Top 10 best WWE Backlash events of all-time

WWE is gearing up for WWE Backlash

After the conclusion of Wrestlemania 41, WWE is gearing up to host their next premium live event, WWE Backlash. The 2025 edition of the event is set to take place in St. Louis and is shaping up to be a great show so far.

Backlash 2025 will feature one last clash between John Cena and Randy Orton for the WWE Championship. Other matches, such as Pat McAfee vs Gunther and Lyra Valkyria vs Becky Lynch, are also set to take place at the event.

Despite not being a part of the ‘big four’ shows of the company, Backlash has consistently proved to be a great spectacle throughout its history. As the 20th edition of the event is just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to look back and rank the top 10 best Backlash events in WWE history.

10. WWE Backlash 2020

From an in-ring standpoint, Backlash 2020 is one of the best shows WWE has ever produced. Sheamus vs Jeff Hardy and Drew McIntyre vs Bobby Lashley were the key highlights of the show.

WWE promoted the Main event between Randy Orton and Edge as ‘The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever’ and the two veterans delivered a classic that still holds a special place in the hearts of the fans.

9. WWE Backlash 2018

Backlash 2018 took place after the events of WrestleMania 34 and featured some fantastic matches. Seth Rollins and The Miz wrestled in the match of the night for the Intercontinental championship and the fans witnessed Daniel Bryan competing in the singles action for the first time in two years.

The main event between Roman Reigns and Samoa Joe was solid as well but the underwhelming finish to the AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura match takes something away from the overall experience of the show.

8. WWE Backlash 2016

Backlash 2016 was held after Summer Slam and served as the first SmackDown exclusive premium live event after the WWE Draft. Becky Lynch defeated five other women to win the inaugural SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Heath Slater and Rhyno were crowned Tag Team champions on the show as well. However, Backlash 2016 is mostly remembered for AJ Styles’s first-ever WWE Championship win which kickstarted one of the best eras in the history of the blue brand.

7. WWE Backlash 2024

A wrestling crowd holds the potential of elevating a show to great heights and Backlash 2024 is a perfect example of that. Despite featuring some memorable matches, the audience was the biggest highlight of the show as they gave very special treatment to every wrestler.

The main event between Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles also earned a rating of five stars from Dave Meltzer which solidifies its status as one of the best wrestling matches of all time.

6. WWE Backlash 2001

WrestleMania 17 is regarded as the greatest wrestling event of all time and Backlash 2001 followed it up perfectly. The show solidified the historic heel turn of Stone Cold Steve Austin as he teamed up with Triple H to take on the Brothers of Destruction in a ‘Winner Takes All’ match.

The undercard was great as well as it featured a technical classic between Chris Benoit and Kurt Angle. Shane McMahon vs The Big Show in a last-man-standing match was also a high point of the event.

5. WWE Backlash 2023

Despite featuring a marquee match between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar in the main event, WWE Backlash 2023 is best known for its San Juan Street fight between Damian Priest and Bad Bunny.

The crowd was electric for the event from start to finish and the return of Carlito was the cheery on top. Other matches like Rhea Ripley vs Zelina Vega and Bianca Belair vs Iyo Sky were also very entertaining.

4. WWE Backlash 2007

Despite having an underwhelming undercard, Backlash 2007 comes in at number four on our list. Its main event is one of the biggest matches WWE has ever booked as it saw John Cena defending his World title against Randy Orton, Edge and Shawn Michaels in a fatal four-way.

The match just flies by despite being more than twenty minutes long. WWE also booked one of the most creative finishes for the match which progressed the story effortlessly and protected all four wrestlers involved.

3. WWE Backlash 1999

WrestleMania XV was not received very well by the fans and WWE was under huge pressure to deliver a great show. The promotion had a point to prove and it did just that with Backlash 1999.

The Boiler Room Brawl between Mankind and Big Show is still remembered fondly by the fans. Moreover, The No Holds Barred main event between The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin also topped their WrestleMania encounter.

2. WWE Backlash 2009

WWE named Backlash 2009 as one of the best pay-per-views in the company’s history back in 2013 which is a testament to its greatness. Chris Jericho vs Ricky Steamboat was masterfully booked and Randy Orton also won the WWE championship against Triple H but the main event was the biggest highlight of the show.

John Cena and Edge always had great chemistry together and they stole the show once again with their incredible Last Man Standing match.

1. WWE Backlash 2000

At the top of our list, we have Backlash 2000. The depth of the show is phenomenal as it contains a bit of everything. Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit was a technical masterpiece and the match between Dean Malenko and Scotty 2 Hotty still holds up as a classic.

However, the main event between Triple H and The Rock was WWE at its very best. The setup of the McMahon-Helmsley regime stacking the odds against the Rock and the payoff of the glass finally shattering and Austin making his return to make the save is just magical and lives on as one of the most memorable moments in the history of WWE.

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