WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025: Card, date, matches, start time, predictions, rumors, location for debut event

On Sept. 20, WWE kicks off its new ESPN deal ahead of schedule with Wrestlepalooza. Wrestlepalooza was the name of a show run by ECW in the late 1990s to early 2000s and WWE chose to revive the name for the start of their new deal when the show lands at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

WWE has loaded the show up big matches, with more sure to be added. The biggest match on the event features John Cena facing the returning Brock Lesnar in a revival of their past rivalry. That match marks one of the final in-ring performances on Cena’s retirement tour.

AJ Lee is also making a return to the ring for the first time in more than a decade. Lee will be teaming with her husband, CM Punk, against another married couple in Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins.

Let’s take a look at the matches we know are happening, along with a few we think may be on the way before things get underway in Indianapolis.

2025 WWE Wrestlepalooza matches

John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar: Cena’s retirement tour continues with another match against one of his greatest rivals. Lesnar made a controversial return to WWE to attack Cena after Cena dropped the undisputed WWE championship to Cody Rhodes. Lesnar attacked Cena again during Cena’s United States championship match with Sami Zayn on SmackDown. This all led to a match between the two as Cena’s time as a professional wrestler winds down.

CM Punk & AJ Lee vs. Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch: Punk and Rollins have had issues since Punk’s return to WWE at Survivor Series in 2023. After Becky Lynch interfered in the Clash in Paris four-way match for Rollins’ world heavyweight championship, she continued to antagonize Punk, knowing he could not put his hands on a woman. This led to the predictable return of Lee to WWE to set up this battle of married couples. Lee has not wrestled since 2015 and seemed as though she would never return to action, but the situation presented itself too perfectly for her to stay away.

Women’s World Championship — Iyo Sky vs. Stephanie Vaquer: The title was vacated by Naomi after she announced her pregnancy in August. This left the two women who had earned title shots as the obvious pairing to crown a new champion. While Sky has already been to the mountaintop, this is the biggest match of Vaquer’s WWE career.

The Usos (Jimmy Uso & Jey Uso) vs. The Vision (Bronson Reed & Bron Breakker): The Vision have terrorized Raw since coming together under Rollins’ guidance. Jey has had plenty of issues with The Vision and that led to him reuniting with Jimmy. There are other layers to the match, however, with Jey’s recent issues with LA Knight leading to him blindside spearing Knight on Raw.

2025 WWE Wrestlepalooza predictions

Intercontinental Championship — Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta vs. Rusev: Penta and Rusev have both made it clear they want a shot at Mysterio’s title, and it’s a great situation for Mysterio’s character to be forced to wrestle two scary, dangerous men. Mysterio is great at playing a weasel of a heel and sneaking out of another dangerous spot still as champion would be great for him.

AJ Styles vs. El Grande Americano: Americano has repeatedly cost Styles in big moments. While Styles was able to get a win on Raw, it feels like this would be an easy filler match to break up some of the more intense action currently scheduled for the card.