Let’s Get Ready to Rumble🥊
The Royal Rumble is arguably the single most important WWE event of the year…
The world of professional wrestling arrives in Indianapolis, Indiana, this weekend. The WWE finds dwellings in Circle City as it prepares to host the Royal Rumble at the Lucas Oil Stadium, one of the promotion’s biggest events of the year and what fans know best as The Road to Wrestlemania.
Are you out of the loop on WWE news storylines or haven’t a clue why everyone’s talking about the Rumble? Fear not—let me guide you through it as I lay down the smackdown on everything you need to know about the 2025 Royal Rumble.
SATURDAY!#RoyalRumble pic.twitter.com/Ia8z7xn34f
— WWE (@WWE) January 28, 2025
The Importance of the Royal Rumble
If you don’t know, get to know… Aside from Wrestlemania, the Royal Rumble is arguably the single most important WWE event of the year.
But why?
Well, simply because it’s the Road to Wrestlemania, as winners of the respective 30-man and 30-woman Royal Rumble matchups get to fight a champion of their choosing on the grandest stage of them all… Wrestlemania!
The Rumble debuted in 1988 and is the third-longest-running WWE event, but 2025 will be a special one due to the location. Indianapolis is no stranger to hosting WWE TV events, but this year, Royal Rumble will be just the second WWE premium live event to be located inside an Indy football stadium.
WWE Royal Rumble 2025 has now officially SOLD over 50,000+ tickets.
It has surpassed the attendance record of the 2017 Royal Rumble, making it the most attended Royal Rumble of the 21st century.
THE BIGGEST RUMBLE OF ALL TIME 🔥
— EliteRockerz 𝕏 (@EliteClubS0B) January 5, 2025
How Many Fans Are Expected for the Royal Rumble 2025?
Officials have confirmed that this year’s Rumble could see more than 65,000 spectators pack out the Lucas Oil Stadium. If these expectations come to fruition, it will be the most attended Royal Rumble in WWE history, exceeding the memorable 1997 event inside the Alamodome, which saw 60,000 screaming fans.
WWE Royal Rumble
Sat • Feb 01, 2025 • 5:30 PM
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, INAvailable Tickets: 1,159
Current Setup: 63,795
Tickets Distributed: 62,636📈 +2,185since the last update (4 days ago)
📅 Days until show: 4
⏮ 1/27/2024: Royal Rumble @ Tropicana Field: 46,082 pic.twitter.com/O45DvrWgAT— WrestleTix (@WrestleTix) January 29, 2025
So, How Does the Royal Rumble Work?
Unlike most WWE matches, which involve one-on-one or tag team action and require pinning the opponent, 1-2-3, or forcing submission, the Royal Rumble is an over-the-top-rope battle royal.
With 30 wrestlers for both men’s and women’s Rumble, the match begins with two wrestlers, and after two-minute intervals, a new wrestler enters. Traditionally, the crowd will chant the final 10 seconds of each entrant, so you can imagine how loud the Lucas Oil stadium will be should they witness a 65k-plus attendance.
Competitors are eliminated when tossed over the top rope, and both feet hit the round. The last person standing is declared the winner and, in turn, receives a WWE championship at Wrestlemania.
The Women’s #RoyalRumble made history in 2018 when @WWEAsuka became the first winner! #WWE pic.twitter.com/qSUNOT5L6z
— USA Network (@USANetwork) January 28, 2025
Who’s Competing at This Year’s Royal Rumble?
Every year, the Royal Rumble match involves a mixture of current WWE stars, legends, and those returning to in-ring action. At the time of writing, 15 of the 30 men’s Royal Rumble participants have been announced:
- John Cena
- Rey Mysterio
- Pent
- La Knight
- Carmelo Hayes
- CM Punk
- Roman Reigns
- Seth Rollins
- Shinsuke Nakamura
- Jey Uso
- Bron Breakker
- Sami Zayn
- Drew McIntyre
- Chad Gable
- Logan Paul
Of course, nothing excites us more about the Rumble than its surprise participants. Every year, without fail, the WWE will schedule legends of the past and superstars we least expect to enter the match. Thus far, we’ve heard WWE rumors mention the likes of Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, Jeff & Matt Hardy, and Joe Hendry.
