WWE Backlash 2009

After Wrestlemania, Backlash is usually the comedown PPV. It will usually include several rematches and not a lot of story progression. That is true with this one, to some extent. However, there is a definite feeling that some work was done of creating feuds to mean something for these PPV matches. The matches on the card are all watchable, though none that you can imagine yourself watching more than once. One thing that you can skip immediately is the Great Khali/Santina Marella Kiss-Cam. For a TV segment it's painful, for a segment on a PPV that people have paid good money for it is abysmal and should not be watched for any reason.

ECW Championship
Christian vs. Jack Swagger
I love Christian, but this match was yawnfully dull. There was nothing ECW about this match and makes me wish that WWE would rename the brand something else. It was an ok match, but not the greatness I've seen from Christian in the past. Though his interaction with Edge afterwards just reeked of awesomeness and I hope WWE do pull the trigger on an Edge/Christian feud at some point soon.

Chris Jericho vs. Ricky 'The Dragon' Steamboat
For his age, for someone who has been retired for many years, Steamboat looks wonderful. I mean this seriously shouldn't be this good. But it is. Steamboat is doing what Hogan would or could never do and that's make Jericho look great and not bury him. Wonderful!

CM Punk vs. Kane
I love both of these guys, but looking at the size you'd think this would be an awful mismatch. I don't think people give Kane the credit he deserves, as he was able to mix well with Punk who is one of the best wrestlers the WWE has.

I Quit Match
Jeff Hardy vs. Matt Hardy
This was one of those matches that was sold purely on emotion. Brother vs. Brother. No titles involved. Just raw emotion. This was a good match, but not the great one they had at Wrestlemania. I think by this point it just felt like a carbon copy of every Jeff/Matt match I'd seen, though that ending was amazing.

WWE Championship
Triple H, Batista and Shane McMahon vs. Legacy: Randy Orton, Ted Dibiase and Cody Rhodes

According to the rules, if any member of Legacy pin any member of Triple H's team then Orton wins the WWE title. So on one side we have two fresh new stars (Rhodes/Dibiase) and one of the brightest rising stars (Orton) and on the other we have a wrestler who is injured almost every year (Batista), the bosses' son (Shane) and his son in law (Triple H). Because of this there was simply too much domination by Triple H's team, especially by Batista. And no one wants to see that! The ending was just a mess and sadly it left a bitter taste, but then I guess that was the point.

Last Man Standing
World Heavyweight Championship
John Cena vs. Edge
I'm not a big fan of Last Man Standing simply because it negates the idea that one simple chairshot can ever knock out someone. How could it if multiple hit with steel steps can't? Match was pretty good though with Cena's Attitude Adjuster from the top rope an awesome sight to see. The battle through the arena reminded of the classic old skool Hardcore matches. After so much violence, the match has one of the most surprising endings to a PPV that I've seen.

Special Features? Erm… All we are given is a short backstage video of Triple H being put into an ambulance. The only highlight from this is the fact that Stephanie is in it and looking as hot as ever.

Backlash 2009 was a fairly good PPV, rather than just be a rehash of Wrestlemania and full of rematches, it was a good collection of matches. It is true that nothing from this PPV will be nominated for greatest match, but it's certainly not a PPV that you will regret watching.