WWE’s debut premium live event on ESPN, Wrestlepalooza, was instantly marked by controversy last night.
A fan sign targeting Brock Lesnar made it to air during the show’s opening contest in Indianapolis on Saturday, September 20. The sign, which appeared during Lesnar’s match against John Cena, read, “He shouldn’t be here & we all know why.” The message was a clear reference to Lesnar being named in the Janel Grant lawsuit that also involves Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis.
The on-screen incident quickly overshadowed the in-ring action inside the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The match itself was a dominant showcase for The Beast Incarnate in what was promoted as the final encounter between the two rivals. Lesnar secured the victory after a brutal assault, hitting the 17-time world champion with six F5s for the pinfall and delivering a seventh after the bell.
Lesnar’s prominent placement comes shortly after his return to the company at this year’s SummerSlam, where he attacked Cena. That appearance ended a two-year absence from television following his loss to Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam 2023, before the lawsuit controversy intensified.