Summerslam '01

Legacy Review

Summerslam '01

August 19, 2001 from the Compaq Center (AKA the Shark Tank) in San Jose, CA

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Paul Heyman

 

This year's "biggest show of the summer" and #2 WWF PPV is wholly concerned with month #2 of the Invasion angle. At last month's appropriately titled Invasion, team WCW/ECW won the night in both the win/loss record, as well as in impact thanks to the not really shocking and more perplexing defection of WWF Champion Steve Austin to their side, doubling down on his ill-advised heel run. In the month since the WCW/ECW team has taken on the official name of the Alliance, which if nothing else makes my life easier. Like Invasion, tonight's card is almost all WWF vs Alliance matches. There's also been a ton of secondary title changes since Invasion, something that will be a hallmark of the angle, constant hotshotting of the non-top titles between the two "companies" to the point that title changes became almost meaningless. The other big headline for this show is the return of the Rock to PPV for the first time since Wrestlemania after finishing filming of his first movie, The Scorpion King. It won't be his last.

 

Let the bodies hit the floor. Bodies by Drowning Pool, the official theme song of Summerslam, available now on iTunes and Spotify.....er, no, too early. Available on Napster or any other peer to peer pirating software of your choice. Fairly simple and standard stage setup tonight after so many great ones this year, but they have kept the separate entrances for each side in the interpromotional war from Invasion, which I very much like.

 

WWF Intercontinental Championship: Edge def Lance Storm (c) in 11:16- Storm defeated Albert for the IC title the Raw after Invasion to bring the title to the Alliance, and add another title to his career trophy case, what would be his only singles title win in WWF/E. After winning King of the Ring a couple of months ago Edge's singles breakout is now on in full. As usual, Storm gets interrupted trying to be serious for a minute. Has he tried not being serious? Maybe someone would let him finish. Lockup! Storm switches to a waistlock, and they switch around a couple of times before Storm hits a back elbow. Speed run and Edge hits a flapjack, followed by a dropkick and he 360 clotheslines Storm to the floor. Storm tries to attack from the apron but Edge slides under him and drops him face first on the Hardest Part of the Ring TM. Crossbody from Edge off the top for 2. Edge tries a suplex but Storm blocks it, drops Edge on the top rope, then back elbows him off the apron into the barricade. Back in Storm jaws in Edge's face and slaps him. Very un-Canadian. Except for Scott. That guy's a dick (one for my fellow old school South Park fans). Edge ducks under and gets a flash roll up for 2. Front drop suplex from Storm for 2. He keeps Edge grounded with some knees and mocking kicks. Storm dodges a dropkick and goes for a half crab, which has been his match winning submission hold lately. Edge pushes him into the corner and small packages him for 2. Another knee to the gut from Storm for 2. In the corner Storm again goes to mocking slaps and cuts off Edge's comeback with a knee to the gut. Edge tries to work around Storm for a crucifix but Storm blocks it and hits a rolling fireman's carry slam (AKA the first stage of Kenny Omega's You Can't Escape) for a long 2. Now Storm starts laying in knees to Edge's back and cranks back a half STF with his knee in Edge's back. Another comeback cut off with a back kick to the gut. Senton from Storm for 2. Abdominal stretch time. They do some hiptoss counter do-si-dos that put Storm on the apron. Storm tries coming off the top rope, but Edge catches him into a powerslam! Quick slugfest as Edge finally builds come momentum. Backdrop. Leg lariat for 2. Another counter run and Edge reverse DDTs Storm for 2. Storm tries a hurricanrana, but Edge blocks it into a powerbomb! Drop toe hold from Storm into the half crab! Edge slowwwwwwly crawls toward the corner and gets a rope break. He puts a half crab on Storm! Storm knocks the ref down as Christian runs into the ring. Storm dodges and Christian spears Edge! Storm superkick on Christian and he covers Edge. Edge kicks out! Edge blocks a superkick. Counter run into an Edge DDT, and he gets the pin to win the title! It's actually Edge's second IC title win, he had a cup of coffee with it back in '99. Christian hands Edge the belt and they hug, but everyone can see the eventual turn coming. Solidly good match, but kind of a letdown because the great first few minutes made it seem as if something even better was coming. ***

 

I want to appreciate Test's promo explaining his turn to the Alliance, but I can't help but be distracted how Bubba Ray death stares Michael Cole down unblinkingly the entire time Test is talking.

