Review: WWE Backlash 2003 DVD

Brett Mix’s- WWE Backlash 2003 Review:

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“Goldberg, Rock is not next…You are next, ya Whisker Biscuit bald headed B*tch!” –The Rock

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-WWE Backlash 2003 was a wrestling (PPV) event produced by the WWE. The event took place on Sunday, April the the the 27th, 2003 in front of 10,000 fans at the Worchester Centrum in Worchester, Massachusetts.

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-This was the fifth annual Backlash PPV event by the company and first under the WWE name.

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The event grossed $450,000 with 10,000 ticket sales and had a 0.67 buyrate.

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-The biggest storyline for Backlash 2003 was between Goldberg making his WWE ppv debut against The Rock who after this show took a long break from the WWE to film more films.

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-Scott Steiner defeated Rico on Sunday Night Heat before the PPV at 2:27.

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-The Coach and Jerry Lawler did commentary for Raw, Tazz and Michael Cole did it for Smackdown as both brands were on hand for this PPV.

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Now onto the PPV…..

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1) Opening Contest- Team Angle (Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas) (c) vs Los Guerreros (Eddie Guerrero and Chavo Guerrero) for the WWE Tag Team Championship

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Supposed to be heels, Los Guerreros were so over they became cheered by the audience similar to the Hollywood Blondes in WCW.

Chavo talks a bit on the DVD about how fun it was working as a partner with Eddie and the chemistry.

This was the best match of the night and it was the opener.

That doesen’t say much about the Backlash 2003 PPV but at least this one was great and put on Eddie’s set.

This wasn’t as good as it could have been potential wise but that just goes to show how good these four are in the ring. They are capable of more but this one flowed as you’d expect very well. No complaints at all here pacing wise, it’s actually terrific just like most bouts on Disc 2. Being a tag match made it all the better.

Eddie Guerrero started off with Haas!

Should be some excellent exchanges with mat work-chain wrestling, etc, I am looking forward to this as I alwayd found Haas to be an underrated worker.

Eddie Guerrero WENT for an armdrag takedown into a side headlock to avoid Haas and his mat instinct as he went for Eddie and his arm. Eddie Guerrero looked determined asnd went into a sideheadlock, got sent to the ride and hit shoulder block, a nearfall, then a snap by Eddie and another nearfall. Eddie hopped around the ring showing his cockiness as Haas looked mad. Eddie chants filled the arena.

Eddie Guerrero then tagged in Chavo.

Chavo relaxed in the corner.

Chavo flipped in and hooked up with Haas in the middle of the ring. Haas left to the outside and Shelton came in. Benjamin and Chavo about to get it in and they tied up eventually after a moment of hesitation. Chavo with a quick go-behind to Shelton who brought on an armringer but Chavo countered with a waistlock, hooked the leg and then a cover and Shelton kicked out.

Some good material here.

Chavo paced around the ring and then tied up with Shelton again and twisted the left arm of Benjamin. Eddie Guerrero flipped in and hit Shelton with right hand and an uppercut. Eddie cornered him.

Eddie Guerrero had Shelton cornered. Los Guerreros trying to isolate one half of the soon to be WGTT aka Team Angle on one side of the ring.

Eddie Guerrero tagged in Chavo who went back to work on the arm of Shelton and went to the mat to hyperextend his elbow. Chavo irishwhipped Shelton the corner but he caught him with an elbow to the back and Shelton caught a break, Chavo irishwhipped him to the top rope and Eddie kicked him.

Eddie Guerrero with Latino temper came in the ring and continued giving Shelton some shots, and on the other corner Chavo choked out Benjamin in the corner. Chavo kicked at Benjamin and tossed him out. Eddie Guerrero took advantage outside the ring and hit him with some chops.

Back in the ring Chavo was tagged in and he went to work some more on Bejnamin slamming him down, tagging in Eddie who springboarded into the ring on top of Shelton with a moonsault and then got a nearfall. Eddie Guerrero then hopped around as he delivered some forearms to a young Shelton. A nice side suplex to Shelton. Haas tagged in.

Eddie went to work on Haas and then got clotheslined and Haas with an important back bodydrop. Benjamin choked out Eddie on the outside behind the refs back and a quick tag to Shelton and he suplexed Eddie on the canvas. Haas with a knee to the kidney area of Eddie Guerrero on the outside of the ring. Shelton got a nearfall inside the ring as Eddie kept a shoulder up. Eddie Guerrero in a facelock and Haas got tagged in and set Eddie up face first on the canvas as Haas held him by the legs.

