Bruce Prichard Reveals Shocking Details About WWE’s Failed WCW Invasion Angle
In a recent interview on “Something to Wrestle,” WWE executive Bruce Prichard opened up about the failed WCW invasion angle that took place in 2001. Prichard admitted that if he could go back, he wouldn’t have gone through with the storyline due to various reasons.
Prichard revealed that many of WCW’s top stars, such as Kevin Nash, Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Sting, and Ric Flair, were not interested in joining WWE at the time. WWE was more interested in acquiring the intellectual property and the TV slot on TNT rather than the talent itself.
After WWE purchased WCW, they learned that TNT’s parent company had no interest in airing wrestling in the former time slot. This led to WWE taking possession of physical assets, tape library, and the option to buy WCW’s contracts.
According to Prichard, WWE was in a strong position business-wise and did not want to deal with the “headaches” of hiring many WCW stars. The decision to buy WCW came down to the wire, resulting in the Shane McMahon character purchasing WCW in a last-minute creative decision.
The WCW invasion angle lasted from March to November of that year, culminating at WWE Survivor Series. However, the storyline became convoluted as performers switched sides, blurring the lines between WWE and WCW too much for it to remain believable.
In hindsight, it has been widely accepted that the WCW invasion angle was a failure. Various wrestlers, including Lance Storm and Eric Bischoff, have shared their opinions on why the storyline did not work.
Overall, Bruce Prichard’s revelations shed light on the inner workings of WWE during the time of the failed WCW invasion, providing fans with a new perspective on one of wrestling’s most notorious storylines.