The WWE Royal Rumble on February 1, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis kicked off the highly anticipated road to WrestleMania 41. The event featured thrilling encounters, surprising returns, and dramatic finishes, culminating with two major Rumble matches. With nearly 70,500 fans packed inside the stadium, this year's edition is being touted as one of the most stacked Rumbles in history.
First up was the Women's Royal Rumble match, where the returning Charlotte Flair outshined other stars, including former winners Bayley and Bianca Belair. Flair's return after over a year on the sidelines due to injury was met with significant fanfare, and she marked the occasion with triumph, becoming the first woman to secure victory in two Women's Rumble matches.
Flair's performance was nothing short of extraordinary, with her final elimination of Roxanne Perez marking the highlight of her return. The match was peppered with interesting stories, from Nia Jax's dominating seven eliminations to surprise entries like Alexa Bliss and Nikki Bella. Despite the match having its slower moments, overall, it energized the crowd.
“Pyro? On a Royal Rumble entrance? You've gotta be pretty damn special!” exclaimed commentary analyst Wade Barrett, capturing the essence of Flair's grand return.
The Men's Royal Rumble was equally thrilling, featuring heavyweights like John Cena, Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and Seth Rollins. Jey Uso, who entered at #20, managed to eliminate Cena to claim his spotlight at WrestleMania 41. This win sent shockwaves through the wrestling community, as many did not expect Uso to clinch the victory amid such star-studded competition.
Uso's win came at the expense of Cena, who was on the cusp of tying "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's record of three Rumble victories. It was an intense showdown, with both competitors teetering at the brink of elimination. Jey Uso's perfectly timed move knocked Cena out of the ring, sealing his place as the last man standing.
“Jey Uso is going to the main event of WrestleMania 41, and it is a genuine shock,” said analysts after the match, underscoring the unpredictability this year.
The stakes increased with the Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Championship between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens. An intense display of athleticism saw Rhodes, the defending champion, capitalize on his timely aggression to retain his title against Owens. This brutal match included heart-stopping stunts, including Owens delivering a bodyslam on Rhodes through the ladder. Rhodes's victory not only underscored his capability as champion but hinted at the pressure he may face as he heads toward WrestleMania.
Pat McAfee, calling the action, noted, "This little ladder is certainly a menace," adding to the dramatic undertones such matches evoke.
Another significant match featured the highly anticipated Best 2-out-of-3 Falls clash for the WWE Tag Team Championship between the Motor City Machine Guns and DIY. Despite winning, the clash did not resonate as strongly with the audience, hinting at a lack of engagement. Nonetheless, the introduction of the Street Profits added another layer of rivalry to the title scene, pushing future narratives as WrestleMania approaches.
No event of this magnitude would be complete without noting the performance of individual competitors. Chelsea Green's continued improvement stood out, as she executed two eliminations, showcasing her comedic timing. Conversely, Bianca Belair's performance faced criticism, falling short of expectations, and being eliminated by Nia Jax.
Fans left Lucas Oil Stadium buzzing, solidly satisfied with the spectacle the 2025 Royal Rumble provided. It not only set the stage for WrestleMania 41 but also delivered surprise moments and dramatic storytelling to keep fans engaged with WWE programming for weeks to come. The excitement surrounding Uso, Flair, and Rhodes suggests potential blockbuster matchups when the night of WrestleMania arrives.
Overall, analysts assigned strong praise to the event and assessed it as delivering upon its promise. "Overall Grade: The Royal Rumble is one of the most popular shows of the year. Grade: A," was the consensus.