When WWE unleashed WrestlePalooza on a feverish Indianapolis, armed with the ESPN machine freshly behind them, not many knew what to expect. Was this an attempt to steal the spotlight away from competitor AEW once more, who also had one of their marquee shows taking place on the same day? Or was the biggest company in professional wrestling simply pulling out all the stops for their brand-spanking-new broadcaster?
Well, considering the stacked card on display at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, fans certainly weren’t about to be disappointed. Cody Rhodes managed to make the first defense of his second WWE Undisputed Champion reign by defeating Drew McIntyre in the main event. CM Punk and real-life wife AJ Lee managed to pick up the victory in the latter’s first match in over a decade, defeating bitter enemies Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch in mixed tag team action. But by the end of the night, it was Brock Lesnar who didn’t just steal the show, but rather hijacked the very narrative arc of WWE’s future.
Lesnar Obliterates Cena
The Beast Incarnate faced off with the retiring John Cena in the opening match of the night, with Paul Heyman making a surprise appearance to introduce Lesnar, with the pair seemingly now reunited once again. The Saskatchewan resident is no stranger to being a betting underdog. Online UFC odds providers made Lesnar a 2.25 betting underdog for his heavyweight clash with Mark Hunt at UFC 200, and he duly upset the odds to emerge with the victory. And he would upset a legion of Cena fans in Indianapolis as well.
Lesnar administered a beating to Cena so total that it bordered on an assault charge. Six F5s, less than nine minutes, and then—silence. Cena’s offensive stats? A blink and you’ll miss them. Lesnar, in contrast, looked every inch the mythic Beast Incarnate that he is billed as. So, what now?
Who dares step into Suplex City next? As the dust settles, three challengers appear to make more sense than others.
CM Punk
The mere mention of Brock Lesnar vs CM Punk is enough to send a ripple across the wrestling world. Their 2013 SummerSlam epic is still dissected on podcasts and Reddit threads to this day: 25 minutes, five-star chaos, Heyman’s treachery, Punk’s resilience, and one final vicious F5 securing Lesnar the win. Now, more than 12 years later, their paths could well cross again.
Paul Heyman, the grand chessmaster, has reasserted his allegiance to Lesnar just as his much-publicized vendetta with Punk shows no signs of cooling. According to WrestleTalk, there’s substance to the rumors: creative is considering Punk as Lesnar’s next obstacle, potentially as early as Crown Jewel in Australia, WWE’s next premium live event.
The intrigue? It’s layered. Lesnar’s physical ascendancy clashes with Punk’s never-say-die grit. Their prior encounter delivered on all metrics, ensuring that any potential rematch writes its own headlines. Yet the real drama is personal: Can Punk exorcise old Heyman-shaped ghosts? Or does Lesnar, even older, stronger, and crueler, swing the pendulum back? Expect violence—win, lose, or draw.
Gunther
There’s an art to fantasy booking, but few matches have lived in the imagination so vividly as Brock Lesnar versus Gunther. It almost happened at WrestleMania 40; now, circumstances and serendipity might line up for an even grander reckoning.
Gunther—the man whose Intercontinental Title reign shattered longevity records, whose ferocity matches Lesnar’s pound-for-pound—has been lurking off-camera since surrendering the World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk at SummerSlam. It’s no secret that both WWE executives and fans alike have clamored for this showdown for some time. Now, with a European tour lying in wait in the new year, a potential Ring General vs Beast Incarnate feud could be aimed for a Royal Rumble build or WrestleMania showpiece.
Picture the tale of the tape: Gunther’s punishing, methodical offense squares off with Lesnar’s blitzkrieg approach. Chops vs. suplexes, submissions vs. pure power. This isn’t just a stylistic dream—it’s raw dynamite. Both men carry a match pace hard to beat when they’re at their very best. And narratively, Gunther’s yearning to decimate another part-time legend not long after his triumph over Goldberg dovetails perfectly with Lesnar’s determination to reclaim his throne.
Plus, WWE may never get a better moment to pull the trigger on a Gunther face turn. Everyone knows how good the Austrian is as a heel, but his improved mic skills and his absence since that MetLife Stadium disappointment have made the fans clamor for his return. Expect the WWE Universe to be on his side when he does so, especially during the lengthy European tour planned for the new year to coincide with the Saudi Arabia-hosted Royal Rumble.
Cody Rhodes
Every title run is judged by moments of peril. For Cody Rhodes, the slingshot from Cena’s shadow to conquering Drew McIntyre in Indy has set him up as WWE’s central protagonist. No champion, however, is complete without an existential test. Enter Brock Lesnar—the nemesis who, in their 2023 trilogy, forced Rhodes to redefine his limits and left a SummerSlam ring in respectful defeat.
What’s changed now? Everything. Lesnar’s annihilation of Cena wasn’t just a squash; it was a statement of renewed, remorseless violence. This isn’t the Lesnar who shook Rhodes’ hand. This is a Lesnar seeking to obliterate, to take what Rhodes has made sacred: the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Cody’s own numbers are eye-catching: top merch sales, top quarter-hours, and consistently the highest-rated title programs of the year. Yet a new clash with Lesnar brings title reign and legacy to the precipice. Will the valiant champion withstand the Beast’s onslaught, or will WWE’s next epoch be written by a monster with nothing but an insatiable hunger left?
