WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:06.160 Welcome to the WWE Podcast, the most passionate and authentic 2 00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:09.839 wrestling analysis on the web. We've got you covered with 3 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:14.359 every Raw, SmackDown and NXT show, giving you a no 4 00:00:14.679 --> 00:00:18.440 bullsted opinion. We know you love wrestling. We do too, 5 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:20.760 so let's get this show underway. 6 00:00:21.879 --> 00:00:23.320 And that's the bottom line. 7 00:00:23.679 --> 00:00:27.320 What costone cod exceptsu. 8 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:42.200 Hey, guys, what is going on? And welcome to WWE 9 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:47.640 Rivalryes with your host, yours truly, Anthony DeMarco. So it 10 00:00:47.799 --> 00:00:53.840 is Friday, September fourteenth. Yeah, no, wow, September eighteenth. While 11 00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:56.520 I'm way off with my day. Is that's what happens 12 00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:59.759 when you work night shifts and weekends like I do. 13 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:05.079 Your schedule just kind of goes upside down. So welcome 14 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:07.560 you guys. And this week it's a kind of a 15 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:11.920 special edition of rivalries. Is it's not between two wrestlers 16 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:16.000 or superstars, it's between two factions. And that's right. We're 17 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:19.120 going all the way back to two thousand and one 18 00:01:19.840 --> 00:01:24.519 and the rivalry between Team WWF and the Alliance. And 19 00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:29.000 you know, this is a special rivalry for me. I 20 00:01:29.079 --> 00:01:31.359 think that two thousand and one was one of the 21 00:01:31.400 --> 00:01:35.239 best years in wrestling for a lot of reasons. Even 22 00:01:35.280 --> 00:01:40.159 though many felt that this rivalry and this invasion angle 23 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:42.840 was lackluster in a lot of ways, I still do 24 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:47.680 feel like it was extremely important the climax of a 25 00:01:47.719 --> 00:01:52.519 lot of superstars' careers, the breakout year for a lot 26 00:01:52.560 --> 00:01:56.519 of guys as well. And yeah, I just think it's 27 00:01:56.680 --> 00:01:59.159 very important to go back and touch on a time 28 00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.799 in wrestling that changed the path for a lot of guys. 29 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:06.519 But before we get into that, as I always do, 30 00:02:06.599 --> 00:02:09.199 I just want to give a couple of my quick 31 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:14.360 thoughts on the current product and give my opinion on something. 32 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:17.759 So we'll start with SmackDown, And I gotta say I 33 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:21.520 am a real big fan of SmackDown. Right now, SmackDown 34 00:02:21.639 --> 00:02:24.759 feels really good. It feels like they're hitting it out 35 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:27.560 of the park with a lot of storylines. Maybe safe 36 00:02:27.560 --> 00:02:31.520 for the whole heavy machinery Miss Morrison thing, but even 37 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:34.240 that it's not too too bad. I just kind of 38 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:36.520 wish that Otis didn't have the money in the bank 39 00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:39.759 briefcase or else it would be kind of a decent 40 00:02:40.120 --> 00:02:44.680 lower card comedic storyline. But even that isn't too bad. 41 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:47.599 The mid card looks really strong right now. I love 42 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:51.400 what they're doing in the IC title picture. Sammy Zain 43 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:53.960 coming back has added a real nice breath of fresh 44 00:02:54.039 --> 00:02:57.919 air into that mix. AJ styles, Jeff Hardy, I'm expecting. 45 00:02:58.039 --> 00:03:01.520 I think as many are threat match for the Innerconnell 46 00:03:01.639 --> 00:03:05.639 Championship at Clash of Champions, so that'll be cool. I 47 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:10.159 like what they're doing with Seamus and King Corbin. I 48 00:03:10.199 --> 00:03:14.680 think they have established themselves really nicely as upper card heels, 49 00:03:15.319 --> 00:03:19.120 and well, what can you say about Roman Reigns and 50 00:03:19.159 --> 00:03:22.479 the slow burn heel turn. I think that his matchup 51 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:25.280 with Jay Ouso at the upcoming pay per view is 52 00:03:25.400 --> 00:03:28.159 just gonna be yet again another stepping stone of him 53 00:03:28.240 --> 00:03:30.560 going completely. 54 00:03:29.879 --> 00:03:33.159 Over to the dark side all the Star Wars. 55 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:36.039 Going from the Jedi to the Sith, and I think 56 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:38.560 Matt has touched on this a bit as well, that 57 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:42.840 it's really cool that they're taking the slow, methodical approach 58 00:03:43.120 --> 00:03:46.199 approach to this as opposed to the swift one hundred 59 00:03:46.280 --> 00:03:49.759 eighty degree heel turn. So you know what, I really 60 00:03:49.759 --> 00:03:53.319 gotta give WWE credit on the SmackDown side of things. Obviously, 61 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:56.240 Paul Hayman has helped in that regard both on screen 62 00:03:56.360 --> 00:03:58.960 and reports, so that he has had a hand in 63 00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:02.520 Creative as well since returning, and you can see it 64 00:04:02.919 --> 00:04:05.120 as well as the Bailey thing. Like I thought, she 65 00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:09.039 cut an A plus promo as per usual. I'm really 66 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:15.159 looking forward to that program whenever Sasha Banks does return. 