Every single wrestling fan, since the day they began watching the sport, has always dreamed of one thing – a war between the WWF and the WCW. Since the days of Hulkamania, I remember when I would have given anything to see both companies engage in an all out war against each other for all the marbles – the same way we got to see the New York Yankees and the New York Mets go to the World Series against one another to crown the true Kings of the Big Apple last year. This particular “Battle For It All” may have taken years – but myself and every wrestling fan saw the war begin last night when WCW Champion Booker T attacked WWF owner Vince McMahon – starting the long anticipated war between the WWF and the WCW. How incredible that the one “dream match” that every wrestling fan has begged for has finally begun – and how appropriate that the war should begin at the one place that is synonymous with professional wrestling – Madison Square Garden.

When Vince McMahon and World Wrestling Federation Entertainment acquired rival World Championship Wrestling on March 23rd of this year, the world of wrestling was turned upside down forever. For the first time in the history of this great sport – the two biggest companies in professional wrestling became one – and the realization that the two would soon collide became a reality. For those of you who are non wrestling fans – the impact of a WWF/WCW crossover is as excitingly shocking as seeing Ronald McDonald doing a Burger King Commercial, or buying a soda with a Pepsi and Coca-Cola logo on the same can. In other words – the rivalry and competition was over – and the cross-promotion was about to begin.

The first few strikes of this long anticipated all out war began before the WWF even completed it’s purchase of WCW on Monday, March 26th – which in itself was a pretty significant date in wrestling history. That day marked the RAW IS WAR immediately following WrestleMania – and the final WCW Monday Nitro before they went off the air and out of business – signifying the last Monday to feature two wrestling programs on television at the same time on two different networks. But just before WCW tapped out, just when everyone thought no one would run from the dressing room and save the WCW – out came Vince McMahon and WWF Entertainment – who turned their competition into their sister company – and their rivals into their colleagues. After five years of the WWF and the WCW putting on competing programs, which saw both companies have periods where they achieved higher ratings then the other – the “Monday Night Wars” ended with both shows on the same simulcast split screen – and the last two superstars shown sharing the same last name – McMahon.

From that surreal and incredible moment, wrestling fans knew that the sport they loved was now a whole new ballgame. The days of flipping channels were over – because all of their favorite superstars were about to be on the same show – and the days of imagining dream matches between WWF and WCW superstars were over – because the bell would soon ring – and those fantasy matches that everyone so eagerly waited for were about to become a reality.

Since that last Monday when RAW and Nitro became the same program – wrestling fans were treated to a few “tastes” of what was to come. From WCW Owner Shane McMahon pulling up to RAW in a limousine that had a WCW logo on it, to WCW Superstars Hugh Morris, Lance Storm and Stacy Keibler appearing on RAW – to Diamond Dallas Page revealing himself as the stalker of the Undertaker’s wife – the fire of the fan’s frenzy for the war to begin was burning hot. And what better way to pour kerosene on an already burning fire then to involve the two biggest men from each army – the WCW Champion Booker T – and the biggest superstar in the sport – WWF Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin.

When Booker T attacked Austin on Sunday night’s King Of The Ring pay-per-view – I was already looking forward to the following night’s RAW IS WAR – because I knew that what started at King Of The Ring was sure to finish at RAW – little did I know that everything that we saw up to the King Of The Ring – from the logos on the limos, to the WCW wrestlers interrupting matches – to even the appearance of DDP and Booker T were merely a taste of what was to come – and the meal would be served Monday Night on RAW right from my backyard – New York City.

More amazing then WCW Superstar Mike Awesome winning the WWF Hardcore Championship last night – ironically from ECW Superstar Rhyno – what got me to freak out was when Stone Cold Steve Austin and Kurt Angle went looking for the WCW Champion at WWF New York. With the two biggest stars out of the arena – it was time for the WCW to fire the first shot – and they did – when an unsuspecting Vince McMahon fell victim to a devastating shot by Booker T – which left McMahon unconscious in the ring and cleared the locker room of WWF superstars who all rushed to Vince’s aid.

It was ECW Owner Paul Heyman who said it best as the entire roster of the WWF stood in the ring as the WCW Champion escaped through the audience, “The battle lines have been drawn – and the war is on.”

For someone who has waited for this moment since I saw WWF Champion Hulk Hogan fight “The Real World Champion” Ric Flair when he came to the WWF in 1992, this is so surreal that I find it hard to fathom that it is actually occurring. Seeing the Undertaker beating the hell out of Diamond Dallas Page, Mike Awesome winning the WWF Hardcore Championship with a WCW T-shirt on – and the champion of one federation attacking the champion of another are scenarios I have only dreamed of – and can now look forward to finally happening each and every week.

Let the invasion begin.