The dust has settled on WWE’s first-ever Wrestlepalooza, and ESPN has now delivered its verdict on the historic event.
The show, which marked WWE’s debut on ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer streaming platform, came loaded with marquee attractions – including Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena, and AJ Lee’s first match after 10 years.
But while expectations were sky-high, reactions have been mixed, both from fans online and now from ESPN’s own review. ESPN’s combat sports writer Andreas Hale graded the overall event a C, calling the show “average” with one notable exception: the Women’s World Championship clash between IYO SKY and Stephanie Vaquer, which earned praise as the highlight of the night. Hale described it as “a phenomenal display inside the squared circle” and awarded it the highest match grade of B+.
Elsewhere, Hale was less impressed. He noted that the Rhodes vs. McIntyre bout underdelivered due to its short length, while Lesnar vs. Cena was dismissed as little more than a setup for future angles, receiving the lowest individual score of the night at C-.
For a card hyped as a monumental crossover between WWE and ESPN, Hale felt the execution didn’t fully live up to the billing:
“The excellent Vaquer vs. Sky match saved this show from being truly average. It was a phenomenal display inside the squared circle. 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.”
AEW wrestler Ricochet tweeted the following about it:
“I know our show was way better than a C. (laughing emoji) #Ahaa”
Ricochet further added:
“Also what’s funny to me is how a show where they have said over over that they aren’t a ‘real sport’ and its more of a TV show about the wrestling company. But they are on ESPN a SPORTS TV channel? (laughing emoji)
Make it make sense. Lol”
AEW’s All Out PPV took place on the same day as WWE Wrestlepalooza. At All Out, Ricochet’s “The Demand” faction defeated The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP) in a trios match.
Also Read: Original Plan For John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar At Wrestlepalooza
