WWE Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque recently revealed exciting news about Wrestlepalooza, scheduled for September 20 in Indianapolis, Indiana. This event marks WWE’s first main roster pay-per-view to be available on the ESPN app, drawing significant attention from fans eager to see what’s in store.
In a conversation on The Pat McAfee Show, Triple H explained that Wrestlepalooza borrows its name from the original ECW event and confirmed that Cody Rhodes will make an appearance after being absent since suffering a brutal attack from Drew McIntyre on the August 8 episode of SmackDown. The decision to hold Wrestlepalooza in Indianapolis was a quick one once the city and date were finalized by ESPN.
“There was a lot of thought but it was in a brief period of time, so we were sort of under the gun. As soon as we heard Indianapolis was on the table, had the date open, we were in, this place is phenomenal, so that was a no brainer for us, but we moved quick, the whole thing came together quickly, ESPN asked for the date, they wanted a mega event, we said yes, we had to pick a name and go.”
—Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Chief Creative Officer
“Yeah, shout out to ECW. Lollapalooza was a big thing but now we’re gonna take that title.”
—Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Chief Creative Officer
“I will give you a spoiler right now..Cody Rhodes will be at Wrestlepalooza.”
—Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE Chief Creative Officer
RAW Viewership Sees Slight Decline Amidst Growing Streaming Trends
The September 1 episode of WWE RAW attracted 2.4 million global views on Netflix, with fans streaming more than 5.2 million hours of content, representing a slight drop from the August 25 episode’s 2.6 million views and 5 million hours streamed. This figure marks the lowest global viewership since RAW began streaming on Netflix in January. Despite this, RAW maintained a strong presence, ranking #8 worldwide for English-language Netflix TV shows and #5 within the United States for the week.
Booker T Endorses Trick Williams as WWE’s Future Leading Star
Booker T is a vocal advocate for WWE NXT talent Trick Williams, describing him as the company’s future face during an interview with Esports Insider. Although recognizing that Williams may not be the best technical wrestler, Booker T emphasized the importance of charisma and performance in the wrestling industry, praising Williams for his ability to engage crowds and stand out among his peers.
“Trick Williams is the future of this company. He’s my guy. I see myself in Trick. Every time I’d see him in TNA, he came out dressed like me when I was in TNA and doing the Black Snow. He wore the whole gimmick and everything. He’s always paying tribute to me, he even uses some of my terminology. He’s not the greatest wrestler in the world, but you don’t have to be the greatest wrestler in the world to be the biggest star; you just have to be a really good performer. I think that’s what Trick has picked up on more than anything, on how to go out there and be a really great performer and make fans watch you for so many different reasons than they watch the other wrestlers.”
—Booker T, WWE Analyst and Hall of Famer
NXT Superstar Ricky Saints Sets Sights on NXT World Championship
On The Rob Brown Show, Ricky Saints openly discussed his strong desire to secure the NXT World Championship, emphasizing the prestigious history attached to the title. Saints is already a former NXT North American Champion and aims to join a rare group of wrestlers who have held both belts, believing it would solidify his legacy in NXT and WWE history.
“The legacy of that belt is so rich. If you really go back and see the people who have held that title, it’s an insane amount of names on there, and you see them to this day still killing it. I am a former NXT North American Champion. I know in my heart that I can beat Oba and I do believe that when I beat Oba Femi, once I’m NXT Champion, I’m going to be put in a very special class of people that were North American Champion and NXT Champion.”
—Ricky Saints, WWE NXT Superstar
“That list is very small. To be put in that category and class, it’s incredible. It’s something to tell myself, ‘You always thought you could do it and you did it.’ I’m a very ‘proof is the pudding’ type guy.”
—Ricky Saints, WWE NXT Superstar
Mark Henry Offers Insight Into Upcoming Women’s Division Plans at Wrestlepalooza
WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry shared his observations regarding the women’s division’s potential future during the upcoming Wrestlepalooza pay-per-view. On the Busted Open Radio podcast, Henry speculated about several possible matchups and formats, including multi-women matches or battle royals that could feature stars like Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, Nia Jax, Charlotte Flair, and Bayley.
“I’m thinking, where are we going? If next week, we get Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton, what is going to happen at Wrestlepalooza? I mean, there’s so many things that you can speculate, but they have to have something in mind, something has gotta come up to where there’s more than one matchup. And when I say that, I don’t think it’ll be a rematch of Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton.”
—Mark Henry, WWE Hall of Famer
“I think there might be some Jade Cargill involved, there might be some Nia Jax involved, hell they might be able to make it a 8 to 10 woman battle royal for all I know. Like where is Charlotte [Flair] going to come into play, where is Bayley, Bayley is training like a mad person … what are you going to do with the women’s movement?”
—Mark Henry, WWE Hall of Famer
The Growing Momentum of WWE’s Rising Talent and Upcoming WWE Events
The buzz surrounding Wrestlepalooza reflects WWE’s evolving strategies to attract viewers through exclusive streaming options and star-studded events. With Cody Rhodes confirmed for the event, fans eagerly anticipate his return from injury and the potential storylines that will unfold in Indianapolis. Meanwhile, rising stars such as Ricky Saints and Trick Williams symbolize the company’s future direction, focusing on charismatic performers ready to captivate audiences.
Ricky Saints’ pursuit of the NXT World Championship highlights a compelling narrative of ambition and legacy within WWE’s developmental brand, aiming to cement his place among elite competitors who have held both the North American and NXT titles. Simultaneously, Mark Henry’s comments point to exciting possibilities in the women’s division, where fresh matchups and dynamic multi-woman bouts are expected to invigorate the scene.
As Wrestlepalooza approaches, fans can expect a mix of thrilling competition, star power, and emerging talent, all contributing to WWE’s ongoing efforts to innovate and expand its global reach.
