WWF InVasion

WWF InVasionWWF InVasion

By Lynas
From July 22, 2001
Discussion

I'm one of the very few who actually enjoyed the WWF vs ECW/WCW InVasion storyline. So here's my entry... WWF InVasion 2001.

All matches are graded on points out of 5.

Opening Video Package: Built to the PPV well.

Great tron design, made sense to have two separate entrances.

Lance Storm promo:
Very pointless mic time, didn't really built anything, was just there so Edge & Christian could interrupt.

Lance Storm & Mike Awesome vs Edge & Christian
Commentators JR & Michael Cole did an awesome job of putting over Awesome & Storm. This match features the famous Christian jumping over top rope botch... It affected his performance for the rest of this match.
It's watching this match I clearly forgot how good Mike Awesome was. Match given good time. Wow this crowd is pumped for an opener!

Few blown spots drag it down. 3pt Rating

Vince McMahon & William Regal segment: Regal informs McMahon that Austin has arrived. McMahon made me laugh with his use of the American vs British war to pump up Regal!

Nick Patrick/Earl Hebner Video Package: Okay.
Foley as Special Ref! Who else could officiate this I guess!?

Nick Patrick vs Earl Hebner w/ Mick Foley as Special Guest Referee
Poor selling from Hebner... Poor selling from Patrick... Referee brawl! Only once in a lifetime will you ever see that... a very ugly match but that was expected. Referees really shouldn't wrestle.

No rating.

Aftermath predictable, you could see the mandible claw coming a mile off, but as always, huge pops from the crowd.

DDP kidnapping Debra recap

Debra & Sara segment: Okay. Taker definitely upgraded with Michelle McCool. Sara calls The Undertaker Mark... I don't like that... as BRM would say "KAYFABE!!? ARGH"

APA/Palumbo & O'Haire video package: Very Good. I like how Farooq keeps the cigar in his mouth while being assaulted at WWF New York.

APA vs Palumbo & O'Haire
Crowd's pumped for APA on this one. Barely any reactions for anything Palumbo & O'Haire do however. O'Haire's inexperience really shows in places & doesn't JR love to tell us about it. I'd like to rewind and count how many times he said "Inexperienced" in that match. But I won't.

Very basic tag match, but did it's job of showing Palumbo & O'Haire as no push-overs. 3pt Rating.

McMahon/Jericho segment: Jericho puts over his time in WCW & ECW aswell as Paul Heyman before insulting his appearance. He puts over The Alliance psychology in general.

McMahon saying "NEVER, EEEEEVER be the same again" was annoying

Heyman, Steph, Shane & Billy Kidman segment: Shane points out the obvious "You need to take X-Pac out". Paul Heyman puts the desperation across well.

X-Pac vs Billy Kidman
X-Pac received boos despite being on the face team of WWE... that just shows how good a heel that guy could be. Kidman had awesome theme music. X-Pac does a great job of still putting himself over as heel leaving Kidman to take the cheers. JR somewhat buries Kidman as having no experience whilst putting over the veteran X-Pac.

Good cruiserweight match. 3.5pt Rating. Kidman's Shooting Star Press NEVER gets old.

Heyman, Shane, Steph & DDP: Shane puts over the focus of the 10 man tag match.

Torrie & Stacy segment: I don't know what was said, but I drooled on my keyboard a little bit.

Raven vs William Regal
Michael Cole claimed that "William Regal grew up learning to fight in brawls at Blackpool docks"... I Hate to burst your bubble Cole.. but Blackpool doesn't have any docks.
Good match bringing together smashmouth and technical styles. Regal & Raven have very similar styles so this helped the match. Finish was understandable, should have maybe had some form of aftermath though.

Good enjoyable match. 3.5pt Rating

Kane, Undertaker & Vince McMahon segment: Vince does his best to pump up Kane & Taker. McMahon enjoys being thrust against a wall by Undertaker.

