WWE’s decision to unveil its WrestleMania 43 plans nearly nine months in advance may have had less to do with promoting the event—and more to do with staying one step ahead of AEW.
According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, some WWE officials are expecting Tony Khan and AEW to have a significant presence somewhere in the United States during WrestleMania 43 weekend while WWE presents its biggest show of the year in Saudi Arabia. That expectation played a role in WWE’s decision to reveal its own U.S.-based WrestleMania weekend plans much earlier than usual.
“According to a WWE source, the expectation of AEW potentially running a show stateside during WrestleMania 43 weekend was among the reasons that WWE moved to announce their stateside festivities nearly nine months in advance.”
Rather than leave WrestleMania weekend open for rival promotions, WWE has already confirmed that it will hold multiple watch parties across the United States while also keeping a physical presence in New York City.
The biggest hub will be the Infosys Theater at Madison Square Garden, which is scheduled to host an official WrestleMania watch party alongside NXT Stand & Deliver and AAA Eternal Glory during WrestleMania weekend.
The report builds on previous reports that stated that WWE’s goal is to recreate the traditional WrestleMania atmosphere across several major U.S. cities despite WrestleMania 43 taking place in Riyadh. Alvarez said WWE’s strategy is to establish a nationwide presence before other wrestling promotions can capitalize on the weekend.
If AEW does announce an event during WrestleMania weekend, it would create a familiar battle for wrestling fans’ attention—only this time, the competition would take place across the United States while WWE’s flagship event unfolds overseas.
For now, AEW has not announced any WrestleMania weekend plans. However, if the expectations within WWE are accurate, the company has already made its first move by locking in its stateside schedule months ahead of time.
Do you think AEW should run a major event during WrestleMania 43 weekend, or is WWE making the right move by securing its U.S. presence so early? Let us know in the comments below.
