mind.
Or did so, to not see any evil.
-[King] Well, you know… -[man] May 19th, bitch.
[King] …wrestling has some unwritten rules,
and I don't care how much you dislike your opponent,
it's just… It's just, uh,
it's one thing you don't try to do.
You don't try to cost anybody their sight.
[J.R.] Dammit.
Kane manhandling The Big Show right into that steel ring post.
[referee] Two!
[King] Why The Big Show said Kane crossed the line.
-[referee] Three! -[King] And now it's an eye for an eye.
[J.R.] World's largest professional athlete,
The Big Show.
Over seven feet tall,
gotta be 520 pounds.
[King] Or at least a biscuit or two from that.
[J.R.] Getting a hard stomp by Kane,
who has succeeded in getting The Big Show down,
which is no small feat, to say the least.
[King] The Big Show would've gone number one in this week's draft…
[J.R.] You're looking for a defensive lineman,
he would have been the prototype, but what about Kane?
These are two magnificent athletes
that we have the privilege of seeing here on RAW
and here tonight on Backlash.
And then Kane, intimidating referee Jack Doan.
Running clothesline.
Nowhere to go for Big Show, but against those turnbuckles.
[King] Big Show said that--
Oh, my gosh, what a clothesline.
[J.R.] That was amazing,
the impact there.
-[Doan] One, two… That's two. -[J.R.] Cover!
[King] Never seen The Big Show knocked down
with that authority.
And like Big Show said, everybody's got problems,
but I think Kane has more than his share. Don't you?
[J.R.] There's just something wrong there.
I mean, there's just…
something about his…
[King] I'd like to say, it is more than the movie.
Gotta be something more than the movie date.
[J.R.] More than May 19th, more than See No Evil,
more than something else. There's something going wrong,
something going on in Kane's mind
that has got him so…
so dangerous,
and so unpredictable.
[King] Hearing voices in his head.
If the voices in my head start talking to me,
-I'd poke them with a Q-tip. -[J.R. chuckles]
[J.R.] Well, I think Kane's past that.
[King] He's past that, he's way past that.
[J.R.] Kane is a very perplexing individual.
Certainly a man that has…
At many times, we have seen him
display some very disturbing personality traits.
It's the story
of his life, somewhat unique,
to say the very least.
Many folks, including yours truly,
have had some unique interaction with Kane.
[King] You certainly have.
[J.R.] Unpleasant to remember.
The headbutt by The Big Show. Big Show's got to fight.
He's just got a reasoning, and trying to reason, and…
And again, right in that elbow joint by Kane.
[King] Big Show wanted to get that chokeslam and-- Oh, look at this now.
[J.R.] A wristlock and a torque on the elbow and wrist,
and Kane's all that leverage and all that strength.
And this is one of the few times
that The Big Show is gonna be out-leveraged.
Of course, he is on a knee.
[Kane] Get up, Show.
[J.R.] Kane is almost seven feet tall.
Look how big The Big Show is on a knee.
-[King laughs] It's amazing. -[J.R.] It's scary.
And until you see a man--
both these men, quite frankly--
but especially The Big Show in person,
it's really… it's really amazing
just how big he really is.
That size 18 5E wrestling boot.
[King] But somehow Kane with enough athletic ability
to get that huge boot of his
all the way up there into the face
of the seven-foot-tall Big Show.
[J.R.] Big Show wears like a 19 or a 20-size ring,
and there is…
the strength.
Fallaway slam by the seven-foot-plus,
520-pound, I'm estimating, of Big Show,
and how The Big Show comes back with that clothesline.
I don't know the effects that's gonna have on the damaged arm.
[King] What size? Couldn't get the average one… [chuckles]
-[King] Big Show wears a 20. -[J.R.] I wore a 10.
-Ah! -[J.R.] Look at this. Look at that hand.
This is a… Holding that shoulder again.
-[Kane grunts] -[King] Uh-oh.
Here he goes. This is the-- Oh!
Look at this!
[J.R.] Big Show, I don't know what… Big Show trying to--
[King] Big Show, went for the chokeslam
and Kane was able to counter.
Came down once again on that weakened right arm of The Big Show.
[audience chanting] Big Show! Big Show!
[King] Kane is a scary-looking individual.
[J.R.] We sure don't have all the details.
We understand there's an update on WWE.com
on the condition of Trish Stratus.
And the details are sketchy as we know them here.
-[King] Look out. -[J.R.] Look at that big legdrop.
-Four! Three! -[J.R.] 500-plus.
Will it be enough? Not this time.
This has not been a pretty match.
This has not been a catch-as-catch-can.
-[King] No. -[J.R.] Classic.
[all exclaiming]
[J.R.] And total powerslam.
-And there's a powerslam. -[Doan] One! Two!
[J.R.] And a hook to the leg.
You see the great-- the grace, the athleticism,
the movement, the aerial skills.
We saw moments ago with RVD and Shelton Benjamin.
And then you see these two Clydesdales.
[King] Oh, wait a minute, look at this.
I think he's got that "eye for an eye" thought in mind here.
-Look out, Big Show. No, you don't wanna-- -[J.R.] Big Show looking to stick that…
"An eye for an eye," just as he said.
[King] That size-20 finger you're talking about.
[J.R.] And a poke right to the eye by… by Kane.
And… Oh, Kane, hard shot right to the temple,
taking The Big Show to the outside.
And Kane with a big smile on his face.
-[King] A sadistic smile. -[voice whispers] May 19th.
[King] Too close. What's this?
[voice whispering] It's happening again, Kane.
You know what happened on that day.
May 19th. It's happening again. Kane.
Kane.
[overlapping voice] May 19th.
-You can't control it. -[King] You hear that too?
-[J.R.] I can't explain. -[overlapping voice] You can't stop it.
You can't stop it. May 19th. They're all going to die.
[J.R.] I can't explain where this is coming from.
[overlapping voice] May 19th. It's happening again, Kane.
-You can't stop it. -[J.R.] You can see the reaction of Kane.
[King] Just by listening to it, I thought I was going nuts.
[voices whispering] May 19th. It's happening again, Kane.
You know what happened on that day.
[J.R.] Kane is beating himself up.
Kane's striking himself.
[overlapping voices] May 19th. You can't control it.
It's happening again, Kane. You can't stop it.
You can't stop it. May 19th.
[Kane grunts] Shut up! [moans]
It's happening again, Kane. You can't stop it…
[J.R.] What the hell is going on?
[man] Yeah, get it, Big Show! Yeah, baby!
[overlapping voices] May 19th.
[King] Big Show just got a steel chair.
[J.R.] Big Show with a steel chair in hand.
They're all going to know. May 19th. It's happening again, Kane.
[J.R.] I guess at May 19th…
Can't explain the origins of why we're hearing that.
-Oh… -[overlapping voices] May 19th.
-[J.R.] And certainly… -[voices stop]
[Kane panting heavily]
[J.R.] The Big Show… It's almost as if The Big Show was just
trying to put his former tag team partner
out of Kane's misery.
Like, The Big Show was trying to help Kane
cope with these voices.
[audience booing]
[J.R.] And Big Show, walking out and walking away from this contest.
-[audience cheering] -[J.R.] Kane sits up
with a perverse smile on his face,
but at least those voices have stopped.
[King] The chair, instead of knocking Kane's lights out,
it knocked the lights back on and the voices off.
I don't… I don't get it.
[J.R.] Show's just trying to help Kane, I think.
[Candice coughing]
Candice! My goodness, you look beautiful.
Thanks, Mr. McMahon, but… [coughs]
What's that smell?
Um, it's not me, it's a new cleaning solvent
that they have out on the market.
-Smells a little fishy, doesn't it? -Yeah. Not good.
What can I do for you? My match is comin' right up.
Well, Mr. McMahon… [coughs]
Sorry, but I have this really bad chest cold.
[coughs] And you know, with you being God,
I thought maybe you could lay a healing hand on me.
-[coughs] -Um…
[hesitates] Yeah, let's try that.
-In the name of-- -Uh, Mr. McMahon,
it's a chest cold, so a little lower, please.
