WWE SummerSlam forces major change in plans for AEW - Reports
The new era of WWE is moving forward into what looks like it could be the biggest summer ever for the Stamford-based company. AEW is also having a milestone year as they are celebrating their fifth anniversary, but new details have emerged on how the Tony Khan-led promotion has changed plans to prevent another major mishap.
The 2023 WWE SummerSlam Premium Live Event aired on Saturday, August 5, beginning at 7 PM ET with the Kickoff. It was headlined by Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso in a Tribal Combat Match. An episode of Collision also aired that night, headlined by "Real" AEW World Champion CM Punk defeating Ricky Starks. The episode aired in the normal 8 PM ET timeslot and was a key stop on the road to All In Pay-Per-View. However, Collision suffered a major drop in ratings up against Peacock's SummerSlam and ESPN's UFC Fight Night. The two-hour episode drew 417,000 viewers, down from 739,000 the week before, and a 0.13 rating in the 18-49 key demographic, down from the 0.27 key rating demographic the week before.
WWE announced two days later that it was the most-watched SummerSlam in history, among the top three audiences in Peacock company history, and the most-viewed social SummerSlam ever with over 230 million views and four million hours of video consumed. UFC drew a 0.23 key demo rating and 695,000 viewers at 6 PM ET for the first half of Fight Night: Sandhagen vs. Font, then 1,035,000 viewers and a 0.38 key demo rating for the second half at 9 PM. New information indicates how AEW has a two-step plan to hopefully save Collision from a SummerSlam beating on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
The first step involves AEW scheduling a Collision taping for Thursday, August 1, 2024, at the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. This event is a part of the summer series of events on the Path To AEW All In. The second step will see Collision air on Saturday, August 3, 2024, at an earlier start time to be announced.
The usual Collision start time of 8 PM ET was changed due to WWE airing in primetime instead, live from the Cleveland Browns Stadium. While AEW and TNT have not confirmed the special start time for that night, the schedule change was mentioned in data obtained by Wrestlenomics for the Jacksonville-based promotion's deal with the City of Arlington. The start time will likely be announced as we get closer to early August.
AEW star Chris Jericho on a potential WWE return
Chris Jericho has been with AEW since the company launched in 2019. He previously signed a contract extension that will lock him in through December 2025, while expanding his backstage role to include creative advisor and producer duties.
The Lionheart is often speculated on for a potential WWE return as he gets closer to the end of his in-ring career. While speaking to the Gabby AF podcast in a recent interview, the 53-year-old star commented on why a return to the Stamford-based company is not a must, and how he feels about his spot in AEW.
"To me, WWE isn’t the be all-end all. It was great to be there, I had a great 20 years there, but I’ve had a great going-on five years in AEW. I love working here. I love working with, not even for, with Tony Khan. WWE is a completely different animal now than when I left in 2017. It’s been six years. It’s not something I’ve really thought about. I like watching and reading about what’s going on, the buzz that they have, but I also like my company and I helped start AEW. I don’t really see any reason why I would want to leave at this point. Never say that I wouldn’t go, but I have zero plans of that. I like it here and I like the people I work with," Chris Jericho said. [H/T Wrestletalk]
Jericho last worked for WWE on April 27, 2018, in the 50-man Greatest Royal Rumble from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Before that, his last standard match was on July 25, 2017, where he was pinned by AJ Styles in a Triple Threat Match, also involving Kevin Owens, on SmackDown LIVE. The Phenomenal One ended KO's title reign and captured the United States Championship.