NXT vs. TNA 'Invasion' Show Renamed 'Showdown' (WWE News)

NXT x TNA Showdown takes place next Tuesday.

by Andrew Pollard
NXT TNA Mike Santana Santino Marella Ricky Saints Ava
WWE

With NXT and TNA putting on a crossover special next Tuesday, that Invasion has now been renamed to Showdown.

This change was first reported by @WrestleVotes, and the Showdown name has since been confirmed on last night's NXT broadcast, where TNA Director of Authority Santino Marella, quite rightly, pointed out how the two brands have been working together for a while now, meaning this isn't so much an invasion, but more a showcase... a showdown.

While there is no official word on why this name change happened, this comes on the back of reports and news broadcasts that Israeli officials were unhappy at the use of the Invasion title, deeming it as "extreme insensitivity" from WWE and TNA.

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NXT x TNA Showdown takes place on Tuesday, October 7, with October 7 a day of mourning in Israel following the Hamas attacks in the country on that date in 2023; a date where over 1,000 people were killed and over 250 people were taken hostage. As such, there had been a hugely negative reaction in some quarters to the use of "invasion" as a name for an event for a wrestling show taking place on that particular date.

With NXT x TNA Showdown set for next week, it will be NXT Champion Ricky Saints, TNA Champion Trick Williams, Je'Von Evans, and Myles Borne representing NXT and taking on TNA's Mike Santana, Moose, TNA International Champion Frankie Kazarian, and TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater in a men's Survivor Series-style match. For the women of those brands, it's NXT Women's Champion Jacy Jayne, NXT Women's North American Champion and WWE Women's Speed Champion Sol Ruca, Jaida Parker, and Lola Vice facing TNA Knockouts Champion Kelani Jordan, TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champions The IInspiration, and Mara Sadè. Then there's NXT Tag Team Champions DarkState going against TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardys in a winner-takes-all match, plus Mustafa Ali challenges Ethan Page for the NXT North American Title.

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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks/Saints, Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.