67 00:04:15.560 --> 00:04:20.920 As for Raw, look look Raw isn't bad, but it's 68 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:24.839 really starting to get redundant. Like for me, I was 69 00:04:24.959 --> 00:04:28.600 super excited for the Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre program. 70 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:32.879 It has since felt very cooled off for me. I 71 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:35.920 like I said last week, I love Keith Lee, but 72 00:04:36.120 --> 00:04:39.879 I just do not really get why he is in 73 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:43.519 this program. He's like the third wheel, and I know 74 00:04:43.639 --> 00:04:47.360 that they want to attach him to star power. I 75 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:50.759 know they want to make him feel important, and he 76 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:55.879 is a budding megastar in we there's no doubt about that. 77 00:04:56.680 --> 00:05:00.319 But I just don't understand why he is in this 78 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:03.079 program right now. He doesn't need to be in this program. 79 00:05:03.600 --> 00:05:06.560 The McIntyre and Randy Orton didn't need him to be 80 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.519 in this program. I just feel like he would be 81 00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:13.639 better served elsewhere right now. Like I still feel like 82 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:15.800 he could have been the perfect ying to the hurt 83 00:05:15.879 --> 00:05:19.720 businesses Yang. To me, that would have been a good feud. 84 00:05:21.319 --> 00:05:23.800 But in talking about the Hurt business. I gotta say 85 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:26.399 they are one of my favorite things going in WWE 86 00:05:26.480 --> 00:05:28.439 right now and my favorite part of Monday Night Raw. 87 00:05:28.639 --> 00:05:31.399 I gotta say I love it. I think it's one 88 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:34.399 of the best factions they've done in quite a few years. 89 00:05:34.959 --> 00:05:37.639 What can you say about MVP When he came back, 90 00:05:37.759 --> 00:05:41.319 I was really down on him. I trashed him a 91 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:44.279 lot following his return at the Royal Rumble. I didn't 92 00:05:44.360 --> 00:05:46.639 understand why they brought him back. I was never the 93 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:49.319 biggest fan of him with his inaugural run with the 94 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:52.920 company in the mid to late two thousands, but man, 95 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:55.480 he has really made me shut my mouth. He is 96 00:05:55.519 --> 00:05:58.279 one of the best talkers in ww right now. I 97 00:05:58.319 --> 00:06:02.279 would honestly say that as of right now, after Paul Hayman, 98 00:06:03.079 --> 00:06:06.800 MVP may be the best promo that WWB has going 99 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:11.040 right now. He has made Bobby Lashley feel extremely relevant. 100 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:14.959 He has brought Shelton Benjamin out of his obscurity since 101 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:18.800 he returned to WWE in twenty sixteen. I think that 102 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:22.560 this is gonna do worlds for Cedric Alexander. I like 103 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:25.360 the fact that they are a heel faction, but they 104 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:29.519 they're badasses. At the same time, I love that they 105 00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:32.519 came out and stood up to retribution. I find their 106 00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:37.120 gimmick really cool, coming out in the big suits, expensive gear, 107 00:06:37.399 --> 00:06:41.000 like the bling like. I love it. I love everything 108 00:06:41.040 --> 00:06:43.000 about it. I think it's one of the best things 109 00:06:43.120 --> 00:06:47.279 WWE has going right now. I'm really really hoping that 110 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:50.160 they put the tag team championships on them. I don't 111 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:52.800 know if it would be Shelton and Cedric or Cedric 112 00:06:52.839 --> 00:06:56.519 and MVP. Obviously not Bobby as he has the US Championship, 113 00:06:56.519 --> 00:06:58.560 but I really want them to get the tag team 114 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:03.199 championships in the her business, so I'm looking for that. 115 00:07:03.319 --> 00:07:06.040 But I got to say kudos to WWE. They have 116 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:10.279 done a mass world job building up that faction. Another thing, 117 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:14.519 I really like Naya and Shana Basler. I find them 118 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:17.759 a really cool women's tag team. They're probably my favorite 119 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:22.000 women's tag team champions since the Belt got debuted in 120 00:07:22.199 --> 00:07:25.399 what was it early twenty eighteen? Yeah about