5 huge storylines WWE borrowed from other companies

Since it's inception, it has been the job of the WWE writers to keep fans entranced with interesting and captivating storylines. And to their credit, the WWE Universe have been witnesses to some incredible moments over the years.

Who among us can forget the epic war waged between 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and Mr. McMahon, only for the Rattlesnake to temporarily side with the boss in 2001.

Or what about the meteoric rise of Daniel Bryan in 2013, who fought with everything he had against an authority that would rather see anyone as champion than him.

As good as these stories were though, writing each week can often be a long and difficult process, and there have even been instances of other promotions stories working their way into WWE.

Here are five huge storylines that the WWE borrowed from other companies, and how they worked out.

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#5: The Wyatt family compound

The Wyatts feuded with the New Day in 2016.

There are perhaps no two stables in recent history, more different than the Wyatt Family and the New Day. Whilst the Wyatts embraced the dark side of life under the orders of cult-leader Bray Wyatt, the New Day are their antithesis, full of positivity and pancakes.

When the two teams feuded in 2016 though, fans had an eerie feeling of déjà vu.

As the teams battled in mind-games, which eventually saw the team of Kofi, Big E, and Xavier Woods enter the Wyatt family compound, fans couldn't help but be reminded of TNA's Final Deletion.

An entertaining bout between Matt and Jeff Hardy, the match gained a cult following online, and it seems WWE were trying to copy it. Strangely enough, the WWE would copy the Final Deletion again in 2018, with Wyatt and Matt.

#4: The Nexus

The Nexus dominated Monday Night RAW in 2010.

In June 2010, the WWE was rocked to the core, when the Nexus showed up.

A group of young, hungry rookies from Season 1 of the original NXT, the team would demolish everyone on Monday Night RAW, regardless of who the fans supported.

Perhaps the best example of their ability to intimidate is when they crowded WWE Champion Sheamus, forcing the Irishman to form an uneasy alliance with his rival at the time, John Cena.

A truly shocking team, the more eagle-eyed fans may have noticed that the Nexus were incredibly similar to Generation Next in ROH. Back in 2004 and comprising of Alex Shelley, Roderick Strong, Austin Aries, and Jack Evans, Generation Next also took no prisoners, and waged war on those in the main event.

Whilst the Nexus could've been WWE's own creation, the similarities are very striking.

#3: Ted DiBiase buys the WWF Championship

DiBiase bought the title from his partner Andre the Giant.

When Ted DiBiase came to the conclusion that he could never beat Hulk Hogan for the WWF Championship in 1988, he did the only sensible thing a man of his stature could do.

He hired someone to get plastic surgery to look like a sanctioned referee, to help his client Andre the Giant win the title, and the Frenchman quickly sold the gold to the Million Dollar Man.

An ingenious plan by the Million Dollar star, this storyline is partly dampened when you discover that it had already been done, at Georgia Championship Wrestling. Five years before DiBiase would 'win' the gold, Larry Zybysko would buy the NWA Championship from Tim Brooks for a cool $25,000.

Whilst his story may have been a repeat, DiBiase's brief time with the gold was still very entertaining.

#2: The Summer of Punk

Punk threatening to leave WWE as Champion was very similar to his past in ROH.

In the summer of 2011, there was no wrestler on the planet more popular with CM Punk.

After cutting a scathing promo on the June 27, edition of RAW, Punk was on fire, after claiming he would leave the WWE with their WWE Championship. Doing just that at Money in the Bank, in Punk's hometown no less, the Second-City Savior would walk away from the WWE, for about eight days.

This shocking leaving with the title though was very similar to Punk doing the exact same thing years ago in Ring of Honor. As the ROH Champion in 2005, the future UFC star threated to leave that company with their title, when he went to WWE.

Debuting on ECW in 2006, Punk would have an incredible career, before walking away from wrestling in early-2014.

#1: Mr. McMahon

McMahon is considered one of the greatest villains in wrestling history.

We know what you're thinking: that the Montreal Screwjob is what turned lovable commentator Vince McMahon into the evil CEO Mr. McMahon. And whilst the Screwjob certainly helped, the character of an evil boss ruling over everyone had already been done before, in WCW.

Years before McMahon stepped away from the commentary desk, Eric Bischoff was riding high as the evil boss of the Georgia-based promotion, whom fans loved to hate. And much like McMahon would, Easy-E would often play favourites and wasn't opposed to getting in the ring himself, when the time was right.

The only thing Bischoff lacked, was a definable nemesis, something McMahon would quickly gather in the form of Stone Cold Steve Austin. Whilst fans can debate about who played the evil boss better, it's cold hard fact that Bischoff did it first.