So the show just keeps rolling here… The Invasion of WCW on the WWF is beginning to take shape, and the fallout from the Backlash PPV will be felt and lead into the next major show, Judgement Day. As a quick recap (and you can go back and read Part 3 of this series for the full story) but at Backlash: Austin is still WWF Champion but again got speared by Goldberg, Triple H got screwed by Shane McMahon as he lost in his challenge to Booker T for the WCW title, the nWo attacked Big Show and Kane to end their match early, Scott Steiner is the new European Champion, and RVD debuted and won the Hardcore title. And to top off the bad run for Vince McMahon, his wife Linda has signed a deal to allow former WCW talents, under the tutelage of WCW owner Shane McMahon, to appear on WWF TV… and Linda publicly announced that she wants a divorce… Judgement Day is indeed coming… in more than one way…

Raw 30/4/2001 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Tonight Chyna will face Trish, and Stone Cold will face Kane.

• Kurt Angle comes out to open the show, unhappy he didn’t win the ic title match at Backlash despite not getting pinned. He blames Benoit, who then comes out and the two brawl.

• Matt Hardy (with Jeff Hardy) defeats Edge (with Christian). After Matt cuts a promo saying The Hardys want a tag title rematch.

• JR announces Vince will be out for a ‘state of WWE address’ tonight

• Coach interviews William Regal in his office. He’s unhappy with Chris Jericho as IC Champ, and he says he’s not fit to wear such a prestigious championship. He books Jericho vs new Hardcore champion RVD tonight in a title v title match. After Trish Stratus barges into see Regal, he then mocks her chances against Chyna tonight, she fights back with a small dick joke…

• X-Pac is due to face Spike Dudley. X-Pac and his ‘X-Factor’ stablemates Albert & Justin Credible are found laid out backstage, but it’s not known who attacked them. Instead out comes Cruiserweight and Light Heavyweight Champion Shane Helms and he faces Spike instead. Mid-match The other Dudleys (Bubba-Ray and D-Von) are attacked mid-match by WCW tag Champs Sean O’Haire and Chuck Palumbo. Helms wins and the WCW guys stand tall.

• Michael Cole interviews Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. She doesn’t know where Triple H’s head is at right now, but says that payback is a bitch before leaving in a limo.

• Kane is seen getting taped up backstage after the nWo attack the night before at the PPV.

• We get a classic nWo style promo video, with the old ‘the proceeding announcement has been paid for by the new world order’ etc. etc.

• The APA get tired playing cards and joking around whilst the WCW guys are running around, and say they want to do something about it, and are then confronted by new European Champion Scott Steiner (with Stacey Keibler), who stares down both Faarooq and Bradshaw.

• Chris Jericho promo on his disdain for WCW but respect for RVD.

• Trish is seen walking backstage…

• Hardcore Champion Rob Van Dam vs Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho in a title v title match ends in a no contest after WCW’s Lance Storm and Mike Awesome attack Jericho. It’s made unclear who’s ‘side’ Van Dam is on.

• Shane McMahon is seen with Booker T backstage and says he has a ‘major announcement’ later

• We see Vince backstage going to the ring for his address. Austin sees him and asks if he’s ok? Vince says he’s fine, but just… but Austin hugs him, and pledges to him that everything will be alright. Debra looks disgusted in the background.

• Vince then comes out for his big segment… he says how proud of Austin he is, but also criticizes Undertaker, and Bill Goldberg for what they did (the crowd shower him in GOLDBERG chants). He says Backlash was supposed to be a great night but Shane ruined it by getting his WCW cowboys and crooks to steal some of HIS WWF championships. He also says that Stephanie and Triple H are family, but sometimes tough love is what’s needed… He says at Judgement Day he WILL get the WWF back on track… a stagehand then hands Vince a legal note which he reads aloud that is from Linda and informs him that the Divorce attorneys meeting is Friday, but she will delay the meeting if certain requirements are met, starting tonight by making the Kane vs Stone cold match have NO interference allowed… After the break Austin is furious backstage as Vince tries to calm him.

• Hardcore Holly defeats Tazz

• Undertaker is interviewed by Lilian Garcia, he speaks on Kane vs Austin but when asked about Vince just smirks and walks away…

• WCW Champion Booker T comes out, along with Shane McMahon who is holding the WCW United States Champion. Booker T reminds the crowd that he is also the WCW US Champion, but in order to do the ‘most prestigious title in all of wrestling’ justice he must concentrate fully on being the WCW Champion, and sadly he must relinquish the US title. Shane says there will be a tournament that will start on SmackDown and finish at Judgement Day, and before Vince can say anything he has had it sanctioned by Linda McMahon and the WWE board.

