Raw is War

Buffalo, New York
July 23, 2001

 

Just 24 hours after Invasion, RAW exploded live from the HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y. as World Wrestling Federation Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin made his way to the ring accompanied by WCW owner Shane McMahon, ECW owner Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley and ECW general manager Paul Heyman!

Stephanie told the Buffalo crowd that she didn't blame them for being angry, because the truth is a bitter pill to swallow. Stephanie said that WCW/ECW would dominate Invasion, and they did, as well as win the Inaugural Brawl! She also promised that the WWF would begin to die now that Stone Cold Steve Austin had jumped ship.

Paul Heyman said that the fans were supporting the No. 2 brand in sports entertainment in the world, and that they were cheering for a bunch of stinking losers! Heyman said that by taking the heart of the WWF in Stone Cold, the Federation would now soon be dead.

WCW owner Shane McMahon got on the microphone and said that the WCW/ECW alliance was now the most dominant brand in sports entertainment; a brand that was for more intelligent people than those who follow the WWF. Shane then introduced the man who would lead WCW/ECW into the future - Stone Cold Steve Austin!

The Rattlesnake told the crowd that there was one thing he was about - appreciation. Over the past few weeks, he has felt under appreciated by Vince McMahon. Every time Austin turned around, Vince was hugging Kurt Angle - because he wanted to replace Austin! Austin said that a hug was something special, and Angle had stolen that away, because Vince has been grooming Angle to replace him! Austin also said that he knew who Vince had been spending all his time on the phone with - The Rock! Austin said that The Rock wasn't necessary, because Austin was there! Stone Cold said that because he wasn't appreciated anymore, he decided to go where he would be appreciated and loved - WCW/ECW! Austin said that his new alliance would find him the best competition, because Austin would not back down from a fight!

At that, Kurt Angle came out to the stage! Austin told him to stay right where he was, because last time he saw him, Angle was face-up getting pinned! Stone Cold said he saw the fear in Angle's eyes, and as Stone Cold then said Angle should just come right down and get some!

Angle sprinted down to the ring and cleaned the ring out of everyone who stood there! Angle begged Austin to come back into the ring as the WCW/ECW coalition made their way to the back!

In the WCW/ECW locker room, Rob Van Dam showed off his newly won Hardcore Championship, saying that their team was the winning team, and now the WWF Superstars were begging to join them! Van Dam said that he would show Matt Hardy just why they were the winning team!

In that matchup, Matt wasted little time going after the Hardcore Champion and getting out a ladder! Matt tossed RVD into the ladder and got a near fall. Van Dam soon got the advantage and set up the ladder in the center of the ring. He laid down Matt and climbed up the ladder, but soon Matt climbed up it as well! The two traded punches until Matt tossed Van Dam off the ladder and nailed him with a fierce legdrop! RVD kicked out, however, and the match continued. Van Dam took down Matt Hardy and sandwiched him in the ladder and climbed the turnbuckles! After hitting his frog splash, RVD made the pin to retain the Hardcore Championship!

Edge and Christian walked through the back, they were greeted by the Dudley Boyz. The Dudleys said that Edge and Christian's win at Invasion was not as impressive as being in the main event! Edge and Christian said that the Dudleys only won because of Austin! The Dudleys then challenged E & C to a table match! Then, Booker T walked out, saying that they would have won at Invasion without Austin, and then demanded to be part of the Table Match! E & C agreed, saying they would make it a Six-Man Elimination Table match!

In his locker room, Diamond Dallas Page was greeted by Kanyon, who said that his false abduction of Debra was brilliant. DDP said the whole thing was Debra and Austin's idea! Page then noticed Kanyon's shirt, which read "Invasion MVP." Kanyon said that he was an integral part of Invasion, thus, he was the MVP!

Lance Storm then entered the ring and made things serious for a moment. As he spoke, Albert interrupted him! The two then began battling in a European Championship match! Albert utilized his physical style to start brawling with Storm and kept beating him for the entire match. Mike Awesome ran out to the ring, but he was stopped by X-Pac! Meanwhile, Storm had Albert pinned in the ring, and won the Intercontinental Championship! Right when the match ended, the rival locker rooms emptied into the ring, and the WWF Superstars stood tall, clearing the ring out of the WCW/ECW alliance members!

Back in the WCW/ECW locker room, the three heads of the alliance celebrated Lance Storm's victory, and the fact that they now owned three of the World Wrestling Federation's Championships! As Shane spoke, Kanyon interrupted, saying that no one was better than Kanyon! Austin cut him off, saying that he was better! Stephanie quickly resolved the problem, saying that Kanyon needed to focus on his match with Chris Jericho!

William Regal told Tajiri that the Federation needed to take back what was theirs, and that Tajiri needed to go out and get it done against Raven, in order to put a stop to the WCW/ECW team!

Edge and Christian asked Kurt Angle if he wanted in on their table match, and Angle replied that "You bet your sweet ass" he's in!

In a one-on-one match, Tajiri faced Raven, and Tajiri began the match by continuously kicking Raven in the head. Tajiri kept on kicking until Raven fell onto his back. Raven soon took the Japanese Buzzsaw down, but Tajiri nailed Raven with a swift dropkick from the top rope. After another hard kick to the head, Tajiri pinned Raven!

