The Men's 2025 Royal Rumble is possibly the most story driven Rumble of all time.
The 2025 Men's Royal Rumble match is stacked with big names no question about it but it could also be one of the best booked all time Rumble matches. I was going through the participants and you can fill this match out with the main roster alone and still make it work. Of course there's consistently at least one or two surprise entrances since the 2008 Rumble match. The names below aren't predictions of when they will enter obviously but names of 30 that could realistically be in the match with a few possible realistic substitutes.
John Cena
Seth Rollins
CM Punk
Roman Reigns
Jey Uso
LA Knight
Drew McIntyre
Rey Mysterio
Sami Zayn
Shinsuke Nakamura
Logan Paul
Penta
Chad Gable
Bron Breakker
Carmelo Hayes
Andrade
Ludwig Kaiser
Sheamus
Jimmy Uso
Jacob Fatu
Solo Sikoa
Tama Tonga
Damian Priest
Finn Balor
Dominik Mysterio
Braun Strowman
Otis
Trick Williams
Karrion Kross
Joe Hendry
Substitutes:
Kofi Kingston
Xavier Woods
The Miz
Randy Orton
Goldberg
The Rock
McIntyre is on a mission. Stop the Bloodline (and CM Punk) and win the Rumble.
CM Punk has a favour to cash in from Paul Heyman. What is that favour and will it be called up on in this match? He's got friends but he made it clear, he will stab all his friends because he's not here for friends, he's here for money and the most money is in the main event of WrestleMania. McIntyre is not done with him. Seth Rollins is not done with him.
Seth Rollins wants the title back. The world title. He wants WrestleMania main event again. A 2 for 1 special that would put him ahead of his rival CM Punk.
John Cena. Final Rumble. Final Year. Final Run. Record 17 in sight. Win the Rumble, done it twice before, main event Mania. He made everyone aware that his time is coming up so he will do anything to make sure the last time, is a successful time.
Bloodline Civil War within the Rumble. I don't just mean OG v New, I mean Roman v Jey, Jey v Jimmy, Roman v Jacob, Roman v Sami, Roman v Solo. So many differences all with history.
Then you have Roman Reigns himself. The man who has made enemies with every single person in that locker room whether they are in the Rumble match or not, a stranglehold on the title for nearly 4 years that his family protected him with. When his music hits, everyone will be looking to eliminate him. The question is, will his family help him as he is the head of the table once again, he got the Ula Fala back or will they be willing to (over)throw the the chief to stake their claim, their chance at the head of the table in the main event of WrestleMania?
Randy Orton could return in the Cody KO Ladder match AND/OR also appear in this match. Hence why I put him in substitute section.
You'd think KO could interfere in the match to possibly attack Randy as revenge whether he has an affect on outcome of the ladder match or will KO instead go after Sami Zayn because he didn't help him, potentially be a participant himself and eliminates himself and Sami at the same time because he knew he wouldn't last the match due to the effects of the ladder match so why risk his career and WrestleMania but he's going to tear Sami's dream down of being in it because he didn't let theirs of main eventing WrestleMania together come true.
You have Bron Breakker, Jacob Fatu, Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio, Chad Gable, Carmelo Hayes, LA Knight and the newly signed impressive Penta, what better way to show off Penta against all the aforementioned men of various sizes that could be the iron men, set the most eliminations of the night, cross paths with each other depending on when they enter and give us moments to remember. You couple these guys with the main event names of Cena McIntyre Roman Punk Seth and you've got moments a plenty.
Trick Williams I predict to be the only NXT appearance in this match.
This Rumble doesn't need surprise entrants though they are always a joy, depending on who they are of course however the only one I can see happening due to the recently announced WWE-TNA partnership is the newly crowned TNA Champion Joe Hendry. They'll make history with this, a big pop, viral moment of the crowd singing his entrance theme, the TNA Champion is in the Rumble match and it will play in video packages for years to come.
The only outside shout I could see appearing in this match that people don't expect is Goldberg but Gunther because of how pure he views wrestling, decides to ruin it and stop him and that's how they set up the retirement match although rumours have gone round that there is currently no creative plans for Goldberg.
Or will the Final Boss decide to have the final say and decides he wants to be in the Rumble, win the Rumble 25 years after his last and main event WrestleMania?
For the first time in a long time, since 2008, I'm not sure who will win the Royal Rumble match. Every year since then, it's been 1 obvious winner or possibly 1 of 2 people who could win the Rumble and they usually end up in the final 2 or 3 most times and they end up at Mania title match in some capacity but this year, I can't call it.
Remember winning the Royal Rumble doesn't mean you main event WrestleMania, you just get a shot at the title. So many bigger stories matches and stars that will get that main event spot, there's only 2 spots. You still need a World Championship match even if it doesn't main event.
Cena going for number 17 final Rumble, tie Austin too. Cody Gunther or neither?
Punk and his dream of main eventing Mania, linked to Heyman's favour and Roman Reigns especially with no Rock (as it stands) this year at Mania.
Seth Rollins doesn't get the Punk Mania main event match because they did it at Netflix, Punk got that win, the Rumble and a world title is Seth's consolation for not getting the Mania main.
Roman will be in the main event, is it against Cody for the trilogy with no Rock and closing the chapter for good?
McIntyre similar to Seth doesn't get his Mania dream main event again and they use the rumble to set the Mania main events up but give McIntyre the rumble win and a world title match to reward him for his work over the last year against Gunther (unless he drops it before Mania) or is there the unlikeliest of unlikely outsiders?
Main event Jey Uso with the underdog rumble win for that World Championship moment.
Or does The Final Boss want to say hello to Mama Rhodes in the main event again but this time as WWE Undisputed Champion?