• They show footage of the recent premiere of The Rock’s movie ‘The Mummy Returns’.

• Chyna defeats Trish Stratus with Lita watching on from commentary. The two have a stare down after.

• Kane vs Stone Cold… mid match the titantron shows The Undertaker going into Vince McMahon’s office and trashing it, and then roughing up Vince. This distracts Austin enough to allow Kane to hit a Chokeslam and pin Stone Cold, standing tall with the WWF Championship belt to close the show.

SmackDown 3/5/2001 – Indianapolis, Indiana

• Undertaker (holding a chain) & Kane open with a promo. They show footage form after Raw of Austin wrecking Taker’s bike. Taker says he wants even, but someone else wants a piece of Stone Cold too, before looking over at Kane. Taker and Kane go face to face, Vince then comes out and asks ‘why can’t everyone just get along?’, and he makes a number one contenders match between Kane vs Undertaker for tonight… with Austin as guest referee!

• Backstage we see Mike Awesome and Lance Storm chase and brawl with RVD over the Hardcore title, Jericho gets involved. After Shane sees this and Smiles at RVD.

• Austin and Taker brawl backstage

• X-Pac and Raven are due to have a match, but both are found backstage attacked having been spray painted ‘nWo’

• Lita and The Hardy Boyz defeat Chyna and Edge & Christian when Jeff pins Christian. After Chyna moans at her partners.

• Shane (holding the US title) is interviewed by Kevin Kelly and he puts over the US title tournament, saying he is a fair man and the tournament is open to WWF and those from WCW.

• Austin brawls with Kane backstage

• Tazz and Michael Cole on commentary re-cap the Benoit and Angle feud so far

• Kurt Angle defeats Hardcore Holly – Benoit comes out after and brawls with Angle. Shane is seen watching the match from backstage on a monitor.

• Debra and Vince McMahon talk about Austin with Debra having a lot of concerns. Debra walks off very upset.

• with Shane watching on from ringside WCW’s Buff Bagwell defeats Tazz in the tournament quater final. After instead of joining commentary again Tazz walks to the back upset, with Jerry Lawler taking his place on commentary for the rest of the show.

• European Champion Scott Steiner (with Keibler) is due to face former champion Eddie Guerrero in a re-match. But Eddie isn’t joined by his fellow Radicalz Dean Malenko or Perri Staurn. Instead Eddie says he has hired ‘protection’, and he is joined by The APA. Steiner wins after Shawn Stasiak and Chris Kanyon beat up Bradshaw and Faarooq.

• We have a segment where Shane McMahon comes out and introduces the WCW Cruiserweight Champion ‘Hurricane Helms’… This is where Shane Helms turns into The Hurricane. He also denounces the WWF Light Heavyweight Championship.

• Kane vs The Undertaker with Austin as ref ends in a no contest. Vince and Austin celebrate backstage, again Debra looks on at the two together disgusted.

Insurrextion 5/5/2001 – London, England

• Scott Steiner (C) (W/Stacey Keibler) defeats Bradshaw (W/Faarooq) to retain the European title
• Rob Van Dam & Chris Jericho defeats Mike Awesome & Lance Storm
• William Regal defeats Chavo Guerrero in the WCW US title tournament
• Sean O’Haire & Chuck Palumbo defeats Edge & Christian, The Hardy Boyz & The Dudley Boys
• Chris Benoit defeats Kurt Angle in a 2 out of 3 falls match
• Chyna defeats Trish Stratus with Lita as guest referee
• Stone Cold Steve Austin vs Kane with Undertaker as guest referee ends in a no contest

Raw 7/5/2001 – Uniondale, New York

• Mick Foley (in his homestate) opens with a promo. He shits on William Regal as the commissioner (a role he used to have), saying all he does is get his ass beat and he also puts over Kane and Taker. Vince and Regal interrupt the promo with McMahon saying Regal is doing a good job ‘but could do better’ (Regal looks upset at this) and he gets Austin to join them out on the stage. Vince then says it should be Regal, not Austin who teaches Foley a lesson. But Foley gets the better of it when Regal charges into the ring, Austin goes to beat up Foley but Undertaker makes the save. After an ad break Vince tells Regal backstage he needs to prove himself.

