Rebooking the WCW/ECW Invasion Storyline: Part 3

The kind feedback I received for part 1 and part 2 of this series has been much appreciated. This is a fun but massively time-consuming and difficult undertaking.Summerslam 2001 is in the books and the build is now focused on Unforgiven 2001, which will have four weeks of build.Obviously, the events of 9/11 had a major effect on the WWF's booking of the Invasion storyline and those will be reflected here. The WWF dealt with that tragic event in a very classy way at the time and there is no need to alter that.In the re-booked storyline, Goldberg is back! The dissension between Stone Cold and Da Man will play a huge role in the ongoing storyline which will eventually culminate in a match between the two. A fantasy match-up that never took place in reality.I mentioned Sting in my last introduction and the &quot;Icon&quot; will appear, just not yet. A few of the veteran names will soon be phased out of the storyline as the focus is put on the young stars on both sides of the Invasion storyline.Going forward the teams of WCW and ECW will also look to form an Alliance in their bid to take down the WWF.Champion roll call (as of August 19, 2001)WWF Champion - Stone ColdIC Champion - Lance StormEuropean Champion - EdgeHardcore Champion - Rob Van DamWWF Tag Team Champions - The Dudley BoyzWCW Champion - The RockUS Champion - Ric FlairCruiserweight Champion - Billy KidmanWCW Tag Team Champions - Undertaker &amp; KaneECW Title - Chris JerichoThat is still a lot of Championships and to simplify things, there will more unification matches over the coming storylines to make each title mean more.Let's get to the post-Invasion Raw as SK re-books the build to Unforgiven!August 20, 2001 - Monday Night RawGoldberg and Stone Cold: Reluctant bedfellowsGoldberg enters the ring and questions why Team WCW are led by a &quot;WWF guy&quot; in Stone Cold. He calls Austin a &quot;Goldberg wannabe&quot; and states that if Austin doesn't step aside then the &quot;Rattlesnake is next!&quot;Raven defeats Christian and announces the re-formation of his &quot;Flock.&quot; WWF members, Stevie Richards and Perry Saturn announce they have defected to ECW and pledge loyalty to Raven as do WCW members, Billy Kidman and Chris Kanyon.Backstage, Eric Bischoff expresses concern to Stone Cold of the growing power of ECW and expresses his willingness to do a deal with them. Austin rebukes it. Bischoff then states that Goldberg always did what was best for WCW. Austin leaves.In the main event, Stone Cold defeated ECW Champion Chris Jericho. Post match, ECW forces batter Austin. Goldberg runs and spears the ECW wrestlers. Goldberg and Stone Cold stare down post-match.August 23, 2001 - SmackdownBooker T challenges The Rock to a WWF Championship match next week on Raw. Rock accepts.ECW Champion, Chris Jericho announces that due to no WWF superstars coming to his aid in his bout with Stone Cold on Raw and only ECW superstars battering Austin, that he had defected to ECW.Vince McMahon meets with Paul Heyman backstage and states he is impressed with the re-birth of ECW and queries whether they can do a deal and unite against the &quot;common&quot; enemy in WCW. McMahon reminds Heyman of the money he gave to him in the 1990s to keep ECW afloat. Heyman mentions to McMahon that all he remembers is McMahon allowing ECW to die earlier that year.Heyman states that he will give McMahon an answer on Raw.Goldberg crushes Perry Saturn in the main event.August 27, 2001 - Monday Night RawPaul Heyman calls Vince McMahon to the ring and cuts essentially the same promo he cut on McMahon in reality on the pre-Survivor Series 2001 Raw, where he lambastes McMahon for stealing his ideas from ECW and using them to make himself a billionaire, while ECW was left to rot. He said McMahon stole his best talent, including former ECW World Champion, Tazz who he turned into a nobody.Tazz steps up and chokes out Heyman and re-joins the WWF.Raven kidnaps Kurt Angle backstage as revenge for Angle objecting to Raven crucifying The Sandman in 1996. Raven attempts to crucify Angle, but is interrupted by The Sandman who states that this is not the way ECW do things. Raven lays out Sandman but is then run off by Rob Van Dam and Sabu.Booker T defeats The Rock to win his fifth WCW World Championship.August 30, 2001 - SmackdownEric Bischoff opens the show and announces with glee that Team WCW and Team ECW are now united as one. Their common goal is to destroy the WWF. They call out Rob Van Dam, Sabu and The Sandman for interfering in Raven's business and book the three of them in a triple threat bout where the winner will retain his job, but the losers will be fired.The Rock expresses his regret at losing the WCW World Championship on Raw and wants to redeem himself by bringing the WWF Championship &quot;back home to the WWF.&quot; Rock challenges Stone Cold to a title bout at Unforgiven.In the main event, RVD defeats Sabu and Sandman to retain his job but stares down Paul Heyman after his win.

Rebooking the WCW/ECW Invasion Storyline: Part 3

Unforgiven 2001 - September 23, 2001