Postmatch: Christian gets the belt and you get the sense he may hit Edge with it. However, he just hands it to him and gives him a hug.

Bottom Line: A solid outing here and a good choice for an opener. Storm properly worked over the midsection for most of the match and Edge supplied the energetic offense near the end. This was a good match, but it could have been better had the pace been quicker. Storm’s matches always drag a bit for my liking. The Christian involvement was surprising as everyone expected the heel turn to come here. However, they swerved up by choosing to do the slow burn. *** ½

- Michael Cole asks Test why he turned his back on the WWF. Test rips the mic out of Cole’s hand, then calls him a “little bitch” during his response, and ends by shoving the mic back at him. For those actions, Test’s stock just went way up in my book.

- Lillian Garcia questions Chris Jericho about his match with Rhyno, but all Jericho does is reiterate the fact that Stephanie McMahon is a ho. Come on Jericho, tell us something we don’t know.

Test jumped ship after he was falsely accused of being a mole for the Alliance. The Dudleyz get an early advantage by double-teaming Farooq. Farooq elbows a charging Test and then tags Bradshaw. As Bradshaw goes to powerbomb Test, Bubba hits him from behind. Bradshaw DDTs D-Von and gets 2. Spike is in now and he gets a few nearfalls on D-Von. Bubba blindly tags in and gives Spike a hot shot. As Test manhandles Spike, the crowd asks for tables. Oddly, the Dudleyz oblige and set one up on the outside. Test tries to press slam Spike through the table, but Spike rakes his eyes to escape. The heels are making quick tags to work over Spike. Spike avoids D-Von’s diving headbutt and then tags Bradshaw. Bradshaw easily takes out all three heels. Now Farooq comes in and the APA double-team Bubba. The referee is quickly losing control of this one. Bradshaw powerbombs Test and covers, but Bubba pulls him out of the ring. Spike goes for the Dudley Dog, but Test throws him off and Spike goes flying through the table. Whoa! Bradshaw comes back in and blasts Test with the Clothesline from Hell. He covers, but the referee is checking on Spike. Suddenly, Shane McMahon comes out of nowhere and nails Bradshaw with a chair. Test crawls over and covers him for 3.

BL: This was quite the dull, uneventful affair until those closing minutes. Things got real lively there at the end and saved this match. Credit Spike for that sweet bump he did. While it wasn’t clean, I’m glad to see the tired Acolytes suffered the loss here. It didn’t improve Test or the Dudleyz status, but it made me happy. **

- As the WWF roster congratulates Edge, Christian comes in and tries to steal his thunder by saying he’s got a European championship match tomorrow night on RAW. Then Grandma Edna calls to congratulate Edge, but doesn’t want to talk to Christian. Dissed by granny? Ouch! It doesn’t get much lower than that.

- Shawn Stasiak approaches Debra, trying to look for Stone Cold. Debra gives him the riot act, saying Austin can’t be bothered by someone like him, as he tries to prepare for his match. I could make some joke here, but I’m not going to waste my comedic efforts on someone like Meat.

Both titles are on the line in this match. Neither man can gain an advantage as they mat wrestle to begin. Tajiri takes control with a hurricanrana, baseball slide and springboard moonsault combination. On the outside, X-Pac grabs Tajiri and crotches him on the post. Back inside, X-Pac drops Tajiri with a spin kick and then places him in a surfboard. A powerbomb by X-Pac gets 2. X-Pac goes for the Bronco Buster, but Tajiri escapes and places him in a tree of woe. Then Tajiri dropkicks him in the face. The handspring elbow by Tajiri gets a nearfall. Then Tajiri places X-Pac in the Taranatula. Tajiri hits a high crossbody, but X-Pac calls through it for 2. X-Pac goes up top, but gets crotched. After a unique pinfall attempt by Tajiri, he catapults X-Pac into the corner. Then he hits a German suplex and gets 2. X-Pac kicks Tajiri to the outside and then connects with a somersault plancha. Back inside X-Pac blocks another handspring elbow and delivers the X-Factor. X-Pac covers and gets a nearfall. Now X-Pac’s buddy, Albert strolls down to ringside. As Tajiri begins to kick away on X-Pac, Albert gets on the apron. Tajiri comes over and mists him. The distraction allows X-Pac to give Tajiri a lowblow and then another X-Factor. X-Pac covers and easily gets the 3 count.