-Oh, well, okay, then. -[audience hooting]
Why don't we try…
You have beautiful shoulders. Let's try this.
Yes. Can you feel that?
No, just a little lower.
Maybe around that
tiny little waist of yours, as a feeling.
Yeah, I like that.
Yeah, just a little bit higher.
-A little bit higher? -Yeah.
-Like-- -Yeah. Keep going. Yeah. [moans]
[screams loudly]
Heal! Heal this woman's breath!
Heal this woman's voluptuous breath.
-[screams] -Do you feel it?
-Right out there, right there! -I feel it too.
[both screaming]
Hey, let's go.
Let's go. Our match is next. Let's go. What are you doing?
I'm just healing Candice.
-You can heal Candice later. Let's go. -Okay.
[Candice moaning]
[Shane] Let's go!
Damn it!
-[audience laughs] -[Candice continues moaning]
-Now, I wanna bet-- -He does have the power.
-He's got the power. I believe it. -Well, what the hell was that?
-Is he crazy? Has-- -He laid hands on Candice.
I saw him laying hands.
He'd have laid more than hands, only this match was an imminent.
As… The chairman of the WWE, folks, has lost it.
If you didn't know by now, he has lost it.
Because not only has Mr. McMahon and his son, Shane,
had booked this mess, Mr. McMahon has made
Shawn Michaels' tag team partner tonight,
in Mr. McMahon's words, God.
[King] Well, you and I have both never seen the likes of it,
but this is how this all came about tonight.
[J.R.] McMahon is Satan-like.
He is morally corrupt.
McMahon has broken every commandment known to the good Lord,
and now he wants to break Shawn Michaels, physically, spiritually, emotionally.
So diabolical, so devoid of human kindness.
Well, and he's getting everything that McMahon deserves.
[Shawn] Vince, you better be the one to hit your knees
and pray to the God above.
[Vince] God…
I don't like you.
You don't like me.
[Shawn] You are going to endure your own personal hell.
[J.R.] He's literally getting the hell beaten out of him.
[Vince] You nor anyone else in the world
can beat the McMahons. You can't do it.
[J.R.] He has been battered bloody, but he's still breathing.
Satan lives.
[Vince] It became a Handicap Match.
Me versus you and God.
Vince, you have finally, finally gone
completely insane.
You're in a war!
[Vince] That war for you is gonna continue
at Backlash, there's gonna be a tag team match on.
You and God versus me,
Vincent Kennedy McMahon,
and my son, Shane.
I'm here to announce,
for the first time, a new religion.
My own personal religion.
And the name of it is McMahonism.
McMahonism is the theology of the future.
Yeah, I know, there's one person,
here in this arena, who will not convert.
And his name is Shawn Michaels.
At Backlash, I can assure you,
when my son, Shane and I get finished with Shawn Michaels,
he will fall on his knees and worship at my feet.
If I'm lying, may God striketh me down as I stand here before you.
[thunder crashes]
[man 1] Mr. McMahon asked for a slamming.
Well, he got one.
[man 2] That wasn't an act of God at all.
That was a succession of mere coincidences.
[Vince] I told you. Shawn, God's not here tonight.
[man 3] Shawn Michaels better hope there is an act of God.
[Vince] God has abandoned you.
Shawn Michaels, I will unleash the apocalypse on you.
God will not be at your side.
The god of McMahonism will guarantee victory
against Shawn Michaels at Backlash.
Not even you, God, can protect him.
Praise be the name of Vincent Kennedy McMahon.
Hallelujah! And amen!
[thunder rumbles]
♪ Here comes the money ♪
-Here we go. -Money talks.
♪ Here comes the money ♪
♪ Money, money, money, money ♪
♪ Dolla, dolla, dolla, dolla ♪
♪ Ching ching, bling bling Cut the chatter ♪
♪ You ain't talking money Then your talking don't matter ♪
♪ Ching ching, bling bling ♪
[bell dings]
[Lilian] This tag team contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first, from Greenwich, Connecticut,
weighing in at 234 pounds,
Shane McMahon.
[King] Well, since Mr. McMahon thinks that he's a god,
now, does that-- doesn't make Shane son of God, does it?
[J.R.] I wouldn't think so.
The simple son of…
I think, Mr. McMahon.
I've said this before. I think he looks forward to going to hell.
-[King] What? -[J.R.] He can take over.
Satan will be out of work.
♪ No chance ♪
[Lilian] Introducing his tag team partner,
weighing in at 248 pounds,
he is the Chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment,
Mr. McMahon.
[J.R.] There were several lightning strikes in the area today.
Let's hope they don't find their way to the Rupp Arena.
[King] Yeah, give up-- You know what?
You can't take any chances. You gotta respect all religions.
You don't want to go to hell on a technicality.
[J.R.] Well, that's true, I don't wanna go to hell for any reason.
I have a hard time understanding
the thorough doctrine of McMahonism.
[King] I know one thing Vince wouldn't like about heaven, he hates harp music.
-[King] Oh, he does. -[J.R.] I heard that, yeah.
-[J.R.] Thou shalt… -[Vince] I got it from here, Lilian.
-Thou shall get a haircut. -Allow me to introduce to you,
one of Shawn Michaels, or actually the only,
tag team partner Shawn Michaels is gonna have here tonight.
He is the…
Let's see. He has many names.
Let's try, he's the Holy Roller.
[King] Oh, boy.
He's the hipster from heaven.
He's the man upstairs.
From the kingdom of heaven, please welcome…
God.
[audience cheering]
[celestial music playing]
Oh, all right there. Hold it. Hold it. Stop it.
Stop the music. Hold it. Stop it.
Now, Listen, God.
We're not doing things your way tonight. We're not doing things my way.
This is not your house, this is mine.
[audience booing]
You call that an entrance?
That's not an entrance.
Tonight, we're gonna do it WWE style.
Let's get down. Let's jiggy with it. Come on, God.
Let's see what you've got, come on.
Come on, God.
[funky music playing]
[J.R.] McMahon wants God to get jiggy with it.
[King] Well, he did stop God in his tracks right there.
[J.R.] Someone call 911.
[King laughs] Hey, wait there, I got it coming this way.
-[J.R.] What? -[King] Can you feel him?
He wouldn't let go.
[J.R.] I feel God in my life all the time, but this is…
-I know what I got here. -[J.R.] This is insanity.
[Vince panting] All right.
Oh.
God…
[King] Oh, he's in the ring. He's in the ring.
Let me just say this.
What is it?
Oh, he's behind me.
The hell was that?
You sneaked up, behind me.
God. Come here.
Go, check him out.
[King chuckling] He's asking the referee to check God.
Now, tell me what God has up his sleeve. Now, go check him out.
[inaudible]
[all exclaiming]
I said, go check him out.
No, whoa, whoa, whoa! Wait a minute.
On second thought, you know what, God…
Bring it!
Bring it! Whatever you've got!
I don't care what it is.
Because, tonight, there's no disqualification.
-[J.R.] What? -There's no countout.
This match is no-holds-barred.
-[J.R.] Since when? -[audience cheering]
[J.R.] When the hell did that happen?
Praise be the name of Vincent Kennedy McMahon.
Praise be the name of--
[Shawn Michaels' theme song playing]
♪ I know I'm sexy ♪
♪ I've got the looks ♪
♪ That drive the girls wild ♪
[J.R.] The Rupp Arena has exploded.
♪ I send chills ♪
♪ Up and down their spines ♪
♪ I'm just a sexy boy ♪
♪ I'm not your boy toy ♪
♪ I'm just a sexy boy ♪
[J.R.] The born-again spirit of Shawn Michaels
has now gotta face
a no-disqualification,
no-holds-barred…
You might as well say, a Handicap Match.
[King] Where did that light go?
I'm afraid to look into the light.
[J.R.] McMahon loves to castrate people's dignity.
He's so morally corrupt.
[Vince] Hold on! Hang on a second.
Before this match begins,
I just wanna let you know something, okay?
I know you've never been there,
and your partner hasn't either.
