One of the highlights of everyWWEfan’s calendar,this year’sRoyal Rumbletakes place Saturday, February 1, from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens’s Ladder Match for the WWE Championship has been captivating for months, and Motor City Machine Guns vs DIY in a 2-out-of-3-falls match for the WWE Tag Team Championship is bursting with narrative and wrestling excellence. The highlight, of course, will be the Men’s and Women’sRoyal Rumblematches, both stacked with amazing talent and continuing storylines.
Sami Zayn has to worry about his best friend, Roman Reigns has a target on his back from Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre, CM Punk has a problem with all of those people, both sides of The Bloodline are represented, and John Cena is back for one final shot at glory. In the women’s match, Charlotte Flair is back to rule again, but this is a very different division from the one she left. Nia Jax is WWE’s alpha powerhouse, Liv Morgan is reborn and has a bodyguard, Bianca Belair and Naomi enter as Champions, Iyo Sky and Bayley are on a collision course once more, and they are all potential Rumble winners. Everything that happens inthese matches will form the first steps towardsWrestleMania41.
WWE Royal Rumble Predictions: Who Will Win?
Expect Plenty of Returns at This Year’s Rumble
Kevin Owens has been WWE’s most interesting character since he snapped at the end of 2024, butCody Rhodes will retain his WWE Championship. This will be because of one of the night’s biggest returns that will have major implications on the men’s Royal Rumble match, and Cody will keep the Winged Eagle title to challenge the winner.
The WWE Tag Team Championship match is very difficult to call. Motor City Machine Guns have been phenomenal since signing to WWE and will regain the titles, but that’s not guaranteed to happen at theRumble. DIY have sneaky friends like Pretty Deadly waiting in the wings, and there’s another big return possible in that match.
The WWE Women’s division is incredibly strong across its three brands, and there are more exciting returns and NXT call-ups possible in the women’s match than the men’s this year. Look forNia Jax to continue reestablishing herself at the top, Liv Morgan to be a menace all night, and never count out Bayley, but there are two outstanding candidates. Bianca Belair has spent a year in tag team wrestling and is ready to return to the single’s game.Charlotte Flair will win the Women’s Royal Rumbleand remind everyone who WWE’s real Final Boss is.
As for theRoyal Rumble, it’s very difficult to predict this year.CM Punk beats out Roman Reigns as our favorite for the Men’s Royal Rumble matchfor a very specific reason. Roman Reigns would ordinarily be the favorite, but he and his Wiseman owe Punk a favor after he joined them inWarGames. Seth Rollins feels too emotional, it’s too early for Jey Uso, and Sami Zayn is going to have Kevin Owens to worry about. John Cena is back, but his journey to the WWE Championship is unlikely to start with a victory in the Royal Rumble.
This will be John Cena’s first Royal Rumble since 2018, when the match was won by Shinsuke Nakamura.
WWE Royal Rumble 2025 Surprises to Expect
Every Match Has Potential For Returns
Kevin Owens’s rampage through anyone connected to Roman Reigns had a very definite starting point that will haunt him at theRoyal Rumble.Randy Orton will return to cost Kevin Owens the WWE Championship, while Sami Zayn sits and watches backstage. KO will not forget this later in the evening. DIY have a slight shot at retaining their Tag Team Championships, asThe Street Profits have been off-camera for monthssince Motor City Machine Guns benefitted from their injuries to receive title shots at the start of January.
In theRoyal Rumble,the women’s Rumble match is loaded with potential returns and surprises. Becky Lynch recently signed a new WWE contract, Jordynne Grace was in last year’s Rumble match and has just signed with the company, and no word was ever put on why Jade Cargill was out and for how long. There’s also the looming specter of Asuka’s return. NXT also has a red-hot women’s scene, and expect that to reflect in huge pops for Roxanne Perez, Giulia, and Zaria.
In the men’s match,The Rock has never clarified hisRoyal RumbleorWrestleManiastatus, and this is the firstRoyal Rumbleshown everywhere but America on Netflix. Would he really sit this one out? Elsewhere,Joe Hendry will receive a hero’s receptionand a billion streams of his theme song, Trick Williams still owes Carmelo Hayes, Alistair Black can return to become the sixth member of The Wyatt Sicks.Big E would receive theRumble’s biggest reception if he overcame his injuriesand came back to fight the horrible, low-life New Day.
How to Watch WWE Royal Rumble 2025
Your Guide to Watching This Year’s Royal Rumble
TheRoyal Rumbleisthe first WWE PLE to be streamed around the world live on Netflix. Additionally, viewers in the US can watch the event on Peacock. TheRoyal Rumblewill air on Saturday, February 1, with a start time of 6:00 pm ET/3:00 pm PT in the US and 11:00 pm in the UK.
