Rebellion '01

Legacy Review

Rebellion '01

November 3, 2001 from the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Paul Heyman

 

We're heading up north to Manchester for the second UK exclusive PPV of the year. Always like it when they get out of London. This show is falling into a better gap than the UK shows typically do too. It's two weeks after No Mercy, and two weeks before the big Invasion finale at Survivor Series. Since the Invasion angle is still an ongoing concern here, this is once again a show of nothing but WWF vs Alliance matches. One note before diving in- the dark match for this show featured the first ever appearance on a major show of any kind for the brand new tag team Billy and Chuck. 

 

Steel Cage Match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship: Edge (c) def WWF European Champion Christian in 12:49- Once again the European title isn't on the line on a UK show. Massive fail. In accordance with Invasion angle title hotshotting the European title has changed hands twice in the two weeks since No Mercy. Bradshaw defeated the Hurricane, who actually managed to hold onto it more than a month, on Raw, then Christian took it from Bradshaw on Smackdown the next week. They got the old blue bar cage back out for this! Well, it's black bars but regardless. Great to see. This has to be its last ever appearance but I'll probably end up being wrong about that. Christian jumps Edge as soon as Edge gets in the cage. There's a ref in the ring so I assume this is pin or escape rules, commentary doesn't say. Edge responds with a backdrop and gets his jacket off. Christian tries to climb but Edge pulls him down with his jacket, then chokes him with the jacket. He whips Christian around the corners then kicks his leg out of his leg, something they've worked into all their matches but it never goes anywhere. Christian blocks a cage shot and hits a neckbreaker. He starts to climb again. Edge pulls him down into the top rope and covers for 2. He loads up for a spear but Christian sidesteps and sends him into the cage for 2. Snap mare/PK combo from Christian. JR says he's "focusing on the shoulder" that Edge hit the cage with but I don't see it. After some chokey stuff Christian hits a backbreaker for 2. Another climb. This time he touches the top before Edge stops him. After some more not particularly interesting Christian offense he tries for the door. Edge grabs his foot to stop him. Christian uses that position to do some ground and pound. Edge blocks a superplex attempt and drops Christian to the mat. Crossbody off the top rope from Edge for 2. Edge tries a DDT but Christian counters, slingshots him into the cage, and cradles him for 2. Chinlock from Christian. In a cage match. And they stay in it a while too. Finally Edge fights back up and hits a clothesline. Edge starts climbing up the corner. Christian uses that to back suplex him for 2. JR continues to try to push Edge's "hurt" shoulder even though neither wrestler is doing a thing with it. Mounted punches from Christian. Edge pushes him off and hits a short spear! Edge goes into full comeback flurry mode. After a counter sequence Christian goes for the Unprettier. Edge counters that and drops Christian for 2. Edge gives Christian a couple of cage shots. Full on toss into the cage. Edge climbs up and gets one leg over the cage top. Christian goes up and joins him. He gives Edge a shot at the top of the cage and Edge falls crotch first on the top rope. Christian continues to climb and gets completely over the top. As he's going down Edge pulls his legs through the cage, then takes his wrist tape and ties Christian's legs together! This is taking full advantage of the big bar cage, you couldn't do this with the chain link fence cage. Christian dangles down trapped and Edge easily climbs down to get the win! Cool finish. But like their previous matches, it's just not clicking like you'd expect these two to. Fortunately this would be their last match for a while. **3/4

 

Recap of Kurt Angle's recent shocking nonsensical defection to the Alliance, which just took place over Raw and Smackdown the past week. I don't think any real reason was ever given to justify it, it was just a swerve for the sake of a swerve as we head to the end of the Invasion. It did give us the Austin/Angle backstage comedy segments though, so it wasn't totally worthless.

 

Elsewhere, Chavo Guerrero and Hugh Morris pose as backstage interviewers and crash the women's locker room, finding Trish with a towel on. Trish tries not to slip in the drool and promises to get them an exclusive with Lita later. That's one of those bits that went on at least three times as long as it needed to, thought I'm certainly not opposed to seeing whatever bits of Trish they want to show us. 

 

Scotty2Hotty def The Hurricane in 8:55- This is Hurricane's first singles match on a major WWF show. None of the usual female valets will be with their guys tonight as they have their own women's tag match later in the show. Lockup into a basic headlock/headscissors exchange. Hurricane hits a shoulderblock and poses. Scotty tries a hiptoss but Hurricane blocks it into a fireman's carry takedown. Nice little piece of wrestling right there. More poses from Hurricane. Top wristlock fight as we're going pure old school start so far. Scotty hits a shoulderblock and celebrates so obnoxiously he really should be the heel here. More hiptoss blocks leads to a long counter sequence ending with Hurricane hitting a clothesline. Back and forth slugging in the corner. Hurricane tosses Scotty over the top but Scotty skins the cat back in and poses behind an unsuspecting Hurricane. Flying headscissors and clothesline from Scotty for 2. Hurricane sidesteps and tosses Scotty shoulder first into the post, then hits a running neckbreaker. Suplex from Hurricane for 2. Hurricane hits a blockbuster and does a jackknife cover for 2. He wraps Scotty up on the mat in a modified half nelson. Scotty's comeback is cut off with a hiptoss for 2. Now Hurricane straitjackets Scotty's arms around his own throat and grinds him down to the mat. Very focused on the neck area most of the match Hurricane's been. After Scotty fights free Hurricane hits a clothesline. Hold everything! The cape is on! JR hates this almost as much as he hates the spinaroonie by the way. Scotty stops Hurricane on the top rope, but Hurricane fights off the superplex attempt. Hurricane tries to fly, but goes right into Scotty's waiting fist! Foiled again. DDT from Scotty. Scotty rips the cape off! Superhero wars have started over less. Superkick from Scotty for 2. Scotty goes for a suplex but his back goes out from the work on it earlier. He goes down right in the drop zone, so Hurricane can't resist a little Scotty worm mocking. Scotty tries to cut it off but Hurricane ducks. Goozle! Scotty fights free. Hurricane hits a superkick for 2. Both guys dodge in the corner and Hurricane tries a roll up with rope leverage for 2. More counters and Scotty drops Hurricane in the drop zone. Here comes the most telegraphed move in wrestling history that everyone should be able to dodge. W O R M hits and Scotty gets the pin. My dislike of most of Scotty's moveset aside that was a fun match, well done from both guys. ***

 

Back to the women's locker room. Trish is now fully dressed. She tells the guys to stay put, which of course they don't. They open the door and Lita's in her underwear getting dressed. Hilarity ensues. After that we cut to the returned from injury DDP, who's moved on from stalking and is now an over the top motivational speaker, though still a heel. And that's not a bad thing. That's a GOOD THING *smile*.

 

The Big Show def Diamond Dallas Page in 3:15- JR lets us know Show weighs in at 36 stone. That's stats you can use. Seriously, zero sarcasm. DDP wants to motivate but Show shoves him down. Pillar to post beating time. DDP manages to get a bunch of gut kicks and tries to put on a headlock. Show stands up straight while DDP still has the headlock on and DDP dangles off! OK, that's fantastic. Shoulderblock and DDP bounces all the way out of the ring. Show presses him back in. Coming back in DDP gets smart and tries to take out Show's leg. He adds in a clothesline off the top to get Show down. DDP goes for a figure four! Show pulls him down by the tights and chops him. Clotheslines from Show. Goozle. DDP counters with a Diamond Cutter! But he takes forever to drape an arm over and Show kicks out. Goozle again. Regoozle. Chokeslam and it's over. Pretty much a squash but DDP tried to keep it lively. Sadly even with the gimmick change his matches are going just how they did before. *

 

Once again those two knuckleheads are outside the women's locker room. How is this bit still going? Someone needs to ring the local constabulary and let them know there's two serial stalkers in the arena. This time it's Mighty Molly they accost. She's fully clothed, but her covering up and screaming like she was naked is pretty funny. "Holy peeping tom! How dare you look at a superhero without her cape on!". OK, that one was decent. After that is a solid bit of the aforementioned Austin/Angle comedy goodness. Angle going for a handshake with Austin and Austin blowing him off in a believable "oops" way is great. Austin's also starting to work the "WHAT?" in more. That's about to blow up.

 

Triple Threat Elimination Match for the WCW Tag Team Championship: The Dudley Boyz (c) def The APA and The Hardy Boyz in 12:01- All these guys should be able to have a decent match with each other in their sleep at this point. Wait, weren't the Dudleyz WWF tag champs at No Mercy? Yup. They lost those and gained these since. Did I mention title hotshotting was insane during the Invasion? With two sets of tag titles too, it got to the point no one could come close to caring anymore. There was nothing to really differentiate them from each other either. At least in the coming brand split they were on different brands with different rosters. It did make the Dudleyz the only team in history to hold the ECW, WWF and WCW tag titles, but to my mind the WCW ones have a big asterisk on them. Bubba Ray wants to start with Matt and Matt obliges. Big waistlock takedown from Bubba Ray. Matt gets a couple of armdrags and a diving clothesline for 2. Bradshaw tags himself in on Bubba Ray. He and Matt team up to take Bubba Ray out, then Bradshaw plants Matt with a DDT for 2. Big boot from Bradshaw. He tries to set Matt up for a superplex but Matt turns it into a tornado DDT for 2. Tag to Jeff, who's still in his wearing a baseball cap during the match phase. Let's see how long it lasts this time. Double suplex from the Hardyz and Jeff covers for 2. Clubbing blow from Bradshaw on Jeff. The cap's still on. It's already lasted longer than any other PPV match so far. Faarooq pounds Jeff on the mat and the cap finally comes off. Powerslam from Faarooq for 2. Jeff tries a backslide but Faarooq easily overpowers that. Jeff adjusts and a shotgun dropkick. D'Von tags himself in on Jeff but runs into a Faarooq drop toe hold. Flying clothesline from D'Von. Swinging neckbreaker. Spinebuster from Faarooq for 2. Bubba Ray runs in and sets Faarooq up for the Whazzup Drop. Bradshaw breaks that up and gives D'Von an avalanche fallaway slam! The Hardyz run in and it's a full on DONNYBROOK! The Dudleyz give Faarooq a reverse 3D. Bradshaw runs in and clotheslines Bubba Ray. Not quite a full Clothesline from Hell. Clothesline from Purgatory. Wait. Clothesline from Newark....which is probably still hell. The ring clears out and Matt hits the Twist of Fate on Faarooq! Pin and the APA are gone. Once again it's Dudleyz/Hardyz time. The Hardyz hit some double teams on both guys. D'Von grabs Jeff's foot from the floor to let Bubba Ray ambush him. Bubba Ray calls for the tables. Jeff shotgun dropkicks the table into D'Von's face! Bubba Ray grabs Jeff and hits the Bubba Bomb despite Jeff fighting it the whole way down (very well done). That puts Jeff in peril for a bit. Matt distracts from the apron and that lets Jeff give Bubba Ray a Greco Roman Nut Punch! Jeff hurricanranas Bubba Ray off the top rope and falls on top of him for 2. Both sides tag. Hot tag run from Matt. The legdrop off the second rope hits on D'Von for 2. Everyone in the pool! Poetry in Motion on Bubba Ray. They go for it again but D'von dodges. Jeff ends up on the top rope and goes for the Swanton Bomb but D'Von dodges. Bubba Ray counters a Matt Twist of Fate attempt. 3D! It's over. Good stuff. Even with as much as these teams have wrestled each other they still manage to not let it feel stale. ***1/4

