AEW’s Grand Slam Australia was a historic event—both for its record-breaking success and its wildly questionable decision-making process. While the company ultimately generated the third-largest gate in AEW history, things weren’t always looking so grand (or slam-worthy) in the lead-up to the event.
From a Stadium Spectacle to an Arena Reality Check
Originally, AEW planned to run Grand Slam Australia at Suncorp Stadium—because what better way to introduce yourself to a new country than booking a giant stadium despite limited exposure? 🤦♂️
However, after ticket sales failed to match Tony Khan’s stadium-sized ambitions, the event was relocated to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Some fans were confused, others completely unsurprised, and then there were those who just sat back and watched the chaos unfold like an old-school WCW storyline.
According to Dave Meltzer, AEW didn’t randomly choose a 50,000-seat stadium—it was actually the Brisbane local government that pushed for AEW to run Suncorp Stadium as part of their 2032 Summer Olympics warm-up plan.
Because, of course, nothing says “Olympic readiness” quite like luchadores, superkicks, and the occasional exploding barbed-wire deathmatch.
Despite the Chaos, AEW’s Australia Debut Was a Hit
While ticket sales may have forced AEW to scale things down, the event itself was a major success. The opening moments of the show saw over a million viewers tune in—something AEW hadn’t achieved in nearly a year.
And let’s not forget:
✅ Third-largest AEW gate ever (only behind Wembley’s 2023 and 2024 shows)
✅ Strong TV ratings
✅ Tony Khan got to announce something with an insane amount of energy, so everyone wins
What’s Next? AEW Australia 2026—But Where?
After the event, Tony Khan announced AEW will return to Australia in 2026. But here’s the catch:
📍 No location has been confirmed.
📍 No exact date has been given.
📍 Fans were encouraged to scan a QR code in the arena to get updates.
(A QR code, Tony? What is this, a Dark Order recruitment gimmick all over again?)
According to Meltzer, AEW may look toward Melbourne, Sydney, or Perth—the latter of which just hosted WWE’s 2024 Elimination Chamber. However, nothing official has been reported yet.
Meltzer also compared Grand Slam Australia to an old-school WCW Clash of the Champions event, which—depending on how you feel about WCW—either means it was a hidden gem or one step away from a financial disaster.
Final Thoughts: AEW Survives the Aussie Experiment
AEW’s first trip to Australia was risky, chaotic, and at times, absurd—but ultimately successful. Now the big question is: Will they learn from their mistakes in 2026? Or will Tony Khan announce AEW’s next Australian event will be in the Outback with 70,000 kangaroos as the main audience?
Only time will tell.