Road to Wrestlemania Part 2 2006

In Part I of the Road to Wrestlemania XXII, we saw the set up for the following:

Dark Match: Punk v. London v. Kendrick v. Noble
Winners get Shot: HHH-M/Lashley v. DMW v. MNM v. Orton/Cena
Hardcore Legends Match: Cactus Jack v. RVD
Undisputed Tag Title: Bradshaw/Booker (w/Conway) v. LWO (w/Carlito) v. ?

There will be 6 more matches on the show, but one will be unannounced, so five matches left to set up here.

Coming out of the Rumble, the organizing feud is between the 51% Solution and the Sunshine Boys.

With Rey, Benoit, and Steamboat all off TV after the Rumble beating they took from the Solution, particularly Lashley, and the Solution doing a lot of bragging – it’s Dean Malenko who calls them out, specifically Arn.

Dean’s protecting Benoit here, of course, Dean/Benoit came into the company together, and were Horsemen back in their NWA days. Dean is now managing Fit, and we just did Dean/Benoit stuff during the Fit/Benoit IC program.

But they made up with handshakes all around after Fit took the strap at the Rumble, and now Dean is looking to call Anderson on the carpet, which makes sense as Arn and Dean were 2/3 of the Titan Trust for years (w/Fit) so obviously would have a strong relationship.

And that’s what Dean plays on now, he calls Arn out to the ring and cuts a promo on him – how it’s time to check the scoreboard. Fit’s the Worldwide Champ – trained by Dean – and where’s Arn?

Where he’s always been, walking behind Ric Flair.

And that’s gonna lead to this TV program, where it’ll largely be Fit/Regal against Flair/Hunter – with Dean and Arn on the outside as the focal points. Lashley is used only occasionally – always protected – if we see him, he’s squashing dudes.

The build is to a War Games match, which we’ve rarely had in the Counterfactual – that’s a 5 on 5 cage match, where each man enters one at a time, and it’s submission only.

The stakes: control.

If the babyfaces win – then Ricky Steamboat will have 100% managerial control of the WWF.

If the heels win – Steamboat gives his power to the Solution.

In the most famous War Games match in Counterfactual history – the Alliance (Benoit, Eddy, Dean, Perry) put up their careers against the belts held by all the WWF title holders (Angle, Austin, Dudleys). It was Malenko who tapped out – ending his career.

So, as this heats up – Arn challenges Dean to a War Games match – and Dean accepts.

They decide it will be 5 on 5.

So, Arn and Dean stand in the ring and announce their members:

For the Solution…

Arn, Flair, Hunter, Lashley are the obvious four – they come to the ring one by one – Lashley drawing the big pop as he is the unstoppable monster.

Arn says they needed a fifth guy – and since they are in control of the WWF – they handpicked a guy – a guy who needed a favor from the Solution – they picked…

Kurt Angle.

For those of you who missed the Rumble, Angle lost to Michaels, his first ever loss to Michaels, when Benjamin turned on him. Angle had been keeping Benjamin down, refusing to let him wrestle on PPV, for months.

Angle’s frothing at the mouth, the fully roided up maniacal Kurt Angle.

Angle comes to the ring, just screaming about Benjamin – yelling that he wants Benjamin at XXII – and it becomes apparent that’s the deal that was cut, Angle joins the Solution for the War Games, and they give him S Money at Mania.

So, there’s the next match.

That’s a long time coming, Benjamin debuted on Camp Angle, Angle’s “tough enough” reality show. Benjamin became 3 time tag champ, twice with Haas and once with Kurt. Haas and Benjamin turned heel with Brock – and remained heels to rejoin Kurt upon his turn. Those 3 added Regal to form Team Angle, which feuded for over 2 years with the Clique (Michaels, Edge, Christian, London).

