CM Punk Is Not A Fan Of WWE’s Latest Strategy

WWE star CM Punk has offered his opinion on the branding of the company’s newest premium live event, calling the name Wrestlepalooza “ridiculous.” During an appearance on the “Pardon My Take” podcast, Punk was discussing WWE’s promotional efforts surrounding its new partnership with ESPN for its PLEs when he admitted he has been actively avoiding using the event’s official title.

While talking about the push to make fans aware of the move to ESPN, Punk revealed his personal feelings about the Wrestlepalooza name.

“We’re trying to get everybody aware that you gotta get ESPN to see all our PLEs and I’ve been doing my best to not say the word Wrestlepalooza the entire time,” Punk said (H/T to WrestlingNews.co). “That might actually be the first time I’ve said it. It’s a ridiculous name”.

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The History of WrestlePalooza

The Wrestlepalooza name itself has a history in professional wrestling, having been used by ECW for events in the late 1990s and ending in 2000. Recent reports have indicated that WWE has plans for the event, viewing it as a potential second WrestleMania-level show that can anchor its programming schedule.

The company is reportedly looking at Wrestlepalooza as an event that can help fill PLE dates, especially in years when WrestleMania might take place outside of North America. The show’s debut on ESPN is a part of this strategy.

CM Punk at WrestlePalooza

CM Punk is scheduled to compete in one of the top matches on the inaugural Wrestlepalooza card. He is set to team with his wife, AJ Lee, to face the real-life couple of Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch in a mixed tag team match.

The bout is part of a long rivalry between Punk and Rollins that has been a central storyline on WWE programming since Punk returned to WWE in 2023.

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