Professional Wrestling companies battling it out while counter-programming each other is nothing new. It began with the Monday Night Wars between WWE and WCW in the 1990s. When AEW debuted in 2019, it posed the biggest threat to the WWE in the last 20-plus years. AEW aired its flagship show, “Dynamite,” on Wednesday nights, which happens to be the same night WWE NXT airs.
Although AEW is still vying for the top spot in professional wrestling, this so-called rivalry took a back seat when WWE moved NXT to Tuesday nights in April 2021. A little over one month ago, WWE decided to begin counter-programming AEW once again.
It started with WWE Evolution on the same day as All In Texas, AEW’s biggest event of the year. The second time is this Sunday, August 24, when AEW airs Forbidden Door, while WWE hosts its NXT Heatwave live event. Currently, the third and final example this year is scheduled for September 20, when WWE announced its Wrestlepalooza PLE to air opposite AEW All Out.
Does WWE view AEW as competition?
The age-old question is whether WWE believes AEW is competition or not. AEW is currently in a hot period, and its product is as popular as it has been in a long time. Although they are putting on good shows recently, a six-year-old company is not a legitimate competitor to the WWE, which has been in business in some form since 1953.
However, even if that may be true, the WWE can still draw more fans to their company by offering a different event on the same day as AEW. Is WWE counter-programming AEW three times a coincidence? No, I don’t believe so, but it is most likely not done in fear that AEW will take the top spot from them.
In 2025, pro wrestling fans have an abundance of wrestling to watch, and with both promotions going toe to toe, it will only elevate each company, forcing them to bring their best each time.
WWE/AEW Wrestlers on the move
Since the inception of AEW, we have seen many familiar faces from WWE leave and join the competition. Two of AEW’s original stars and greatest champions are Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho. Over time, we have seen wrestlers like Cody Rhodes and CM Punk leave AEW to return to WWE.
Although AEW still features a number of former WWE wrestlers, they have recently done an excellent job of elevating homegrown talent, such as MJF, Hangman Adam Page, and Will Ospreay. Wrestlers moving between companies is inevitable and is excellent for everyone involved. When wrestlers are granted more opportunities, it can lead to something great, like we have seen with Swerve Strickland.
Below, I have listed notable wrestlers who have transitioned from WWE to AEW, AEW to WWE, and those who left WWE, went to AEW, and later returned to WWE.
WWE to AEW
Chris Jericho
Jon Moxley
Bryan Danielson
Adam Cole
Christian Cage
Claudio Castagnoli
Adam Copeland
Mercedes Mone
Athena
Big Bill
The Hurt Syndicate
Brodie Lee
Ricochet
Samoa Joe
Saraya
Swerve Strickland
FTR
Toni Storm
WWE to AEW to WWE
CM Punk
Cody Rhodes
Aleister Black
Rusev
Shawn Spears
Andrade
AEW to WWE
Ethan Page
Jade Cargill
Lexis King
Penta
Rey Fenix
Ricky Saints
