AJ Lee will wrestle her first match in a decade at WWE WrestlePalooza. (Credit: by Rich Wade/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
WWE WrestlePalooza 2025 is the start of a new yet familar era for WWE, marking the in-ring returns of Brock Lesnar and AJ Lee as well as the company’s transition of PLEs from Peacock to ESPN.
The beginning of a five-year, $1.6 billion deal between WWE and ESPN, WrestlePalooza sure feels like a WrestleMania. Lesnar will be facing Cena, who’s retiring in three months, in his first match since 2023 while Lee will team with her husband CM Punk against Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins in arguably the biggest mixed tag team match in WWE history.
Also set for the show in Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Usos are once again reuniting and Cody Rhodes is defending the WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre. Meanwhile, Stephanie Vaquer and Iyo Sky will battle it out to determine the new Women’s World Champion after the title was recently vacated by Naomi.
Translation: WWE WrestlePalooza 2025 is, on paper, a massive show, and with all the hype surrounding the first-ever PLE on ESPN, fans should expect plenty of twists and turns on Saturday.
Brock Lesnar Dismantles John Cena in WWE WrestlePalooza Stunner
There is reportedly “some disagreement” within WWE about whether John Cena or Brock Lesnar should win at WWE WrestlePalooza 2025.
Originally set to main event the show, this match has since been moved to the show opener slot, which suggests it won’t have a happy ending. Still, that doesn’t mean something big won’t happen. Maybe that’s a surprise return or interference, but there are limited options in that regard right now. Perhaps, instead, it’s Lesnar recreating his SummerSlam 2014 match with Cena, where he demolished the 17-time world champion with a barrage of German suplexes and F5s in one of the most lopsided marquee matches in WWE history.
While there is a case to be made for either Cena or Lesnar winning at WWE WrestlePalooza, WWE is likely leaning toward a Lesnar win given that Cena is retiring in just three months. Will the creative team make a statement with a full-blown dismantling?
Friction Between Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch Costs Them
Even though Becky Lynch just joined Seth Rollins and The Vision, there have already been plenty of hints that Rollins isn’t completely on the same page as his wife.
His facial expressions and reactions to Lynch’s promos and her being goaded into this WrestlePalooza mixed tag team match suggest that there are more problems to come for the powerful heel duo. While it feels early for WWE to plant seeds for an on-screen split at WrestlePalooza, that may not be the case after all.
Lynch is likely going to be pinned by Lee at WrestlePalooza in order to set up a singles match with Lee for the Intercontinental Championship. Arguably the most interesting way to get there is for a miscommunication or friction to lead to Rollins and Lynch losing in Lee’s triumphant return.
This week on Raw, Lynch and Rollins feigned those communication issues to allow Lynch to execute a cheap attack on Lee. The irony, though, is that a legitimate communication miscue could be what costs The Vision at WWE WrestlePalooza.
Randy Orton Interferes in Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre at WWE WrestlePalooza
Randy Orton has a long history with both Rhodes and McIntyre, the latter of which just defeated him on SmackDown eight days ago.
But let’s not forget that Orton has made his intentions of becoming WWE Champion very clear, and of course, “The Viper” is notorious for turning his back on anyone and everyone, no matter who they are. Rhodes beat Orton in the King of the Ring finals back at Night of Champions in a classic babyface vs. babyface match, but there were and have been signs since then that an Orton heel turn is coming.
WWE could choose to hold off on Orton vs. Rhodes until WrestleMania 42, but with the creative team pulling off a number of shockers in quick succession lately, perhaps Orton actually costs Rhodes at WrestlePalooza. If not, expect him to make his presence felt anyway, likely with interference to cost McIntyre the match instead.
Roman Reigns Returns at WWE WrestlePalooza
Roman Reigns was written off TV at Clash in Paris last month in order to film Street Fighter, and that seemingly set the stage for him to return next month in time for Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia.
It does appear to be a virtual certainty that Reigns wrestles either Bron Breakker or Bronson Reed on that show. The latter makes more sense given that Reed is from Australia, but a Breakker vs. Reigns bout is the true definition of a dream match. Regardless of which member of The Vision gets a high-profile singles match with Reigns at WWE’s post-WrestlePalooza PLE, that’s essentially a shoo-in.
The question is simply when Reigns returns. If WWE doesn’t want his latest return to be overshadowed on what promises to be a newsworthy show, then Reigns may not return at WrestlePalooza. But Rhodes just returned after filming for Street Fighter as well, suggesting that Reigns could be free to come back as well.
If the creative wants to make the first-ever WWE WrestlePalooza as big as possible, a Reigns return is not out of the question.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/blakeoestriecher/2025/09/19/wwe-wrestlepalooza-2025-potential-surprises-and-returns/
