Brian Damage
This Week in Wrestling: Week 39 of 2025
Wrestlepa-loser
Last weekend, WWE made its “historic” debut on ESPN with a show entitled ‘Wrestlepalooza.’ The name taken from an old ECW event. While WWE was touting Wrestlepalooza as a game changing show for the company, let’s be honest…it was nothing more than counterprogramming to their competition AEW, who had their own show called All Out the very same day. Now we can argue who had the better show or why WWE did business this way, but for the purpose of this article lets just focus on WWE’s event.
First of all, there was a ton of confusion for many WWE fans who were trying to access the event on ESPN’s app. Some were able to get the show, while others who subscribed to Disney + were told to pluck down another 30 bucks to get ESPN unlimited…blah, blah, blah. Some got to see the show, others did not, or they streamed it illegally. Moving away from the utter confusion some experienced just trying to watch the WWE show, there was the show itself which was not all that game changing or historic in any way.
It felt like what it was meant to be, just another average show just to take away potential viewers to AEW’s pay per view. Wrestlepalooza was ho hum at best. In fact, ESPN themselves gave the show a grade of C. A big swing and a miss for Triple H and company. Sure, there was Iyo Sky and Stephanie Vaquer which was the highlight of the evening, but other than that, a big snooze of a WWE show. No real surprises, big debuts or returns. Just a run of the mill show. Triple H usually gets a ton of praise for his booking, so it is fair to call him out when something flops. This is that.
Forget Brock Lesnar squashing John Cena or the return to a wrestling ring for AJ Lee…it still didn’t deliver shock and awe. For a debut event, Wrestlepalooza fell way short of expectations. Now I realize not every show can be “the greatest thing ever!!!”, but for a debut event…it could have and should have been so much better. Overall, not a great start for WWE on ESPN.
Photo Gallery
Three of the major world titles from back in the day…the AWA “inmate” world title, the NWA “ten pounds of gold” and the old WWWF world title.
Glenn ‘Kane’ Jacobs and family
Recent pic of Marcus Bagwell
Missy Hyatt grade school photo
The Steiner brother babies
Congrats to Rob Van Dam and wife Katie Forbes announcing they are pregnant with twins!
A worthy reunion of that time long ago when Marty Jannetty tried to escape through the barbershop window!
In an alternate universe…
Adult film star and big WWE fan Ava Addams
Noelle Foley
Samantha Irvin
Brooke Adams
Taryn Terrell
Saraya
Thunder Rosa
Electra Lopez aka Karissa Rivera
Torrie Wilson
Miss Congeniality aka Lita aka Amy Dumas
Video Gallery
The Macho Man Randy Savage was and always will be the ultimate pitchman for Slim Jim. Nobody was better.
Chicc
BTW, Elektra Lopez eeeessshhhh ride or die for real!
Smackdown main event finish was a hot mess geesh felt bad for the ref that match finale was a botch by Jaxx left me wishing Cargill had won it earlier after the samoan drop stairs spot.
Zayn rehashing the US challenge is good to see for the lower cards and new comer talent that are left fighting for crumbs normally but it will get stale quick knowing Zayn is setup to always win.
Giulia’s booking as US champ needs better booking too its ruining a great talent.
Chicc
It was smart of AEW to change up their start time and 14k attendance.. not bad for All In, ESPN definitely messed up with the streaming sites it operates with though WWE still did a good attendance while AJ Lee return match had some entertaining spots, LA Knight letting it all go as special ref was funny though the clear winner for that night was Vacquer vs Skye.
TNA last episode setting up Hardys and Dudleyz in Tables match was epic to watch! True legends
David Fullam
I so miss the good old days of oh so simple cable television and the very easy way of getting PPVs. I would be so lost now.
Luke
Nonsense. I’ve been pirating wrestling for over 20 years, never once did I get lost…