Jim Ross doesn’t understand why WWE would feel the need to mess with AEW during All In weekend. JR stopped short of accusing WWE of doing it, but when Conrad Thompson floated the idea, Ross had one blunt question: What are they worried about?
During Grilling JR, Ross praised AEW’s final television shows before All In at Wembley Stadium. He believes the locker room is loaded with wrestlers who will be fighting to steal the show when AEW presents its biggest pay-per-view of the year.
“I’m proud of what AEW has done. They’ve had a hell of a week. I thought Wednesday night was a good television show. These go-home shows have been outstanding. They’ve done a great job of doing television.”
Ross then brought up a conversation he had with Thompson about WWE possibly trying to muddy the waters around AEW’s massive weekend.
“They’ve been over there for a few days—they meaning AEW. Then I heard you mention to me that WWE is trying to muddy the water over there a little bit with some shows they’re doing or putting on television.”
JR immediately made sure he wasn’t presenting the idea as fact. Still, if WWE’s goal was to take attention away from AEW, he couldn’t understand why the industry giant would bother.
“Whether that’s true or not, I’m not denying your opinion whatsoever, Conrad, but I don’t get it. If that’s true, I don’t get it. What are you worried about? Nothing.”
Thompson then clarified that the WWE programming was not actually taking place in the United Kingdom. WWE’s weekend lineup included a AAA show followed by NXT in Edinburg, Texas, while AEW All In was scheduled for Wembley Stadium in London. That makes the situation less of a direct territorial fight, but all three events are fighting for the attention—and money—of wrestling fans during the same weekend. Ross sees no reason for WWE to treat AEW like a threat that needs to be blocked.
“There’s going to be an embarrassment of riches if you’re a wrestling fan this weekend. You can see AAA and NXT back-to-back on the WWE side of things, and of course Wembley for AEW on Sunday as well.” — Conrad Thompson
Ross never claimed WWE officially planned the schedule to damage AEW. His point was aimed at the possibility itself: WWE is the biggest wrestling company in the world, so why act worried about what AEW is doing at Wembley? The wrestling war may not be happening in the same city, but WWE, AAA, NXT and AEW will all be fighting for fans during one packed weekend. Ross believes AEW has enough talent and momentum to survive that fight without flinching.
Do you think WWE’s weekend schedule was designed to take attention away from AEW All In, or was it simply a packed weekend for wrestling fans? Leave your feedback in the comments.
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