• We see an upset Kurt Angle backstage… with Shane McMahon in the distance looking at him…

• In a rematch of his WWF debut Kurt Angle defeats Shawn Stasiak in the US title tournament

• O’Haire and Palumbo cut a backstage promo on The Dudleys, meanwhile Edge & Christian and The Hardys brawl

• Undertaker looks for Austin backstage, but instead finds Vince. Taker tells him he’s willing to do anything to get another title shot at Austin, and so Vince makes Kane vs Undertaker in a cage match with the winner getting Austin 1 on 1

• Hurricane Helms beats Taka Michinoku

• A sad-looking Regal bumps into Shane McMahon backstage, who reminds him he’s still in the US title tournament. Regal then smiles and says he has a great idea… Regal finds Vince after an ad break and tells him he will win the WCW US title tournament for Vince and the WWF. Vince says he better else he’ll be FIRED!

• We get an nWo classic style promo video, where they talk about Judgement Day

• Scott Steiner beats Faarooq

• RVD is doing a backstage interview when he’s jumped by WCW’s Billy Kidman, who pins him to win the Hardcore title

• WCW Champion Booker T does a backstage interview… when Chris Jericho comes into shot and looks at Booker, looks at his own IC title on one shoulder, looks at Booker’s WCW title and then looks at his other ’empty’ shoulder and then smirks and walks off.

• Lita defeats Molly Holly with Chyna watching on from commentary

• backstage Vince and Austin talk about the upcoming match, with Austin’s wife Debra again looking on at the two of them in disgust… Vince and Debra get into an argument and Debra slaps Vince, but Austin steps in to defend Vince over his wife… this prompts Debra to leave the building

• The main event is the Undertaker vs Kane cage match. Somehow Austin gets into the cage and attacks both guys, and Vince follows him out to direct traffic. Before Taker can overcome the odds to win, the nWo come through the crowd (Hogan and Hall do) and Nash drives a big tow-truck into the arena, and between them they pull down the cage, and then brutally attack all three guys in the ring, as Shane McMahon makes his way to the top of the ramp and looks on gleefully as Vince looks on in shock from ringside. The nWo close the show standing tall with the match itself a no contest.

SmackDown 10/5/2001 – Hartford, Connecticut

• We open with a recap of the shocking end to Raw with the nWo wrecking the cage and those inside it. Commentary tell us we will here form Vince McMahon in response to the nWo’s actions tonight

• Intercontinental Champion Chris Jericho retains his title against Chris Benoit, WCW Champion Booker T is shown watching on backstage.

• The Undertaker is seen limping backstage, he is approached by Kevin Kelly, who he tells he is pissed, and that Kane is pissed too, at the nWo, at Vince and Austin, and that he doesn’t care who but somebody will be getting their ass handed to them tonight

• Billy Kidman, RVD, Lance Storm, Mike Awesome, Big Show, Faarooq and Bradshaw all brawl over the Hardcore title. Kidman ends is as champion still

• Shane McMahon tells Coachman he has a ‘big surprise’ for the US title tournament match tonight

• backstage we see Debra and Austin arguing as Stone Cold seems upset after the attack from the nWo on Raw, and how he’s worried about letting Mr McMahon down. Austin takes issue when Debra says that Austin seems to care more about Vince than about her, and then she leaves very very upset

• The Hardy Boyz defeat Edge and Christian in a BANGER to win the WWF tag titles. Chyna and Lita brawl at ringside mid-match too, but eventually Jeff pins Edge to win it.

• William Regal faces The Undertaker. It is sold by commentary that given Taker’s injuries Regal should have much more of a chance to win, but Taker still gets the win and Vince looks furious when Regal makes his way to the back again afterwards.

• Kurt Angle goes to Vince backstage, he tells Vince to forget about Regal because HE is going to bring the United States Championship to the WWF for Vince

• Scott Steiner video promo package

• The big surprise in the US title tournament is that Eddie Guerrero’s opponent is DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE, who wins in his WWF debut appearance (no shit stalker angle in my world)!

• The show closes with the big Vince promo. He hammers the nWo and says they’re a disgrace to this entire business. He says despite the fact that Judgement Day isn’t until a week from Sunday, there’s is coming much sooner and says that as of now Hall, Nash and Hogan are suspended for 30 days. Shane McMahon then comes out and says that he has spoken to the WWE board after hearing about Vince’s plans in advance, and they’ve agreed that for the benefit of the WWF that the suspension to the nWo be 10 days instead, meaning that their return date will be on the day of the Judgement Day Pay per View. and he then says ‘But Vince, YOUR judgement day is coming much, much sooner…’ and then suddenly the crowd gasp and scream… Vince turns around and BANG… A SPEAR to Vince from Goldberg! He just as quickly runs off through the crowd as Vince is down. Austin comes sprinting out but Goldberg is long gone… the show ends with Vince down in serious pain with a terrified and devastated Austin seeing to him…

