Even ESPN Wasn't Impressed With Wrestlepalooza, Labeling Its First WWE PLE 'Truly Average'

ESPN has published a write-up of the PLE on its website, assigning a letter grade to each match and an overall grade for the show. That overall grade is a C, confirming that it probably isn't pleased with how the first show of its new deal with WWE unfolded. The breakdown notes that the Women's World Title match saved the show, an opinion it seems to share with the bulk of the WWE Universe.

"The excellent Vaquer vs. Sky match saved this show from being truly average," the review reads. "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."

Stephanie Vaquer beat Iyo Sky to win the vacant Women's World Title at Wrestlepalooza. Not only the result fans wanted, but the match itself was also pretty great and comfortably the best match of the night, as highlighted by ESPN, which gave it a B+. The site's review awarded everything else a C grade or lower, with the PLE's opening match between Brock Lesnar and John Cena scoring the lowest grade of the night, a C-.

Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena Was The Lowest Point Of Wrestlepalooza

Lesnar's dominant victory over Cena was The Beast's first match since SummerSlam 2023. Cena thought he had the match won after hitting his finisher on Lesnar three times in a row. However, after kicking out, Lesnar responded by giving the retiring Superstar six F5s, pinning him, and then delivering a seventh for good measure.

ESPN notes that the match felt more like a prelude to a rematch than a one-and-done situation. Cena still has a few matches left before he rides off into the sunset, but after how their Wrestlepalooza match went, I'm not sure fans want to see another one of those final appearances used on a Lesnar match. If that is going to happen, the most likely backdrop for it will be Crown Jewel in Australia.

Outside of the lackluster Cena vs. Lesnar match, one of the main critiques from fans about Wrestlepalooza is the unfulfilled promise from Triple H. The game told fans to expect surprises, and outside of Stephanie McMahon being told she'll be inducted into the Hall of Fame next year, we didn't really get any.