that, so 121 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:28.800 two and a half years ago. So I really like 122 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:33.399 that they've made Naya feel relevant again. I don't hate 123 00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:36.040 her on my television screen. I think this was a 124 00:07:36.120 --> 00:07:39.240 nice change of pace for Shana Basler, who cooled really 125 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:44.680 way off after her inaugural feud with Becky Lynch entering 126 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:47.879 WrestleMania thirty six. Yeah, thirty six. 127 00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:48.959 Look at me. 128 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.000 I'm all messed up with my numbers today dates and 129 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:56.319 WrestleMania's But yeah, I'm looking forward to their match with 130 00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:00.560 the Riot Squad at Class of Champions and I really 131 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:04.240 like the women's tag Team Championship scene right now. But 132 00:08:04.439 --> 00:08:08.279 on a side note, when to speaking about the tag 133 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:11.439 team division and the women's division, I've kind of thought 134 00:08:12.199 --> 00:08:15.439 something for quite a while now, given the lack of 135 00:08:15.600 --> 00:08:19.319 depth in each of those divisions, and to take it 136 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:23.079 back to the Attitude era or Ruthless Aggression era rather 137 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:27.519 when they also had the brand extension and it was 138 00:08:27.720 --> 00:08:32.320 very abided by. I remember that they had the Cruiserweights 139 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:38.559 exclusively on the SmackDown brand and the women's division exclusively 140 00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:41.799 on the Raw brand, and they did have women on SmackDown, 141 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:45.480 and they did have some women's matches on SmackDown, but 142 00:08:45.639 --> 00:08:50.639 the Raw Women's Championship belonged exclusively to the Red brand, 143 00:08:50.919 --> 00:08:54.879 like we saw with the Cruiserweights on SmackDown. So, given 144 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:58.759 the lack of depth in each of the tag in both, 145 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:02.440 rather in both the tag and the women's divisions. I'm 146 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:05.919 kind of thinking that maybe WWE should do the same, 147 00:09:06.039 --> 00:09:08.960 maybe send this the tag division over to SmackDown and 148 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:12.279 keep the women division on Raw, because I think what 149 00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:16.879 you're seeing now is a lot of cross promotional brand 150 00:09:17.120 --> 00:09:21.320 matches where we saw the Bar not the Bar, Cizarro 151 00:09:21.399 --> 00:09:25.320 and Nakamargo up against the Street Profits. There's pretty much 152 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:28.559 no tag teams on Raw right now after the Street 153 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:32.759 Profits because you know, Ivar got hurt, so the Viking 154 00:09:32.840 --> 00:09:36.840 Raiders aren't a thing anymore. Ricochet and Cedric Alexander broke up, 155 00:09:37.200 --> 00:09:41.320 Angel Garza and Andrade are no longer a thing. Even 156 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:47.279 Zelena bailed on them. So I'm almost thinking that WWE 157 00:09:47.360 --> 00:09:50.759 may be trending to unifying the tag team belts, and 158 00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:53.440 if that's the case, I think the Tag division should 159 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:57.440 be exclusive to SmackDown. I think SmackDown for a long 160 00:09:57.480 --> 00:09:59.720 time has been the better and the stronger of the 161 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:01.000 two in that regard. 162 00:10:01.919 --> 00:10:03.240 But then with the. 163 00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:07.519 Women's Championship, it's the same type of thing because you 164 00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:11.960 see Osca going up against the likes of Mickey James, 165 00:10:12.480 --> 00:10:14.960 and after that on Raw, who could she really go 166 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:18.799 up against? Natalia? Been there done that Shana and Naya 167 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:22.720 while they're holding the tag team titles right now, Ruby 168 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:25.519 Ryd and liv Morgan also a tag team at the moment, 169 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:28.639 And you look on SmackDown and Bailey's going up against 170 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:31.080 Nicky Cross for what the fourth time in the last 171 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:34.279 couple months. We know that she's not gonna win. Lacy 172 00:10:34.279 --> 00:10:37.639 Evans has really cooled off after a hot debut last 173 00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:42.320 year against Becky Lynch Alexa Bliss seems preoccupied with a 174 00:10:42.440 --> 00:10:47.360 side storyline with the Fiends. So I think WWE would 175 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:50.600 be best served to at least consider making the women's 176 00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:55.080 division exclusively on Raw, because if that's the case, you 177 00:10:55.159 --> 00:10:59.480 would have so many more opportunities