Shelton leaped over him and drove Eddie and his throat region into the ropes, impressive double team move by Team Angle. Haas kicked at Eddie Guerrero who was all of the sudden in a vulnerable position here. Haas with a well applied chinlock to Eddie and the crowd clapped for Eddie Guerrero to gain some momentum and he did with some elbows to the gut and then a back suplex to follow it up. Eddie and Haas both down. Eddie went for Chavo but Haas with a double leg takedown into a modified spinebuster, awesome. Not only does Haas make sure Eddie Guerrero can not tag but he takes him down in the process. Shelton is tagged in and applies a rear chinlock to ground a quick Eddie Guerrero, smart move.

Eddie Guerrero out of desperation with a jawbreaker, almost tagged in Chavo but Shelton made sure he could not do it! Shelton with an ankle lock and then he picked up Eddie and hit an amazing suplex but somehow Eddie Guerrero got out that predicament, now Benjamin who is technically sound went into a rear chinlock yet again.

Eddie Guerrero down and needed to tag badly. Shelton methodically took Eddie down and was trying to beat him at his own game, Shelton moving around from a rear chinlock into a sideheadlock and had Eddie Guerrero and his shoulders planted and got some nearfalls in the process. Team Angle slowing the pace down as Shelton tagged in Haas who hit a back breaker to a fatigued Eddie Guerrero. Shelton then stretched Eddie and his face backwards and Eddie Guerrero was vulnerable. Eddie then desperastely with knees to the head and when Haas picked him up Eddie hit an explosive DDT and Haas up elevated Eddie Guerrero into Chavo so the tag was made!

Chavo was extremely resdted. Chavo worked away on Shelton in the corner and Haas charged towards Chavo and hit Shelton. Chavo with a big suplex but Haad kicked out. Shelton came in though and hit a big powerbomb to Chavo, Eddie Guerrero flew off the top with a missile dropkick to Shelton. Eddie Guerrero with the three amigos to Haas. Chavo was the legal man though and he crawled towards Haas but he kicked out.
Haas was hurt from the three suplexes from Eddie but then he caught a dropkick from Chavo and then Eddie who was illegal hit a frogsplash on Haas, Chavo covered Haas but got a two. Shelton threw Eddie Guerrero shoulder first into the steps ad then somehow Haas picked up a victor on Los Guerreros as Haas pinned Chavo with some help from Shelton on the outside!

Lots of fast tags, fast moves, team work and psychology so a well balanced match.

Everything bottled into one great tag team opener from the Smackdown brand on this event.

So in the end Haas pinned Chavo after Benjamin clipped Chavo’s legs during a suplex attempt at 15:03 to retain the tag team titles, but this was just all sorts of fun overall.

Great opener!!!

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*** 1/2

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2) Sean O Haire (With Roddy Piper) vs Rikishi

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Sean O Haire clotheslined by Rikishi and then he hits a Samoan Drop.

Piper gets on the apron but Rikishi fought him off. Rikishi walked into a thrust kick by Sean O Haire. Sean O Haire choked out Rikishi on the bottom rope.

I think they were kind of hoping Rikishi would have that attitude era fan support but he just did not have that here. Sean O Haire runs into Kish in the corner with a splash then a hard clothesline and a nearfall.

A neckvice now to Rikishi. Then a kick to the kidney by Sean O Haire.

Back into a neck-vice.

Sean O Haire another rough kick to the kidney.

Rikishi gained some momentum sending Sean O Haire to the corner. And now Sean O Haire kicked him off. A Double kick knock each other down.

Both men down.

Sean O Haire down and Piper with a Cocanut gave it to the official and then Rikishi dropped Piper with one. Twenty years coming, revenge for Snuka I guess.

All of the sudden Sean O Haire scooped up Rikishi and planted him into the mat.

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In the end at 4:52 the Devils Advocate got the win.

I have no idea why they did not pursue this gimmick, it had great potential.

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This match was nothing special though.

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* 1/2

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3) Rob Van Dam and Kane (c) vs The Dudley Boyz (With Chief Morley as Special Referee) for the WWE Tag Team Championship

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Rob Van Dam worried about Morley being the official in this match.

A temporarily Heel Bubba starts off with Van Dam and he uses his educated feet to twist and turn against Bubba. RVD poses.

Both ECW originals have a stand-off and the crowd applauds.

Bubba then clotheslined Rob Van Dam and mocked his thumb taunt.

