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The kind feedback I received for part 1 of this series has been much appreciated. This is a fun but massively time consuming and difficult undertaking.
The re-booked aspects of the rest of the Invasion will be much more detailed from this point forward, as post-Invasion 2001 was where the wheels begun to truly fall off in the storyline and the WWF found that they could not bring themselves to book the WCW/ECW talent over their own WWF superstars.
This slideshow will introduce Goldberg into the storyline, where in this alternate universe, "Da Man" has been bought out of his Time Warner contract. Goldberg underwent shoulder surgery in January 2001 and in this re-booked version of the Invasion, presumes the usual four-six month recovery time frame was sufficient for him to be able to return to wrestling full time.
I haven't forgotten about Sting either. Watch this space for an appearance by the Icon.
The WCW Cruiserweight Tag Team Championship was retired upon the WWF's acquisition in March 2001 and has not been re-instated in the re-booked universe. Any other titles not listed below can be presumed de-activated.
Champion roll call (as of July 22, 2001)
WWF Champion - Stone Cold
IC Champion - Albert
European Champion - Matt Hardy
Hardcore Champion - Jeff Hardy
Light-Heavyweight Champion - X-Pac
WWF Tag Team Champions - The APA
WCW Champion - Booker T
US Champion - Booker T
Cruiserweight Champion - Billy Kidman
WCW Tag Team Champions - Chuck Palumbo & Sean O'Haire
That is a lot of Championships and to simplify things, there will be a succession of unification matches over the coming storylines to make each title mean more.
Let's get to the post-Invasion Raw as SK re-books the build to Summerslam!
July 23, 2001 - Monday Night Raw
Vince McMahon opens Raw, aghast at the actions of Stone Cold Steve Austin the night before. McMahon states, that WCW with Stone Cold in their ranks and the WWF Championship are an even greater threat than he anticipated.
He expresses dismay that his son, Shane is now in cahoots with his sworn enemy, Eric Bischoff.
He explains that desperate measures are needed and that he is lifting the suspension of a certain WWF superstar: The Rock!
McMahon states that Rock will be invited to next week's Raw wherein he will ask him to join the WWF in fighting off the forces of WCW. He also announces that as the WWF Championship belongs to the WWF, he is free to book title matches as he sees fit and should Rock want it, a title bout with Stone Cold on next week's Raw is his.
Stone Cold is seen looking on backstage, unmoved.
Kurt Angle challenges Booker T to a United States Championship match in the main event as that title deserves to be held by a true American hero not a "spinaroonie punk!"
Eric Bischoff appears and challenges Vince McMahon to prove he has "grapefruits" and agree to a unification title match between Light-Heavyweight Champion X-Pac and Cruiserweight Champion, Billy Kidman, with the losing titleholder having their belt absorbed into the other. McMahon agrees. Kidman defeats X-Pac to unify the belts and retire the Light-Heavyweight title.
A furious McMahon fires X-Pac post-match.
The main event has WWF and WCW wrestlers surrounding the ring. Angle forces Booker T to submit to the ankle lock, when a brawl breaks out, with the WCW wrestlers standing tall. Bischoff enters the ring gloating when he is blindside by none other than The Sandman!
Sandman, Sabu, Rob Van Dam, Tajiri, Tazz and Tommy Dreamer clear the ring of WCW superstars. As the ECW stars are confronted by WWF wrestlers, The Dudley Boyz, Rhyno and Raven re-join their ECW brethren and lay out the WWF stars as Paul Heyman enters the ring from the announce desk and announces that "this invasion just got extreme."
July 26, 2001 - Smackdown
Paul Heyman and the ECW superstars enter the ring and declare war on the WWF and WCW and says ECW have always walked alone but an environment of chaos without them is like no one bringing cars to a monster truck rally.
He announced that the ECW World title had been re-activated and the final titleholder Rhyno was the champion, once more.
Rhyno challenged WCW World Champion Booker T to a champion vs champion match in the main event.
Kurt Angle successfully defended the United States title vs Scott Steiner in a battle of the suplex kings.
The Dudley Boyz beat The APA in a Tables Match to win the WWF Tag Team Championships.
In the headline bout, Booker T vs Rhyno went to a No Contest when both WCW and ECW wrestlers interfered.
July 30, 2001 - Monday Night Raw
The Rock returned to the WWF after a several month absence, following his suspension on the post-Wrestlemania X-7 Raw.
