Invasion

Legacy Review

Invasion

July 22, 2001 from the Gund Arena in Cleveland, OH

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Michael Cole

 

Four months after the acquisition of WCW, the Invasion storyline is finally beginning in earnest. Some background first. A lot of fans expected WWF to make WCW its own separate brand and dedicate one of the two weekly TV shows to it, which is exactly what WWF initially tried to do. The problem was, the WCW brand name had become so toxic neither of WWF's TV partners (TNN for Raw and UPN for Smackdown) wanted to touch it. That idea would be shelved until the first "brand extension" the following year, giving each show its own dedicated roster. Instead, WWF decided to go the traditional "company invasion" route. The seeds started to be planted on weekly TV in May, things were ramped up during King of the Ring, and it kicked off fully on the Raw following that PPV. Despite the network's reluctance, WWF tested the waters for WCW on a Raw in early July, rebranding the final part of the show WCW and bringing in WCW commentary, Nick Patrick to ref, the full deal. Unfortunately, it also featured the one and only WWF match for Buff Bagwell and, well, we know how that went. That experiment was never attempted again. Putting Bagwell in that spot might have been deliberate sabotage. In addition, along with Shane McMahon now "owning" WCW, Stephanie McMahon was brought in as an "owner" of ECW alongside Paul Heyman, devolving the whole thing into yet another McMahon family feud story that had been done to death the past few years. Even Linda was still on TV regularly trying to keep Vince in his place, and in his pants. 

 

Tonight, the July PPV is shedding its old Fully Loaded name to become the big WWF vs WCW/ECW show fans had been hoping for. Every match tonight is ostensibly WWF taking on either WCW or ECW in "interpromotional" matches, but as you'll see there'll be a few asterisks involved. This is clearly a show people wanted to see, as it had the most traditional PPV buys worldwide (though not domestic) of any show outside a Wrestlemania. The poster for this show is one of the all time greats, with Shane and Vince's faces melded together. The stage setup is once again fantastic too, with separate entrances for the WWF and WCW/ECW sides. Commentary is a bit odd tonight, as Cole is the one that takes the lead with the play by play and JR has the color commentary role.

 

Edge & Christian def Lance Storm & Mike Awesome in 10:10- There's a hard cut on the Peacock copy after the show intro to Storm and Awesome already in the ring. Music cut? Why not just dub over it? "If I can be serious for a minute....". Storm is rudely interrupted by his fellow Canadians E&C. E&C have a small Stanley Cup like trophy with them that I can't remember what it is. A custom King of the Ring trophy for Edge? Awesome and Christian start with Awesome getting a quick start. Christian drops him with a drop toe hold and tags. Short clothesline from Awesome on Edge. Edge hits Storm with a flying headscissors. Missile dropkick off the second rope. Edge backdrops Storm onto Awesome on the floor! Bad angle from Storm, he went nearly over Awesome and almost landed on his head. Christian goes to launch off Edge's back but catches the top rope with his foot and flops down to the floor! Yeesh. Small "You fucked up" chant for that. Edge gives Storm a backbreaker back in for 2. Storm and Christian have a nice little back and forth on the ropes, then Awesome pulls Christian down off the ropes from the apron to finally get the WCW guys on offense. Awesome runs Christian's back into the ring apron. Storm slides Christian chest first into the ring post! Short clothesline from Awesome. Big splash for 2. After a couple of double teams Storm gives Christian a gutbuster. Crossbody from Christian, but Awesome tags in and cuts the tag off. Jackknife cover from Awesome that Edge breaks up. Flying clothesline for 2. They continue to quick tag on Christian. Big splash off the top from Awesome and again Edge breaks the pin up. Awesome sets Christian up on the top rope but Christian backdrops him back down into the ring. Tag to Edge! Hot tag run. Awesome tries to save Storm from a sunset flip but Christian comes over to take him out. Everyone gets knocked down as Edge rolls Storm up for 2. Storm gets a small package on Edge but WWF ref Mike Chioda is getting Awesome out. Christian comes in and rolls Edge on top. Count and Storm just kicks out! Jawbreaker from Storm. Christian hits a double clothesline off the top as things break down. Edge ducks under a Storm leapfrog and spears Awesome! Storm breaks the pin up. Christian ducks a Storm superkick, but Edge is behind him and takes it. Christian Cactus clotheslines Storm out as Awesome covers Storm for a long 2. Awesome lifts Edge up. Spear from Christian! Edge covers and gets the pin! 1-0 WWF early. Perfectly fine opener. Storm would of course stick around a while as a solid midcard/tag guy, but this would be Awesome's only WWF PPV appearance. **1/2

