WWE has renamed its upcoming NXT vs. TNA interpromotional special from ‘Invasion’ to ‘Showdown’ following significant international backlash. According to a report from WrestleVotes, the change was made in response to criticism over the event’s original name and its scheduled air date of October 7, the anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel.
The controversy escalated after a report from the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom on September 29 described the branding as an act of “extreme insensitivity,” initially reported by Wrestling Noticias. The publication condemned the use of the term “Invasion” on such a sensitive anniversary, stating it directly recalled the infiltration by Hamas militants and questioned the internal process behind what it called a “preposterous decision.”
WWE has not yet released an official statement regarding the rebranding. The special, which was initially announced by Ava during the No Mercy event, is set to air on the CW Network and feature both men’s and women’s Survivor Series-style elimination matches pitting talent from the two promotions against each other.
In addition to the elimination tag matches, a title-for-title contest between NXT Tag Team Champions DarkState and TNA Tag Team Champions The Hardys has also been announced for the show. The Israel Hayom report acknowledged WWE’s previous use of the ‘Invasion’ moniker for its landmark 2001 pay-per-view but criticized what it termed the “obtuseness” of reusing it on this specific date.