Cody Rhodes will defend the WWE title against Kevin Owens in a Ladder Match. (Credit: WWE/Getty … [+] Images)
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WWE Royal Rumble 2025 will feature just four matches, but every single one of them will have major WrestleMania ramifications.
Of course, the men’s and women’s Royal Rumbles will determine the challengers for one of each division’s respective titles on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.” The men’s bout, in particular, will feature a ton of legends and heavy hitters, ranging from John Cena to Roman Reigns, making it one of the most highly anticipated and unpredictable Royal Rumble bouts in recent memory.
In addition, Cody Rhodes will put his WWE Championship on the line against Kevin Owens in a ladder match that may very well determine who’s holding that title come WrestleMania 41. Meanwhile, the women’s Royal Rumble features a wide open field that could set the stage for a surprise winner.
Last year’s Royal Rumble was the most viewed non-WrestleMania in history, demonstrating that the event is arguably WWE’s No. 2 pay-per-view. As such, WWE has a lot of important creative decisions to make at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and these five moves would set up the company for a successful WrestleMania 41.
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A WWE star doesn’t necessarily have to win the Royal Rumble for the bout to be a launching pad to full-blown super stardom.
This year, that should hold true for two rising stars in the men’s division: Jey Uso and Penta. WWE reportedly has plans to give Raw newcomer and former AEW star Penta a “standout” performance in the men’s Royal Rumble. Given that Penta has quickly established himself as a major name in WWE in a matter of mere weeks, that’s certainly a wise move that would continue his strong start on the red brand.
The same should be true of Uso, who just lost another World Heavyweight title match against Gunther but remains one of WWE’s most beloved stars. Each year, the Royal Rumble has an “Ironman” who lasts for much of the match and/or has an unforgettable showing, and the uber-popular Uso is a top candidate for that role this year.
So, too, is Penta, whose instant crowd connection in WWE could position him for an epic performance en route to WrestleMania. On the women’s side, names likes Bianca Belair, Iyo Sky and Lyra Valkyria also stand out as potential show-stealers in the 30-woman battle royal.
CM Punk Eliminates Roman Reigns To Kick Off WWE WrestleMania Rivalry
Both CM Punk and Roman Reigns are strong candidates to win the men’s Royal Rumble match, but what’s more likely is that the two stars feud and then clash at WrestleMania instead.
In fact, Reigns vs. Punk is reportedly being “heavily discussed” for WrestleMania 41, with Punk himself even pushing for the match. That bout would be a true dream match between two of WWE’s biggest stars, and given recent on-screen teases of a feud based around their connection to Paul Heyman, there is a ready-made storyline just waiting to happen.
Punk has already had two epic feuds with Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre since his return in late 2023, and there’s no reason to think that a rivalry with Reigns wouldn’t be just as epic. Although Punk potentially winning the Royal Rumble and going on to capture a world title at WrestleMania is an intriguing scenario, there is arguably no bigger WrestleMania match than Punk vs. Reigns, even without a title.
After laying the framework for this match at Survivor Series, WWE could and should set the stage for that match by having Punk eliminate Reigns from the Royal Rumble—or vice versa.
Becky Lynch And Charlotte Flair Fail To Win The 2025 WWE Women’s Royal Rumble
While Charlotte Flair has officially declared for the Royal Rumble, Becky Lynch is expected to return to WWE imminently, too. Flair has been linked to a WrestleMania 41 match with Tiffany Stratton while Lynch is reportedly set for a huge match as well.
What does that suggest? Well, given the way WWE has failed to push new women’s stars in either Raw or SmackDown’s main event scene, that makes “The Queen” and “The Man” both the logical and betting favorites to win the women’s Royal Rumble. That, of course, would just be more of the same, though.
Flair, when on television, is rarely not in the world title picture while Lynch was just in a world title match at WrestleMania 41 against current Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. Though WWE has a deep and talented women’s division, very few of them are pushed to that main event level.
That’s why Flair and Lynch are WWE’s “break glass in case of emergency” solutions, even though if there was ever a year to have a surprise Royal Rumble winner, this is it. With Bianca Belair vs. Ripley under consideration for WrestleMania 41, even Belair would be a better choice.
But in reality, WWE should consider giving the victory to a star who isn’t quite as big as Lynch or Flair. It’s time to shake things up.
Kevin Owens Defeats Cody Rhodes To Become WWE Champion
Kevin Owens has become WWE’s most intriguing character as a believable heel who’s seeking vengeance and thinks he’s justified in his actions.
His heel turn and feud with Cody Rhodes has been absolutely captivating, but if all of Owens’ great performances don’t result in a WWE title win, then everything he’s done over the past few months will ultimately feel like a waste. Sure, there are potential dream matches awaiting Rhodes heading into WrestleMania 41, but he’s such a big star that he doesn’t necessarily need a title to create magical moments.
Owens’ character, however, will have nowhere to go if he loses to Rhodes for the third time. For the sake of his gimmick and the future direction of the WWE Championship picture, Owens has to win at the Royal Rumble, or else WWE will risk ruining his momentum on the road to WrestleMania.
Sami Zayn Wins The 2025 WWE Royal Rumble
One reason why Owens should win the WWE Championship is because of the potential WrestleMania match it could create: a showdown with Sami Zayn.
WWE has a lot of options for the men’s Royal Rumble winner, given that there are marquee stars like Cena, Reigns, Punk and Seth Rollins in the match. But all of those stars have potentially intriguing paths to WrestleMania that don’t necessarily involve a title, and though Zayn might too, it would be an incredible story if he won the Royal Rumble.
Consider that Zayn has never won a world title in WWE and has been joined with Owens at the hip for much of their careers. Just two years ago, they headlined WrestleMania 39 alongside each other in tag team action, but with Owens turning heel and Zayn cementing himself as one of WWE’s most beloved fan favorites, the stage is now set for a WrestleMania showdown—should WWE choose that path.
Zayn, the sentimental favorite to win the Royal Rumble, outlasting perhaps the most stacked field in WrestleMania history to set up a clash with his friend turned rival? Now, that is a WrestleMania worthy storyline.