RVD with some kicks to the mid-section. RVD covered Bubba and then he kicked Bubba to the corner and flipped backwards until Bubba ran him over. D-Von gets tagged in.

D-Von with some slow strikes to Rob Van Dam.

Fans chant for tables. This match has a good pace.

Kane, Bubba both in. Bubba kicks at Kane and then Kane spinebusters Bubba.

Morley has been a fair official thus far. Kane going into both ends clotheslining the opposition and Bubba broke it up.

A good pace here still and a lot of tandem-double team moves. Kane clotheslined Bubba down, and Rob Van Dam comes off the top with a big spinning kick to D-Von Dudley then a spinning heel kick to Bubba then the rolling thunder.

Off the top rope an amazing reverse neck-breaker to D-Von.

WOW!

Kane though flies off the other corner to take out D-Von.

Bubba pounds on Kane but he grabbed him by the throat. Morley with a low-blow on Kane but Bubba could not put Kane away.

Morley is in shock.

Morley throws Kane out of the ring and accidentally hit Bubba. D-Von then pounded on Morley. All of the sudden Lance Storm comes out and attacks D-Von. Bubba hits the Bubba Bomb on Storm. Morley lands shots on the Dudleyz but they hit the 3D to Morley and throw him out of the ring.

Complete chaos here. Kane with a chokeslam to Bubba. Kane tosses out D-Von. No official.

Rob Van Dam goes up to the top to fly and hits the five star frog splash. A new ref counts the three.

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In the end Kane and RVD retained the titles at 13:01.

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This match was basic until the end and creative booking took over.

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** 3/4

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4) Trish Stratus (c) vs Jazz (With Theodore Long) for the WWE Womens Championship

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Second straight year these two ladies faced off for the title at Backlash, this time Trish comes in as the defending Champion.

Usually Jazz gets the better of Trish Stratus for some reason.

Both ladies tie up and Trish has Jazz down and then an arm-ringer into a roll-up, nice chain move and then a nearfall. Another lock-up and Jazz targets the back of Trish. I am sure she is not the first person to target the back of Trish if you catch my drift.

Trish with a clothesline and a nearfall.

Jazz with a shot to the gut and then clobbers her up high.

A high stretch from Jazz then slamming Trish Stratus down to the mat. Trish fights back and fails on a hurricanrana attempt and Jazz has her in a half-crab, then a reversal. Trish now going for a boston crab.

Trish has a modified STF on Jazz and she gets to the ropes with help from Long.

Trish slams Jazz to the mat. Trish Stratus selling very well and hits forearm shots to Jazz followed by a shot. Trish Stratus then off the ropes ducks a clothesline hits a chick kick but Jazz kicks out.

Jazz down and Trish Stratus is hit with a jaw-breaker. Jazz elevates herself up high with a dropkick.

Stratusfaction off the ropes then A shoe gets thrown at Trish Stratus, Trish throws it back at Long, Jazz rolls up Trish and she kicks out barely.

Trish tries another Stratusfaction but Jazz rolls up Trish Stratus and holds onto the ropes to cheat to win.

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For the second straight year Jazz has beaten Trish at Backlash.

In the end at 5:01 Jazz became the New Womens Champion.

This match was very solid for a 5 minute Divas contest.

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** 1/4

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5) The Big Show vs Rey Mysterio

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Rey Mysterio hits a dropkick early on The Big Show and Mysterio would have to hit early and often to have a shot here.

Big Show drops Rey Mysterio head-first on the top turnbuckle.

A hard chop by Big Show to Mysterio. Rey rolls out of the ring.

Big Show held Mysterio in the air once back in the ring.

Mysterio lands on his feet but then Big Show misses with a boot and Rey is sent to the outside.

Rey Mysterio finds a steel chair and hits Big Show when the official had no idea.

A flying senton and Big Show just got the shoulder up. A 619 to the gut of Show, and then the back. And then a third one.

Mysterio goes for the west coast pop and Big Show hits a chokeslam.

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In the end at 3:47 The Big Show made quick work of Rey using his huge leverage advantage to help secure the victory.

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This match was very short and basic.

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* 1/4

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6) Brock Lesnar (c) vs John Cena for the WWE Championship

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This was the first major break in the career of John Cena. How would he make out.

Well he was in there with one of the best in Lesnar which sure helped things.

Cena raps about old wrestlers and well…here comes the pain!

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Brock Lesnar is jumped by Cena as he figured that would be the only way would of have a slight chance. Brock with two back-breakers and then a fall away slam. Brock Lesnar said some on Cena and hit a vertical suplex to Cena.

