Credit: WWE.com
There are times throughout World Wrestling Entertainment history in which the annual April pay-per-view, be it Backlash or Extreme Rules, overshadows WrestleMania.
They are events that get right what The Showcase of the Immortals did not, and never before was that the case more than in 2000. WWE set out to make up for a convoluted, messy and overbooked WrestleMania telecast with a Backlash event that featured some of the greatest professional wrestlers on the planet and, more importantly, compelling stories that sucked the audience in.
After a Fatal 4-Way match at WrestleMania robbed fans of a singles bout between The Rock and Triple H over the then-WWF Championship, the decision was made to book that as the main event of the show in hopes of popping a strong buyrate for the secondary event.
It could not come at a better time.
Fans were hot for the feud and desperately wanted to see The Great One defeat The Game and put a dent in the McMahon-Helmsley Era's tyrannical rule over WWE.
But would they get what they wanted, or sit dismayed once again as Triple H successfully retained his title?
And what would Stone Cold Steve Austin have to do with the outcome?
Fans found out when they tuned into Backlash on April 30, 2000, live from the MCI Center in Washington, D.C.
Background
At WrestleMania 2000, The Rock, Mick Foley and Big Show challenged Triple H in a Fatal 4-Way Elimination match for the WWF Championship. The last challenger remaining in the contest, Rock was the fan favorite to leave Anaheim, California, with the title, but a shocking betrayal from Vince McMahon cost The Most Electrifying Man in Entertainment the heavyweight title.
Determined to avenge the events at The Showcase of the Immortals, The Rock targeted Triple H, McMahon and the remainder of the McMahon-Helmsley faction.
The most powerful stable in the industry made life miserable for The Rock and well as numerous top babyfaces, including Chris Jericho, who saw a monumental WWF Championship win negated when Triple H bullied referee Earl Hebner into reversing his decision.
No matter who opposed The Game, he always managed to escape unscathed, his reign as champion intact.
But Vince, daughter Stephanie and son Shane were not the only McMahon family members with power.
Having watched long enough, Linda McMahon revealed that not only would Triple H defend the WWE title against The Rock at Backlash, but The Great One would not be alone. In his corner would be Austin, who had been missing in action since undergoing neck surgery the previous winter.
On the final SmackDown before the huge showdown, Austin appeared, tricking each member of D-Generation X before appearing on the TitanTron and blowing up the DX Express, a warning of the fiery hell that awaited the heels come Backlash.
The Match
The Analysis
The Rock and Triple H have always had incredible chemistry with each other, a chemistry that was on display here as they tore the roof off of the MCI Center.
Vince McMahon's announcement regarding Austin's absence prior to the main event did not fool the fans, who waited patiently for an appearance by The Texas Rattlesnake, opting to enjoy the roller-coaster ride that was the match between wrestling's most popular and hated stars.
Linda McMahon shoving her daughter down was a nice receipt for the slap she suffered at Stephanie's hand weeks earlier, while Hebner being rehired and instrumental in the finish was outstanding.
Austin eventually made his appearance, raising hell with the help of a steel chair.
Rock would win the bout and the title in what was a modern-day classic.
Never before had WWE so masterfully combined so many different stories into a single match, creating an entertainment masterpiece with this bout. Over the course of the next year, the company would do so numerous times, most notably at 2001's WrestleMania X-Seven when Shane squared off against Vince McMahon in a Street Fight.
The match was everything that the fans, who had so passionately and loyally followed the antics of the characters involved over the months, were looking for. At its best, that is what professional wrestling is meant to be.
The Aftermath
In the wake of the Rock's triumphant win, Triple H and Co. were determined to get the championship back. There was a power that went along with the belt, and The Game wanted it more than anything else.
At Judgment Day in May, they clashed in an Iron Man match that saw run-ins from D-Generation X, Pat Patterson, Gerald Brisco and the McMahon clan before a returning Undertaker laid waste to all involved, chokeslamming Triple H in plain view of special referee Shawn Michaels.
That decision drew a DQ, which awarded Triple H the title.
The game of hot potato with the WWF Championship would be concluded at King of the Ring, when Rock pinned Vince McMahon to win the title, effectively bringing to an end the rivalry between The Great One and The King of Kings for the time being.
As fans witnessed at WrestleMania XXXI, however, the competitive juices are always running wild within Rock and Triple H, making one last showdown on a grand stage a possibility.