 

Earl Hebner def Nick Patrick in 2:48- Yup, even the refs are going at it. This is a battle between the senior referee in each company, representing their respective referee locker rooms. Patrick was no stranger to being the biased heel ref after being the NWO's personal ref for a while, but this is something largely new for Hebner. Of course a battle between two refs needs a special guest ref, and in this case it's Mick Foley, the first of two times he'll be doing that tonight. Both guys are, naturally, wrestling in their ref gear and are accompanied by all the other refs from their respective organization. All three of them in WCW's case, including Lil' Naitch. Nose to nose jawing at the start. Hebner shoves. Patrick slaps. Henber fires off with a kick and stomps Patrick down in the corner! Ground and pound roll around! Patrick grabs Hebner's clothes and pulls him out to the floor. Both groups converge like a lumberjack match as Foley quickly gets Hebner back in the ring. Hebner fires back with punches. Or forearms. It's hard to tell. Mounted punches from Hebner! Patrick flops down, then gives Hebner a blatant low blow. Baseball slide dropkick from Patrick! Not gonna lie, that looked pretty good. That sends Hebner to the floor again. The WCW refs stomp on Hebner and the WWF refs save him. Foley tosses the WCW refs out! Patrick doesn't like that one bit and argues with Foley. Hebner tackles Patrick when he turns around and gets the pin! Hebner looks totally blown up after. After the bell Patrick continues to bitch at Foley and gets a punch and good old Mr. Socko for his trouble. Eh, that could have been a hell of a lot worse. I'd even call it fun for what it was, and they kept it short so no harm, no foul I say. *3/4

 

Someone had the genius idea to let Debra and Sara have a segment together. It makes the last match look like a masterpiece. 

 

WWF Tag Team Champions The APA def WCW Tag Team Champions Chuck Palumbo and Sean O'Haire in 6:48- Our first champion vs champion matchup of the whole Invasion. We're still a ways away before any title unifications though. The APA defeated the Dudleyz for their third and final title reign a couple of weeks prior, while Palumbo and O'Haire (known as Natural Born Thrillers in WCW but WWF didn't keep that name) were the tag champs when WCW folded. The WCW team charges right in and attacks. Palumbo gets double slammed in the ring as things settle in with him and Bradshaw. O'Haire comes in to distract and Palumbo clotheslines him from behind. O'Haire/Bradshaw slugfest. A big clothesline from O'Haire puts Bradshaw down. Bradshaw grabs him as he gets back up and hits a Saito suplex. Tag to Faarooq. He hits a back elbow for 2. O'Haire flips out of a suplex and hits a kneelift for 2. Faarooq gets beat down in the wrong corner. Flying tackle from Faarooq on Palumbo and the APA beat him down in their corner. Bradshaw catches a Palumbo crossbody and hits the fallaway slam. O'Haire comes in and kicks Bradshaw in the head, hits a reverse DVD, and puts Palumbo on to cover Bradshaw for 2. Come on ref Teddy Long, you're supposed to be the tag team expert, playa. Letting them get away with anything. Bradshaw DDTs Palumbo and tags out. Palumbo maneuvers Faarooq into a clothesline from O'Haire from the apron. The WCW guys have clearly had the superior teamwork in this match so far. O'Haire knocks Faarooq around ringside a bit, then rolls him back in for 2. O'Haire runs into a Faarooq spinebuster and tag to Bradshaw. Big boot for Palumbo. Powerslam for 2. The WCW guys get a double team as we go into full on DONNYBROOK. Clothesline from Hell on Palumbo! That gets the pin as WWF goes to a 3-0 start on the night. *1/4

 

Chris Jericho tells Vince that WCW isn't a worry because they've never had a real leader and the inmates always ran the asylum, but keep an eye on Paul Heyman because he can do some damage. Intentional or unintentional shoot comments? Afterword in the WCW/ECW HQ locker room Steph does a whole chorus on how much she hates Jericho. Man, he hasn't even started with you yet. Heyman is already in near panic mode after the 0-3 start but Kidman promises to turn things around.