At XXI, Angle ordered a code red on Haas, one in which Benjamin joined, even though he and Charlie were longtime partners. Charlie got fired. The Clique busted up, Edge fucking Lita – leading to Christian’s leaving the company – Regal went off on his own, joining Fit and Dean in Fit’s effort to return to active wrestling and win the IC. London became embroiled in the return of Kendrick and Noble – the Clique was forever disbanded when Hunter beat Michaels, and Benjamin became Angle’s valet, effectively, stewing as Kurt kept him from the big matches.

Benjamin turned at the Rumble – Michaels beat Angle (and then got speared again by Edge) and now Kurt will take on Benjamin at XXII.

Dean then introduces his team.

Dean, Fit, Regal, obviously…and then to the ring comes Steamboat.

Steamboat still has the other 49% of managerial power in the company, the announce screaming that the Dragon will be returning to the ring – but he won’t – instead, he announces the final two members of the team –

Rey and Benoit.

Neither one is there, but they’ll be returning for the first time since the Rumble – at the War Games match.

And that’s your Saturday Night’s Main Event – the big War Games matchup.

First two men to the ring, Hunter and Regal.

Next – Arn.

Next – Fit

Next – Dean, the babyfaces have the 3-2 advantage.

Angle’s music plays next – but no Angle.

Camera goes to the parking lot – where Angle and Benjamin are smashing each other into cars.

Then cuts to the back – where a panicked Flair looks into the locker room and says “You – get your ass out there. You’re replacing Angle”

We can’t hear the other half of the conversation, or see who it is Flair’s talking to.

We see Flair though, “Anything you want – Anything you want – just get out there now.”

Then cut back to the ring for the music of the replacement:

Edge.

Edge, still wearing the eyepatch, lost the Empty Arena match to Matt at the Rumble, when Matt stuck an icepick in his eye. This followed Matt crucifying Edge to the canvas with a nailgun after Edge’s Unsanctioned win over Matt at Summer Slam.

Since Edge’s affair with Lita and betrayal of Christian, he has no allies in the locker room, as his sleeping with Matt’s girl is thought “too far.” That led to the breakup of the Clique, the slow burning hatred between Edge and Michaels – and the feud with Matt, who still doesn’t have a contract.

Edge beats Matt at Summer Slam – gets crucified on RAW – appears at Survivor Series to spear Michaels, allowing for Hunter’s win and the death of the Clique – Matt and Edge’s fights on RAW pre-Rumble went into the stands, injuring a fan – so their Rumble match was Empty Arena – Matt evened it up with the pick to the eye – Edge ran in after Shawn beat Angle – spearing him.

And here he is, securing some promise from Flair, and now making it 3-3.

Flair’s next. And it’s 4-3 heels.

Next comes Benoit, the current holder of the Triple Crown (means he’s won all 3 WWF belts, only 9 guys have done it in the Counterfactual, there’s a trophy – it’s called the Hart-Guerrero Memorial Triple Crown). Benoit dropped the IC to Fit at the Rumble, but ran in to save Rey (Rey’s was Eddy’s “little brother” and Eddy was Benoit’s “little brother” so, by the transitive property – Benoit stepped into protect Rey pre-Rumble, and ran in for the save when the Solution attacked Rey at the Rumble’s close) then got wiped out by Lashley.

Next comes Rey. The Undisputed Champion of the World.

Rey took from Eddy in Eddy’s last match at Summer Slam, then kept over Juvie at Survivor Series, kept over both Crazy and Psycho at the Rumble – all with Flair trying to get the belt off him.

Rey makes it 5-4 faces. Meaning we’re just building for Lashley.

Lashley last – and he destroys all of the faces – tears at everyone – cleaning house with nothing but power moves and primal screams.

How can the faces stop Lashley?

Coming to the ring….Dead Men Walking.

Recall, from part one of the set up – Lashley wiped out all the other 3 teams set to meet in the opening Mania tag – including Kane and PAUL – and now, with the Undertaker – they come to the ring – Lashley – uncontrollable – leaves the cage to battle them.

