Happy New Year 2025

Tag: WWE

WWE NXT star Roxanne Perez dishes on CM Punk’s mentorship since his return

CM Punk shocked the pro wrestling world when he appeared at the end of Survivor Series in 2023. It was his first WWE appearance in a decade after a fallout with the company.

Aside from an untimely triceps injury that put him on the shelf for several months, Punk’s impact on the next crop of talent has been palpable.

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CM Punk enters the Hell in the Cell ring to face off against Drew Mclntyre during Monday Night RAW at the Ford Center on September 30, 2024, in Evansville, Ind. (WWE/Getty Images)

WWE NXT star Roxanne Perez posted several photos of herself with Punk as she’s sought the superstar’s mentorship since he returned. She told Fox News Digital about what it’s like having him.

“It’s awesome. The ‘Best in the World’ isn’t just a moniker. He is one of the best in the world,” she said. “So, to have him as a mentor and to have there at NXT, it’s cool. And he doesn’t have to do that. He doesn’t have to fly himself out and come watch our matches, and he’s standing there in (Gorilla Position) every single time a match ends, and he’s there telling them feedback.

“It’s just great. It’s great having him there.”

PRO WRESTLING LEGEND BOOKER T SETS EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT GREAT SUPERSTAR AHEAD OF ‘WWE LFG’

CM Punk makes his way to the ring during Monday Night RAW at Intuit Dome on January 6, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (WWE/Getty Images)

Punk showed up on NXT’s show in September, and Perez, when she was still the NXT women’s champion, had a chance to drop her own “pipe bomb” on him.

“That was awesome,” she said. “I think that’s another thing that definitely solidified me as what I say I am. I was able to step in with the best in the world, one of the best promos in the world, and I got him a little silent, I think.”

Perez will be looking to become a three-time NXT women’s champion at Vengeance Day. She will be in a fatal four-way match against defending champion Giulia, Bayley and Cora Jade.

Roxanne Perez (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

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Vengeance Day begins at 6 p.m. ET in Washington, D.C.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 15, 2025
WWE legend Booker T spells out what Jey Uso’s Royal Rumble win actually means

Jey Uso will be among the headliners at WrestleMania 41 after winning the 2025 Royal Rumble and challenging Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Uso eliminated John Cena to become the winner of the marquee event, which plays a critical part on the road to WrestleMania. It will also be a chance at redemption for Uso as he was nearly able to pin Gunther for the title at Saturday Night’s Main Event last month.

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WWE superstar Jey Uso rallies the fans during his entrance. (Dylan Azari/Special to the Telegram & Gazette/USA TODAY NETWORK)

WWE legend Booker T reacted to Uso’s win in an interview with Fox News Digital. He said Uso, and his brother, Jimmy, were one of those athletes who got to the gym early, stayed late and did everything anyone asked of him. For him, watching Uso win the Rumble was special.

“And then I watched Jey Uso make his meteoric rise from tag-team wrestling to singles wrestling,” said Booker T, who talked to Fox News Digital ahead of the debut of “WWE Legends and Future Greats.” “Not really wondering how far this thing is going to go, but let me go out here and do it and do it to the best of my ability. Let me go out here, give 100% every time they give me a task. Every time they put the microphone in front of me, let me go out here and try to make the fans feel something. And this ‘yeet’ thing has totally caught on, got everybody raising the roof – another aspect. I wonder where he got that from?

“To see Jey go out there and win the Royal Rumble, it definitely put him in that position where the company trusts him. Wouldn’t have won that Rumble if the company didn’t trust him. He has that title now, you know. When the company trusts you, it’s more than the best. For Jey to make it and cash in like that, I’m so proud of him, I really am.”

PRO WRESTLING LEGEND BOOKER T SETS EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT GREAT SUPERSTAR AHEAD OF ‘WWE LFG’

Jey Uso pushes John Cena off the ring, Feb. 1, 2025, during the WWE Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (Grace Smith/IndyStar/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Cena inserted himself into the men’s Elimination Chamber match in March.

The winner of that match will get a shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes since Uso already chose Gunther. Cena made clear at the post Rumble press conference he was using his veteran card to put himself in the match without having to go through the qualifier.

Booker T said it showed him that Cena is “not finished” with pro wrestling just yet.

However, he gave Cena his props for giving Uso the veteran rub as guys had given him in the past.

“John Cena did the right thing, though,” he told Fox News Digital. “John Cena went out there and did the right thing for the right guy, and he knew exactly what he was [doing]; don’t think that happened by accident or anything or happened any differently than John Cena wanted that to happen.

“John Cena, once upon a time, was that same kid as Jey Uso who needed a rub, that needed someone to believe in him and give him a shot. John Cena is the perfect person for that job.”

Booker T reacts after throwing out a ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers at Minute Maid Park in Houston in 2019. (Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)

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WrestleMania 41 is set for April 19-20 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 14, 2025
WWE star Roxanne Perez looks to make history in match for NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day
Roxanne Perez will have a chance at history on Saturday night when she takes part in a fatal four-way match for the NXT Women’s Championship at Vengeance Day.

Fresh off a Royal Rumble where she rewrote the record books by being the longest-lasting competitor, Perez will compete against defending champion Giulia, Bayley and Cora Jade to become the first three-time NXT women’s champion in the brand’s history. The only other two-time champions were Charlotte Flair and Shayna Baszler before they were called up to the main roster.

