Recapping American wrestling since 2013. Not only following the current stuff in WWE, Impact and ROH but also going back in time and doing stuff from back then as well.
John Cena and Brock Lesnar have their last words before their match tonight.
The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) and The Vision (Bron Breakker and "Big" Bronson Reed) nearly brawl backstage before officials and Raw General Manager Adam Pearce get between them.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, who announces that The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) vs. The Vision (Bron Breakker and "Big" Bronson Reed) will have a bigger and stronger referee who knows all four men better and is "just a little pissed off." LA Knight shows up with a referee's shirt and says that he does not want to even be involved in this match, as he hates everyone in the match but Jimmy Uso, then says the rules will be flimsy and that he is only there to count the pinfall.
We see Cathy Kelley's interview with Drew McIntyre.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Stephanie Vaquer. Vaquer says she is nervous, but that is a good thing, because tonight, she will make history with the most important in her career when she becomes champion.
CM Punk answers questions about his tattoos for WWE Tattooed.
We see Corey Graves' interview with CM Punk and AJ Lee.
We see a video package of Michael Cole reflecting on the significance of WWE's ESPN debut.
The War and Treaty sings God Bless America.
Paul "Triple H" Levesque is in the ring. He says that this is the final form of sports and entertainment, and welcomes all first-time viewers to WWE, ESPN and Wrestlepalooza.
Pat McAfee returns to commentary at the start of the show and provides commentary for the first three matches of the show.
Before the next match, John Cena is accompanied to the stage by dozens of young fans. Also before the match, Paul Heyman provides Brock Lesnar's ring introduction.
Brock Lesnar beats John Cena following six F-5s. After the match, Brock Lesnar gets back in the ring and hits an F-5 on referee Dan Engler before hitting a seventh F-5 on Cena. John Cena receives a standing ovation on the way back to the back.
Before the next match, Jimmy Uso tells everyone to turn the flashlights on their phones and show ESPN how WWE gets down.
The Vision (Bron Breakker and "Big" Bronson Reed) beats The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) after Bron Breakker Spears both of The Usos through a table. LA Knight is the special guest referee for this match, which sees some relaxed rules in the form of metal folding chairs and tables being allowed as weapons and also sees Knight chew Jey Uso out when he nearly hits Knight with a tope suicida. After the match, Paul Heyman raises The Vision's hands when Knight refuses to do so.
The War and Treaty, ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus, the crew of the Club 520 Podcast and two-time NBA All-Star Tyrese Haliburton are seen in the front row.
Tiffany Stratton is seen in the front row.
We are introduced to the Spanish announce team of Marcelo Rodriguez and Jerry Soto.
Stephanie Vaquer beats Iyo Sky to win the vacant Women's World Championship after avoiding a third attempt at Over the Moonsault and hitting a top rope corkscrew moonsault. Both women bow in the middle of the ring in a post-match show of respect. Afterwards, Vaquer celebrates in the front row with her father Hector.
CM Punk and AJ Lee beat Seth "Freakin'" Rollins and Becky Lynch by submission after AJ counters the Manhandle Slam with the Black Widow.
The Undertaker makes his way to the ring. Stephanie McMahon and WWE President Nick Kahn are seen in the front row. The Undertaker then joins Stephanie McMahon at the front row and jokes about Stephanie McMahon following him before announcing that Stephanie is the first inductee of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes retains the Undisputed WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre after McIntyre tries to kick Cody's head through the bottom of the announce table only for Cody to dodge and McIntyre to injure his leg. When McIntyre goes for a Claymore Kick following a Glasgow Kiss, McIntyre's leg gives out, and Cody hits a Super Cody Cutter followed by the Cross Rhodes to retain.
Before the next match, "Wildfire" Tommy Rich demands that the Marietta, Georgia crowd stand up and show him respect or else he'll beat them up.