for fresh matchups, more 178 00:10:59.559 --> 00:11:04.679 storylines Like Look, I love Osca as Women's champion. I 179 00:11:04.759 --> 00:11:07.440 think she's one of the best in WWE right now, 180 00:11:07.559 --> 00:11:11.279 especially with Charlotte and Becky out. I think she's second 181 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:14.799 to Bailey, But at the same time, she really has 182 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:18.840 no one to tangle with right now, and even Bailey 183 00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:23.600 after they do the Sasha program, who would really be 184 00:11:23.799 --> 00:11:27.840 next in line for that women's championship. So to close 185 00:11:27.840 --> 00:11:30.799 it out, I think WWE should really look to making 186 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:34.320 the tag division exclusive to SmackDown and the Raw Division 187 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:38.360 and the Women's division exclusive to Raw, much like they 188 00:11:38.360 --> 00:11:41.279 did with the Cruiserweights and the women's divisions back in 189 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:44.600 the early to mid two thousands during the Ruthless Aggression era. 190 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:47.960 So enough of that, Let's get to the reason why 191 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:52.639 you're here, and that is rivalries, and I'm gonna I 192 00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:55.519 wanted to do this for a while with the Alliance 193 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:59.440 versus Team WWF because, as I said in the opening, 194 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:03.440 this was a key year for a lot of superstars, 195 00:12:03.480 --> 00:12:09.240 specifically Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho, Booker, t the rock Stone, Cold, 196 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:12.679 Steve Austin, Shane McMahon. Even there's a lot of guys 197 00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:16.360 who benefited from this year, even if the program as 198 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:22.799 a whole was lackluster, and it took up pretty much 199 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:27.159 I would say eight months. It started in March and 200 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:31.480 it culminated at Survivor Series in late November, so it 201 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:34.600 ate up the vast majority of the year two thousand 202 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:39.879 and one. So this really started at the build up 203 00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:45.919 to WrestleMania seventeen when Shane McMahon returned to face his father, 204 00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:50.279 Vince McMahon. And what happened was is that Vince was 205 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:54.120 pretty much running Roughshaw on WWE or WWF at that time. 206 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:56.679 And I don't know if you remember, but this is 207 00:12:56.720 --> 00:13:00.799 when there was the whole Linda McMahon sitting dated Angle 208 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:04.240 when he she would get wheeled out in a wheelchair 209 00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:08.919 and she was supposedly hopped up on meds and she 210 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:14.240 couldn't how would you say, she couldn't respond to anything? 211 00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:17.279 And Vince was dating Trish. I remember there's that infamous 212 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:20.039 scene of Linda sitting in the wheelchair on the top 213 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:23.240 ramp of SmackDown and Vincent Trish making out in front 214 00:13:23.279 --> 00:13:27.399 of her. So Shane came back to, you know, fight 215 00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:32.399 for his mother's honor. So they come back, challenges his 216 00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:35.639 dad to a street fight and they and that match 217 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:39.840 happened at WrestleMania seventeen and it was actually officiated by 218 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:43.919 Mick Foley. But one thing that happened en route to 219 00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:51.399 WrestleMania seventeen in real life was Vince McMahon buying wc 220 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:55.480 W and one of the most historic moments in the 221 00:13:55.559 --> 00:14:00.600 history of the wrestling industry. There was a simulca between 222 00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:05.600 Monday Night Raw and the last ever WCW Monday Night Nitro, 223 00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:07.960 and it went something like this. 224 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:14.720 Imagine that. 225 00:14:16.919 --> 00:14:25.320 Me, Vince McMahon, imagine that here I am on WCW television. 226 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:27.600 How can that happen? 227 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:31.600 Well, there's only one way, you see, it was just 228 00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:38.559 a matter of time before I, Vince McMahon bought my competition. 229 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:46.240 That's right, I own WCW. So therefore, in its final 230 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:52.320 broadcast tonight on TNT, I have the opportunity to address you, 231 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:57.600 the WCW fans. I have an opportunity to address you, 232 00:14:57.720 --> 00:15:03.639 the WCW superstars. Here's the fate of w CW well 233 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:08.559 tonight and a special simulcast you'll all find out because 234 00:15:08.639 --> 00:15:16.600 the fate, the very fate of w CW, is in 235 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:24.720 my hands. 