There is an imminent Super Saturday, September 20, 2025, when two of the largest promotions in North America clash. WWE wrestlepalooza is live in Indianapolis, and AEW All Out 2025 in Toronto is the counter. These two occasions are sure to leave a lasting impression, yet in terms of star power versus depth, controversy versus momentum, one can argue that All Out: Toronto will be a more fulfilling wrestling experience.
The Counterprogramming Move of WWE.
The fight was predetermined several months before. AEW initially declared All Out 2025 in Toronto in May, but WWE then in the same location at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, announced Wrestlepalooza. Many felt that timing was another instance of WWE using its long-standing counterprogramming tactic directly against AEW.
AEW reacted strategically. In a joint announcement with WBD earlier this month, Tony Khan changed the time slot of All Out to an afternoon, with a history of success with other shows. This avoided a head-on confrontation of broadcast time, but did not succeed in suppressing fan discussion on which event will eventually win the spotlight.
Star-Powered Card of Wrestlepalooza.
Paperwise, WWE has loaded the dice with a glittering roster. It will include such marquee names as John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, Stephanie Vaquer, and IYO SKY. To make the situation all the more curious is the in-ring reappearance of AJ Lee, who joined forces with her husband CM Punk to wrestle with Seth Rollins as well as Becky Lynch in a dream mixed-tag match.
However, Wrestlepalooza has not escaped controversy. Lesnar is involved against a backdrop of his supposed association with the Janel Grant settlement with WWE and Vince McMahon, a headline that has not received much critique. Also, when WWE announced that WrestleMania 43 would take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this created controversy in the wrestling industry and tainted its current storyline.
Momentum and Depth of a Match: AEW.
By comparison, AEW is on a positive streak heading into All Out: Toronto, both due to the success of All In: Texas and the events of the past month with Forbidden Door. Weekly programming has systematically led to this pay-per-view, and storylines have reached their climax at the opportune moment.
The card boasts of ten headliner fights and three Zero Hour warm-up fights, which will provide the fans with a variety and sheer quantity that overshadows the claimed five matches at Wrestlepalooza in WWE. Some of the examples are a blockbuster tag-team opener with FTR vs. Adam Copeland of Canada and Christian Cage, which combines the essence of local heroes with in-ring action on a higher plane.
The philosophy of AEW has always tended to provide a wrestling-centric product, and All Out 2025 promises to be all of that: athletic storytelling, various matchups, and a lineup that is crafted to please those who wish to spend a whole day being entertained.
My Take
The fact that WrestleMania will have the return of AJ Lee is no secret, and it is a massive selling point that will attract both nostalgia and star power. It is not only wrestling, but it is also about regular, extensive narrative continuity.
That is where AEW All Out: Toronto comes in. Having a more comprehensive match card, a well-laid-out storyline, and not having all the extraneous controversies that have been cast over its key stars, AEW will present a more complete and rewarding package. WWE can claim the headlines featuring the big names, but AEW seems to take the night with the quality of pure wrestling.
All Out 2025 can give fans not only great matches, but the fullest wrestling experience of the weekend, on September 20.