But before this night is over,
you and God
are gonna go straight to hell.
And I know--
-[King] Oh! -[J.R.] Oh.
-[bell dings] -[J.R.] Well, maybe not right away.
[King] He just got the hell slapped out of him.
[J.R.] Shawn Michaels against Vince McMahon
and his prodigal son, in this…
[King] Look out!
[J.R.] …this jacked-up Handicap Match
with no holds barred and no disqualification.
-[King] Oh! -[J.R.] In the heart!
A crossbody
on the chairman of the WWE.
[King] Shawn looks like he came flying in from the heavens,
landing on this.
[J.R.] Michaels guards the right hand,
that big right hand by Shane McMahon.
We saw what happened when these man…
Their paths crossed at WrestleMania.
One of the most amazing Hardcore Matches I've ever seen.
[King] Look at him. Amazing. Did you see that move?
Shawn Michaels-- Look at that!
[J.R.] Again, Michaels showing
absolutely no fear or intimidation
by the McMahons.
But can even Shawn Michaels overcome…
[audience chanting] HBK! HBK!
…a no-disqualification, no-holds-barred match
between two desperate individuals,
such as
Vince McMahon and his demon seed, Shane.
[King] The fans are chanting, "HBK."
What will the do if he tags out? They'll chant "G-O-D"?
[J.R.] There's no tag-out, King.
This is a Handicap Match. It was…
Vince McMahon's way of getting into Shawn Michaels' head,
to insult his belief and philosophy.
Knees to the midsection by Shane McMahon.
-No countouts. -[King] Right.
[J.R.] No disqualifications.
[King] That's why this match can be taking place
on that steel stage, as it is right now.
[J.R.] It'll be taking--
[King] Oh, no, no, not this!
[J.R.] Oh, my God. Shane McMahon, look at that
-power grab. -[King] Who's the power grabber now?
[J.R.] And Shane McMahon bounces.
His carcass bounces right off that steel.
Shane McMahon's spine burst.
And Mr. McMahon with the steel chair.
And this match didn't last long in a ring, but again, no disqualifications.
-[Vince groans] -[J.R.] What a shot.
No countouts.
[King] I'll wait for you to say, right to the--
Oh! Oh, my gosh!
[J.R.] Shane McMahon's head bouncing
off the stage in the Backlash staging.
-[King] Look out! -[J.R.] Crossbody! My God.
My God, the crossbody.
And Michaels took
the 60-year-old chairman of the WWE
from the stage to the floor.
[King] They crashed through the floor.
Oh, man.
Look at that.
[J.R.] Man, this match may not…
-This may not be a long epic. -[audience chanting] HBK!
[King] I think it may be over for Mr. McMahon.
Let me see that again.
Here's Shane's head slamming into that…
Damn, whatever that thing is, they're probably…
And then, this!
[J.R.] And Shawn Michaels, cross-slamming the remorseless rich.
And the remorseless rich hurts just as badly as anybody else,
even though Mr. McMahon doesn't believe he is a mortal being.
[King] Right now, I bet Mr. McMahon wishes he had the number to dial-a-prayer.
They'd probably hang up on him.
[J.R.] Shawn Michaels having--
Michaels hit right in the face
from the steel chair shot.
And Shane McMahon came from downtown.
You thought he was out, but Pujols
going deep, deep, deep, or a Travis Hafner
450-foot home run.
-[King] Oh, look out now.
[J.R.] Right in the face of Shawn Michaels.
And now, the boy sperm… I mean, the boy wonder
going to check on his black-hearted daddy.
[King] This chair shot, one more time.
[J.R.] And listen to it. Listen.
[metallic clang]
[J.R.] Sets a steel chair
on the cranium of another human being.
And Michaels has been busted open,
it looks like, literally, from ear to ear.
[King] Well, I'd guess so, after that chair shot.
Shane went down to see if he can lay some healing hands on his father.
[J.R.] How can a family be so devoid of human kindness
when they have so many things to be thankful for?
How can the McMahons conduct themselves
like soulless heathens?
[King] You're right. They'll have to count their blessings on a computer
or calculator.
[J.R.] I mean, they're richer than any possible fools ask.
I don't understand how they can't be remorseful of anything.
This is because of the craziness…
the fact that Vince McMahon is losing his mind, in my opinion.
And this may be my last broadcasting.
Michaels bleeding profusely.
Everytime Michaels' heart beats,
you see a squirt of blood out of his head.
I hate to be that graphic, but that's the way that it is.
[King] Well, it you ask me, J.R.,
I think that…
I believe that Vince McMahon is…
He's not envious of anyone else's wealth or money. Because he's…
You know, I mean, he can hang in there with anybody.
But he's envious
of Shawn Michaels' relationship with God, with his religion.
[J.R.] And Shawn's happiness, his eternal happiness, his sanity.
And look at Shane McMahon. How Shane McMahon…
Never underestimate his fighting ability. He is a battler.
-[audience members exclaim] -[J.R.] Hard drag takedown.
That was his arm whipped.
Shane sent Michaels right into the security wall.
[King] Watch this again.
Shane throws Shawn into that steel post and then like this…
whips him right into the restraining wall.
[J.R.] The wall didn't give.
The wall didn't sell a thing.
Michaels' body was contorted there.
[King] Talk about Mr. McMahon being twisted. I'll tell you what?
Shane has a bona fide mean streak.
[J.R.] Oh, there's no doubt about that.
There's no doubt about that whatsoever.
The simple son
of the Satan on Earth has a mean streak, no doubt.
[King] You say that's where he got the mean streak, huh?
Look at that, Shawn Michaels' blood all over that jersey of Shane-O-Mac.
[Shane whoops]
[J.R.] Shane, now, having some fun at Michaels' expense
because Michaels is essentially helpless
in this Handicap Match.
And Michaels' blood all over the shirt, all over that jersey of Shane McMahon.
I always think that
Shane is sometimes seemingly embarrassed with his father's own…
this bizarre behavior.
But that doesn't discount the fact that Shane is a McMahon.
And McMahons like to win in everything they do.
High risk here.
And nobody there!
[King] Shane emulating that
patented elbow drop on Shawn Michaels off the top rope,
-but Shawn read that book. -[Vince] Come on, Shane!
[J.R.] Michaels able to counter here, look.
Avoid the contact. Look at that…
that hang time, the height, the intimidating athleticism.
If the elbow had struck the heart of Shawn Michaels,
this match would, in my view, would be over as we speak.
And Michaels fight back.
The spirit of Shawn Michaels, his will to compete,
has amazed me since the first time I saw him in 1984.
[King] If you ask me, Shawn needs to make a tag right now.
Look out! He really needs to tag out now.
[J.R.] That tornado DDT. And now go to your daddy.
Now, with Shawn Michaels helpless, old Dad wants to tag.
"Let me have him, Shane. I got it. I got it under control.
By God, he's all mine."
[audience booing]
[King] All right, J.R., tell me what you really think of Mr. McMahon and don't say…
[J.R.] This is absolutely repulsive.
-[belt cracks loudly] -[J.R.] Lashing him like a packing mule.
Like he's not a human being.
It's like McMahon is this superior being
and Michaels is nothing more than just an animal.
-How do you like that? -[King] Did you say he's morally corrupt?
[J.R.] You're damn right he's morally corrupt.
[Shawn screams]
[J.R.] This is…
This… This match is gonna be a…
Mr. McMahon booking it as a Tag Match.
Changing it mid-stream, making it no-disqualification,
no-holds-barred,
because he can,
because he owns the company,
because he's the chairman of the WWE.
[King] And he's the god of McMahonism.
[J.R.] And he got his ass embarrassed, beaten bloody,
-at his own creation… -How do you like that?
[J.R.] …perhaps his greatest professional creation at WrestleMania
about four weeks ago.
McMahon looking and asking Shane for a weapon.
As if that belt, and the hide he just took off his…
Oh, dear.
[King] I think I know what's coming.
[J.R.] Payback.
Payback is what's coming.
[indistinct speaking]
[King] McMahon wants to throw that metal garbage can
right into the head--
Oh, and he did!
