Tony Khan isn’t all that surprised that September’s AEW All Out pay-per-view has competition from WWE.
With both AEW and WWE holding major events in the Chicago area on September 26, the AEW President acknowledges the reality of today’s wrestling landscape. AEW’s All Out will take place in Hoffman Estates, while WWE and AAA present a collaborative Worlds Collide PPV in Rosemont. During an interview on the Battleground Podcast, Khan was asked to address WWE’s scheduling strategy, which pits the two promotions directly against each other.
“It’s probably all of the above. I think it’s all of the above,” Khan replied. “It’s the reality of current wrestling. It’s the, frankly, predatory nature of scheduling of events. But also the compliment that says that AEW is doing very well.”
“And Chicago is a great city for wrestling. I’m very excited about AEW All Out, and it’s not something unexpected to have competition, and I do welcome it. And I also really am excited about the run of shows coming up. Tonight, just a stacked Dynamite, a major redemption pay-per-view this weekend, and I think it’s going to put us on the course to All In and then All Out.”
The AEW and WWE events on September 26 are scheduled to commence simultaneously, with both adopting mid-afternoon start times to maximize viewership. This direct overlap underscores the growing rivalry between the two promotions.
Extended WWE-AAA Presence in the US Market
Beyond the Chicago showdown, AEW faces additional challenges. The promotion’s next two PPVs—Redemption in Montreal on July 26 and All In London on August 30—will contend with WWE’s own global ambitions. On August 30, WWE will stage a dual-event featuring WWE NXT and AAA Lucha Libre talent in Texas, timed to coincide with AEW’s London show.
Strategic planning by WWE extends beyond PPV scheduling. While WrestleMania 43 will air from Saudi Arabia in April, WWE plans to maintain a robust US presence to dominate television audiences. Sources close to the company suggest New York City will host WrestleMania-related watch parties, with WWE NXT and AAA partnering for post-Show events to solidify their territorial footprint. Official dates for these NXT-AAA PPVs remain undisclosed.