Brock Lesnar then with another vertical suplex. A front facelock now by Brock wearing down the challenger.

Brock Lesnar with a fisherman suplex and then stomped on Cena in the corner. Brock Lesnar on the outside takes it to Cena while he tried to grab a chair and use it on Lesnar and high knees being driven into the ribs of Cena. Lesnar reverse irish-whipped into the steel steps.

Cena now has the upperhand momentarily and slams Brock into the steps, breaks the count. Cena has busted Lesnar open. Cena busted open the head of Lesnar and he went for cover after cover to try and take advantage.

A side suplex then another nearfall. Cena stomps on Brock Lesnar.

Brock Lesnar down and Cena drops an elbow and another kickout by Lesnar.

Cena hits Brock Lesnar with a reverse elbow off the ropes and yet again another kickout by Lesnar. Cena irishwhipped Lesnar to the corner but a bloodied Brock gets an elbow on Cena and Brock Lesnar gave him knee shots, Cena though re-gained momentum with a knee of his own into Brock Lesnar.

Cena then rushed off the ropes trying to shoulder block Lesnar out of the ring.

Cena off the rop rope drops the leg on the head of Lesnar who was hung on the middle rope throast first, and his bloodied head then was sent to the floor. Lesnar tried to get his title to use it on Cena but he drove a bloodied Brock into the ring-post.

Cena slides the bigger man into the ring and still only got a two. Cena now wearing Brock Lesnars blood.

Cena with a reverse chinlock and the crowd chant for Brock Lesnar.

Brock Lesnar starts to get up and Cena plants him down with a ddt. Cena covers and gets a two. Cena charges from the corner and Brock Lesnar springs up from out of no where gaining momentum by hitting a big spinebuster slam to John Cena. Brock Lesnar hit with a jaw-breaker and Cena still has flashes of chances of becoming Champion.

All of the sudden a grape-vine with a rear chinlock by Cena taking the bigger Lesnar down to the mat in an attempt to wear the bigger man down. Sort of a modified body-scissors.

Lesnar knows how to get out of these predicaments with his amateur background.

Some LETS GO Cena chants are actually heard.

Brock Lesnar out of no where with big impactful clotheslines. Cena off the ropes ran intwo a powerslam and Cena kicks out. Cena then driven into the turnbuckle and shoulders to the gut by Lesnar. Cena is picked up and slammed down hard to the mat but still only a two.

A great match here.

Even though Cena was green and Lesnar had only been in the WWE for a year as well this is very good. Cena with a shot to Lesnar who runs into the official and Cena hit a low-blow behind the official and a roll-up, just a two.

A neck-breaker by Cena and still only a two count.

Cena frustrated and complaining about the count. Cena is picked up by Lesnarand he drove Cena neck-first into the top turnbuckle. Cena grabbed his steel chain though and wrapped it around his hand.

The official took it away and Cena then got lifted up and Brock hit the F-5.

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In the end at 15:14 Brock retained the title after he hit his finisher.

Cena put up a great fight for someone getting a big push fast.

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This match was a lot better then I remembered it being. A great showing by both men.

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*** 1/4

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7) Triple H, Ric Flair, Chris Jericho vs Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash and Booker T in a Six Man Tag-Team Match

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Shawn Michaels and Jericho put on a Classic at Mania X9 and they begin in this match with some pretty basic work.

Lets be honest on the Raw brans these guys were just kind of floating around, I am not sure the writers even knew what to do with them.

One thing is for sure and that is Triple H was being hated on by the IWC because of his reign and his apparent burying of opponents.

Hunter is finally tagged in once Nash takes it to Jericho but Chris makes the save, skins the cat but runs into a huge boot by Big Sexy. I am not calling him that by the way.

Booker T who was in the mix of things and was for no reason kicked out of the nWo the year before hits a spinebuster on Jericho. It is a real shame Booker never got the World title that year in 03 but what is done, is done.

Booker caught Jericho coming off the top and slammed him hard to the mat. Flair held Booker in the corner and Y2J and HHH begin to double-team him.

Booker T reverses it into a scissors kick up high against HHH. Everyone remembers the borderline controversial racial storyline behind the two men coming into this match, and the Mania one the month before it where of course Hunter retained the World title.

Booker got kneed in the mid-section and Flair is knocked off the apron and he is firing on the Game but he caught him in mid-air and spinebuster slammed him to the mat.

