"Great, affordable wrestling" - AEW exec gives invitation to fans as NXT struggles to move tickets for Great American Bash

It's been a while since WWE and AEW took explicit shots at each other, but the rivalry between the two companies has arguably never been hotter. Much of that is due to World Wrestling Entertainment's new counter-booking tactics, and QT Marshall is now using that to his advantage.

For much of the last year, WWE has made it a point to book at least one event head-to-head with every AEW pay-per-view. That's the case with All In: Texas, which takes place on July 12. The Stamford-based promotion is hosting two shows that day: NXT Great American Bash and Saturday Night's Main Event, with Evolution following the day after. However, the NXT PLE is struggling to move tickets at the moment, with the latest count showing just 598 sold so far.

AEW executive QT Marshall is capitalizing on the situation with an offer for wrestling fans in Atlanta, GA, where SNME and Great American Bash will take place. He took to X/Twitter in response to NXT's sluggish ticket sales and invited fans to attend 1FW's Summer Stage event on July 25:

"If you’re in Atlanta and want to see some great, affordable wrestling at #CenterStage … check out @1FWrestling Featuring some AEW Stars as well as some of Georgia’s best up and coming wrestlers!"

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Tony Khan isn't worried about WWE counter-booking AEW

WWE's business practices have been revamped since it was purchased by Endeavor and brought under the TKO umbrella. The company has become much more competitive in its approach to All Elite Wrestling, even responding to Tony Khan's interpromotional partnerships with its own.

However, the biggest gauntlet WWE has thrown down comes in the form of counter-booking. When AEW hosts a major PPV such as Double or Nothing or All In, fans can expect the sports entertainment juggernaut to stack two or even three of its own shows against it.

Tony Khan has responded to this tactic by delaying announcements and keeping his company's strategy hidden, leaving WWE less time to counter him. At the post-show media scrum following this year's Double or Nothing, he seemed unconcerned with the competition:

"It's pretty consistent. I would say it's the most consistent event head-to-head scheduling I've seen since Jim Crockett Promotions saw a lot of scheduling that went that way, and I can tell you this will go a lot differently than that did. Thank you for asking."

Despite fierce competition, the Jacksonville-based promotion has actually been gaining momentum in 2025, with several successful international shows and its first-ever US stadium event on track to sell over 20,000 tickets. Whether WWE can put a damper on its rival's growth remains to be seen.