BL: This was turning into a fun, little match until the ending. For some reason, this started to get sloppy and they lost their flow. Still, Tajiri paired well with X-Pac and provided me with a watchable X-Pac match. Since these were two WWF guys, I’m not quite sure why they fought each other or why both belts were on the line, but then again, most of the Invasion angle didn’t make sense. *** ¼

- The loser at WWF New York tonight is…Perry Saturn. And he’s there pleading for us to help find Moppy, who was recently kidnapped. Sadly, the “Where’s Moppy” game didn’t become the craze that “Where’s Waldo” did.

- Stephanie McMahon gives Rhyno his final orders for what she wants him to do to Chris Jericho. Thankfully, Rhyno stops her mid-screech and simply says he’ll destroy Jericho. My ears thank you Rhyno.

A slugfest quickly breaks out, which is won by Rhyno. Jericho comes back with a crossbody. Now he lays into Rhyno with some chops. Jericho goes for an early Walls of Jericho, but can’t lock it in. Rhyno charges at Jericho, but gets backdropped to the floor. Then Jericho nails him with a springboard dropkick. Jericho goes up top and Stephanie tries to distract him. He kicks her away and then jumps off, but Rhyno GORES him in mid-air. Rhyno brings him into the ring and gets a nearfall. As the referee argues with Rhyno, Stephanie slaps Jericho. Rhyno gets Jericho up in an airplane spin and then drops him with a TKO-like move. That gets 2. Jericho catches Rhyno with a roll-up for 2, but Rhyno comes right back with a suplex. Rhyno tries for a big splash from the top rope, but misses. Jericho catches Rhyno in a backslide for 2. Now Jericho starts to mount a comeback. Jericho hits Rhyno with a springboard moonsault, but it wasn’t pretty. After booting a charging Rhyno, Jericho hits him with a missile dropkick. Jericho covers, but Stephanie is distracting the referee. Jericho comes over and plants a big one on her. Jericho connects with his crappy bulldog and then sort of hits the Lionsault. Surprisingly, that only gets 2. Rhyno retaliates with a spinebuster. Now Rhyno puts Jericho in the Walls of Jericho. Jericho makes in to the ropes and then nails Rhyno with an enziguri. Rhyno goes for the GORE, but Jericho avoids it. Jericho then gets Rhyno in the Walls of Jericho and manages to make him tap for the victory.

BL: We get another strong match with little to complain about. Again, the biggest complaint I can give this is that is was a little slow. Rhyno used a few more restholds than I would have liked. Also, if you’re going to have Rhyno tap to the Walls of Jericho, there should have been more done by Jericho to weaken Rhyno’s legs or midsection. However, these are minor nitpicks on what was some perfectly acceptable wrestling. ***

- Backstage, William Regal asks The Rock if he’s all right after the attack by Booker T on Smackdown. The Rock starts cutting his typical promo when Stasiak comes running at them. They both move and Stasiak goes crashing into a garage door. Then they continue talking as if nothing has happened. Stan “the Man” must be rolling over in his grave seeing what his son has become.

The two actually do mat wrestling to start off here. After a sloppy sequence, Jeff hits RVD with a springboard corkscrew plancha on the floor. Jeff tries another high risk move, but RVD avoids it and Jeff crashes into the barricade. RVD lays Jeff across the guardrail and legdrops him. As RVD tries to bring the ladder into the ring. Jeff rids the rail and lands on him. Jeff tries to pull the ladder in, but RVD jumps on it and it smacks Jeff in the face. Now RVD grabs it, but Jeff leaps over him and lands on the ladder to ram it into RVD’s face. Jeff lays RVD on the ladder and then moonsaults onto him. RVD elbows a charging Jeff and then puts him in a tree of woe. A big ‘RVD’ chant begins. RVD lays Jeff on the ladder and then connects with Rolling Thunder. With Jeff still on the ladder, RVD delivers a legdrop. As RVD tries to grab the ladder, Jeff dropkicks it into his face. Jeff begins to climb up, but RVD leaps off the top rope and kicks him. RVD places the ladder over Jeff and then delivers a moonsault. As RVD begins to climb, Jeff hits him with a missile dropkick. Jeff DDTs RVD, but then misses the swanton bomb. RVD goes up, but misses the Five Star Frog Splash. Both men climb up and RVD suplexes Jeff off the top of the ladder. Again, they both go up and this time Jeff delivers a sunset flip powerbomb from the top of the ladder to RVD. Jeff climbs again and as he reaches for the title, RVD pulls the ladder out from under him. RVD grabs Jeff’s leg and begins to swing him. He then goes up and does a spinning heel kick, but come nowhere near Jeff. Jeff then just falls down. That looked really bad. Jeff climbs again, but RVD dumps the ladder over and Jeff crashes badly into the ropes. RVD then scales the ladder and manages to grab the belt for the win.