 

Recap of continued issues between WWF teammates Rock and Jericho following Jericho defeating Rock for the WCW title at No Mercy. We then go live to the back where Vince is holding a peace summit between them. Vince makes his pitch for team unity, says Rock and Jericho don't have to like each other but they do need to work together for the greater good, then flat out orders them to stand up and shake hands. They do. Rock walks away. But then Jericho calls Rock back. He tells Rock good luck tonight, and "try not to lose a big one AGAIN". Rock then says he's got something Jericho should take with him for his match tonight. It's the Rock's fist. That sets off another brawl! The whole ref gaggle has to run in to break it up. So much for diplomacy.

 

William Regal def WCW Cruiserweight Champion Tajiri in 5:55- Some history here as Tajiri spent his first few months in WWF as then Commissioner Regal's understudy, before Regal defected to the Alliance. Like the European title, you'd think they'd book Regal in something bigger in his home country. Before the match Regal takes the mic and does his usual "Get the home fans to hate me" promo, with some Manchester United hits thrown in. Lockup and reluctant clean corner break. After some more rope break maneuvering Tajiri nails Regal with a superkick out of nowhere! Regal quickly scrambles back to the corner. Nice takedown sequence from Regal. They knucklelock and do some very nice maneuvering around the mat. Another hard kick from Tajiri, followed by an enzuguri that sends Regal to the floor. Tajiri teases a plancha but swing kicks Regal down on the floor instead. Regal pushes Tajiri into the post to turn things around. Back in Tajiri gets a backdrop. Standing moonsault for 2. Shoulderblock from the much larger Regal. Tajiri tries to fight back but Regal knees him in the gut, then hits a running knee to the head for 2. Tajiri tries a crossbody but Regal catches him and deposits him crotch first on the top rope. That keeps Regal solidly in control. European uppercuts. Big double hand chop from Tajiri! He tries a dropkick but Regal swats it away. Taijiri hops the top rope to the apron, gives Regal a high kick, and goes up top. Missile dropkick! Cover for 2. Handspring elbow! Tarantula! Tajiri goes up again. Regal dodges the moonault! The Regal Stretch is on and Tajiri taps out. After the bell Tajiri green mists Regal for some revenge. That's about as good for 5ish minutes as you can get, they did all they could in the short time. ***

 

Angle gives one of the strangest promos I've ever seen from him, running Jericho's Y2J nickname down in a very weird way, singing the Mickey Mouse song for no discernible reason and then seeming to come back to reality and saying he's coming for Jericho's gold before dropping the catchphrase. Did he get concussed beforehand?

 

WCW Championship: Chris Jericho (c) def WCW United States Champion Kurt Angle in 14:53- The Big Gold Belt looks so good on Jericho, largely because you know when he was in WCW they never ever would have put him in a spot like this. The same company that thought Steve Austin and Mick Foley could never be main eventers. Rough lockup into standing switches combined with swinging fists and mat takedowns. This is INTENSE right out of the gate. Jericho gets Angle out of the corner and hits some chops. Angle does a nice fireman's carry takedown counter. Leg lariat from Jericho. Suplex from Jericho, and he hangs on! Trio of suplexes from Jericho for 2. Nice play on the rolling Germans. Speaking of, Angle ducks under a Jericho clothesline attempt and plants him with a German suplex. He goes for an early Angle slam. Jericho fights out and goes for the Walls. Angle gets to the ropes before Jericho can turn him over. Jericho springboard dropkick! That puts Angle on the floor. More chops from Jericho on the floor and he runs Angle into the post. Angle eye rakes and hits his own chops. Jericho whips Angle into the stairs. Back in Jericho hits a crossbody off the top for 2 and lays in some forearms. Angle goes down and grabs Jericho's ankle! Jericho quickly fights free before the ankle lock is on and throws Angle's shoulder into the post. Shoulderbreaker from Jericho. Angle tries a sunset flip, but Jericho rolls through it and tries for a cross armbreaker. Angle flips himself over to counter that and grabs a waistlock. Jericho back elbows free before he can get Germaned again. Angle hooks up for a belly to belly but again Jericho back elbows out. All those matches against Benoit have Jericho's suplex counters on point. But then Angle grabs him running and gives him a hot shot! Finally got something to work. The belly to belly hits. Corner beatdown from Angle. JR says Angle is "going commando". Er, I don't think that means what you think it means, JR. Jericho tries a dropkick, but Angle grabs his legs and tries to turn Jericho over for a Boston crab. Jericho gets free before it's on. Angle runs into a back elbow in the corner, but then blocks Jericho's attempted double ax handle off the second rope and gives him another belly to belly. Cover for 2. With Jericho's feet under the ropes, there shouldn't have been a count at all. Regular suplex from Angle for 2. Angle gets a couple of near falls out of a chinlock. That's nicely different. They then go to arm drops. Jericho fights up. Angle cuts it off quickly with a single leg takedown and stomps on Jericho. Jericho gets a nice wraparound cradle for 2. Clothesline from Angle and he does some ground and pound. Back to the chinlock as the match is losing the energy its had for most of it. Again Angle tries the single leg takedown after Jericho gets free, but this time Jericho expects it and uses it to hit an enzuguri. Both guys stagger up into a slugfest. Running forearm from Jericho. Swinging neckbreaker. Hurricanrana for 2. Jericho counters a German attempt and puts on an ankle lock! Angle gets over and gets a rope break. Rolling Germans time! All three hit and Angle covers for 2. The ankle lock is on! Jericho quickly counters and gets the Walls on! Again Angle gets a rope break. For no reason WCW ref Nick Patrick tries to get Jericho off Angle even though Angle's off the ropes. Angle uses that to jump Jericho from behind. Jericho shrugs it off and hits the misdirection bulldog. Lionsault! Angle gets his knees up! Angle Sla....NO Jericho slides down Angle's back, rolls him up, and gets the pin! After the bell Angle attacks and Angle Slams Jericho twice. They started out amazingly but couldn't quite hold that momentum the second half of the match. Still really damn good though. ***3/4

 

Lita & Torrie Wilson def Stacy Keibler & Mighty Molly in 4:16- Cool down T&A time. Adding to that, Trish Stratus is the special guest ref for this match. JR and Heyman go right into bullshitting mode during intros which is a lot of fun. Stacy's wrestling in her Dudleyz outfit. Stacy and Torrie start out with some hugging that's supposed to be whips and carwheels before Torrie dropkicks Stacy in the back. Torrie counters a headlock into a cradle for 2. Glad they sorted that out, it looked like they had no idea where they were going for a second. Tag to Lita, who easily outclasses Stacy in the ring. Once she's softened up Torrie comes back in. Molly kicks Torrie in the back and Stacie tags her in. Now Molly completely outclasses Torrie in the ring. Is it too much to ask for the two properly trained wrestlers to get in the ring together? The Alliance team work Trish to double team. They try to put on a camel clutch/Boston crab combo but it doesn't go too well. Torrie totally deadweights Molly while trying to do a backbreaker. Molly goes up top. Torrie hits the ropes and Molly does a crazy forward flip back into the ring. That was a violation of the laws of physics. Lita tags in and finally we get the two proper wrestlers together, but sadly it doesn't help a whole lot. Hot tag clotheslines from Lita. Flying headscissors. She whips both Alliance members into the corner and Torrie sets up for a Poetry in Motion. Molly cuts it off with a clothesline! Torrie slingshots Molly into Stacy, Lita gives Molly a Twist of Fate, and that's it. Afterward Stacy gets upset with Trish and slaps her. Trish responds with a bulldog. Women's wrestling in WWF is about to hit a pretty good era, the best until the start of modern women's wrestling. This ain't it. 1/4*

 

