POWER TRIP VS. BROTHERS OF DESTRUCTION

The opening video focuses on this match, not surprisingly. WWF Champion “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and WWF Intercontinental champion Triple H, collectively known as The Two Man Power Trip, team up to face the WWF Tag Team Champions, the Brothers of Destruction. Jim Ross and Paul Heyman are on commentary tonight. The build-up video package shows Austin shaking hands with Mr. McMahon at Wrestlemania 17. Triple H joined the ranks and here we are. It was a decent recap, a lot happened in the month. Triple H enters first, with Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley by his side. That means we get to hear Austin's awesome theme from this time on the WWE Network version. Paul Heyman puts Austin over heavy in JR's face. Austin attacked JR in his home State earlier this month. Kane is next out, with his arm bandaged from an attack 2 weeks ago from Two Man Power Trip. Biker Taker rolls down to ringside, the crowd's going apeshit for this already. The Brothers of Destruction rush the ring so Two Man Power Trip bail to the floor. Austin tries to throw his vest at Kane but it gets tangled in the rope. Earl Hebner lets Undertaker knock Triple H off the apron before trying to start the match.

TWO MAN POWER TRIP VS. BROTHERS OF DESTRUCTION (WWF & WWF Intercontinental vs. WWF Tag Team championships)

WWF Backlash 2001 (29^th April 2001)

(C) WWE

The bell rings but The Two Man Power Trip stall on the floor. Letting the referee's count hit 8. Triple H gets in the ring but is decked by Undertaker so back-pedals. They try to walk out of the match so the Brothers of Destruction chase them up the entrance way. Kane brings Triple H back to the ring as Undertaker keeps Austin in the aisle. Triple H's head is sent into the ring steps and Taker brings Austin to ringside. Triple H tries to escape Kane's grasp as Austin is thrown into the ring. Triple H and Kane head to the announce table as Undertaker strikes at Austin in the ring. Austin rolls to ringside so Triple H gets some separation from Kane, sliding in the ring. Triple H cuts Kane off with a kick to the gut but an irish whip is reversed. Triple H walks into a choke bomb as Austin is being introduced to the announce table. Austin goes to help his partner but Kane lifts him in a choke hold too. Austin rolls out to the apron so we really start with Triple H and Kane. Triple H target's the injured arm but is knocked down with a right hand before he can do any damage. Kane throws Triple H into the corner for more right hands. Triple H is sent across the ring, Kane follows him with a clothesline in the corner.

Triple H reverses an irish whip, Kane ducks the clothesline but is caught with the high knee to the injured arm. Triple H works on the arm using the top rope until Kane punches his way out of the corner. Arm-breaker by Triple H cuts it off, running the ropes but Kane flattens him with a falling clothesline before they both tag out. Stone Cold puts on the breaks when he notices Taker in the ring, begging off to the corner. Undertaker stomps a mudhole in Austin, as the fans eat it up. Triple H's interference is cut off with a right hand. Austin rakes Undertaker's eye and uses rights to keep Undertaker in the corner. Austin runs Undertaker across the ring but Taker gets his boot up to block the turnbuckle, sending Austin's head into it instead. Austin looked as if he wanted a second go, but is sent into the corner instead. Taker strikes Austin in the corner and sends him across the ring repeatedly. Austin drops to his knees and wants a handshake, instead receiving a boot to the head from Taker. Austin tries to tag the wrong guy and gets decked. The Undertaker reluctantly tags in Kane.

Kane sends Austin across the ring, Austin kicks him in the arm. Stone Cold wrenches the arm but is clotheslined down before they both tag out. Triple H bails to the floor, trying to sneak attack Undertaker, but runs into a right hand. Triple H is sent into the turnbuckle, more strikes in the corner before Triple H reverses an irish whip. Triple H runs into a boot to the face, Undertaker wrenches the arm and hits Old School on Triple H. Austin tries to run interference and gets slammed, ready for an Old School. Undertaker swiftly clotheslines Triple H over to the floor, Austin rolls out of his own doing. They try to walk out of the match again but Kane cuts them off with a double clothesline. Triple H is sent into the railing between them and the fans and Austin is thrown back in the ring. Triple H was the legal man. He isnt too far behind them anyway, saving Stone Cold from the Last Ride. The Two Man Power Trip double-team Undertaker, stomping him in the corner. Austin goes out to the apron, choking Undertaker off the side of the ring as the referee is distracted. Triple H sends Undertaker into the announce table before throwing him back in the ring to Austin. With no tag that I saw, Austin chokes Undertaker over the middle rope as Hebner tries to get Kane over to his corner.

Stone Cold snapmares Undertaker over and hits the falling knee drop. As a quick note, Austin is wearing knee braces to keep his legs together. They're bright red for this match. He tags out to Triple H as Taker tries to fight back. Austin holds Undertaker in place for Triple H to hit him repeatedly in the ribs. Austin gets a cheapshot in before tagging into the match, keeping The Undertaker in the corner. Triple H comes back in. The Undertaker fights his way out of the corner and sends Triple H across the ring, but Triple H catches him with a facebuster. Triple H sends Undertaker into the ropes, he comes back hitting a DDT. The Undertaker slowly gets to his feet, refusing to make the tag to Kane, turning around into a clothesline by Austin, who's just tagged in. Austin gets a cheap shot on Kane, bringing him in the ring, but his right hand seems to do nothing as Austin sends Undertaker across the ring, hitting a Lou Thesz press. Stone Cold hits two running elbow drops but gets goozled on his third attempt. Undertaker gets to his feet as Triple H enters the ring, running into a boot.

