So, Backlash *ECW/SmackDown! Spoilers*

[Mr. Nerfect]

It looks like we're heading towards a card of the following:

* The Undertaker vs. Edge for the World Heavyweight Championship
* Kane vs. Chavo Guerrero for the ECW Championship
* Shawn Michaels vs. Batista
* Big Show vs. The Great Khali
* CM Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin for the Money in the Bank Title Shot
* MVP vs. Matt Hardy for the WWE United States Championship

Haven't watched RAW, so I'm not really sure what is happening with Randy Orton, but JBL seemed involved in it. Thus far, the card has a distinct lacking of Chris Jericho, Mr. Kennedy, Triple H, John Cena and Finlay.

Not really sure where the WWE is heading with absolutely everything, but how do you see the Backlash card turning out?

[Mr. JL]

I doubt Kane-Chavo will make it to PPV.

They'll be lucky if their match makes it to SmackDown.

[Rammsteinmad]

If that's what Backlash is shaping up to be, then Rammsteinmad approves. :y:

[The Optimist]

Why with the Batista-Micheals?

[Juan]

I have feeling we're gonna see HHH vs. Cena with the winner being named the No. 1 contender.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I doubt Kane-Chavo will make it to PPV.

They'll be lucky if their match makes it to SmackDown.

Actually, their match is confirmed for the PPV. Along with Undertaker vs. Edge.

As for Batista vs. Shawn Michaels, I figure we're heading that way due to Batista stalking HBK on RAW, and Batista telling Michaels he should have laid down for Flair on SmackDown!, and then walking out on HBK.

After watching RAW, they are definitely planning something with JBL going after the WWE Title. I'm thinking we'll see a Fatal Four-Way with Orton defending against JBL, Triple H and John Cena. The other possibility is that Cena ends up moving to SmackDown! and doing something else, and just Triple H gets in. With the WWE seeming to be trying to re-position the ECW Title as something worth winning again, the WWE may not have three World Titles defending at Backlash, and instead do a tag team match pitting Randy Orton & JBL against Triple H & John Cena? Or, as Juan suggested, Triple H vs. John Cena happens at the PPV, and JBL challenges Orton earlier in the show.

CM Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin could turn into CM Punk vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Chris Jericho very easily. Maybe add in Mr. Kennedy there, if you don't already have a Fatal Four-Way on the card.

[The Optimist]

Weird. I sort of like the Batista-Micheals angle. But, is Batista a heel? Or is it face-face? Or what? I marked pretty hard for Batista bearhugging Flair on Raw the other day, but I missed the segment between them.

JBL anywhere near the title is balls, though the segment quietly dissing Orton was good.

[Testicle]

How can you have Kane vs. Chavo on a ppv, just four weeks after Kane beat him in 8 seconds, that makes sense. :roll:

[Jordan]

Undertaker/Edge
Chavo/Kane
Orton/JBL/Triple H/Cena
Khali/Show
Batista/Micheals
Jericho/Kennedy
Umaga/Finlay
Hardy/MVP

[Afterlife]

It is absolutely foolish that they put the contract on the line. I will never respect that concept.

[Innovator]

Punk pinning Shelton last night doesn't really translate into a program to me

[Mr. Nerfect]

It is absolutely foolish that they put the contract on the line. I will never respect that concept.

I'm not the biggest fan of it, but it doesn't particularly offend me. Every MITB winner has done it, so it's sort of becoming tradition. Punk pinning Shelton does not necessarily mean "feud!" but, I can very easily see the WWE pitting them against each other. The story seemed to be that Shelton wanted the contract, and he's going after Punk. We'll probably get a better idea in coming weeks. I'm fairly certain we'll see CM Punk do something like defend it in some form. We might even get one of those "title vs. contract" scenarios that Rob Van Dam and Shelton Benjamin had two years back, with Punk facing Jericho (after a move to RAW).

Batista may not officially turn heel right away, but I think he'll end up that way. The fans are not likely to take his side after Shawn Michaels. The way they even played it up during the Flair retirement ceremony makes me think that the WWE are going to make it a big angle. It may span a few months. Shawn Michaels could go over at Backlash via disqualification, with Batista losing his cool and turning heel, and then they can go to No Disqualification, where Batista gets the win. A blowoff match could go either way, but I can actually see the WWE giving it to Batista, to further establish him. I see a move back to RAW, and Batista getting the rub from HBK as a way to "create a star" from this whole Flair/HBK thing that Vince couldn't get from their match at WrestleMania.

[Afterlife]

I'm not the biggest fan of it, but it doesn't particularly offend me. Every MITB winner has done it, so it's sort of becoming tradition. Punk pinning Shelton does not necessarily mean "feud!" but, I can very easily see the WWE pitting them against each other. The story seemed to be that Shelton wanted the contract, and he's going after Punk. We'll probably get a better idea in coming weeks. I'm fairly certain we'll see CM Punk do something like defend it in some form. We might even get one of those "title vs. contract" scenarios that Rob Van Dam and Shelton Benjamin had two years back, with Punk facing Jericho (after a move to RAW).

A bunch of people doing something stupid in the past doesn't make it smart. It's just as infuriating as "risking your WM title shot" after winning the Rumble. It's fucking dumb.

[Skull316]

Granted smackdown hasn't aired yet and all we have to go on for Batista/Michaels is what was described, but what seems interesting to me is it seems like Batista is going to take up the angry heel role. He's been a top face for so long it might freshen him up a little bit to see him in a heel role. Really looking forward to how this one plays out over the next few weeks.