 

WCW Cruiserweight Champion Billy Kidman def WWF Light Heavyweight Champion X-Pac in 7:07- This is the one set of titles that you can easily say WCW's has the clear superior lineage on. The generally pro-WWF crowd wants nothing to to with Pac. As soon as the bell rings the "X-Pac sucks" chants start right up. Armdrag out of the lockup from Pac and he just about gets booed out of the building. Leg takedown from Pac and he rides Kidman to more boos. Speed/counter run and Kidman gives Pac his own leg takedown and riding to some light cheers. Another speed run and Kidman gets his pop up hurricanrana counter in, then hits an enzuguri that sends Pac out to the floor. Running slide from Kidman and he faceplants Pac on the floor! Flying headscissors from Kidman. Pac sidesteps and momentum tosses Kidman over the top to get some space. And more boos. Springboard crossbody to Kidman on the floor. Back in Pac hits a swing kick for 2. Sleeper from Pac. Kidman fights out and mounts Pac's back for his own sleeper. Pac back suplexes out. Kidman dodges a Pac senton attempt off the top rope. Comeback flurry from Kidman. Sit out powerbomb for 2. Mounted punches. Pac counters with a powerbomb and gets some extra rope leverage but only gets 2. Kidman does his flippy powerbomb counter into a faceplant for 2. Kidman comes off the top, into an X-Factor! Kidman kicks out! Pac sets Kidman up in the corner and goes for the bronco buster, but runs crotch first into Kidman's boot. Kidman goes up top. Shooting star press! Kidman gets the pin! Team WCW/ECW are on the board. The match had some moments but mostly never got out of second gear. The crowd shitting all over Pac is always amusing. **1/4

 

Torrie Wilson and Stacey Keibler compare their best assets backstage. Keibler might not be much of an actor at this point, but man she is hot as hell. 

 

Raven def William Regal in 6:35- The first of our asterisks tonight. Raven had been with WWF since the previous fall, but defected back to ECW once the Invasion got going. Mixed reaction for entrenched heel Regal from the pro-WWF crowd. Cole says that Heyman has the ability to convince "normally level headed men" to do what he wants. Yes Heyman is persuasive, but I think that's the first time in his life anyone's called Raven level headed. Lockup! Corner beatdown and clothesline from Regal. Double underhook suplex. Raven escapes to the floor but Regal follows and continues throwing shots. European uppercut for 2. Lots of 2s. Raven goes for....something....but Regal grabs his legs and slingshots him back out to the floor. Back in Raven sidesteps Regal and tosses him out to the floor. Horrendous attempt at a baseball slide from Raven. I don't know if Regal was supposed to block it or what but that was awful. Raven Russian leg sweeps Regal into the barricade. Back in Regal bounces off the corner and has to stand and wait for Raven to hit him with a follow up clothesline. Raven hooks on a chinlock. Regal escapes, grinds Raven down, and hits a suplex for 2. Raven gently nudges Regal in the ribs and Regal sells it like a truck hit him. Ax handle off the second rope from Raven. He goes for a second but Regal counters and hits a running knee. Raven wraps up a flash small package for 2. That sets Regal off with some ground and pound. Bulldog from Raven for 2. Regal counters out of a Raven sunset flip and tries for a Euro clutch variation but neither guy can hold it. Regal then goes for a roll up and again Raven is extremely slow on the uptake. Regal clearly says fuck it and barely touches Raven with a back elbow for 2 while some "boring" chants echo. Regal counters an Evenflow attempt with a suplex for 2. Collision near the corner and Raven flops out of the ring. Run in! IT'S TAZZ! T-bone suplex to Regal. Raven hits Evenflow and gets the pin. WWF's lead is down to 3-2. That was fugly. I don't know where Raven's head was but it sure wasn't in the ring. 1/4*

 

