The event was the first major WWE event to be streamed on ESPN's direct-to-consumer streaming service for viewers in the United States. This edition featured John Cena's first and only Wrestlepalooza appearance as an in-ring performer due to his retirement from professional wrestling at the end of 2025. Cena faced Brock Lesnar, who competed in his first match since the 2023 SummerSlam. In addition, the event featured AJ Lee's first match in over 10 years and The Usos' first traditional tag team match on a PPV and livestreaming event since the 2023 Money in the Bank.
The event received mixed to negative reviews, with the Women's World Championship match being singled out for praise, while the rest of the card was described as "underwhelming", with critics believing the event fell short of expectations.
After the announcement, Paul "Triple H" Levesque, CM Punk, and Seth Rollins conducted interviews over various ESPN shows including First Take and SportsCenter with Levesque announcing that Pat McAfee would return at the event.[4] Tickets for the event went on sale on August 22, 2025. According to WrestleTix on X, over 8,000 tickets were sold within the first 24 hours.[5] The official theme song of the event was "Nokia" by Drake.[6]
Wrestlepalooza was originally scheduled to go head to head with rival company All Elite Wrestling (AEW), airing against AEW's All Outpay-per-view (PPV) event. This would have been WWE's first main-roster PPV and livestreaming event to counterprogram an AEW PPV; previously, only select NXT livestreaming events had aired directly against AEW's PPVs.[7] However, on September 3, 2025, AEW announced All Out's start time would be pushed up to 3 p.m. ET, avoiding a direct conflict with Wrestlepalooza.[8]
Broadcast outlets
Outside of the United States, the event was available to livestream on Netflix, with a select few countries still on the WWE Network due to pre-existing contracts.[citation needed] In the United States, the event was the first covered by a five-year agreement between WWE and ESPN Inc., under which main-roster live events will stream on the ESPN app for subscribers to its networks. The agreement succeeds one with Peacock, which concluded after Clash in Paris, although Peacock will maintain NXT's livestreaming events until March 2026, as well as other select WWE content. This switchover to ESPN was originally to begin with WrestleMania 42 in April 2026, but by a technicality, WWE fulfilled their obligations to Peacock early.[9]
Wrestlepalooza was exclusively available via both ESPN's "Unlimited" direct-to-consumer subscription only, as well as via TV Everywhere authentication for subscribers via participating television providers. Not all television providers reached agreements at launch to carry the new service, with major holdouts including Altice, Cox, Dish Network, Xfinity, and YouTube TV. ESPN stated that it planned to reach agreements with most of these providers by the end of 2025.[10][11][12]
The event included five matches that resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the Raw and SmackDown brands,[16][17] while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.[18]
After losing the Undisputed WWE Championship in the main event of Night 2 of SummerSlam, John Cena was confronted and attacked by returning longtime foe Brock Lesnar, making his first appearance since the 2023 SummerSlam.[19] On the September 5 episode of SmackDown, Lesnar interfered in Cena's match, causing the match to end in a no-contest, and attacked Cena once again. Following the attack, Lesnar stated that he would see Cena at Wrestlepalooza, and a match between both men was subsequently confirmed for the event.[20]
At the all-women's event Evolution, Raw's Stephanie Vaquer won the Evolution Battle Royal to earn a women's world championship match at Clash in Paris, while later that night, Naomi cashed-in her Money in the Bank contract during Raw's Women's World ChampionIyo Sky's title defense to win the championship.[21] The next night on Raw, it was confirmed that Vaquer's match would be for the Women's World Championship.[22] Subsequently at SummerSlam the following month, Naomi retained the title in a triple threat match also involving Sky, although Sky was not pinned.[19] Since Sky was not pinned, she was scheduled to face Naomi for the title on the August 11 episode, however, Naomi was not medically cleared to compete and the title match was cancelled.[23] On the following episode of Raw, it was revealed that the reason the match was cancelled was because Naomi would have to relinquish the title due to maternity leave, as she announced she was pregnant with her first child.[24] The following week, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce announced that a match for the vacant Women's World Championship would not take place at Clash in Paris, and instead, Vaquer would challenge a to be announced opponent at a later date to determine the new champion, which Pearce would address the following week,[25] where Pearce announced that Vaquer would face Sky for the vacant title at Wrestlepalooza.[26]
Following WrestleMania 41, Jey Uso had been involved in a rivalry against The Vision (Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed). At Night 1 of SummerSlam, Jey defeated Breakker and Reed in a tag team match,[27] and Jey subsequently competed in a fatal four-way match for Rollins' World Heavyweight Championship which also involved LA Knight at Clash in Paris in a losing effort.[28] The following night on Raw, Jey and Knight subsequently lost a tag team match against Breakker and Reed, with Breakker pinning Jey. Following the match, Breakker and Reed attacked Jey which prompted his twin brother, SmackDown's Jimmy Uso to come out and aid Jey.[26] The following week, The Usos were interrupted by Breakker and Reed. After some exchange of words, Jimmy subsequently revealed that after they spoke with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, The Usos would face Breakker and Reed at Wrestlepalooza.[29] Over the following weeks, innumerable altercations between Jey and Knight happened, and after an altercation between The Usos and Breakker and Reed during the Countdown to Wrestlepalooza show, Pearce announced that Knight would be the special guest referee for the match.[30]
AJ Lee competed in her first professional wrestling match since March 2015.
