Yes indeed, this is my 316th blog! Naturally I knew what this blog had to be centered around, but how would I pay homage to the great man. Would’ve been easy to do a list of best matches, best Stunners even or promos… but I wanted to do something that showed what he was all about. Just how special he was to the fans and as a performer. Cause when you look at it, he has a basic look. basic moves, he’s very much a brawler and a ‘rassler’, yet he gets THE loudest pops, cuts some of the all-time great promos and has been involved in many of the all-time great moments in wrestling history. And the show I’m going to be running you all through is no different. It is a show centered all around our hero, a classic will he-wont he story, before it closes with one of the loudest reactions from a wrestling crowd you will hear.
So here is my review of the July 16th 2001 WWF Monday Night Raw… the return of THE OLD STONE COLD!!!
The show opens with a fantastic video package recapping the previous SmackDown, where Vince McMahon (to try and combat the threat on the WWF from the WCW-ECW… INVASION…) tried to motivate Steve Austin into ridding himself of his newly turned-over leaf-persona, and bringing back “THE OLD STONE COLD”…
NOBODY does video packages like the fed! This was such a GREAT segment, recapped phenomenally well. They knew what they were doing too (at this one time at least it seemed)… that little pause from Austin when a desperate McMahon yells “GIVE ME A STUNNER DAMMIT” was GOLDEN. But it was not to be that night… Austin declines the offer, Vince is devastated. And so the theme for this Raw show is set, would the OLD STONE COLD return to lead Team WWF into that upcoming Sunday’s INVASION Pay Per View???
We start the show live from ‘The Friendly Tap’ (aka WWF’s go-to when they needed a bar), where we see a solemn-looking Steve Austin sat at the bar… on his own (with Debra in the background)… drinking… JR (along with Michael Cole for the show) on commentary made it clear that Austin was in a bar around 15 minutes from the venue of Raw, and wondered if Austin would make it and accept Vince McMahon’s offer from SmackDown to lead Team WWF into Invasion…
We go from Stone cold Steve Austin, to the other biggest star in the WWF…
Spike Dudley limps out. Hobbling after The Dudley Boyz injured him previously… he soon calls his Girlfriend Molly Holly out to the ring (as commentary teases the tense atmosphere and that ‘all hell could break loose tonight’…). Spike tells us all that he thinks he loves Molly… and Molly says it back, so everything seems lovely and happy… he even gives her a rose! And for his troubles, Molly whispers something into Spike’s ear, and Spike promptly tells us all “thanks and goodnight”. And that’s when the ECW music hits and Paul Heyman comes out! Heyman asks for a chair so that Spike can sit down, (instead though, evert the gentleman is Spike, Molly is the one who sits down). Then as they lock eyes, Heyman gives Spike a pep talk and basically tries to get him to join ECW again. Spike though declines in order to stay with Molly (and the WWF). Heyman though says that Molly can come to ECW too… before Heyman then talks shit to Molly, prompting Spike to talk up to Heyman… until… Bubba Ray and D-Von come out. Bubba reminds Spike how he cost him and D-Von the tag titles, and he says they are sick of sacrificing themselves only to have people ‘ask how Spike and Molly are’. D-Von says if the people wanna talk about Spike and Molly then they should give them something to talk about… The Dudley Boyz then attack Spike until Molly hits a low blow to Heyman, and a chair to Bubba… but eventually D-Von picks her up as Spike is trapped in the ropes… The Dudley Boyz then combine to give Molly a Bubba Ray powerbomb through a table! Crowd were pretty stunned by this, JR and Cole sold it great on commentary.
Kurt Angle is backstage, practicing his speech to give to Vince about HIM being leader of team WWF (in the apparent absence of Stone Cold). Vince soon comes in, and asks Kurt where Stone Cold is?
Angle says that ‘he’s at a bar drinking’, adding that he’s ready to be the team leader… Vince brushes over that, and asks for the bar name, and as Angle tells him where to head, Vince again brushes Kurt’s suggestion off and says that he’s ‘gotta go find Stone Cold’.
Faarooq (with Bradshaw) vs Chuck Palumbo (with Sean O’Haire)
This match saw one half of the WWF Tag Team Champions square off against their WCW equivalent, ahead of a tag team match at Invasion the following Sunday. This was a solid, stiff match as one may expect. Bradshaw and O’Haire fought on the outside as the match went on, but JR on commentary seemed far more concerned with Stone Cold, saying that they needed ‘the old Stone cold’, as Michael Cole asked JR if Austin would even be here tonight? JR said that he wants to say yes, but he just doesn’t know… Oh and for the record, Palumbo got the win after O’Haire distracted Faarooq which led to a superkick from Palumbo, and the win in a match that went a few minutes.
Kurt Angle was backstage, complaining about not being Team WWF leader to The Brooklyn Brawler (I don’t know why either…)…
“And by the way, the ECW doesn’t rule, the WWF rules PAL, how do you like THAT!?”. Kurt Angle ladies and gentleman. A FUCKING HERO.
