The Invasion storyline remains a huge negative mark in WWE’s history of their biggest mistakes. Eric Bischoff was recently in wrestling headlines for calling it a disaster, and that is a rare podcast take that no one will disagree with. WWE had quite a few weird moments during this storyline, but not all of them get remembered the same way.
Quite a few forgotten segments, matches or general memories deserve another look back at what caused such an issue. The wrestlers in question had varying scenarios from some disappointing to others being entertaining without a lasting impact. WWE witnessed the only shared thing in these Invasion moments being that they were weird, and fans rarely remember them today.
10 Molly Holly Leaving Spike Dudley To Become A Superhero
One of the more underrated storylines of 2001 saw Spike Dudley and Molly Holly becoming a couple of underdog favorites. The story played out after the Dudley Boyz and Holly cousins tried to keep them apart to not avail.
There was even a cool moment of Spike standing up to Steve Austin for Holly’s honor. However, it ended in the oddest manner when Molly turned on Spike to help The Hurricane defeat him. Holly didn’t even enter a romance with Hurricane as she turned on Spike to become a superhero sidekick as Mighty Molly.
9 Kurt Angle Threatening To Throw Steve Austin Into A Kiddie Pool
Steve Austin and Kurt Angle had an outstanding rivalry in the storyline despite rightful criticism towards the Invasion suffering from all WWE names at the top. A dastardly act by the heel Austin saw him throwing Angle’s gold medal over a bridge into a large body of water.
Angle abducted Austin and threatened to do the same to him until Austin agreed to give him a WWE Championship title shot.
A terrified Austin did everything Angle said until he was pushed into the water. However, the big reveal showed that Angle was going to throw Austin into a kiddie pool and did it after getting his shot.
8 Shane & Stephanie McMahon Believing The Rock Joined The Alliance
The Rock left WWE one night after WrestleMania 17 to film movies at the start of his acting career and returned a few weeks before Survivor Series 2001. Vince, Shane and Stephanie McMahon all recruited Rock representing WWE and The Alliance.
Rock hitting Vince with a Rock Bottom caused Shane and Stephanie to start celebrating by assuming he was joining them. The follow-up saw Rock also hitting Shane with one and revealing he was still with Team WWE. Shane and Stephanie being that gullible was odd, but it provided some hilarious entertainment.
7 Stevie Richards Hiring Kronik For Revenge Vs The Undertaker
The WWE run of the Kronik tag team was an all-time failure, but it still deserves a look back at the strange storyline to introduce them. Stevie Richards of all people wanted revenge on Undertaker after his attacks ended the Right to Censor faction.
Kronik attacked Undertaker and later Kane with Richards setting it up after hiring Brian Adams and Bryan Clark. The big tag match was a huge failure and led to Kronik quitting after being asked to go back to developmental. Richards was on his own again without the team he was expecting to manage.
6 Referees Feuding With Each Other
The first Invasion PPV of the storyline was aptly named and tried to present a major WWE vs ECW and WCW card. Unfortunately, it was viewed as a disappointment with a strong buy rate that saw numbers go down right after this night.
One of the worst aspects of the card featured Earl Hebner facing Nick Patrick after the WWE and WCW referees feuded with weeks. Vince McMahon wanting referees to fight after entering a rivalry showed how bizarre this chapter of the angle was going. Hebner defeated Patrick with Mick Foley serving as the special guest referee.
5 Shane & Stephanie McMahon Threatening Freddie Blassie
WWE utilized the legendary “Classy” Freddie Blassie in the Invasion storyline by having him show up in his older years to deliver a speech to the locker room. Blassie instilled pride in WWE for the talent since he was such a huge part of their history just days before the major Survivor Series 2001 event.
That go-home episode of SmackDown ended with Shane and Stephanie McMahon confronting Blassie and his wheelchair pusher Brooklyn Brawler. The McMahon kids claimed that much like Freddie in the near future, WWE would soon die at the following show. It came off quite odd for the final segment before one of the most important PPVs in WWE history.
4 The Impact Players Quietly Reuniting
Lance Storm and Justin Credible formed one of the greatest ECW tag teams ever as the Impact Players. The tag division witnessed the Impact Players picking up where teams like the Dudley Boyz, Eliminators and Public Enemy left off defining that style for ECW.
WWE reunited Credible and Storm a few months into the Invasion storyline, but most fans missed it since it was so under the radar. The weird reunion took place with secondary matches on Sunday Night Heat putting over the Hardy Boyz before going their separate ways when the Invasion ended.
3 Christian Lying To Edge About Family Emergency To Join Alliance
WWE had Christian turn heel twice against Edge to split up their legendary tag team run. The heel turn slowly built with Edge achieving more singles success and Christian showing jealousy. A big moment came with Christian hitting Edge with a chair to the dismay of the crowd. However, the follow-up showed WWE wanted more heat on Christian by putting him in The Alliance.
Christian set up a phone call for Edge to believe their grandmother was in an accident. Edge put aside his differences and told Christian they had to head home until the WCW and ECW wrestlers stopped them. Christian orchestrated a vicious attack to officially join The Alliance in a sadistic heel fashion.
2 Test Joining Alliance After False Accusations Of Betraying WWE
One of the better unique storylines of the Invasion featured Test’s heel turn. Test was initially innocent when WWE wrestlers started accusing him of being a locker room mole due to his previously established friendship with Shane McMahon.
The logical angle played out with Test eventually turning on WWE to join The Alliance and his friend Shane after APA attacked him. Paul Heyman was ultimately the mole revealed when ECW joined the fray, but the Test chapter of that story was done perfectly.
1 Tazz Choking Out Paul Heyman
Paul Heyman’s worked shoot promo running down Vince McMahon for putting other companies out of business and stealing elements from ECW is still praised today. One forgotten thing about Heyman’s promo was that he also ripped apart Tazz sitting on commentary.
Vince’s sports entertainment view was bashed when Heyman claimed he made Tazz a top star and McMahon turned him into a pathetic joke. Tazz went into the ring and choked out Heyman to a huge pop, but this was never referenced again since the Invasion ended the following PPV.