3 Things WWE got wrong at Wrestlepalooza 2025

WWE's inaugural premium live event on ESPN, Wrestlepalooza, received mixed reactions, with many viewers unimpressed by the event's lack of surprises. Fans were under the belief that Triple H might have something big in store for them, given how the company promoted the PLE in recent weeks, but it looks like it has failed to meet the expectations.

In this article, we will be looking at three things WWE got wrong at the recent Indianapolis premium live event.

#3. A big failure for John Cena at WWE Wrestlepalooza

John Cena has only a few dates left before his in-ring retirement in WWE. He locked horns with Brock Lesnar at Wrestlepalooza, only to get humiliated by The Beast Incarnate. Lesnar absolutely destroyed The Franchise Player and pinned him after devastating F5s.

The way Cena suffered the loss is one of the major flaws of the Wrestlepalooza Premium Live Event. WWE should have either booked the veteran strongly and allowed him to lose or have Lesnar be dominated throughout the match, only for the 17-time World Champion to find a way to win.

#2. Cody Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre clean

Drew McIntyre had strong momentum against Cody Rhodes ahead of Wrestlepalooza, but despite all this, The American Nightmare defeated The Scottish Warrior clean at the premium live event. The loss of the former World Champion has not only slowed the momentum but also put him in a weaker position.

Now, with the clean loss, McIntyre needs some major victories to get back in the main-event scenario. This is why Triple H's decision at Wrestlepalooza is the wrong choice.

#1. Predictable show with a lack of surprises

One of the major things that went wrong at Wrestlepalooza was the lack of surprises and the predictable endings of the matches. Everyone predicted the winners before the show, and the same unfolds at the PLE. The Game promised that Wrestlepalooza would witness surprises, but nothing developed.

This was one of the massive disappointments among the audience, leading to fans giving a negative reaction to it. If the company could at least have pulled a single genuine surprise at Wrestlepalooza, the PLE could emerge as far better than the original one.

Also, the predictable finishes left the audience feeling unfulfilled. Only the in-ring return buzz of AJ Lee and the incredible performance from the rest of the stars made the Mixed Tag Team Match better.

Lesnar vs. Cena was merely a squash match at the show. Talking about The Usos vs. The Vision showdown, they put on a great bout, but nothing surprising happened in the end. The main event match was completely flat and felt more like a WWE live event showdown.

Edited by Jeevak Ambalgi