The announce notes that Lashley’s making a terrible mistake – screwing the Solution – they had the Sunshine Boys wiped out – and now Lashley’s in the aisle batting the 3 giants.

Security swarms from every corner to control that – and with the numerical advantage, the babyfaces take control –

Benoit has Hunter in the crossface….Malenko has Arn in the cloverleaf…one of them will tap…one of them will tap – Steamboat, standing on the outside – is about to get control over the company –

When suddenly, almost from nowhere, Flair quickly gets Regal in the figure four –

And Regal submits.

Steve Regal submits to Ric Flair – the 51% Solution, even though undermanned – has won the War Games match and taken complete, 100% control of the WWF.

Everyone’s bleeding, of course, ‘cause of the cage.

Edge, Hunter, Flair, Arn celebrating – the babyfaces stunned – Regal is inconsolable – his head buried in his hands – Regal apparently crying – Regal has submitted – Fit, Regal’s training partner, longtime friend and rival goes to try to console him – try to give him some words…

Fit lowers Regal’s hands from his face…

And Regal is laughing.

Regal gets some quick shots in at Fit – then runs from the ring – the heels exiting the ring and laughing – Regal swerved them! Regal set the Sunshine Boys up! Regal has been working with the 51%...now the 100% Solution!

And that sets up the rest of the card.

The IC will be Fit defending against Regal. Regal was jealous, Regal sold out, Regal made a deal to get the title shot at Mania – you see the set up. Fit and Dean bring the full on hate for Regal – and they hook it up at XXII.

What did Edge demand for his participation?

We find out in an in ring promo – when Edge comes to collect from Flair.

Flair: Anything you want, big man. Anything you want. Wooooo!

Edge says he wants a Wrestlemania match.

Flair says of course – anyone you want – who do you want.

Edge says, “Matt Hardy.”

Flair says no. Flair has a desperate hatred for all things Matt Hardy – Matt’s doing the Pillman thing, Flair’s the bookerman – Flair’s sworn on his mother’s grave that Matt will never get a WWF contract.

Flair says no – he can’t do it, Edge can’t wrestle Matt Hardy at XXII.

Edge laughs – says there’s been a misunderstanding. Edge says he doesn’t want to wrestle Matt at XXII.

He wants to wrestle Matt at XXIII. One year from now, in Detroit. He wants to make crazy, off the chain, high strung Matt Hardy wait a full year.

Edge says what he wants from Flair is Matt’s contract. He wants to hold Matt Hardy’s WWF contract for a full year – he wants Matt Hardy to work for him – he wants to own Matt Hardy until WM XXIII, one year away – until then Matt Hardy can’t touch him – not even once – if Matt Hardy touches him, in or out of the ring – over the next year – then Matt is gone from the WWF forever.

I know, it’s a little forced. Just go with it. There’s more.

And, Edge says, at WM XXIII – when Edge takes on Matt Hardy one more time – one year from now – it won’t just be an ordinary match…

It’ll be a Hell in a Cell Match.

We’ve only had 2 in the Counterfactual – both very famous. Ken Shamrock threw Cactus Jack off the top of the cage through the table. Foley’s famous bump. And then, years later at XX, Jericho and Trish tossed Christian from the top – coincidentally, that was the night that Edge returned after a year and a half away with the neck surgery recovery following the last ever TLC match – the night the new Clique was formed.

So, there’s a full year to build to Edge/Matt. Hell in a Cell. WM XXIII.

Flair says it can’t be that easy for Matt Hardy.

Matt quit the company, he swore – he whined on the internet – he has attacked HHH-M. He comes out of the crowd and he has no respect. In all Flair’s years in this business, he’s never seen anyone as disrespectful as Matt Hardy.

He hates Matt Hardy. Hates him. Hates him.. Punk. Awful little punk.

Flair drops an elbow on the canvas.