WWF Championship: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (c) def The Rock in 22:09- Rock and Austin are getting in the ring together for the first time on PPV since their epic clash at Wrestlemania 17 (there was one Raw match in between). This will also be their last one on one match until their era ending final match at WM 19. Austin, as usual, jumps us off, this time attacking Rock while he's doing his pose in the corner. Chops from Austin. Rock turns around and hits his own chops. Clothesline from Rock. Swinging neckbreaker. Austin finally gets his vest off. He fights out of an early Rock Bottom attempt. Rock tosses Austin over the top to the floor. Rock gets a swig of water on the floor and spits it in Austin's face in between some of the usual ringside knockaround for both guys. Austin leads Rock behind the announce table to make JR and Heyman scatter, I'm thinking that was Austin having a laugh at their expense. Austin then does a huge over the top flop over the announce table, making me only more sure. Rock rolls Austin back in the ring just so he can clothesline him 360 and out again. Now they work their way up the ramp to the stage. Checking off all the old Attitude Era main event boxes. The red lighting they've got under the ramp looks fantastic on the wrestlers as they fight up it. Rock suplexes Austin on the metal grating on the stage. Austin goes to a low blow to get back in control. He goes for a piledriver on the stage. Rock counters with a backdrop. They head back toward the ring after that. Austin slingshots Rock into the post, then slams Rock on the floor. Finally back in the ring with Austin still in control, giving Rock some kicks in the gut. Rock tries some counters but Austin outmaneuvers him and hits a clothesline, then let's the whole UK crowd know they're #1. While his back is turned Rock rolls Austin up for 2. Another clothesline from Austin. He covers multiple times but Rock keeps kicking out, so Austin pounds away on him on the mat then tosses Rock out to the floor again. They get up on the announce table. Rock low blows Austin! Austin quickly recovers and drops Rock on the announce table that way Rock always liked to do, then he chokes Rock with a TV cable. Big chop exchange on the floor. Austin suplex drops Rock on the announce table. That hurt Rock's knee and he slowly crawls back to the ring. Back in Austin drops knees in the corner. Hebner pulls him away and Austin doesn't like that one little bit. Austin flips Hebner off. Hebner flips Austin off! Austin turns around into Rock punches! Thesz press from Austin with CRAZY wild punches after. Austin really loads up the usual elbow drop follow up, flipping off every section of the crowd before hitting it. Cover for 2. Chop block on Rock's knee! Austin hits a couple of shots from the floor, then while walking back in the ring puts up a middle finger behind his back to the crowd. So great. This is the best heel work Austin's done all year. But again Austin's preoccupation with the crowd hurts him as Rock slugs back. Thesz press from Rock! Then he goes crazy loading up and throwing middle fingers before hitting an elbow drop! They're having so much fun with each other. Austin hooks in a sleeper! Rock slowly fades down. After a bit too long we go to arm drops. Rock fights back up and we have a slugfest. Rock puts on a sleeper! Austin jawbreakers free. Austin spinebuster! He doesn't follow up right away. In fact Austin looks strangely blown up, crawling in the corner sucking up air, then barely draping himself over Rock for 2. Maybe he had a bad cross-Atlantic flight. Austin then puts on a Boston crab. Rock uses his long arms to reach over and get a rope break. Austin gets in Hebner's face again and once again turns around into Rock punches. You'd think he'd have learned by now. Double clothesline! Rock hits a flying clothesline and belly to belly suplex for 2. They do the corner whip do-si-do and Hebner gets squashed, then Rock clotheslines him to make sure he's dead. Rock fights off a Stunner and hits the spinebuster. World's Shittiest Sharpshooter! While he puts that on there's a great shot of Hebner laying where his top half is dangling off the apron out of the ring. Well done. Rock lets go to check on Hebner. Austin takedown into this own sharpshooter! Rock manages to reverse it. Here comes Angle with a chair. Chairshot for Rock. Now Jericho runs in and attacks Angle. Rock gets up holding his back, sees Jericho holding the chair, and puts two and two together. This isn't going to help finding a diplomatic solution. Rock attacks Jericho! Austin tries to take advantage. Rock Bottom on Austin! Cover but Hebner's still down. Angle gets in again and slugs away on Rock. Rock ducks and 360 punches Angle out. Rock spinebuster! Angle trips Rock to cut off the People's Elbow! He hits Rock with the belt! Stunner! Austin covers and gets the pin to retain. Angle helps Austin up and they hug like the best buds they are now. Solid fun Rock/Austin stuff but a bit too heavy on the interference at the end. Doing a full Attitude Era style main event was a decent contrast to the straight wrestling match Angle and Jericho had earlier. ***1/2

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Once again an Invasion angle PPV manages to offset the dismalness of the long term story with good individual matches up and down the card. In fact, I'd call this one of the best UK exclusive PPVs because it felt more like a proper PPV rather than a glorified house show. Or, alternatively, a really good house show.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B 

Halloween Havoc '99

Legacy Review

Halloween Havoc '99

October 24, 1999 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV

 

Commentary: Tony Schiavone and Bobby Heenan

 

Once again, a new era of WCW has arrived. Just before Fall Brawl last month Turner let Eric Bischoff go due to WCW's cratering business over the course of the year. In early October, they brought in Bischoff's replacement: Vince Russo, along with his writing partner Ed Ferrara. Russo was a writer for WWF Magazine before getting a spot on the WWF creative team in '96 and quickly rose up to head of creative. He was generally thought of as the architect of the Attitude Era and the brains or secret weapon behind WWF's rise to dethrone WCW from the top of the Monday night ratings war. I'm sure Russo thought so. Now WCW's hoping he'll bring them the same magic to get back on top. That's right kids, it's time for the WCW Crash TV era! Get in crash positions!

 

 

One plus tonight, in a year that WCW was changing all the PPV logos the fantastic Halloween Havoc logo has stayed essentially the same, as does the classic Halloween Havoc stage setup, always one of the best of the year. One Russo change is immediately evident- commentary has been moved away from the platform in the back of the arena they occupied during the entire Bischoff era and are back in their traditional spot ringside. Rare good Russo move. Mike Tenay has also been moved back to interviewing so for the first time in a long time in WCW we have just a two man booth. Another thing I should point out up front, right now on screen Russo and Ferrara are being referred to as the "Powers That Be". No, it's not an Angel reference. The PTBs are meant to be a shadowy cabal that were controlling all the decisions being made by the company at that time. Eventually it'll lead to Russo becoming an on screen character, which brought the company to a whole new level of train wreck.

 

WCW Cruiserweight Championship: Disco Inferno (c) def Lash LeRoux in 7:35- LeRoux was a ground up WCW project fully trained in the Power Plant and he's making his PPV debut tonight. As soon as LeRoux gets his shirt off Disco clotheslines him. Ah, jump starts. Another Russo trademark. Disco stomps him down in the corner and does some posing. LeRoux tries to come back but Disco ducks a clothesline, eye pokes him and hits a DDT. LeRoux leaps over Disco, hits a dropkick and a slam for 2. Powerslam from LeRoux for 2. He mocks Disco's dancing with some of his own and hits a clothesline for 2. Disco hits a back elbow that looks like it really caught an unsuspecting LeRoux flush. LeRoux sidesteps and tosses Disco out to the floor. Disco takes a stair shot, then LeRoux goes into the post. Coming back in Disco tries a double ax handle off the second rope but LeRoux catches him and hits another powerslam for 2. LeRoux barely gets off a flying headscissors off the top rope for 2. That got a big "Oh he fucked up, I hope everyone's all right" gasp from the crowd. Disco fights out of a chinlock and hits a sloppy as hell clothesline for 2. He momentum tosses LeRoux over the top rope but LeRoux, I suppose, skinned the cat back in. Bad camera cut there. Disco goes for the LastChartDanceBuster whatever it is today but LeRoux pushes out and hits a backbreaker. They fumble around a bit while weakly swinging punches at each other. LeRoux tries to float over in the corner but Disco drops him. Swinging neckbreaker for 2. Russian leg sweep and Disco goes to the second rope. The elbow hits for 2. Piledriver from Disco for 2. LeRoux ducks and hits a powerbomb for 2. They have another muff where LeRoux ducks a clothesline but Disco still hits the top of his head snapping his head back, then Disco hits an inverted atomic drop. The LCDB hits and it's over. After the bell LeRoux fireman carry falcon arrows Disco onto the belt for revenge. When they were on the same page it was OK, but they were only on the same page like every other move. In other words, a fairly typical Disco match plus LeRoux's inexperience showing. *3/4

 

We get footage from earlier tonight of Benoit and Malenko telling Saturn (and relay the message to Shane Douglas) to shove the Revolution up his ass. Guess that group's over. Also another Russo innovation, bringing the word "ass" to Turner TV. 

 

Triangle Street Fight for the Vacant WCW World Tag Team Championship: Harlem Heat def The Filthy Animals and The First Family (w/Jimmy Hart) in 5:02- Get used to the word "vacant", you're going to be hearing it a LOT during Russo's tenure. Remember that knee injury Mysterio had at Fall Brawl, the one that didn't seem too serious after? Turned out it was. He'd be out a bit after all. Due to that, instead of letting the Animals defend under Freebird rules Russo just earlier today stripped them, because he loved vacating titles as much as AWA's Stanley Blackburn did holding them up. It's Konnan and Kidman wrestling for the Animals tonight. The First Family all come out with Halloween masks on. OK then. They also have the rolling dumpster full of hardcore toys with them. The Animals come out with the belts on. When you STRIP them, doesn't that mean you physically take the belts off them? Kidman also has a camcorder with him because why not. He leaves it on the commentary table and asks them to keep it safe. Nothing comes of it. The bell rings and the trash cans are instantly flying around. We've got two refs for this match too, not that it'll help much. After the requisite floor brawl there's a funny moment in the ring when Knobbs accidentally hits his partner Morris with a trash can and Morris does a crazy delayed flop off it. Booker then side kicks Knobbs and covers Morris for 2. Hart gets in the ring and hits Booker with a trash can lid! Bad move, Jimmy. Run for your life! And he does. That leads to Heat and Knobbs trashing the cemetery area on the stage and then fighting backstage, giving me bad flashbacks to Uncensored '95 and that disastrous street fight. At least no one's accidentally poured that liquid cotton candy is made from all over the floor this time. Morris presses Kidman down into the top of a chair. Ouch. Morris DDTs Konnan and tells HART to get a table! And he does. Morris goes up top and moonsaults Konnan through the table! Meanwhile in the back Booker hits Knobbs with a dummy dressed as a mummy. Wait! That's no mummy! That's THE YETAY! The bandages are unmistakable. Booker covers Knobbs and gets the pin! Guess it was falls count anywhere too. Wait, something happened in the ring we never saw. The other ref counted a pin in there and the bell rung. Booker and Kidman argue over the belts, but it's settled quickly and Heat are declared the winners and champions because they got a pin first. It's their tenth WCW tag title win. Konnan has a hurt shoulder after the match and is helped out but he would be back the next night. ReyRey and Torrie Wilson also show up on the stage after the match for no reason. OKish all over plunder brawl but I got lots of comedy mileage out of it at least. **

 

Harlem Heat reign #10 would last an entire day, as they lost the titles to Konnan and Kidman the next night on Nitro. Why not just have the Animals win this match? Don't ask, it's Russo. I won't lie, it feels a little good to get that line out again. And, sadly, I'm going to have to use it a lot for the rest of WCW's run.

