Jim Ross has made his feelings clear on WWE scheduling WWE x AAA Worlds Collide against AEW All Out on September 26, arguing that the wrestling industry would be better served by promotions looking for ways to grow the audience rather than creating avoidable direct competition.
The two major events are set to take place in the Chicago area on the same day. AEW announced on July 6 that All Out would be held at the NOW Arena in Chicago on September 26. Ten days later, WWE announced its WWE x AAA Worlds Collide event for that date in the same broader market, with the show taking place at Allstate Arena.
That timing has fueled another discussion about counter-programming, a practice that has become a recurring element of the modern WWE-AEW relationship. While some observers and fans enjoy the competitive element of major promotions presenting shows head-to-head, Ross does not view this particular situation as a positive one for wrestling as a whole.
Speaking on Grilling JR, the AEW commentator said he believed the overlap was too specific to be accidental.
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“I think I know the motivation for them running an event in that city on that day at that time, which just happens to check all three of those boxes to AEW,” Ross said.
Ross’s issue is not with putting on a strong wrestling show or attracting a large audience. Rather, he questioned whether the motivation behind scheduling directly opposite All Out was primarily about serving fans. He argued that promotions and people across the business should be more open to the idea that success for one part of wrestling does not automatically require damage to another.
“I think everybody should promote growth in our profession, but it’s never going to happen because too many people in the wrestling business are too ignorant to see that. Everybody can help each other. It’s not a matter who’s going out of business. I’ll put you out of business and billionaire Ted, whatever. No, man.”
The “billionaire Ted” reference reflects a familiar piece of wrestling history and the long-running industry mindset Ross was addressing. Professional wrestling has often been defined by territorial rivalries, television battles, competing events, and promotional leaders seeking an advantage over one another. WWE’s past conflicts with WCW remain one of the best-known examples of that approach, and the current era has seen fans frequently compare WWE and AEW as the two most prominent American promotions.
However, Ross argued that there is room for more than one company to prosper. From his perspective, wrestling’s growth should be a shared priority, particularly at a time when fans have access to a substantial amount of televised, streamed, and live-event wrestling.
Ross said he has personally been watching more wrestling while traveling less frequently, and he stressed that a packed building and a quality card are goals he can support. His concern, though, was that Worlds Collide’s placement on the calendar appeared to be about more than simply selecting a date that could produce the best possible event.
“I’m all for the wrestling fans,” Ross continued. “I’m watching a lot of wrestling right now because I’m not traveling to any great deal. So if their motivation was to entertain the fans, have a big house, and put on a great show, then I’m all for it. But that wasn’t the motivation. Too many coincidences.”
The September 26 schedule puts fans in the Chicago-area market in a difficult position, especially those who may wish to attend both events live. The NOW Arena and Allstate Arena are separate venues, but the same-day booking forces a decision for viewers and ticket-buyers. It also creates a direct battle for attention on a weekend that could otherwise have allowed each promotion’s event to stand on its own.
WWE x AAA Worlds Collide is part of WWE’s ongoing collaboration with AAA and carries a lineup built around recognizable names from both sides of that relationship. WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio is advertised for the event, as are Roxanne Perez of The Judgment Day, AAA Mega Champion El Grande Americano, and Chicago native CM Punk.
The presence of Mysterio gives Worlds Collide a particularly notable connection to lucha libre, while the WWE-AAA presentation provides the event with a distinctive identity within WWE’s larger event calendar. CM Punk’s inclusion also gives WWE a major hometown attraction for the Chicago-area crowd. Those names ensure that Worlds Collide is not being positioned as a minor show, but as an event capable of drawing substantial interest in its own right.
AEW’s All Out will have major stakes as well. The event is scheduled to be headlined by Will Ospreay challenging Jon Moxley for the AEW World Championship. In addition, a three-way ladder match for the AEW World Tag Team Championships has been confirmed.
Ospreay and Moxley represent two of AEW’s highest-profile performers, making the World Championship bout a significant centerpiece for All Out. The confirmed tag team title ladder match adds another attraction to a card that will be competing for the attention of both local fans and the wider wrestling audience watching from home.
A Familiar Debate in a New Setting
The debate raised by Ross is larger than one weekend in Chicago. Counter-programming is often defended as an ordinary part of business competition. A promotion has the right to choose its own date, its own venue, and its own strategy. Fans who embrace that view may see competing events as a challenge for companies to improve their cards, presentations, and overall value.
Yet the opposing argument is that same-market, same-day scheduling can split a finite audience. In a live setting, that can mean fans with limited money and time must choose one ticket over another. For viewers at home, it can mean deciding which show to watch first, avoiding spoilers, or skipping part of a card they otherwise would have supported.
Ross clearly falls on the side that believes the industry can benefit from a broader perspective. His comments did not question the ability of WWE or AEW to stage a major event. Instead, he challenged the perceived intent behind such close scheduling and expressed disappointment that the industry continues to approach competition as though one company’s gain must be another company’s loss.
That philosophy is consistent with the reality that wrestling fans often follow more than one promotion. A viewer who watches WWE may also follow AEW, AAA, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, TNA Wrestling, Ring of Honor, or independent promotions. The modern availability of wrestling gives fans more choices than ever, but it also means promotions are fighting for time and attention in an increasingly crowded landscape.
For WWE, Worlds Collide provides another opportunity to spotlight its association with AAA and bring together stars who might not normally appear on the same type of card. For AEW, All Out remains one of the company’s key annual events and now has a World Championship main event that places Ospreay and Moxley at the center of the weekend.
Both promotions will enter September 26 with meaningful attractions, established talent, and clear reasons for fans to pay attention. Ross’s frustration is rooted in the belief that those reasons would be enough without a direct overlap in the same area.
All Eyes on the Chicago Area
As the date approaches, the conversation around Worlds Collide and All Out will likely continue to focus on both the matches and the business implications. Chicago has long been an important wrestling market, and the presence of two major events on the same day adds another layer of intrigue to an already high-profile weekend.
The immediate outcome will be measured through the atmosphere in each building and the reception to each card. The broader issue, however, is the one Ross emphasized: whether wrestling companies can compete fiercely while still recognizing that the overall health of the industry and the experience of its fans may be improved when major events are not positioned to directly take from one another.
For now, fans have a clear choice on September 26. WWE x AAA Worlds Collide at Allstate Arena and AEW All Out at the NOW Arena will share the same market, the same date, and an unavoidable spotlight. Ross sees that as a missed opportunity for cooperation. Others may see it as the latest chapter in an ongoing promotional rivalry. Either way, the scheduling decision has ensured that the wrestling world will be watching closely.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.