Edge says okay, Ric. Okay.

Let’s make him work for it.

If Matt Hardy wants to wrestle me in a Cell at XXIII….then he’s got to win a match at XXII….

Against Ric Flair.

And Flair goes for that.

So, we’ve got Matt and Flair at XXII – if Matt wins, he’ll meet Edge next year in the Cell.

And that’s a long build.

If Matt loses – he’ll never step foot in the WWF again.

So, add that match.

Flair says to Edge – who do you want – who do you want to meet at WMXXII – anyone you want ---

When from the crowd comes Michaels – who superkicks Edge cold, “He’ll be wrestling me.”

So, there’s that.

And except for the title match – that’s your show.

What’s the title match?

Well, the Solution is concerned about the Rey/Benoit alliance. Say Flair and Hunter lose a tag to Rey and Benoit.

So, they need a way to break them up – to force some dissension.

They bring them to the ring in a promo – and come up with a genius plan.

At WM XXII- - Rey Mysterio will defend the Undisputed Championship – against the 2 time Champion, his buddy, Chris Benoit.

So, they start off, of course, as friends, recognizing they’re being played – but it’s wrestling, so while it’s still face/face – with the current Triple Crown holder and the previous Triple Crown holder wrestling for the big strap – they have enough tension to carry the program.

Arguably the two best wrestlers in the WWF – 2 of the best wrestlers who ever lived – Rey Mysterio and Chris Benoit – meeting each other for the first time in a PPV – at the main event at WM XXII.

So, here’s your card:

Undisputed Championship: Rey Mysterio v. Chris Benoit
Worldwide Titles: Fit Finlay (w/Dean) v. Steve Regal
Unified Tags: Bradshaw/Booker (w/Conway) v. LWO (w/Carlito) v. ?
HBK v. Edge
Kurt Angle v. S Money Shelton Benjamin
Ric Flair v. Matt Hardy
Hardcore Legends: Cactus Jack (w/Heyman) v. RVD (w/Stevie)
Winners get Shot: HHH/Lashley v. MNM v. DMW (w/Taker) v. Orton/Cena
Dark Match: Punk v. London v. Kendrick v. Noble.

It’s coming in March from Chicago! The Road Continues.

Wrestlemania XVII 2001

Rumble is here.

Wrestlemania XVII Houston 2001
(Dark – Dean/Perry d. Taka/Aguila)

Taka's off tv now, but he'll work dark and house shows until his deal runs out. Dean and Perry, of course, can't work the show because they attacked Angle - but it's dark, you know.

JR/Cornette/Heenan. Bobby can add whatever he can, health permitting. In fact, if he can only work a match or two, that's fine. Whatever he has. One also notes a change in the set - the ramp is now white.

1. Vince/Kane d. Skip/PAUL~
PAUL and Kane do some limited amount of big man stuff, leading to the point where Vince, in a WWF arena for the first time in two years, and still wearing the robes (bald, very thin, monklike McMahon) shockingly tags himself in.

PAUL then turns to tag in Skip - it's gonna be Skip and Vince - Skip and Vince -

But instead - PAUL turns on Skip - chokeslamming him, Vince enters, pins his boy, and that's that. Vince gets the fall on Skip – Vince wins, keeps the company, Skip’s gone. Kane and PAUL~ then turn on Vince, chokeslamming him simultaneously. They get two tables and then double chokeslam the McMahons through both of them. That wraps Skip, and, absent maybe one more appearance in a couple of years, wraps Vince too...at least...for now...