 

Footage of Ric Flair walking into the arena WITH A CROWBAR. No other explanation at this time.

 

DDP's music hits for in ring promo segment #1 tonight. Yup, it's Russo. He's got a match with Flair later tonight. Kimberly is back with him after being off TV for a while. Kimberly drops the SEXUAL INNUENDO because we're edgy now. I don't mind visualizing Kimberly at all, but she's throwing DDP in there and that's an image my brain does not need. DDP gives us the first saying of "swerve" in the Russo era. DDP to the crowd: "I can't possibly suck, I'm not from Las Vegas!". Dude, you're from New Jersey. Zero leg to stand on there. DDP drops a bunch of "spank it, jack it, whack it" lines while not being able to get the strap for his match out of his pants. There's a metaphor.

 

Eddie Guerrero def Perry Saturn by DQ in 11:12- Guerrero's Filthy Animals teammates are barred from ringside for this. He comes to the ring wearing Ric Flair's Rolex watch that he apparently stole. Allegedly. Like Eddie Guerrero would ever steal anything. He leaves it with Heenan because he trusts Heenan, not Tony, which leads to some decent commentary comedy hijinks the entire match. The bell rings and we jump again with Saturn dodging a dropkick. They do a nice speed/counter sequence and Saturn hits a hot shot. Double stomp on Guerrero for 2. Guerrero slides under and basement dropkicks Saturn's knee, then tosses him out to the floor. Elbow to the head off the apron. Guerrero sets the stairs up, but Saturn presses him and drops him on the stairs! That was an ugly looking hit, he dropped right into them face first. Pop up powerbomb with a cradle from Saturn back in for 2. Springboard crossbody for 2. He cranks on Guerrero's arm for a bit, then faceplants Guerrero. Saturn goes for a cross armbreaker. Guerrero knucklelocks to block it. Saturn rolls Guerrero over into a nice hammerlock/headscissors combination. Guerrero kicks back, snap mares Saturn and rakes his eyes with his boots. Basement dropkick for 2. Another counter run and Saturn hits the t-bone suplex for 2. Saturn switches gears and goes for Guerrero's knee now. Guerrero tries to roll free but Saturn stays with him. After that Guerrero goes to the eye rake to get free. Saito suplex from Guerrero for 2. He hooks Saturn in a top wristlock while on the mat, then switches to a short arm scissors. Saturn does a nice rollover to get free, lifts Guerrero up and drops him back down electric chair style. Springboard moonsault! Guerrero kicks out! Saturn goes for another one but Guerrero gets his knees up. Brain buster from Guerrero and he goes up top. Saturn dodges the frog splash! Saturn tries another springboard but Guerrero dropkicks him in midair. Saturn hot shots Guerrero in the corner. After some back and forth on the corner Saturn hits a t-bone superplex. Slow cover for 2. He sets Guerrero up top again and grabs him for what looks like an avalanche Razor's Edge. Guerrero manages to flip free and dropkicks Saturn. Superplex from Guerrero. Here comes Flair with Mr. Crowbar, looking for his watch. He gets in the ring and attacks Guerrero, drawing the DQ. Crowbar shot to Guerrero's ribs! Kidman runs in and takes crowbar shots. Torrie comes in and covers up Kidman. Flair grabs her, teases a crowbar shot, but struts around instead. He kisses Torrie! She....does not mind. Space Mountain time. Flair walks out without his watch. Guess Torrie made him forget. Wait, Flair's running back. He goes over and gets the watch from Heenan. I think he legitimately forgot to do that. Oh yeah, there was a match before all of that. Guerrero and Saturn had some nice bits, but could have strung them together better and, of course, had an actual finish. Under better circumstances this could have been really good. **1/2

 

HOLD ON, THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE BACK! That's Tony shouting, not me. Goldberg is wailing away on Sid! Security runs in to break them up. Sid yells "Is that all you've got?" while bleeding profusely. Welcome to the blood era, Turner.

 

In ring promo segment #2, this time with Buff Bagwell. Bagwell says he has a problem with the two new "writers" from up north. You thought WWE: Unreal exposed the business? He's also got a problem with Jeff Jarrett doing what he does best, smashing a guitar on his head. Wait, Jarrett? Yup, as Russo's best bud wrestler he came along on the trip back to WCW. Bagwell gives us our first saying of "stroke" in the Russo era. "Swerve" I can almost handle as long as it's used well, but I despise wrestlers saying "stroke" on screen in a clearly insider reference way. Jarrett runs out and Bagwell attacks him. After they back and forth brawl for a bit Lex Luger runs out. He takes the guitar and Bagwell holds Jarrett for him. Jarrett ducks and Luger hits Bagwell with the guitar! And it doesn't break! Double failure. Luger smashes the guitar over the top turnbuckle instead so he can say it was broken.

 

Backstage, Sid tosses away the doctor working on him and has a hissy fit. Elsewhere, Guerrero gets on his 1999 cell phone and demands his Filthy Animal backup come back to the arena. 

 

Brad Armstrong def Berlyn (w/The Wall) in 4:23- Brad Armstrong, still hanging around. After his "B.A." phase he's reverted back to his classic look, albeit with shorter hair, from when he was one of the more underrated junior heavyweights/cruiserweights of the late '80s and early '90s. His brother Road Dogg was one of Russo's favorites in WWF, that probably didn't hurt him in getting booking opportunities either. This is the second PPV match for Alex Wright's repackage as Berlyn. This one can't go any worse than the last one against Jim Duggan. It looks like they've put some kind of framerate filter on Berlyn's entrance to make it look more film like, which is.....really dumb. Lockup! Russo must be spitting nails. It's all Berlyn early, working Armstrong's arm over and doing some easy escapes when Armstrong tries to counter. Armstrong manages to get an armdrag and dropkick for 2. Berlyn Saitos out of a headlock. Pop up powerbomb from Berlyn for 2. After a leg lariat Berlyn takes forever playing to the crowd before covering. When he does Armstrong counters into a cradle for 2. Suplex with a floatover from Berlyn for 2. Armstrong gets a head of steam off the ropes and gets a crossbody for 2, but then Berlyn murders him with a clothesline for 2. More total domination from Berlyn as this is getting into squash territory. He goes for his hangman's neckbreaker finisher. Armstrong grabs the ropes to block it, falls on Berlyn, and gets a pin! HAHAHAHAHAHA that's one of the funniest match endings I've ever seen. Say goodbye to any credibility for Wright's new persona. After the bell Berlyn Wall lay Armstrong out in a desperate attempt to get some heat back but stick a fork in them, they're already done. The match was at least a competent wrestling match, which is way more than you can say about his Fall Brawl disaster with Duggan. 1/2*

 

WCW World Television Championship: Rick Steiner def Chris Benoit (c) in 12:50- Time to see how much of a miracle worker Benoit really is. He's going to have to overcome both Rick's broken down body awfulness and Russo's general disdain for having wrestling on his wrestling show. At the same time! Benoit defeated Rick for the title on the Nitro after Fall Brawl, just after Benoit lost the US title to Sid. The bell rings and Rick steps out to stall. After a bit Benoit goes for a baseball slide. Rick sidesteps it, jumps Benoit getting in the ring and starts pounding away on him. Steinerline! One plus is Rick's typical stiffness isn't going to bother Benoit any. Pop up suplex from Rick for 2. Benoit dodges an elbow drop and lays in some chops. Superplex from Benoit. He counters a Steinerline attempt by going for the crossface! Rick keeps running all the way out of the ring to get free. Benoit TOPE SUICIDA! After that Rick dodges on the floor and Benoit goes into the guardrail. Stair shot on Benoit and Rick rolls him back in for 2. Benoit corner whips Rick back and forth a few times, then barely connects with a dropkick that Rick was out of position for. Rick rolls out again and takes his sweet time getting back in. He then does his usual thing to turn the match around at this point of his career, shoves the ref aside and hits a Greco Roman Nut Punt. He starts working on Benoit's leg. Benoit hits a short clothesline but Rick dodges another dropkick. He rubs Benoit's face into the mat and it's chinlock time. Benoit tries to slide under but Rick just turns around and kicks him. He's clearly done with selling. Rick goes for a powerbomb. It looks like Benoit's going to counter by flipping out, but he just plants himself on the mat behind Rick instead. Not sure what that was supposed to be. Flash small package from Benoit for 2. Rick runs Benoit upside down into the corner for 2. Release German suplex from Rick and slow cover for 2. Another release German and another slow cover that gets 2. Benoit manages to use Rick's suplex hook up to counter with a DDT. Tackle from Benoit. More chops. ROLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLING GERMANS! All three hit for a 2 count. Rick pushes Benoit into the corner, then pushes the ref into Benoit. Benoit thinks the ref is Rick and back elbows him. Steinerline from Rick. He goes out and gets a chair. Benoit ducks a chair swing and Saito suplexes Rick. Chairshot for Rick! Benoit says that's it. But Rick has the chair. I don't think this is smart, but then again that's something no one accused Benoit of being. He goes for the headbutt off the top, but as expected Rick uses the chair as a shield. Dean Malenko runs in, takes the chair, loads up behind Rick.....and hits Benoit! Not at all shocking turn. Rick covers and gets the pin to win the title back. Oh, great. In the aisle Malenko and Saturn hug. They played Benoit all along. The match was about as good as it could have been considering Rick's body was on empty and the overbooking. *1/2 

