The Road to WrestleMania begins with the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble, which will occur tonight, February 1st, at 6 p.m. EST at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The event will stream live on Peacock and air on local cable and satellite providers.
Four matches have been advertised, including the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble matches and two championship matches. One is the WWE Tag Team Championship, which is being defended on a PLE for the first time since WrestleMania 40.
Let’s examine the match card and predict who will leave Lucas Oil Stadium victorious and have an opportunity to challenge for the World Titles at Wrestlemania 41.
WWE Tag Team Championship 2-Out-Of-3 Falls Match: DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) (c) vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
These two teams have fought three times before, with each team winning one match and one ending in a No-Contest.
Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin defeated Pretty Deadly’s Elton Prince and Kit Wilson to get this title shot. If DIY retains here, it would be with the help of Pretty Deadly, even after the interaction and argument between the two teams on yesterday’s Friday Night Smackdown.
I like the DIY as heels, which have made them a much more interesting tag team. I would like to see them keep the tag titles here going into WrestleMania Season.
However, based on the obstacles the MCMG faced and overcame to reach this point, it seems this will be their night to walk away with the titles.
Pick: Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
Undisputed WWE Championship Ladder Match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Kevin Owens
This match is the easiest one on the card to predict. While the storyline has been good, the question of who will win has never been raised.
Kevin Owens has been booked in his fair share of big-time championship matches, and the outcome has always been the same. He puts on great matches and can tell a great story, but in the end, the existing champion emerges as the winner.
This feud appears to end the same way. The match should be excellent, with champion Cody Rhodes walking out with his title in hand, setting up a slew of possible dream title matches for WrestleMania 41.
Pick: Cody Rhodes
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
The big story going into this rumble match is Charlotte Flair’s return and entry. Flair has been out for over a year due to injury, and her return was imminent.
Her return to the ring in this Rumble match has many speculating that she will win, making her the clear favorite, setting up a big title match at WrestleMania 41.
It’s important to note that most Rumble entrants who returned from injury and won the Rumble were surprise entrants, even though they were expected to return.
It is also worth noting that Becky Lynch is expected to make her long-awaited return as a surprise entrant in the rumble. Lynch or several other big names can win this match when you look at who is in it.
Flair’s return, however, is too big and far overshadows anyone else’s reason or story for entering the Rumble. I agree with the betting public and predict that Charlotte Flair will win this match.
Pick: Charlotte Flair
Men’s Royal Rumble Match
This men’s rumble match is a virtual who’s who in professional wrestling’s biggest stars in what could be the biggest Royal Rumble match of all time! The list of future first-ballot Hall Of Famers in this match is staggering, including talk of The Rock being a surprise entrant.
You can argue that many big names here, such as Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, or Sami Zayn, can win. However, the one name that continues to appear at the top of the list is John Cena.
Since announcing his entry into the match, Cena has been the favorite to win the Rumble. His odds have been shrinking throughout the weeks, with the latest odds this evening showing CM Punk pulling ahead of him as the favorite.
No, John Cena does not need to win the Rumble. However, he’s done much, especially over the last few years, elevating and putting over younger talent. Why not give him one last big win in his career before hanging it up?
It also can set up a potential dream match against Cody Rhodes for the championship at WrestleMania 41. Where else could there be a better passing of the torch moment?
For this reason, in addition to the recent love the WWE fans have shown Cena, I believe he will win the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble match.
One thing is for sure: With all the talent and stars in this one match, it should make for a memorable Rumble Match regardless of who wins!
Pick: John Cena
