Following the mixed reception of WWE’s inaugural Wrestlepalooza premium live event, ESPN combat sports reporter Andreas Hale has addressed the backlash over his now-viral review, in which he gave the show a “C” grade. Appearing on Jonathan Coachman’s Off The Ropes podcast, Hale explained his reasoning behind the score and defended his journalistic integrity against accusations of bias.
“I love pro wrestling. I’ve loved pro wrestling since I was three years old. I watch everything, literally everything. So people that know me were not surprised by this. I’m going to watch All Out. I’m going to watch TNA. I’m going to watch NXT. But people that didn’t know any better were like, ‘Oh, he’s on this side. He’s on Tony Khan’s side.’ So that surprised me — that so many people were surprised that somebody from ESPN could give it an average grade,” Hale said.
He went on to explain that his job is to review events honestly, regardless of fan expectations or company affiliations. “The show’s over. People already watched it. My match — the grade doesn’t mean nothing anymore. They got their views. It means nothing. But I think the bigger issue is, if we can’t be honest about what the show is, my journalistic credibility is under fire. And my grades mean something. For those who know at ESPN, I also grade UFC cards. I grade the fights. I grade boxing. If I give everything an A, then what does it all really mean? If I give everything an F, then I’m just a hater. But if I can give you an explanation as to what I’m giving it and why, which is what I did, then I think people will strive for more.”
Hale also addressed fan criticism about his match-specific scores, particularly his B+ rating for the Wrestlepalooza Women’s World Championship match between Stephanie Vaquer and IYO SKY. “There were people that said, ‘Well, why didn’t you give Iyo and Stephanie an A?’ I gave it a B+. Was it the best women’s match I’ve seen all year? No. I thought the triple threat at WrestleMania was better, but I thought it still was a damn good match. B+ isn’t bad,” he explained.
Ultimately, Hale stood by his assessment, insisting that a “C” does not mean failure — only that the event fell short of the hype WWE built around it. “People got to get out of themselves and stop thinking that a C is horrible. It’s passable. I’ll never watch Wrestlepalooza again. I don’t care to, but it wasn’t the worst thing I’ve ever seen. But for something that promised epic moments, it fell short.”
Hale’s comments come after reports surfaced that some within WWE were “stunned” by ESPN’s lukewarm review, highlighting a disconnect between the company’s internal reception of the event and how it was received by media and fans alike.
"It wasn't the worst thing I've ever seen, but for something that promised 'Epic Moments,' it fell short."
ESPN's @AndreasHale responds to the backlash he received for the C grade for Wrestlepalooza#OfftheRopes | Weekdays from 2-4pm ET on Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 Ch. 156 pic.twitter.com/Q3XcVklxY5
— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) September 25, 2025