 

The Total Package (w/Elizabeth) def Bret "Hitman" Hart in 7:46- Another Russo change, Lex Luger's official in ring name is now just The Total Package. Commentary struggles with that all match. His presentation is also back to being similar to what it was in the first part of his WWF run as the Narcissist. No mirrors this time around though. This is Bret's first PPV match in almost a year thanks to a combination of injury, understandable extended time off after Owen's death, and general WCW incompetence. It's also Luger's first PPV match since January, but that was entirely due to injury and he appeared as a manager for his then Wolfpac teammates in some of the intervening time. This is an interesting matchup if you take into account these guys' WWF history from 1994, which of course WCW can't or won't do. Jump start! Two whole matches without one, Russo's eye must have been twitching. WCW's directors need to catch up to that too, almost every one has been during a wide shot from the crane camera. It's Bret doing the jumping this time. He knocks Luger all around ringside. Back in Luger begs off but Bret doesn't care, dropping a headbutt in his gut. He stays on Luger with a bunch of punchy chokey stuff, then tosses Luger back out to the floor. He runs Luger's back into the ring apron. Elizabeth shoves Bret from behind! That got his attention. Luger tries to ambush but Bret was ready for him and we've still had zero Luger offense. Which I'm not really complaining about. Back in Luger begs again but Bret drops an elbow, then a legdrop. Luger finally manages to get a punch to Bret's gut and an eye rake to get some space. Elbow drops from Luger. Bret gets back up and starts slugging away again like nothing was wrong. He works on Luger's back in the corner. Bret is doing a good job of selling the hurt leg that Luger attacked during the build the whole match. Russian leg sweep from Bret for 2. Inverted atomic drop/clothesline combo. Backdrop/elbow off the second rope combo for 2. Going right down the FMOD checklist. Bret goes for the Sharpshooter! Luger eye pokes him to cut it off. Hiptoss reversals and both guys go over the top to the floor. Bret's up first but is limping more than ever. Back in the ring he can barely stand. Luger sees it and finally attacks the bad wheel. Half crab from Luger. Bret taps out! Already? Well then. The match was borderline OKish but that was a very sudden ending. **

 

Goldberg points out Sid's blood stain on the floor and has zero regret. After that Medusa comes out in pigtails and a bikini to shill Nitro cologne. Yes, NITRO COLOGNE. Heenan immediately undercuts it by saying it stinks. "It smells like a men's room at the Newark airport". Oh hell. You could have just said it smells like the Newark airport. Or being at the Newark airport. Same difference. Medusa plays it up, makes it clear that coming out in a bikini to model it isn't her idea, then says "You can just tell those two higher echelons (totally wrong use of that word) from New York, you know, the superpowers (wrong name, Tony tries to correct her)....that I think this is just ABSOLUTELY BULLSHIT!" and dumps it all over Heenan! First use of "bullshit" on Turner TV. That might have given Ted a heart attack. They didn't use that kind of language on Andy Griffith. Tony thinks it's all hilarious. First Russo PPV, first Russo worky shoot (shooty work?) segment.

 

Up next, our World title match. Already? This is weird. Anyway, Hulk Hogan is getting his rematch from Fall Brawl after Sting turned heel on him to take the title. Which was all done under the pre-Russo interim regime so I'm sure he has other ideas. 

 

WCW World Heavyweight Championship: Sting (c) def Hulk Hogan in :03- Hogan's music hits. No one comes out. We run through almost his whole entrance song with just about every single person in the crowd getting a moment on camera but nothing else happens. Finally it stops and Sting's music starts up. Sting actually shows up. Take two on Hogan's music. Still no Hogan. Finally he comes out, in street clothes. Hogan and Sting have a discussion...then Hogan lays down! Sting covers and pins him. Neither guy looks exactly thrilled with what's happening here. Hogan gets up and leaves. We get zero follow up as TV cuts right to the preview video for the next match, probably so we can't hear the crowd presumably shitting all over it. That was a next level bait and switch. CRASH TV everyone! NR

 

WCW United States Heavyweight Championship: Goldberg def Sid Vicious (c) in 7:11- We come back and the crowd is still booing what just happened. Sid's cut from earlier in the show isn't covered up at all and he's still got dried blood down his face and in his hair. Goldberg's music plays forever before we cut to the back for his security escort. Hope he doesn't come out in street clothes and lays down. Damn, what are they doing, walking around the entire building? Finally they get to Gorilla and we cut back to the arena. Set off the sparklers. As Goldberg's walking down the aisle the Outsiders attack him! Once they're done Sid jumps Goldberg from behind in the aisle and the bell rings to start. Goldberg fights back and gives Sid some guardrail shots. Some punches reopen Sid's cut. Sid tries to jab back but Goldberg quickly cuts him off again. Getting in the ring Sid attacks again and this time gets some momentum. Big boot from Sid. Camel clutch time, with blood pouring down Sid's face. Goldberg lifts Sid up and electric chairs him for 2. He cranks on Sid's neck and attacks the cut some more. The ref is checking the cut and Goldberg continues to target it. Sid's a full on crimson mask now. Clothesline from Goldberg for 2. More punches on the cut as Sid is absolutely covered in blood. But he's still fighting! Goldberg grabs Sid's leg, tosses him down, and clotheslines him again. Funny moment where Tony says "This is the darndest....DAMNDEST thing I've ever seen in a PPV telecast!". Russo's in now, get that language up a level. Sid hits some clubbing blows but he's clearly out of gas. The ref checks him again. Sid collapses down to his knees. Finally the ref calls for the bell and declares Goldberg the winner for his second US title win. Rick Steiner runs in to help Sid out and Sid is extremely unhappy at the decision, but nothing else happens. Well, it's Goldberg and Sid and was always going to suck no matter what so at least they tried to do something different with it, and made a declarative statement that despite Turner's past history banning it there will be blood with Russo in charge. 1/4*

 

Sting's music hits as he comes out again. In ring promo #3, which is already longer than his "match". Sting drops the belt in the ring still not looking very happy with any of this, says he came to Vegas for a fight, not a night off, and challenges ANYONE in the locker room to get in the ring with him in the main event. Still no explanation as to why Hogan laid down for him. 

 

Strap Match: Diamond Dallas Page (w/Kimberly) def "Nature Boy" Ric Flair in 12:49- This is a pairing that under better circumstances could absolutely produce greatness. I suspect that's not what we're going to be getting here. Tony lets us know this is not like previous WCW strap matches, it's regular pin or submission instead of touch all four corners. That's one good change. DDP does the usual heel stalling not wanting to put the strap on, then puts it on while he's on the apron and the bell rings to start. Both guys maneuver for leverage in the ring. DDP gets Flair in the corner and hits some shots. Flair reverses and lays in the first chops of the match. Then he gives DDP the first strap whips. They go to the floor and Flair pulls DDP into the post. More strap whips on DDP in the aisle. DDP eye rakes and gives Flair a guardrail shot. They go over the barricade in the back next to the stage and go into a crowd brawl all the way up the arena bowl! Another one for the Russo bingo card. It goes on a while too. Eventually Flair dumps DDP over the rail back to ringside. Then he grabs Kimberly and lays one on her! That allows DDP to jump Flair from behind. Keep your mind on the match, Ric. Don't let the little appendage tell the big appendage what to do. Flair takes a strap whip and DDP chokes him with the strap. Well would you look at that. Flair's bleeding. He's got the green light and I'm surprised it took this long into the match for it to happen. He tries to chop back but can barely stand and DDP whips him with the strap again. All this is still on the floor by the way, they haven't touched the ring since the very start of the match. DDP dumps Flair on the announce table, stands on the table and whips Flair some more. After that they finally get back in the ring. DDP drops an arrogant elbow and covers for 2. He sets Flair up in perfect position, and Flair takes the opportunity to hit a low blow. More strap whips. Flair uses the strap to tie DDP down in the corner and chops him some more. Straight up Greco Roman Nut Punch from Flair. Kimberly might need some extra ice ready for later tonight. Flair clotheslines DDP with the strap. Kneedrop. Flair starts picking the knee apart. Figure four! Flair gets a LONG 2 count off it. DDP fights over and gets a rope break. Flair continues the pounding. DDP headbutts Flair right in the crotch! He tries to choke Flair with the strap again. Diamond Cutter! With the strap wrapped around Flair's throat! Lil' Naitch counts 2 and pulls up even though Flair never kicked out, then belatedly calls for the bell. Well that was a mess. I don't know who messed up on that, but I'm reluctant to say Lil' Naitch because he never messes up. DDP gives Naitch a Cutter. After the bell DDP continues choking Flair with the strap. Here comes David Flair with the Crowbar of Death. Kimberly cuts him off, knees him in the nuts, takes the crowbar and hands it to DDP. Continuing the theme, DDP whacks Flair squire in the nuts with the crowbar. Space Mountain is cancelled tonight. Diamond Cutter on David Flair because why not. And a final elbow to David's crotch on the way out. OKish match that seemed more designed to make the point this is Russo's yard now than do anything for either of the wrestlers. **1/4

 

The backboard and stretcher some out for Flair as David and Lil' Naitch look on, both crying. Naitch is selling it almost as hard as when he wrestled a whole match as Flair earlier in the year. We follow Flair being rolled out on the stretcher to the back and all the way to the ambulance. Before they get to the ambulance the Filthy Animals attack! Konnan trying to fight with one arm in a sling is freaking hilarious. They dump Flair in the back of the ambulance, commandeer it and drive off. Did I mention the Russo bingo card? You should have about three bingos now. If it was a drinking game you'd be dead.