Vince McMahon and Shane McMahon both appealed for Rock to join them. Rock Rock-Bottomed Vince to which Shane was thrilled. However, Rock laid him out too and said that he will face Stone Cold in the main event for the WWF Championship and avenge his Wrestlemania X-7 loss.
It was announced that at Summerslam Jeff Hardy would defend the Hardcore Championship vs Rob Van Dam in a Ladder Match.
The Rock and Stone Cold clashed with the title on the line. After the referee gets bumped, Booker T interferes and hits the axe kick on Rock enabling Stone Cold to retain.
August 2, 2001 - Smackdown
The Rock challenges Booker T to a WCW Championship match at Summerslam. Booker T accepts.
Intercontinental Champion Albert loses a non-title match with Ric Flair after a distraction from Lance Storm. Albert challenges Storm to a title bout at Summerslam.
Rob Van Dam agrees to team with The Sandman in the main event to take on The Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian in a triple threat tag team bout.
Rhyno successfully defends the ECW title versus Kane in a Hardcore match.
In the headliner, Edge spears Matt Hardy allowing RVD to hit the frog splash for the win after Sandman took out Edge.
A furious Hardy berated Edge post-match.
August 6, 2001 - Monday Night Raw
Edge challenged Matt Hardy to a European Title match. Vince McMahon arrived and said he did not want his WWF crew to fight one another and the focus should be on the fight versus WCW and ECW.
Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman come out and suggest they each name one of their team members to face both Matt Hardy and Edge in a Fata 4 way bout at Summerslam.
McMahon agrees.
DDP beats Scott Steiner in a qualifying bout for Summerslam
Tajiri defeats Tommy Dreamer in the second qualifying match for Summerslam
Ric Flair defeated Chris Jericho in the main event.
August 9, 2001 - Smackdown
Kurt Angle lost the United States Championship to Ric Flair after outside interference from Stone Cold. Following the bout, Vince McMahon announced that Stone Cold would defend the WWF Championship versus Angle at Summerslam.
The Rock and Chris Jericho defeated The Sandman and Rhyno in the main event.
August 13, 2001 - Monday Night Raw
Rob Van Dam explained he could do anything better than Jeff Hardy and challenged him to a series of challenges, including performing the splits and a series of high flying manoeuvres. Hardy kept pace with RVD and the challenge was declared a draw.
The Rock and Kurt Angle teamed up to defeat Stone Cold and Ric Flair in the main event.
August 16, 2001 - Smackdown
Tajiri unsuccessfully challenged Billy Kidman for the Light-Heavyweight Championship.
The Undertaker and Kane announced their intention to fight the WCW Tag Team Champions, Chuck Palumbo and Sean O'Haire.
Eric Bischoff refuses, so Undertaker and Kane kidnap him until he acquiesces.
Stone Cold attacks Kurt Angle backstage until The Rock makes the save.
In the main event, Kevin Nash and Scott Steiner lose to The Dudley Boyz after their cousin Spike interferes on their behalf.
Summerslam 2001 - August 19, 2001
Winners on the Summerslam card emboldened below:
WCW Championship - Booker T vs The Rock
WWF Championship - Stone Cold vs Kurt Angle
Hardcore Title - Jeff Hardy vs Rob Van Dam (Ladder Match)
Intercontinental Title - Albert vs Lance Storm
WCW Tag Team Championships - Chuck Palumbo & Sean O'Haire vs Undertaker & Kane
European Title - Matt Hardy vs Edge vs DDP vs Tajiri
Scott Steiner, Lex Luger & Kevin Nash vs Dudley Boyz & Spike
ECW Title - Rhyno vs Chris Jericho
It was a night of title changes as the WWF earned a measure of revenge on WCW with The Rock winning the WCW title from Booker T and The Undertaker and Kane winning the WCW Tag Team Championships.
Chris Jericho inflicted a blow on ECW by winning the ECW World title from Rhyno, one that had eluded him when he wrestled for the promotion in the 1990s.
However, Kurt Angle failed in his quest to become WWF Champion when Goldberg debuted and interfered, spearing Angle behind the referee's back to hand the win to Stone Cold.
Post-match Stone Cold and Goldberg have a stare down.
Commentator, Jim Ross speculated whether Goldberg's appearance could lead to dissension for Team WCW as the show went off the air.
