If anyone still thinks WWE doesn’t care about AEW or consider them a threat, think again. WWE just agreed to live stream the EVOLVE Wrestling 10th Anniversary Celebration on the WWE Network — a move that puts them in direct competition with a show AEW had scheduled to raise money for charity.
Both the EVOLVE Wrestling 10th Anniversary Celebration and AEW Fight for the Fallen take place on July 13.
The EVOLVE show will be available for anyone with a WWE Network subscription. AEW Fight for the Fallen will stream live on B/R Live for free to give people one more chance to see AEW before their next PPV All Out in August.
This will be one of the first times WWE ever streamed another company’s event live on WWE Network. The Wrap reports that the show has the headlining match of WWE Cruiserweight champion Drew Gulak taking on NXT star Matt Riddle.
There are a ton of WWE stars who came from EVOLVE and many of them return for the anniversary show including Adam Cole, who will defend the NXT Championship at the event against 205 Live star Akira Tozawa.
Also on hand will be NXT Superstars Arturo Ruas and Babatunde, EVOLVE Champion Austin Theory, EVOLVE tag champs Joe Gacy and Eddie Kingston, WWN Champion JD Drake and more.
411mania reported that AEW vice president Kenny Omega was not happy about it and tweeted that AEW Fight for the Fallen is a show that is a charity to raise money victims of gun violence.
He also said that it was ironic that WWE takes “blood money” from Saudi Arabia and then tries to undermine a show that is held for charity, calling it “sick.”
He deleted that tweet and left another about why he chose to take the original one down, saying that fans seemed to take his comments as a shot against the talent when it was meant only for the decision makers in charge.
I’ve said my piece and it opened the door to a very toxic environment. It wasn’t a message to fans, or the boys, just the decision makers. I wish everyone wrestling on any show that day all the best. That is all.
— Kenny Omega (@KennyOmegamanX) June 26, 2019
The EVOLVE Wrestling 10th Anniversary Celebration takes place on WWE Network and AEW Fight for the Fallen takes place on B/R Live and fans will have a choice on which to support on Saturday night, July 13.