WWF Invasion
WWF Invasion | |||
---|---|---|---|
Gund Arena[1] | |||
Attendance | 17,876 | ||
Buy rate | 775,000 [2] | ||
Pay-per-view chronology | |||
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WWF Invasion (also typeset as InVasion) was a
The main event, dubbed the "Inaugural Brawl," was a five-on-five tag team match between Team WWF and Team WCW/ECW. The other main match was a singles match for the WWF Hardcore Championship between Rob Van Dam and Jeff Hardy. With a buyrate of 775,000, the event is the highest grossing non-WrestleMania pay-per-view in WWE history.[citation needed]
Following the conclusion of the storyline, the event's July slot was given to Vengeance in 2002 when Armageddon returned that year; Vengeance temporarily replaced Armageddon in December 2001 due to the September 11 attacks.
Production
Background
From 1998 to 2000, the
Storylines
On March 23, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) bought out its long-time rival, World Championship Wrestling (WCW). The last episode of
On the following night, the June 25 episode of Raw Is War, Shane declared his intention to invade the WWF, and the Invasion storyline started with Booker T performing a
Earlier in the year, Austin had a change in character, becoming more emotional, and friendly with Vince. On the July 12 episode of SmackDown!, Vince said he needed the "old" Austin, an anti-hero tough character, to lead the WWF at Invasion. After Vince pleaded with him, Austin shook his head and left.[12] During the July 16 episode of Raw is War, Austin was shown drinking in a bar. Later that night, a fight started between many WWF wrestlers, and WCW and ECW wrestlers. As WWF seemed to be disadvantaged, Austin arrived, and returned to his old character, fighting off the WCW and ECW wrestlers. The WWF wrestlers (Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Kane, The Undertaker) then cleared out the ring, and were left standing tall.[13] On the July 19 episode of SmackDown!, Heyman says that he wants to bring back wrestling, and destroy sports entertainment by giving the WWF its last rites with The Alliance members, "In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti, Amen!", while proclaiming "Death to sports entertainment! Death to the WWF!".[14]
Event
Role: | Name: |
---|---|
English Commentator | Jim Ross |
Michael Cole | |
Spanish commentator | Carlos Cabrera |
Hugo Savinovich | |
Referee | Mike Chioda |
Jack Doan | |
Jim Korderas
| |
Theodore Long | |
Mick Foley (Referee's and Tag Team Bra and Panties matches) | |
Chad Patton | |
Charles Robinson | |
Tim White
| |
Ring announcer | Howard Finkel |
Sunday Night Heat
Before the event officially began, Chavo Guerrero (WCW) defeated Scotty 2 Hotty (WWF) in a match taped for Sunday Night Heat.[16]
Preliminary matches
The first match of the event was between
The second match was between WCW Senior Referee
The third match was between the
The fourth match was between the
The fifth match was between
The sixth match was between
The seventh match was between Tazz (ECW) and
The eighth match was between
The ninth match was a Bra and Panties match between Torrie Wilson and Stacy Keibler (WCW), and Trish Stratus and Lita (WWF) with Mick Foley as the special guest referee. The match started with Lita and Stratus taking down Keibler and Wilson. Wilson dropkicked Stratus' back, and kicked her in the corner. Stratus fought back with a clothesline, and attempted to remove Wilson's shirt after a suplex. Keibler stopped her, and they attempted to double team, but Stratus performed a double clothesline. Lita tagged in, knocked Wilson off the apron, and removed Keibler's shirt after pulling her in. Keibler went outside the ring, and Lita chased after her. This allowed Wilson to stomp on Lita, and Keibler removed her shirt. Lita fought back with a snapmare, and attempted a diving crossbody. Wilson and Stratus tagged in, and performed a clothesline. Wilson fought back, and pulled Stratus up while stepping on her hair. She pulled down her top, but Stratus performed a roll-up, and removed Wilson's pants. Lita and Stratus then performed a Poetry in Motion, with Lita performing an aided clothesline to Wilson, before removing Wilson's shirt. Stratus then performed a bulldog to Keibler, and Lita performed a Litasault. They then removed Keibler's pants to win the match.[17][18]
Main event
The
Aftermath
After this pay-per-view, the Invasion storyline continued. The following night on Raw is War, Steve Austin explained his defection was because he felt unappreciated. WCW/ECW, now referred to as The Alliance, had the momentum, holding the WWF Championship, the WWF Intercontinental Championship, and the WWF Hardcore Championship in addition to all of WCW's titles.[19] The feud soon centered around the return of The Rock, and which team he would join, as both Vince and Shane attempted to persuade The Rock to join their team.[20] The Rock remained with the WWF, and engaged in a feud with Booker T over the WCW Championship. Austin would begin a feud with Kurt Angle over the WWF Championship after the events at Invasion.[21]
As the Invasion storyline concluded at Survivor Series in November,[22] this was the only Invasion PPV held, and instead of reinstating Fully Loaded in July 2002, the WWF, which was renamed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in May 2002, moved Vengeance to the July slot;[23] Vengeance had temporarily replaced Armageddon in December 2001 due to the September 11 attacks.[24]
Results
No. | Results Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, and Paul Heyman) (WCW/ECW) defeated Team WWF (Chris Jericho, Kane, Kurt Angle, Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker) (with Vince McMahon) (WWF) 10-man Tag Team match | 29:05 | | ||||
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References
- ^ a b c "PPV LOOKBACK: WWF Invasion with The Alliance vs. Team WWF – Austin, Trish, RVD, Hardy, Edge, Christian, Bob Orton, Tazz, DDP". PWTorch. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
- ^ "WWE Pay-Per-View Buys (1993-2015)". 25 March 2020.
- ^ Meltzer, Dave (May 21, 2001). "May 21, 2001 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: XFL Disbanded, Plus Tons of News". Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
- ^ "411's WCW Monday Nitro Report 3.26.01". 411mania. 2001-03-26. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ McCluskey, Sean (2001-05-28). "411's WWF Raw Is War Report 5.28.01". 411mania. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ "411's WWF King Of The Ring Report 6.25.01". 411mania. 2001-06-25. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ "411's WWF Raw Is War Report 6.25.01". 411mania. 2001-06-25. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ "411's WWF Smackdown Report 6.28.01". 411mania. 2001-06-28. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ "Booker T". Off the Record with Michael Landsberg. November 5, 2001. TSN.
- ISBN 978-0-7434-5768-2.
- ^ "411's WWF Raw Is War Report 7.09.01". 411mania. 2001-07-09. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ McCluskey, Sean (2001-07-12). "411's WWF Smackdown Report 7.12.01". 411mania. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ "411's WWF Raw Is War Report 7.16.01". 411mania. 2001-07-16. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ "411Mania".
- ^ "Invasion results". CompleteWWE.com. Retrieved 2008-03-08.
- ^ a b "411's WWF Sunday Night Heat Report 7.22.01". 411mania. 2001-07-22. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ )
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "411's WWF InVasion Report 7.22.01". 411mania. 2001-07-22. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ "411's WWF Raw Is War Report 7.23.01". 411mania. 2001-07-23. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ Keith, Scott (2001-07-30). "The SmarK RAW Rant – July 30 / 2001". 411mania. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ "411's WWF Summerslam Report 8.19.01". 411mania. 2001-08-19. Retrieved 2008-04-28.
- ^ "WWF Survivor Series 2001 « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- World Wrestling Entertainment. Retrieved 2009-07-18.
- ^ Martínez, Sebestián (December 11, 2020). "Jim Ross reveals why WWE did not celebrate the 2001 edition of Armageddon". Solo Wrestling. Retrieved March 3, 2021.