Tonight on The IndySiders, we’re taking a closer look at WWE Wrestlepalooza — the Premium Live Event that aired last Saturday on ESPN — and then shifting gears for our indie spotlight on Beyond Wrestling’s Americanrana.
Wrestlepalooza marked WWE’s first major show on the ESPN platform, held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar opened the card, with Lesnar dominating in a ruthless return. In tag action, Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed — The Vision — took down the reunited Usos, with guest ref LA Knight playing a role in the outcome. Stephanie Vaquer edged out Iyo SKY to capture the Women’s World Title, while AJ Lee made her long-awaited return, teaming with CM Punk to defeat Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch in a mixed tag. The night closed with Cody Rhodes retaining the Undisputed WWE Championship over Drew McIntyre, though the match drew criticism for being short and feeling more like a TV main event than a PLE closer.
Critical reception was mixed. Some fans praised the historic ESPN debut and Vaquer’s title win, while others saw the card as underwhelming, with only a few standout moments.
So, was Wrestlepalooza the triumphant ESPN debut WWE hoped for — or a misstep in execution? We’ll unpack that in tonight’s review. Then we’ll contrast it with Americanrana, where indie wrestling thrives on long-term storytelling, rising stars, and match-driven narratives.
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