Report: WWE Scraps “Invasion” Name for NXT Special Next Week, Rebrands as “Showdown”

What was shaping up to be one of the most exciting cross-promotional events in recent years has been clouded by politics. WWE has officially filed a trademark for “Showdown”, the new title for next week’s NXT vs. TNA special. Originally slated to be called “Invasion” — a throwback to the 2001 WWF vs. WCW pay-per-view — the company abruptly dropped the name following outside criticism.

From “Invasion” to “Showdown”

On October 7, NXT and TNA will collide live on The CW in a Survivor Series-style battle. The night will feature men’s and women’s elimination matches, a title-for-title clash pitting NXT Tag Team Champions DarkState against The Hardys, and NXT North American Champion Ethan Page defending against Mustafa Ali.

Originally branded as “NXT: Invasion”, the show’s identity seemed tailor-made to capture the spirit of two promotions colliding. However, WWE quietly rebranded the event as Showdown, with sources showing the company filed for the new trademark on September 30.

The reason? Political pressure. Because the event falls on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks in Israel, WWE was reportedly criticized for using the word “Invasion” as the title. In response, the company pivoted to a safer, more generic name.

On television, TNA’s Director of Authority Santino Marella explained the rebrand by saying this wasn’t an “invasion” storyline — it’s a showcase of two rosters working together.

The Missed Opportunity

The original “Invasion” name wasn’t just nostalgia bait. It perfectly captured the intensity and stakes of WWE’s first real co-branded event with another company in decades. By shifting the name to Showdown, WWE has stripped away some of that impact in favor of playing it safe.

Yes, global politics are sensitive. But this was not a show glorifying war or conflict — it was a professional wrestling card playing off of the WCW Invasion in 2001. The fact that outside criticism forced WWE’s hand is disappointing, and once again shows how much corporate and political influence can water down wrestling’s creative presentation.

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Calling this event Showdown feels like a step back when “Invasion” was the perfect, history-rich name to spotlight WWE and TNA going head-to-head. Wrestling thrives on bold branding, and “Showdown” is about as safe and sterile as it gets.

It’s understandable why WWE made the change, but let’s not pretend the switch wasn’t political. Fans deserve a product unafraid to lean into its own history, especially when the word “Invasion” in this context was clearly about wrestling, not world events.

Regardless of the title, the card itself is loaded. The question is whether WWE can still capture the magic and intensity that “Invasion” implied, or if “Showdown” ends up being just another special episode.

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