[J.R.] We're talking about a human being who needs psychotherapy.
[King] That's a payback for WrestleMania, J.R.
Give me your microphone.
[J.R.] God. Now he's gonna talk him to death.
What do you think now?
What do you think now, God? Look at him.
[audience booing]
What are you gonna do about it?
What are you gonna do about it, God, huh? Come on.
Wait a minute.
Where the hell are you going?
God, come back! Come back here, God!
Look what you made in your own image!
Look at him, he's a piece of crap.
Where you going, God?
God, come back.
Ladies and gentlemen,
God has left the building.
[King] Oh, man.
[J.R.] This is uncomfortable.
But you haven't.
Yeah, come on up here. Yeah, come on up here.
Can tell you this.
I'm gonna knock your teeth right down your throat.
-[J.R.] McMahon, tuning up the band here. -[King] You gotta be kidding me here.
[J.R.] Oh, Michaels blocked! Michaels blocked the superkick.
And there's Vince McMahon with the right hand.
-[King] And now, Shane-- -[J.R.] Shane knocked out of the apron.
Shawn Michaels, can he do it here?
Shawn Michaels, with that flying forearm.
Almost a running forearm
right into the face of Mr. McMahon.
[King] They're both down.
Is there any way in hell
that HBK can overcome these odds?
That's the question here.
[King] McMahon talking to God. There's nothing wrong with talking to God.
But that demented son of a bitch actually thought he saw him.
-[King] Uh-oh. -[J.R.] Michaels picked up.
-Shane McMahon… -[all exclaiming]
[King] No!
[J.R.] Well, go home, Daddy.
[audience cheering]
[J.R.] The prodigy, the demon seed…
has turned his daddy's lights out
with an inadvertent chair shot.
And Michaels now has the opportunity.
[King] Michaels on fire here.
Michaels rocking and rolling.
Hammering Shane McMahon, and down goes McMahon.
[King] Big bodyslam, now.
[J.R.] How has Michaels done it? He has regrouped, he has not quit.
He has lost blood.
-And Michaels… -[King] Here he goes!
Halfway across the ring!
[J.R.] My God, what athleticism.
The elbow
all the way from San Antonio
into the black heart of the crown prince,
the heir apparent to the McMahon empire.
-[audience counting down] -[King] And the man is tuning up.
Come on, Shane McMahon, get to your feet and take your medicine.
[J.R.] And a plan by…
-[King exclaims] -[J.R.] My God!
[King] Come on, come on!
[J.R.] My God, Kentucky home.
Both McMahons are down.
[King] And there's a nice "suck it" for good measure.
[J.R.] A little DX…
Wait a minute.
I think HBK could pin either…
either McMahon.
[King laughs] But after what the McMahons have put Shawn Michaels through,
he's not gonna be content with just pinning either one of these guys.
[J.R.] McMahon…
The McMahons have put Shawn Michaels on a horrid highway to hell
for the last several months.
[King] J.R., you think Mr. McMahon may have
made a mistake on this no-holds-barred thing?
[J.R.] McMahon said no holds barred. Anything goes.
No disqualification.
And Shawn Michaels is gonna take advantage of it.
Right here and right now, it would seem.
A bloody Shawn Michaels
setting these tables up.
Shane McMahon
has been battered and fried, laid to the side,
and Daddy dearest
is even in worse shape.
[King] And the crowd here in Rupp Arena
chanting, "We want tables."
I'm sure Mr. McMahon and Shane don't want anything to do with tables.
[J.R.] HBK setting those table together.
What is his agenda here?
We know, I think, his agenda, but what is this…
What's gonna be the method in this madness?
And this has been a maddening personal rivalry.
A maddening personal issue
between Shawn Michaels and the McMahons.
[King] I thought Mr. McMahon was…
You couldn't tell but it looked like maybe he was praying there for a second.
-That couldn't be the case, could it? -[J.R.] I don't think he knows how.
I think that would be foreign territory for him.
And the McMahons are lying helpless.
Shawn Michaels has done,
seemingly, the impossible here.
[King] What now?
What now?
[J.R.] King, you don't think…
[King] I don't know what to think right now.
[J.R.] Michaels showing that… that attitude
that we used to see a lot.
[King] Oh, my.
No way.
There's always tables, ladders, chairs under the WWE ring.
[J.R.] And that is one hell of a big ladder.
[King] Stretches all the way across the ring.
And the ring is…
King, that's another… That's king-sized…
-[King] 20-foot ladder. Gotta be. -[J.R.] A 20-footer.
[J.R.] Maybe more, I'm not sure. I'm not a…
I'm not a Home Depot guy.
That is one hell of a big ladder.
At least 20 feet.
Referee Mike Chioda trying to talk Michaels down.
This is a suicidal-like maneuver
for everybody in the equation.
[King] I'd get out of there if I were you, referee.
Here he goes!
Whoa, wait a minute!
[J.R.] The Spirit Squad.
The World Tag Team Champions.
-[King] Where'd they come from? -[J.R.] All five of 'em.
Coming to ringside.
Michaels saw them.
Michaels turned his attention to the Spirit Squad
and took down all five.
They represent the World Tag Team Champions.
[King] Shawn Michaels, I didn't even see 'em.
Obviously, it's good-- Good thing he did. But Shawn Michaels
saw the Spirit Squad and he bombarded them. Look at this.
Oh, my God!
[J.R.] Michaels putting his own body at risk.
Up that ladder, right into the cluster
of the most annoying quintet in WWE history.
Now, Michaels… Again, there's no disqualification.
[King] Now, the numbers really come into effect.
Before it was two-on-one, now it's seven-on-one.
[J.R.] And there's no holds barred.
[Spirit Squad members screaming]
And the match can't be stopped. The referee is totally helpless…
in disqualifying anybody.
[King] Well, like I said before, I guess Mr. McMahon knew what he was doing
when he made this match no-holds-barred.
-[overlapping conversations] -Boss.
[King] What do these guys got in mind?
[J.R.] Mr. McMahon's always got a plan and now…
look at these… these suck-ups
pulling the McMahons out of harm's way off those tables.
And now that… that huge ladder that was
about to be used on the McMahons by Shawn Michaels
is being… being eliminated from this… this equation.
[audience booing]
[J.R.] Michaels has been beaten down by the five members of the Spirit Squad.
You can do the math at home.
It's seven-on-one, any way you wanna configure it.
-Let's go! -Here we go!
-[Spirit Squad] One, two, three. Up. -[King] Watch this.
[J.R.] Michaels' body driven through that table.
And the five members of the Spirit Squad,
and the Tag Team Champions,
just decimating Shawn Michaels.
And look at the look on the face of Mr. McMahon.
He absolutely looks…
His eyes look black.
He looks like a soulless…
-soulless human being. -[audience continue booing]
-Oh, no. You gotta be kidding me. -One! Two! Three!
-[J.R.] Oh, that's bull [bleep]. -[bell rings]
Excuse my language.
[Lilian] Here are your winners,
Shane and Mr. McMahon.
-[J.R.] I apologize. -[King] Do you?
[J.R.] Yes. It's damn sure horse manure for this--
how Mr. McMahon beat Shawn Michaels.
[King] Well, not just Mr. McMahon. You realize what we have here?
It's the father, the son,
and the holy Spirit Squad.
[J.R.] This just makes me ill.
Shawn Michaels did everything he could.
Everything a human being could possible do
to fight through these odds.
Then it became no-holds-barred, King.
It became no-disqualification.
And then, the Spirit Squad came out.
And that's seven-on-one, any way you count it.
[King] Well, Shawn dives once again from the heavens,
right into the hellish pit.
And the Spirit Squad with this maneuver.
Look at that impact.
Look how high these guys throw Shawn into the air and listen to this…
[crack]
Sickening.
[J.R.] And then it was academic.
The five members of the Spirit Squad did the damage.
Mr. McMahon and his sperm, Shane, get the victory
in a glorified Handicap Match.
Oh, now look at this.
Carry them right to the next rubber room.
