5 WWE Backlash matches that improved on their WrestleMania counterpart
WWE WrestleMania Backlash is rapidly approaching. In the past, the pay-per-view has traditionally been seen as the first event after WWE's biggest show of the year, WrestleMania.
This means that some of the biggest WWE WrestleMania re-matches have taken place at Backlash pay-per-views throughout the years.
Sometimes the pressure, time constraints and storylines heading into WrestleMania means that a heavily promoted match doesn't live up to the unrealistic expectations of the WWE Universe.
However, when the same competitors face off a few weeks later in a WrestleMania re-match at Backlash, the match is far improved. It often meets the expectations of what fans wanted to see during their WrestleMania encounter.
Why is this? Perhaps reduced pressure, increased time to tell the desired story or a variety of other reasons. Nevertheless, there have been several occasions where a WrestleMania re-match at Backlash has improved on the match seen at the showcase of the immortals.
Let's take a closer look at five WWE Backlash matches that improved on their WrestleMania counterpart.
#5 Kane vs Chavo Guerrero - ECW Championship (WWE Backlash 2008)
WWE WrestleMania XXIV saw Kane win the WWE ECW World Heavyweight Championship for the first time in his WWE career.
Prior to WrestleMania XXIV going on the air, Kane participated in a 24-man over-the-top rope battle royal to determine the number one contender for the WWE ECW World Heavyweight Championship.
By last eliminating Mark Henry, Kane punched his ticket to face then-ECW World Heavyweight Champion Chavo Guerrero during WrestleMania XXIV.
However, before the match officially began, Kane appeared behind Chavo Guerrero, who was already in the ring. The Big Red Machine chokeslammed the ECW Champion and pinned him in just 11 seconds to become the ECW World Heavyweight Champion.
Fast forward several weeks later, Kane and Guerrero faced off once again for the ECW World Heavyweight Championship at Backlash in a WrestleMania XXIV rematch.
The match was significantly better and longer than their WrestleMania title match, lasting close to nine minutes. Kane was able to once again defeat Chavo Guerrero at Backlash, hitting his opponent with a chokeslam to retain the ECW World Heavyweight Championship.