The Blue World Order(The Blue Meanie and Super Nova) beat The Full Blooded Italians (Tracy Smothers and Little Guido) after Little Guido misses the Meanie with the swing of the mock Italian flag only to run into a Novacaine from Nova. During the match, both teams have a dance-off at the request of "Wildfire" Tommy Rich, which is won by referee John Finegan when he gets involved. Shortly after this, John Finegan scoop slams both Smothers and Little Guido. Meanie manages to get the crowd to do the YMCA dance along with him after the match.
Justin Credible beats Mikey Whipwreck with That's Incredible on a steel chair after Whipwreck hits Jason with a Whippersnapper and Chastity with a Whippersnapper from the top rope.
Balls Mahoney and Axl Rotten show up on commentary, saying they are tired of Chris Candido and Lance Storm ducking them, knowing they can't handle them. Axl calls Candido a "pussy-whipped little sissy" while telling Storm he's a great athlete but doesn't have it takes against them. He wants them in a tag team match after taking them alone so he can rip them a new ass. When Candido and Storm show up, Candido insists on having a separate ring entrance, and demands that he be introduced first while Storm is referred to as "his partner." After Axl and Balls head from the commentary station, through the crowd and into the ring, Candido insists that Axl and Balls be introduced like property tag team title challengers.
"No Gimmicks Needed" Chris Candido and Lance Storm retain the ECW World Tag Team Championships against Axl Rotten and Balls Mahoney after Storm knocks Balls' steel chair into his head with a springboard drop kick. Storm tries to get the cover, but Candido throws a steel chair into the back so he can pick the bones. During the match, Sunny shows up and is almost slammed into the mat by Balls, but Storm saves Sunny. Candido and Storm go at it after the match, and Storm gets a few shots in the face as Candido retreats to the back.
ECW honors Georgia wrestling legends The Junkyard Dog. "Dirty" Dick Slater, The Masked Superstar and "Bullet" Bob Armstrong as "Legends of Extreme."
Joey Styles introduces "The Franchise" Shane Douglas. Douglas says he has been in professional wrestling for 16 years when it was called "wrestling" and a sport and not "sports entertainment." He saw the older generation wrestle with injury and injury while the newer generation stubs their toe and takes six months off, which he calls "a bunch of shit." He talks about his time in the World Wrestling Federation, and how he was simply handed the Intercontinental Championship because "the Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels "had a bumpp on his head." He then says the WWF Intercontinental title is "worth shit." He says that the CNN Center is next door, and they have some guy named "Dick Flair" who wrestles there and "sucks Bischoff's ass." He says he has called him out for four years now, and knows he won't show up, but he still hates him anyway. He has two fractured bones in his elbow, a fractured pallet and a fractured cheekbone, and he plans to give it his all tonight in case it's his last match. He says that many years from now, the audience will tell their descendants they watched an athlete named "The Franchise" who was the greatest World Heavyweight Champion of all time, regardless of what happens here tonight. Taz then shows up with a microphone, and tells Shane to stop whining and tell them who busted his arm and face up. Taz calls himself the uncrowned World Heavyweight Champion, and tells him to hand the World title over, saying he is here to ruin the pay-per-view and ruin him. It isn't long that Douglas tries to step up only to be punched out and put in the Tazmission. Security has to take him to the back, but that is stopped when Bam Bam Bigelow goes after Taz. Security had to keep both of these men apart, and Taz is held back from behind and handcuffed as he tries to leave through the crowd. "No Gimmick Needed" Chris Candido and Francine are checking on Shane Douglas as this is going on, then we see Taz being led into the back of a car. Taz kicks the window of one of the doors open, but he is unable to get out as the car speeds off. We go back to the arena, where Shane Douglas is bleeding from his mouth. Douglas is helped to the back, and Bam Bam Bigelow is in the ring, waiting for his opponent for the next match: New Jack, who shows up with a garbage can full of weapons.