Kanyon, Hugh Morris and Sean Stasiak def The Big Show, "The One" Billy Gunn and WWF Intercontinental Champion Albert in 4:20- The "throw some guys that have nothing else going on together" match. From the "Did that really happen?" files I bring you Albert as Intercontinental champion. He defeated Kane for the title soon after King of the Ring, and will drop it to Lance Storm the night after this show on Raw. The Attitude Era may be over but those secondary titles are still going to be hotshot all over the place for quite a while yet. The WCW team comes out to a rejiggered version of Mr. Perfect's old music. That's a weird fit. The WCW team attacks before the bell, but quickly get pressed by all three WWF guys in an admittedly very good visual. Things settle in with Kanyon and Gunn. Lil' Naitch is the first WCW ref to get a match tonight. Gunn hits an electric chair on Kanyon and they do the bridge up/backslide spot. Stasiak hits Gunn from the apron and Kanyon hits a Russian leg sweep, then a reverse of the same that's essentially a skull crushing finale for 2. Gunn weathers a Stasiak flurry and hits him with a neckbreaker. JR mentions, rightly, that Stasiak's dad Stan was a former WWWF Champion (for all of 9 days as a transition from Pedro Morales to Bruno Sammartino's second reign but still). Albert tags in and it's quickly everyone in the pool brawl time. Albert big boots Stasiak and hits the Baldo Bomb but the rest of the WCW team breaks the pin up. Morris DDTs Albert, but then runs into an Albert powerslam. Tag to Gunn. Fameasser on Morris! While Lil' Naitch is tied up Stasiak hits Gunn with a reverse DDT, drapes Morris on top, and team WCW gets the win to even things up at 3-3. After the bell Show, who was never legally tagged in the whole match, chokeslams Morris and Stasiak then gives Kanyon his short lived "alley oop" move. Too short to mean anything. 3/4*

 

Commish Regal recruits his understudy Tajiri to take Tazz out as revenge for interfering in his match. 

 

Tajiri def Tazz in 5:30- Tajiri came to WWF in May and despite his ECW history is, for now, 100% team WWF. This is his first PPV match. He was already starting to develop a cult following online and that would only get bigger. I certainly became a fan in short order. Tazz had been in WWF for a year and a half, well before the real ECW even folded, but like Raven went back to ECW when battle started. Tajiri charges in but Tazz was ready for him. Leg lariat from Tajiri, followed by a standing moonsault for 2. Corner chops from Tajiri. Tazz grabs him around the neck and tosses him in one of Tazz's 1004 suplex variations. Tajiri slips out of another suplex attempt and pummels Tazz with a rapid fire strike combo, but then runs into a Tazz clothesline. After a bit of back and forth shots Tazz grounds Tajiri and punches him right in the eye. Now Tazz hits some corner chops. When Tajiri tries to come back Tazz straight muscles him down into a cradle for 2. He tries for a cross armbreaker but Tajiri gets a rope break. Alabama slam from Tazz. Slow arrogant cover for 2. Handspring back elbow from Tajiri! He goes for something on the floor but Tazz pulls him down off the apron. Back in Tajiri leaps over Tazz in the corner and hooks in the tarantula! Basement dropkick to Tazz's face for 2. High impact kicks to Tazz's chest. Tazz grabs a swing and gives Tajiri a suplex. Green mist in Tazz's face! Kick to the head and Tajiri gets the pin! WWF goes back up 4-3. Tajiri did his best but Tazz looks on his last legs. *1/2

 

Backstage Matt Hardy is worried his brother Jeff isn't ready for a real hardcore wrestler like RVD. RVD attacks Matt from behind with a chair! Well Matt certainly wasn't ready. 

 