[Mr. Nerfect]

A bunch of people doing something stupid in the past doesn't make it smart. It's just as infuriating as "risking your WM title shot" after winning the Rumble. It's fucking dumb.

Oh, I'm not saying it's smart. I'm just saying it has traditionally been the way the WWE has gone. Also, I hate it when guys risk a sure thing, too. I may not be sure, but I don't think the first two defences where voluntary, though. Edge was forced to defend against Matt Hardy in a "Loser Leaves RAW Money in the Bank Ladder Match" on the re-debut of RAW on the USA Network, I believe, which wasn't exactly Edge's choice.

I'm not sure about Rob Van Dam vs. Shelton Benjamin, but I think the match may have been made, and then the briefcase put on the line. I was never really tuned in to that angle, though. I think RVD wanted the IC Title from Benjamin, and the Shelton said "I'll give you a shot if you put the briefcase on the line." I may be wrong, though. If so, that is still pretty stupid of RVD.

Mr. Kennedy was by far the stupidest, although it was a believable stupid. He wanted to man-up, and win the fans' respect at the time. He saw himself as a guy who could take on anything, and completely own Edge. Then his injury got to him, and that was "the last time he'd ever listen to you idiots."

I'd be disappointed to see Punk say "hey, man, this pretty much guarantees me a second World Title, but I'm going to give you a chance to take that from me," but I would not be so opposed to William Regal going to Vince McMahon and saying "Look, Chris Jericho beat CM Punk on RAW, which means he's the better wrestler and arguably deserving of a shot at the MITB title shot."

If the match happens, it should be 100% forced. Rey Mysterio putting his Rumble title shot on the line against Randy Orton is one of the stupidest examples of face idiocy in the past, and I think that played a massive part in damaging Rey. That and Mysterio not even winning the Rumble in the main event, and being pushed so hard to win it over guys who were arguably as close, or closer, to Eddie Guerrero. But yeah, that whole example of a face putting sure things on the line can really hurt.

Another thing that annoys me about Money in the Bank, is when the commentators constantly bring up how the MITB winner has consistently won a World Title with their shot, like it's a fucking magic potion. Of course they have fucking won it, the shot pretty much allows a guy to pick his spots, beat a guy with a baseball bat, throw him down a flight of stairs and run him over with a car, carry his ass to the ring, call a match and get the pin. There's no magic pixie that sprinkles the winner with "winner dust." I just wish the commentators would play up the match as being a certain thing for the winner if they play smart, which someone should when a World Title comes out of it, regardless of face/heel alignment.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Granted smackdown hasn't aired yet and all we have to go on for Batista/Michaels is what was described, but what seems interesting to me is it seems like Batista is going to take up the angry heel role. He's been a top face for so long it might freshen him up a little bit to see him in a heel role. Really looking forward to how this one plays out over the next few weeks.

I agree. :y:

As I said, I'm hoping for Shawn Michaels to counter a Batista Bomb into a hurricanrana, or something, and then hits the Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere on Batista, who gets knocked to the outside. HBK is fired up in the ring, and goes for a pescada, or something, but finds himself whacked with a steel chair on the way down. Batista then rolls HBK back into the ring, and hits his "big three" (Spear, Spinebuster and Batista Bomb) onto the steel chair, as I'm sure the fans boo.

Then have him breakdance. Just because it would be awesome.

On RAW, Dave comes out and talks about how many want him to apologise for what he did to HBK, but he says he's not going to. He credits a lot of guys for giving him the skills he needed to survive in this business, but ultimately it was Batista's will to succeed and be the best that got him three World Championships. One man he can not put himself over as surpassing, however, is Ric Flair. He says that it is Shawn Michaels who owes the apology, but the last time Shawn Michaels said he was sorry, he proceeded to kick his mentor in the face and end his career.

Batista then says he was originally angry with Shawn Michaels, but he has since become angry with Ric Flair. Because Flair was too weak to survive. Batista questions idolising a man who lost 16 World Championships. This is a profession of dominance, and there is no need to apologise for being dominant. HBK does not have to apologise for ending Ric Flair's career. He needs to apologise for having his own ended by Batista.

Cue Triple H, who says he has a lot of professional respect for Batista, but Shawn Michaels and Ric Flair are his close friends, and he's not going to stand around while Batista insults them. Security stands between them, though, as William Regal protects his potential main events. Tease a bit of a feud between them Batista and Triple H, while still keeping Dave vs. HBK going. Maybe throw Randy Orton into the mix, and make it sort of like a "Evolution minus the old" vs. "D-Generation X minus the stupidity" feud.

[Afterlife]

A D-X vs. Re-volution feud might noy be a bad idea. I'd definitely make it a one-time ppv event, though.

[Mr. Nerfect]

A D-X vs. Re-volution feud might noy be a bad idea. I'd definitely make it a one-time ppv event, though.

I know a lot of people would feel it is a needless turn for needless turn's sake, and it would be very soon to bring him back to television, but I'd mark out for Ric Flair helping Orton and Batista win, and becoming a manager for both men, even if they don't remain together.

[Afterlife]

That's a bit much.

[The Optimist]

DX vs Revolution is more than a bit much in itself.

[Afterlife]

I'd rather allow them a little bit and say "o.k.," than to deny them the whole concept and then get angry when iy happens. I'm not saying it's aq godsend plot, but I wouldn't be opposed to letting them get it out of their system.

[thedamndest]

lol Kimbo Slice is ringside.