Remembering the WCW/ECW Invasion

It's hard to believe how much things change in a decade. While the battles inside WWE rings are going strong, there hasn't been an outside threat to the organization as a whole since 2001, when the stars of WCW and ECW united to try and take down WWE. Mr. McMahon's own children, Shane and Stephanie, tried to take down their father's sports-entertainment empire, selling their shares to buy his competition. WCW and ECW's Invasion started an all-out war the likes of which had never been seen before. 1.March 26, 2001: A McMahon buys WCW-For months, rumors had been swirling that WCW was up for sale. After Monday Nitro led the Monday Night War, defeating Raw for 82 straight weeks in the Nielsen ratings, the Atlanta-based promotion had been on a steady decline, burning through tens of millions of dollars. Finally, parent company AOLTime Warner, tired of bleeding money, put word out that WCW was available. It seemed as though former WCW President Eric Bischoff had put together the winning bid with Classic Sports Network founder Brian Bedol (who then sold the network to ESPN) and would re-assume control of the company until March 2001. AOL Time Warner executive Jamie Kellner no longer wanted wrestling on TNT and TBS, leading Bischoff and Bedol to withdraw their offer. WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon swooped in at the last moment on March 23, purchasing all of WCW's assests, or so he thought. 2.May 28, 2001: WCW strikes first-Shane McMahon defeated his father at WrestleMania X-Seven in a vicious Street Fight, but remained fairly silent afterwards. Nothing was heard from McMahon or WCW for nearly a month. Little did WWE know that the younger McMahon was laying in wait, preparing for his first strike against his father and WWE. The opening attack of The Invasion came on May 28, 2001. Steve Blackman and Perry Saturn were in the midst of a hard-hitting brawl on Monday Night Raw, when WCW star Lance Storm rushed into the ring. The former United States Champion floored Saturn with a superkick and was gone quicker than a bolt of lightning. Storm, having shocked the WWE Universe, raced out of the arena and met up with an elated Shane McMahon. The battle lines had been drawn, but WCW's attack was just beginning. For weeks, WCW competitors jumped WWE Superstars from behind, making it known that the revived company was no joke. The opening barrage reached its apex at the 2001 edition of King of the Ring, when WCW Champion Booker T appeared out of nowhere and sent WWE Champion "Stone Cold" Steve Austin crashing through a table. The next night, the war continued on WWE's home turf: Madison Square Garden. WCW embarrassed Mr. McMahon once again as Mike Awesome took advantage of the 24/7 Rule on the WWE Hardcore Title, defeating a dazed Rhyno in the bowels of The World's Most Famous Arena. 4.WCW wasn't the only sports-entertainment company to meet its demise in 2001. There was another organization that saw itself as the leaders of a revolution in the industry, making things a little more in-your-face, a little more hardcore. ECW had a passionate, dedicated fan base hungry for extreme action and ready to follow the company to the ends of the earth. And if there was going to be a war for supremacy, then they were going to force themselves right into the middle of it. 5.July 22, 2001: Benedict Austin-The war was supposed to come to a head at the Invasion pay-per-view. A series of ten matches pitted WWE's top Superstars against the best WCW and ECW, now known as The Alliance, had to offer. WWE Tag Team Champions John "Bradshaw" Layfield and Ron "Faarooq" Simmons handily defeated WCW titleholders Sean O'Haire and Chuck Palumbo. WCW Cruiserweight Champion Kidman was victorious over WWE Light Heavyweight Champion X-Pac in a mid-air collision of high-flyers. Even the referees got in on the action as WWE official Earl Hebner vanquished WCW's top referee, Nick Patrick. 6.July 26, 2001: The tides turn-With Steve Austin now The Alliance's centerpiece, Mr. McMahon and WWE had their backs against the wall as they searched for a new Superstar to rally the troops around. Luckily, the search didn't take long. The Rock had not been seen since losing to Austin at WrestleMania X-Seven. As summer's end drew near, however, Shane McMahon let The Great One know he'd be more than welcome to join The Alliance upon his return. He wouldn't have to wait long to get an answer. On the July 30 edition of Raw, Mr. McMahon and his son joined the returning Rock in the ring, begging him to join their factions. The Great One seemed to make up his mind, taking out The WWE Chairman with a devastating Rock Bottom. Shane danced around the ring with glee, thinking he had pulled off the biggest coup of the year. The Boy Wonder was put in his place when he, too, was the victim of a Rock Bottom. The unusually quiet People's Champion broke his silence, revealing that his motivation wasn't McMahons, but the people. "Finally, The Rock has come back ... to WWE!"