WWE Wrestlepalooza vs. AEW All Out: The showdown

In two weeks, we’re getting the first real showdown between AEW and WWE, and as a fan, I couldn’t be more excited. Not really for the shows themselves—because I know they’ll both deliver what their respective fanbases want—but because I want to see the aftermath of the whole thing. Does WWE running on the same night as All Out hurt AEW as intended, or will it backfire and hurt WWE to the point that they rethink going after AEW? That’s the question we might get answered in a couple of weeks.

Let’s look at what we know right now about both shows.

First, on the AEW side: All Out was announced for September 20th a long time ago. Ticket sales have been doing well, not just because it’s their biggest show of the year outside of the newly created All In, but also because Toronto has always been a big wrestling town. While the card isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire right now—Riho vs. Mercedes Moné for the women’s title on their biggest show of the year? Really?—we know that Tony Khan will do everything in his power to overbook the card with matches designed to deliver for the AEW fanbase.

The two big announcements AEW made this week give them at least one advantage. I doubt the HBO Max deal is going to be a game-changer for the company, but moving the show from its original timeslot to a 3 p.m. start gives them the upper hand. By airing first, All Out will already be halfway through by the time WWE goes live, which could keep fans from switching over.

As for the HBO Max situation, let’s be real: when you do the math, it’s not much of an advantage for non-fans of AEW. It basically costs the same to order the show on Max as it does on Prime or other platforms, since you still need an HBO Max subscription to get the reduced-price option for All Out. This is really just a marketing ploy by WBD to boost subscriptions, which they desperately need since they’re trailing the competition.

So, I fully expect Tony to run long again with All Out—just like he did with All In—and stretch it into a six- or seven-hour show in hopes of hurting WWE as much as possible.

On the WWE side, we all know this show was a last-minute decision created solely to counter AEW. And just like AEW, ticket sales are doing really well. The difference, though, is that WWE has the advantage of having more major stars available to build a WrestleMania-level card.

Looking at both cards as they stand right now, WWE clearly has the stronger lineup. Cena vs. Lesnar and Punk & AJ Lee vs. Rollins & Becky are both WrestleMania-caliber main events. Compare that to FTR vs. Edge & Christian, The Hurt Syndicate vs. Ricochet & GOA, and Riho vs. Mercedes Moné—it’s not even close. AEW’s card looks weak by comparison, especially to casual fans, and that’s where WWE holds the advantage.

So, how will WWE counter AEW’s latest move? Will they just focus on putting on the best show possible, or will they take a risk and open with one of their marquee matches to try to lure fans away from All Out midway through?

If I had to bet, I’d say WWE takes the calculated risk. They’ll likely put either the mixed tag or Cena vs. Lesnar on first and promote it well in advance, making sure fans know that a marquee match is opening the show. That way, anyone on the fence about which show to watch will choose WWE right from the start—even if it means catching the rest of AEW’s marathon later on.

In the end, Saturday, September 20th, 2025, is shaping up to be a fascinating day for wrestling fans. The aftermath will be just as intriguing. But no matter what happens, the real winners are the fans, because we’re getting two huge shows on the same day. Hopefully Tony doesn’t go too long with All Out, though—the longer the show drags, the more fans will burn out, and that’s what could hurt AEW most against WWE.