In the main event of Night 1 of SummerSlam, CM Punk won the World Heavyweight Championship, however, his longtime rival Seth Rollins cashed-in his Money in the Bank contract on Punk and won the championship.[27] Rollins subsequently defended his championship in a fatal four-way match also involving Punk at Clash in Paris, where Rollins successfully retained after his wife, Becky Lynch, performed a low-blow on Punk, with Rollins pinning him.[28] The following night on Raw, Punk called out Rollins, with Lynch appearing instead, stating that she attacked him because after Punk walked out of WWE in 2014, the fans chanted his name during Lynch's matches and never cared about her. She also stated that she attacked Punk because of Punk's constant insults against Rollins. After some more exchange of words, Rollins eventually appeared on the ramp. Punk was about to confront Rollins, however, Rollins left and Lynch subsequently slapped Punk multiple times. Punk stated that Lynch would regret her actions.[26] On that week's SmackDown, Rollins and Lynch were interrupted by Punk, and after more exchange of words, Lynch slapped Punk multiple times once again. Punk then introduced his wife AJ Lee who made her return to WWE for the first time since 2015. Lee battled with Lynch, who rolled out of the ring leaving behind her WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship, which Lee carried off-stage.[20] On the following week's Raw, Lee appeared with Lynch's title around her waist, and she was subsequently interrupted by Lynch, who wanted her title back. Rollins then appeared, and Lee proposed a mixed tag team match, featuring herself and Punk against Rollins and Lynch, however, Rollins initially declined. Rollins attempted to retrieve Lynch's championship, however, Punk appeared and attempted to perform a GTS on Rollins, who avoided it. Rollins subsequently accepted the mixed tag team match for Wrestlepalooza, with Lee returning the title to Lynch, marking Lee's first match in over 10 years.[29]
On the August 8 episode of SmackDown, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre were involved in a tag team match with Rhodes's team winning via disqualification. Following the match, McIntyre attacked Rhodes with the title belt and performed a Claymore Kick on Rhodes through the announce table.[31] A month later on the September 12 episode of SmackDown, after McIntyre defeated Rhodes's longtime friend, Randy Orton, McIntyre was about to perform a Claymore Kick on Orton through the announce table, however, Rhodes returned and assisted Orton. Following a brawl with McIntyre, Rhodes stated that he would see McIntyre at Wrestlepalooza and a title match was subsequently confirmed for the event.[32]
The event began with John Cena facing Brock Lesnar. Before the match began, Paul Heyman appeared and performed his signature ring introduction for Lesnar for the first time Day 1. Lesnar dominated almost the entire match. Cena performed three Attitude Adjustments on Lesnar for a nearfall. As Cena attempted a Five Knuckle Shuffle, Lesnar got up and performed two F-5s. In the end, Lesnar performed two more F-5s on Cena to win the match. After returning to the ring, Lesnar delivered an F5 to the referee and another to the helpless Cena.[33]
Next, The Vision (Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, accompanied by Paul Heyman) faced The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) with LA Knight as the special guest referee. In the climax, Jey performed a suicide dive meant for Knight but struck Reed instead. As Jey was about to strike Knight with a steel chair, Breakker performed a Spear on Jey before performing a Spear on Jey and Jimmy through a table. Reed performed a Tsunami on Jey to win the match.[33]
After that, Stephanie Vaquer faced Iyo Sky for the vacant Women's World Championship. After a back-and-forth match between the two, Sky attempted a moonsault, but Vaquer moved out of the way and performed the Spiral Tap on Sky to win the title.[33]
In the penultimate match, AJ Lee and CM Punk took on Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins. The ending came when Lee forced Lynch to submit to the Black Widow to win the match.[33]
The main event saw Cody Rhodes defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre. During the match, McIntyre performed White Noise on Rhodes and attempted a Claymore Kick, but Rhodes countered into a powerbomb for a nearfall. As McIntyre escaped a Figure Four Leglock, the referee moved out of the way, so McIntyre was unable to win despite rolling up Rhodes for more than three seconds. Rhodes performed Cross Rhodes and McIntyre performed a Claymore Kick, with both resulting in nearfalls. As McIntyre attempted a Claymore Kick on an announce table, Rhodes moved out of the way, causing McIntyre's foot to go through the front of the table. Rhodes performed a Cody Cutter and Cross Rhodes on McIntyre to retain the title.[33]
Reception
The event received mixed reviews from critics, but was universally panned by fans.[34] ESPN writer Andreas Hale gave the event a C, calling the show "average", stating "The excellent Vaquer vs. Sky match saved this show from being truly average", while noting the rest of the card was underwhelming and fell short of expectations.[35]
Aftermath
During the post-event show, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes was confronted by World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, setting up the men's WWE Crown Jewel Championship match at Crown Jewel, which WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque subsequently confirmed.[36]
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