At WWE Backlash on April 30, 2006, Rob Van Dam faced Shelton Benjamin in a high-stakes, athletic showdown where Shelton’s WWE Intercontinental Championship and RVD’s Money in the Bank contract were both on the line in a winner-takes-all bout. The two started cautiously, feeling each other out before breaking into a sequence of rapid exchanges that highlighted their chemistry and striking ability, with Benjamin using power-based counters like a superplex and Samoan drop and RVD battling back with his signature Rolling Thunder, kicks, and aerial offense. As the match progressed the intensity ramped up, featuring near-falls and momentum swings, including RVD’s attempts at Rolling Thunder and a split-legged moonsault that narrowly missed clinching the win. Late in the match, after a referee bump and briefcase antics, RVD managed to hit the Van Daminator using the Money in the Bank briefcase and finished with his Five-Star Frog Splash to secure the pinfall. With the victory, RVD not only retained his Money in the Bank opportunity but also captured the Intercontinental Championship, marking his sixth reign with the title.
