Background

Backlash is a pay-per-view (PPV) event that was established by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1999. The concept of the pay-per-view was based around the backlash from WWF's flagship event, WrestleMania.^[3] The 2002 event was the fourth Backlash and featured the backlash from WrestleMania X8. It was scheduled to take place on April 21, 2002, at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri^[4]—it was the first event to be held at Kemper Arena since Over the Edge in 1999, in which Owen Hart, competing as The Blue Blazer, died after falling 78 feet from a harness to the ring.^[5]

In March 2002, the WWF introduced the brand extension in which the roster was divided between the Raw and SmackDown! brands, which is where wrestlers were exclusively assigned to perform.^[6] The 2002 Backlash was in turn the promotion's very first PPV held following the implementation of the original brand split and it featured wrestlers from both brands.^[7]

Storylines

The event featured nine professional wrestling matches with outcomes predetermined by WWF script writers. The matches featured wrestlers portraying their characters in planned storylines that took place before, during and after the event. All wrestlers were from either one of the WWF's brands—Raw or SmackDown!—the two storyline divisions in which WWF assigned its employees.

The main feud leading into Backlash on the SmackDown! brand involved Undisputed WWF Champion Triple H and Hollywood Hulk Hogan over the Undisputed WWF Championship. On the April 4 episode of SmackDown!, Mr. McMahon named Hogan the number one contender to the title at Backlash. Later that night, Hogan came out in red and yellow for the first time since returning to the WWF in order to talk about the match, with Triple H saying he would not back down. On the April 11 episode of SmackDown!, Hogan came out to help Edge chase off Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle after Edge fought Jericho. Later on, Triple H fought against Angle as Jericho interfered. Hogan came out to help Triple H to win the match, only for Angle to push Triple H at Hogan after the match, making Hogan attack Triple H and get taken out by Jericho and Angle. On the April 18 episode of SmackDown!, Hogan confronted Jericho as Angle came to help Jericho, prompting Edge to run for the save. In the main event, Jericho and Angle fought Hogan and Triple H, as Hogan accidentally hit Triple H with a steel chair. After the match, Triple H hit Hogan with the chair. On the same night, it was confirmed that if Triple H lost his title match, he would be drafted to the SmackDown! brand.

The main feud on the Raw brand featured The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin, to determine the number one contender to the Undisputed WWF Championship. On the April 1 episode of Raw, Ric Flair awarded Triple H with a new title belt, only for The Undertaker to challenge Triple H to a title match at Backlash. The same night, Austin decided to sign with the Raw brand, but he gave the Stone Cold Stunner to both Flair and Mr. McMahon. On the April 8 episode of Raw, The Undertaker confronted Flair about McMahon making the title match for Backlash, making Austin come out and confront him. Flair booked two number one contender's matches, the first being The Undertaker versus Rob Van Dam and the second being Austin versus Scott Hall; the winners would face each other at Backlash for the number one contendership. Austin and The Undertaker won their respective matches, however, as Flair helped to chase X-Pac from Austin's match, Austin stunned him again. On the April 15 episode of Raw, Flair fined Austin $5,000 and announced that he would be the special guest referee for the match at Backlash. Hall and X-Pac came to attack Austin, making Flair book Austin and Bradshaw against Hall, X-Pac and The Undertaker in the main event. After the match, which The Undertaker's team won, Undertaker attacked Austin with a steel chair.

Preliminary matches

The first match was for the WWF Cruiserweight Championship between Billy Kidman and Tajiri (with Torrie Wilson). In the end, Kidman attempted a Powerbomb on Tajiri, who spat red mist at Kidman and pinned Kidman to win the title.

The second match was between Scott Hall (with X-Pac) and Bradshaw (with Faarooq). Bradshaw executed a Clothesline from Hell on Hall but X-Pac placed Hall's foot on the bottom rope to void the pinfall. Bradshaw punched X-Pac and Faarooq tackled X-Pac into the Ring Post. Whilst the referee was distracted, Hall performed a low blow on Bradshaw and pinned Bradshaw with a roll-up to win the match.

In the third match, Jazz faced Trish Stratus for the WWF Women's Championship. Jazz forced Stratus to submit to an STF to win the match and retain the title.

