WWE and AEW may be the most direct competition of one another, but that doesn’t mean that a crossover between the companies isn’t possible.
Since AEW launched in 2019, both companies have taken aim at each other both on and off TV. While AEW Dynamite won the Wednesday Night Wars, it was WWE NXT that won the October 2023 ‘Tuesday Night War’ against AEW’s weekly flagship show.
Swerve Strickland On WWE-AEW Crossover
Reigning AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland knows what it’s like to work in both companies, though his WWE tenure ended long before the current regime. Speaking to The Bootleg Kev podcast, Strickland was asked about a potential crossover between WWE and AEW.
“If there’s ever a time it could happen, now is more likely than it’s ever been. I don’t think either person [Tony Khan and Triple H] is opposed… I don’t think there’s ever been a time that’s more likely than now.”
It’s not hard to see why Strickland feels like a team-up is more likely than ever before. In recent years, WWE has become more open to working with other promotions, as seen with TNA’s Jordynne Grace’s appearance on the May 28, WWE NXT. Grace will face NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez at NXT Battleground.
WWE And AEW
Though a crossover event has yet to happen, WWE and AEW have worked together in the past. Billy Gunn was allowed to appear at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in 2019 despite being part of AEW at the time. The future ‘Daddy Ass’ was inducted as part of D-Generation X.
In 2022, multiple AEW stars appeared on Raw to wish John Cena congratulations on the 20th anniversary of his WWE debut. Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho, and Paul Wight were among those who sent their best to John, with this sign of cohesion showing just how much respect Cena carries across pro wrestling.