Raw 14/5/2001 – Cincinnati, Ohio

• William Regal backstage, in a very solemn tone, reads a statement to the camera ‘on behalf of Vince McMahon’. He says he will not be at the show tonight as he is at home recovering form the attack by Bill Goldberg. He says that for now Regal is in charge (to which Regal perks up a little as he reads that part of the statement). Regal’s mood goes down again as he reads the end of the statement where Vince says he will be back for Judgement Day, and that it really will be the Judgement Day for everyone that has crossed him. He reveals that Vince has decided the main event of tonight’s show will be Stone Cold vs Undertaker with Kane banned from ringside

• After the opening show titles Shane McMahon comes out into the ring, he says that as the highest ranking WWE staff member present that in fact HE should be in charge, but as he’s a fair man he’s willing to accept a ‘shared leadership’ with Commissioner Regal. Kurt Angle then marches out for the opening match of the night, as he gives a tense glare to Shane as they walk by each other on the entrance ramp.

• Kurt Angle then defeats Buff Bagwell to advance to the final of the WCW United States Championship tournament at Judgement Day

• Kane cuts a very angry promo backstage

• Chyna and Lita are seen in the locker room together arguing. They’re teaming up later tonight in a tag match

• The Hardy Boyz defeat The Radicalz (Perri Saturn with Terri and Dean Malenko). Afterwards Saturn and Malenko bump into fellow Radical Eddie Guerrero. Essentially this is where Eddie splits from the group.

• Billie Kidman retains the hardcore title against Rhyno after RVD and also X-Pac come out trying to win the title too. RVD and X-Pac essentially cost one another the belt allowing Kidman to scurry away still Hardcore champion

• Shane McMahon runs over to an angry Kane. He is destroying a large area backstage surrounded by a load of officials trying to calm him. Shane shouts at Kane to stop, telling him he can take out his anger later tonight as he has a match. This makes Kane stop and march away as Shane looks on with a smirk…

• WCW tag Champions Palumbo and O’Haire beat former wwf tag champions Edge & Christian

• backstage we see Shane and Regal conversing, Shane then calls over Booker T who cuts a promo on Chris Jericho. Shane then makes a tag match for later in the show, Booker and Regal vs Jericho and a partner.

• After the ad break Jericho cuts a backstage interview (largely based on the one he cut irl on the 2001 Judgement Day PPV) where he talks about his ‘mystery partner’

• William Regal cuts a promo from his Commissioner’s office desk, and he makes Taker vs Stone Cold tonight…now a tables match!

• Chyna and Lita team up to win their tag team match against Ivory and Molly Holly

• a furious Austin finds Regal and screams at him for making his match with Undertaker a tables match, saying this isn’t what Mr McMahon would want.

• Kane comes out for his match… his hand picked opponent by Shane is Mike Awesome. They go 50/50 but Kane gets the big win

• We get a recap from the women’s tag match, where Chyna wouldn’t tag in Lita to the point only got in when she tagged herself in. Then backstage as Lita was interviewed by Michael Cole, where she says she doesn’t know what Chyna’s deal is, the Women’s champion says she wanted to show Lita what she had in store for her at judgement Day and to prove to her she was ready, and that she hopes Lita is ready too….

• Chris Benoit & Chris Jericho defeats Booker T & William Regal with Benoit making Regal tap out.

• In the main event The Undertaker beats Austin by chokeslamming him through a table in their Tables match. After the match Kane stands at the top of the ramp as The Undertaker is in the ring… he picks up and holds high the WWF Championship belt whilst looking down at a beaten Stone Cold Steve Austin.

SmackDown 17/5/2001 – Louisville, Kentucky

• After a recap of the main event from Raw (oh and btw, no such angle with Sara, Taker’s wife at the time, in my world. It was unneeded, and it sucked)… Taker and Kane come out for a promo to open the show. Eventually Commissioner Regal comes out and says having spoken with WCW’s Shane McMahon he has made a main event of Undertaker & Kane against Austin and WCW Tag Team Champions Sean O’Haire & Chuck Palumbo. After the ad break Austin screams at Regal backstage saying he doesn’t trust anyone, but definitely not people from WCW, and complains about having to team with Palumbo and O’Haire. Regal tries to plead his case saying it’s good business etc. etc. (The subtle thing here is Austin not liking having to work with people from WCW).

