WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025 Results & Winners: Cody Rhodes pins Drew McIntyre; Stephanie Vaquer captures World title; AJ Lee forces Becky Lynch to tap out & more

The Undertaker appears; Jey Uso suffers an injury & more!

The Stamford-based promotion as promised, delivered the first Premium Live Event on ESPN. The first-ever Wrestlepalooza kicked off the ESPN era. The event aired live on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana

The name Wrestlepalooza was originally used for an ECW event series that ran from 1995 to 2000. Its most prominent edition was the 1998 pay-per-view, headlined by Shane Douglas defending the ECW World Heavyweight Championship against Al Snow.

Multiple big names, including John Cena, Brock Lesnar, AJ Lee, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Becky Lynch, and Seth Rollins, among others, competed on the show. Get to know what happened this Saturday, as we have the complete summary, highlights, results, and winners’ list for the 2025 edition of WWE Wrestlepalooza.

WWE Wrestlepalooza Summary and Highlights

John Cena vs Brock Lesnar

In the first match of the show, two veterans of the game collided in Brock Lesnar and John Cena. Alicia Taylor introduced Cena in styles, but Paul Heyman interrupted her when it was time for Lesnar and then introduced the Beast himself.

Once the match began, Lesnar manhandled Cena, showcasing the sheer ruthlessness and power he is known for. Cena did manage to rally and hit three back-to-back AAs, but Lesnar managed to kick out at two and then mount a devastating offense, hitting five F5s to pin Cena and win the match.

After the match, Lesnar took out the official with an F5 and then delivered a sixth F5 to Cena to stand tall in a sea of boos by Cena fans.

Stop this man! 😱Brock Lesnar has the kids crying at #Wrestlepalooza!Stream Wrestlepalooza RIGHT NOW on the @espn App: https://t.co/jKAIj8nxxt pic.twitter.com/NqBOSfmsb0

— WWE (@WWE) September 20, 2025

Winner: Brock Lesnar

Grade: C

Top Moments & Insights:

• This was Brock’s first in-ring appearance since SummerSlam 2023.
• The two stars met for the first time since their last match at Night of Champions in 2014.
• Cena failed to advance his 99 PLEs victory and ended his head-to-head record with Lesnar at 2-5.
• Pat McAfee made his return during the opening moments and joined Michael Cole and Wade Barrett on the commentary.

The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) vs The Vision (Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed) – Tag Team match (W/Special guest referee LA Knight)

The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) took on The Vision (Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed) in the second match of the show, with LA Knight as the special guest referee after a scuffle between the two teams during the countdown show. The Bron Brons dominated early, isolating Big Jim, but the Usos capitalized on a ‘relaxed rules’ for the match by Knight. The relaxed rules brought in steel chairs and a table into the mix.

Tension between Jey and referee Knight erupted as they failed to get the three pin despite delivering a spear and the Uso splash. Jey slammed Breakker with a chair, causing whiplash, but the impact busted Jey’s face wide open. In the final moments, Breakker delivered a spear through the table, taking out both Jey and Jimmy. Reed finished it off with a Tsunami to Jey.

Tsunami from Bronson Reed & The Vision defeat The Usos!#Wrestlepalooza pic.twitter.com/QPiU9pKyLz

— KN Wrestling (@knwrestling) September 21, 2025

Winner: The Vision (Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed)

Grade: B

Top Moments & Insights:

• LA Knight was announced as the special guest referee for the match by GM Adam Pearce after a backstage confrontation between the two teams during the countdown show.
• In the final moments of the match, Jey hit Breakker so hard with the steel chair that it bounced back into his face and busted him open.

Iyo Sky vs Stephanie Vaquer – Women’s World title match (VACANT)

Two of the most highly skilled women on the WWE roster battled for the vacant Women’s World title. The former Champion took control early, outmaneuvering Vaquer, who fought back to deliver a dragon’s crew leg whip targeting Sky’s knees, which became a winning strategy for Vaquer.

Vaquer countered Sky’s moonsault attempt with boots to the midsection and followed with a second dragon’s crew leg whip, followed by the fan-favorite Devil’s kiss. Sky, eager to regain the title. fought through pain, removing the knee pads for more damage on the moonsault, but Sky missed and drove her injured knee right into the mat. Vaquer capitalized on delivering a picture-perfect Spiral Tap to capture the title.

Stephanie Vaquer is your new WWE Women's World Champion!#Wrestlepalooza pic.twitter.com/Um63xfFgmI

— KN Wrestling (@knwrestling) September 21, 2025

Winner & New: Stephanie Vaquer

Grade: B+

Top Moments & Insights:

• The Women’s World title was vacant since last month, when Naomi vacated the title due to pregnancy.
• Naomi was originally set to face Vaquer at Wrestlepalooza and Iyo on the August 11 episode of Monday Night Raw.
• This was the third one-on-one match between Sky and Vaquer; both their earlier meetings ended in no-contest.
• With the win, Vaquer captured her first title on the main roster. She is a former NXT Women’s and NXT Women’s North American Champion.