In the back, Paul Heyman told Rhyno that the only piece to the puzzle that hadn't been finished yet was the legend of the Undertaker. Heyman said that if Rhyno took out Taker, he would be putting the final nail in the WWF's coffin!

As Kurt Angle prepared for his Table match, the APA came in and said they had a surprise for him, and offered him some beer! Angle said he didn't drink, but the APA convinced him anyway! After drinking the beer, Angle said, "This is pretty good, when did they start making it?"

The Undertaker, accompanied to the ring by his wife, Sara, took on the Man-Beat from ECW, Rhyno.and Taker were nearly inseparable until Taker nailed the Man-Beat with fierce clotheslines! When Taker went to hit the chokeslam, Diamond Dallas Page came out to the ring! After pinning Rhyno, Taker and DDP brawled on the outside, until Taker threw Page back in the ring. There, Sara started kicking Page! Taker grabbed a steel chair and went to nail DDP with it, but Page ducked and Taker hit Sara instead! As RAW went to break, Taker carried his wife to the back, where Taker refused to let EMT's check on her.

Coach asked DDP how he could put her in that position. Page said that to see the pain in her eyes really turned him on, and that he really dug it. Page then sped off in his car.

Chris Jericho, before his match with Chris Kanyon, grabbed a microphone and told the crowd that Kanyon was not the most valuable player, but he was the most annoying ass-clown! As Jericho spoke about who was better than Kanyon, the "Invasion MVP" ran out to the ring and went after Y2J! After throwing each other around the ring, Jericho went for the Lionsault, but Kanyon got his knees up! Kanyon went for a pin, but Jericho got his shoulder up! After getting back to his feet, Jericho locked on the Walls of Jericho, which caused Kanyon to tap out!

In the parking area, a limousine pulled in and Vince McMahon got out!

Mr. McMahon quickly made his way out to the ring. He said that he was confidant that even though the WWF took a hit at Invasion, he was confidant that he and the Federation would come out victorious many more times in the future! Vince said that he was doing something he should have done a long time ago - lift The Rock's suspension! Vince said that if The Rock chose to come back to action, it wasn't for Vince, it was to go against Austin! Vince then laid out a challenge for Rock - he asked him if he still can bring it? If he can still lay the smack down, and if he can raise the eyebrow? Does he still consider himself the People's Champion? If he does, then Vince had the crowd ask for The Rock to return! The crowd chanted "Rocky" as Vince urged them on!

As Vince paced backstage, Kurt Angle walked up to him and said hi. Vince smelled his breath and asked him if he'd been drinking. Kurt waved him off and said that he was all for The Rock's return, but Vince needed a leader. Kurt said that Vince needed Kurt Angle. Vince said that Kurt may be right, but actions speak a lot louder than words. Kurt agreed and then pushed Mr. McMahon up against a wall, and said that Angle would be a man of action!

As Jeff Hardy got some coffee, Torrie Wilson told him that she wanted to get some practice in her spanking match! Trish walked up and started beating on Torrie, but Jeff separated the two!

The Spanking Match between Torrie Wilson and Trish Stratus was next! Torrie and Trish went after each other right away, and Torrie took Trish down. With the paddle set on a pole in one corner of the ring, one woman had to climb up, grab the paddle and use it to win the match. Trish climbed up and grabbed the paddle, but Torrie kept getting away each time Trish tried to whack her. Torrie took down Trish and got the paddle and began spanking Trish to win the match!

In the WCW/ECW locker room, Shane McMahon got Booker T and the Dudley Boyz excited for their table match.

The Six-Man Tag Team Elimination Table match pitted WCW/ECW's Booker T and Dudleys Boyz against Edge and Christian and Kurt Angle. The rules were simple - to win, you had to put all three of your opponents through a table. The match began with the WWF team taking it to the WCW/ECW men. But when Booker T entered the ring, he started cleaning house. The WWF team struggled to gain the advantage again, and soon Edge and Christian set a table up in the ring. But, the Dudley Boys eliminated Christian by nailing him with a 3-D through the table! Bubba then left the ring and grabbed another table, which was busted when Booker T tossed Edge through it!

Kurt Angle then entered the ring against all three of his opponents, but soon he was overpowered. The Dudleys went to get another table as Angle lay in the ring. The Dudleys threw the table in the ring, and Booker set it up. Angle made it back to his feet and threw D-Von through a table, but it didn't break! Angle went for it again, and the second time, he suplexed D-Von through the table! In the ring, Angle tossed Booker through a table! With Bubba and Angle in the ring, the to men started slugging it out!

Nick Patrick, the WCW head referee made his way to the ring ad Bubba started pounding on Kurt. Bubba went to get a table and set it up in the ring. Angle went to hit Bubba with the Olympic Slam through the table, but Patrick moved the table! Angle chased Nick Patrick to the announce table and put him in the ankle lock! Then, Stone Cold Steve Austin attacked Angle from behind and put him in the ring, where Bubba powerbombed Angle through the table!

The WWF superstars came to the ring to help Kurt, but Austin ran off before they got to him!