236 00:15:28.279 --> 00:15:33.000 So what do you know? A special simulcast between WWF 237 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:37.279 and WCW. And, like Vince McMahon says, who would have 238 00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:38.120 ever thought? 239 00:15:38.840 --> 00:15:38.960 So? 240 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:44.759 Later that night, Shane McMahon shows up on WCW Nitro 241 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:49.000 and confronts his dad, and you have on one screen 242 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:54.200 WCW Nitro with with Vince, with Shane standing in the ring, 243 00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:56.919 and then you have Vince standing in the ring on 244 00:15:57.039 --> 00:16:01.320 Monday Night Raw and Shane revealed that he is now 245 00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:06.279 the owner of wc W, and hence kicks off the 246 00:16:06.759 --> 00:16:10.440 invasion angle that we didn't really know how it was 247 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:13.759 going to go down. But this was really the kickoff 248 00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:19.559 right before their match at WrestleMania seventeen. So WrestleMania seventeen 249 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:22.519 comes and goes, Shane beats his dad in the street 250 00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:26.840 fight where he I believe that was the debut of 251 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:29.679 the Coast to Coast that sham Man has used for 252 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:33.120 the follow that shame at Men used for the following 253 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:37.519 nineteen years and still uses at to date. Linda mit 254 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:41.879 Mahn stood up out of her wheelchair, kicked Vincent the nuts, 255 00:16:41.919 --> 00:16:44.120 and then Shane beat him with the Coast to Coast 256 00:16:44.200 --> 00:16:46.879 counted one, two, three by Mick Foley. But if you 257 00:16:46.919 --> 00:16:50.519 guys remember that match, which I really encourage you to 258 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:53.080 go back and watch, or if you haven't watched it ever, 259 00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:56.399 do yourself a favor watch it. But shame it Man 260 00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:59.440 came out and addressed the WCW wrestlers who were in 261 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:04.319 attendance at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas. 262 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.759 But here was the. 263 00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:11.799 Thing is that in real life, when Vince bought WCW, 264 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:17.079 he didn't exactly get all the stars, and we saw 265 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:20.640 that when this angle started because it took a couple 266 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:24.000 months for them to really kick off this angle. They 267 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:28.359 went through I believe all of April and May without 268 00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:32.559 the Invasion angle really going at it, But when it started, 269 00:17:32.599 --> 00:17:35.839 I believe it really got going. In at the beginning 270 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:40.759 of June, you started seeing the WCW wrestlers show up, 271 00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:43.039 but it wasn't the ones you were hoping for. You 272 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:49.440 were seeing guys like Sean Stasiac and Sean O'Hara, and 273 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:54.200 Chuck Palumbo and Billy Kidman, and then the only two 274 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:59.200 real big names that you saw was Diamond Dallas Page 275 00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:02.160 and Booker t Those were the only two guys that 276 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:07.480 were like relatively big names coming over from WCW. And 277 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.079 you know, fans were kind of looking at like the 278 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:14.079 guys that were showing up, and Buff Bagwell was another one, 279 00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:20.519 the infamous Buff Bagwell. But you fans were watching and 280 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:24.119 seeing all these guys, and they were kind of like, well, 281 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:28.720 where's the nWo, Where's Rick Flair, Where's Goldberg, Where's Sting? 282 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:35.599 And it was really unfortunate because for years fans had 283 00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:39.680 dreamt about like dream matches and pointing together to like 284 00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:44.200 big brawls, and none of those big names were showing up, 285 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:47.359 and in real life, what had happened was that WWE 286 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:52.000 chose not to inherit those ironclad contracts that time Warner 287 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:55.759 was paying all these guys, So those guys stayed home 288 00:18:55.960 --> 00:19:00.160 and just collected money not to do anything instead of 289 00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:05.279 wrestling for WWF. And eventually a lot of these guys 290 00:19:05.359 --> 00:19:08.240 came over, like the nWo came over in two thousand 291 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:10.559 and two, Scott Steiner showed up in late two thousand 292 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:12.759 and two, Goldberg came over in two thousand and three. 