Mike Awesome (with Lance Storm) vs Edge (with Christian)
Michael Cole referenced how Awesome had ‘stole’ the Hardcore title, but now it was back with Jeff Hardy where it belongs, with the World Wrestling Federation… Alright… Storm got on the mic and did his usual gimmick of the time, and he issued a challenge Invasion to Edge and Christian, before his fellow Canadians came out. Edge was carrying his 2001 KOTR trophy by the way, but it was Christian who said that he ‘can’t believe they’ve stumbled across a “living breathing Reekasaurus Rex”’… Edge asks “which one?” Before mocking Storm some more and “Mike TOTALLY NOT Awesome” (it appears E&C cost Awesome the hardcore title on the previous week’s SmackDown). During the match itself, JR said how “the media and federal government have threatened the WWF before, but none threat is bigger than the WCW-ECW invasion”… they really are WILDIN on this show… Mike Awesome controlled the start and splashed Edge in the corner, before Edge got a nearfall after a clothesline and a neckbreaker. Awesome though took the action to the outside, ramming Edge into the apron. Edge got back into things with some drop kicks, and soon after reversed an Awesome Bomb into the Buzzkiller (Edgecution), only for Storm to put Awesome’s the foot on the rope. Storm came into things, but was easily dispatched. Christian then brought in some chairs so the pair could hit a Con-Chair-toe, but as the referee was busy getting rid of the chairs, Lance Storm superkicked Edge and Awesome got the pin after. Two matches, two interference-led wins for WCW-ECW.
Stephanie McMahon was backstage with Booker T and was putting him over. Chris Jericho came in and did his usual routine of slagging off Stephanie with a comical, smart arse comment. Booker naturally didn’t appreciate this, and it ended with a WCW Championship match between the two being set up for later in the show.
WWF Commissioner William Regal had quite the exchange with his friend Tajiri, ahead of Regal’s match with Tazz later in the show… Apparently Tajiri is going to be on commentary for the match…
By the way, every time I see him, William Regal is simply gold. I love him with all my heart.
Stephanie is backstage talking with Shane McMahon and Paul Heyman…
They speak about the Booker T vs Jericho match later in the show, and they reveal their 5 man team for the ‘inaugural brawl’ match at Invasion; Booker T, DDP, D-Von, Bubba Ray and Rhyno…
Vince McMahon arrives at the Friendly Tap bar, where he finds Debra. He then makes his pitch to Stone Cold…
(The video includes two other Austin-Friendly Tap segments, these come later in the show)
Tazz vs William Regal
This was not close to as long as I wished it was, but I am not naïve enough to think these two guys were going to get much time on WWF TV in 2001. They brawled outside, and upon getting back into the ring, Tazz eventually hit a suplex to Regal. From here, our colour commentator Tajiri came into the ring…
REVEALING HE WAS WEARING AN ECW SHIRT!…
And then he kicked Tazz in the head, before putting him in the Tarantula as Regal fired off punches. Tazz vs Tajiri at Invasion. SOMEHOW though, the WWF are 0-3 for the night so far…
DDP was backstage with Rhyno.
He said he had a ‘best of Sara’ video for them all to watch. This may well be one of my least favourite storylines in wrestling history.
Another Friendly Tap-Austin segment. This time bar owner, and former WWF ref, Tim White talks to Austin. He says he closed the whole bar for him today, but says he knows he will make the right decision…
Booker T (C) vs Chris Jericho for the WCW Championship
I really liked this as it was going on, which in this era, of course meant some BS was coming… Booker came off as such a star here, thank god he chose to come over right away else this “Invasion”… I don’t even want to think… Jericho hit a springboard dropkick to send Booker T to the outside, before following up with a baseball slide and then they fought more outside the ring. Booker hit a spinning heel kick, before Jericho looked to be readying for the Walls of Jericho… and this is when the BS began…
Shane McMahon cause a distraction, which led to Booker getting a nearfall after a superkick, and another after an Alabama Slam. I should mention we have WCW ref Nick Patrick… and after Jericho had hit a dropkick to Booker in the middle rope, Patrick counted 1 , 2 … but had an issue with his shoulder so couldn’t count the 3………
Jericho tried for a Lionsault but Booker moved out the way, Booker tried the axe kick but Jericho dodged that and got him in the Walls of Jericho… Booker TAPS OUT… but Patrick now had a knee injury so didn’t see the tap… WWF ref Earl Hebner (AND NICK PATRICK’S FUTURE INVASION OPPONENT, I SHIT YOU NOT) comes in and takes down Patrick. He went to call for the bell… but Shane took down Hebner, and from here Booker T rolls up Jericho, Patrick does the fast count, and Booker T retains! God damn this shit, Jericho and Booker could’ve COOKED here… but I digress… (its now 0-4 for the WWF by the way).
