What Was The Best Match Of Each Show

April 2024 · 6 minute read

Since 1999, there have been 16 WWE Backlash PPVs, which may make some fans feel old. In the 20-plus years since the first event, there have been several successful Backlash PPVs, and some flops too. However, even on the worst of shows, there can be a shining light that can salvage it, or at least give the fans something to cheer about.

RELATED: 10 Wrestlers From WWE’s First Backlash PPV: Where Are They Now?

It can be sometimes hard to pick the best of a bad bunch, and sometimes even harder to pick the best out of a good bunch, but there exists a superior match on every event, even if it is difficult to pinpoint at times.

16 1999: Stone Cold Steve Austin Vs The Rock

In a rematch from the lackluster WrestleMania 15 event, Austin and Rock were once again the main highlights, putting on a title match full of star power. This had Shane McMahon as the Special Guest Referee, with Mr. McMahon getting involved too, creating a match full of Attitude Era shenanigans.

It was fun, chaotic, and it felt like a big-time match, with the two men involved continuing their all-time great rivalry. The No Holds Barred stipulation added to the proceedings, and it may have even surpassed the quality of their previous match at 'Mania 15.

15 2000: Triple H Vs The Rock

In a very similar style to the previous year’s main event, this was jam-packed to the brim with chaos, instigated by the McMahon family, with Austin getting himself involved too. The wrestling was strong, but it was more about the story.

The Rock would emerge victorious, in a result which should have taken place at WrestleMania 2000, one month prior.

14 2001: Rhyno Vs Raven

This was everything fans would expect from a Hardcore Match between Rhyno and Raven, with the two putting on a fun and creative display for the Hardcore Title.

It was full of action, with the spots not feeling forced or over-the-top, with everything flowing together naturally to provide some variety on the PPV.

13 2002: Kurt Angle Vs Edge

This was a straight-up singles match with no titles or gimmicks, and it was wrestled very well, making it the match of the night.

It was paced in a clever way, building up in intensity as the match went on, and they displayed some great chemistry. Angle performed his signature chair-off-the-ropes spot, although it surprisingly didn’t lead to the finish.

12 2003: Team Angle Vs Los Guerreros

On what was quite a slow night of action, this kicked off the event in a good way, even if it wasn’t anything special in itself. With the four men involved, it was bound to be at least solid at worst.

Charlie Haas and Shelton Benjamin would successfully defend their WWE Tag Team Titles, but this was certainly not the best match that these two teams would have.

11 2004: Randy Orton Vs Cactus Jack

In what is still considered one of Randy Orton’s best matches of all time, he and Mick Foley tore the house down in this Intercontinental Championship, No Holds Barred Falls Count Anywhere match. This was a star-making performance for Orton during his Legend Killer phase.

RELATED: Every WWE Backlash PPV: What Was The Worst Match Of Each Show

This was an all-out war between Orton and Foley’s “Cactus Jack” persona, with it legitimizing Orton as the future of wrestling. It is certainly a classic. Orton walked away victorious after an epic war.

10 2005: Shelton Benjamin Vs Chris Jericho

This opened the show with a great match, with the young up-and-comer Shelton Benjamin managing to defeat the former world champion, Chris Jericho, successfully defending his Intercontinental Title.

It had some brilliant counters and was very reminiscent of the Raw classic between Benjamin and Shawn Michaels, with it making the young champion look strong.

9 2006: John Cena Vs Edge Vs Triple H

This was a star-studded main event between Raw’s biggest three stars, and they put on a great triple threat match, with Cena going over on his way to further cementing himself as the number one babyface in the company.

Triple H’s crimson mask was a highlight of the match, adding to what was already an enjoyable title match.

8 2007: John Cena Vs Edge Vs Randy Orton Vs Shawn Michaels

In an attempt to surpass the previous year’s match, WWE had a selection of Raw’s top stars in the Backlash main event once again, with this arguably bettering it.

Seeing Cena overcome three of his biggest rivals was fun, and all four men got a chance to individually shine during the contest.

7 2008: The Undertaker Vs Edge

In a rematch from their WrestleMania encounter, Undertaker and Edge continued their classic rivalry at the Backlash PPV. It felt like a step down from the previous battle, but it was still strong, and it was still better than everything else on the card.

The final few minutes were especially enjoyable, with the pair displaying their strong chemistry, incorporating reversals and counters seamlessly.

6 2009: John Cena Vs Edge

The rivalry between Cena and Edge picked up again during early 2009, with this match being one of their better showings. This was a well-structured Last Man Standing match, with clever pacing and carefully selected moments.

The crowd was red-hot, elevating things even more, with an explosive finish that saw Big Show interfere and chokeslam Cena through a spotlight, which was a memorable moment.

5 2016: Dean Ambrose Vs AJ Styles

Following the seven-year absence of Backlash, the event made a return as a SmackDown-exclusive PPV following the 2016 brand split, and it was capped off with a great title match between Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles.

Styles picked up a huge win, with the pair displaying strong chemistry which they would carry throughout their feud. This set up what SmackDown was all about in 2016, with Styles becoming the number one heel.

4 2017: Kevin Owens Vs AJ Styles

On a slow show, this stood out the most, even with a count-out finish. Owens and Styles had a series of matches over the United States Title in 2017, with this perhaps being the best of the bunch.

They wrestled a decent match here, but it could have still been better. That being said, it was miles above everything else.

3 2018: Seth Rollins Vs The Miz

Backlash 2018 was a terrible show, with the highlight coming in the opening match, where Seth Rollins defended against The Miz in a simple, effective, and good match.

RELATED: The 10 Worst WWE PPVs Of The 2010s: What Was The Best Match?

Following that, the show went downhill with a lot of boring matches, a lack of variety, and bad booking. Rollins kicked off his Intercontinental Title reign in a strong way, but that was the only takeaway from the show.

2 2020: Randy Orton Vs Edge

On what was billed as “The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever”, Randy Orton and Edge delivered a fantastic match despite the ridiculously huge expectations.

These two veterans put together a homage to professional wrestling, with a smoothly executed display. If this were wrestled in front of fans, it might have been even better.

1 2021: Roman Reigns Vs Cesaro

In Cesaro’s only one-on-one PPV main event, he lived up to the occasion with a brilliant title match, coming up short to the dominant Universal Champion, Roman Reigns.

It was a classic Reigns title match, with a big fight feel, strong pacing, and brilliant storytelling from both men to ensure that this was great, even with it being inside the ThunderDome.

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