WWE's employed a few different strategies in their Wednesday Night ratings battle with AEW. With both NXT and Dynamite offering up big matches for the final live episodes of 2019 this week, Triple H’s team and USA Network using a trick they first pulled back on Oct. 2 - the first night they went head-to-head with All Elite.
Their Dec. 18 broadcast will open with one of the two title matches booked for the card. And the shot at Adam Cole’s NXT championship that Finn Bálor earned by beating Keith Lee & Tommaso Ciampa last Wednesday? It’ll air without commercial interruption.
BREAKING: The #NXTChampionship match between @AdamColePro and @FinnBalor will KICK OFF #WWENXT and will be presented commercial-free this Wednesday, LIVE at 8/7 C on @USA_Network. pic.twitter.com/EPlgLZfgwd
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 16, 2019
That match is joined on the episode by a highly anticipated Shayna Baszler vs. Rhea Ripley NXT Women’s title clash. AEW is offering up a Tag title showdown between The Young Bucks & SCU, Darby Allin & Cody against The Butcher & The Blade, a women’s #1 contender match featuring Kris Statlander & Britt Baker, and Jungle Boy vs. Chris Jericho.
What a night it’ll be.
UPDATE: AEW’s announced what live viewers will have to choose between. See what match is kicking off Dynamite here.