WWE announces Wrestlepalooza in Indianapolis as the debut of its partnership with ESPN

WWE has confirmed that Wrestlepalooza will be the first premium event of the ESPN era. The show will take place on September 20th at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis and will mark the debut of ESPN's new streaming platform, set to launch later this week.

The initial agreement between both companies wasn't supposed to take effect until 2026, but WWE will conclude its commitments with Peacock by the end of this month, allowing for an early collaboration. Thus, Wrestlepalooza is added as the first major event under the new contract, valued at $325 million annually.

In a statement, Paul "Triple H" Levesque celebrated the alliance with strong words: "On September 20th, WWE and ESPN come together for an event you can't miss. The biggest WWE superstars. The biggest sports media brand. Are you ready?".

As of now, no matches have been confirmed, although all signs point to the card being headlined by an anticipated John Cena versus Brock Lesnar match. WWE has not officially announced Lesnar's presence, but among the already confirmed superstars are Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, CM Punk, and Drew McIntyre. There are rumors that the other major match will be a Cody Rhodes versus Drew McIntyre bout. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, August 22nd at 10 a.m. (Eastern Time).

The ESPN service will offer Wrestlepalooza exclusively for the U.S. market, although it has been confirmed that they will also broadcast Crown Jewel in October and Survivor Series in November. The subscription price is $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year, with the possibility of some cable subscribers receiving it at no additional cost. For international audiences, the agreement with Netflix remains in place, so Wrestlepalooza will be available on the platform outside of the United States.

The September 20th date promises to be intense for fans, as WWE will go head-to-head with the competition: AEW All Out 2025 will take place on the same night, in what will be one of the most significant clashes in modern wrestling calendars.