• As happened on this show in real life we will then have Eddie Guerrero and The Hardy Boyz (with Lita) defeat Perry Saturn (with Terri) & Dean Malenko & Jerry Lynn

• Backstage we see Austin run into his now-former friend Jim Ross. After a tense stare off, Ross says he doesn’t know what’s happening to him anymore, that Austin needs to realize who STONE COLD STEVE AUSTIN really is, and that he hopes he’ll do the right thing. He then wishes Austin luck tonight saying he’ll need it. Austin then gets very close to Ross and shouts at him to SHUT UP!

• X-Pac defeats Rob Van Dam after interference from Justin Credible and Albert

• We get a passionate Kurt Angle promo where he talks about his pride for the WWF and how he will win the WCW United States title on Sunday at Judgement Day. And he doesn’t care what he has to do…

• In the semi finals of the WCW United States Championship tournament Diamond Dallas Page defeats William Regal. Regal has mixed emotions after.

• We get a few people backstage brawling over the Hardcode title

• European Champion Scott Steiner (with Stacey Keibler) does a promo backstage.

• WCW Champion Booker T defeats Chris Benoit after William Regal interferes. Chris Jericho comes out after the even the odds.

• Chyna defeats Molly Holly in a squash. Ivory comes out after with Lita helping her future opponent.

• Big Show defeats Mike Awesome

• In the main event of the show; Kane and The Undertaker defeats Stone Cold and O’Haire & Palumbo. After a ref bump The Hardy Boyz come out to attack O’Haire and Plaumbo, and this leaves Austin alone. He’s furious with the WCW guys for ‘abandoning him’ and as he’s angry he goes to get a steel chair and hits Kane with it for the DQ finish. Undertaker gets attacked by Austin to, but by then Kane comes to and beats up Austin. And the show closes with Kane chokeslamming Austin and Kane stands tall over the WWF Champion, with Undertaker watching on from ringside.

Judgement Day – 20/5/2001 (Sacramento, California)

The show opens, after the opening video to the PPV and the introductions from commentary, with a limo entering the building… and look who’s back…

William Regal defeats Chris Benoit – lots of WCW guys come out to help Regal win. Here we do an injury angle for Benoit as he got a big injury irl around this time so here is where I’d write him out.

Hardcore Championship brawling here… a load of guys fighting over the belt, maybe a couple of title changes back and forwards…

Diamond Dallas Page defeats Kurt Angle in the final of the tournament to win the vacant WCW United States Championship – Shane is at ringside the whole time, they tease he will interfere to help DDP win, and he does… subtly… to put DDP’s foot on the ropes after a pin attempt by Angle. A furious Angle goes after him but DDP takes advantage and gets the win.

Chyna defeats Lita to retain the WWF Women’s Championship. This match actually happened on this show so we can keep it as it was.

Another group of people brawl over the Hardcore title… it ends with Rhyno as Hardcore Champion

Rob Van Dam defeats X-Pac. With his fellow X-Factor stablemates Albert and Justin Credible interfering throughout… The Dudley Boys (Bubba Ray and D-Von) come out to make the save and help RVD to get the win.

Vince McMahon sees Chris Jericho backstage, and tells him he HAS to win that ‘damn WCW title’…

Booker T defeats Chris Jericho to retain the WCW Championship – Booker cheats and just escapes the winner in a great match that Jericho can’t believe he lost.

Chuck Palumbo & Sean O’Haire defeat The Hardy Boyz (Matt & Jeff) to win the WWF Tag Team Championships – Yes… O’Haire and Palumbo now hold BOTH the WWF AND WCW tag belts.

Before the main event gets underway, we see Vince McMahon has been knocked out and then locked in his office… by BILL GOLDBERG! Goldberg is wearing a hood so he is hidden and after locking the door he quickly leaves the arena in a car.

Stone Cold Steve Austin defeats The Undertaker and Kane in a triple threat match to retain the WWF Championship. Austin somehow wins, its a good match that the crowd are super hot for. The finish ultimately comes about when Undertaker and Kane disagree with them both trying to win the title for themselves, and Austin takes advantage.

After the nWo come out and rush the ring. They attack all three guys. They do the whole spray-paint job on Austin, Taker and Kane too. And the ppv closes with Hogan, Hall and Nash all holding up Austin’s WWF Championship belt together.

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and that… is that… Things are certainly starting to take shape again now. But once again it’s WCW getting the better of the WWF. The next ppv is King Of The Ring, with the winner of the tournament getting a future shot at the WWF title… hmm…

Josh.