AJ Lee & CM Punk vs Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins – Mixed tag team match

For the first time in a decade, AJ Lee returned to in-ring action alongside her husband, CM Punk, to take on Seth Rollins and his wife, Becky Lynch. Rollins and Punk battled in the early part of the match as Lynch and Rollins made sure to let Punk tag in AJ. Rollins mockingly started skipping around the ring, only to eat a GTS from Punk, who managed to tag in AJ.

Lee, despite a decade away from the ring, showcased no sign of slowing down, battering Lynch with heavy blows. In a double submission moment, Lee locked in the Black Widow on Lynch while Punk applied the Sharpshooter on Rollins, but Rollins raked Punk’s eyes to break the cover.

Lynch and Rollins responded with a double Pedigree, and moments later Lynch locked Punk in a Sharpshooter, but Punk reversed it, applying the hold to Becky. AJ and Punk cleared the announce desk and grabbed Becky and Rollins. As Punk lifted Rollins, Lynch threw AJ into Punk, and all three crashed off the desk. Lynch tried to capitalize back in the ring, but AJ locked in the Black Widow, forcing Becky to tap.

Becky Lynch taps out to Black Widow!CM PUNK & AJ LEE WIN 🔥#Wrestlepalooza pic.twitter.com/W8sdDeZWAX

— KN Wrestling (@knwrestling) September 21, 2025

Winner: AJ Lee & CM Punk

Grade: A

Top Moments & Insights:

• During the entrance, Punk sported a jacket that read, “AJ’s husband.”
• This was AJ Lee’s first match since March 30, 2015. Lee and Punk’s record together in mixed-tag matches was 2-0, 3-0 after the win.
• Becky and Rollins’ record together in mixed-tag matches was 3-0, 3-1 after Wrestlepalooza.
• Becky and AJ competed in a match against each other for the first time
• Lynch has not won a match in Indianapolis, per Michael Cole.

Cody Rhodes (c) vs Drew McIntyre – Undisputed WWE title match (main event)

In the main event of the show, Cody Rhodes defended the Undisputed title for the first time in his second reign against Drew McIntyre. The Champion was severely dealing with the injuries inflicted by McIntyre from last night’s SmackDown. Rhodes stumbled during a Cody Cutter attempt, helping Drew to take control of the action.

The back-and-forth continued with both wrestling for control when McIntyre exposed the protective pad on the turnbuckle and pushed Rhodes right into it. Rhodes managed to evade the attack, and the referee rolled out of harm’s way. McIntyre rolled up Cody for the pin, but the referee arrived too late.

In the final moments, McIntyre went to Claymore Rhodes through the commentary desk, but a momentary interference by the official, who tried to prevent it, aided Cody, who escaped, and Drew crashed through the table.

Drew could hardly stand but managed to step into the ring before the count. Cody went for the Cody Cutter, but Drew retaliated with a Glasgow Kiss. McIntyre attempted the Claymore, but his knees buckled as Cody delivered the super Cody Cutter, followed by the Cross Rhodes to retain the title.

Cody Rhodes pins Drew McIntyre to retain the Undisputed title in the main event!#Wrestlepalooza #ESPNpic.twitter.com/LmshOHaTf0

— KN Wrestling (@knwrestling) September 21, 2025

Winner & Still: Cody Rhodes

Grade: B

Top Moments & Insights:

• Before the main event, The Undertaker made a surprise appearance and inducted Stephanie McMahon into the WWE Hall of Fame – Class of 2026.
• This was Rhodes’ first title defense since winning the Undisputed title back from John Cena at SummerSlam 2025.
• McIntyre needs to win such matches in order to gain more credibility. It will be interesting to see what’s next for him after another loss in a title match.

WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025 Results

• Brock Lesnar pinned John Cena
• Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed defeated The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) – Tag Team match (W/Special guest referee LA Knight)
• Stephanie Vaquer pinned Iyo Sky – Women’s World title match (Vacant)
• AJ Lee & CM Punk defeated Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins – Mixed tag team match
• Cody Rhodes (c) defeated Drew McIntyre – Undisputed WWE title match (main event)

#Wrestlepalooza 2025 Results!-Brock Lesnar pins John Cena-Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed defeat The Usos-Stephanie Vaquer pins Iyo Sky – Women’s World title-AJ Lee & CM Punk defeat Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins-Cody Rhodes (c) defeats Drew McIntyre – Undisputed title pic.twitter.com/IgYlS6j7T1

— KN Wrestling (@knwrestling) September 21, 2025

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