Come, get it.
[J.R.] The McMahons need help.
Especially… Especially, the patriarch.
I will be damned.
How in the hell can Vince McMahon live with himself?
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
the man who has been touted as the most controversial champion
in WWE history,
John Cena.
[audience cheering]
Uh…
John, I've got to say,
lately the crowd doesn't exactly seem to be 100% behind you.
Um, yes, some fans do love you, but other fans don't seem to like you.
Hey, [chuckles] thanks for watching the show. Proud of you.
Nevertheless, tonight, it's every man for himself, a Triple Threat Match,
as you face off against Triple H and Edge.
Now, recently, there have been a series of Handicap Matches
which have seen Triple H Pedigree you and pin you.
We've seen, uh, you make Edge tap out.
And then we've seen Edge Spear Triple H and pin him.
So, I have to say that tonight--
Wait, wait, wait. No, no, no.
A fountain of information, as usual,
but you're leaving out the most important part.
Tonight, I don't have to get pinned
to lose the WWE Championship.
I mean…
It all makes sense. In the past few weeks I have seen
and heard... [chuckles]
...just about everything.
From kudos to death threats,
the sports entertainment community is divided.
Listen…
Those are the sounds of the deafening silence
of the people who want Edge to become the WWE Champion.
[audience booing]
There is also a group out there
that wants Triple H…
[deafening cheering]
…to become the WWE Champion.
Todd, the lines are drawn, the stage is set, the time is now.
Every single thing you have seen, felt, and heard, comes down to this.
And tonight,
through it all,
through the, uh… the holes,
through the hammers,
and through the haters,
is one voice.
One voice that will stand tall when that final bell tolls.
And that's Lilian Garcia.
When she announces, "Your winner
and still WWE Champion…"
[audience cheering]
"…John Cena."
Keep up the good work, kid.
[J.R.] Ladies and gentlemen, we just got an update.
Trish Stratus has dislocated her shoulder.
It's been put back into place.
And we'll have a…
She's getting an MRI. We'll have an update on her.
[King] What about an update on Shawn Michaels?
[J.R.] As soon as we get information on Shawn Michaels,
we'll get that to you as well.
-[Matt Striker's theme song playing] -[King] Still out?
[J.R.] Oh, no.
[Striker] Hello, my students!
It is our Matt Striker, your teacher.
[Lilian] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome,
from the Classroom, Matt Striker!
[J.R.] And you know, this is the guy that was teaching
in the New York City public school system
until he got fired.
-[King] Why'd he get fired? -[Striker] It's not how hard…
[J.R.] I guess you gotta ask his principal.
[Striker] …smart you were.
[King] I had a teacher that looked just like him in high school.
-He was cross-eyed. He got fired too. -[bell dings]
[King] He couldn't control his pupils. [chuckles]
-Get it? -[J.R.] I would assume that, uh,
Mr. Striker was terminated for conduct unbecoming a school teacher.
-[Striker] School is… -[King] Oh, he thinks he's a…
[Striker] …cool!
[King] All good teachers always wrote their name on the blackboard.
Now, I know that I was not originally scheduled
to be here at Backlash, but…
With all due respect to Mr. McMahon,
there is actually yet another miracle
occurring right now.
[audience shouting indistinctly]
That miracle is…
believe it or not, that there's actually an intelligent person
right here in Kentucky.
[audience booing]
Okay, okay, okay.
I know that Kentucky is famous for many things,
like, uh, fried chicken…
[King] Oh, Kentucky fried.
…illegally recruited basketball players.
[audience booing]
The one thing Kentucky is not famous for
is being an educated state.
But, hey.
Hey, you're right on par with the rest of the country,
so, don't worry.
But I have some good news for "y'all."
My name is Matt Striker,
and I am going to be your teacher.
[King] Oh, boy.
And as an added bonus,
I have gone out and found
one of the smartest men to ever come from Kentucky.
So, ladies and gentlemen, please, join me in welcoming,
from your home state, Eugene!
-[audience cheering] -[King] Oh, no, Eugene?
[J.R.] Well, he is from Louisville.
[King] Yeah, but he is a mental midget.
[J.R.] Oh, come on, King.
Well… he is a…
As for me, he is a good-hearted guy. Come on.
We've both had some interesting conversations with him.
It's a surprise there's a lot of components to his skills.
He's got that freakish strength
and he emulates the wrestlers he's seen on television over the years.
-He has even emulated you. -[King] I know.
You see, this is exactly what I'm talking about.
Do you see this, Kentucky?
[audience] Yes!
This is a perfect reason,
regardless of how tempted you may be,
to not marry your cousin.
[King chuckles wryly]
Eugene, I'm gonna take a hypothesis,
which means an educated guess.
You're probably confused right now, aren't you?
[inaudible]
You see, Eugene,
I brought you out here
to make an example out of you.
You may very well be
the smartest person from this state of Kentucky and yet,
I'm willing to bet
that you can't even spell your own name. [chuckles]
I'm willing… What's that?
Oh! Oh, you can spell your name?
Okay.
I'll tell you what, Eugene.
I've got a piece of chalk.
It's a pretty piece of chalk.
Why don't you take this chalk?
Prove me wrong.
Prove to me that people in Kentucky aren't inbred and illiterate.
[audience booing]
Why don't you write your name on my blackboard?
Yeah, go ahead. Okay, good.
You know, I don't have any idea what Ashley Judd sees in you people.
Frankly, she's getting kind of old,
but that's an entirely different lesson.
I'll tell you what?
Time's up. Time's up.
Eugene, what do you say that you show all these people
exactly how you spell your name? Go ahead, show them.
-[King] Oh! -[King and J.R. laugh]
[J.R.] Oh… that's good.
"Matt Striker loves poop."
[audience cheering]
I do not love poop!
You love poop! You love poop!
-[King chuckles] Oh, boy. -[audience chants] You love poop!
Eugene!
This is disrespectful.
And second of all,
-poop isn't even a word. -[J.R.] No.
-And you shouldn't capitalize it… -[J.R.] Oh.
…and there's no period there.
Are you picking your nose?
[King] Oh, I think he's rolling it there.
Oh, he is rolling.
Okay, stop. Stop. Stop, stop, stop, stop.
Stop it!
Listen to me!
Okay, forget all of this.
If there's one thing that you and all these people
take away from tonight,
it's that you do not pick your nose
and then attempt to eat it.
Do you understand me?
Do you hear the words coming out of my mouth?
Do I make myself clear?
Okay, good. Good.
Now I want you all to write this down, okay?
And I--
-[King] Oh, no! -[J.R.] Oh, my God!
Oh, my God!
[King] Rolling Thunder!
-[J.R.] A stunner on Striker. -[King laughs]
[J.R.] King, not even barbeque sauce can make that taste good.
Good grief, Almighty!
[King] First the booger and then the stunner.
Oh, that's horrible. [laughs]
Oh!
Look at him.
[chuckles] Matt Striker might be the teacher,
but tonight, Matt Striker got taught a lesson.
[J.R.] I don't think Eugene's gonna get away with this course.
[King] Check this out one more time. I can't believe it.
First Eugene picked it and then he rolled it,
and then he stuck it right on tongue of Matt Striker.
[audience cheering]
[J.R.] You love that rolling part, don't you?
[King] Oh, man.
[J.R.] Matt Striker.
Striker's not gonna forget this.
What are you doing there, J.R.?
Well, my eyes are getting all watered up.
Maybe that…
-Never seen anything like that. -Rolling… That rolling…
Are your still feeling a little queasy?
[J.R.] I need a promo or something.
Ladies and gentlemen, let's get down to some serious business.
And it doesn't get any more serious than the WWE Title.
Three men,
one match,
only one man can leave with the title.
And this unreal… really heated up at WrestleMania.
[man] WrestleMania 22, WWE Title on the line.
This is what it's all about.
[Cena] Defending this means you rise to the occasion.
[King] These two men are laying it all on the line.
[Triple H] And mark my words,
the King of Kings goes back on his throne.
[J.R.] Oh, my God!
