Is the WWE Planning on Doing an Invasion Storyline with TNA Wrestling?
TNA Wrestling is upset with the WWE, and they have every right to be. Next week on NXT, there will be a title vs. title, winner-take-all match between the NXT Champion Oba Femi and the TNA Champion Trick Williams, who is a WWE superstar holding a TNA championship. When this match was announced, it was met with anger and fury from the TNA roster. Several TNA wrestlers went to social media to voice their displeasure at this decision. They may be upset, but due to the relationship between WWE and TNA, many fans believe that this is a work and a fun, interesting angle is on the horizon. Yes, I am talking about the Invasion angle, and if done properly, both companies will benefit greatly from it.
The Invasion angle or storyline was first used in 2001, when Shane McMahon bought WCW from his father, Vince McMahon, in a shocking twist. The storyline stretched out throughout the majority of 2001 and featured many twists and turns, including the inclusion of members of ECW’s roster joining the WCW team to form “The Alliance.” Fans were left wondering and anticipating who would show up each week and where the story would go next. Using this angle now would be enticing for wrestling fans to sink their teeth into each week. The anticipation of NXT and TNA Impact each week would be electric because after seeing a few superstars jump across both brands, the floodgates would be open, and anybody could potentially cross over if it makes sense. One of the biggest problems with the new relationship between TNA and the WWE is that TNA is not given a fair amount of the spotlight. Of course, a few TNA wrestlers have been used prominently on WWE television, Joe Hendry being the biggest beneficiary for TNA during this relationship. Deploying an invasion storyline on television would give TNA wrestlers like Mustafa Ali, Steve Maclin, and Leon Slater time to shine and display their skills in front of a WWE audience.
In 2001, the Invasion storyline used was a moderate success, but it could have been a great success if the WWE had gotten to use the big-time superstars from WCW’s roster. They could not use them back then due to stars such as Goldberg and the NWO having guaranteed contracts with WCW and clauses that stated that they would be paid no matter if they wrestled or not. Now, 24 years later, both WWE and TNA have the opportunity to do this again and create matchups and memories that wrestling fans will remember for a long time. Wrestling fans, if they aren’t already, should pay attention to NXT next week and in the weeks to come because it could be the start of something historic and legendary.
