Folks, it looks like WWE just pulled the ol’ “Oh, nice event you got there… would be a shame if someone scheduled a bigger one right after it.”
AEW’s All In Texas at Globe Life Field is shaping up to be their biggest North American event ever, already clearing $1 million at the gate—and it’s still four months away. Naturally, WWE took one look at that and said, “Hold my script.”
According to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, an internal WWE email was sent out announcing that a San Antonio episode of SmackDown originally set for June has now been moved to July 18—just six days after AEW’s big show. WWE didn’t just schedule a show near AEW’s event, they lingered like an awkward dinner guest who won’t leave.
Oh, and it doesn’t stop there. WWE is also rumored to be planning a Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 12, the same night AEW is expected to run All In Texas. So in case AEW thought they had one clear weekend—nope. WWE hit them with the double-booking special.
This isn’t even the first time WWE has played the We’re Not Copying You, But We Totally Are game. WWE NXT: Battleground is happening on May 25, the same day as AEW’s Double or Nothing, which was already forced to move from Vegas to Phoenix due to WrestleMania 41 sucking all the air out of Nevada. AEW has caught on to WWE’s scheduling shenanigans, which is why they now keep their show dates secret—like they’re protecting the launch codes.
So, was this move by WWE just “coincidence” or straight-up next-level corporate trolling? Either way, Texas wrestling fans are eating good this summer.