John Cena showing the will
to relive WrestleMania 22
with his WWE Title intact.
[Cena] His heart, my heart, and staying tall.
[man 2] STFU! Cannot get any hold on!
[King] Look at the pressure that Cena is putting on The Game!
-Look at that! -[man 2] The Game passed.
-[King] He tapped. -[man 2] I don't believe it!
[Cena] The Champ is still here!
[J.R.] Cena made The Game submit.
[Triple H] I tapped out because I underestimated The Champ.
Well, trust me, it will never happen again.
The way I see it,
that is mine,
and I want another shot.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a minute.
Triple H, you lost,
which means, you go to the back of the line
and somebody else takes your spot.
Someone who won a WrestleMania.
Someone who destroyed a future Hall of Famer,
a Hardcore legend, named Mick Foley
in his own environment.
[J.R.] Edge is relentless.
[Edge] And that someone is me.
[man 3] Edge is back where he deserves to be,
in the WWE Title chase.
[man 4] At Backlash, it will be a Triple Threat Match,
for the WWE Championship.
Edge, Triple H and the reigning champion, John Cena.
[King] Three superstars, one title, who's gonna it be?
[man 5] In the weeks leading to Backlash,
these three men have played the game of Can You Top This?
[man 6] Had a great day with this.
[King] The Game has beaten John Cena.
-[man 6] Oh! Oh, no. -[King] Look out.
And he won the game.
[man 4] It is the STFU!
Triple H tapped out at WrestleMania. And Edge just tapped out here.
[King] I don't believe this.
-And like-- Oh! -[man 4] Spear by Edge!
[King] Look at this.
[man 4] Edge just pinned The Game. Edge just pinned Triple H.
[King] You know what this means?
[man 4] All three of these men has now proved that they can pin each other.
[Triple H] At Backlash…
-[Edge] At Backlash… -[J.R.] The WWE Titles on the line.
[Cena] What I fight for, what I stand for, what I become.
[King] There's gonna be a hell of an explosion here tonight
with these three combustible elements.
[Edge] The Rated-R Superstar is back where he belongs.
[Triple H] I will go through anyone…
-[Cena] You want some? -[Triple H] …to get what I want.
[Cena] Come get some!
[Cole] John Cena does not have to be pinned to a submission
for the championship to changed hands.
[Edge] I will be walking out the new champion.
[Triple H] The king goes back to his throne.
[Cena] I never back down, and I never quit.
[King] Three superstars, one title.
[Edge's theme song playing]
♪ On this day ♪
♪ I see clearly ♪
♪ Everything has come to life ♪
♪ A bitter place and a broken dream ♪
♪ And we'll leave it all behind ♪
[bell dings]
[Lilian] The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the WWE Championship.
Introducing the challengers,
first, from Toronto, Canada,
weighing in at 250 pounds,
Edge!
[J.R.] We can never take anything away from Edge,
his victory over Mick Foley at WrestleMania.
Edge, a former WWE Champion.
And if you believe in faith,
here's a little 24/7 fact for you.
It was this date, 1977, in Baltimore,
when "Superstar" Billy Graham defeated the great Bruno Sammartino
to win the WWE Title,
the forerunner to the WWE Championship
that's about to be decided here tonight.
[King] Well, are you telling me
that the championship's gonna change here tonight, J.R.?
That what you're saying?
[J.R.] I think there's a distinct possibility.
[Triple H's theme song playing]
♪ Time to play the game ♪
[Lilian] Making his way to the ring,
from, Greenwich, Connecticut,
weighing in at 255 pounds,
Triple H!
♪ All about the thrill ♪
♪ Take it… ♪
[J.R.] There are ten Championships
on the resume of The Game.
He has every intention,
with every fiber in his being,
to make tonight his 11th claim.
♪ I am the game and I make the rules ♪
♪ So move on out here And die like a fool ♪
[J.R.] The Cerebral Assassin.
So aptly nickname.
By his own admission, he underestimated
John Cena at WrestleMania.
That will not happen here tonight.
[King] Well, he's Triple H.
He's The Game, he's The Cerebral Assassin,
and now he calls himself the King of Kings.
That song in the background it said, "On your knees, dog."
Straight from the "King of Kings" song.
An impressive ovation.
Here, in the historic Rupp Arena.
Near the campus of the University of Kentucky.
For The Game.
A ten-time champion.
Hoping to make it 11 tonight.
[King] J.R., he literally lives for the championship.
That is all Triple H cares about.
And he'll do whatever it takes to regain that title.
[J.R.] Triple H eyeing briefly towards Edge.
He has a mean streak.
He has said he would destroy his own grandmother
to become the WWE Champion.
I believe that.
[King] Well,
it's sometimes called passion, J.R.
[audience booing]
Or sadistic.
[John Cena's theme song playing]
[Lilian] From West Newbury, Massachusetts,
weighing in at 228 pounds,
he is the WWE Champion,
John Cena!
[audience cheering]
[J.R.] Well, you can go back as far…
and WWE has seen you too.
King, you know, I've been around quite a while.
I have never been around a champion
that creates these emotions.
There's been lot of emotions,
and this controversy,
that John Cena does.
I know, you look around this huge crowd,
and our crowd in conflicted.
♪ I'm slaughtering stale competition ♪
♪ I got the whole block wishing… ♪
[King] What?
No matter which way the reaction is,
he certainly gets a reaction.
♪ In any weather I'm never better Your boy's so hot ♪
[J.R.] Cena, diverse, controversial.
That blue-collar work ethic.
[King] It's anybody's guess who is gonna be
the WWE champion when this match is over.
Part of me, J.R., is hoping that Edge wins.
'Cause they promised one of those, you know, sex celebrations.
Maybe they don't have a camera, but I don't know.
Videos like Pamela and Tommy Lee. You'd like to see that?
[J.R.] I'm not as interested in that as I am about this match, the WWE Title.
Remember… three men in the ring,
the first man to score a pinfall or submission
wins the match, wins the WWE title.
[King] That's where the deck is stacked against the champion, John Cena.
-[J.R.] Cena does not have to be involved… -[King] Wait…
…in the equation to lose his title.
Much like we saw at WrestleMania.
-Or SmackDown. -[King] What's Edge doing, J.R.?
[J.R.] Looks like he's taking the outside.
And letting that…
WrestleMania all over again here.
Here we go now.
John Cena, right hands,
hammering The Game and The Game reverses.
Edge on the outside… rise in shock.
Cena, can he get it over early here?
The flying shoulder blocks, taking down The Game.
Cena, starting out quickly. Quickly and…
with a smashmouth style.
[King] Cena is very aggressive, no doubt about that. Look out here.
[J.R.] Suplex, and hold him right there.
[King] Over the line is Edge.
[J.R.] And Edge in to break up the count.
Remember, the first man to score a pin or submission wins.
[King] Edge was in, and now he's back out.
Come on, John Cena, you had to know that was gonna happen.
[J.R.] Edge trying to play little cage here in the out.
[King] I'm surprised that John Cena and Triple H are going for that.
[J.R.] Inverted atomic drop.
And I don't think he has any alternative, quite frankly.
And a great right hand, another right hand,
and downstairs to take right hand of Triple H.
Triple H is seeing what a rivalry.
Every time you see these two guys in the proximity of each other,
they just literally beat the hell out of each other,
-and they seem to like it. -[King] If I were in this match…
[J.R.] High knee. The high knee by The Game.
He should go for the cover, he does. Lifts a leg.
And Edge pulls Triple H off the pile.
Edge stops the three count.
[King] If I were in this match, I'd like to be doing exactly what Edge is.
Standing out there, watching those two beat the hell out of each other.
Edge is only taking advantage of this rivalry.
[J.R.] It has been a brawl thus far.
Not a lot of catch-as-catch-can wrestling.
Just hard right hands,
high-impact wrestling.
Another right by Cena,
a return right by The Game.
WWE Title on the line.
Cena comes in as a champion.
No guarantee he's going to leave with it.
Whatever it is, laughing is… Well, he was laughing.
[King] You know what I think, that The Game and John Cena just realized
what's going on. Yes, they have.