WWF Hardcore Championship: Rob Van Dam def Jeff Hardy (c) in 12:40- RVD was one of the unquestioned crown jewels out of the wrestlers WWF acquired in their WCW and ECW purchases, right in that sweet spot where he had been successful enough to be a name, but young enough to just be getting into his prime. He had wrestled a few matches in WWF back in '97 as part of the original ECW invasion, but his stock has skyrocketed since then. He remains one of my favorites of the era despite my personal disagreement with some of his lifestyle choices (I'm staunchly anti-drug), largely thanks to his unique wrestling style that melds high flying and martial arts sprinkled with a touch of ECW hardcore. RVD looks like he's amazed to be in an arena this big. He still needs to learn to time his thumb point with his intro. He's still got his original ECW music before WWF messed it up and made it worse. Jeff charges in and we're on. RVD shows off his crazy flexibility early, doing a split legged sit down and dodging a Jeff legdrop. Both guys miss sentons. Waistlock counters, mat stalemate, reset as they're clearly evenly matched. The crowd is as hot as they've been all night already. RVD turns to pose and Jeff shotgun dropkicks him in the back! Rookie mistake. Another counter run and Jeff hits another dropkick to the back of RVD's neck. RVD sets up for a monkey flip. Jeff stops and traps his legs into a cradle for 2. RVD fires back with some forearms but runs into a Jeff inverted atomic drop. RVD ducks a Jeff crossbody and gives him a quick standing moonsault for 2! Some "RVD" chants break out in the crowd. Rolling thunder hits for 2. RVD springs up to the top rope. Jeff comes from behind and pushes him off down into the barricade! Small "holy shit" chant for that. Baseball slide from Jeff. He goes for the barricade run dive, but RVD also leaps on the barricade and tosses Jeff into the crowd! Crowd brawl time. RVD leaps on the arena wall for a moonsault! "ECDub" chant as RVD covers for 2. It's already very clear there's no way they can keep RVD a heel for long. He drapes Jeff over the barricade, then gets on the apron and leaps off with a corkscrew guillotine legdrop! Really loud "RVD" chants now. Jeff fights back and hits RVD with a sunset bomb down to the floor! Another "holy shit" chant. Jeff gets a ladder out from under the ring! Oh yeah, business is picking up now. It's almost the full size Jeff Hardy Suicide Ladder too. Jeff climbs up top. RVD goes into the ring, grabs the ladder and shakes it. The ladder collapses, sending Jeff down into the aisle! JR gets out the "HOW DO YOU LEARN HOW TO FALL OFF A TWENTY FOOT LADDER?" line. RVD gets a chair and heads over to Jeff. Jeff pushes the ladder into RVD's face! Chairshot onto RVD! They go up the ramp and RVD begs off. Once he has an opening, RVD hits the Van Daminator, kicking the chair into Jeff's face and sending Jeff off the ramp down into the gap between the two entrance areas! Corkscrew legdrop on the ramp and cover for 2. They go back to the ring with RVD still in control. RVD running dropkicks the chair into Jeff's face in the corner. He goes for a split legged moonsault but Jeff gets his knees up! DDT from Jeff for 2. Release German suplex from Jeff for 2. The title belt is in the ring, I didn't see when that happened. Jawbreaker from Jeff. RVD is in the drop zone. Jeff goes up top. RVD dodges the Swanton Bomb! He places the belt on top of Jeff. FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH! RVD gets the pin and wins the title! Finally, the signature standout match this show needed. We're also back to even for the night in the promotion battle. What a coming out party for RVD, and Jeff held his end just fine too as he continues to get more comfortable with singles work. ****

 

Kurt Angle drops an unbleeped "bullshit" on PPV while Vince is trying to pump him up. Yes, it did happen a few times before the modern era. 

 

Bra and Panties Match: Trish Stratus & Lita def Torrie Wilson & Stacy Keibler in 5:03- Textbook cool down match. At least wrestling wise. In an unusual twist almost everyone in this match is legit gorgeous. Lita's not my cup of tea, but she is for plenty of others so fair dos (I say Keibler > Trish > Torrie but everyone's free to disagree). Trish and Lita have not been getting along, largely because Trish has been making moves on Jeff Hardy and Lita's not much interested in her pushing into their group, but they're trying to put it aside for the good of the WWF. Mick Foley is the luckiest man in Cleveland (that's a first, Foley's not had a good history with Cleveland) as he's the guest ref again for this one. JR is in full not taking it seriously bullshitting mode right from the off so that's going to be fun at least. Trish and Lita try to jump but the WCW girls hide behind Foley, then reach out for slaps. Bell rings and Trish and Lita tackle them! Trish and Torrie settle in with some roll around hair pulling and shin kicking. Torrie does whip out a dropkick. They trade some slaps in the corner. Clothesline out of the corner from Trish. Suplex from Trish and she goes for Torrie's shirt. Keibler makes the save. Double clothesline from Trish and she tags out. Neither Torrie or Keibler want anything to do with Lita, who's definitely got the most established wrestling credentials of anyone in this match. Keibler loses that argument and Lita quickly gets her shirt off. Dayum. Just because they're small doesn't mean they're not nice. It's all about proportion. Anyway, Keibler manuevers Lita around into a double team and they get Lita's shirt off. Lita snap mares Keibler around by her shirt while Cole laughs and says "Why the hell am I calling wrestling moves?". Keibler dodges a Lita dive off the top rope and both sides tag. Trish hits a couple of clotheslines. Torrie dodges in the corner and tosses Trish by the hair. While standing on Trish's hair Torrie gets her top off, but Trish uses that to roll Torrie around and get her trousers off! Lita comes in and they hit Poetry in Motion on Torrie! Torrie's top is off! Trish bulldog on Keibler! Lita hits the moonsault! Keibler's pants are off and it's over. Or, maybe for some of us, just starting. The match was fine for what it was. WWF goes back up 5-4 going into the main event. *