293 00:19:13.359 --> 00:19:15.759 Hal Rick Flair even showed up in late two thousand 294 00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:18.920 and one. He showed up right after the Invasion angle closed, 295 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:23.920 albeit not as a performer. But so you saw these 296 00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:26.519 guys showing up, and while it was really cool to 297 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:31.119 see these wrestlers showing up and invading the WWF, there 298 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:34.680 was something left to be desired, and I think WWE 299 00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:40.599 realized that because a bit into this Invasion angle, they 300 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.960 brought in the element of ECW. And at this time, 301 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:48.839 if you guys don't remember, Paul Hayman was the color 302 00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:54.000 commentator to Jim Ross on Monday Night Raw, and I 303 00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:57.920 remember what happened was is that they the WCW guys 304 00:19:58.000 --> 00:20:01.720 were were beating up the WWF guys in the middle 305 00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:04.839 of the ring, and a bunch of the WWF locker 306 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:08.119 room came running out and stood toe to toe with 307 00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:11.960 the WCW guys and then turned on the WWF guys 308 00:20:11.960 --> 00:20:15.599 in the ring and just performed this massive beatdown. And 309 00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:20.519 these guys included the likes of Rhino and the Dudley Boys. 310 00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:25.279 But what do you know, those were former ECW guys 311 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:30.559 and they joined the Invasion angle, hence the alliance between 312 00:20:30.640 --> 00:20:36.000 ECW and WCW, which was later revealed that Stephanie McMahon 313 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:39.319 was the new owner of ECW, so you had Shane 314 00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:46.039 owning WCW and Stephanie owning ECW. And while I thought 315 00:20:46.039 --> 00:20:48.559 it was cool that they brought ECW into the mix, 316 00:20:48.599 --> 00:20:53.160 obviously ECW had and continues to have a massive fan base, 317 00:20:53.680 --> 00:20:58.079 I think WWF did this more out of necessity, like 318 00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:01.039 Vince and Creative made this happen, and out of necessity 319 00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:05.319 because they just simply did not have the WCW star 320 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:09.480 power to make the Invasion angle plausible, to make it 321 00:21:09.559 --> 00:21:15.440 realistic that these WCW invaders could overtake the WWF, because 322 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:21.079 in reality, you had a lot of former ECW stars 323 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:24.920 who were in WWF by the time this angle rolled around. 324 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:27.880 Like I mentioned, you had Rhino, you had the Dudley Boys, 325 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:31.279 you had a guy like Taz like. These were all 326 00:21:31.400 --> 00:21:34.759 guys who had been in WWF for at this point 327 00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:38.599 a couple of years, and you had and they were 328 00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:41.839 former ECW guys, and the crowd already knew them. There 329 00:21:41.880 --> 00:21:45.119 was name recognition because a lot of these WCW guys 330 00:21:45.119 --> 00:21:48.279 that came over, they were mid to lower card guys. 331 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:51.720 So if you were strictly a WWF fan at the time, 332 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:54.519 like I was, or I believe like Matt was, and 333 00:21:54.559 --> 00:21:57.240 I'm sure like many of you guys were, you didn't 334 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:00.319 know the lower card guys. You didn't know the mid 335 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:05.400 card guys. Like even as a diehard wwfan, I knew 336 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:09.359 about Staying, I knew about Goldberg, I knew about the nWo, 337 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:13.519 But you didn't know about Sean Stasiac and Chris Kanyon. 