Kane and PAUL then each then hold up five fingers as the Undertaker’s music plays. The Dead man comes to the ring – the three monsters united as a powerful heel force. JR and Cornette freak out - look at these men - the three largest men in the WWF - these Dead Men Walking...Leading us in to…

2. Legend’s Match: Rock d. Undertaker (w/ Kane/PAUL)
The Rock goes into a tough spot, with the Undertaker/Kane/PAUL all lined up against him, he obviously, struggles with the outside interference – as the monsters overwhelm him. But he’s the Rock, after all, and this is a good spot to mark the transition from Rock getting title shots to Rock, novelty act. Rock overcomes all, gets the fall, the legend's win, keeping the 'Taker from passing Andre and Hogan – but after the match, the monsters beat him down and ready him for what will be their signature move…the triple chokeslam

Triple Chokeslam!

They pick him up --- when the Rock is saved by….Mick Foley. Foley’s good like that.

Foley and the Rock beat the Monsters away. Face pop – Foley, not in the Cactus Jack gear, gets on the mic, puts the Rock over as the new legend of the WWF, wishes Kurt Angle luck tonight, says Bang, Bang, and disappears again. Mick Foley!

We're gonna run some comedy Foley now, he's gonna do some announcing, do some Rock/Sock stuff, show that side of the personality as he stays out of the ring.

3. Ulysses Morley d. Justin Credible
Stevie enters in the wheelchair, gets taunted by Justin – then Stevie rises, hits Justin with the StevieKick, allowing Morley to hit Liberation Falls. Morley wins at Wrestlemania! Morley wins! Morley wins! Stevie is then attacked by Raven and Taz…save by the Dudley Boys…brawl to the back.

4. Cage Match: HHH d. Waltman (w/ Trish, E and C)
It’s Hunter’s last PPV before the quad blows out, so he’s still at the top of his curve, and his last match at this level. Waltman is nearing the end of his WWF career, and is too high to focus, but he can still bump for his boy – hence the cage stip. This is your blood match, double color. It’s pinfall/Submission, no escape allowed. Hunter goes over, pedigree. Hunter’s gonna be a face for awhile, so hop on board. It’s face HHH and he’s gonna get a little bit of a run. Well, first he’s gonna get hurt – but then, a bit of a run.

After the fall, E and C enter the cage, beating Hunter down, save by the Hardys…and the Hardys and E and C brawl to the back. So, we’re ready for the tag title.

They're gonna give Hunter a babyface run between Mania and Summer Slam against the Monsters --- that’s gonna end with the Monsters severly injuring Hunter – say, a Triple Chokeslam off the ramp. Hunter gets the neckbrace, EMT, stretcher, ambulance thing – and that writes him out of the storyline for the rest of 2001. When he comes back, recall how he was injured, ‘cause that’s who he’ll come after.

5. Chris Jericho d. Eddy Guerrero (special guest referee, Hector Guerrero)
And this is the blowoff to this feud. ‘Cause that’s the point of Mania, after all. Eddy submits to the Liontamer, no run in, Jericho gets to stand triumphantly in the ring. Y2J…Y2J..Y2J.. They establish Jericho as a big time workrate guy, they keep putting in the spot where he has great matches – and now we see him as a guy who has great matches. He carries on the Hart legacy. Coming to the ring after the match…Stacy Keibler, she kisses Jericho, and there’s that. Man gets a valet. That's gonna get awfully soapy, I'm just sayin'.

6. Tags: Elimination Match: Dudley Boys d. Raven/Taz d. Hardys d. E and C
They garbage up the first fall – with the tables and ladders and chairs and garbage cans and street signs and stapleguns and chainsaws and whatever you got. Jeff puts Edge through a table and gets the fall, eliminating E and C.

Second fall – Taz chokes out Matt, Hardys eliminated.

So, the ECW group goes at it – finish comes with the Duds hitting 3D on Raven, retaking their titles. Stevie hobbles to ringside – the three men celebrate in mid-ring. Big night for faces here in Houston – the big crowd is very happy.

