WWE was reportedly shocked after ESPN gave WrestlePalooza 2025 a C grade.
WWE held its first premium live event on ESPN, WrestlePalooza, featuring big matches like Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena, Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre, and a mixed tag team bout with CM Punk & AJ Lee vs. Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins.
This the star-studded lineup couldn’t save the show as ESPN wasn’t impressed. Andreas Hale gave the show a C grade, calling the Women’s World Title match between Stephanie Vaquer and IYO SKY the highlight while describing the Rhodes vs. McIntyre main event as underwhelming.
Hale also said the Lesnar vs. Cena match felt more like a setup for a future match than a proper conclusion, noting that the card, which promised epic moments, fell short of expectations. After ESPN gave the show a C grade, WrestleVotes Radio reported that several within WWE were “stunned” that ESPN gave the company’s first-ever premium live event on the platform a C grade.
Many within the company questioned why ESPN would risk the “online stigma” of a negative review for what they considered a fairly standard event considered backstage as just another premium live event. While WWE was shocked by ESPN’s review, AEW star Ricochet seized the opportunity to take several jabs at the show, claiming that AEW All Out was far better.
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