WWE Wrestlepalooza is all set to take place tonight (Sat., Sept. 20, 2025) from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. It begins at 5 pm ET with the Countdown show leading right on into the main course at 7 pm ET on ESPN in the U.S. or Netflix everywhere else.
Luckily for you Cagesiders, our staff of learned wrestling blowhards is here to help figure out just how the event is going to play out with predictions for each match on the card.
Let’s get to it.
WWE WRESTLEPALOOZA PREDICTIONS
John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
Geno Mrosko:
There’s just no world that exists where Brock Lesnar should win this match. I’ve said that before and he still won — remember The Streak? — but you can’t beat Cena here. They simply haven’t told the story for that. Pick: John Cena
Sean Rueter: I’m finally really enjoying Cena’s retirement run. Let’s keep the momentum going. Pick: John Cena
Kyle Decker: Tough one to call. If Brock is going to stick around, then you want to protect him. But fans have been deprived of cheering a Cena win. Most of his victories were as a part of a botched heel turn and then he lost to Cody. Brock doesn’t need the win. If they want to protect him, he can attack Cena afterwards and someone can make the save setting up a later feud. Pick: John Cena
Claire Elizabeth: If we have to have Brock around, and I really truly would rather we didn’t— if for no other reason than his aura is just completely shot— then what really, really, truly had ought to happen here is SummerSlam 2014 in reverse. Seventeen Attitude Adjustments, one for each title reign, boom, see ya, bye. Pick: John Cena
Cain A. Knight: It made no sense when Brock lost his WWE return match against Cena at Extreme Rules 2012, and I’m curious to see if Triple H will copy Vince McMahon’s playbook for Brock’s return match against Cena in 2025. John’s next date after Wrestlepalooza is the Crown Jewel PLE in October, which means he has no Raw appearances to build up to his match on that show. I think that works better with a loss here. Pick: Brock Lesnar
Marcus Benjamin: This is clearly a spectacle for the ESPN debut. Given more time and a story, it’s possible Brock wins. But none of those things exist here so the obvious choice is the man retiring. Pick: John Cena
CM Punk & AJ Lee vs. Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch
Geno Mrosko: It’s the first match back for a big star of the women’s division from over a decade ago. She’s business, I’m sure, but it doesn’t make much sense to me to have her take a loss right away. Pick: CM Punk & AJ Lee
Sean Rueter: We all know what we’re here for, so let’s have fun out there, stay safe, and let’s light it up! Pick: AJ Lee & CM Punk
Kyle Decker: It’s pretty cool that three of my all time faves (and Seth Rollins) are all in one match. I think AJ is winning her first match back. Pinning Becky Lynch would be a good way to get AJ into the Intercontinental title picture because this isn’t a feud that should end in Indy. Pick: CM Punk & AJ Lee
Claire Elizabeth: This is fun and charming and it’s not gonna be much of a match but it doesn’t need to be. Pick: AJ Lee & CM Punk
Cain A. Knight: AJ Lee is not losing her return match, and this is also a chance for CM to get one over on Seth without a championship at stake. Pick: AJ Lee & CM Punk
Marcus Benjamin: AJ isn’t losing her return match. No way no how. And it’s something for CM Punk, who just can’t seem to solve Seth Rollins. Pick: AJ Lee & Her Husband
WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre
Geno Mrosko: McIntyre has been consistent if nothing else — he’s the guy who does such good work you feel like he should be featured more and/or holding a championship but he’s got the world’s worst timing. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Sean Rueter: He keeps getting in main event level programs without the belt, ergo McIntyre doesn’t need it. The way he’s been his usual, entertaining af self during this one — while doing flawless, Unreal Era press that blends the line between work and shoot — is more proof. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Kyle Decker: Honestly, if it were me, I’d book Drew to win because the man deserves it. But Cody just won his title back from John Cena and I don’t expect this turn to be one and done. (I wouldn’t have booked Drew to be his very next feud so there would be more of a question to the outcome.) Pick: Cody Rhodes
Claire Elizabeth: There’s not much of a story here but good news, it’s pro wrestling and “you hurt me and now I’m getting my revenge” is more than story enough. I think Cody is righteous and full of vengeance and is gonna get his, but we’ll see how it goes, I guess. Pick: “American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes
Cain A. Knight: I doubt that Cody is losing the WWE championship in his first title defense, but he should definitely drop it to Drew sometime soon, maybe in a rematch with a gimmick added to it. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Marcus Benjamin: No way Guile loses here even if I’d love if he did. Drew is dope and should get recognized for that dopeness. Pick: Cody Rhodes
Women’s World Championship: Iyo Sky vs. Stephanie Vaquer
Geno Mrosko: They could go with the tried and true here but I’d be much more interested in giving an obviously huge star in the making the strap and letting her have a run with it. Let’s see what she can do with the stars shining brightest all around her. Pick: Stephanie Vaquer
Sean Rueter: IYO rules and is always deserving of a World title spotlight, but pretty much every indicator here is pointing in the other direction. And it’s hard to argue that direction isn’t worth heading in right now. Pick: Stephanie Vaquer
Kyle Decker: With Iyo’s impending feud with Asuka on the horizon (and likely fueled by the result of this match) and the fact she just held the title, it seems pretty clear Stephanie is winning here. It may be earlier than anticipated as I don’t think she was going to beat Naomi, but it’s the right move now. Pick: Stephanie Vaquer
Claire Elizabeth: Asuka and/or Kairi Sane are the wild cards here and honestly Kairi has been playing SO scared that “actually they’re all in cahoots and Damage CTRL is back” seems really unlikely, so I think we’re going the other way and La Primera’s rocket to the top blasts a little harder. Pick: Stephanie Vaquer
Cain A. Knight: IYO and Asuka are heading towards a breakup, and that bodes well for Vaquer in this match for the vacant belt. Pick: Stephanie Vaquer
Marcus Benjamin: Two things happen here: Stephanie begins here title reign while we start the road to IYO vs. Asuka in earnest. Pick: Stephanie Vaquer
The Usos vs. Bronson Reed & Bron Breakker
Geno Mrosko: They just reunited, and they’re about to break up again. Pick: Bronson Reed & Bron Breakker
Sean Rueter: Big Jim’s getting early paternity leave. Pick: The Vision
Kyle Decker: Normally I’d say you don’t bet against the Usos, but the changes in Jey (the most interesting he’d been in my opinion) could change that. Does he try to run the show like Roman instead of acting as a true partner to his brother, throwing off their natural chemistry? I think it’s surely possible. Pick: The Brons
Claire Elizabeth: I get where Jey is coming from trying to follow the same steps Roman took to establish himself as Tribal Chief and The Guy, but I don’t think Jey has the same temperament and I don’t think it’s gonna work out for him, and I think this match is the beginning of him realizing that and setting out his own path. Pick: Bron ‘n Bron Connection
Cain A. Knight: Jimmy Uso did the job against The Brons on this week’s Raw, and he’s probably doing it again at Wrestlepalooza. Pick: Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed
Marcus Benjamin: The Vision is taking an L later in the event, but they get the win here while Jey continues his journey to becoming the new Roman Reigns. Pick: The Brons
That’s how we see the card playing out.
You?