7. IC: Falls Count Anywhere: Steve Austin d. Steve Regal
Since we have the in ring stuff in the main, we get a brawl here, in the stands, in the back, in the lobby, in the men's room – it’s a heated feud, the blow off to a heated feud, and it’s in Houston – so Austin’s got the hometown thing going. This is my ECW style Austin match, I’d like them in the crowd, the fans giving Austin things to hit Regal with. I see Austin in the stands, bleeding, the fans all around him chanting his name as he holds the IC belt above his head. It’s a very emotionally satisfying Wrestlemania as the faces continue to roll.

8. WWF Title: Kurt Angle d. Chris Benoit
Long time coming.

Lot of buildup, lot of drama, both men unbeaten since joining the WWF - Angle has never lost a match, which, recall, was his goal upon entering, this match has been building for a year - the fans, as now they'll do for each WWF Championship match - throw the ribbon as the wrestlers introductions come in the ring (Howard, incidentally, is always the ring announcer - as long as he's drawing a paycheck, Howard's the ring announcer)

Angle's good enough by now to keep up - Benoit's as good as anyone's ever been - and I'm guessing this is every bit as good as it could be.

The wolverine, champ for a year, drops to Angle. Olympic Slam. Pinfall.

Eddy, Dean, and Perry hit the ring postmatch – Angle is joined by the entire face locker room in ejecting all of them from the ring – Angle’s lifted in the air as the people cheer. Angle in the air with the belt as we fade out. And we have a new WWF Champion. Peace reigns in the World Wrestling Federation.

One of the biggest RAW main events ever is the next night. Maybe the biggest.

Alliance in the ring – they say it’s time to go all in – they want their belts back. So, they call out Angle, Austin, and the Dudleys.

Angle and Austin and the Duds enter. Benoit says we want an 8 man – tonight on RAW. If we win – then I get the WWF Title and Eddy gets the IC and Dean and Perry get the tags. The Alliance walks out with all the gold. ALL THE GOLD.

And Angle says – if we win – you four get the hell out of the WWF.

The Alliance huddles…and agrees.

So, the main is Alliance v. The Champs. If Alliance wins, they win the straps, if Champs win, the Alliance leaves town. They do it as a War Games match. Steel cage. 2 guys start. Every five minutes, another guy enters until everyone is in. Someone has to submit for the match to end.

Are you feelin' me, player? Big stakes. Cage. Submission only. RAW is WAR.

Eddy and Angle draw the first numbers. Next in has to be a heel, so we’ll make it Perry. Perry and Eddy do some beating. Then Bubba. So it’s 2-2. Then a face, D-Von. So, 3-2. Then Dean. 3-3. Then Benoit. 4-3. Then Austin. 4-4. Everyone bleeds, lots of teased submissions – finally, Angle gets Dean to tap to the ankle lock.

Alliance attacks after the match (Dean has no more PPV left, so I’m pulling the plug, Perry does have more, but I’m sacrificing for the angle, Eddy gets fired for the drug use, and Benoit has his neck surgery and goes down for a year – hence, the angle) but the face locker room again emptied – and they beat the Alliance down. The faces stand triumphant in the cage as we go to commercial.

We come back – all the faces in the company once again in the ring, Alliance gone, the cage has been taken down. Angle says thanks to the fans, says that a year after the WWF was invaded…the invasion is now over. Angle says I chased this belt for a year – I chased the Alliance for a year. And now I issue an open challenge to anyone in the world – Kurt Angle is ready to beat you.

And that’s when all hell breaks loose.

The NWA Monday Nitro music plays. And, from one side of the arena, coming down to the ring through the crowd, is the NWA. In front, the US Champ, Lance Storm, behind him the tag champs, DDP and Kanyon, then Booker, Chavo, Shane Helms, and Billy Kidman.

Lance, wearing pink and black, gets in Austin’s face, Page and Mortis find the Dudleys, Booker finds the Rock – all in a nose to nose.

Lance gets the mic. Says that Angle’s wrong – says the Alliance was just the first shot – says that the NWA has been in existence since 1904, that’s a century of the finest wrestling in the history of civilization – and now – they’re bringing that wrestling to RAW. From now on…RAW is NWA…..

