WWE Planning to Go Head-to-Head with AEW Again This Year

WWE isn’t slowing down when it comes to challenging AEW head-on — and the next battleground is already being mapped out.

According to WrestleVotes Radio on WrestleBinge, WWE is planning to run NXT Heatwave on the same day as AEW’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view — Sunday, August 24. The event is reportedly expected to take place in South Carolina, with the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium being considered as a potential venue.

What makes this especially noteworthy is that the report states the decision to go head-to-head with AEW was made by TKO executives themselves. This follows a recent trend, as AEW’s ALL IN weekend is already packed with WWE content including Saturday Night’s Main Event, Great American Bash, and Evolution — all stacking the weekend against AEW.

If the move proceeds as planned, this would mark yet another calculated counterprogramming effort in WWE’s post-merger strategy — with NXT once again being used to directly challenge AEW’s fanbase and big-show momentum.

WWE and TKO clearly aren’t just playing defense — they’re swinging straight at AEW’s biggest nights without blinking. With NXT Heatwave now lined up to drop the same night as Forbidden Door, this war’s going from subtle jabs to full-on body blows.