The debut of WWE Wrestlepalooza was a commercial success and a landmark moment for the company’s new partnership with ESPN, but the critical reception from the network itself has reportedly left many within WWE scratching their heads.
According to a report from WrestleVotes Radio, several people inside WWE were “stunned” by ESPN’s decision to publish an article giving the company’s first-ever premium live event (PLE) on the platform a “C” grade. The review quickly became a trending topic on social media, as fans debated whether the assessment was fair — and WWE officials questioned why their broadcast partner would risk the “online stigma” of a negative write-up.
“They were openly wondering why ESPN would want the online stigma of a negative review for what they considered a fairly ordinary or fairly standard WWE event,” the report noted.
The ESPN article specifically pointed out that the show “fell a little short of expectations,” with the Stephanie Vaquer vs. IYO SKY match singled out as the highlight that “saved the event from a lower grade.” This critique contrasted sharply with the internal opinion within WWE, where the event was reportedly viewed as a solid effort and a strong start to the new broadcast deal.
The reaction wasn’t limited to WWE either. AEW star Ricochet took the opportunity to throw a jab at his former company on social media, mocking WWE for partnering with a “sports network” after years of branding itself as “sports entertainment.” Ricochet also praised AEW’s All Out event, which aired the same day, claiming it delivered a more compelling show.
Wrestlepalooza was designed to be a flagship event to launch WWE’s five-year media rights partnership with ESPN. The show featured several major moments, including the in-ring returns of Brock Lesnar and AJ Lee, as well as multiple championship bouts.
While the mixed critical response was not what WWE anticipated, the company now looks ahead to its next premium live event, Crown Jewel, on October 11. It will be interesting to see how ESPN handles coverage going forward — and whether WWE makes any adjustments based on the early feedback from its high-profile partner.
On today’s episode of WrestleVotes Radio, we dive into the futures of Brock Lesnar & Logan Paul, internal reaction to ESPN’s PLE debut, John Cena’s incoming final match announcement, and much more!
Join us: https://t.co/XvvJw5wbNs
— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) September 25, 2025