 

 

The main event is a 10 man one fall tag match that's been dubbed the Inaugural Brawl. Team WWF is led by WWF Champion Steve Austin, who's seemingly overcome the issues he's had most of the year since his heel turn and is back to the ass kicking no shits given rattlesnake of old. Joining him are Kurt Angle (who's face turn was coming anyway judging by his crowd reactions and how well he'd proven himself by this point), Chris Jericho, the Undertaker and Kane. The WCW/ECW team is full of those asterisks I mentioned at the top. First off the two who are clearly on the right side: Booker T, the dual WCW World and US Champion (who like RVD is also in that past success/entering his prime sweet spot category), and the crazy stalker version of Diamond Dallas Page that had already been a pretty big flop with fans. Joining them are three guys that have been in WWF for varying lengths of time but were pushed back to the ECW side for the Invasion: Rhyno and the Dudley Boyz. The lack of star power on the WCW side is pretty glaring. No Sting. No Scott Steiner. No Goldberg. No Ric Flair. No one from the NWO core Hogan/Nash/Hall trio. All of them would show up in WWF/E eventually, but none until after the Invasion angle was over.

 

Before getting into the match I have to make a correction to my company win/loss count. I forgot they're also including the preshow match on Heat to the count, where Chavo Guerrero defeated Scotty2Hotty, so it's actually tied up 5-5 going into the main event. 

 