Big Show, Billy Gunn & Albert vs Shawn Stasiak, Hugh Morrus & Kanyon
Big Show has hair! Billy Gunn's crop tops were always too much. That Intercontinental Championship barely fits Albert.

Anyways... to the match. Pretty stock. Nothing out of the ordinary, match got out of control out of nowhere...

On a side note... Doesn't that Hugh Morrus guy looks alot that Tough Enough trainer..... hmmm...

What the hell was Stasiak doing when he was trying to pin Gunn at the same time as Morrus? What a typical WCW style thing to do.

This match wasn't all that good. 2pt Rating... and I'm being VERY kind.

Booker T & Shane McMahon segment: Shane polishing Booker's belt... WCW didn't have Booker's name in the nameplate... odd.

Shane & Booker get extremely bouncy about the 10 Man Match.

Tajiri/Regal segment: Regal turns a scary shade of pink as he fires up Tajiri for his match.

Tazz vs Tajiri
Tajiri comes out to total silence bit of a shame really, but he manages to get the crowd going during the match. Not a bad match, but not a good match either... fairly stock.

Fairly basic. Why didn't William Regal come pay Tazz back? 2.5pt Rating.

Jeff & Matt Hardy Segment: RVD takes Matt out of the equation with a steel chair.

Hardcore Holly/WCW Fan segment: Ah well... it gives Hardcore Holly something to do.

WWF Hardcore Championship match
Rob Van Dam vs Jeff Hardy
Good show of atheleticsm by both guys, great show of endurance too. Great booking to put these two together. This match stole the show.

Most memorable match from this night. 4pt Rating.

Vince McMahon & Kurt Angle segment: Kurt Angle is pissed. Good way to build Kurt's psychology going in to the ten man match.

Stacy/Torrie & Lita/Trish video package: I drooled a whole bunch again... showed Lita & Trish's differences got put aside before this match & showed their unity going into this match.

Bra & Panties Tag Team Match
Stacy Kiebler & Torrie Wilson vs Trish Stratus & Lita w/ Mick Foley as special guest referee.

My god I'm in heaven over this match. Kiebler & Wilson's flirting with Foley was a bit poor & pointless considering he doesn't have to make any form of count... all he does is call for the bell at the start... and at the end.

Not a bad ladies match... Not Lita or Trish's best work. As a red blooded male I enjoyed the ending... my favourites definitely got stripped...

Trish & Lita almost fell in the hole in the stage

5 POINTS FOR THIS MATCH!!!! ....Okay I'm being to generous based on what I've seen fleshwise... Realistically... I guess it gets a 1pt Rating.

Team ECW/WCW segment: Good. Paul Heyman showing why he's a great wrestling psychologist. Then a bunch of noise ensues.

Stone Cold & Vince McMahon segment: The OLD STONE COLD IS BACK!

WCW/ECW vs WWF Video Package: Greatest wrestling video package I have ever seen. The WCW/ECW impact & the Old Steve Austin saga all summed up in one go... "Classy" Freddie Blassie gives me freakin' goosebumps with that promo he made... "Get Up! Stand Up!"... every freakin' time. Finished up with a small recap of the night Stone Cold Stunned at least 20 Alliance guys & more Alliance vs WWF montages.

Team WCW/ECW - The Dudley boyz, Rhyno, Booker T & DDP vs
Team WWF - Undertaker, Kane, Chris Jericho, Kurt Angle & Stone Cold
The ovation for Austin melted the Gund Arena... it was huge! Good match, some good spots. Michael Cole even said "Vintage Undertaker"... Bit scrappy in places. But who saw that turn coming? However I never did understand the booking decision however... why would Steve Austin turn and represent the two companies that he openly disliked?? Who knows.

Not much more can be said about this near hour long match which shows this match wasn't all it could be.

I can't decide on whether it's a 3.5pt or 3.75pt Rating for this match... so I'll go down the middle I guess... 3.625pt Rating. It could & should have been so much more.

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