Personally, I want to see AJ Styles, and of course, The Final Boss himself, The Rock!
Regarding the women’s Royal Rumble, Bayley, Nia Jax, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, Naomi, Liv Morgan, IYO SKY, Ivy Nile, and Lyra Valkyria have been announced.
Legacies are made at the #RoyalRumble! #WWE pic.twitter.com/fPo5KvXkFf
— USA Network (@USANetwork) January 28, 2025
John Cena’s Final Royal Rumble
John Cena, you say?
Yes, Cena declared his participation in the 2025 Royal Rumble during WWE Raw’s debut show on Netflix. Sadly, however, Cena Nation will endure his ‘farewell tour’ in pro wrestling as the man we can’t see will literally be unseen as his planned retirement arrives in late 2025.
JOHN CENA SAYS HE WILL BE ENTERING AND WINNING THE ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH.
WE NEED THIS 🔥
HE HAS TO WIN THE 17TH WORLD TITLE AT WRESTLEMANIA 🙏#RAWOnNetflix pic.twitter.com/G2ckWllL4J
— TribaI Wrestling (@TribalMegastar) January 7, 2025
“There is no ‘maybe next year,’ and I’m up here talking about thank yous, well, hell, the best way to say thank you to you is win the Royal Rumble and make history at WrestleMania, right?” Cena said during his promo on Raw.
Speaking of Netflix, wherever the streaming service is available worldwide, if you’re a subscriber, you’ll have the chance to watch the Royal Rumble for FREE! Unless, of course, you’re a US resident because, apparently, Netflix hates the USA. Not really, but so long as Peacock holds the rights to premium WWE events, my lovely American friends will only get WWE Raw on Netflix US.
17 years ago today, John Cena gave us one of the greatest WWE Royal Rumble returns of all time. pic.twitter.com/X9vaPFcHDQ
— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) January 27, 2025
Royal Rumble Betting Odds
Who’s going to win the Royal Rumble? Honestly, this year’s edition is so talent-stacked, I have no freaking idea! We can look at the opinion of the WWE betting odds probabilities, however, and they’re currently aligned with John Cena (-220) or CM Punk (-210) being the most likely participants as the last man standing.
As for the ladies, legend and multi-time champ Charlotte Flair, the daughter of Ric Flair, is dominating the WWE: Royal Rumble odds at -200, compared to the next best, Becky Lynch, at +200…
“Woooo.”
What Other Matches Are at The Royal Rumble?
You damn skippy there is. The men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches often run for about 60 minutes each, and while we won’t see the usual 6-8 matches we’re accustomed to during premium live events, three to four alternative bouts are the norm at the Rumble.
Thus far, we have a tag team championship, a 2-out-of-3 falls war between DIY and The Motor City Machine Guns, a ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Championship involving Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens, and two 30-person Royal Rumble bouts.
Cody Rhodes or Kevin Owens. Who will win at the Royal Rumble? pic.twitter.com/mjW5IX7jjI
— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) January 26, 2025
What to Expect at The Royal Rumble?
For starters, world-renowned social media kings Kai Cenat and IShowspeed will become the first streamers allowed behind the scenes of a WWE PLE. We know that’ll draw some attention.
Second, I think it’s safe to assume ‘The American Dream’ Cody Rhodes will successfully defend his title and meet the winner of the Royal Rumble, as it’s difficult to envision Owens taking the spotlight or Gunther taking the WM main event spot.
Kai Cenat will be at the #RoyalRumble this Saturday and has some words for iShowSpeed.#RawOnNetflix pic.twitter.com/sbL8m3JxD8
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) January 28, 2025
As previously mentioned, the Rumble itself is too difficult to predict. Yes, Cena is the obvious choice, as it’s his final year in the WWE. However, there are just too many big names scheduled to make a solid prediction on this one.
Either way, this weekend’s Royal Rumble will be dope, and one you shouldn’t miss, if you smell what they’re cooking.