The fourth match was between Brock Lesnar (with Paul Heyman) and Jeff Hardy (with Lita). Lesnar dominated the match until Hardy performed Whisper in the Wind on Lesnar. Hardy performed a Swanton Bomb on Lesnar for a near-fall. Hardy attempted to hit Lesnar with a chair but Lesnar ducked and performed an F5, followed by three Powerbombs on Hardy. The referee declared Lesnar the winner via technical knockout.

The fifth match was between Edge and Kurt Angle. After a back-and-forth match, Edge performed an Edgecution on Angle for a near-fall. Angle attempted an Angle Slam on Edge but Edge countered the move and performed a German Suplex on Angle. Edge performed a Diving Crossbody on Angle outside the ring. Edge attempted a second Edgecution on Angle but Angle countered the move into an Angle Slam for a near-fall. Angle applied an Ankle Lock on Edge but Edge countered into a roll-up for a near-fall. After Angle missed a chair shot, Edge performed an Edge-O-Matic on Angle for a near-fall. Edge attempted a Spear on Angle, who countered and pinned Edge after another Angle Slam to win the match.

The sixth match was for the WWF Intercontinental Championship between Rob Van Dam and Eddie Guerrero. After a back-and-forth match, Guerrero retrieved the title and attempted to attack Van Dam with the belt, who kicked and kicked Guerrero, knocking the referee down. Guerrero performed a Neckbreaker onto the belt on Van Dam and pinned Van Dam after a Frog Splash to win the title.

Main event matches

The seventh match was to determine the #1 contender to the Undisputed WWF Championship at Judgment Day with Ric Flair as the special guest referee between The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin. After a back-and-forth match, Austin brawled with The Undertaker at ringside. Austin attempted a Piledriver on The Undertaker, who countered into a Back Body Drop and pushed Austin into his motorbike. After Flair was knocked down, Austin performed a Stone Cold Stunner on The Undertaker. After Flair was knocked down again, The Undertaker performed a low blow on Austin and a Chokeslam on Austin for a near-fall. The Undertaker attempted to hit Austin with a chair but Flair grabbed the chair, allowing Austin to perform a low blow on The Undertaker. Austin attempted a Stone Cold Stunner on The Undertaker but The Undertaker countered, during which Flair was knocked down again. The Undertaker hit Austin with the chair for a near-fall. Austin attempted to hit The Undertaker with the chair but The Undertaker performed a Big Boot into the chair, which struck Austin. The Undertaker pinned Austin to win the match, but Flair had not seen Austin's foot on the bottom rope.

The eighth match was for the WWF Tag Team Championship between Billy and Chuck (with Rico) and Maven and Al Snow. After Rico distracted Snow, Snow chased Rico. Chuck pinned Maven after a Superkick to win the match and retain the title.

The main event was for the Undisputed WWF Championship between Triple H and Hollywood Hulk Hogan. After a back-and-forth match, Triple H applied a Figure Four Leglock on Hogan, who fought out of the hold. Hogan performed a Big Boot and a Running Leg Drop on Triple H. Hogan attempted a pin but Chris Jericho pulled the referee out of the ring. Jericho hit Hogan with a chair but Triple H performed a Facebreaker Knee Smash and a Clothesline on Jericho, knocking Jericho out of the ring. Hogan performed another Big Boot on Triple H and attempted another Running Leg Drop but Triple H avoided the move and performed a Pedigree on Hogan. Triple H attempted a pin but The Undertaker attacked the referee. The Undertaker hit Triple H with a chair but Hogan performed a Clothesline on Undertaker, knocking The Undertaker out of the ring. Hogan pinned Triple H after another Running Leg Drop to win the match and the title.

Home video release

The event was released on VHS and DVD on June 25, 2002, following the company's name change the month prior (nWo: Back in Black was the first WWE Home Video release with the new name, although some copies were shipped with WWF branding).^[9] As a result, the cover art, based on the event's poster, was changed to include the renamed and redesigned logo of the promotion, and the WWE digital on-screen graphic logo were overlaid on top of the WWF one, although other references to WWF were not blurred or edited out. The version included on WWE Network, however, has the original WWF digital on-screen graphics, as it was not from the DVD version of the event. The WWE Network version of this event has also replaced the original theme music (Young Grow Old by Creed) with Quench's 'Waiting For A Moment'.

Undisputed WWF Championship #1 Contender's Tournament (April 2002)

The Undisputed WWF Championship #1 Contendership Tournament was a tournament to earn a title shot for the Undisputed WWF Championship at Judgment Day, with the finals taking place at Backlash.