WWE’s decision to go ahead with its Worlds Collide broadcast during AEW’s special Dynamite tribute to PAC caused discontent within WWE itself.
The plan to stream Worlds Collide on YouTube at 7 p.m. ET was announced back on September 25, before the death of PAC, whose real name was Benjamin Satterley. The event took place the following day at Allstate Arena in the Chicago area but did not air until Wednesday, September 30.
After PAC died on Sunday, AEW turned the Pittsburgh edition of Dynamite into a special show honoring him, which began at 8 p.m. ET on TBS and HBO Max. WWE could easily have shifted the start time of an already-taped show, but it stuck with its original plan.
Dave Meltzer said on a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that the decision did not go over well with many people.
“I know a lot of people were unhappy that they ran it when they did. They could have moved it. They didn’t move it.”
Dave Meltzer says a lot of people in WWE were unhappy with Worlds Collide airing directly against AEW’s PAC tribute show:
— Drainmaker (@TheDrainmaker) October 1, 2026
“I know a lot of people were unhappy that they ran it when they did. They could have moved it. They didn’t move it. They probably should have moved it.… pic.twitter.com/JX0tTHGqyA
Meltzer added that, in his view, WWE should have changed the time slot and had no good reason to air the show in that window. The decision left Worlds Collide overlapping with the first hour of the PAC tribute.
WWE’s choice not to air Worlds Collide live, however, came much earlier. According to Fightful Select, the company decided back in early August to air the show on tape delay, a strategy meant to cut into ticket sales for AEW All Out. All Out took place the same day as Worlds Collide, also in the Chicago area.
Despite the controversy, Meltzer considered Worlds Collide a success. The broadcast averaged 76,000 concurrent viewers worldwide across its English and Spanish streams and peaked at 107,000 during the main event. That six-man tag team match ended with CM Punk, Rey Mysterio and El Grande Americano defeating Omos, JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio.