The final era of the WWF before the brand extension changed everything
In short: On August 19, 2001, the World Wrestling Federation held its 14th annual SummerSlam. It marked a pivotal turning point in professional wrestling history, serving as the last event held under the WWF name before the company rebranded to WWE and introduced the roster-splitting brand extension.
The 2001 SummerSlam, held at the Compaq Center in San Jose, California, functioned as a bridge between two distinct eras of the promotion. It was the final SummerSlam before the March 2002 introduction of the brand extension, a move that split the roster between the Raw and SmackDown! brands. Furthermore, it was the last event produced under the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) name; the company officially transitioned to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in May 2002.
The event's card was defined by intense rivalries stemming from the 'Invasion' storyline. In the main event, The Rock defeated Booker T to win the WCW Championship, marking The Rock's seventh world championship overall and his first WCW Championship reign. This victory followed a heated rivalry that included matches like a Lights Out match and a tag team encounter involving Chris Jericho.
Other high-stakes matches included a ladder match for the WWF Hardcore Championship, where Rob Van Dam defeated Jeff Hardy, and a Steel Cage match for both the WCW and WWF Tag Team titles. In that match, The Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane) defeated Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon. Another significant bout saw Kurt Angle defeat "Stone Cold" Steve Austin for the WWF Championship via disqualification after Austin attacked referees, though Austin retained his title.
Historically, SummerSlam has been a cornerstone of the promotion's schedule. Since 1988, it has been held every August and is considered the company's second-largest event of the year, trailing only WrestleMania. While it was once part of the 'Big Five' alongside King of the Ring, the discontinuation of the latter in 2002 returned SummerSlam to the 'Big Four' alongside Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, and Survivor Series.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: SummerSlam (2001)
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