 

WCW United States Heavyweight Champion Goldberg def WCW World Heavyweight Champion Sting in 3:08- We've got less than 10 minutes of show time left as Sting's music hits yet again. No one should be expecting a long match here, we're not having what happened at last year's Halloween Havoc happen again. Who's answering Sting's call? Well, who do we know that's an expert in quick squash matches? OH MY GOD IT'S GOLDBERG. What a shock. Who, remember, just won the US title earlier tonight. He does not come out with that belt. He's still got patches of Sid's blood on him. Commentary stresses that this is a non-title match. To be fair, Sting did only say he wanted a fight, he didn't say anything about putting the title on the line. Sting steps out and has a think after Goldberg's music stops. Oh wait, there's no ref. Sting even says "We need a ref". Lil' Naitch, emotionally recovered from earlier, runs out to take the job. Bell rings and we're on. Lockup! Goldberg hits some knees and kicks in the corner. They stumble all over each other in the middle of the ring, clearly on completely separate pages on what to do. Goldberg punches Sting out of the ring. Sting takes the usual ringside knockaround. He ducks and Goldberg punches the post. Elbow drop from Sting back in. He goes up top and hits a big splash for 2. Spear from Sting! That only pissed Goldberg off. He pops right back up with a superkick. Sting dodges in the corner and Goldberg goes in shoulder first. Stinger Splash! Two! Three! First time in forever I've seen him hit all three. Goldberg ducks, leapfrog, SPEAR! Jackhammer, done. If you're going to do that, why not do it for the title? Don't ask, it's Russo. And then Goldberg is announced as the new World champ and handed the belt! Commentary has as much clue as we do. After Goldberg leaves Sting argues with Naitch, then Scorpion Death Drops him for good measure. The show ends with Tony literally mid-sentence. The match looked like they were both told 10 minutes before this match was happening, go out there and do your best. 3/4*

 

Let me try to clean up this mess as best I can. Goldberg, despite the announcement, did NOT win the World title. The next night on Nitro, Sting was stripped of the title due to losing this match. So Goldberg should have won it anyway. That would be the first of, I'm not kidding, SIX STRAIGHT World title reigns that will end with the champion being stripped rather than beaten, running through the following April and the infamous WCW reboot. Welcome to Crash TV. Meanwhile, also on Nitro the next night Bret Hart would defeat Goldberg for the US title. The Bret with the gimpy leg that tapped out to Lex freaking Luger in like two seconds over a Goldberg that just decimated Sid and Sting. So what was the point of ANYTHING tonight? Say it with me.....Don't ask, it's Russo. And it's just getting started.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Well, it's certainly different. Zero time wasted by Russo putting his stamp all over the product. Watching live at the time, maybe you'd think once some stuff got ironed out that it might work long term. Maybe? With our hindsight though, we know this is just the start of the roller coaster's big, big drop. It was also amusing to hear commentary sounding constantly and likely legitimately flummoxed and bewildered the whole night.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: D+ 

No Mercy '01

Legacy Review

No Mercy '01

October 21, 2001 from the Savvis Center in St. Louis, MO

 

Commentary: Jim Ross and Paul Heyman

 

The Invasion angle lurches on, now being featured on its fourth PPV. Fortunately, it's almost over. After dethroning Steve Austin for the WWF Championship in a huge feel good moment on the post-9/11 Unforgiven, Kurt Angle dropped it back to Austin on Raw a couple of weeks after largely thanks to the defection of WWF Commissioner William Regal to the Alliance. Tonight Angle is getting one more shot, but in a twist in a Triple Threat match that's also including easily the hottest member of the Alliance, (thumb point it with me) Rob Van Dam. An extra layer tonight is there's rumors that either Austin or RVD might be switching sides to the WWF and Vince in particular had been making moony eyes at RVD lately. Of course, by this point no one really cared about the whole interpromotional battle anymore as it had been so one sided and juiceless. There's a great intro video for the show highlighting the motivations of the three guys in the main event. Simple and effective.

 

WCW Tag Team Championship: The Hardy Boyz (c) (w/Lita) def Lance Storm & WWF European Champion The Hurricane (w/Ivory and Mighty Molly) in 7:41- The signature title hotshotting of the Invasion angle continues apace. The Hardyz dethroned Booker T and Test for the titles on Smackdown a couple of weeks before this, the third change for these titles since August. Hurricane has actually defied all odds and held on to the European title for two PPVs now, but that would end the next night on Raw at the hands of Bradshaw. Since the last PPV Ivory has been paired with Storm, while Molly Holly dumped Spike Dudley to accept Hurricane's offer of a spot in the Alliance Justice Gang. JR and Heyman actually mention the real life history between the Hardyz and Hurricane, who all grew up together in North Carolina. Jeff and his baseball cap starts with Hurricane. I should also point out WWF is trying out some new WCW ref shirts for this show, a dull all grey pullover that's just bleh. Lockup and they do a nice bit of chain wrestling. Hurricane hits a shoulderblock and poses. That also knocked Jeff's cap off. I don't know why he bothers with that. Another counter exchange and Jeff hits a hiptoss. Matt tags in and the Hardyz double slam Hurricane for 2. Storm blind tags in and the Alliance team give Matt a double team cutter for 2. Hurricane insists on a fist bump instead of a regular tag from Storm, which naturally annoys super straight laced Storm but he does it anyway. Matt hits a double clothesline and tags out. Hurricane seems to try a crossbody but Jeff literally knocks him out of the air. Jawbreaker on Storm. Ivory grabs Jeff's leg to let Storm push him out of the ring. Hurricane loads up for a dive but Matt cuts it off with a clothesline, then baseball slides Storm. Holly gets in the ring and helps Hurricane up. Hurricane goes up top and crossbodys everyone else on the floor! The cape really does add something for that, it looks great. Dropkick from Storm on Jeff for 2. Another Alliance double team for 2. Backbreaker from Hurricane for 2. Jeff hops up the corner and hits Whisper in the Wind on Storm. Hurricane tries to cut him off Jeff fights him off and gets the tag. Clothesline off the top from Matt on Hurricane. Diving clotheslines on both Alliance guys. DONNYBROOK! Poetry in Motion hits on Storm. They go for it on Hurricane but he dodges and half nelson cradles Matt for 2. Matt hits the legdrop off the second rope for 2. Storm breaks up a Twist of Fate attempt and Matt eats a double superkick. Jeff just breaks the pin up. Jeff hops the middle of the top rope and uses his legs to pull Storm over to the floor. That was different. Molly tries to come in but Lita spears her! Ivory comes in and dumps Lita out. Jeff takes Ivory down and gives her the crotch legdrop. Storm half crab on Jeff. Lita hits Storm with a flying headscissors off the top rope to break it up! Matt hits the Twist of Fate on Hurricane. Jeff follows up with the Swanton Bomb and Matt covers for the pin to retain. They got as much in as they could for the time they got, they definitely have a better match in them. I would have given the women their own match instead of being so involved here. **3/4

 

RVD arrives at the arena and gets accosted by Regal. Regal asks RVD if he's going to apologize to Austin for frog splashing him last week, and if he has anything to do with Vince McMahon. RVD answers both questions by saying he's only in it for himself. Regal tells him not to do anything he might regret later.

 

Elsewhere, a limo is arriving. A "long, black limousine, as the country song says" according to JR. That's preposterous. Everyone knows the only vehicles in country songs are broken down pickup trucks. Anyway, Vince comes out of the limo for his first appearance on TV in a while. He immediately demands interviewer Michael Cole put his jacket on for him. Vince says he's here tonight to "make an impact". He's buying TNA!

 

Test def Kane in 10:05- JR mentions this is the arena that Kane made his huge debut in almost exactly four years ago. Kane's first six months or so in WWF is still one of the greatest initial runs we've ever seen. Jump start with Kane taking early control with the usual power stuff. Test tries to slug back but Kane powerslams him for 2. They have a miscommunication where Kane goes for a press, but Test reads it wrong and flings himself throat first into the top rope instead. After a reset Kane does the press and drops Test down to the floor. On the floor Test gets the bell and whacks Kane with it, right in front of WCW ref Nick Patrick. Once again JR gets all over Patrick for not calling a DQ when a WCW guy uses a weapon. Back in Test pounds Kane down in the corner. Delayed suplex from Test for 2. Kane punches back and hits a short clothesline. Test dodges an elbow drop and hits a diving back elbow off the second rope for 2. Side suplex from Test. He goes up top but Kane dodges the big elbow drop. Hangman's neckbreaker from Kane. Big boot. They have another spot that I'm not sure they were on the same page for where Kane clotheslines Test in the back in the corner. Back suplex from Kane for 2. Test twists Kane into a pumphandle attempt but Kane side suplexes him for 2. A 360 clothesline sends Test back to the floor. Test pushes Kane into the post and and gives him the swift, high big boot style kick that was his finisher now. Cover back in for a long 2. Kane ducks another big kick attempt in the ring. Chokeslam! Kane's slow to cover and Test just kicks out. Stand up slugfest. Powerslam from Kane. He goes up top. Test dodges the top rope clothesline. Pumphandle powerslam and Kane just kicks out. Test's top rope elbow hits for 2. Frustrated Test goes out and gets a chair. Kane dropkicks it into him! Now Kane takes the chair. Patrick takes it away! Cue another JR rant. Kane goozle on Patrick! And Test! Test low blows to get free, big kicks Kane again, and gets the pin. After the bell Kane chokeslams Patrick a couple of times to let off some steam. Then comes back in and powerbombs him because why not. It's only Nick Patrick. There was a couple of rough patches but they got some damn nice near falls down the stretch. ***

 

In the back Coach is at Austin's locker room looking for a word. Debra answers the door and says she'll check. Austin refuses to talk to Coach, but then cuts a whole promo anyway behind the door that we can clearly hear but Debra repeats it all to Coach anyway. Debra also makes sure to tone down Austin's language to PG level. Pretty funny stuff, even with Debra involved.

