As February approaches, we are knocking on the door of one ofWWE’s most important annual events.The Royal Rumble has always been a star-studded spectaclethat mixes sport, storylines, and surprises. From great moments like Ric Flair going the distance in 1992 to capture the vacant World title or the infamous ‘double-winner’ finish between Lex Luger and Bret Hart in 1994, the Rumble always has a few twists and turns.
There have also been more than a few duds. With all those hits, there are bound to be some misses. Like in 2015, when the WWE Universe mercilessly booed Roman Reigns' victory, even though he was a babyface and being personally endorsed by The Rock. In 2005, the simultaneous elimination of Dave Batista and John Cena left everyone confused and forced a restart of the match by Vince McMahon to determine a winner. Both those events left the fans with a bad taste in their mouths.
However, the 2025 version of the event should turn out to be the biggest one of them all. Possibly in buy rates or paid attendance - but more importantly - in terms of the promotion’s current angles and the trajectory of some of its superstars.In its 37 years of existence,there’s never been more on the line than in this year’s Royal Rumble.
Many WWE Stars Have a Real Shot at Winning the Rumble
Several Top WWE Superstars are Vying for a Championship Opportunity
In the past,the Royal Rumble winner was often easy for the audience to spot- sometimes even weeks in advance. If a contender was on the rise and the battle royal event was near, there was a good chance that they were going to get the automatic bye to the WrestleMania main event.
That’s why the lead-up to this Rumble has been different. Rather than there being one or two clear-cut choices,there are a plethora of top-notch WWE stars who could legitimately walk out the winner.There are a handful of wrestlers who could be the last man in the ring, and each option would make sense in terms of the promotion’s various storylines.
For example,John Cena has vowed to win the Rumbleso he can pursue his record-breaking 17th World Championship. At the same time,CM Punk wants desperately to headline WrestleMania- something that has eluded him in his decorated career. Not getting that spotlight was one of the reasons that Punk cited as part of his dissatisfaction with the company in his first tenure, so this is yet another storyline that blurs reality and fiction.
Royal Rumble 2025 Intertwines WWE’s Many Storylines
A Pinnacle of Triple H’s Approach to Storytelling
Rivals Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre might be roadblocks to glory for the Second City Saint, however, as they have promised to stop Punk and stand tall themselves on that night. Then there’s former champion, Roman Reigns, who declared that he wants to battle Cody Rhodes again in a third straight title match at the Show of Shows to finish his own redemption story. You also have to add in Kevin Owens, who just seems to be at odds witheveryonein the promotion right now.
This year’s Rumble will be a culmination ofTriple H’s approach to the productand his greatest gift as a pro wrestling storyteller: The Rumble will have all these major names intertwined amid a classic battle. At the same time, they all have personal and professional reasons for wanting to defeat one another, and their stories can be traced back throughout the last one or two years of WWE TV.
McIntyre has vowed to be a World Champion again, but he also wants to stop Roman from winning as part of his ongoing crusade against The Bloodline. Meanwhile, it’s conceivable that Rollins and Punk could cost one another the match out of spite - putting their red-hot feud over a shot at the gold. Cena is the sentimental favorite, but it’s generally believed that he will have to chase the title for a lot longer during his 2025 going-away tour.
That could leave Roman Reigns as the man who outlasts the other 29 competitors, but nothing is a lock. That’s why this year’s event will be so important and consequential.The outcome will not only determine the WrestleMania Main event, butit will also lay out the storylines for so many of the promotion’s characters in the weeks to come.
Surprise Entries Will Add Excitement to an Already Great Royal Rumble
Expect TNA Superstars and Former WWE Stars to Make Appearances
One other aspect that could make this easily the most exciting Royal Rumble ever is that WWE’s new ‘open-door policy’ has led to ahistoric partnership with TNA Wrestling. We have seen this working relationship nurtured over the last couple of years, with members of the Total Non-Stop Action promotion taking part in the Rumble and appearing on NXT.
With the announcement this past week that the two parties have made their business arrangement official,fans can expect to see a handful of TNA outsiders invading WWE rings soon. That will likely play a big factor in the events that unfold on February 1 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, as there is already the precedent of Jordynne Grace and Mickie James appearing for two consecutive years in the Women’s Royal Rumble.
The newly-crowned TNA World Champion, Joe Hendry, is a likely bet to be in the match, as well as possibly former multi-time X Division Champion Trey Miguel. The Hardy Boyz - WWE legends who are currently working for TNA - could be introduced to a massive pop from the crowd. Matt Cardona (formerly known as Zack Ryder) has also openly expressed his desire to be a part of the match. And while none of these names will come out on top, their mere presence in the Royal Rumble match will be like icing on the cake.
With all those factors involved, there’s no doubt thatthe 2025 Royal Rumble will be the most ‘must-watch TV’ that we’ve seen in a long time.Much like WrestleMania 40 second night’s main event, it could feel like the season finale of a big, long-running show where all the plot threads come together to deliver a shocking cliffhanger. I believe that 2025’s Royal Rumble may hold just as much prestige as WrestleMania and has a chance to go down as the best of the supershows this year.
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is a global entertainment company primarily known for professional wrestling. Founded in 1953, it produces live events, television programs, and streaming content. Headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, WWE operates multiple brands, including Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.