Hit the ECW music. This….is….Extreme…..

From the other side of the arena, comes Paul E., behind him the ECW TV Champ, Tajiri, the ECW tag champs, Rhyno and Spike Dudley, Taz, Raven, Justin, Tommy Dreamer. Tajiri finds Austin and Storm (see, ‘cause they’re the secondary champions) and Spike and Rhyno find the Duds and Page/Kanyon (‘cause they’re all wearing tag belts, six guys, one ring, tag belts).

Paul E. tells Lance he’s part right – and by the way Lance, thanks for walking out on us – that it is time for a takeover. The WWF has ruled professional wrestling with an iron fist for the last 16 years – but they’ve gotten fat and lazy, just last night, I had to sit through a Wrestlemania where Vince McMahon wrestled Skip McMahon. This used to be a company where the Dynamite Kid wrestled Ricky Steamboat - and last night - Vince McMahon wrestled Skip McMahon.

That’s why in Philadelphia, we take things to the Extreme. The Extreme Revolution is underway..and it will be televised…here on RAW.

Angle takes the mic, says thanks for the introductions, because otherwise, he wouldn’t know who some of you are….but now that you’ve introduced yourselves….let me introduce myself…

I’m Kurt Angle.

The World Wrestling Federation Champion.

Now get the hell of my ring.

Brawl as the show ends.

Time for the disclaimer. This still isn't going to be done right. The right way to do this is to keep the groups totally separate, let them operate seemingly as separate companies, and build for the next year to XVIII. Sadly, they don't give me the numbers for that, I'm limited by who they actually hired, who they actually used. So, for you fans of the Counterfactual champing at the bit to see it swing at the invasion - you're going to be disappointed.

With that:

They're setting up some interpromotional matches for Summer Slam right now. Like Booker/Rock. Booker’s better than Rock, but he got less of a push in this world, no singles belts, just the Harlem Heat tag stuff – so he’s not quite the guy he was in the real world. Foley's color commentator during this stretch, and as much Foley/Rock stuff as can be done is good. Book's gonna attack Mick (no longer Cactus Jack, now our roly-poly author friend) one night to ratchet this up.

And they'll be unifying the belts currently at their disposal, which is all of them but one. All 3 companies are putting their tag belts on the line. Paul E and the Dudleys will be doing lots of stuff together, we learn that Paul masterminded the attack on Stevie, sending Raven to take him out, they sell heat between Dudleys and Paul, Paul says they’re traitors, they’re soft – they sold out the Revolution to come to WWF and make a couple of bucks. Dudleys say they couldn’t stay in a company that didn’t pay them – that they’re still as hardcore as ever – and if Paul doesn’t believe them, he can taste some table. We also have Spike here – they sell Spike as the little brother who finally got some space once Bubba and DVon left ECW, they picked on him growing up – and now he wants some payback. Rhyno is Rhyno, just a pug of a man who grunts a lot. Page, like Book, comes in without the big upper card push, he’s been a solid midcarder in the Counterfactual NWA, with a couple of tag straps. Kanyon's the’s the best worker of the 6 in the match. He’s interesting in the ring, lanky, creative.

Winner gets the straps – the tag straps will now be called the Unified Tags. The winners will always have all 6 belts (unless I decide at some point to split them up, which I haven’t done yet) – the idea is, like in boxing, you look to accumulate the belts from all the organizations. So, from now on, the tag champs will have all 3 company’s belts. None of the belts is going away, dying, getting swallowed up - they'll be held by the Unified Champs

And we’ve got the IC/US/TV match. Austin meets Lance and Tajiri. Tajiri is Tajiri, kicks guys, sprays mist in their face, he kinda rules. He's gonna get the Muta treatment for the entrance, the light gimmicks, hell, he can paint his face or wear a mask to the ring that he takes off. Lance is different – because he's got the Hart thing, he wears the pink and black variation. Jericho, recall, referred to him in the Benoit program. Lance and Jericho also tagged together in Smoky Mountain, for those of you unaware, so they are boys – and in that opening brawl – they do a spot where they wind up facing off – but they don’t throw down. That becomes a strong side storyline, that Storm and Jericho each hate the other side – but they each love each other (awww) They’re Harts, after all. Family. Winner gets all 3 belts, which will then be called the Worldwide Belts - a name that refers to the language of the US/IC strap, and also the missing W in the WWF name.

