The Italian Expansion and the ESPN Experiment

The global footprint of WWE expands next Sunday, May 31, 2026, when the roster takes over the Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy. This marks the first-ever PLE in the country, and the promotional machine is running at full capacity. Fans are already queuing for the official WWE store opening on May 28 at the Centro Commerciale Lingotto in Turin, featuring meet-and-greets with Je'Von Evans and Sol Ruca.

With the Champions League Final just four days away and the World Cup kickoff in 18 days, the sports calendar is crowded. WWE is fighting for eyeballs by shifting its broadcast strategy, announcing that the first hour of the PLE will air live on ESPN starting at 8 p.m. local time. The remaining hours will air on ESPN Unlimited domestically and Netflix internationally.

The Heavyweight Colossus: Rhodes, Reigns, and Femi's Reckoning

Cody Rhodes and Gunther will contest the Undisputed WWE Championship in a masterclass of ring geography. Gunther dominates the center, using lateral movement and a massive wingspan to trap opponents in the corner before dismantling their chest with heavy chops. Rhodes is a spatial escapist who thrives when backed against the ropes, utilizing his agility to spring off the middle strand for his signature cutter.

This match will be decided on the recovery rate of Cody's chest. If Gunther lands more than 15 clean chops in the first 10 minutes, Cody's offensive output will drop by half. Cody will bait the Ring General into an over-extended lariat, slip under to hit a springboard cutter at the 22-minute mark, and hit three consecutive Cross Rhodes to retain.

The World Heavyweight Championship will be decided in a Tribal Combat match between Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu. This is a rematch of their Backlash battle, but the rules are now stripped away. Fatu represents the modernization of Samoan powerhouse wrestling, combining a 280-pound frame with a cruiserweight's rotational velocity.

His triple-jump moonsault is a physics-defying nightmare. Reigns is the ultimate pragmatist who prefers slow pacing and psychological torment. Under No DQ rules, Fatu will run rampant, using steel chairs and steel steps to batter the champion.

Fatu will land a pop-up Samoan Drop through the broadcast table, leading to a breathless 2.9 count at the 18-minute mark. Fatu's greatest asset is his unbridled rage, which Reigns will exploit. Fatu will miss a second-rope splash, allowing Reigns to lock in the guillotine choke before executing a spear through a corner table for the victory.

Raw's heavyweights will collide when Brock Lesnar meets Oba Femi in a WrestleMania rematch. Femi shocked the world last month by putting Lesnar on his back. Lesnar's return six days ago on RAW was not about gold; it was a desperate attempt to reclaim his status as the apex predator.

Lesnar bypassed the line, blindsiding Femi during his entrance in a display of veteran anxiety. Femi has a low center of gravity and a freakish power-lifting background that makes him nearly immune to the traditional German suplex. When Lesnar tries to take him to Suplex City, Femi will widen his stance, rendering the suplexes shallow and exhausting.

Lesnar will hit three, but his cardio will falter. Femi will block an F-5 attempt, transition into a massive powerbomb, and pin Lesnar clean in a brief, violent 11-minute sprint.

The Golden Division: Ripley and Lynch Meet Their Match

The WWE Women's Championship is official, putting Rhea Ripley in a rematch against Jade Cargill. Ripley defeated Cargill at WrestleMania, sending Jade into a brief hiatus. Cargill returned recently, targeting Ripley and calling her out on SmackDown.

Ripley has banded together with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, but their rocky alliance is a major liability. Cargill is an elite physical specimen, but her tactical pacing remains her biggest vulnerability. In deep-water matches exceeding 12 minutes, her footwork becomes heavy and her defensive guard drops.

Ripley represents clinical, heavy-metal violence. She targets joint capsules, and her Prism Trap is a mechanical nightmare for long levers. Ripley will target Jade's left knee with low dropkicks, taking away her vertical base.

Jade will mount a comeback with a fallaway slam, but her weakened knee will fail her. Ripley will capitalize, hitting a Riptide from the middle turnbuckle to retain.

SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis added the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship match to the card, pitting Becky Lynch against Sol Ruca. Becky Lynch's current heel run has devolved into a series of lazy, repetitive shortcuts. Her performance yesterday at Saturday Night's Main Event was an embarrassment, intentionally pulling referee Jessika Carr into the path of Sol Ruca's 'Sol Snatcher' to trigger a disqualification.

Lynch kept her title but exposed her deep fear of Ruca's athletic ceiling. Ruca is the most innovative high-flyer in the division, and the Inalpi Arena's wide entranceway gives her ample space to run. Becky will try to slow the match down with ground-based headlocks and ringside stalling.

Ruca will not be denied. When Becky goes for a steel chair, Jessika Carr will intervene. In the confusion, Ruca will execute a breathtaking springboard Sol Snatcher out of nowhere, securing the 1-2-3 and the championship.

Predicted Match Card and Outcomes

Here is how the card shakes out for Turin:

  • Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes defeats Gunther
  • World Heavyweight Championship (Tribal Combat): Roman Reigns defeats Jacob Fatu
  • Special Attraction Match: Oba Femi defeats Brock Lesnar
  • WWE Women's Championship: Rhea Ripley defeats Jade Cargill
  • WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship: Sol Ruca defeats Becky Lynch