ESPN isn’t putting over Wrestlepalooza despite the PLE marking WWE’s debut on their new streaming app.
WWE Wrestlepalooza took place in Indianapolis on September 20, featuring stars such as Brock Lesnar, John Cena, AJ Lee, and CM Punk. However, fan reaction to the PLE—particularly the Lesnar vs. Cena match—was mixed, with many on social media dismissive of the outcome.
In his review, ESPN’s Andreas Hale gave WWE’s latest Premium Live Event a C grade, praising the Women’s World title clash between Stephanie Vaquer and IYO SKY as the show’s main highlight.
“The excellent Vaquer vs. Sky match saved this show from being truly average. It was a phenomenal display inside the squared circle,” Hale wrote.
ESPN says WWE WrestlePalooza ‘fell a little short of expectations’
Hale described the Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre main event as “underwhelming,” while suggesting the Lesnar vs. Cena outcome seemed more like a setup for a future encounter than the conclusion of their feud.
“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 epic moments, it fell a little short of expectations,” Hale noted.
For those who missed it, Lesnar destroyed Cena in nine minutes, hitting six F5s in a match that echoed his brutal 2014 squash of the GOAT. In the main event, Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship after McIntyre’s knee gave out during a key moment near the finish.
Fans can catch all the action from WWE Wrestlepalooza here.
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