Compaq Center at San Jose, San Jose, California
Finally...The Rock had come back...
...To the World Wrestling Federation.
After losing the World Wrestling Federation title to Stone Cold Steve Austin in the main event of Wrestlemania 17, The Great One had been "suspended" by Vince McMahon, allowing him to wander off and film The Scorpion King for a few months.
Then, on the July 30th edition of Monday Night Raw, The People's Champ returned to a company that was now at war with the WCW/ECW Alliance.
With both sides vying for his services, Rock had first hit Vince McMahon with a Rock Bottom, teasing an allegiance with The Alliance, only to then do the same thing to Alliance boss Shane McMahon and pledge that he was, no matter what, a WWF guy.
Tonight, he would look to prove that by taking on WCW mainstay Booker T in a match for the WCW title as the Invasion storyline continued and WWF Summerslam 2001 came live from San Jose, California.
Here's what went down.
Let the Bodies Hit the Floor
For the past few weeks, Stephanie McMahon and her Alliance cohorts had been using the Drowning Pool hit, Let the Bodies Hit the Floor as their theme song.
Tonight, our show opened with the music video for that nu-metal banger interspersed with footage of the biggest stars from both sides of the battle for brand supremacy.
Heading live into the arena, pyro exploded and Jim Ross told us that the fans were hanging from the rafters. Sadly, JR didn’t pay tribute to Gorilla Monsoon by using the word literally.
The announcer was joined by Alliance man Paul Heyman to call this one, and with that, it was down to ringside.
World Wrestling Federation Intercontinental Championship
WWF Intercontinental Champion Lance Storm vs. Edge
He interrupted the champion’s pre-match promo and rushed straight into a solid opening contest.
A perfect choice to kick off the show, this was a very good back-and-forth battle in which both men worked hard.
Christian came down towards the finish, but his attempt to spear Storm went awry and he drilled his own partner instead.
One superkick later, Lance got the cover only for Edge to kick out, drill his adversary with a DDT and capture his second Intercontinental Championship.
Your Winner and NEW Intercontinental Champion: Edge
Post-match, Christian handed his brother the title. Edge wanted to talk about that rogue spear, but Christian bailed, leaving the new champion to pose with his gold.
Treacherous Test
As a result, he had defected to the other side and was now set to team up with The Dudleyz for our next contest.
Before the three of them got there, however, they were accosted by Michael Cole. Hilariously, Test called Cole a ‘little bitch’ before telling him all about how he was loyal to The Dudley Boyz.
Across the arena, Chris Jericho was supposed to be talking about his match with Rhyno but instead spent most of his promo talking about how Stephanie McMahon was a little promiscuous.
The APA (Farooq & Bradshaw) and Spike Dudley (w/ Molly Holly) vs. Test and The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray & D’Von Dudley)
Test picked up Spike Dudley and launched him to the outside through a table in a genuinely impressive spot. Looking to get revenge for his teammate, Bradshaw attacked but, with the referee distracted, Shane McMahon was able to get involved, waffling the Acolyte with a chair.
Test made the cover and that was all she wrote.
Your Winners: Test & The Dudley Boyz
He was so excited about his title shot that he called his Grandma, but Grandma Edna was only interested in talking to Edge.
Dissension loomed large in Team E&C.
Elsewhere in the arena, Shawn Stasiak burst into Debra’s dressing room to bemoan his lack of success in impressing Stone Cold Steve Austin.
The former Meat was convinced that Austin wasn’t taking him seriously because he was wearing pink tights with the word ‘Mecca’ written on the back.
“I don’t even know what Mecca means!” exclaimed Stasiak.
Debra didn’t either, nor did she care.
She simply wanted Stasiak gone, and ordered him to go to the ring and kick some butt.
Title Unification Match
WWF Light Heavyweight Champion Tajiri vs. WCW Cruiserweight Champion X-Pac
Tajiri was always a joy to watch, but X-Pac was certainly no slouch, bringing out his A-game and working much harder than he had done in a long time.
A fast-paced contest with plenty of unique spots, this one came to an end when ‘Pac’s buddy Albert got involved.
Tajiri was able to see off the intruder by blowing mist in his face but the distraction was enough for his opponent to land the X-Factor and win the match.
Your Winner and NEW Light Heavyweight Champion: X-Pac
Over at WWF New York, Perry Saturn put out a public appeal for the safe return of Moppy. Apparently, somebody had kidnapped the cleaning appliance and Saturn was desperate for ‘her’ safe return because he -and I quote- missed her so much.
Meanwhile, back in the arena, Stephanie McMahon demanded that Rhyno gore Chris Jericho into oblivion. The ECW star promised Steph that he would end Y2J once and for all.
Rhyno (w/ Stephanie McMahon) vs. Chris Jericho
Alas, it wasn’t to be Stephanie’s day. Nor Rhyno’s for that matter.
Despite punishing Jericho from pillar to post, the Man Beast failed to connect with a gore,l and went crashing into the corner before being rolled up and forced to submit to the Walls of Jericho.
Before that, the whole match was a solid effort that proved to be way better than this writer had anticipated.
Sure, it might not have been the best match of either man’s career, and I’m sure nobody mentions Rhyno/Jericho in any list of all-time classic Summerslam matches, but it was still an enjoyable bout nonetheless.
Your Winner: Chris Jericho
The Rock swore that despite hurting, he was ready to kick Booker’s ass and become the WCW champion.
