TKO executives have made it clear they want their new Wrestlepalooza premium live event to be a game-changer. At a recent conference, TKO COO Mark Shapiro stated that Paul “Triple H” Levesque is “spending day and night creatively making what we think it can be: another WrestleMania or another SummerSlam.”
Now, it looks like they’re backing that ambition up with a massive card. During an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter, announcer Joe Tessitore officially revealed that the main event for the inaugural show on September 20 will feature John Cena taking on Brock Lesnar.
The blockbuster main event is far from the only major attraction. The show will also feature a huge mixed tag team match pitting the returning duo of CM Punk and AJ Lee against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
The card is further bolstered by a Women’s World Championship defense, with IYO SKY set to face Stephanie Vaquer. Additionally, the ongoing feud between The Usos and The Vision will continue as Jimmy and Jey are scheduled to take on Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
This fully-loaded lineup is a clear statement of intent, as WrestlePalooza marks the first-ever WWE premium live event to stream exclusively on ESPN’s new platform. Placing a marquee match like Cena vs. Lesnar at the top signals that the company is pulling out all the stops to launch the partnership with significant mainstream attention.
The long-term goal is just as ambitious. Shapiro hopes “Wrestlepalooza is a winner and we can bring that back annually. That could be a marketing bonanza for us if we do that right.” The question now is whether this massive card can deliver on the hype and truly establish a new cornerstone event on the packed WWE calendar.