SummerSlam 2001: The Invasion Finally Produces the Supercard It Promised

Edge and Lance Storm open with the kind of crisp title match that immediately tells the audience SummerSlam will be treated more seriously than the average Invasion-era undercard. Storm controls stretches with clean execution and targets Edge methodically, while Edge's comeback is built around speed and increasingly desperate counters. The finish adds Christian without allowing the interference to overwhelm the match: Christian accidentally Spears Edge, Storm nearly capitalizes, and Edge survives long enough to hit the Edgecution for the championship. The title change matters because it pushes Edge farther into his singles ascent, and the match is strong enough that the belt feels earned rather than simply transferred.

The six-man tag is energetic and storyline-heavy, but it never escapes the feeling of a television match placed on a major card. Spike provides the underdog sympathy, the APA supply the power, and the Dudleys and Test keep the action moving through frequent tags and short bursts. The key moment comes when Spike is thrown through a table and the referee's attention shifts away from the legal action. Shane McMahon uses the opening to strike Bradshaw with a chair, allowing Test to steal the pin. The Alliance victory advances the wider faction story, but the interference finish keeps the match from becoming anything more than a solid connective piece.

X-Pac and Tajiri give the card another compact technical match, with both titles adding enough stakes to make the seven-minute runtime matter. Tajiri's kicks and speed create the cleaner offensive bursts, while X-Pac works as the more opportunistic champion and repeatedly slows the pace when the match threatens to open up. Albert's interference creates the decisive distraction, and Tajiri's red mist removes him without directly ending the match. X-Pac then catches the opening and lands the X-Factor to take both championships. The finish is busy, but the action before it is sharp and the winner-takes-all premise gives the bout more weight than its place on the card would normally receive.

Jericho and Rhyno deliver a straightforward singles match that succeeds because neither man tries to turn it into something larger than the feud needs. Rhyno controls with power and repeatedly threatens the Gore, while Jericho uses movement and counters to keep from being trapped in a prolonged strength battle. Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley's presence gives Rhyno the expected Alliance support, but the match is not swallowed by interference. Jericho survives the biggest power sequences, avoids the Gore and eventually traps Rhyno in the Walls of Jericho for the submission. It is not one of the night's headline attractions, but it is sturdy, well-paced wrestling that strengthens the middle of the card.

Van Dam and Hardy build naturally on their Invasion match by moving the rivalry into the stipulation that best fits both performers. The ladder is used as the central objective rather than a prop waiting for increasingly elaborate stunts, which keeps the match focused even as the risks escalate. Hardy takes the spectacular falls expected of him, while Van Dam brings a different rhythm through kicks, springboards and the Five Star Frog Splash attempts that force Hardy to defend from unusual angles. The decisive moment is simple: Hardy climbs for the championship, Van Dam knocks the ladder away and then retrieves the belt himself. RVD's victory confirms that his momentum from Invasion is real and gives the Alliance one of its clearest genuine stars.

The steel cage match is less about competitive suspense than about giving Undertaker and Kane a decisive revenge victory over Page and Kanyon. The Alliance champions get stretches of offense, but the tone is established early: the Brothers of Destruction are stronger, angrier and increasingly willing to punish Page rather than simply escape or secure the titles. That makes the match feel like an extended payoff to the stalking storyline more than a balanced tag title contest. The finish comes when Undertaker catches Page, hits the Last Ride and scores the pin to claim both championships. The crowd enjoys the domination, but the lack of true uncertainty keeps the match a tier below the card's best attractions.

Austin and Angle wrestle the match that turns SummerSlam 2001 from a very good card into a great one. Angle absorbs an extraordinary amount of punishment, including multiple Stunners, and keeps finding ways back into the fight without the resilience feeling cartoonish because Austin's desperation becomes the real story. The champion grows increasingly unhinged as Angle survives, eventually attacking referees rather than risk losing the WWF Championship. Angle finally hits the Angle Slam and appears to have Austin beaten, only for Alliance referee Nick Patrick to stop the count and disqualify Austin for his attacks on the officials. The non-finish is frustrating by design, but the match before it is elite: violent, dramatic and one of Angle's defining performances.

Rock and Booker T have the unenviable task of following Austin and Angle, and they succeed by leaning into star presence rather than trying to reproduce the same intensity. Booker gets meaningful offense and several credible near-falls, while Shane McMahon repeatedly interferes to keep the Alliance champion competitive. The APA's retaliation against Shane helps neutralize that advantage, and the closing sequence is built around familiar signature offense rather than excessive gimmickry. Booker lands the Book End and later the Scissors Kick, but his Spinarooni gives Rock the opening to recover, hit the Rock Bottom and win the WCW Championship. The result gives the WWF its biggest symbolic victory of the night and caps Rock's return with a major title.