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By Andrew Ravens
Contributing Sports Writer
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WWE is preparing to launch its first-ever Wrestlepalooza premium live event this Saturday. According to a report from Fightful Select, the company views this as the beginning of a new annual show.
The inaugural event is being positioned as a notable broadcast for multiple reasons, including its debut on ESPN and its timing in competition with AEW All Out.
WWE intends to make Wrestlepalooza a cornerstone event for years to come. While competing with AEW is a factor for WWE, the company's ambitions for the brand extend further. The genesis of this new event reportedly stems from previous discussions about expanding the WrestleMania brand itself.
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The Wrestlepalooza Concept
Earlier this year, it was reported that WWE had considered producing two WrestleMania events in one year as part of its deal with Saudi Arabia, with one potentially branded as "Super WrestleMania."
However, the Saudi Arabian government stated they wanted to host "the" WrestleMania, not a secondary version. This led WWE to pivot, with Wrestlepalooza now being positioned as a show that could fill a gap in the calendar, especially in years when WrestleMania takes place outside of North America.
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The Stacked Card for WrestlePalooza
The card for the first WWE Wrestlepalooza is taking shape, with several big matches already announced. Cody Rhodes is set to defend his WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre, John Cena will face Brock Lesnar, and the vacant Women's World Championship will be decided between IYO SKY and Stephanie Vaquer.
CM Punk and AJ Lee vs. World Champion Seth Rollins and Women's Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch is also on tap.
While new to WWE, the Wrestlepalooza name has a history in professional wrestling, having been an ECW tradition until 2000. First Wrestling also held the trademark in recent years. A WWE source cited in the report suggested that the idea to acquire and use the branding likely came from Nick Khan, who was reportedly a big fan of ECW in his youth.
More WWE News:
- Released WWE Superstar Retires From Pro Wrestling
- Released WWE Star Breaks Silence On Departure
- Released WWE Star Wants To Join AEW
For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
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