Bam Bam Bigelow beats New Jack in a bloody, brutal match that goes into the crowd and sees New Jack get busted open. Bigelow tosses a garbage can at New Jack after the match.
We see a video package of "The Innovator of Violence" Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman.
"The Quintessential Studmuffin" Joel Gertner's introduction of The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray Dudley, D-Von Dudley, Big Dick Dudley, SIgn Guy Dudley) is interrupted by The Sandman and "THe Innovator of Violence" Tommy Dreamer's entrance.
The Sandman and "The Innovator Of Violence" Tommy Dreamer beat The Dudley Boyz (Buh Buh Ray and D-Von Dudley). During the match, The Sandman has to be taken out on a stretcher after been hip tossed into a section of guardrail, leading Tommy Dream to fend for himself. After several agonizing minutes of Tommy Dreamer being manhanldled by THe Dudley Boyz, Spike Dudley replaces The Sandman in the middle of the match and goes to town. Beaulah McGillicutty kicks Sign Guy Dudley in the groin and DDT's him, then SPike Dudley gets hit with the Dudley Death Drop. The Sandman retuns with the neck brace still on and hits stereo DDT's on The Dudley Boyz with Dreamer to get the win.
We see a video package of Sabu and "Mr. Monday Night" Rob Van Dam.
Bill Alfonso says he will manage both Sabu and "Mr. Monday Night" Rob Van Dam tonight, as he will walk out with the ECW World Television Championship regardless of who wins.
Sabu and "Mr. Monday Night" Rob Van Dam wrestle to a 30-minute time limit draw. Shortly after the beginning of the match, Rob Van Dam tells the crowd that he and Sabu came up with a plan beckstage so he would not have to defend the ECW World Television Championship. Referee Jeff Jones demands that both men wrestle, which leads to RVD pushing Jones into the corner. Sabu is about to attack Jeff Jones when he puts on the breaks and kicks RVD in the face, continuing the match. Referee Jeff Jones calls the match down the middle, and Bill Alfonso stays true to his word and manages both men, staying neutral throughout the match and helping neither man out. Sabu and RVD fight over the belt after the match, with Rob Van Dam wanting to be a good sport and Sabu still wanting the TV title. RVD goes for a high-five with Sabu, and uses this as an opportunity to take the TV title back from him and head for the back.
"The Franchise" Shane Douglas says the critics are saying he will get what he deserves tonight. He says that five specialists have told him not to wrestle. He knows that he and Al Snow have come into the sport 16 years ago to become World Heavyweight Champion, and while one man has done it, the other has the burning desire to be the World champ. Douglas tells Al Snow he may have fate and destiny on his side, but he is a franchise and proves it time and time again. He doesn't expect Snow to go easy on him, and tells Snow he will have to kill him for the World title as his destiny and ECW's destiny lie together. He says he will be known as a fighting champion and a franchise when all is said and done.
We see a video package of "The Franchise" Shane Douglas.
Al Snow says it all started on May 22, 1982, and he has dedicated nearly his entire adult life for this moment, which he calls his time and his day in the sun. For years, he has been held back, frustrated, and had fate play against him. He left places he should have stayed and hired by a guy who got fired, while "The Franchise" Shane Douglas was "Mr. Marketable." He gives Douglas credit where credit is due, but he says he is better and did not get the breaks Douglas did. He says he has done all he can and lived and sacrificed for tonight, and that tonight is his night. Snow says he beat Douglas at the last pay-per-view, and even though people will say he won because Douglas is injured, he will do it again and he doesn't care how he beats him to become ECW World champion. Snow tells Douglas that everything will go his way tonight and that he knows he will win because Head told him so.
"The Franchise" Shane Douglas retains the ECW World Championship against Al Snow despite a litany of injuries and despite Snow and the ECW locker room keeping Bam Bam Bigelow, Francine and "No Gimmicks Needed" Chris Candido at bay. The ECW locker room, who have all showed up for the match, lift up both Shane Douglas and Al Snow after the match.
