09/24/2001 Raw: WCW World Title Match: The Rock (C) def. Rob Van Dam in 8:23.

This is such a weird dream match of sorts between one of the leaders of the wrestling boom and ECW’s top star. Like most things with the Invasion, I had not committed this match to memory at all and totally forgot it took place. Van Dam was a little sloppy, but not enough to hurt the quality of the match too much, and the Rock looked very crisp here, including hitting a La Magistral seamlessly. You couldn’t always say that about that move and that performer in this era, as even the Rock himself called Flex Kavana’s version “hot garbage” on SM. It was the Invasion, and the company was hell-bent on making it shitty, so Stephanie was at ringside, then actually in the match once Rock dragged her in by the hair. Her being in the ring caused enough confusion to eventually lead her to push a referee into the ropes, causing RVD to miss a frog splash and eat a Rock Bottom to end it. This would have been so much better without Steph and with more time, but it’s still a fun match. **3/4