September 20, 2025, will mark the first time that WWE challenged AEW on a significant scale. The media giant will stream their WrestlePalooza premium live event (PLE) on the ESPN app, the same night as AEW’s All Out pay-per-view. As such, AEW has pivoted from its typical start time of 8 PM ET to 3 PM upon announcing its PPVs will stream live on HBO Max.
It’s easy to see why, for a couple of reasons. AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door was a successful event, as it emanated live from the O2 Arena in London, England. Having aired in an afternoon time slot in the United States, it did well. However, WWE’s counter-programming measures are also feasible factors in All Out’s change in start time. With reports of a rumored AJ Lee return, as well as a possible John Cena and Brock Lesnar rematch, the promotion clearly wants to disrupt AEW’s positive momentum in 2025.
It’s important to note that Brock Lesnar is mentioned heavily in the Janel Grant sex trafficking lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE.
With that said, could the All Out start time be a sign of things to come? Could it benefit the promotion? Like it or not, AEW and WWE are actively in competition; strategies like these must be considered.
Benefits of Earlier PPV Start Times
When unopposed, AEW’s earlier start times have been a blast for me, personally. For fans in the Western Hemisphere, an afternoon PPV would mean more time to process the event. Additionally, it allows for weekend evening plans. Oh, and it accommodates viewers who have to wake up early in the morning. It’s a win-win for Americans.
Internationally, AEW fans can join in the fun, as they won’t have to stay up too late. For example, AEW All Out will start at 3 PM ET, which, for those watching in the UK, means approximately 8 PM. While they might have to deal with slightly less sleep, they at least won’t have to stay awake overnight.
I’ve noticed a trend on social media. More people have been skewing towards AEW or WWE and their respective partnerships. Well, a little less so for WWE’s. On nights where both companies stream their events live, however, some may want to keep up with both. Altering the start time can provide this. Viewers watching both during the same-day shows can easily change from an early AEW show to the later WWE show and not need to compromise much, if at all.
Drawbacks of Earlier PPV Start Times
To WWE’s advantage, they’ve conditioned wrestling fans to attend or watch wrestling shows in the evening. For weekdays, fans with daytime jobs can enjoy wrestling programming during the night as they wind down. On weekends, this isn’t as necessary, but it’s become comfortable. It’s easier, so why give it up?
Usually, Americans are likely to have plans in the day, from morning to noon, and potentially afternoons. It’s entirely possible they’d miss it, or they’d have to plan their weekend around an early event, depending on priorities.
WWE pulled out its trump card for WrestlePalooza ahead of announcing their matches, confirmed and rumored. Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins versus CM Punk and AJ Lee. John Cena runs back the clock with Brock Lesnar, still named in the Janel Grant lawsuit. Stephanie Vaquer and Iyo Sky vie for the vacant WWE Women’s World Championship. With this much star power, they’ve essentially shoved AEW to bow out of their way. Humbling, but with WWE intentionally stacking their as-of-yet incomplete card, AEW had no choice. A bitter pill to swallow and equally bitter a message to send.
My Takeaway on the Start Time and HBO Max
In my opinion, the pros outweigh the cons here. WWE learned this lesson during the “Wednesday Night Wars” of NXT and AEW during the COVID lockdown. Similarly, the Tony Khan promotion found this out the hard way when they aired alongside NXT on October 10, 2023. Since NXT had been running on Tuesdays, AEW was the one encroaching on their territory due to scheduling conflicts with the NBA, on October 11. The ratings were not in favor of WWE nor AEW in these particular instances.
It’s beneficial to be humble and take a step back.
On the surface, putting so much importance on a show like WrestlePalooza is a sound business strategy. It’s pointless for them to be mad at that, and I’m sure they’re not. That’s WWE’s modus operandi at this time. They have the big guns who are proven draws. WWE leans into that excitement, providing shocks and surprises. Perhaps that’s why Paul Levesque has quietly abandoned the long-running storylines and thoughtful booking that made 2023-24 enthralling.
AEW’s on a rise, and they don’t want to sabotage that for the sake of pride. They’ve cultivated a passionate fanbase. This is due in part to long-term angles and insanely thrilling in-ring bouts. As such, AEW must make decisions to benefit fans’ loyalty as one of the biggest promotions in North America right now. So beginning their shows earlier, especially on WWE-filled nights, will be a net positive in the long term.
Plus, with HBO Max being fully invested in streaming wrestling content, AEW is in a great spot. Seriously, HBO Max has been known for cutting content for the most wild of reasons, so AEW is clearly doing something very, very right.
Regardless of which tribe you’re subscribed to, September 20 is a night where each company will go all out in a wrestle-palooza.
More From LWOS Pro Wrestling
Header photo – AEW – Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on AEW and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can catch AEW Dynamite on Wednesday nights at 8 PM ET on TBS. AEW Collision airs Saturday at 8 pm Eastern on TNT. More AEW content available on their YouTube
