WWE Royal Rumble 2025 Feuds with Biggest WrestleMania 41 Implications

WWE Royal Rumble 2025 Feuds with Biggest WrestleMania 41 Implications0 of 5

Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens will settle their feud at the Royal Rumble, but it will have major ramifications for WrestleMania 41.Credit: WWE.com.

With the start of 2025, WWE has entered another WrestleMania season, beginning with this year’s Royal Rumble premium live event.

The show at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis will feature all of the top stars in the company, hoping to earn an opportunity to main-event The Show of Shows.

Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens will go to war in a ladder match with the Undisputed WWE Championship hanging in the balance.

CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn and more have announced their participation in the men’s Rumble match while continuing to feud among themselves.

Bayley, Nia Jax and Charlotte Flair were the first to announce for the women’s Rumble and have been followed by more top names.

This will be a night when the best of the best appear.

Many of these top names are in major rivalries that could play out in a huge way at the Royal Rumble. But which feuds will have the biggest impact on WrestleMania 41 season?

Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens1 of 5

This may be the most obvious answer to the question. Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens will most likely determine the world champion going into WrestleMania 41 on April 19-20.

What will The Prizefighter do in Saturday’s ladder match to finally get a win over The American Nightmare? Can Rhodes put KO behind him to prepare for the winner of the men’s Rumble match?

It is possible that the full plan of KO is revealed this weekend. Will he find allies in Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn or The Bloodline?

If the unlikely occurs and Owens wins the Undisputed WWE Championship, it would shake up the WrestleMania main event scene.

If the match does not main-event the PLE, could the loser enter the men’s Rumble match?

So much hangs on who can pull down the belts from the top of the ladder this weekend.

CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins2 of 5

CM Punk and Seth Rollins finally fought for the first time one-on-one in the main event of the first Raw on Netflix on Jan. 6.

While The Best in the World won in a definitive result, it did not feel like the end of the rivalry. And both will enter the Royal Rumble with a similar goal.

Of the favorites to win the men’s Rumble, Punk and Rollins stand out as likely victors to face Cody Rhodes or Gunther on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

However, only one can win, and it’s just as likely they get in each other’s way, setting up a rematch at WrestleMania 41.

No matter what, the way this story plays out at the Rumble will have a dramatic impact on this year’s Show of Shows.

Roman Reigns vs. The New Bloodline3 of 5

Roman Reigns remains the top active name in the business, less than a year removed from the longest world title reign in the modern era.

While his immediate goal is to win the men’s Rumble match and face Cody Rhodes for a third straight year, his family could cost him that opportunity.

The OTC might have recaptured the ula fala, but he does not have his full family to back him up due to his past actions.

Solo Sikoa still rides with Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa, who could look to cost Reigns his chance at another WrestleMania main event.

Questions also linger on where The Rock’s allegiances lie and whether he might appear during the Rumble, perhaps even compete.

For the first time in a long time, the future of Reigns is uncertain. The men’s Rumble match will play a major role in showcasing his immediate future.

Drew McIntyre vs. The Usos and Sami Zayn4 of 5

Drew McIntyre has clearly established his hatred for those who aligned themselves with Roman Reigns.

He got some revenge on Sami Zayn, but he remains a target as long as he is friends with Jey Uso.

Jey is the primary focus for The Scottish Warrior, though he will gladly put down Jimmy Uso again if he gets in the way.

This obsession could cost McIntyre his biggest opportunity to date, but his focus could also shift to Cody Rhodes if he won the men’s Rumble match or aided Kevin Owens against The American Nightmare.

Nothing is certain at this stage for the Scot, and both Jey and Zayn have stated their intention to be a world champion in 2025.

The way this plays out could affect Rhodes’ or Gunther’s road to WrestleMania.

Bayley vs. Roxanne Perez5 of 5

The women’s division is in a state of flux. Rhea Ripley has moved beyond her rivalry with Liv Morgan but has only found temporary rivals such as Nia Jax so far.

Tiffany Stratton dethroned Jax with the Money in the Bank briefcase, but WWE has held off on furthering that rivalry since.

However, one story has developed in a major way over the last couple weeks: Bayley vs. Roxanne Perez. The two have followed each other from NXT to SmackDown to Raw.

Perez is likely to make her full main roster move after the women’s Royal Rumble match.

How The Prodigy factors into Bayley’s WrestleMania direction also defines how her own career will begin with the Rumble.

Could the 23-year-old be the one to eliminate last year’s winner? Is this a chance for Perez to showcase her talent and make it to the final four?

The young star is unlikely to win with Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair likely competing, but anything is possible on the road to WrestleMania.