[J.R.] Edge brought back in, very unceremoniously.
And Edge now being pinned, he's being volleyed with right hands
back and forth.
Oh! Cena with a clothesline.
Right out here in front of us. Tremendous impact,
as John Cena…
-[King] Oh, no. Oh. no. Somewhere else… -[J.R.] Easy, easy here.
[King] Come on.
Look out!
[J.R.] Edge's head bouncing off our table.
[King] You ever think you'd see this? It looks like…
-[J.R.] Battle of one-upmanship. -[King] Cena and Triple H?
They're pretty much teaming up there, look.
[J.R.] Cena and Triple H, beating the hell out of each other earlier.
And now, they are beating the hell out of Edge.
Edge's head… Oh, my God… it's bouncing like a rubber ball.
Remember, these men cannot be disqualified or counted out.
This match will only end in one way.
-That's when one man gets a pin-- -[King] Oh!
Coming from behind.
I thought the match was gonna end right here on our tabletop.
[J.R.] That's the kind of man Triple H is.
He did get the advantage from behind.
[King] Edge, after having his head rammed into this table about 15 times,
still has the wherewithal to duck out of the way.
[J.R.] That's just gotta be instinctive. That's all that can be, is instinctive.
You can't have your head bounced off a table that many times
-and have your faculties about you. -[King] There we go.
Cena now, dumped to the outside, moments ago.
[King] You're right, Edge on spaghetti legs there.
Just wondering if he knows where he's at.
]J.R.] Edge may be running on fumes, but again, the WWE Title is on the line.
Cena, the reigning champion,
which means absolutely nothing, one of the terms of this match.
[King] Oh, watch out for Cena here.
[J.R.] Cena… Oh, my gosh!
Cena returns the favor to The Game.
Dumping The Game face first on the ring apron.
And Cena now who got clobbered from behind by Triple H earlier.
[King] Wait a minute. What's this?
I don't know if I've ever seen John Cena do this before. What do you…
Look out! Look out!
Cena with a splash, could have a--
No!
-[J.R.] Cena with a splash off the top. -[King] Have you… Have you…
Have you ever seen John Cena do that before?
I guess he saw an opening and figured he's gotta go for it.
[J.R.] Yeah. Nice slam there.
Cena took a chance.
John Cena.
-That modified suplex and now thinking… -[King] Uh-oh.
[J.R.] Five Knuckle Shuffle time.
[King] Time to pop 'em up.
"You can't see me."
Look at Lita! Look at Lita!
[J.R.] And Lita with-- Forgot all about Lita.
But Lita pulled down that top rope.
Cena went sailing over the top.
[King] Watch yourself. Oh!
[J.R.] Now, folks, that's some by God impact.
That is some impact right there.
The Game taking advantage of John Cena and Lita's assist.
Even though I'm sure she intended it to help Edge
and not Triple H.
Facebuster by The Game.
The Game. The Cerebral Assassin.
Just to regain the WWE Title.
[King] He knows he's eliminated--
[J.R.] Hook of the leg, King. And a near-fall.
[King] The Game knows he's eliminated John Cena for the time being.
Cena's still flat out on the floor down there
in front of the steel steps.
[J.R.] And Cena may have dislocated that shoulder.
Those steps came unhinged, and that leaves…
The Game to tee off on Edge.
And remember, Edge, his face was in our ringside table
on numerous occasions.
Now, he's here, 100%.
No, sadly, no. Spinebuster.
-Spinebuster. The cover. -One! Two!
-[J.R.] Has he got-- No. -[King] Man.
[J.R.] Referee Mickie Henson's hand was coming down
for the three-count
with the WWE Title at stake here.
Front facelock now by The Game.
[King] And Lita, over there, wringing her hands.
She's a nervous wreck now.
[J.R.] A ten-time champion…
[King] Oh, look out, look out, look out, look out.
[J.R.] Edge, now dropping it off south.
Could be over here! And now The Game…
The Game's gonna force his way off his back.
[King] I thought that was it.
[J.R.] When you got three volatile… volatile individuals,
that are so desperate to become WWE champion,
this match could end at any time, at any moment.
[King] There's only two in the ring now. And here we go. Sleeper.
Sleeper's been applied by The Game and Edge is…
strength is being sapped.
[J.R.] Sleeper hold here. It can be moments away.
Edge in pain.
Again, trying to hold on, cannot.
And now, an attempt… attempt the reversal
Into the sleeper.
-Edge with a sleeper on The Game. -[King] And look who's back.
-[J.R.] And Cena… Oh, my God. -[King] Oh, my God.
Cena going for a Double FU.
-[King] Oh! -[J.R.] And a Spear.
[King] Spear on John Cena while he was holding Triple H in the air.
[J.R.] Cena was gonna FU both men.
Edge came off of it, delivered the Spear.
John Cena down with The Game.
More importantly, down went John Cena
-as a result of that Spear. -[King] Who is gonna win this thing, J.R.?
That would have been amazing to see a Double FU.
[J.R.] Take another look at this. This is amazing.
[King] The Spear right here, from Edge.
[J.R.] Cena very vulnerable there.
And got nailed with the Spear. It's anybody's ballgame
for the WWE Title.
[King] I don't like this, J.R. They look like they may be coming this way again.
[J.R.] Triple H…
Triple H just trying…
trying to figure a way out of this predicament
-but it's too-- -[King] Oh, God!
[J.R.] Triple H's head just pop-- popped.
[King] Oh, my! Jesus.
-[J.R.] Oh, my God. -[King] Busted wide open, immediately.
-He'll never recover from that. -[J.R.] The Game is busted wide open--
Exactly right. And now…
And now it's Edge, turning the table on The Game.
A bloody Game with a WWE Championship on the line here.
[King] Edge, ripping apart that…
Spanish announce table.
[J.R.] Blood. Blood everywhere.
[King] Oh, wait a minute, this is not good.
-[J.R.] Not good at all! -[King] Look out!
Oh, man.
[J.R.] Good God Almighty! The DDT.
And the result… Look at that blood!
The bloodstained Spanish announce table.
That's The Game's blood.
Edge, with that DDT…
And man…
And the man back in the ring is John Cena,
but these two adversaries
are on the outside and can't be counted out.
No one can be disqualified here.
[King] I'm gonna tell you something. I'm looking over here at Triple H.
He… I think he is history.
Listen to this sickening sound of his skull smashing.
That is The Game's skull smashing into that announce table.
Look at this, J.R.!
[J.R.] And a dropkick by Edge.
-[King] Edge is gonna get it right here. -[J.R.] To win it all here.
-Edge has got the near leg hook! Oh, Cena popped.
And popped hard, kicking off his back.
[J.R.] Cena popped hard to kick out of that pinning predicament
from that missile dropkick.
But The Game is bloody.
Over by us. He is losing blood. I mean, tons of blood.
[King] Cannot believe this match.
[J.R.] And now Edge has the advantage.
It is Edge, the aggressor.
It is Edge who is, seemingly, is in driver's seat.
It is Edge who is closer and closer to becoming the WWE Champion.
[King] He's been champ before but if you ask me,
this is down to two men.
Triple H needs some medical attention.
He's right here at our feet and he's bleeding profusely.
-Oh, Cena at the corner. -[J.R.] The Spear, the Spear by Edge.
The Spear drilling… It has tripped
John Cena back in that corner,
Cena had nowhere to go.
But the air driven out of Cena.
Cena is running on fumes now.
[King] Oh, wait, wait, wait.
-There we go! -[J.R.] STFU!
[King] With the STFU… This is it!
[J.R.] The submission move.
This is happening. Cena made The Game
submit at WrestleMania.
Cena's got him locked in.
[King] He's gonna tap! Here we go! Tap, really tap!
[J.R.] The STFU locked.
Cena reaching back
-with every muscle in his body. -[Cena yells]
[King] Cena's trying-- Oh, no.
Edge is trying to claw his way to the ropes.
[J.R.] Edge, if he taps, it's over.
Edge getting closer to the ropes.