BL: This began all right, albeit too spotty for my liking. However, things feel apart in the closing minutes. The big spots they envisioned just didn’t connect. I have a feeling the finish was improvised as it was too anti-climatic to be the original finish. These two may have tried setting the bar too high and it backfired on them. *** ½

- In his lockerroom, Booker T is chatting with Shane McMahon. Shane McMahon then gives him a gift; a pair of bookends made from the table Booker Book Ended The Rock through on Smackdown. Man, if Shane gave gifts to everyone who put someone through a table, it would be Christmas all year round for the Dudleyz.

- Meanwhile, the Undertaker and Kane are walking. It should be noted that the Undertaker was shadow boxing while walking. No doubt that will pay off.

This is also a title vs. title match. As soon as the bell rings, the heels immediately try to escape. The Brothers of Destruction bring them back in and go to work on them. DDP kicks Taker low and gives him some rough cage treatment. That offense is brief as it’s been mostly all Taker and Kane thus far. Kanyon manages to come off the top rope and clotheslines Taker. The heels get a brief advantage as Kanyon bulldogs Kane and DDP DDTs Taker. As they try to escape, both faces sit-up. Taker brings DDP back in and tells Kane to let Kanyon escape. Now DDP is stuck in there with both of them and Taker has a chain. From this point on, Taker just squashes DDP. Finally, he gives him the Last Ride and ends this atrocity.

BL: This was just dumb on so many levels. If you wanted to have Taker squash DDP, why add all this? Why involve both tag belts? Why have the cage if it’s not going to be used? All of it seemed superfluous. And what’s worse, is that DDP shouldn’t have been squashed. Given the angle, yes Taker should win. But since DDP is one of the few names on the Alliance’s roster, he should have been treated better than this. This match is insulting on a number of levels. DUD

- The WWF trainer tries to check on The Rock, but he doesn’t want it. As they talk, Stasiak again tries to attack, but gets the same result. Once, maybe funny. Twice, not so much.

So Austin’s reason for turning of the WWF was that he felt Vince was grooming Angle to be the new champion, so he went to a group that appreciated him. That naturally set up this match. Austin is hesitant to get into the ring, so Angle meets him in the aisle. Austin gains the upper hand and throws Angle into the ring. However, when Austin gets in, Angle goes back on the offensive. A crossbody by Angle gets 2. Austin begins to attack Angle’s left knee. Angle gets the ankle lock on Austin, who quickly grabs the ropes. Ausitn gives Angle two suplexes and then repeatedly slaps him in the back of the head. A third suplex gives Austin a nearfall. Now Angle comes back with seven (!) German suplexes. Angle goes for the Angle Slam, but Austin escapes and pokes him in the eye. Austin perches Angle up top and delivers a superplex. As both men get up, Austin connects with the Stunner. Austin covers, but only gets 2. Wow! Austin delivers a second Stunner, but Angle falls to the outside. On the floor, Austin rams Angle’s head repeatedly. That busts Angle open. Austin brings Angle back in, covers him, but only gets 2. So Austin takes Angle back outside and continues his attack. Austin tries to suplex Angle on the announce table, but Angle escapes and shoves Austin over the guardrail. However, Austin grabs him and suplexes him over the barricade. As Austin tries to go back, Angle applies the ankle lock. The referee is forced to break it up, however. Angle brings him back in the ring and applies the hold again. However, Austin manages to get to the ropes. Back outside, Angle gives Austin an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Wow! Austin tries to slug away on Angle, but Angle ducks and gives him a back suplex. In the ring, Angle goes for the moonsault, and connects! That gets 2 ¾. A great reversal sequence leads to Austin putting Angle in the Million Dollar Dream. Angle walks the ropes and flips over for the pin, but Austin has learned how to kick out and does here. Austin also manages to keep the hold on Angle. Angle’s hand drops twice, but before it drops again, Angle manages to hurl Austin out of the ring to break the hold. Austin comes back in and connects with another Stunner. Austin covers, but somehow Angle kicks out again. Unbelieveable! Austin goes for another, but Angle blocks it and delivers the Angle Slam. Angle covers, but Austin kicks out. Angle applies the ankle lock, but Austin already has the ropes. As Austin gets up, he goes over and blatantly decks the referee. Whaaa? Angle DDTs Austin and covers. A second referee comes out, but only gets a two count. Austin low blows Angle, but before the referee can call for a DQ, Austin gives the referee a Stunner. Austin grabs the WWF title as a third referee comes down. The referee tries to stop him, so Austin clocks him with the belt. Now Angle hits Austin with the Angle Slam. As Angle covers, WCW referee Nick Patrick comes out. Instead of counting the cover, however, he immediately calls for the bell. He’s disqualified Austin for excessive abuse toward officials. This, however, means Austin retains the WWF Championship.

