John Cena’s final time facing Brock Lesnar will get things started at Wrestlepalooza on Saturday night.
The grudge match between the retiring Cena and returning Lesnar will serve as the opening contest on Saturday’s Premium Live Event (PLE) from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Pat McAfee, who will be on the call for Saturday’s PLE, announced the opener on his show this week. He showed a graphic that flaunted how the Cena and Lesnar match will be what “kicks off the ESPN-WWE era,” as Wrestlepalooza will be the first event from WWE as part of a multi-year deal to broadcast PLEs with the sports network.
BREAKING NEWS: John Cena and Brock Lesnar will be KICKING OFF Wrestlepalooza #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/H2F5hoZHuZ
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 18, 2025
The matchup will be one of Cena’s final in-ring appearances, as the decorated WWE star’s retirement tour is scheduled to wrap up in a little under two months. The bout will also be Lesnar’s return after years away, appearing in-ring for the first time since being named in a trafficking lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE.
It was previously mentioned on a SportsCenter broadcast that Cena and Lesnar would headline the show. However, with McAfee’s latest reveal on his ESPN-associated program, it seems as though there has been a change.
Here’s a reminder of what Saturday’s show in Indiana is scheduled to look like currently:
- John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
- Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed
- AJ Lee & CM Punk vs. Becky Lynch & Seth Rollins
- IYO SKY vs. Stephanie Vaquer (Vacant WWE Women’s World Championship)
- Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre (Undisputed WWE Championship)