Flair finally gets a tag and the crowd Woooo, he misses an elbow on Booker T.

Shawn Michaels tagged back in and he knocks down the Nature Boy. Shawn Michaels then back-drops Flair and then back-drops Jericho over the top rope. An atomic drop to HHH coming in. Shawn Michaels taking apart their entire team then kicks up while knocking down Flair.

Shawn Michaels going for the Sweet chin Music and hit it. However Triple H hits the Pedigree to Shawn Michaels. Nash chases HHH now. Nash points at Hunter. They would of course meet in a forgettable Hell in a Cell match at Bad Blood. It was decent considering it was those two involved but forgettable as far as Cell matches are concerned.

Jericho comes in the ring and drops the elbow over and over to HBK who was still down selling the Pedigree.

Hunter tags in and goes right to work on a vulnerable Shawn Michaels. Fans chant for HBK but the two slug it out in the corner. Shawn Michaels begins to fight back however he runs into a high knee by the Game. Flair chops Michaels in the corner and hit a snapmare. Flair goes for the figure four, Shawn Michaels gets a school-boy out of it and Flair then tags to Jericho.

Jericho with a side suplex to Shawn Michaels. Y2J who wants revenge from the Mania loss stretches the arms of Shawn Michaels. Shawn Michaels hit an inziguri to Flair before he tried to tag out. Flair though back to his feet hit a chop but ran into a shoulder block by Shawn Michaels.

Nash is tagged in by Shawn Michaels and Hunter did not want to face off with him scoops up HHH and slams him to the mat, then Y2J, then Flair.

Nash controls the action taking out the team. A boot to the face and now he drops Hunter face-first on the buckle and lands a side suplex. Flair chops Nash but he does not budge. Flair begs him off but Booker is behind him kicking him to the outside. Y2J clotheslines Booker to the floor.

Jericho corners Nash. Flair is sent hard into the barricade.

Booker now in the ring takes down Jericho and Flair and hits the Spinnerooni.

Jericho with a bulldog to Michaels. Flair with a figure four to Michaels while Jericho hits a Lionsault at the same time. Nash meanwhile on the outside makes a table empty as he went to drive Hunter through a table.

Nash hits a Jackknife Powerbomb, HH though hits him with a Sledgehammer and The Game gets the three.

In the end at 17:50 the team of Flair, Hunter and Jericho got the victory after and that made everyone hate Hunter just that much more.

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This match was very well done.

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*** 1/2

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8 ) Main Event- Goldberg vs The Rock

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I am not sure why Rock played his role the way he did. Was it entertaining….sure but he should of stopped the jokes, that is what made him funny, hence people cheering him.

You could say the same about Austin in 2001, if you turn funny and are THAT over (and are on a Rock-Austin level) the crowd is not going to cheer the other guy.

Sure this was the WWE PPV debut of one Goldberg in a dream match here.

Obviously Goldberg vs Steve Austin in 1998 could of been the biggest match ever, but we had to settle for this.

Something is better then nothing.

That is the case here.

Goldberg has an impressive entrance.

The crowd is of course split.

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Goldberg and Rock tie-up. Goldberg not known for his longer matches, that is for sure.

Goldberg shoves Rock down.

Rock opens his eyes wide and tells Goldberg he is in trouble now. Goldberg shoves Rocky down again and he goes to the outside. Rock slaps Goldberg.

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Rock and Goldberg slugging it out.

Goldberg getting the best of Rock, big knee to the mid-section of Rock then a shoulder block and a clothesline to Rock down to the floor.

Goldberg spears Rock.

Goldberg takes down Rock convincingly.

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However Goldberg did it with the right shoulder which was hurt and Rock had tried to Rock Bottom him before this out of desperation.

Rock spears Goldberg out of no where!

Rock smells it.

Rock hits The Rock Bottom on Goldberg, fans boo when he kicks out.

Rock hits the Peoples Elbow on Goldberg and he kicks out.

Goldberg hits a spear then another one. Then a Jackhammer.

In the end at 13:03 Goldberg defeated The Rock after his finisher.

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This match was about what you would expect. I will give it some extra points just for the sake of Rock trying.

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** 1/4

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Final Rating for WWE Backlash 2003 = 6/10

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This show was a little bit everywhere. Some solid matches to end the show and while Goldberg-Rock did not really deliver, the Raw and SD main events were in the three and a half star range. The lower card was not overly impressive and the useless Diva backstage segments brought the show down by a point at least. Overly redundant and not needed in the slightest. A decent PPV at best.

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