Cody Rhodes WWE

New Details On Planned Main Events For WWE WrestlePalooza

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Jon Alba | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 3:19 PM ET

WWE is set to go head-to-head with AEW in September, and it is reportedly planning two major main events for its WrestlePalooza show as a result.

With AEW All Out set for Sept. 20 in Toronto, WWE is reportedly ready to announce a Premium Live Event to go against it, based out of Indianapolis. As noted, the show is expected to be "WrestlePalooza," an homage to the old ECW pay-per-view of the same name, though that has reportedly resulted in some pushback internally.

The event may also be carried on ESPN, which just agreed to a major streaming rights deal with WWE that will see it carry its future Premium Live Event schedule starting in 2026.

A new report also indicates that WWE may be loading up the event to make a statement.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider reported Wednesday morning that WWE has two major planned main events for the show. While it has long been expected that the Brock Lesnar and John Cena blowoff match would occur on the PLE, Johnson adds that an Undisputed WWE Championship match between a returning Cody Rhodes< /a> and Drew McIntyre is also expected to be a part of that card.

Cena is currently slated for a match with Logan Paul at Clash in Paris, while Rhodes and McIntyre are not scheduled for a match on that show at this juncture.

Where Is Cody Rhodes?

Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Rhodes emphatically won the WWE Championship back from Cena at SummerSlam in a critically acclaimed street fight, but was attacked and taken out on SmackDown by McIntyre not long after. While this gave a creative reason to get Rhodes off of television, it was also done to allow him to shoot his parts for the upcoming "Street Fighter" reboot, where he will play Guile.

It is not Rhodes' only film appearance this year, as he also showed up as a bartender in the recent reboot of "The Naked Gun." He will be joined in the upcoming film by former Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns.

The McIntyre match will be his first WWE Championship defense since losing the title to Cena back at WrestleMania.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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