2025 WWE Royal Rumble lineup: The complete list of men in the event
Wrestlemania gets the lion’s share of the attention when it comes to major pro wrestling events. But the Royal Rumble may be the most fun and exciting showcase on the WWE calendar.
This year marks the 38th time the annual battle royale will take place. Thirty men will enter the squared circle in staggered phases, all determined by a pre-match lottery (allegedly). Competitors are eliminated by being tossed over the top rope. If both their feet hit the ground, they’re out.
The last man standing wins the prize — a chance to compete in a world championship match at Wrestlemania 41. While we don’t know who’ll be holding the title — Saturday’s ladder match main event between current champion Cody Rhodes and the man who, in our hearts, we all know is the real champ (Kevin Owens) will guide the way to the “showcase of the immortals” — we do know Saturday’s winner will likely see them in the main event of the biggest wrestling show of the year.
Here are the men who’ve officially declared for the 2025 WWE Royal Rumble match:
- John Cena
- Roman Reigns
- CM Punk
- Seth Rollins
- Drew McIntyre
- Sami Zayn
- Shinsuke Nakamura
- Logan Paul
- LA Knight
- Jey Uso
- Penta
- Carmelo Hayes
- Bron Breakker
- Chad Gable
- Rey Mysterio
That’s a heady list of legends, current stars and up-and-coming studs. But it’s far from the full 30-man field.
Who else could show up? The Rumble is a bright stage for surprise entrants and shocking returns. Joe Hendry, local hero (shoutout ICW) seems like a safe bet given his rising popularity and his place atop TNA Wrestling, who just entered into a promotional agreement with WWE.
There are also some former stars who could return, shucking off old gimmicks for the big event. Matt Cardona and Nic Nemeth, formerly known as Zach Ryder and Dolph Ziggler, respectively, are high on that list. Pat McAfee, broadcasting in the same stadium where he was once an All-Pro NFL punter, feels like a near certainty.
There’s room for return from injury as well. Big E may not be cleared to wrestle after a broken neck threatened his career in 2022, but he’s played a major role in The New Day’s dissolution and could arrive to make things uncomfortable for Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods. Randy Orton has been out for a while and is running out of chances to square off with Cena.
We won’t know until the countdown ends and their entrance music hits. All we know for certain is someone unexpected is gonna show up and the crowd at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis is gonna go wild.