338 00:22:13.559 --> 00:22:16.920 You didn't hear about these guys or the Disco Inferno 339 00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:17.880 or what have you. 340 00:22:18.519 --> 00:22:18.680 You know. 341 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:22.680 So it was very important for WWF to make the 342 00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:27.680 fans care about the WCW side, and in doing so, 343 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:32.720 they formed the alliance with ECW. And on another note, 344 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:35.160 you had Paul Hayman sitting there, and by this point 345 00:22:35.160 --> 00:22:38.359 I believe he had been on Color Commentary for about 346 00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:41.480 six months and damn good at it, my dad. So 347 00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:45.480 you had Paul Hayman, the visionary of ECW, in your 348 00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:48.960 back pocket as well. So they went ahead with ECW, 349 00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:51.960 And look, I could be completely off, maybe ECW was 350 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:55.640 part of the plan the entire time, but I just 351 00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:59.559 I believe as just an opinion, and like I just said, 352 00:22:59.599 --> 00:23:02.359 I don't know this to be fact or not. I 353 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:08.000 truly believe that Creative did this just to legitimize the angle. 354 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:10.960 And if they had inherited the likes of the nWo 355 00:23:11.079 --> 00:23:14.519 and Goldberg and Sting and Flair right off the bat, 356 00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:18.799 they would have not have included ECW, because at the 357 00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:22.640 end of the day, ECW never really held a candle 358 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:26.160 to WWF or WCW. They were always just kind of 359 00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:30.720 like the ugly third stepchild in the I guess wrestling 360 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:34.480 wars of the mid to late nineteen nineties. But nevertheless, 361 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:37.000 it was a good element given the cards that were 362 00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:40.680 dealt to the WWF and the talent they had at 363 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:46.440 their disposal. So this Angle starts and they build up 364 00:23:46.480 --> 00:23:50.400 to the Invasion pay per view, which happened in July 365 00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:54.480 of two thousand and one. And I gotta say I 366 00:23:54.519 --> 00:23:58.279 own this dvd, YEP, a dvd that I bought, I 367 00:23:58.319 --> 00:24:00.319 believe in two thousand and two, and I have to 368 00:24:00.319 --> 00:24:03.720 say I've watched it over fifty times, so I know 369 00:24:03.880 --> 00:24:06.559 this pay per view like the back of my hand. 370 00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:10.640 And I'll just give you the overview for this card. 371 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:14.200 So it started with on Sunday Night Heat, which was 372 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:18.000 always the pre pay per view show. I bet I 373 00:24:18.000 --> 00:24:21.680 guess because Heat was recorded between before Monday Night Raw 374 00:24:21.720 --> 00:24:23.680 and with air on Sunday nights back in the day. 375 00:24:24.279 --> 00:24:28.079 So Chavala Gerrero the Alliance defeated Scotti Twohati at the 376 00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:32.839 w WF Edge, and Christian defeated Landstorm and Mike Awesome. 377 00:24:33.640 --> 00:24:37.880 Earl Hebner defeated Nick Patrick in a referee versus referee match. 378 00:24:38.200 --> 00:24:41.920 The APA defeated Chuck Palumbo and Shawn O'Hare of the 379 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:46.240 Alliance in the tag team champions match of each brand, 380 00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:52.000 Billy Kidman defeated XPOC. Raven of the Alliance defeated William Regal. 381 00:24:52.119 --> 00:24:54.480 Raven was another guy who had been in WWF for 382 00:24:54.519 --> 00:24:57.200 a while at that point, but was a former ECW guy. 383 00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:01.319 Chris Kenyon, Hugh Morris, and Sean Stacy. The Alliance defeated 384 00:25:01.480 --> 00:25:05.799 Albert big Show and Billy gunn Ty. Jerry defeated Taz 385 00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:09.000 Rob Van Dam of the Alliance defeated Jeff Hardy in 386 00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:11.279 a hardcore match. Go back and watch that match. That 387 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:14.920 was a hell of a fight. Tristratus and Leda defeated 388 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:18.279 Tory Wilson and Stacy Keebler in the oh so popular 389 00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:23.480 bra and panties match. God, I know Matt has talked 390 00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:26.880 about this quite a few times. Imagine having those types 391 00:25:26.920 --> 00:25:31.039 of matches nowadays. WOW would not go over well in 392 00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:35.720 the current political climate, that's for sure. And then the 393 00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:41.559 main event was the the WCW and ECW coalition that 394 00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:46.160 was Booker, t Bubba, Ray Dudley, Devon Dudley, Diamond, Dallas 395 00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:52.440 Page and Rhino versus Team WWF Chris Jericho, Kurt angle Stone, 396 00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:57.319 Cold Steve Austin and The Undertaker. So you hear both 397 00:25:57.440 --> 00:26:01.759 teams and obviously, if you was strictly by star power, 398 00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:08.880 the WWF was vastly outweighed the Alliance, and again you 399 00:26:08.960 --> 00:26:12.000 look at Team Alliance and you have Diamond, Dallas Page, 400 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:15.960 Booker T, the Dudley Boys, and Rhino. The only true 401 00:26:16.880 --> 00:26:21.599