[2000-04-30-WWF-Backlash] The Rock vs HHH

[soup23]

This is Rock’s version of Over the Edge 1998. The deck is stacked against him. The video package really sets the stage with Rock getting bloodied up in the cage. The blood was really flowing in 2000 and it makes me miss it in a circumstantial place in 2017. I thought the wrestlers did a good job putting the heat back on themselves for the match when it was obvious Austin wouldn’t be out right away. The match hums along and does have a strong WWF main event heavyweight style with a focal point on brawling, facial reactions and big moves. The finishing stretch kicks off with an amazing Rock Bottom applied to both HHH and Shane through a table. Rock then gets attacked by Vince and HHH and we have Pat and Briscoe running down. JR gets off his classic line of the parade being over. Rock kicks out and they apply the boots to Rock. Just then the glass shatters and you get the mother of all pops. Austin gives a chair shot to everyone and all are laid out. As Austin heads to the back, he passes Linda McMahon and Earl Hebner. Linda shoves down Stephanie to another pop. People’s Elbow and Hebner makes a fair count to make Rock the champion to another massive pop. Austin comes out to celebrate and shares a beer with the Rock. An awesome moment. ****

 

 

 

[BigVanCrush]

I dig the comparison to OTE 1998, it really does work for this match. I think holding Austin off until the end of the match was a smart choice, it wouldn't have made any sense to have him out there right away. I'm usually not big on the McMahon family stuff, but everything here was good. Shane played his role well, Vince was effective in his and Stephanie was mostly off camera so we didn't have to put up with her godawful facial expressions. The match, as you noted, hums right along and is a pretty solid match. The double Rock Bottom is kind of where the match 'really' begins. Austin's run in might be my favorite part of the whole thing. He gets a gigantic fucking pop, kills the heels and bounces until the post match. The ending of the match is good and dear god did they go nuts when Rock won the belt...and then Austin comes out and toasts Rock to end the show which is a pretty killer ending. This might be my favorite pre WCW buyout WWF main event. Everything here, even the McMahon family bullshit, worked perfectly and set up another really great main event the following month. Just a goddamn great WWF style main event. ****1/2

[Loss]

I really love the description of this as The Rock's Over The Edge. Suspenseful, with lots of twists and turns, and holding Austin off until near the end was great for building the heat. Rock had the deck stacked in such a ridiculous way, far more than Austin did in the '98 match, and everyone at ringside played their role perfectly. The payoff of Earl Hebner coming down to count the fall was awesome too, as I'm sure people were wondering how Rock would possibly win the title if Shane had to be the one to count the fall. I get the argument that this is the feel good match they should have had at Wrestlemania, but they had goodwill capital to spend, and they were able to turn one huge show into two huge shows by stretching it out, so it was the right decision. Having so many big and small payoffs to even give in one match is a sign of how in tune the WWF was with their audience at this point, and how they were hitting on all cylinders. ****1/4

[ohtani's jacket]

This wasn't a match, it was a month full of RAW and Smackdown finishes rolled into one. Quite possibly the most over-booked match of all-time. It was entertaining in terms of its twists and turns but it wasn't a match. It was TV booking dressed up as a match.

[Robert S]

The Over the Edge comparison was the thing I was thinking about as well when watching this match. Usually I hate these overbooked clusterfucks but this one of the rare cases where it absolutely works. Of course from a logic point-of-view you could bring up loads of problems with this one (e.g. a real heel ref. would work like the "fake" Hebner in Hogan vs. Andre - just count to three no matter if the shoulders are on the mat or not; why do Austin or Linda not come out earlier etc.), but a match like this is not supposed to make absolute sense.

[SmartMark15]

Absolutely fantastic. Something like this really is the pinnacle of what I associate to be the WWF/E style and when it works, it really works. Having all the odds stacked against The Rock and having him knock them down with Austin's help, it really is electric. The crowd was red hot for The Rock as well as Austin and Triple H actually played a good rag doll for The Rock. Great stuff.

 

****1/2