WWE’s new era of premium live events will start with a bang.
Wrestlepalooza 2025 has arrived as it will be WWE’s first premium live event to stream on ESPN. With the company’s top shows on the top sports network, it needs to start the partnership with a big event, and it will be delivered with a card full of mega stars.
John Cena is nearing the end of his farewell tour, and he’ll go against the returning Brock Lesnar. After she made her stunning return, AJ Lee will be in a match with husband CM Punk against rivals Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins. Also, the Undisputed WWE Championship is on the line, and a new Women’s World Champion will be crowned.
It’s a juicy event, and surely will be one that sets the stage for the rest of the year.
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There will be another star in the ring for the tag team match between The Usos and The Vision as LA Knight will be the special guest referee.
Feeding off Paul Heyman’s electric introduction, Lesnar immediately attacks and gets Cena on the ground. He throws Cena around the ring while gloating to the fans. There’s also an introduction to Suplex City. Cena nearly turned the tide with a sudden Attitude Adjustment, but Lesnar quickly got out and put him back on the mat.
It took time, but Cena is able to land some shoulder shots to get Lesnar down. He delivers three consecutive AAs, yet Lesnar kicks out. Cena then goes for the five-knuckle shuffle but Lesnar gets up to deliver his own signature move, the F5. He executes two and gets Cena up for a third. After standing over Cena, Lesnar delivers a fourth but doesn’t attempt a pin.
Cena got up only for Lesnar to deliver a fifth and sixth F5 in brutal fashion. He finally went for the pin and got the victory.
Lesnar wasn’t done after the bell rang. He delivered an F5 to the referee and another one to Cena before walking away.
Analysis: All of that build for that. This match was heavily hyped by ESPN, but people seem to forgot Lesnar matches haven’t been great in some time. Much like most of his recent bouts, this one was quick and just a finisher bonanza with Lesnar ending up on top.
It’s hard to see how this match sets anything up, especially with such little dates left for Cena. He had been putting on exceptional performances recently, but this one seemed to be a waste.
The advocate is back for Lesnar, as Heyman introduces his longtime friend after the two had a conversation on SmackDown the night before.
It’s a party for the 17-time champion as children join Cena in his iconic entrance.
The sports media giant makes trip from “College GameDay” in Miami earlier in the day to Indianapolis. McAfee is accompanied by Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton as will be back on commentary.
WWE chief content officer takes the microphone to welcome people “to the final form of sports and entertainment” with the company now on ESPN.
When is WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025?
The event takes place Saturday, Sept. 20.
WWE Wrestlepalooza start time 2025
Wrestlepalooza begins at 7 p.m. ET. The Wrestlepalooza preshow begins at 5 p.m. ET.
Where is WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025?
Wrestlepalooza 2025 will be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
How to watch WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025
WWE Wrestlepalooza will stream on ESPN’s streaming service. Viewers can sign up for a subscription to the site here. Subscriptions start at $29.99 a month.
ESPN’s streaming service is available through select cable and TV packages, including:
If your cable or TV package includes ESPN, steps to activate it can be found here. The event will also be shown at select movie theaters nationwide.
Internationally, Wrestlepalooza will be available on Netflix in most markets.
Stream WWE Wrestlepalooza on ESPN
WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025 preshow: how to watch
The Wrestlepalooza preshow will be available to watch on ESPN and WWE’s social platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025 match card
Matches not in order
- John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
- AJ Lee and CM Punk vs. Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins
- The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) vs. The Vision (Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed)
- Women’s World Championship match: Iyo Sky vs. Stephanie Vaquer
- Undisputed WWE Championship match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
As announced on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Sept. 18, John Cena and Brock Lesnar will be the opening match of Wrestlepalooza.
The Undisputed WWE Championship match between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre will end the night.
USA TODAY Sports’ wrestling writers predict what will unfold at Wrestlepalooza. See the full predictions for the entire event here.
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
- Jordan Mendoza: John Cena
- Richard Morin: John Cena
AJ Lee and CM Punk vs. Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins
- Jordan Mendoza: AJ Lee and CM Punk
- Richard Morin: AJ Lee and CM Punk
The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) vs. The Vision (Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed)
- Jordan Mendoza: The Vision
- Richard Morin: The Vision
Women’s World Championship match: Iyo Sky vs. Stephanie Vaquer
- Jordan Mendoza: Stephanie Vaquer
- Richard Morin: Stephanie Vaquer
Undisputed WWE Championship match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
- Jordan Mendoza: Drew McIntyre
- Richard Morin: Drew McIntyre
Wrestlepalooza marks the start of WWE’s new partnership with ESPN, as it will now stream its premium live events on the platform after previously doing so on Peacock.
According to CNBC, the deal is for five years with an average of $325 million per year. All WWE premium live events will air on ESPN. “WWE has an immense, devoted and passionate fan base that we’re excited to super-serve on our new ESPN DTC platform,” said ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro. “This agreement, which features the most significant WWE events of the year, bolsters our unprecedented content portfolio and helps drive our streaming future.”
It’s time to light it up.
AJ Lee has made her triumphant return to WWE after she retired from wrestling 10 years ago. Lee made her comeback during the Sept. 5 edition in SmackDown, joining her husband CM Punk in his hometown of Chicago.
Her return to wrestling is something fans had been hoping and anticipating for years. Known for her unstable persona along with her elite promo skills and signature skip, Lee is considered one of the best wrestlers in the early 2010s. She was consistently at the top of the women’s division and is a three-time Divas Champion, tied for the most reigns in what was once the top women’s title. She retired in 2015.
Time is almost up for Cena as his 2025 farewell tour is in its final months. In his last year of in-ring competition, Cena has won the Elimination Chamber and the Undisputed WWE Championship, becoming the first 17-time title holder in WWE history.
Wrestlepalooza will mark the 31st appearance of 2025, and with 36 promised in his final year of wrestling, there are only five shows left for Cena after the show. His career will culminate with Saturday Night’s Main Event on Dec. 13.
His next appearance won’t be until Oct. 11 for WWE Crown Jewel: Perth. Here are the rest of the dates of his final run:
- Oct. 11: WWE Crown Jewel: Perth (Perth, Australia)
- Nov. 10: Raw (Boston, Massachusetts)
- Nov. 17: Raw (New York City, New York
- Nov. 29: Survivor Series (San Diego, California)
- Dec. 13: Retirement Match at Saturday’s Night Main Event (Location TBD)
A new Women’s World Champion will be crowned after Naomi vacated the title due to her pregnancy. She was set to face Vaquer at Clash in Paris but she dropped the championship prior to the event.
Vaquer, who won a title opportunity at Evolution, was still given her chance, and she’ll face Sky, who was the champion before Naomi won it by cashing in her Money in the Bank contract.
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