The Undertaker ducks a right hand by Austin, catching both members by the throat but they kick him in the gut. Undertaker ducks a double clothesline, then they all hit each other on the return. Kane tags himself in and goes after Austin. He sends the WWF Champion off the ropes into a big boot. Triple H runs into a bag boot then gets clotheslined over the top rope. Kane hits a sidewalk slam and heads to the top rope, Triple H climbs on the opposite side as Kane crashes into Austin with a clothesline. Triple H is thrown down to the mat. Kane has Austin by the throat, but Triple H attacks the injured arm again. Austin starts to target the weak spot, exchanging right hands with Kane. Austin reverses an irish whip but Kane pushes him off the Stunner attempt. Kane cleans house until Austin takes him down with an arm breaker. Austin drags Kane away from his corner and wraps the arm around the bottom rope, eventually tagging Triple H in. Kane rolls out to the apron but Triple H drags him to his feet. Triple H drops Kane's injured arm across the top rope. Triple H brings Undertaker into the ring, distracting the referee as Austin lays into Kane's arm with a chair shot. Undertaker chases off Austin, grabbing the chair for himself but Earl Hebner's having none of it.

Triple H sends Kane's arm into the ring steps and takes it back into the ring. Triple H stands over Kane in an armbar before extending Kane's elbow over his knee. JR compares it to Kurt Angle vs. Chris Benoit earlier tonight, which is blasphemy. Kane gets to his feet and tries to escape with right hands but Triple H pulls at the arm, dropping Kane and tags back out. Austin mounts Kane, hitting right hands but Kane counters, Triple H cuts him off before he can get too many shots in. Austin takes advantage with a standing armbar. Kane fights to his feet and sends Austin off the ropes but can't get him up for the Tombstone. Austin sends Kane's arm into the turnbuckle then chokes him over the middle rope. Austin keeps the referee's attention as Triple H sends Kane's arm into the apron. Undertaker chases him off and gets in a cheap shot on Austin. Triple H tags in and brings Kane down to the mat with a top wristlock. Kane gets to his feet and sends Triple H over to the floor but can't get the tag. Triple H drags Undertaker from the apron as Austin pulls Kane back to the middle of the ring. Austin targets Kane's arm with stomps and tags out to Triple H. Kane and Stone Cold fumble their sequence, but it ends with Austin escaping a headlock with a back suplex

Triple H climbs to the top rope, falling onto Kane's boot. Stone Cold gets the tag before Kane can even get to his feet, or any closer to Undertaker. He sends Kane off the ropes into a sleeper hold but Kane counters it with a one-armed back suplex. Triple H gets back in, he grabs Kane's leg and they stand there for an awkwardly long time before Triple H starts kicking the knee. Kane goes from corner to corner and walks into a Pedigree, but he gets his knee down too far. Austin tags in and covers but Undertaker breaks it up at 1. Triple H distracts the referee giving Taker a chance to hit Austin with a Chokeslam. Stephanie McMahon starts arguing with Hebner from the apron. Earl Hebner tries to go back to the match, but she turns him around so he shoves her to the floor! Kane has Austin covered but Stone Cold kicks out at 2. Triple H tags in and tries to stop Kane making the tag. Kane hits an enziguri but it knocks Triple H into the referee. Earl Hebner misses the tag t The Undertaker, as Taker cleans house. He hits Triple H with the combination of body shots in the corner, then does the same to Austin. Austin is sent across the ring and they both get hit with running clotheslines. Triple H stumbles into a big boot before Austin is sent out of the ring. The Undertaker hit The Last Ride om Triple H but Hebner won't count. Undertaker grabs Hebner, getting attacked by Austin which knocks the referee out of the ring. Austin low blows Undertaker and hits Kane with a Stunner. Undertaker hits Austin out of the ring, they brawl into the crowd as Triple H is handed one of the championships by Steph. Kane cuts off the attack with a big boot Stephanie McMahon sacrifices her head, getting decapitated with a bog boot to save her husband from the Chokeslam. Mr. McMahon runs down to ringside with a sledgehammer but gets goozled by Kane. He hands it to Triple H who attacks the arm and Kane's head before dumping it. McMahon revives the referee to count the three.

WINNERS: TWO MAN POWER TRIP

The commentary for this match was really good. I like the team of JR and Heyman in this time period, more so as The Invasion got serious. The match itself started off well, with Undertaker being reluctant to tag in Kane. Then the match got disjointed and it completely lost me as soon as Austin and Kane botched the first headlock. The ending was just too much for me. I get it was the style but I didn't think for a second Two Man Power Trip would lose a championship.– WORKRATE: 2/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 1/5 OVERALL 3/10