As PWMania.com previously reported, this year’s NXT Great American Bash Premium Live Event (PLE) will air live on The CW Network on Sunday, June 28. This will be the first NXT PLE to air on The CW, and the event begins at 7 PM ET.
Notably, the show’s timing puts it head-to-head with AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, which is scheduled for the same date.
According to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE’s decision to schedule their event at the same time as an AEW pay-per-view was intentional. Meltzer noted that WWE is strategic about their scheduling and that they will soon claim this timing was merely a coincidence.
Meltzer further commented that WWE has attempted similar tactics in the past, seeking to damage AEW’s viewership by scheduling shows opposite AEW pay-per-views, with little success. He recalled an incident last year on either July 11 or 12, when WWE hosted multiple events in Atlanta, including an NXT show in the afternoon, a Bill Goldberg retirement event in the evening, and the women’s Evolution show the following day—all coinciding with AEW’s All In: Texas, which was their biggest show of the year. Meltzer explained that WWE believed they had AEW “boxed in,” but ultimately, AEW produced a phenomenal event.
Meltzer also questioned WWE’s motivations for scheduling an NXT show against an AEW pay-per-view, as it only invites unfavorable comparisons. Given the current quality of AEW shows, WWE would likely prefer their main roster—and certainly NXT—not to be compared to AEW.
He also highlighted that Saturday Night’s Main Event had the lowest global viewership of all SNME episodes, with only 100,000 views on Netflix, while AEW’s All In: Texas achieved its fourth-largest pay-per-view number in company history and its best pay-per-view buyrate of the year. Meltzer speculated that WWE officials believe their continued efforts to undermine AEW will eventually cause damage. He predicted that TNA Slammiversary, scheduled for earlier on June 28th at 3 PM ET, would suffer the most from the overlap with both NXT Great American Bash and Forbidden Door, despite TNA being a promotional partner of NXT.
In summary, TNA Slammiversary will take place on June 28th, starting at 3 PM ET, while AEW and NXT are both set to begin their events at 7 PM.
