Dave Meltzer Analyzes Ratings & PR In 'Pro Wrestling War' Between WWE & AEW

Ever since All Elite Wrestling debuted in 2019, many fans have been fixated on the degree of competition between the upstart promotion and WWE. While opinions on AEW's status as a serious competitor may vary, according to Dave Meltzer on "Wrestling Observer Radio," WWE takes the matter quite seriously. Meltzer stated that the promotion has been leaking "fast nationals" ratings estimates, which are compiled by industry insiders before the official ratings drop.

"Sunday, I started getting texts from people who were just like, 'Did they really only do 122,000 and 34,000 18-49 for 'Collision?'" Meltzer said. "This was a number supplied by WWE. And for those of you who think WWE's not concerned about AEW, or it's a one-sided thing, AEW is in a war with WWE and it's a pro wrestling war, okay? These pro wrestling wars are insidious, they are brutal."

Meltzer went on to state that WWE is more effective at PR and "controlling" much of the media, with the writer accusing some outlets of being afraid to lose access to WWE events. While Meltzer accused WWE of leaking the ratings estimates, he also pointed out that the number that came out Sunday was likely something other than "fast nationals."

That's because Sunday's numbers were nowhere close to the actual rating for the most recent "AEW Collision," which brought in 378,000 viewers and a 0.11 in the 18-49 demographic. Still, the rating was another drop for "Collision," which has often struggled in a difficult Saturday night timeslot. The show is coming up on its one-year anniversary, having premiered on June 17, 2023, back when CM Punk was set to be one of the fixtures of "Collision."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Wrestling Observer Newsletter" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.