?Reported by Mike Siciliano of WrestleView.com

On Friday, April 29, 2005 at 7:53 PM EST

Very briefly, before getting in to the topic at hand, I would like to send my condolences out to family, friends, and fans of Chris Candido. His loss will be one to the wrestling industry that will be felt for months and years to come. He was a tremendous competitor.


If I may get back to business, WWE Backlash is this Sunday, and we've got predictions to take care of. Let's go down this very short card.

For the Intercontinental championship, champion SHELTON BENJAMIN defends against "Y2J" CHRIS JERICHO

I need to clarify a few things, after speaking with Ryan, a new friend I met this past week in emails. He thought I was slamming Jericho and Benjamin in my past columns. That is completely to the contrary. I think Benjamin and Jericho are two of the most talented competitors WWE has to offer. I think both of them are WWE World title contenders in the making. Yes, Jericho has been to the top of the mountain, and I do not have a clue why he has not had anothe run as World Champion, but the skills remain, the charisma remains, and I have to believe it's just a matter of time before the Ayatollah of Rock N Rollah is back holding World championship gold. And as far as the current I C title holder, he can indeed do skills in the ring that nobody else can do. He can compete at a level unforseen by most people that have held that title, and he has held, and defended that title religiously, for a very long time, close to Randy Orton territory.

Truth, this is a pick 'em. My heart says Shelton because he is a member of the fraternity of stars I have had the pleasure of meeting, but, there are certain times where you think WWE is going to change directions and go a different avenue with certain aspects of their programming. This is one of them. The Intercontinental title will go back around the waist of the man from Manhasset, Long Island, literally minutes from where I type, for the eighth time. New champion.

WINNER & NEW INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION: CHRIS JERICHO

KANE (w/Lita) vs. VISCERA (w/Trish)

Ok, who else thinks this is so wrongly booked it is not funny? Does Viscera deserve to be on a pay per view card? What has he done in the past few months that makes him special in the programming spectrum that he could take this slot against a man the calibre of Kane? Answer: Zero. And for Kane, I feel sorry for him. He has been saddled with trying to cover for Lita's stupidity in her personal life that has become so public, and in the process of that, his own personal status within WWE is going to suffer considerably. Kane's character should be out there murdering people, figuratively, for no apparent reason. Just go out, take out stiff after stiff, and walk away, no questions asked. This mercenary crap for his wife is so cliche, it's just pathetic. This one is going to be ugly. Ultra ugly. And not in the good sense of the word. Kane takes the dupe because to be brutally honest, I cannot fathom the thought of Trish having to service Viscera.

Oh, and one more thing, isn't this match a positive step for the legacy of the WWE Women's Championship? Yeah, I bet it is. Not.

WINNER: KANE

In a Last Man Standing Match, CHRIS BENOIT meets EDGE

Is this punishment for the same garbage that Edge has caused recently to stain the reputation of the WWE? It should be, or it could be classified as such. Benoit is probably so ticked off at Edge for the crap he's pulled in the ring, and his subsequent victory at Wrestlemania has set the Wolverine in a foul mood, I can guarantee that. Also, the bum arm that Benoit has been suffering from at the hands of the Toronto native surely has given the Crippler more than his share of motivation to make Edge suffer like he has suffered these past few weeks. From a personal thought, I want Edge to bleed. Bad. His character has lost so much luster in my eye, going from a tremendous top flight babyface to a heel that is borderline paranoid, and borderline schitzo. Yes, the heel turn has gotten him world title contention, but it doesn't mean I have to like it as a fan of the business.

This one should be violent, brutal, and bloody. Both men will shorten their careers by some time when this one is all said and done. It's also a pick 'em match, as far as I can predict. So....

WINNER: CHRIS BENOIT

MUHAMMAD HASSAN & KHOSROW DAIVARI vs. The HEARTBREAK KID SHAWN MICHAELS & HULK HOGAN

WWE has succeeded in doing what they wanted to do with this match. Get worldwide media coverage. I've seen articles in local newspapers, I've seen emails, hell, I even got a pre-recorded phone call from Hogan, and as much as I personally think this is not needed for WWE, to bring Hogan back in to the picture, if there ever was a time and a place to do it, this is that time, and this match is that place.

HBK is on such a roll, and is so popular with the fans, teaming with Hogan will send the crowd through the roof. Hassan and Daivari have done exactly what they've been asked to do. Have the entire wrestling fandom hate their guts from pillar to post and back again. I personally cannot stand their gimmick, but I am grateful that they dropped the repeated September 11th references, as those were way over the line. Now, about the match, if you can't see the writing on the wall on this one, well, you're blind then, my friend. Hogan and Michaels take this one in typical Hulk Hogan 'hulking up' fashion, getting the crowd absolutely what they want, or what they think they want, for the supposed 'one more match.' Forgive me for not gushing about this contest, for two reasons. 1. I am just no longer a fan of Hulk Hogan, and 2. Throughout the entire career of Shawn Michaels, the 20 plus years of his career, there has been only a few people I would never suspect would team with him, and this guy is one of them. It's funny. At a house show I attended, I saw Triple H team with Hogan, against the nWo. Now, HBK is teaming with Hogan. Two of the best heels this business has ever seen have teamed successfully with the best baby face ever. Kind of ironic, don't you think?

