Rumors are circulating that WWE plans to host a premium live event in direct competition with AEW next month. Following that, WWE is expected to air the December edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event (SNME) on the same night as AEW’s Worlds End event. According to the Wrestling Observer newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed that WWE will likely announce a premium live event featuring a headline match between John Cena and Brock Lesnar on September 20th in Indianapolis, Indiana, with the event taking place simultaneously in Toronto, Canada.
AEW might consider moving its event to the afternoon to avoid clashing with WWE, but that could be tricky since WWE has been preparing its event for quite some time. If AEW stays with the evening slot, Meltzer suggests the Cena-Lesnar match could impact AEW’s viewership, though the exact effect remains uncertain. If WWE attracts 20,000 buys, AEW might see a loss of roughly $600,000, which Meltzer notes is relatively small given WWE’s $180 million annual media rights revenue.
Meltzer also pointed out that Nick Khan and Paul Levesque seem more focused on competing with AEW than Vince McMahon was, despite Vince’s early eagerness for business. Additionally, if WWE moves its December SNME from the 13th to the 27th, it could face more competition from AEW as well as NFL games streaming on Peacock, potentially making it harder for WWE to draw viewers during that period, especially if they promote Cena’s rumored final match.
Fan Take: This brewing rivalry showcases how seriously WWE now views AEW as a competitor, which could lead to more high-stakes matchups and events for wrestling fans. For AEW fans, this competition might drive innovation and better programming, but it also raises the stakes around viewer loyalty and market share in professional wrestling.