Team WCW/ECW (w/Shane McMahon, Paul Heyman and Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) def Team WWF (w/Vince McMahon) in 29:05- The cavalcade of owners all make their entrances and stand off in the ring before the wrestlers come out. If they insisted on putting the Dudleyz back on the ECW side, they should be wearing their old ECW era gear again. Oh, we're getting mixed entrances. Interesting. No bike again for Taker. Damn, I would have loved to have seen Kane riding in on a sidecar with him. Even more than the rest of the night the crowd is firmly on WWF's side. HUGE pop for Angle. Pro-WWF crowd or no I think it's safe to say he's arrived. Taker attacks his wife's stalker DDP in the aisle and everyone's fighting on the floor with one entrance still to go. GLASS SHATTER! Austin runs in and joins the fray as everyone pairs off on the floor. One ref from each side is working this match, Chioda for WWF and Lil' Naitch for WCW. Austin rolls Rhyno in the ring and the bell rings to officially start. Choida takes over in the ring while Naitch is the outside ref. Gorilla Monsoon's dream come true, two refs in a tag match. Early low blow from Austin and we get some mudhole stomps. Thesz press! Elbow drop for 2. I actually like how out of control Austin always looks in this period. He still wants to go at the pace he used to so bad but his body just can't keep up anymore. Big chops from Austin while Rhyno's propped on the top rope. Superplex from Austin! Jericho tags in and hits a flying forearm. Rhyno gets a knee to the gut and clothesline. He gets Jericho stuck in the wrong corner while Booker tags in and works him over. Jericho ducks a leg lariat and gives Booker some chops. Armdrags and a bulldog from Jericho. Missile dropkick off the second rope for 2. Angle tags in and pounds Booker down against the ropes. Booker gets a heel kick in and tags out. D'Von hits a flying back elbow on Angle. Corner back elbow and clothesline from Angle and Kane tags in. Working down the line, getting everyone in. Kane easily overpowers D'Von. Goozle! Bubba Ray runs in to make a save. Bubba Ray tags himself in and the Dudleyz hit a reverse 3D for 2. Kane hits the clothesline off the top rope for 2. Tag to Taker. Everyone on that side in, check. After some back and forth Taker hits the flying clothesline, then punches DDP off the apron. Legdrop on Bubba Ray for 2. The crowd goes nuts for Taker hitting old school. He goes for DDP again and DDP snaps his throat over the top rope, then Bubba Ray gives him a suplex. Rhyno tags in and pounds Taker down in the corner. Now DDP wants in now Taker's down. Short clothesline from DDP for 2. Taker comes back with the rapid fire body shots. DDP spins into another clothesline for 2. DDT from DDP for 2. Booker hits a side kick on Taker for 2. Counter DDT from Taker. Tag to Austin. More mudhole stomps on Booker. They have a short rough patch but Austin quickly recovers to try for the Stunner. Booker counters out but Austin knees him out to the floor. Austin suplexes Booker on the floor. Jericho tries for the Walls on Booker. DDP runs in to break it up, so Jericho tries for the Walls on him instead. Booker breaks that up before it's on. Booker maneuvers Jericho into a hot shot assisted by Bubba Ray. The Dudleyz quick tag to beat Jericho down. Jericho fights out of a double team and gets a tag to Angle. Belly to belly suplexes for both Dudleyz. DDP tries to hit Angle from the apron. Angle was ready for him, but Bubba Ray uses the opening to plant Angle with the Bubba Bomb. Rhyno gives Angle a belly to belly for 2. Again it's the ECW guys taking the lead to keep Angle isolated. Booker hits the scissors kick on Angle. Spinaroonie! JR HATES the Spinaroonie by the way. Like JR hating the Young Bucks back when he called New Japan level. DDP sit out powerbomb on Angle, but Austin's had enough and is running in on everyone. Angle remains in peril as the Dudleyz hit the Whazzup Drop minus the Whazzup because they're heels now. DDP, after an apparent small disagreement on where to go with it gives Angle a cobra clutch slam for 2. Front facelock from DDP and Angle fights him over so you can see the phantom tag spot coming a mile away. Yup, tag to Austin but Bubba Ray had Chioda distracted. Gang beatdown on Angle in the corner. Diamond Cutter on Angle! Commentary barely even notices it they're underselling the WCW guys so much. Taker comes in and pounds away on DDP. EVERYONE IN THE POOL! Total breakdown. Jericho dodges and Rhyno GORES Booker! Taker chokeslam on DDP! He calls for the Last Ride. Chioda goes outside to try to get some control, so Naitch gets in the ring and for some reason gets on Taker. Because he's not legal? Taker gives Naitch the Last Ride! Chioda unceremoniously rolls him out. Everyone's still fighting all around the floor. Taker and someone else go all the way into the crowd, I assume DDP, and they never come back. Austin's getting his chronic knee checked out by medical. Both announce tables get set up by Kane and the Dudleyz. That's not good enough for the Dudleyz, they get the regular tables out. One gets propped up against the barricade. Kane chokeslams D'Von through the announce table! Bubba Ray and Rhyno team up to suplex Kane through the Spanish announce table! Jericho leaps off the apron and crashes Rhyno through the propped up table! Bodies everywhere. Booker and Angle are both in the ring but are also both down. Austin's still getting his knee looked at. Booker and Bubba Ray work Angle over in the ring. Angle slugs back. German suplex on Booker! Angle Slam on Bubba Ray! Booker tries to get Angle with a side kick. Angle grabs the offered leg and hooks on the ankle lock! Classic Angle counter. Booker manages to push free, but Angle takes Choida out on the rebound. Flapjack from Booker. Vince gets the WWF Title belt and puts it in the ring. Shane grabs it and takes Vince out! Angle attacks Shane and clotheslines him 360 out. Angle Slam on Booker! THE STRAPS ARE DOWN! First time ever on a PPV. Ankle lock! Booker's tapping for all his life's worth but there's no ref. Austin rolls Chioda back in.....then attacks Angle! What the fuck? Stunner on Angle! Austin puts Booker on Angle, tells Chioda to count, and Booker gets the pin to win. That's right, four months after Austin's shocking heel turn at Wrestlemania, we get a less shocking and more perplexing Austin turn as he joins the WCW/ECW team. I guess they were trying to recreate Hogan's NWO turn here, but it doesn't work at all. The crowd, after being red hot the whole main event, is dead as dead can be for this turn of events. That was a hell of a long way to go to get to that turd of a turn too. The bulk of the match was pretty good with everyone involved having their working boots on. Not nearly on the level of the 10 man Hart Foundation vs Austin's team match at Canadian Stampede, but still good. Have to knock it down a bit for that ending though. Team WCW/ECW officially wins the night 6-5. ***1/4

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- The bulk of the show was borderline decent, not what you'd hope for considering this should have been one of the biggest B PPVs of all time. Thankfully RVD and Jeff Hardy knocked it out of the park to give us one truly memorable match. The main event did mostly deliver, at least until the ending. Austin's nonsensical turn was another warning sign that this whole Invasion angle was not going to live up to expectations.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: C+