 

The Dudley Boyz and Test def The APA and Spike Dudley (w/Molly Holly) in 7:18- Spike had already broken off from his big brothers before the Invasion angle started, so he stayed with WWF when the Dudleyz went back to the ECW side. Spike and Molly are still in an on screen relationship. Test cost the APA the WWF tag titles to DDP and Kanyon on Smackdown not long before this. Bubba Ray and Faarooq start. Quick Dudley reverse 3D after a D'Von blind tag in. D'Von hits the flying back elbow but runs into a Faarooq spinebuster. Test ends up on the wrong side of an APA beatdown. Bubba Ray has to save him and Bradshaw ends up in the Alliance corner. Bradshaw gives D'Von a stiff shot to the back and hits a DDT for 2. Spike tags in and small packages D'Von for 2. Bubba Ray comes in and hot shots Spike with HUGE elevation. Spike, predictably, goes in peril. Spike tries to DDT Test but gets planted instead. The Dudleyz decide to go ahead and get the tables out because why not. Test presses Spike up to drop him into the table. Spike saves himself with an eye rake and falls on Test for 2. Huge double team flapjack from the Dudleyz on Spike for 2. Spike dodges a D'Von splash off the second rope. Both sides tag with Test and Bradshaw coming in. Hot tag run from Bradshaw. Both Dudleyz go down and it's DONNYBROOK time. Bradshaw ducks Test's big boot and hits a powerbomb. Bubba Ray pulls Bradshaw out of the ring to save the pin. Spike tries for the Dudley Dog on Test but Test blocks it and drops Spike through the table on the floor! Bradshaw Clothesline from Hell on Test! But WCW ref Nick Patrick is in the floor checking on Spike. Shane McMahon runs in with a chair, waffles Bradshaw with a it, and Test covers for the pin. Solid 6 man stuff. The finish seems dumb in a vacuum, but will actually lead to something later in the show. **1/4

 

Matt Hardy and Lita are among the group congratulating Edge in the WWF locker room. That'd be an awkward scene in a few years. Christian comes in and tried to step all over Edge's thunder by saying he just talked to Commish Regal and got a European title shot tomorrow night on Raw against....Matt Hardy. Elsewhere, Sean Stasiak storms into Debra's locker room and asks for advice on how to impress Austin because he's been blowing it lately. He decides his tights are bad luck. "They're pink, there's stars on the front, and it says Mecca on the back. I don't even know what Mecca means!". Pretty funny actually. Sadly it's all ruined by having to listen to Debra talk so much. 

 

Title vs Title: WCW Cruiserweight Champion X-Pac def WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Tajiri in 7:33- The first of two title vs title matches tonight, and to be clear neither are unification matches. We aren't there yet. This is also a WWF vs WWF battle despite a WCW title being involved. Another issue with the Invasion, the titles crossing company lines so often to the point no one cared anymore. Like almost every other title involved tonight, both of these were recently won. Pac, as WWF LW champ, defeated Kidman in a title vs title match for the Cruiserweight title on Raw at the end of July to win back the title he actively tried to ruin back in his Syxx days. The next week, Tajiri defeated him for just the LW title, so this is a rematch of that match. Clear? Excellent. The bell rings and the "X-Pac sucks" chants start right up. They had to put Pac up against at WWF guy, as we saw at Invasion even with a pro-WWF crowd against an Alliance opponent he's going to get booed. Two for three on proper lockups so far tonight. Pac maneuvers around into an armdrag. Tajiri escapes a knucklelock and hits a standing moonsault to a nice pop. He was quickly becoming a big time cult favorite. Pac tries a leg takedown into his usual mocking riding, but Tajiri reverses it and slaps him right in the back of the head. Speed run into more counters and Tajiri gets a hurricanrana that sends Pac to the floor. Baseball slide. Asai moonsault! Oh yeah, this crowd loves Tajiri. As they should. Pac lifts Tajiri, crotches him against the post, and kicks him in the back for good measure. Back in Pac dodges a Tajiri flip in and hits a leg lariat. Surfboard from Pac! I'll give him credit, that's a new one. Tajiri tries another hurricanrana but Pac blocks it into a powerbomb for 2. He sets Tajiri up in the corner and you know what's coming. Pac loads up for the shitty bronco buster. Tajiri gets up and literally kicks Pac in the ass, and Pac FLIES up all the way into the tree of woe! Basement dropkick from Tajiri as Pac dangles in the corner! Nice back kick from Tajiri. Handspring elbow for 2. Tarantula! Crossbody off the top, but Pac rolls through it for a 2 count. They maneuver around on and off the top rope and Tajiri pulls Pac down with a very unique pinning combination hold for 2, almost a reverse surfboard. Tajiri then slingshots Pac into the corner and hits a German suplex for 2. Pac knocks Tajiri back to the floor. Tope con hilo from Pac! Back in Tajiri tries the handspring elbow again, but Pac ducks down and comes back up with an X-Factor! Tajiri kicks out and cradles Pac for 2. Albert saunters his way out but stays in the aisle. Tajiri flips out of a powerbomb attempt and drops Pac with a kick. That gets Albert up on the apron. Tajiri gives him the red mist! But Pac uses the distraction for a low blow, the X-Factor hits again and Pac gets the pin to get the LW title back. Good match with Tajiri being his usual awesome self and Pac looking much more motivated than usual being in there with him, but let down by another distraction finish. ***1/4

