While promoting WWE’s new partnership with ESPN, CM Punk didn’t hold back on his thoughts about the company’s latest marquee event. Speaking on ESPN’s Pardon My Take, Punk dismissed the name Wrestlepalooza as “ridiculous.”
Discussing the importance of the Premium Live Event—the first to stream on ESPN—Punk admitted he had been deliberately avoiding saying its official title. “I’ve been doing my best to not say the word Wrestlepalooza the entire time,” he said. “That might actually be the first time I’ve said it. It’s a ridiculous name. Well, Lollapalooza, right? And you add wrestle to it and you kind of understand what you’re getting. It’s pretty self-explanatory.”
His critique comes as WWE reportedly views Wrestlepalooza as a cornerstone event, positioning it as a potential second WrestleMania on the annual calendar. The name itself also carries historical weight, having been used by ECW for a series of shows that concluded in 2000.
Regardless of his opinion on the branding, Punk is featured prominently on the inaugural card. He will team with his wife, AJ Lee, against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch in a mixed tag team bout that continues his ongoing feud with Rollins, one of WWE’s central storylines since late 2023.