-[King] What is this? -[J.R.] And look at The Game.
[King] He stopped the tap. Oh!
[J.R.] The Game with that microphone just hit Cena right in the head.
There's nothing the referee can do about it.
[King] Where did he get the microphone? Oh!
The Game kept… The Game kept Edge from tapping out
and then delivered that death blow to John Cena with a microphone.
-My God, I've never seen-- -[King] Right here in front of us.
Triple H has that steel chair. Look out, Edge!
-[loud thud] -[King] Oh, God! Look out!
We got Edge right here over the third row ringside.
[J.R.] Edge running ahead.
The momentum took him from the rail to the concrete.
[King] This is a brutal main event we are witnessing.
Let's-- Look at this.
[J.R.] God Almighty!
Can you believe that impact?
The nastiness of that shot. Two men now.
-[King] Look, look, look. -[J.R.] Oh!
[J.R.] The long-term hold. The STFU.
Just like WrestleMania.
Will The Game tap out?
[King] There's no way that The Game can withstand this.
-[J.R.] Will The Game tap out? -[King] He's got to!
Look at his face!
[J.R.] The Game's face, a crimson mask here.
Cena reaching back with everything he's got.
[King] You can't blame The Game if he taps out.
He's been busted wide open.
His strength is sapping. Is he tapping?
[J.R.] Cena reaching back, every muscle.
Cena pulling as hard as he can.
-The STFU! -[King] That's it. That's it.
-[yells] -[J.R.] Is it gonna be over here?
Referee checking The Game.
-No, no, no! -[King] No! Oh, my God!
[J.R.] Somehow The Game is holding on.
[King] How does he-- Where does he get this from?
-How is he doing this? -[J.R.] I can't believe this.
I can't believe The Game.
Could not see his hand drop for the third and second time.
And The Game got to the rope. The Game got to the rope.
And the WWE Title Match continues.
[King] Unbelievable. The game tapped out at WrestleMania, but not tonight.
But look at Cena. He is still in control here.
-[J.R.] Cena poised. -[King] We got an FU coming.
-[J.R.] The Game… -[King] There it is!
-[J.R.] The claw here. -[King] No!
[J.R.] FU, no. Pedigree, no.
Yes, what a counter!
[King] What a beautiful counter!
[J.R.] What a counter by John Cena,
into the STFU.
FU, no. Pedigree, no.
STFU, yes!
And now can The Game hold on?
[King] How is The Game not tapping out? Did he-- Did he tap?
[J.R.] Referee looking at Edge now.
Edge has gotta get back in this fray.
[King] Edge trying desperately to somehow get back in this.
-He's climbing-- -[J.R.] Cena sees Edge.
He knows he's there.
[King] Getting through here. Oh.
[J.R.] Triple H was about to tap there.
Triple H came close to tapping.
Cena now teeing off on Edge.
[King] Uh-oh.
[J.R.] There's the referee.
Referee goes down.
Remember, one fall or submission.
WWE Title on the line.
-First time… -[King] Hey, hey, wait a minute.
Don't tell me he's gonna try to FU Edge from there.
-Oh, no! -[J.R.] Oh, my God.
The Game got in the lead over both Cena and Edge.
And what a ride!
And now three of these men are out.
[King] Everybody's crashed and burned.
[J.R.] My God.
Action inside, outside.
Those bloody bodies are battered and bruises.
[King] This is unbelievable carnage there. The only person still standing
and can walk is Lita-- She's getting into the ring.
[J.R.] I've never seen a Triple Threat Match like this.
And now…
Lita will soon be the deciding factor.
-Lita with a steel chair. -[King] Watch it, Game.
[J.R.] Lita with a steel chair.
[King] Oh, no!
[J.R.] Oh, my God!
[King] Good grief!
[J.R.] The Game sidestepped a chair shot
and spinebusted Lita.
-And now… -[King] Uh-oh. Now Triple H has a chair.
[J.R.] And there's no disqualifications in this Triple Threat Match.
[King] Look at this, J.R. Just like that.
[King] The momentum has swung down in Triple H's favor.
-[J.R.] What's The Game doing here? -[King] I don't know.
[J.R.] Game had that chair, he could use it as a weapon.
[King] Looks like he doesn't need the chair.
[J.R.] Maybe not.
[King] He's battered, he's bruised. Now, where's he going?
[J.R.] Don't need the chair. He'll just use his Pedigree.
-[J.R.] He's got this thing won. -[King] Maybe.
The Game needs something else, J.R.
-[J.R.] Oh, my God. You gotta be kidding. -[King] Oh, no.
Forget the chair when you got a sledgehammer at your disposal.
[J.R.] A steel chair wasn't enough.
The Game's got the sledgehammer
and the WWE Title on his mind.
This is a heinous… a heinous act.
The Game may have won the match with a wrestling hold.
But this is what he wants to do. He wants to hurt people.
He could care less about the well-being of anybody but himself.
[King] Oh, slammed, right out of nowhere by Edge.
[J.R.] Where the hell did Edge come from?
The Game was measuring Cena with a… with a sledgehammer.
And Edge came out nowhere.
[King] Well, look, look, Edge has the sledgehammer now, J.R.
[J.R.] And now Edge looking at that sledgehammer like it was a deity.
[King] He feels empowered, and he-- Oh!
-[J.R.] Oh! -[King] Oh, no!
[J.R.] Bumper. Cena-- Oh!
Low blow got one on Edge.
And there may have went the title for Cena.
Cena, roll over…
-[all cheering] -[bell dings]
[J.R.] I don't believe this.
[John Cena's theme music playing]
[J.R.] Cena just rolled up The Game.
[Lilian] And still the WWE Champion…
-John Cena! -[King] I can't believe it.
[J.R.] John Cena did it to earn it.
John Cena countered The Game.
John Cena out-wrestled The Game.
And now The Game is showing what he's made of,
with a cheap shot from behind.
[King] What a match! John Cena's still the champion.
[J.R.] Come on! What the hell is it?
No! The Game with that damn sledgehammer
annihilating everybody.
And Cena…
[King] Triple H obviously thinks he was robbed of the title.
Now he's destroying everybody in sight.
[audience booing]
[J.R.] Well, the bottom line is that sledgehammer or not,
John Cena is still the WWE Champion.
[Triple H] The King of Kings…
[J.R.] And there's gonna be some…
There's gotta be some repercussions of these actions.
A referee's been assaulted with a sledgehammer.
Two competitors with a sledgehammer.
I mean, come on.
It wasn't Cena's STFU, King.
It's wasn't Cena's FU.
It was Cena towering The Game
in a roll lock.
He's rolled him up and out-wrestled The Game.
A hell of a counter from John Cena.
[King] What a hell of a match.
We saw it all... but, J.R., look at… look at Cena now.
And look at Edge now.
[J.R.] It looks like we just witnessed a hellish car wreck.
The bloody Game, sledgehammer in hand…
[King] …is the only man walking away from the car wreck.
[J.R.] But without the WWE Title.
Without the WWE Title.
[King] Let's take a look back at some of this amazing action.
Lita was going after The Game with that chair.
And instead, she got a spinebuster for her trouble.
And Edge with the sledgehammer, he…
Instead he was about to get FU-ed and then a low blow from The Game.
[J.R.] But Cena made a great recovery.
Look at this.
Cena, counters a Pedigree.
The roll-through… The hook of the legs.
What a hell of a counter by John Cena!
[King] Ah, but then the sledgehammer does its damage.
Here's one for Edge.
And then, there was one for Cena.
And the only man left standing
is that man, The Game.
[J.R.] But John Cena is still The WWE Champion here.
-[King] Look at that, look. -[J.R.] My God, the carnage, the blood,
the bones, the bruises, the broken bones.
[King] What an amazing night, J.R.
[J.R.] It has been absolutely chaotic.
[King] Cena, still the champion.
My God! What a Triple Threat Match.
-[J.R.] What a night. -[King] What a night. Oh, man.
[J.R.] My God, what a night.
♪ Bow down to the Bow down to the king ♪
[audience cheering]
[growls] cheering]