 

At WWF New York, Saturn laments the supposed kidnapping of Moppy. I'm stopping right there. Nope. Nope. Moving on.

 

Chris Jericho def Rhyno (w/Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley) in 12:34- This is the feud where Rhyno GORED Jericho through the original "oval" Smackdown set, destroying it forever and bringing on the era of the Smackdown Fist, the greatest weekly TV set ever. But the main feud is really Jericho vs Steph with Jericho now fully into verbally lambasting her every chance he got. Rhyno's standing in since Steph can't wrestle for herself. All of Jericho's best Steph lines are coming out now. "At Summerslam I'm going to take care of that smelly, greasy, nasty animal.....and I'm going to get you too, Rhyno" is one of my favorites. Another lockup! Nothing says we're now post-Attitude Era more than so many proper match starts instead of jump starts. After a roll around and forced break we get an early slugfest that Rhyno wins. Nice extended speed run and Jericho hits a crossbody, followed by some ground and pound and chops. Rhyno tries to toss Jericho over the top but Jericho lands on the apron, goes up top, and drops an ax handle. Flying back elbow from Jericho for 2. He goes for the Walls but Rhyno fights and gets to the ropes before it's on. Jericho backdrops Rhyno to the floor and hits the springboard dropkick. He sets up on top again. Steph gets on the apron and grabs Jericho's foot. Jericho fights her off, but the distraction was enough because as he comes down it's right into a GORE! Rhyno also hit his head on the landing and both guys are down on the floor for a while. Finally Rhyno gets up and drags Jericho back in the ring for a 2 count. He suplex drops Jericho on the top rope. Now Steph slaps Jericho. Rhyno hooks on a body scissors. Jericho fights back up, but Rhyno short arms him up into an airplane spin! Classic. After he's done spinning Rhyno drops Jericho with a cutter for 2. He wraps Jericho up in a butterfly style hold, then when Jericho tries to fight switches to a chinlock. Jericho fights back up with chops, then avoids Rhyno's knee to gut attempt with a roll up for 2. Nice riff on the usual formula there. Kick wham suplex from Rhyno. He goes up top but Jericho dodges what I think was a Benoit-style headbutt. Again both guys are down. Jericho ducks under and gets a backslide for 2. Flying forearm from Jericho. More chops. Jericho goes for the Lionsault while Rhyno was still standing! Through that he cradles Rhyno for 2. Not entirely sure if that was what was planned or not but they made it work. Missile dropkick off the second rope from Jericho. He covers but Steph has ref Tim White distracted. Jericho goes over, blocks Steph's slap and kisses her! Running bulldog on Rhyno as Steph gags. Jericho goes for the proper Lionsault, sees Rhyno dodging and lands on his feet. Back elbow. The Lionsault hits! Rhyno JUST kicks out! Spinebuster from Rhyno. He goes for a Boston crab! Or, his own Walls. Jericho crawls and gets a rope break. Enzuguri from Jericho. Belly to belly suplex from Rhyno! He sets up in the corner to finish it. Jericho dodges and Rhyno crashes in the corner! Jericho hooks on the Walls! He goes high angle, almost a full WCW style Liontamer. Rhyno taps! Steph is beside herself. She looks like me at least 50% of the time during fantasy football season. Another good match in a string of them so far tonight, with some very nice counter work throughout by both guys. That's one thing I do like about this era even with the Invasion angle being a flop, we're consistently getting proper wrestling matches again instead of nonstop around the ring brawls. They also kept the Steph interference to a minimum. ***1/2

