The WWE Royal Rumble 2025 ignited excitement on February 1, 2025, as it celebrated the start of the Road to WrestleMania 41 from the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. This year's Royal Rumble was particularly notable, being the first Premium Live Event (PLE) streamed on Netflix across multiple countries, including Canada.
WWE Chairman Stephanie McMahon opened the show by addressing the audience, expressing her honor to be in Indianapolis for what she declared would be the largest Royal Rumble event ever held. Fans eagerly awaited the night's main attraction where thirty men and women would battle for glory and the chance to headline WrestleMania.
The event's first match was the Women's Royal Rumble, featuring 30 female superstars vying for the opportunity to challenge the champion of their choice at WrestleMania 41. Participants included notable wrestlers such as IYO SKY, Liv Morgan, and former champions like Nia Jax and Charlotte Flair.
Charlotte Flair, who made her triumphant return to the ring, dominated the match, eliminating Nia Jax and Roxanne Perez to secure her victory. Flair's win marked her second Royal Rumble victory, after claiming her first title back in 2020. "I will challenge whoever I want at WrestleMania," she declared after the match, promising to make her mark.
The subsequent match for the WWE Tag Team Championship saw the reigning champions, DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa), successfully defend their titles against the Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) in a thrilling 2-out-of-3 falls contest. DIY took the first fall with some controversial officiation, followed by the Machine Guns leveling the score. Finally, with assistance from the Street Profits, DIY clinched the victory, retaining their titles.
Next up was the Undisputed WWE Championship Ladder Match, where Cody Rhodes defended his title against Kevin Owens. The stakes were high with both the WWE Championship and the Eagle Belt suspended above the ring. The match featured brutal spots, including Cody executing an Alabama Slam on Owens through a ladder. After intense competition, Rhodes emerged victorious, successfully retaining his championship.
The night culminated with the Men's Royal Rumble match, where thirty male superstars competed for a chance to headline WrestleMania 41. Jey Uso triumphed after eliminating John Cena, finally wrestling control as the last man standing after eliminating both Cena and Logan Paul. Following this impressive win, Uso and Cena shared a moment of respect, demonstrating the camaraderie and sportsmanship prevalent within the WWE.
Additional highlights included the unexpected return of AJ Styles, who entered the Royal Rumble at number 21, leaving the audience thrilled. Styles managed to eliminate LA Knight but was eventually eliminated by Logan Paul, proving once again the unpredictable nature of the Rumble.
Overall, the WWE Royal Rumble 2025 set the stage for WrestleMania 41, with Charlotte Flair and Jey Uso now positioned as top contenders for championship matches, marking the start of this exciting and suspenseful chapter in WWE storytelling.