Royal Rumble delivers thrills 

By Jay’Mi Vazquez

Managing Editor

The 2025 WWE Royal Rumble provided a mixed bag of excitement, from surprise returns to some underwhelming matches.  

On Feb. 1, the Royal Rumble premium live event was streamed on Peacock, being a must-see for any wrestling fans. 

The Women’s Royal Rumble match kicked off the show. It was packed with familiar faces, some surprising returns and new talents looking to make their mark. 

One of the biggest moments came when Alexa Bliss made her long-awaited return after a two-year hiatus.  

This moment was the highlight of this match. It was not expected by anyone, but the moment was short lived as she was eliminated rather quickly. 

Another highlight was the return of Nikki Bella, who entered at number 30, adding a dose of nostalgia to the match.  

The NXT women’s roster, as expected, contributed fresh energy to the match, with some standout performances from the developmental stars like Lash Legend, Roxanne Perez and others.  

The legend Trish Stratus made a surprise return to the ring, which had fans roaring with excitement.  

Charlotte Flair’s return was another huge moment, especially after her extended absence due to injury. 

She, along with Nia Jax and Roxanne Perez, made it to the top three, but the match never reached the highs it could have. Flair won the Women’s Rumble, which felt unnecessary.  

She is already a decorated 14-time world champion, and she just returned from injury to get a shot at the title again. 

Despite the surprise appearances, the match itself lacked the intensity that the 2024 Women’s Rumble match had. It was by far one of the biggest disappointments of the night for avid fans.  

The much-anticipated 2-out-of-3 falls tag team match between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, DIY and the Motor City Machine Guns was hyped as a must-watch.  

The initial action was crisp and exciting, with both teams bringing their signature styles to the match. However, things took a turn when the Street Profits interrupted, helping DIY score the win.  

The interference left fans disappointed, as the finish felt abrupt and cheapened what could have been a classic encounter of four talented wrestlers. 

The ladder match between Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship was an absolute highlight of the night.  

Towards the latter part of the match, Owens hit Rhodes with a Michigan Buster through a ladder off the top rope. But Rhodes was able to shortly follow up with an Alabama Slam off the announcer’s table. 

In the end, Rhodes retained his title after a brutal contest, solidifying his spot as one of WWE’s top champions.  

The Men’s Royal Rumble match followed the ladder match and started strong, with Rey Mysterio and Penta kicking things off.  

Influencer IShowSpeed also made a cameo entry, but got completely annihilated by Intercontinental Champion, Bron Breakker.  

While the Men’s Rumble match had its share of legendary returns like AJ Styles and John Cena, the second half of the match grew stale and the action felt repetitive.  

One of the most shocking moments came when Logan Paul entered at number 30. It just felt like a waste for fans, who would have preferred a bigger star enter at the highly coveted 30 spot. 

Things heated up at the end of the match when CM Punk eliminated both Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns before being ousted by Logan Paul.  

The brawl outside of the ring from Rollins, Punk and Reigns was amazing. This spot is definitely setting up a potential trip threat match at the Elimination Chamber, or at WrestleMania. 

As the final three arrived—Logan Paul, Jey Uso and John Cena—the excitement was palpable.  

Ultimately, Jey Uso emerged victorious, claiming the win in a dramatic finish against John Cena, that will indefinitely set up intriguing future storylines for WrestleMania.  

As WWE looks ahead to the road to WrestleMania, it is unclear which direction Jey Uso will go. Most fans are assuming that he will choose Gunther in the main event of WrestleMania. While other fans are angry at the fact that John Cena was unable to win this match.