 

Commish Regal and the Rock discuss the Rock's health and the atmosphere tonight, pause for Sean Stasiak to Leroy Jenkins himself into a rolling door trying to attack Rock, then seamlessly continue their conversation. That will never, ever, ever stop being funny.

 

Ladder Match for the WWF Hardcore Championship: Rob Van Dam def Jeff Hardy (c) in 16:33- These two tore it up at Invasion in the best match of the night so it makes total sense to let them have at it again. RVD won that match to take the title, but Jeff has since taken it back through Hardcore match shenanigans. Much like how Pac is going to get booed no matter which side he's on, RVD has been an instant hit with the WWF crowd and is already going to be cheered almost no matter what. Jeff does his usual luck defying walk under the ladder on his entrance. Random thought: the Hardcore title graphic always makes me think of someone falling in the Pit stage in Mortal Kombat 2. Very similar CRUNCH sound. Nice mat wrestling sequence and stalemate to start. Even in a hardcore ladder match. RVD swings some kicks. Jeff ducks under and hits the legdrop to the lower abdominal area. RVD needs a minute after that. He keeps selling it between moves for several minutes after which is a nice touch. Another counter run ends with Jeff hiptossing RVD from the apron down to the floor. Springboard corkscrew moonsault from Jeff to the floor! On the announce table side too, not much room. Jeff tries coming off the top rope but RVD dodges and Jeff crashes into the barricade. He drapes Jeff over the barricade and hits a guillotine legdrop. RVD then gets the ladder. I like how the ladder is painted up to look rougher than usual because it's a HARDCORE ladder match. As RVD is carrying the ladder Jeff ambushes him with his barricade run dive! Jeff gets the ladder and gets it in the ring. RVD springs off the barricade into the ladder, snapping it into Jeff's face! Jeff then leaps over the top rope onto the ladder to do the same thing to RVD! Another ladder shot for RVD. Jeff springboard moonsaults onto RVD on the ladder in the corner! RVD does his split legged duck down but Jeff uses that to crunch his legs down into the mat. RVD gets Jeff in the tree of woe and shoulderblocks him. A big "RVD " chant starts up. He props the ladder on the bottom rope in the corner and sets Jeff on it. Rolling thunder onto Jeff on the ladder! Standing switch waistlock and RVD hits a big swing kick. He superkicks Jeff onto the ladder. Guillotine legdrop over the top rope! Heyman mentions RVD's "homicidal, suicidal and genocidal" mentor but doesn't name any names. Jeff shotgun dropkicks the ladder into RVD, who rolls halfway up the aisle off it! While he's recovering Jeff sets the ladder up and climbs. RVD gets up on the top rope, and kicks Jeff off the ladder! RVD sets Jeff up with a slam, then puts the ladder on top of him. RVD super flippy senton onto the ladder! Now RVD sets up to climb while Jeff goes to the top rope. Shotgun dropkick into the ladder! Jeff does a nice dodge of an RVD sweep kick and hits a DDT. He goes up top but RVD dodges the Swanton Bomb! RVD springs up top. Jeff dodges the 5 Star Frog Splash! Jeff sets up and climbs again. RVD climbs the other side. RVD hooks up and suplexes Jeff off the ladder! Another both side climb. Jeff sunset bombs RVD off the ladder! Jeff climbs and gets to the belt. RVD pulls the ladder aside and Jeff dangles by the hook! The usual Jeff Hardy spot. RVD tries to pull him down but Jeff won't let go. Jeff starts swinging back and forth on the hook. RVD goes up top and comes off with a spin kick! He was supposed to hit Jeff to knock him down, but because Jeff was swinging so much he whiffed. Man, that would have been awesome if they'd pulled it off right. Jeff then lets go and falls back down to the mat. Jeff sets up and climbs again. RVD pushes the ladder over and dumps Jeff down hard. RVD climbs, Jeff's too wounded to stop him, and after a little difficulty RVD gets the belt to get the win! It's not quite at the level of their Invasion match and falls more into the "spotty" category for ladder matches, not to mention they blew the big spot for the final run to the end, but it's still another damn good match from these two. ***3/4

 

Shane has a present for Booker T: bookends made from the very announce table Booker Bookended the Rock through. Booker is very touched and dedicates his match to Shane. Then, cage lowering music!