 

Lingerie Match: Torrie Wilson def Stacie Keibler in 3:09- Be still my heart. To repeat what I've said before, Torrie is fine, but Stacie is freaking hot as hell. These two were "best friends" when they came into WWF from WCW together, but fell out when Torrie started dating Tajiri and flipped to the WWF side. Stacie's been paired up with the Dudleyz by now as well, which will carry her WWF career for quite a while after the Invasion angle is done. One amusing thing here, WWF's actually lowered a cover, I don't know what the technical term is, under the lighting rig to soften the lighting for this match. Like how the screen always used to go misty when Kirk found a woman he liked in TOS right before violating the Prime Directive with her. Torrie takes her robe off immediately but Stacie still has hers on when the match starts. Needless to say the wrestling is secondary in this. Stacie does a couple of cartwheels off of whip attempts which is cool. After that she finally gets her robe off. Both ladies' outfits are fine but nothing that pushes the boundaries. It's not the Attitude Era anymore. Stacie gets a riding crop or something out of her gear and spanks Torrie with it, then spanks ref Jack Doan when he protests! Doan likes it a little too much. They do the mandatory roll around that Doan gets squashed on. A Torrie sunset flip leads to a nice sequence of cradle reversals. Stacie goes up onto the second rope and about gives me a heart attack with a sexy hip swivel. Torrie connects with Tajiri's handspring elbow and gets the pin. Pretty inoffensive actually. The outfits are understandably going to get all the attention, but the wrestling was borderline competent so no real reason to complain and better that usual for these type matches. NR

 

Vince interrupts Angle's promo to wish him luck. Angle's not too happy with Vince because of the rumors he's trying to get RVD over. "It's true, it's....VAN DAM true!" 

 

Ladder Match for the WWF Intercontinental Championship: Edge def Christian (c) in 22:12- As soon as Edge and Christian broke up you knew this was coming due their history with the TLC matches. This is in the period where ladder matches were starting to get overexposed after being kept as a special, rare thing for so long. Already this year there had been Benoit/Jericho at the Rumble, TLC II and III, Benoit/Angle as part of Three Stages of Hell at Judgment Day, and Jeff Hardy/RVD just two months ago at Summerslam. Christian upset Edge for the title at Unforgiven, and has since flipped from WWF to the Alliance because that's where all the heels are supposed to be. They meet on the ramp and the fight is on. It's all Edge early on as he knocks Christian around the ringside area. Backdrop from Edge in the ring. He kicks Christian's leg out of his leg in the classic Owen Hart spot. Christian grabs the ropes off a whip and slides out, then snaps Edge over the top rope. Christian gets the ladder and starts to bring it in. Edge baseball slides the ladder into Christian! He tosses Christian over the barricade and we get a bit of crowd brawling. Edge makes good use of the wall usually used for Blues games, then backdrops Christian back over the barricade. Edge props the ladder up against the ring and slingshots Christian into it. He then takes one of the backup ladders that are now being placed around the ring and sets it up between the stairs and the barricade. Christian eye rakes and flapjacks Edge onto that ladder, then drags Edge up onto that ladder bridge. Edge punches back and Christian falls crotch first onto the ladder rungs! Ouch. Edge starts to bring a ladder in the ring. Christian legdrops the ladder to snap it into Edge's face! Christian is the first to set a ladder up in the ring and starts to slow climb. Edge tips the ladder over, but Christian lands on his feet and clotheslines him. He squashes Edge in the corner with the ladder. Christian goes under the ring and gets a chair. That was their TLC specialty. Christian goes to give Edge a chairshot from the top rope. Edge blocks it and flips Christian over onto the ladder! JR starts whipping out his "how do you learn how to fall" lines. Edge lifts Christian up on his shoulders and drops him onto the ladder. Edge wedges the ladder in the corner. Christian reverses a whip and Edge goes ribs first into the ladder. Neckbreaker from Christian. He slingshots Edge up into the ladder. Christian brings a second ladder into the ring and sets it up to climb. Edge sets up the first ladder and also climbs. He slams Christian down off the ladder! Now Edge slowly starts to climb. Christian cuts him off, climbs the other ladder and reverse DDTs Edge down. Christian goes under the ring and gets more chairs. He sets Edge up for a one man conchairto. Edge pushes a chair into Christian's face to cut that off, then goes out and gets a third ladder. He props that ladder up horizontally on the chairs, places Christian on it, and goes up top. Big splash onto Christian on the ladder propped up on chairs! I think I got it all. Edge starts dragging himself up one of the ladders in the middle. Christian pokes him with ladder #3 to knock him back down. Christian then sets that ladder up at a 45 degree angle to the other two ladders. He starts to climb, but Edge is also climbing the top rope. Spear off the top to knock Christian off the ladder! Both guys climb the third ladder that's at an odd angle to the other two. Slugfest on the ladder. The ladder tips and both guys fall down to the floor! Christian is back up first and climbs. Or tries to. He gives it another go. Here comes Edge with a chair! He sticks the top right into Christian's crotch! Edge climbs up, positions the chairs, positions Christian.....one man conchairto to Christian on the top of the ladders! Christian collapses to the mat dead, Edge grabs the belt and gets the win and title back! Multiple refs are in checking on Christian after that finish, but he's Canadian and probably played hockey at some point, he's fine. It's a good match, but also pretty much the base or floor of what you'd expect from a WWF ladder match. I get selling the damage, but it moved at an almost glacial pace for large sections. So far these two have not had near the magic together as opponents as they did as teammates. Thankfully other than the upcoming UK PPV they'll take a break from each other for a while after this. ***1/2

 

WWF Tag Team Championship: The Dudley Boyz (c) def The Big Show & Tajiri in 9:30- Show's traded in Spike Dudley for Tajiri to be his new odd couple partner as he tries to take these titles from the Dudleyz for the second straight PPV. Neither woman is with her man/men because they're both shaking off the effects of that grueling match earlier. Bubba Ray mocks Show with the belt during entrances. Tajiri starts out with Bubba Ray. D'Von distracts from the apron and Bubba Ray jumps. Tajiri tries a kick combo but Bubba Ray quickly shrugs it off. Double shoulderblock from the Dudleyz. Tajiri ducks a D'Von swing, hits a superkick and standing moonsault for 2. Shows tags in and does some Andre the Giant like backward squashes in the corner. Homaging his dad. The Dudleyz try to double team Show but that doesn't work out for them. Tajiri diving senton onto both Dudleyz! JR says Tajiri has a degree in economics. Heyman: "Is that in dollars or yen?". OK, made me laugh. Show hits D'Von with a side suplex for 2. Tajiri gets fooled by a blind tag and runs right into a Bubba Bomb. I don't know if it's because of the ladder match being before this or what, but the crowd is dead for this match. Tajiri gets beat down in the heel corner and that starts to get them into it a bit. Double flapjack from the Dudleyz as they keep Tajiri in peril. D'Von comes off the second rope into a Tajiri superkick! Bubba Ray distracts the ref and we get the phantom tag spot, followed by the Whazzup Drop on Tajiri. Tajiri counters a Bubba Ray powerbomb attempt into a DDT! Tags on both sides. Show has clotheslines for everyone. Big boot on D'Von. Avalanche for Bubba Ray. Show superkicks D'Von! Not something you saw him do often. Goozle on Bubba Ray. D'Von chop blocks Show to cut off the chokeslam. Tajiri tags himself in on Show and immediately gets slammed off the top rope while Show gets dumped to the floor. Tajiri gets some kicks in and hooks D'Von in the tarantula. Handspring back elbow on both Dudleyz! Tajiri loads up the mist. Bubba Ray ducks and the ref takes the green mist! Show comes in, dumps D'Von out, and chokeslams Bubba Ray. He covers but the ref is still misted. Plus Show's not legal but who's counting that. Rhyno runs in. GORE GORE GORE on Show! Tajiri gets an enzuguri on D'Von. Head kick! The ref crawls over but D'Von just kicks out! Tajiri continues to try, but the Dudleyz maneuver him into the 3D and get the pin to retain. Perfectly acceptable tag team wrestling. **1/2

 

The Undertaker def Booker T in 12:10- Wrestling solo means Taker has the bike back. Man, I still want to see Kane in a sidecar now I got that image in my head a few PPVs ago. As soon as Taker's off the bike Booker jumps him. Extended back and forth brawl on the floor. Taker rolls Booker in the ring and the bell rings to officially start things. Big boot from Taker for a quick 2. Booker ducks a clothesline and hits the flying forearm for 2. Corner shoulderblocks from Booker. Booker's already gotten more from Taker than DDP ever did, I guess that's something. Taker dodges and Booker goes shoulder first into the post. Taker cranks up the bad arm and goes to work on it. Legdrop on the arm into a short arm scissors. Booker tries to fight back but Taker does a nice arm takedown into a Fujiwara armbar attempt. He can't get it on, so goes up to hit old school instead. Big clothesline from Taker for 2. They had a communication breakdown there. Booker started to roll out of the ring after the clothesline, then had to stop so Taker could get the 2 count, then finished rolling out. Taker doesn't look too pleased after that. On the floor Booker whips Takers into the stairs. Booker goes over and gets the bell, but WWF ref Tim White quickly yanks it away. No Nick Patrick here. Taker clotheslines Booker over the barricade and we get some crowd brawling where one guy double fisting beer gets some spilled on him by Booker falling into him. Booker recovers to throw Taker into the post. Back in Booker hits a missile dropkick for a long 2. That was a finisher for him at one time in WCW during his TV title reigns. Hook kick from Booker. He seems to lose his spot after then finally covers Taker for 2. Side suplex from Booker for 2. Kneedrop and Booker loads up for the spinaroonie (which is the one thing of his the crowd reacts to right now) but changes his mind and Taker starts slugging back. He does a nice flipover of Booker onto his shoulder but Booker squirms free and hits a neckbreaker for 2. Booker comes off the second rope into Taker's waiting boot. Stand up slugfest. Taker hits another big boot for 2. Booker hits a side kick for 2. Leaping DDT from Taker. He hits a couple of corner clotheslines. Legdrop for 2. Taker charges the corner but Booker hot shots him onto the top turnbuckle. Another side kick. Taker rolls to the floor and it's spinaroonie time! It gets a bit of a pop. While Taker's coming back through the ropes Booker scissors kicks him for 2! Taker used a rope break there instead of kicking out. Goozle! Booker kicks free possibly low, from the camera angle we couldn't see clearly. Booker hits mounted punches. Tactical miscalculation. Taker uses that to lift him up, hits the Last Ride and gets the pin! It wasn't totally awful, but it wasn't pretty either. Booker's tour of jobbing out to top WWF stars continues as they continue to go with the "break him down to build him back up later" theory with him. All of which means the crowd's been given zero reason to care about him other than the spinaroonie. He still seems to be struggling to adapt to the WWF style too. **

