AEW to Host New Year's Smash on January 1

The wrestling promotion schedules its Dynamite episode to air on the first of January in 2027.

Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Wrestling

Expressive editorial sports illustration showing two professional wrestlers in a dynamic grappling maneuver in a brightly lit wrestling ring. — AEW has scheduled its New Year's Smash episode of Dynamite for January 1, 2027, pitting the broadcast directly against WWE SmackDown. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you prefer having multiple professional wrestling promotions airing content during the same time slots?

AEW will hold its New Year's Smash episode of Dynamite on January 1, 2027. This broadcast will air on a Friday, placing it in direct competition with a WWE SmackDown event.

Why it matters

The scheduling marks another instance of direct competition between the two wrestling giants. WWE has historically utilized counterprogramming tactics to compete against AEW pay-per-view events and weekly television broadcasts.

AEW has scheduled the Dynamite episode for January 1, 2027, followed by a live Collision event on January 2, 2027. This configuration forces a head-to-head clash with WWE's scheduled programming for the same Friday date.

The players

AEW

All Elite Wrestling is a major professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville that serves as a primary competitor to WWE.

WWE

World Wrestling Entertainment is a global media conglomerate based in Stamford that dominates the professional wrestling market.

The details

AEW continues to navigate the competitive landscape of professional wrestling by scheduling its marquee events alongside established WWE broadcasts. This follows past industry maneuvers, such as when WWE held its Worlds Collide event on a Wednesday to counterprogram Dynamite in Chicago.

January 1, 2027: AEW will hold the New Year's Smash Dynamite episode.
January 2, 2027: AEW will hold a live Collision event.

Season Trajectory

This scheduling move follows the pattern of the WWE Worlds Collide counterprogramming against AEW Dynamite, which serves as a landmark example of competition tactics. The January 1 date marks a significant intensification of the promotional arms race as both companies vie for limited viewership.

Viewers will face a direct scheduling conflict on January 1, 2027, requiring a choice between the AEW Dynamite broadcast and the WWE SmackDown event. This dynamic likely forces fans to prioritize one live wrestling show or toggle between platforms to track match results.

The takeaway

Fans should monitor official social media channels in the coming weeks to see how match announcements for both programs influence public interest. The competitive nature of this date suggests that both promotions will likely stack their cards to maximize Friday night viewership.