5 greatest post-WWE WrestleMania pay-per-views of all time

#4 WWE Backlash 2009

Randy Orton punting Triple H's head off to win the WWE Championship at Backlash 2009! I wish Orton still used the punt! It's dangerous, but man was it believable!🤘#randyorton #rko #tripleh #thegame #kingofkings #legacy #codyrhodes #teddibiasejr #batista #backlash #punt #kick pic.twitter.com/rcoB3MpCJB

— Wesly Avendano aka FlashbackWrestling (@flashbackwes) August 14, 2019

WWE Backlash 2009 had to follow WrestleMania 25, which left a lot to desire for most fans despite the all-time classic Undertaker vs. Shawn Michaels encounter.

The Randy Orton vs. Triple H main event did not live up to the impressive buildup prior. However, WWE returned the following month with a six-man tag team match filled with star power.

The returning Batista teamed with WWE Champion Triple H and Shane McMahon to face Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and Ted Dibiase of Legacy with the title on the line.

Orton finally added The Game to the list of the McMahon family that he had punted over the first few months of 2009 and pinned him to become the new WWE Champion.

The classic rivalry between @JohnCena and @EdgeRatedR explodes in a Last Man Standing Match at WWE Backlash 2009: Courtesy of @peacockTV and @WWENetwork.FULL MATCH ▶️ https://t.co/0Uuka7bwnq pic.twitter.com/STt31O9wxn

— WWE (@WWE) May 14, 2021

The main event of WWE Backlash 2009 was the final encounter between World Heavyweight Champion John Cena and Edge in a Last Man Standing Match.

The two superstars concluded their three-year feud in an outstanding brawl that ended with The Big Show giving Cena a chokeslam through a huge spotlight by the stage to allow Edge to win the title.

Jeff Hardy defeated Matt Hardy in an I Quit Match that outdid their output from WrestleMania 25. Christian also beat Jack Swagger to win the ECW Championship in a pretty good opener to WWE Backlash 2009.

This was followed by Chris Jericho defeating WWE Hall of Famer Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat in a fun confrontation that showed that the legend hadn't missed a step.

This was another WWE post-WrestleMania pay-per-view that had its missteps with Kane beating CM Punk in a forgettable match. Santino Marella also defeated Beth Phoenix to retain his "Miss WrestleMania" crown in a lackluster encounter.

Even with these two contests underdelivering, the final WWE Backlash before its seven-year hiatus produced one of the best in the event's history.