The main event is also set up in the big brawl….but not yet.

We’ve got other matches to see, outside of the tripartite interpromotional thing.

The opening tag is the Monsters…who they're going to call Dead Men Walking (DMW – initials are fun!) against babyfaces Bradshaw and Test. They have the Monsters destroy whatever jobber/bottom card guys they can on the road to Summer Slam (and Hunter, don't forget) Triple Chokeslam!

We’re gonna get some Hart/Clique stuff. E/C and Waltman confuse the good fans by attacking Lance at one point.

Jericho will save. ‘Cause Hart/Clique transcends all barriers.

That’s gonna buy us Waltman/Jericho. Trish/Stacy in their corners. Mmmmm.

E and C go back to the Hardys – and we’re gonna get an E v. Jeff singles match.

Aw, fuck. I’m a match short. See, this is what happens when you do multiple drafts of a card and then start with the three way matches – I wind up a match short.

Okay…let’s take a look at who I’m allowed to use and put together a match. Okay, this is bad, the only guy left is Ron Simmons (‘cause they did a women’s match on Heat, motherfuckers) who I wrote out, of course, years ago. Okay, so, they won’t promo the extra match, I’ll stick Simmons on the card and have DMW squash him after their tag match. Fuck.

Okay, we do have the title match….go back to the brawl on RAW, notice that no one came out to challenge Angle (the last NWA champ was Little Rey, and he ain't here yet) well, someone’s coming…during the brawl….the ECW crew gains advantage over Angle as the ring empties (guys fight on the outside, the stands, to the back) and Angle winds up at the mercy of Raven, Justin, Taz, Tommy – they have him kicked into a corner, with Paul holding a chair in front of his face.

Enter the ECW Champion…Rob Van Dam.

Van Dam hits the Van Terminator on Angle; Angle will go heavy color, and the ECW guys will hold his face in front of the camera as Van Dam points to himself.

RVD is a cocky heel, he’s an X games athlete, really, with a stoner's sensibility -- even more than the Hardys – he’ll do something crazy – then point to himself with a “It’s just that easy for RVD” sort of demeanor. And he’s stoned. Always stoned. He’s also real popular – and that’s what makes ECW hard – the fans will boo the NWA guys, but the ECW guys will continue to get lots of cheers – I’m fine with that, that's why they aren't aligning together, let the people cheer for whom they want – people will pay to see well defined, interesting characters beat the hell out of each other.

Ideally, they would sell the differences among the three companies, fewer than they actually had, since the Counterfactual changed the WWF culture, but the NWA guys talk about 100 years of tradition, the ECW guys talk about violence, reality, being on the cultural edge, and the WWF guys are at home, of course, their spots, their turf, their house. Many wrestlers have wrestled in multiple companies, and they'll look to fill the crevices of TV shows with guys trying to persuade (or threaten) other guys to come on over. It’s a power struggle for the soul of professional wrestling.

So, it’s the big Interpromotional – all the marbles on the table Summer Slam. We're gonna get Title v. Title: Angle v. RVD, and we have Title v. Title v. Title: Austin v. Storm v. Tajiri, we also have the Unified Tag Title match: Dudleys v. Spike/Rhyno v. DDP/Kanyon, and there's Booker/Rock, Jericho/Waltman, Edge/Jeff and Dead Men Walking! Call your thing! Call your thing! Call your thing! Summer Slam 2001