[2006-04-30-WWE-Backlash] Edge vs John Cena vs HHH

[Kadaveri]

Triple Threat match for the WWE Title.

 

My biggest gripe about this match has to be that it's supposed to be babyface John Cena defending against two heels, but only Edge is seriously trying to get heel heat here. It doesn't spoil the match but it does get aggravating. They work the triple threat formula quite well with Edge staying out of the action at the start, just getting involved to break up a pin attempt, at which point Cena and HHH decide best to beat him up first before HHH attacks Cena from behind. Cool spot where Cena gets both HHH and Edge up for an FU at the same time which gets the crowd to their feet even if it gets blocked.

 

HHH does a ridiculous blade job from being rammed into the post by Edge. Not quite an Eddie '04 but 75% of the way there. He gets DDTed onto the table and that's him taken out for Cena and Edge to fight it out. There's another cool spot where Triple H gets back involved. Cena has Edge up on the top rope for a super-FU but HHH jumps in and throws them both down. A Tower of Doom spot that didn't seem contrived is a worthwhile achievement. It is a bit silly that Cena has Triple H in the STFU who is covered in blood mounting this heroic fightback like Austin in the Sharpshooter. But this all leads to a good finish where Cena actually outwrestles HHH and beats him with a roll-up counter. This feels more decisive in the context where Triple H was constantly pushing himself as a superior "wrestler" to Cena.

 

***3/4 Very good main event with some innovative stuff and good drama. I'm gonna disregard the post-match where a bloody Triple H kills everyone with a sledgehammer and stands tall roaring to close the show. Oh Hunter.

[ohtani's jacket]

This started off as a shitty house show style triple threat match. I honestly thought any combination of Cena vs. Edge, Cena vs Triple H or Triple H vs Edge would have been better than the crap they rolled out at the start. I also thought it was annoying that they kept hiding Cena in triple threat matches instead of letting him grow and develop in single matches. The last 10 minutes, however, were full of classic WWE intrigue. Largely because Triple H did the slickest looking blade job I can remember from him. It was clear that Triple H was more versed in how to work the house style than the other two, but the post match revealed that there was a reward to his blood, sweat and toiling. He ended up taking everyone out and leaving with his entrance music playing despite losing the bout. Time to play the game. It's never bad when a match ends better than it started. 

[Superstar Sleeze]

WWE Champion John Cena vs Triple H vs Edge - WWE Backlash 2006

If the match was worth a damn, HHH’s bladejob would be remembered in the annals of all time great bladejobs but unfortunately for him this is another mediocre WWE main event from the mid-2000s that doesn’t really need to be watched. 
 

HHH is playing tweener as this is his last PPV as a heel before reuniting with Shawn as a babyface nostalgia DX act. Edge plays the chickenshit heel saying they can slug it out and then break it out whenever either gets a cover. Cena and HHH get wise to his plan and pinball him with punches and then taking turns bouncing his head off the announce desk. If Edge was a good stooge that would have been more effective. HHH and Cena take turns foiling the other. HHH hits another monster clothesline like he did at Mania. Did he always have a good Clothesline? Cool Top Rope Cena Splash! Match kicks into gear when Cena hoists both men up in the FU position. Edge bucks off and spears Cena which sends HHH careening of out of the Ring. 

The spot of the match HHH does the mid-air catapult blade job into the post thy would make Shawn jealous. Impaler DDT that doesnt break the Table was nasty and puts HHH out. STFU! A wicked bloody HHH stops Edge from tapping out and blasts Cena with the mic. HHH CREAMS EDGE WITH A CHAIR! How did we think that was Ok? That was a home run over the Green Monster! Cena gets STFU but a bloody HHH makes it to the ropes instead of tapping because he is fueled by dreams of nostalgia and glow sticks. I really like the story that HHH can’t negotiate the Pedigree on Cena and keeps ending up in the STFU. Lita gets involved and things almost get really bad as she charges with a chair into a HHH spine buster but as she loses control of the chair she hits herself in the head but thankfully HHH Misses the chair on the way down or she would have broken her back. 
 

HHH says hell naw to the Chair gets the Sledgehammer. Edge spears him. Cena goes for the FU low blow by HHH. Triple H goes for the Pedigree But Cena jackknifes him for the pin for an anticlimatic win. HHH blasts everyone with a sledgehammer and his music plays even though he lost which leaves a bad taste in my mouth. 

Everything after the attempted Double FU was pretty good especially the HHH bladejob and the key spots. I love that HHH couldn’t get the Pedigree.  No FU was interesting also Cena did his standard sequence as the beginning so I like that it was not just a collection of the usual spots. But two things bug me they didn’t respect the Ballshot and the match felt incomplete like it just sort of ended. I will go higher Than WrestleMania But nowhere near classic status even though the bladejob is an all timer. *** 1/4