Vince McMahon
Vince McMahon speaks at a news conference announcing the WWE Network at the International CES at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas in Las Vegas on Jan. 8, 2014. Ethan Miller/Getty Images

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is the world’s most popular pro-wrestling promotion and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future despite the emergence of All Elite Wrestling (AEW). While they continue to be the most-watched pro-wrestling promotion globally, the newly formed promotion is making inroads in North America.

AEW’s first live event “Double or Nothing” held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas sold out within minutes and was a grand success. Their most recent pay-per-view event “Fight For The Fallen” also helped increase their popularity, with a number of wrestling fans in America welcoming the new promotion for bringing them a new product in the pro-wrestling scene.

WWE, meanwhile, has seen a major drop in their viewer ratings for their televised – Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live – shows and Vince McMahon is aware of the danger that AEW poses. The WWE chairman is reportedly taking various steps to ensure the new promotion does not usurp them in North America and he is said to be keen to take the fight to them before AEW make the first move.

Earlier, multiple reports suggested that McMahon was trying to ensure the WWE roster is not tempted to jump ship by offering the athletes improved contract offers. He was even signing wrestlers who were inactive in WWE just to keep them from joining AEW.

McMahon is said to be ready to take the fight to the new promotion with WWE insider Brad Shepard stating: “I’m being told Sean Ross Sapp’s report is correct. ‘We are taking the fight to them before they take it to us,’ were allegedly Vince McMahon’s exact words on Friday. Some of these network specials will include title changes and unannounced appearances going forward.”

And one of the ways McMahon plans to thwart AEW’s impact is by counter-programming. WWE, according to Ringside News, is planning to hold impromptu special events – with the first one planned for next Saturday called "Smackville" with both Kofi Kingston’s WWE championship and Shinsuke Nakamura’s Intercontinental title being put on the line.

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