WWE and All Elite Wrestling packed their respective shows Tuesday night with top stars and high-stakes matches in hopes of claiming ratings supremacy in the closest thing to a battle for pro wrestling supremacy since late 1990s.

John Cena, Undertaker, Paul Heyman, Cody Rhodes and Jade Cargill all appeared on what WWE referred to as "The Greatest NXT of All Time," while Tony Khan booked matches such as Bryan Danielson vs. Swerve Strickland and Rey Fenix vs. Orange Cassidy for AEW.

Here, we look at what the two shows offered and determine which was better from a quality standpoint on Tuesday night.

Why WWE NXT?

The obvious answer would be star power.

The presence of Cena, Rhodes, Undertaker, Heyman and Cargill gave the impression that there was always something big happening over on USA Network, even if that wasn't necessarily the case.

In most instances, those names simply made cameos. There weren't a lot of major occurrences and their contributions won't have any long-lasting impact on NXT. But their presence on the show ensured fans needed to tune in to see what was happening.

That is not to suggest the show lacked steak to go along with the sizzle.

Tyler Bate, Butch and Ridge Holland vs. Gallus in a Pub Rules match was a ton of fun; there was a great tease of potential Bloodline involvement as Heyman was spotted talking to Ava Raine; and Undertaker put over Carmelo Hayes as the top guy at the end of the broadcast.

There was the debut of Brian Pillman Jr. as Lexis King, a spotlight for young stars Lola Vice and Dani Palmer, and the continuation of Baron Corbin's journey back to prominence in WWE to boot.

There was plenty to like about Tuesday's NXT but ultimately, it was WWE's ability to make the show feel like a happening that really helped its overall quality.

Why AEW Dynamite?

While WWE leveled up the star power on NXT, AEW opted to stay the course with its own top stars and ongoing storylines.

"Rated R Superstar" Adam Copeland made his in-ring debut against Luchasaurus in a better-than-expected main event, Bryan Danielson and Swerve Strickland tore the house down in the night's opening contest, and Powerhouse Hobbs was booked strongly in a squash victory over Chris Jericho.

Not everything was fantastic, though.

The show lost steam in the second half, the needlessly controversial angle with Juice Robinson threatening MJF with a roll of quarters struck a nerve, and the late revelation that Jon Moxley would not be medically cleared in time to challenge Rey Fenix for the International Championship despite AEW knowing he would not appear earlier in the day, according to Fightful Select, were all blemishes on a quality broadcast.

In terms of having a direct impact on the current state of the show, Dynamite excelled. The show's matches and angles made sense within the current context of storylines and everything else was booked accordingly without reliance on cameo appearances.

That, though, maybe the biggest difference between a win and a loss in the Tuesday Night War.

Winner

As it stands, Tuesday was a one-off test of ratings supremacy between the two biggest companies in professional wrestling.

AEW scored a moral victory by forcing WWE to load up NXT with top stars to avoid a defeat. There is the argument that the company is seeking a new television deal and was going up against MLB playoffs, so they were going to pack it with stars anyway, but John Cena and Undertaker are not popping up on the gold brand without competition demanding it.

With that said, WWE flexed its muscles and reminded the industry that it does spectacle better than anyone.

It made NXT a happening Tuesday night and, even if AEW was the better traditional show based on in-ring quality and the significance of what happened to its ongoing programs and stories, WWE came through with a show that felt like a big deal.

AEW's commentary team repeatedly referred to Tuesday's show as "the biggest Dynamite ever," only to deliver another typically good show. NXT delivered on its tagline and felt like the most significant broadcast in that show's history.

WWE mixed its most recognizable faces with its stars of the future, the product was sleek and made fans feel like they were watching something of great significance, and the result was the sort of happening that wins these one-time battles for pro wrestling bragging rights.