 

WCW Championship: Chris Jericho def The Rock (c) in 23:44- This is WWF vs WWF (for the WCW title) and face vs face. It's an inspired matchup too that's been put together better than pretty much anything since the Invasion started. This whole match is wrapped around the question "Can Jericho win the big one?", due to his failures in WWF Title matches to this point (including the Raw in spring of 2000 where he defeated Triple H for the title but then was screwed by shenanigans and the title change erased). JR runs down the matchmaking in Atlanta for this being Jericho's first ever shot at this title despite being in WCW for years. Long cross ring staredown before the bell. This thing is already intense and the crowd is already eating all of it up. Lockup! Both guys trade headlocks and hammerlocks. After a Jericho shoulderblock Rock gets an armdrag. Then Rock his a shoulderblock and Jericho gets a couple of armdrags. Back elbow from Rock. Jericho gets up and slaps Rock! Takedown and some ground and pound from Jericho as things crank up a bit. He gives Rock some chops. Rock grabs the ropes to fake out Jericho and lays in some of his own ground and pound. Jericho fights out of an early Rock Bottom attempt. Rock fights out of an early Walls attempt. Springboard dropkick from Jericho and Rock goes to the floor. Jericho gives him some ringside knockaround and hits a diving back elbow off the top rope coming back in for 2. Rock tries to slug back but Jericho hits a flying forearm for 2. More chops from Jericho. Rock reverses and hits his own rapid fire chops. Jericho hits a leg lariat for 2, then a pair of backbreakers with a senton follow up. Rock counters the cover with a cradle for 2. Jericho gets right back on Rock with a basement dropkick. Rock comes back with a flying clothesline, but Jericho quickly counters again with a hot shot. Setup slam and Jericho goes up top. Rock hits the ropes to crotch him. Superplex from Rock. Both guys stagger up and Rock goes into full comeback mode with a snap belly to belly suplex and Samoan drop for 2. Jericho counters a whip attempt into a short clothesline. Rock kips right back up! Full smackdown punches in the corner and Jericho flies over the top rope to the floor! Jericho tries to chop back but runs into a clothesline for 2. Vertical suplex from Rock for 2. More chop backs from Jericho. Rock sidesteps him and momentum tosses him back out to the floor. Back in Rock slows things down for a bit with a chinlock. They go to arm drops and Jericho fights back up. Rock dodges a dropkick and slingshots Jericho into the corner. He goes for another superplex. Jericho fights it off and hits a missile dropkick. Now Jericho starts stringing some moves together, including a swinging neckbreaker. He hops up and hurricanranas Rock for 2! Rock reverses a whip and Jericho does a Bret bump. Rock tries a back suplex off the rebound but Jericho flips out. Jericho hits a Rock Bottom! Lionsault! Rock kicks out! Bulldog from Jericho. Uh oh. He's making a mistake. He's going for his own People's Elbow. Rock dodges! Dragon screw from Rock! World's Shittest Sharpshooter! Jericho slowly crawls over and gets a rope break, then falls out to the floor. Rock has eyes for the Spanish announce table and sets it up. He drags Jericho up onto it. Rock Bottom through the Spanish announce table! Rock gives Jericho a nice measured punch before rolling him back in the ring. He's coiled to strike. Roc...NO Jericho fights free! Rock spinebuster! People's......NO Jericho grabs Rock's legs to stop him and hooks on the Walls! Rock almost gets to the ropes, then Jericho drags him back to the middle! Oh hell, Steph's out here. She slides a chair into the ring. Jericho immediately lets go and goes after her. Kick wham Rock DDT. Rock flips Steph into the ring! Rock Bottom on Steph! Jericho grabs Rock from behind and drops him face first into the chair! Cover and Jericho gets the pin to win his first world title! I really like Jericho winning this for his first one, when WCW wouldn't have seen him as world title material in a million years. Jericho brags to Steph that he won it. But wait. Rock's standing behind Jericho with the chair. Everything stops as they stare at each other. Rock points out his skull print on the chair, hands it to Jericho, and leaves. Message sent. Unfortunately, all the goodwill from this will be pissed away in a couple of months when Jericho turns into a weasel heel and partners with his mortal enemy Steph for his Undisputed title run. But all that aside, this match was great if a bit let down by Steph getting involved. ****

 

Recap video for the main event. After Regal turned on WWF to join the Alliance and help Austin get the title back, Mick Foley was pressed back into service by Linda McMahon to resume his role as WWF Commissioner. His first action was to make a triple threat main event for tonight, Austin v Angle again, but also including by far the hottest newcomer from the WCW/ECW fold, RVD. This caused tension in the Alliance between Austin and RVD, with the pot stirred even more with Vince trying to lure RVD to the WWF side. Which, in turn, upset Angle as he'd been the WWF standard bearer for most of the Invasion angle. 

 

Triple Threat Match for the WWF Championship: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (c) def Kurt Angle and WWF Hardcore Champion Rob Van Dam in 15:16- This should be noteworthy just for the Hardcore title being in the main event, even if it's not on the line. They're making a big deal of this match being no DQ, but that's normal triple threat rules to me. During his entrance Austin completely ignores Angle and gets in RVD's face. Angle runs up and German suplexes Austin! Bell to start. German on RVD! Another German on Austin. Belly to belly for RVD! Austin eye rakes Angle and he and RVD team up to stomp Angle down. Angle falls to the floor and Austin wants RVD bad. RVD is as chill as always. Angle gets on the apron and they both knock him down again, then go right back to posturing with each other. Double bird from Austin. Well that's just how he says hi so I wouldn't read much into that. Angle gets back in and Russian leg sweeps RVD! Austin stomps away on both of them. He gets Angle in the middle of the ring. Double bird kick wh....NO Angle grabs Austin's kick and hooks on the ankle lock. You could clearly hear Austin yell "SHIT!" when Angle grabbed his leg, great little touch. RVD shotgun dropkicks Angle to break it up. He goes into a kick flurry on Austin. Superkick on Angle. Rolling thunder on Angle for 2. Angle rolls to the floor. Austin spinebusters RVD. He starts working on RVD's knee a bit, takes a second to snap Angle over the top rope, then puts RVD in a half crab. Angle runs in and breaks that up. Austin ducks a punch and backdrops Angle over the top to the floor. Now Austin hooks on an STF on RVD! Again Angle quickly breaks it up. He takes Austin to the floor. Austin slingshots Angle into the post. Austin then gives RVD's knee some post shots. Angle tosses Austin over the barricade and they brawl in the crowd a bit. RVD senton off the top rope down onto Austin and Angle on the floor! He hops on the announce table and drops a legdrop on Austin. In the ring RVD swings a high kick at Angle. Angle blocks it and gives RVD a t-bone style suplex! Counter master. RVD's in position so Angle goes up top. The moonsault hits! RVD was closer than usual so he went for height instead of distance and it was freaking beautiful. While Angle's recovering Austin sneaks in and covers RVD for 2. Angle puts a sleeper on Austin. Austin gets free and goes for the Stunner. Angle counters that and tries for his own Stunner. Austin blocks it. Double clothesline! Both guys are down and RVD goes up top. This was a big part of the build, multiple times RVD had a choice to make on who to frog splash. He goes for it, but both guys dodge! The question of who he was targeting forever unanswered. Another Angle German on RVD for 2. Austin hits Angle with the Stunner! RVD breaks the pin up! RVD slams Austin and hits the split legged moonsault. Angle breaks the pin up and Angle Slams RVD! Austin breaks that pin up. He knees Angle in the back to send him back out to the floor. Instead of going after RVD in the ring Austin goes out with Angle to the floor and they chop the hell out of each other. Angle takes some announce table shots and Austin sets the English table up. He drags Angle up. Angle backdrops Austin onto the table! Which doesn't break. RVD dives out with a tope suicida on Angle! Here comes Vince. You knew this was coming. He takes a look at the carnage at ringside. Angle gets back up and chops RVD. Back in Angle continues to pound away on RVD. RVD counters with a leg lariat. He springs up top. Angle runs up the corner and suplexes him off! Austin finally drags himself back into the ring. Stunner on Angle! But Angle falls out of the ring! Austin doesn't care, he looks over, sees RVD hurt, and laughs. He wants RVD to get the hell up so he can finish him. Vince gets in and nails Austin in the back with a chair! No DQ. RVD goes up top. FIVE STAR FROG SPLASH ON AUSTIN! Vince is screaming at Angle to get back in the ring. He does and just breaks the pin up! Rolling Germans on RVD! Three! Four! Angle Slam! Now Shane runs in and tosses Angle out of the ring. Vince attacks Shane and they fly over the announce table! Austin drags RVD up, gives him the Stunner, and pins him to retain. Vince is shocked and pissed. All three wrestlers did their job fantastically, but there was too much overbooking at the end to call this anything more than very good. All the Vince courting RVD stuff didn't go anywhere in this match either, he was clearly only on Angle's side. ***1/2

 

In a small bit of consolation, Angle would defeat Rhyno for the WCW US title the next night on Raw. However, after that he'd turn and join the Alliance before the big Invasion finale at Survivor Series which made zero sense, but it did give us those awesome Austin/Angle comedy bits backstage so I guess it was worth it.

 

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- Another Invasion angle PPV that was weak in the long term arcs and overall story department, but had enough good to great wrestling across the card to help make up for it. The match quality floor for these Invasion shows has been very high because at least everyone's working hard. This one also feels mostly like a placeholder before getting to the Invasion wrap up at Survivor Series. Jericho's first world title win is a good moment even if the win was tainted and it'd be quickly all downhill for him after this for a while.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B-