Paul Heyman tried to convince Perry Saturn AND HIS MOP to join WCW-ECW… CBA…
Raven vs Kurt Angle
In an ‘ECW rules match’ no less… Angle took down Raven immediately, and then hit him with his Olympic medals. Raven hits a drop-toe hold onto a trashcan for a nearfall, Angle then batters Raven for a bit, then Raven tries a bulldog from the corner, but Angle gets out of it, then Angle Slam, Ankle Lock, that’s your lot.
Angle afterwards continued his assault on Raven, and he also saw off a trio of Alliance jobbers with a chair. Everything here sucked ass, apart from Kurt, who was his typically FUCKING AWESOME self!
Steve Austin was in The Friendly Tap playing Pool with Debra. He eventually got tired of it and started smashing the pool cue…
‘The Hardy Boyz’ vs ‘The Dudley Boyz’
As The Hardys came to the ring, all Jim Ross was bothered about was Stone Cold. He said that by Austin not coming here, he was turning his back on all the fans and the hard working people that have made him who he is today… OK… Anyway… as mentioned earlier, Jeff Hardy is the Hardcore Champion but Matt also has gold here (as the European Champion at this time). Matt and D-Von started us off, but soon after Jeff came in then The Dudley Boyz took control. Bubba Ray came in and hit a big elbow drop for a nearfall, but not long after Matt Hardy caused a distraction so that Jeff could hit a low blow of sorts to Bubba Ray and then tag in Matt. He then tried to hit a sunset flip, but this was when Rob Van Dam came down… he soon held D-Von’s arms for extra leverage as he went for a pin on Matt, and this was the finish. For anyone who’s still keeping count, the WWF is now 1-5. RVD would soon hit a frog splash to Jeff with help from The Dudleys. I have to say that this crowd DIED A DEATH every time a non WWF guy/team won. This crowd DID NOT GIVE A SHIT about anyone who wasn’t WWF.
The APA were backstage with Vince McMahon, Vince told them that with Austin not here, he needed the others to ‘rally the troops’.
Shane, Stephanie and Paul Heyman led a pep rally to the WCW-ECW wrestlers backstage. The McMahon children stated that they had sold their stock to put all their money into this Invasion.
Bradshaw, Undertaker and Faarooq led a rallying cry to some of the WWF roster.
They really are trying to make this a big deal aren’t they?
Steve Austin was shown watching on from The Friendly Tap… it appeared that upon seeing this… he chose to leave the bar… Maybe he just didn’t want to see our next match up…
Trish Stratus vs Terri
Naturally, this was a short match. Terri hit Trish, Trish didn’t take too kindly to that and launched Terri after with a giant swing. Eventually Trish got the win with a Bulldog (not sure if it was the Stratusfaction yet, but go down those lines). Trish, like the people-pleasing BABYFACE she is, went to try and take Terri’s clothes off after the match, only for the WCW-ECW team of… Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson… to run down and . Lita soon came out to make the save. These two teams have a tag match at Invasion for what it is worth… which in the rasslin sense, is little sadly.
OK so… I’m going to change format here… because lets be honest, you are by now as non-fussed by this show, The Invasion as a PPV and an angle, and definitely this main event as I am… so I’ll say it was DDP & Rhyno vs Taker and Kane.
I will say that The Undertaker – Kane mixed song for their entrance was awesome, and they got a HUGE pop when they come out. The match itself was fine for how short it was. Lots of big moves to get the crowd into it. Taker and Kane took most of it, but it wasn’t long until D-Von and Bubba Ray did a run in, the match was thrown out… and we got what you all came to see. I will talk after, but I will let you watch it first, because the main reason I picked this show to celebrate Steve Austin, was this show ending angle, and one of the ALL TIME pops. Enjoy.
He’s just the man isn’t he? That ring was filled with Hall of Famers, and yet Austin was the only guy ANYONE cared about… all the commentary cared about, all the fans cared about. Him clearing house was so beyond awesome, Jim Ross was his exceptional best as he always was in making his best friend come across as a MEGAstar… “OH HE’S WALKING, HE’S TALKING…”… Absolute fucking CHILLS! I SO loved how they did this, like something out of a movie or a video game, the main character got through each line of defence, before the big finale with the avengers assembling and their leading man taking centre stage. But THE OLD STONE COLD was well and truly back, and the WWF looked to be FLYING into Invasion as hot as they could, now that their great leader was back to his best… At least that would go well…
BUT… this all-time moment was NOT the show closer. Instead they abhorrently had Shane and Stephanie essentially tell Freddie Blassie that the WWF will die, and soon so will he. Like… come the fuck on… WHY EVEN???
Yeah… as a show it was what it was, in the midst of a company-wide storyline that was clearly already doomed to fail. Quite simply it was never going to work with WWF vs ECW and the WCW ‘C team’… But hey… at least, for now, we had THE OLD STONE COLD! And when we did have him, he was FUCKING AWESOME!!!
Here’s to you Stone Cold Steve Austin, OH HELL YEAH!
Josh.