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Backlash (2002) — WWF pay-per-view at Kemper Arena

Backlash (2002) was the WWF pay-per-view held April 21, 2002 at Kemper Arena, Kansas City. The fourth Backlash, it followed WrestleMania storylines and marked a return to Kemper after Owen Hart's 1999 death.

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Overview

Backlash (2002) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by the World Wrestling Federation. It took place on April 21, 2002 at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri. The event was the fourth in the Backlash series, an annual post-WrestleMania show that typically continued or resolved major storylines from wrestling's biggest event of the year.

Card and characteristics

As with most major pay-per-views, the card combined championship matches, personal grudge matches and multi-competitor contests. Backlash events are usually built around the rematches and fallout from WrestleMania, so the lineup featured established stars of the promotion at the time and matches designed to advance ongoing feuds. The show culminated in a main event that closed the evening and set direction for the next weeks of television.

Venue and historical context

The choice of Kemper Arena was notable because it had been the scene of a widely publicized tragedy three years earlier; during the 1999 Over the Edge event a performer, Owen Hart, died after a fall during an entrance stunt. Backlash 2002 marked a return by the company to that building and drew attention for taking place at a site associated with one of the most tragic moments in modern pro wrestling history. Local and national coverage acknowledged that historical connection while focusing primarily on the athletic and entertainment aspects of the current card.

Timing and significance

Backlash 2002 came during a transitional period for the promotion. The company was adjusting creative directions and roster alignments in the months after WrestleMania, and a larger restructuring of the organization was underway. For historians of the sport, this Backlash is often seen as part of the broader storyline and business shifts that characterized the early 2000s era of the promotion.

Legacy and reception

Contemporary reviews of the event focused on match quality, storyline progression and production values, with observers noting how the show fit into season-long narrative arcs. Over time it has been referenced in discussions about the promotion's handling of venues tied to past incidents and about how annual pay-per-views function as continuity points within professional wrestling. For further details about the event card and individual matches, consult archived listings and retrospectives that preserve full match results and commentary.

For primary source material and a full match list, see official archives and event summaries linked from major wrestling records and databases. Additional context on the venue and its history is available through contemporary news reports and long-form retrospectives.

Further reading on pay-per-view events | Backlash series overview | Remembrance and coverage of Owen Hart

Questions and answers

Q: What is Backlash (2002)?

A: Backlash (2002) is a professional wrestling pay-per-view show made by World Wrestling Federation (WWF).

Q: When was Backlash (2002) held?

A: Backlash (2002) was held on April 21, 2002 at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri.

Q: How many Backlash events have been held by WWF?

A: This was the fourth Backlash event held by the WWF.

Q: What happened at Kemper Arena during WWF Over The Edge 1999?

A: During WWF Over The Edge 1999, Owen Hart, competing as the Blue Blazer at the time, lost his life after he fell 78 feet from a harness to the ring during an entrance stunt and landed chest-first on the top rope, approximately a foot from the nearest turnbuckle.

Q: Was this the first time a WWF pay-per-view was held at Kemper Arena since that incident?

A: Yes, this was the first time a WWF pay-per-view was held at Kemper Arena since WWF Over The Edge 1999 where Owen Hart lost his life.

Q: Did Owen Hart participate in the event Backlash (2002)?

A: No, Owen Hart did not participate in the event Backlash (2002) as he passed away in 1999.

Q: Was the place and date of Backlash (2002) significant?

A: Yes, the place and date of Backlash (2002) were significant as it was the first time a WWF pay-per-view was held at Kemper Arena since the tragic incident involving Owen Hart in 1999.

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