As the two were talking, Shawn Stasiak charged at them, screaming and ready to attack. Regal and Rock merely sidestepped and Stasiak crashes into the wall without the two WWF stars even acknowledging him once.
It was such a random move that you couldn’t help but laugh.
World Wrestling Federation Hardcore Championship Ladder Match
WWF Hardcore Champion Jeff Hardy vs. Rob Van Damn
Meanwhile, Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy had given us one of the most entertaining matches at the previous month’s Invasion PPV, so to say expectations were high for this one would be an understatement.
This match might not have been quite as good as HBK/Razor, but it was still a damn good effort and probably the best match you’ll ever see contested for the hardcore title.
Seriously, a belt that had been treated as a bit of a joke and which is perhaps better known today as the inspiration behind the 24/7 title was fought over here like it was the world title...OK, if not that then at least the IC.
Both men lay it all on the line, using their own bodies as weapons in what proved to be the kind of match that ‘Holy Sh*t’ chants were made for.
After an intense, spot-heavy battle, RVD retrieved the belt, but not before taking it to the limit with a Valiant Jeff Hardy.
Your Winner and NEW Intercontinental Champion: Rob Van Dam
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Elsewhere, WCW tag team champions The Undertaker & Kane marched through the backstage area with Sarah in tow.
This led us to a video package highlighting their rivalry with WWF tag champs Chris Kanyon & DDP.
Both teams would meet in a title unification match next.
WCW & WWF Tag Team Title Unification Cage Match
WCW Tag Team Champions Diamond Dallas Page & WCW US Champion Chris Kanyon vs. WWF Tag Team Champions The Undertaker & Kane w/ Sarah.
I’d point out that they were all Hell in a Cell match and thus not technically the same thing, but I won’t be so pedantic.
The rules here allowed for the classic pinfalls, submissions and cage escape means of victory, though that’s just about the only thing that was classic.
This would have worked so much better if they’d given Kanyon and DDP any opportunity to look like credible champions.
Instead, they basically got battered from pillar to post in what was essentially a long squash match. Seriously, there were jobbers on early 90s episodes of WWF Superstars who got in more offence against their opponents than Kanyon and Page did against Kane and The Undertaker.
After this overly-long, one-sided affair, Kanyon escaped the cage and left his partner high and dry. Dallas got his ass kicked by Undertaker, was powerbombed, pinned, and had any chance of ever being seen as a credible star again killed for good.
Your Winners and NEW Unified Tag Team Champions: Kane and The Undertaker
Prior to the next match, we got a video package highlighting the rivalry between Stone Cole
Steve Austin and Kurt Angle, part of which was set to Rey Mysterio’s old theme.
World Wrestling Federation Championship
WWF Champion Steve Austin vs. Kurt Angle
As for the match itself, it was quality stuff.
Sure, both men would have better matches in their careers, that fact only speaks volumes about their respective talents.
After all, this was still very good and, had Austin and Angle been lesser workers, it may well have been their finest hour.
As it was, it was an impressive brawl which amped up the drama to 11.
Austin battered his challenger to a bloody pulp, but the resilient Angle battled back, displaying a level of emotion and intensity that was off the charts and really added a sense of realism to the whole thing.
Honestly, you’ve never seen drama in a wrestling match until you’ve seen Kurt Angle, his face awash with blood, pain, passion, and tears, trying to rip Steve Austin’s ankle off.
Sadly. It wasn’t to be Angle’s night.
The cowardly champion beat up several officials, deliberately getting himself disqualified by WCW referee Nick Patrick.
Your Winner via Disqualification: Kurt Angle (Steve Austin retains the title)
Afterwards, a distraught Angle slapped Patrick in the ankle lock. It delighted the crowd but was nowhere near enough to console the crestfallen Olympian.
World Championship Wrestling World Heavyweight Championship
WCW World Heavyweight Champion Booker T (w/ Shane McMahon) vs. The Rock
The match was a solid effort, though you got the feeling that the crowd were a little burned out after Austin/Angle as some parts of the contest definitely felt flat.
A cameo from the APA in which they took out Shane McMahon certainly livened things up, as did a number of the very entertaining spots Rock and Booker put together, but alas this one simply failed to top the previous contest.
After a good outing, Booker -who had spent a large percentage of the match in charge- took a moment to prematurely celebrate with a spinarooni, only to walk straight into a Rock Bottom and lose his title.
Your Winner and NEW WCW Champion: The Rock
Post-match, The Great One celebrities with his newly won gold.
On the whole, Summerslam 2001 was a stellar show from start to finish.
The Invasion has been heavily slated over the years, but it gave us the tremendous Jeff Hardy/RVD feud, and tonight, it gave us the excellent Austin vs. Angle match and strong outings from Edge and Storm, Rock and Booker, and X-Pac/Tajiri.
Only the tag team title cage match was actually bad. Everything else ranged from OK - Awesome and made this show if not a must-see then at least recommended.
- WCW Sin
- WWF Royal Rumble 2001
- WCW Superbrawl: Revenge
- WWF No Way Out 2001
- WCW Greed
- WWF Wrestlemania 17
- WWF Backlash 2001
- WWF Insurrextion 2001
- WWF King of the Ring 2001
- WWF Invasion
1 Comments
This was the final PPV appearance for the WWF Light-Heavyweight Championship.
ReplyDeleteThe best champions to hold that belt were TAKA Michinoku and Dean Malenko.