Tony Khan and AEW Have the Perfect Opportunity to Counter WWE

Following WWE's WrestleMania 43 announcement, AEW has a rare chance to create a moment of its own during the company's biggest weekend of the year.

Tony Khan avoided a head-to-head showdown with the most recognized pro wrestling company in the world on Saturday. Instead, he opted to make All Out Toronto an afternoon pay-per-view, giving many of his vocal critics the ammo they were hoping for.

Nevertheless, it was a shrewd move that will likely pay off in the long run. After all, it was going to be impossible to compete for coverage with a stacked card featuring AJ Lee's in-ring return.

On Sept. 12, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, Turki Alalshikh, joined Triple H to reveal that The Greatest Spectacle in Sports Entertainment would take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027. This will mark the first international destination in the event's history.

This controversial partnership has sparked criticism of sportswashing since the initial 10-year deal in 2018. However, making Kingdom Arena the venue for the most prominent pro wrestling event of the year faced even more backlash as fans have voiced displeasure online and live at Worlds Collide: Las Vegas.

Potential for a Huge Event in Spring 2027

Most would assume that WrestleMania never ventured outside of North America because it has been such a massive tourist attraction. Fans annually travel to the city that hosts the event, and WWE prides itself on the live experience it has successfully created for over 40 years.

Even more, smaller independent promotions and WrestleCon book their shows around the weekend to capitalize on foot traffic from such an immense gathering of wrestling fans. The perennial tradition is a major source of revenue for many outside entities.

Moving The Showcase of Immortals to Saudi Arabia seemingly isolates it from the rest of the community and its fandom. It's hard to imagine that most indie promotions have the resources or backing to host their shows overseas.

Brandon Thurston and John Pollock of POST Wrestling reported that two organizations have approached Brett Lauderdale about bringing Game Changer Wrestling's Collective to Saudi Arabia. Nevertheless, the promoter for GCW said it's too early to say if that's realistic for them yet.

Michael Bochicchio also told POST it's too soon to make definite plans, but it's "highly likely." The owner of Highspots, who has operated the yearly convention since 2013, noted that the trip would raise costs for staff and rates to book talent.

Many fans have called for Khan to schedule a big AEW event in the U.S. during the weekend to fill the void and provide an opportunity to recoup. All Elite Wrestling probably wouldn't draw as many people to a city as WrestleMania, but the president of the second biggest wrestling company wasn't opposed to the idea.

During the media call for All Out, Jason Powell of ProWrestling.net asked him about the prospect of such an event. "People ask about the spring of 2027," Khan said. "I can promise we'll have a huge AEW Revolution, and a lot of big plans for then. And obviously, very focused right now on 2025. That's looking very far ahead, but there's definitely potential for us to do some big thing in the spring of 2027."

A Shot in The Dark

On the surface, it's a risky decision to go up against WrestleMania, but the demand is there for an event that airs the same night. It would provide an opportunity for smaller promotions, and Khan could even add ROH Supercard of Honor to the weekend.

Following the success of All In Texas, the fan base has been clamoring for another major U.S. show, and this could be the perfect fit. It would also offer an affordable alternative for fans who usually travel for wrestling in the spring.

The gamble wouldn't entice most staunch WWE viewers, but it would appeal to pro wrestling enthusiasts who enjoy both companies. Most of those hardcore fans gravitated to AEW in the first place because of the popularity of NJPW and indie wrestling, so it would be a perfect scenario for smaller promotions.

The Elite established this company with this kind of move, and at the very least, it would be interesting to see if AEW can draw a large enough crowd to fill the weekend spot. There's plenty of evidence to suggest that its fans would fill a stadium again.

This year, Khan has stayed the course and focused on delivering excellent pay-per-views. It was the right move in the face of competition from a global juggernaut, but this could be an opportune time to strike back and potentially win over some new fans.