 

Title vs Title Steel Cage Match: WCW Tag Team Champions The Brothers of Destruction (w/Sara) def WWF Tag Team Champions Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon in 10:17- As mentioned previously, DDP and Kanyon recently won the WWF tag titles from the APA with Test's help, giving them the distinction of being one of only three teams in history to hold both the proper NWA/WCW tag titles pre-sale, from their Jersey Triad days, and the WWF ones (the others being the Steiner Brothers and Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard). The BOD defeated Natural Born Thrillers, the final true WCW tag champs, to take those titles a couple of weeks prior on SD. So each title is being held by the opposite company. "Alliance MVP" Kanyon is also now the WCW US champ, having been gifted that title by Booker T, who came out of WCW proper both the World and US champ but needed to focus on the top title. I'm not sure what looks weirder, DDP wearing a WWF tag title belt, or Undertaker wearing a WCW tag title belt. It's pin or both team members escape the cage rules for this match. Taker slams the door shut behind him and Sara provides the lock and chain for it. As soon as the bell rings the Alliance team tries to climb out. The BOD jump them and the beating is on. Kane pulls Kanyon down from the top of the cage back into the ring. Taker and DDP pair off on the other side as Taker continues to try to get revenge on DDP for stalking his wife. After Taker shrugs off everything DDP throws at him DDP resorts to a low blow, then tosses Taker into the cage. Kane's not concerned as he continues his pounding on Kanyon. DDP even gets a 2 count with Kane right there not bothering to break it up. Soon after that the BOD swap targets and take full control again. Kanyon comes off the top rope right into a Kane chokeslam. Taker continues to toss DDP into the cage all over the place. Kane buckle bombs Kanyon into the upper part of the cage. Taker absolutely murders DDP up against the cage and pauses to pose as the crowd goes nuts. Kanyon manages to get Taker with a clothesline and tries to climb but Kane stops him again. Top rope legdrop from Kanyon and DDP plants Taker with a DDT. Kanyon says "Let's get the hell out of here" and they both climb again. Double zombie situp. Taker climbs on top of the cage and kicks DDP back down. Then he straight up tells Kane "Let him go", letting Kanyon escape because they don't give a shit about him. Kanyon saves his own life and vacates the area. Some MVP. Taker gets a chain, tosses it in the ring, and it's a full two on one beatdown on DDP. Taker wraps the chain around DDP's neck and uses it to toss him into the cage. DDP is enthusiastically selling, I'll give him that. Consummate pro. Taker hooks up for a chokeslam, then decides DDP isn't even worth it. He puts DDP in the corner and tells him "Get your ass out of here now and I'll let you live. You look at her again and I'll kill you". DDP gets onto the top rope before Taker says fuck it, I want to win the match and chokeslams him back down. Last Ride for DDP and Taker gets the pin to claim both sets of titles. That was little more than a dull extended one sided beatdown as part of what has been a completely one sided feud. 1/2*

 

The only plus from that is it would be the end of the Taker/DDP feud and the whole stalker angle for DDP. DDP would suffer a minor injury and miss a couple of months, and when he came back it was with his "That's not a bad thing, that's a GOOD THING" motivational speaker gimmick.

 

Elsewhere, the Rock is in the trainer's room cutting a promo on the trainer checking him out. Mid-promo he casually sidesteps another hamfisted attempt from Stasiak to ambush him. That boy never learns. 

