A Look Back: The Triple H/Batista Rivalry (Part II: Backlash)

When we last left this rivalry, Batista had done it. He had reached the top and captured the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 21's main event against Triple H, who had been Batista's longtime mentor in Evolution. It was a long road for Batista, which saw him win the Royal Rumble and left with a tough decision; one that became much easier once it was uncovered that Triple H tried his damnedest to send in the direction of SmackDown's WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield.

Batista captured his first World Title on the grand stage, but as he would find out, it was only the beginning of an even more arduous quest to stay on top. Backlash was on the horizon, and The Game had plans. This was a very awesome and amazing chapter in this battle, and it's a part that I look back on and watch over and over, and here it is, in week by week segments:

Week 1: April 4

It was the night after WrestleMania 21, and Triple H kicked off Raw the same way he kicked off 2004's Post-WM Raw. He brought up his loss, but it was a little bit different from 2004. In 2004, he made excuses. A year later, Triple H admitted that Batista was on his game at WM21. However, Triple H said that while Batista was great for that one night, The Game himself is great every night, and said that an 11th World Title run was inevitable. As for Batista, he made his first entrance as World Champion, and he defeated another former Evolution mate in Randy Orton. Sadly, I remember that match because Orton got injured and we wouldn't see him for about three months after that. Also, Triple H appeared and applauded, and made his claim to take back the title.

A pretty quiet aftermath from Triple H and Batista, but a storm was coming.

Week 2: April 11

Triple H, a week later, came out and stated what we already knew: the rematch--dubbed "Triple H vs Batista II"--would take place at Backlash. He added that he had spent time studying the tape of their bout and claimed that he found a weakness in Batista's game. Triple H said that Batista's eyes told the story, and they revealed that Batista had one fear while battling Triple H: the Pedigree. The signature move that had been the top finisher in Triple H's arsenal. We've seen Batista literally power his way out of it in past weeks, but The Game claimed that Batista feared the Pedigree, because it would expose Batista.

Speaking of the champ, Batista came out to be interviewed by Jim Ross, who noticed that The Animal was dressed in his gear. Batista said that he heard Triple H vow to put him in the Pedigree, so he figured he'd make it easy for him. He added that now that he's the World Heavyweight Champion, he's the man, he's the predator, and he's on top of the proverbial food chain, while also stating that he would rather focus on being the World Champion for a long time. At that moment, Triple H entered and made is attempt, only for Batista to again thwart him. It was followed by Jim Ross raising Batista's arm, and after that, a livid Triple H decided that on the following week, he would get his hands on the object of his anger and frustration. Batista was ready for The Game, but as it turned out, Triple H didn't mean Batista. In fact, Triple H said that on the following week, he would go one-on-one with... JR.

A bit more explosive than Week 1, but the job was done. The rematch was made, and Triple H decided to add yet another notch in his depraved belt of fiendish conduct.

Week 3: April 18

Raw was at Madison Square Garden that week, the site where WrestleMania XX took place. Triple H vs Jim Ross was the main event, and Good ol' JR wanted nothing to do with this match. It was promised that Batista would be in JR's corner, but knowing this, The Game sent Batista on a wild ride allover New York City. Yikes. So JR was on his own in what was a No DQ match, and Jonathan Coachman was calling this thing with Jerry "The King" Lawler, with Coach wasting no time mocking JR and claiming that he would get what he "deserved" from Triple H. King broke away from the heel act and was 100% on JR's side on commentary, and it reached a point where King, disgusted with seeing JR beaten and bloodied, actually left his post and pleaded with Triple H to stop.

King was taken down, but we later see a fuming Batista emerge and enter the ring, making a beeline for Triple H. The Game again tried for the Pedigree, and Batista got out of it and then leveled Triple H with a chair. After seeing both Triple H and JR down, and realizing that their match was still going on, as everything that occurred was condoned under No DQ rules, Batista placed JR's arm on top of Triple H, and gave the word for the ref to make the count. It's over, and it's been in the record books for 20 years: Jim Ross defeated The Game.

Week 4: April 25

My favorite Raw in the road to Backlash in 2005 will always be the last one on April 25, because so much happened. Raw was in England that night, and it started with Batista having fun at Triple H's expense due to The Game losing to JR. So yeah, The Game was not in the best of moods. Meanwhile, Christian and Tomko were approached by Ric Flair, as Christian was in the main event about to face Batista. I remember this so well, because this was set to begin a long overdue main event push for Christian. Flair enters and gives the order for both of them to take down Batista, but Christian was quite full of himself and said that Triple H wouldn't do a thing against Batista. In a humorous line, Christian said that Triple H should get himself drafted to SmackDown because, "Maybe he could beat Michael Cole."

Christian ejected Flair, but his boasting in the ring was interrupted by Kane demolishing Tomko. So Christian was sans problem solver, and he was running up to Flair with a different demeanor than before. Triple H emerges, reminds Christian of his Michael Cole line, and invites him in. Triple H laid out a game plan, and it actually involved Jonathan Coachman as well. The plan was this: The Game would be Christian's one-night only problem solver, Flair would be the time keeper, and Coach would be the referee in the main event match. Quite a coup. JR spent a lot of time calling this out, but despite the odds being against Batista, the champion won the non-title match. Triple H entered and brawled with Batista, and in the end, he did it. Triple H went for the Pedigree, and this time, connected.

I knew that would happen before the show began. They had Batista escape and power out of the Pedigree for weeks. Backlash was six days away. There was no way that we would enter Backlash without Triple H gaining momentum. This had to be done, and at the right time, too: with the PPV looming.

Backlash

On May 1, 2005--20 years ago today--Backlash 2005 took place. I still, to this day, look back at the event with fondness, though it also involves some emotion ever since Rosey--who won the tag titled with The Hurricane at the event--passed away. Of course, the heavily hyped "Triple H vs Batista II" was the main event, and we saw Ric Flair emerge and introduce Triple H as the "soon-to-be 11 time World Heavyweight Champion." We see a tit for tat between The Game and The Animal, before the real games start. At one point, Flair provides the distraction, and Triple H strikes Batista with the belt.

Batista kicks out, and the rest of the match sees not one, but two referees taken out. One accidentally, the other on purpose by Triple H, who did get the Pedigree down, but to no avail. Finally, Batista managed to deliver with a big Batista Bomb, and the three count was made.

Batista's first defense of the World Heavyweight Championship was successful. Triple H thought he had his former student figured out. For four weeks, The Game thought he had Batista beaten. He didn't. He knew it, too. After the match, Triple H shoved down Flair and actually delivered the Pedigree to the ref. So the sequel, while surpassing the original big time, ended with the same result, Batista remained on top. However, The Game would not go away that quickly, but that story will be saved for later. Trust me, it's worth the wait.