Postmatch: Angle attacks Nick Patrick for that decision.

BL: This was turning into an outstanding affair until that lousy finish. It just seems to me that they could have come up with something more satisfying than that for a finish. Up until the end, however, this was a hell of a war. These two worked well together and Angle finally proved he belonged in the main event. This gets the full monty with a better finish. Instead, it has to settle for **** ½

So, see if you can wrap your head around this logic: The Rock finally returned from Hollywood and stated that he was staying in the WWF (despite the fact that Vince McMahon screwed him out of the WWF title before he left) and then decided to feud with Booker T (despite the fact that it was Austin who took the WWF title away from him). Booker T tries to get the upper hand, but The Rock knocks him down. The Rock then chases after Shane McMahon, but this allows Booker to blindside him. The Rock recovers and throws Booker into Shane. A Samoan Drop by The Rock gets 2. A high kick by Booker puts him in control. The Rock comes back by throwing Booker to the floor. On the outside, The Rock attacks Booker by the announce table. Booker retaliates by crotching him on the barricade. Now the two fight into the crowd. As they continue their brawl, Shane removes a turnbuckle pad. Back in the ring, Booker kicks The Rock and gets 2. Booker catches The Rock coming off the ropes with a flying forearm. That gets another nearfall. The Rock escapes a chinlock and puts Booker in the Sharpshooter. Before Booker can tap, The Rock releases the hold to tend to Shane, who’s on the apron. That allows Booker to superkick The Rock. He gets a nearfall from that. The Rock clotheslines Booker and then catapults him into the exposed corner. The Rock DDTs Booker and gets a nearfall. Shane now puts a chair in the ring. Booker goes for the chair and the referee stops him. This allows Shane to hit The Rock with the WCW belt. Suddenly the APA run out and attack Shane. In the ring, Booker hits The Rock with the Book End. Somehow, that only gets 2. Now The Rock begins his comeback. The Rock catches Booker with a spinebuster and then delivers the People’s Elbow. The Rock covers, but Shane stops the referee’s count. The Rock goes outside and gives Shane a Rock Bottom. Back inside, Booker gives The Rock a spinebuster and then delivers the scissors kick. That allows Booker to do the Spinaroonie. As Booker pops up, The Rock hits him with the Rock Bottom. The Rock covers and gets 3. New champ!

BL: This match seemed pretty pathetic in comparison to the last match. Given how each finished, I understand why this one went on last. However, can anyone really say that this was the higher profile match? The match wasn’t bad, it’s just that it seemed like a formality, which is something you never want to see in a main event. You really can’t fault anyone here, yet I can’t praise this match either. ***

Final Thoughts: From a pure wrestling standpoint, this is a really strong show. Aside from the tag title cage match, everything was really good. The only problem with this show is the continued poor treatment of WCW/ECW, which was once again glaring here. On one hand, time has only emphasized the problems with how this invasion angle was treated. On the other hand, time has also made the errors of the invasion angle irrelevant. If you can look past the booking blunders, you should be able to enjoy this show very much.

Next time, we see how Steve Austin is forced to represent the terrorists who impeded on our freedoms.