WWE and AEW ramp up counterprogramming as New Year’s head-to-head looms

WrestleTalk reports WWE and AEW are preparing another round of counterprogramming that will put major weekly shows in direct competition over the coming months.

The report says WWE NXT will move for one week to Wednesday, November 4 due to election night coverage, with Cody Rhodes and John Cena confirmed for that broadcast. WrestleTalk also highlights a potential larger clash on Friday, January 1, 2027, when SmackDown (in its usual Friday slot) and AEW Dynamite’s New Year’s Smash special are set to air the same night.

Context and recent examples

WrestleTalk notes counterprogramming has occurred sporadically this year. On September 26, 2026, AEW All Out and WWE Worlds Collide ran on the same night in the Chicago region; AEW’s All Out was live while WWE’s Worlds Collide aired the following Wednesday. The outlet quotes Will Ospreay as saying after All Out, "don't step up to us," and reports Tony Khan has suggested some scheduling moves appear deliberate.

The report adds that AEW has also scheduled events opposite WWE at times — for example, Grand Slam: France ran on Tuesday, October 6, opposite NXT — showing how specials, pay-per-views and weekly television can occasionally overlap.

WrestleTalk includes production details relevant to the January period: it says WWE’s SmackDown will be pre-taped on December 28 at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida, while AEW plans shows at Gateway Arena in Atlanta on January 2, including Dynamite and a New Year’s Smash episode of Collision. The report suggests each company is likely to stack their cards to kick off 2027, and that live versus taped status could shape fan and at-home reactions.

This coverage is based on a WrestleTalk report.