WrestlePalooza was supposed to be WWEs grand debut on ESPN, but instead of kicking off a new era in triumph, it turned into a storm of streaming headaches, negative reviews, and fan frustration. Now, a new report sheds light on how WWE leadership has reacted to the criticism and one line from Triple H is already sparking discussion.
According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there is growing concern behind the scenes at TKO. Even though many believe WWE is running smoother without Vince McMahon, theres unease that the new leadership doesnt understand the fundamentals of wrestling storytelling or its history. There are also fears about AI integration leading to jobs being cut, whispers of record-low ratings, and the perception that WrestlePalooza was a flop as WWEs first ESPN show.
Amid all of that, Meltzer noted that Paul Triple H Levesque addressed the backlash during a production meeting. Rather than showing frustration, Levesque doubled down on WWEs approach.
That line came after WrestlePalooza was hammered with complaints. Fans who paid $29.99 to watch through the ESPN app were locked out by error messages, while others complained about confusing subscription tiers and being pushed into higher-priced bundles. On top of the tech fiasco, ESPNs own review called the event average, giving it a lukewarm C grade and criticizing matches like Brock Lesnar vs. John Cena for falling flat.
Even so, WWEs business remains financially strong. The company is still reporting packed houses and record revenue, even as some internally believe the boom period for wrestling may have already peaked. The fear among longtime insiders is that Silver Lake and TKO could respond to a slowdown with cutbacks and more reliance on AI.
Triple Hs comment makes it clear that, at least from his perspective, WWE isnt letting the negative reaction dictate their creative direction. But it also raises questions about how much the company is listening to its fans versus controlling the narrative.
Do you think Triple H is right that WWE controls the fans, or is this mindset going to hurt the company in the long run? Share your thoughts in the comments.