 

WWF Championship: Kurt Angle def "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (c) by DQ in 23:11- Austin solidifying his heel status at Invasion, as well as other circumstances (Triple H and Benoit injured, the company still not confident in Jericho as a top guy, Rock just coming back from a movie shoot), opened the door for the long-brewing face turn for Angle to fully come to fruition. After nearly two years with the company he had proven himself to the fans as the real deal (aided greatly by his Street Fight with Shane at King of the Ring) and was still only getting better. Austin's got a new heel spin on his music. In contrast to all the proper lockup starts we've had tonight this kicks off with a classic Austin mid-aisle brawl jump start. Austin chops Angle against the barricade, sticks the belt in his face, then chops him again. They get in the ring and the bell rings to officially start. Angle tackle into a ground and pound! Big right hands and stomps from Angle in the corner. Austin responds with more chops. Angle pops out of the corner with a clothesline. Crossbody from Angle for 2. Austin hits an elbow to the back of Angle's neck that drops him in a hurry. He then decides to start picking apart Angle's knee. Austin hooks on a stepover toe hold. Angle counters that into an ankle lock attempt! Austin quickly grabs a rope and bails to the floor. Angle follows but walks into a huge Austin clothesline. Back in Angle has a comeback punch flurry but Austin ducks and backdrops him over the top back to the floor. Suplex from Austin back in. A second. He slaps Angle's back almost like he's saying "I can suplex too you son of a bitch". A third Austin suplex for 2. He goes for four. Angle slips out and goes into ROLLLLLLLLLLING GERMANS! Two! Three! Austin back elbows free before four....no, Angle ducks a swing and hits number four! FIVE! Austin grabs the ropes to try to get free. Angle pounds his back to get him back off them. SIX Germans! SEVEN! Angle looks for the Angle Slam but Austin slips free, eye pokes Angle, and pushes him face first into the corner. Angle fights off a superplex attempt. Austin gets up, resets, and hits the superplex! STUNNER! ANGLE KICKS OUT! Austin is FURIOUS at Hebner for not getting to 3. A SECOND STUNNER! But the momentum sends Angle flying out to the floor. Austin gives Angle a trio of posts shots and Angle's bleeding. Austin gets the belt to use but Hebner takes it away. Austin tells Hebner he's #1, then says what the hell one more post shot. He continues to pound on Angle on the floor as Angle's building up a pretty good crimson mask. Cover back in and Angle JUST lifts a shoulder up before 3! Austin tosses Angle out to the floor and runs him into the post yet again. Announce table shot for Angle right in front of JR. Angle manages to get free and push Austin over the barricade. Austin gets up almost amused. He suplexes Angle over the barricade into the crowd! As Austin's getting back over the barricade Angle slaps the ankle lock on him! He can't get a submission on the floor, but he can sure hurt Austin. Angle drags Austin backwards up the stairs by his legs back into the ring, and once Austin's fully back in the ankle lock is back on again! Austin manages to get to the ropes. Both guys take some time to recover. Angle belly to belly suplexes Austin on the floor! Austin is back up swinging. Angle ducks and hits a back suplex on the floor! Back in Angle sets up on the top rope. The moonsault hits! There's a first time for everything. He's slow to cover and Austin kicks out. Off a rope whip they trade some counters and Austin goes deep into his old playbook, hooking on a Million Dollar Dream! Angle ducks and gets a leg takedown with the hold on, but Austin manages to keep it on and now has Angle grounded. Angle fights back up and does the classic walk up the corner Bret Hart counter, but Austin, who should know that one by now, get free before he's pinned. He even still manages to keep the hold on. Fantastic stuff. Hebner goes to arm drops on Angle. Angle fights back up on the third and manages to momentum swing Austin out to the floor. Austin sneaks around and gets back in behind Angle, coiled and ready to finish it off. KICK WHAM STUNNER! Third one this match. AGAIN ANGLE GETS A SHOULDER UP BEFORE 3! Austin is amazed Angle is still fighting and lets Angle drag himself back up on him. Austin paintbrushes Angle's face and goes for another Stunner. Angle counters! Angle Slam! It takes a while for Angle to cover and Austin JUST kicks out. Angle reaches over and grabs the ankle lock but Austin was already in the corner and uses the ropes to push free. Austin decks Hebner! Guess it's time for some overbooking shenanigans. Hell of a flop out of the ring by Hebner there too. Very well done. Angle hits a DDT. Backup ref Mike Chioda runs in and counts 2. Straight low blow from Austin. Chioda reads Austin the riot act for that. Stunner on Chioda! Austin goes out and gets the belt. Here comes ref #3, Tim White. Austin floors him with a belt shot before he can do anything! Angle sneaks behind while he's doing that. Angle Slam on Austin! Cover but every ref in the building is dead. Wait, here comes WCW ref Nick Patrick! He counts one, then calls for the bell. Patrick tells Fink it's a DQ on Austin for murdering three refs. I mean, technically it is the right call. Still a crap finish though. Angle drags Patrick into the ring and hooks him in the ankle lock to let off some steam. Put a proper finish on this match and you could well be looking at an all time classic. As it is it's merely a great match with a shit finish. Austin being able to drag his completely broken down body to something like this and keep up every step with getting closer to prime Angle goes to show, as I've said many times before, he was much more than a guy that could talk, he was legitimately one of the best that's ever been in the ring. ****1/4

