WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025: Card Breakdown, Expert Forecasts, and Anticipated Showdowns for ESPN Debut

WWE will inaugurate its new broadcast partnership with ESPN this Saturday, February 15, 2025, with Wrestlepalooza, an event that marks a pivotal moment for both entities. Named in homage to a cult classic from Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), this iteration signifies the first time the moniker has been utilized under the WWE banner, underscoring a blend of nostalgic reverence and contemporary ambition. The highly anticipated event is set to unfold at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, a venue renowned for hosting premier sporting events, providing a fitting backdrop for WWE’s enhanced presence on a major sports network. This collaboration is expected to significantly broaden WWE’s reach, exposing its unique brand of sports entertainment to a wider mainstream sports audience and potentially legitimizing professional wrestling further within traditional sports discourse.

The card for Wrestlepalooza 2025 is replete with high-stakes encounters, featuring a blend of returning legends, established champions, and rising stars. The inaugural match of this new era will see two of WWE’s most enduring figures, John Cena and Brock Lesnar, reignite their storied rivalry. Following an absence from regular competition, Lesnar’s return has been met with considerable speculation regarding his future role, while Cena embarks on what has been billed as his final year in professional wrestling, with a limited number of appearances remaining on his schedule. Their history dates back to their respective main roster debuts in 2002, culminating in a series of brutal encounters, most notably Lesnar’s dominant victory at SummerSlam 2014 and Cena’s hard-fought win at Extreme Rules 2012. The two have historically pushed each other to their physical limits, and this encounter is positioned as their definitive final confrontation.

CBS Sports wrestling experts Brent Brookhouse and Shakiel Mahjouri concur on the outcome for this generational clash. Despite Brock Lesnar’s established reputation as a formidable, rarely defeated opponent and John Cena’s implied path toward graceful retirement losses, both analysts predict a victory for Cena. Mahjouri notes, "Cena’s retirement tour lets him lose gracefully, he’s portrayed as an aging warrior… Beating Lesnar gives more weight to him to Cena’s final loss, and gives Cena a sentimental victory in their saga." Cena currently trails Lesnar 2-4 in their singles series, making a victory here a significant, albeit symbolic, milestone on his farewell tour. The narrative suggests that while Lesnar’s aura of invincibility remains largely intact, a sentimental victory for Cena serves the broader storytelling arc, particularly as he prepares for his ultimate departure from the ring.

Adding to the event’s historical significance is the return of AJ Lee, who steps back into a WWE ring after an absence spanning more than a decade. Lee, a former three-time Divas Champion, was a pivotal figure in the women’s division during her active tenure, influencing a generation of female performers. She will compete in a mixed tag team match, partnering with her husband, CM Punk, to face World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch. The animosity between CM Punk, "The Voice of the Voiceless," and Seth Rollins, "The Visionary," has been a central narrative thread since Punk’s recent return to WWE. Rollins and Lynch, a formidable power couple in and out of the ring, have consistently maintained a psychological and physical advantage over Punk. This dynamic intensified on the final edition of Monday Night Raw before Wrestlepalooza, where Lynch delivered a decisive Manhandle Slam to Lee, signaling their intent.

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Both Brookhouse and Mahjouri foresee CM Punk and AJ Lee emerging victorious in this highly personal mixed tag team contest. Their reasoning hinges on the ongoing nature of the Punk-Rollins rivalry. "WWE clearly isn’t done with Rollins and Punk’s entanglement and if they want to continue down that path, it doesn’t make much sense for the challenger to lose," Brookhouse states. Furthermore, the dramatic return of AJ Lee after such a prolonged hiatus suggests a narrative purpose beyond a single defeat. A victory for Punk and Lee would not only provide a significant moment for Lee’s return but also propel the Punk-Rollins feud forward, potentially escalating the stakes for future encounters.

