ESPN’s Official Review Calls Out Shortcomings of WWE Wrestlepalooza

In what was meant to be glorious start, WWE's Wrestlepalooza failed to deliver on its hype with ESPN also joining the ranks of naysayers.

ESPN’s Official Review Calls Out Shortcomings of WWE Wrestlepalooza

ESPN and Wrestlepalooza (via WWE)

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WWE is potentially calling this new era the Enlightenment Age, and with ESPN now on board, Wrestlepalooza was meant to be the big first step in that direction. Instead, the show left fans underwhelmed, with many saying it felt more like a regular episode of SmackDown or Saturday Night’s Main Event rather than a major premium live event.

The card featured five high-stakes matches, but most of them failed to live up to the hype. The disappointment wasn’t just among fans and the extended wrestling community but ESPN itself. The network gave Wrestlepalooza an overall grade of C, signaling its frustration with how the first event under the new partnership turned out.

In its review on the official website by writer Andreas Hale, ESPN broke down each match with letter grades and made it clear that the Women’s World Title match was the saving grace of the night, a view echoed by much of the WWE Universe. With WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia being the next big stop, this pilot episode of WWE’s new era didn’t exactly inspire confidence.

The excellent Vaquer vs. Sky match saved this show from being truly average. Everything else was either underwhelming (the short Rhodes-McIntyre match) or a setup for a future match  (Lesnar dominating Cena). For a card that promised to have epic moments, it fell a little short of expectations.

Official ESPN review of Wrestlepalooza

For those unfamiliar, Stephanie Vaquer captured her third WWE title, and her first on the main roster, by defeating Iyo Sky in a standout match. ESPN gave the bout a B+, calling it the best performance of the night. Unfortunately, the rest of the card didn’t fare as well. Every other match scored a C or lower, with the opening clash between Brock Lesnar and John Cena earning a disappointing C-.

One surprise was the mixed tag team match featuring AJ Lee’s return. Despite being a 30-minute storytelling showcase packed with nostalgia and dramatic moments, it still received a lukewarm grade, leaving many fans scratching their heads.

Overall, ESPN’s review wasn’t exactly flattering. The network noted that while Wrestlepalooza promised big surprises and spectacle, the event largely felt like just another WWE premium live event. During last week’s Wrestlepalooza media call, ESPN did stress that its coverage of WWE will remain unbiased, a point this review seems to underline.

Looking ahead, WWE’s next PLE will be Crown Jewel, streaming live from Perth, Australia, on October 11. It will be available exclusively on ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer service, priced at $29.99 per month.

John Cena is not expected to face Brock Lesnar in a rematch after the Wrestlepalooza debacle

One of the most anticipated matches at the first-ever WWE Wrestlepalooza saw John Cena, on his retirement tour, face Brock Lesnar one final time in a true legend vs. legend showdown. But the match didn’t unfold the way many expected. After a grand entrance, Cena appeared to be on the verge of victory when he landed three Attitude Adjustments. 

John Cena and Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza
John Cena and Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza (via WWE)

However, Lesnar shocked the Indianapolis crowd by kicking out and taking control. Fans waited for Cena’s trademark comeback, but it never arrived. Instead, Lesnar unleashed six F5s before pinning Cena clean in the middle of the ring, handing the future Hall of Famer a crushing loss less than three months away from his retirement.

According to Bodyslam, Cena was originally booked to win, but plans were changed on Saturday morning, resulting in the finish fans saw. The bout also drew comparisons to their infamous SummerSlam 2014 clash, where Lesnar dominated Cena. Reports from Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter suggest WWE isn’t planning a rematch, and Lesnar will not be Cena’s final opponent.

Cena’s defeat makes it clear that WWE has major plans for Lesnar moving forward. A dream match with Gunther is now firmly on the table, while potential battles with Bron Breakker or Bronson Reed could deliver big numbers. With Lesnar seemingly back under Paul Heyman’s guidance, there’s also buzz about a major multi-man WarGames match at Survivor Series.

On top of that, Heyman’s ongoing issues with CM Punk since WrestleMania could set the stage for a blockbuster Beast vs. Best feud from 2013, one that would not only revisit old rivalries but also inject fresh intrigue into WWE’s new era.

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