WINNER: SHAWN MICHAELS & HULK HOGAN

BATISTA/TRIPLE H II for the WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP

How many times have we been down this road? It's so de ja vu, isn't it? Remember back from Survivor Series, when Shawn Michaels won the World title, and literally, the first chance that was offered to Triple H, the 2 out of 3 falls match at Armageddon, he took it back. Remember Summerslam, when Randy Orton beat Chris Benoit, who we all know defeated the Game at Wrestlemania 20 for the title, a month later at Unforgiven, boom back around the waist of the Greenwich, Connecticut cerebral announcer assassin. Oops, did I say that?

How many people fear that history is going to repeat itself?

I do.

You can't sit here and tell me with a straight face that you don't fear the possibility of WWE putting the strap back on Triple H for whatever reason. Whether it be the reaction Batista apparently got in the UK, his 'bashing' of Hulk Hogan on a recent appearance on Cold Pizza, his apparent much quieter demeanor on the microphone, whatever. The question here is obvious. Not who is the more talented competitor. Although, if that were the case, it would be tough for Batista to repeat, as Triple H I think is the more skilled technician. The real question is, does Triple H have the political pull we all think he does to convince the powers that be to put the belt back on the Game. I'm going to go out on a limb and say no. I think when all is said and done, the power of Batista is too much for Triple H to overcome.

The one thing I fear more than Trips winning the belt back is having this turn in such a way that either Jim Ross or Jerry Lawler get involved to help Batista win. For the love of all that is holy on this earth, keep the announcers where they belong, behind the microphone.

Can we agree on one thing, however? For the umpteenth time, Triple H will bleed during this match like a stuck pig, can we agree on that?

Good.

WINNER & still WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: BATISTA

Now, I went to the WWE website, thinking I was going to comment here about how small this card was. Little did I know they added a match.

In TAG TEAM TURMOIL for the WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP, champions WILLIAM REGAL & TAJIRI defend against THE HEART THROBS, SIMON DEAN & MAVEN, THE HURRICANE & ROSEY and LA RESISTANCE

Finally, some recognition for other talents that deserve to be on a PPV broadcast. Now, let's break this down. La Resistance has held the belts repeatedly. I would significantly doubt that WWE would put the belts back on the frenchmen. Especially when they got Hassan and Daivari ticking off all the Americans, putting these guys back in the limelight would just make people more mad. Maven & the little purple bastard, Simon Dean are not seasoned enough as tag team competitors to be considered contenders to wear the gold. Compete for them, yes, sure, indeed. Win them, that's another story. The Heart throbs do not show anything for me. As far as I am concerned, the Heart throbs remind me of Billy & Chuck, or as I call them, Billy & Chuck part deux. I don't like the gimmick, and I seriously doubt that WWE would put both their tag team championships on rookie teams. I know they did on Smackdown because the scene there is worse than it is here on Raw, but this time around, we have two teams, legitimate teams, that are title ready.

Regal has turned in to one of my favorites, simply because he tries to be a gentleman at first, but then will turn around and clock you upside the temple with brass knuckles the next. I like that 'naughty' attitude, and that is the wyly Brit through and through. Tajiri also is a deadly force, those kicks should be registered with the states as lethal, deadly weapons. PERSONALLY, seeing the champs retain would not bother me in the least, they have the talent, they have the charisma, and they certainly have the rest, thanks to the recent inactivity of the tag team division.

However, I think the champs will fall because they're going to end up taking care of some other business once this show is over, that being revenge for what transpired last week in Britain at the hands of Hassan & Daivari. And since the Arab Americans are not even close to tag team title contention, I don't think it's feasible for Regal & Tajiri to be holding on to the straps when they begin this eventual feud with Hassan and Daivari. I think the belts are going to finally go to two loyal subjects. Yes, my heart is making this pick . The chances of it happening are slim, but hey, you gotta live once.

WINNERS & NEW CHAMPIONS: ROSEY & THE HURRICANE

I mean, think about it. How long have these two guys teamed up? How many times have they been sent to the wood shed for the upper tier of competition on Raw? Isn't it time to reward loyalty? The duo finally get a shot at a pay per view, and more specifically for the tag team championship, and I think Rosey's size advantage will be the deciding factor in tag team turmoil, giving the Hurricane another notch in his already super hero laden resume.

Ok, there it is. Backlash, sunday night. Let's talk about these predictions shall we?

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I'm working on some new projects. One involving pro wrestling. I don't want to ruffle feathers, so I won't post the URL here. If you're interested in checking out my 'project' drop me an email, and I'll tell you about it.

Kimosabe, Sumo!?!?!?