The Undisputed WWE Championship will be on the line as Cody Rhodes, "The American Nightmare," defends his title against Drew McIntyre, "The Scottish Warrior." This rivalry rapidly escalated two weeks prior when Rhodes made a dramatic return to television, saving Randy Orton from a brutal beatdown at the hands of McIntyre. This act of intervention led directly to Rhodes issuing a challenge for his championship at Wrestlepalooza. The tension reached a boiling point on the go-home edition of SmackDown, where a contract signing for the match devolved into a chaotic brawl. McIntyre, known for his increasingly aggressive and underhanded tactics, launched a post-signing assault on Rhodes, leaving the champion laid out as the show concluded. Rhodes’ reign as Undisputed WWE Champion has been characterized by resilience and a commitment to his "finish the story" narrative, successfully defending against a variety of formidable challengers. McIntyre, meanwhile, has cultivated an anti-hero persona, fueled by perceived injustices and a relentless pursuit of championship gold.

The expert consensus from Brookhouse and Mahjouri predicts a Drew McIntyre victory by disqualification, which would allow Cody Rhodes to retain his Undisputed WWE Championship. Mahjouri elaborates on the potential for outside interference, stating, "There’s a third party involved in this match: Randy Orton. McIntyre is feuding with both men, mostly independent of one another. I suspect Orton attacks McIntyre, awarding the Scotsman a disqualification win." This outcome would not only extend the feud between Rhodes and McIntyre but also create a new layer of tension between Rhodes and Orton, potentially leading to a triple threat match and a heel turn for Orton, who has had a complicated, at times adversarial, history with Rhodes. This intricate booking would maintain McIntyre’s momentum without prematurely ending Rhodes’ championship reign, setting the stage for more complex storytelling.

In the Women’s World Championship bout, Iyo Sky, "The Genius of the Sky," will defend her title against the challenging Stephanie Vaquer. Sky’s championship reign has been widely praised, with many experts considering her among the top wrestlers globally for her innovative high-flying offense and hard-hitting style. Her tenure as champion has been marked by dynamic defenses and an evolving storyline involving her stable, The Kabuki Warriors, which has recently shown signs of internal strife. Stephanie Vaquer, a rising star, has garnered significant attention for her technical prowess and submission-based offense since her emergence on the main roster, having previously honed her skills in NXT and NJPW STRONG.

Both Brookhouse and Mahjouri pick Stephanie Vaquer to capture the Women’s World Championship. Brookhouse highlights the strategic implications: "Sky has proven a more than capable champion… But there are plenty of things for Sky to do without the belt as her drama with the Kabuki Warriors is ramping up. Vaquer winning puts the belt on a relatively new face who can more than hold up her end in the ring and continue to build up the top end of the women’s locker room." This outcome would allow Sky to transition into a new phase of her storyline, potentially involving a power struggle within The Kabuki Warriors, while elevating Vaquer to a prominent position in the women’s division, providing a fresh champion with significant in-ring credibility.

The tag team division will be represented by a clash between the esteemed Usos (Jimmy & Jey) and the formidable duo of The Vision (Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed). The Usos, widely regarded as one of the greatest tag teams in WWE history, have recently experienced a period of significant turmoil. Jey Uso, in particular, has faced a series of setbacks since his main event push and subsequent loss of the World Heavyweight Championship, leading to a visible snapping point in his character. His relationship with his brother Jimmy has also been strained, and he has recently incurred the wrath of "The Megastar," LA Knight. The Vision, comprised of the explosive athleticism of Bron Breakker and the monstrous power of Bronson Reed, represents a new generation of dominant tag teams, having quickly established themselves as a force to be reckoned with.

The experts, Brookhouse and Mahjouri, both predict a victory for The Vision. Their rationale centers on the ongoing narrative surrounding Jey Uso and the potential for outside interference. Brookhouse states, "Jey Uso seems to be snapping as his failures have added up… His connection with Jimmy is rocky and now he has made an enemy of LA Knight. It’s probably Knight who decides who wins this one, either aiding the Usos or somehow costing them the match." The most coherent storytelling outcome, in their view, is for The Vision to secure the win, further propelling Jey Uso down his current path of emotional turmoil and potentially leading to a more defined character arc involving LA Knight. This result would solidify The Vision’s status as a top tag team while deepening the complex narrative surrounding The Usos.

Wrestlepalooza 2025 is positioned as a landmark event, not only for its historical connections and star-studded lineup but also for its role in launching WWE’s significant partnership with ESPN. The card presents a captivating blend of farewells, returns, and championship contests, each with profound implications for the ongoing narratives within WWE. The expert predictions, while offering a glimpse into potential outcomes, underscore the intricate storytelling and character development that will define this pivotal broadcast.

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