 

JR has an absolutey hilarious meltdown on Heyman over the result of that match before we kick into the main event video package. Heyman's amazed silence only makes it better.

 

WCW Championship: The Rock def Booker T (c) (w/Shane McMahon) in 15:18- For the first time the Big Gold Belt is being defended on WWF TV. Ric Flair carried it when he brought it with him to WWF back in '91 as the "Real World's Champion", but it was never defended. It's really nice to see Booker getting a main event slot on a Big 4 PPV even if he and WCW aren't being taken entirely seriously. WCW ref Lil' Naitch Charles Robinson is handling this one. Booker tries to jump before the bell but Rock was ready for him. Rock then slides out to go after Shane and we go down with a cameraman that gets knocked down. Shane leads Rock into the ring where Booker was waiting. Rock pushes Booker into Shane and hits a Samoan drop for 2. Chops from Booker. Clothesline from Rock and he whips out a new move for him, a magistral cradle, for 2. Side kick from Booker for 2. Rock momentum tosses Booker over the top to the floor. Announce table shots for Booker. Rock positions Booker on the table and gives him a straight Greco Roman Nut Punch. JR's monitor went out when that happened. Booker gives Rock a stair shot and crotches him on the barricade. They both hop over and it's crowd brawl time. When they come back across Rock tries to fight back but Booker whips him into the post. "With Kurt Angle's dried blood still on it" is a great JR line. While that's happening Shane unties a top turnbuckle pad. Another Rock comeback is cut off by a side kick back in for 2. Short clothesline from Booker. Kneedrop and Booker starts feeling it. JR has another anti-Spinaroonie rant. There's been wars fought with less hatred than what JR has for the Spinaroonie. Flying forearm from Booker for 2. He grounds Rock with a chinlock. Arm drops and Rock fights back up. After a leverage fight Rock gets a double leg takedown and hooks on the World's Shittiest Sharpshooter. Shane gets up on the apron again. Rock flips him into the ring, but that opens him up for a Booker superkick for 2. Rock counters a corner whip into a short clothesline and slingshots Booker into the corner with exposed turnbuckle. DDT from Rock for 2. I think. From the camera angle I didn't see Booker kick out, but Naitch counted 2. Shane gets a chair and places it in the corner. Booker crawls over and gets it. While Naitch is stopping that, Shane comes in and waffles Rock with the Big Gold Belt! The APA run in! Bradshaw Clothesline from Hell on Shane! There's the payoff for earlier. Booker plants Rock with the Bookend! Rock kicks out! Punch flurry from Rock. Flying clothesline. Snap belly to belly for 2. Booker gets a knee to the gut but runs into Rock's spinebuster! Pad off! People's Elbow! Shane stops Naitch from counting 3. Rock goes out and Rock Bottoms Shane on the floor! Full corner smackdown punches from Rock. Booker manages to hit his own spinebuster. Kick and Booker hits the scissors kick. Spinaroonie! Rock kips up! Rock Bottom! Rock gets the pin and wins the title! I think they did just enough for it to hit being good, but it still had some rough patches and not at all smooth or effortless chemistry. To my eye I think Booker still wasn't entirely comfortable in his new digs yet. It's also let down by the fact almost everyone knew how it was going to go, especially after the screwy finish the last match. ***

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Summerslam has been on a good run since '98 and that continues this year. The Invasion angle as we all know was destined for flopsville, but it's still in the earlyish days where something might have been salvaged. And regardless, consistently good wrestling up and down the card can help make up for any manner of long term angle ills and that's definitely what we got tonight. The crowd was hot all night long too. I also want to give a shoutout to Heyman, who did a great job in commentary of openly rooting for his Alliance stablemates, but never crossed the line into being insufferable or annoying about it (looking at you, Don Callis).

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B+