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Roxanne Perez is shown during the WWE Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Feb. 1, 2025. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

NXT general manager Ava Raine made the title match a fatal four-way after Jade’s win over Bayley on the final show before Vengeance Day. Perez told Fox News Digital in a recent interview she was “upset” that Raine cut her chances of possibly making history but was “focused” on the ultimate goal.

Perez and Bayley have feuded in recent weeks, and it came to a head when the young women’s superstar dressed up as one of Bayley’s older gimmicks just to be a thorn in her side.

“It’s so much fun,” Perez said. “Did you see the look on her face when I came out as her little old ‘Hugger’ Bayley? I think I got to her. She may have got me after, but I think I definitely got to her. But it’s been very fun.”

The 23-year-old said going up against Bayley was a dream that she had thought about since she was younger.

“I feel like I kind of manifested this since I was a kid. In the past few years, I’ve been saying I want to step in the ring with Bayley. She’s one of my dream opponents, dream matches,” she said. “But now I’m finally realizing I got to prove to her that ‘The Prodigy’ is just a little better, it’s way, way better.”

MICKIE JAMES REVEALS THE ‘LAST THING’ A PRO WRESTLER SHOULD WANT TO BE AS SHE GEARS UP FOR ‘WWE LFG’

Roxanne Perez regained the NXT Women’s Championship at Stand & Deliver 2024. (WWE)

Perez won the NXT Women’s Championship for the first time on Dec. 13, 2022, and held it for 108 days before she lost a six-way ladder match at NXT Stand & Deliver 2023. She regained the title at Stand & Deliver 2024 against Lyra Valkyria.

Giulia defeated Perez at New Year’s Evil back in 2025 as the former Stardom and Marigold star made her impact felt on NXT.

Perez explained to Fox News Digital what having the NXT Women’s Championship meant to her.

“Means everything to me,” she said. “I think winning it the first time, I definitely solidified myself as one of the best wrestlers that WWE has. I solidified myself as ‘The Prodigy.’ And it was the first title I won in WWE, my first singles title. Every single thing, every hurdle, every hard thing that I went through to get here, that proved to me that every single thing was worth it.

“I don’t think that there’s one girl on that roster that loves that title more than me, that wants the title more than me. So, that’s exactly why I’m going to become a three-time NXT women’s champion, and I’m going to take the women’s championship straight to RAW, straight to SmackDown, and maybe, if I decide to vacate it, somebody else will have a chance. But I don’t know. I think it belongs to me. Giulia’s just holding it for now.”

Here’s how the rest of the card will shape up to be:
- Obama Femi vs. Austin Theory vs. Grayson Waller for NXT Championship
- Fallon Henley vs. Stephanie Vaquer for NXT North American Championship
- Trick Williams vs. Eddy Thorpe in a strap match
- Nathan Frazer & Axiom vs. Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura for NXT Tag Team Championship
- Je’Von Evans vs. Ethan Page in a singles match
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Ivy Nile and Chelsea Green and Roxanne Perez during the Women’s Royal Rumble at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

Vengeance Day will take place in Washington, D.C., starting at 6 p.m. ET.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
February 14, 2025
Pro wrestling legend Booker T sets expectations for next great superstar ahead of ‘WWE LFG’

Legendary professional wrestler Booker T will be one of the four coaches tasked to find the next top competitor on the upcoming A&E series “WWE Legends and Future Greats.”

The show, also known as “WWE LFG,” takes 16 budding professional wrestlers and lets them learn under the guided eyes of Booker T, Mickie James, Undertaker and Bubba Ray Dudley. While each coach has their own styles and backgrounds, Booker T has experience as a coach.

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A fan, right, takes a picture with WWE wrestler Booker T before the Houston Dynamo play the Seattle Sounders in the first leg of the MLS Western Conference Championship at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on Nov. 21, 2017. (Thomas B. Shea-USA TODAY Sports)

Booker T is the founder of the independent promotion Reality of Wrestling (ROW), which became an independent wrestling school for WWE’s latest developmental program, WWE ID. Much like his fellow coaches, he has been through the ups and downs that pro wrestling has to offer. He has been a world champion with WWE, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling, and he has been on the independent and international scenes.

He explained to Fox News Digital in a recent interview what he is looking for in a pro wrestler.

“How much heart they have, how much they really, really want it, and how far they’re willing to go because with professional wrestling, I tell my students, it’s not going to come to you,” he said. “You got to go to it as far as the studying side of it.

“Do you really want to be a professional wrestler or do you want to just play wrestling? It’s so many different elements that goes into it. But I’m looking for the guy that wants it. It’s hard to judge a book by its cover because you might see the one guy, he may have everything on the outside you’re looking for, but it may have zero on the inside that you’re looking for. On the other hand, it could be totally the opposite.”

Aside from being a prolific singles competitor with multiple world championship reigns, Booker T broke into WCW as a tag-team wrestler with his brother, Stevie Ray. The two were known as the Harlem Heat and took the tag-team scene by storm.

Former WWE Superstar Booker T cuts a promo for the upcoming 2020 Royal Rumble to be held at Minute Maid Park, on Sept. 18, 2019 in Houston. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)

JEY USO CHOOSES GUNTHER AS WRESTLEMANIA 41 OPPONENT WITH WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE

The Harlem Heat were 10-time tag-team champions in WCW. Booker T also won tag titles with Rob Van Dam, Goldust and Test.

He told Fox News Digital he was not looking for one person to have a certain specialty, rather a person who is ready for any type of challenge.

“I’m looking for someone who can find themselves in situations, and no matter what the situation is, they know how to figure it out,” he said. “A lot of these guys are dealing with this competition from just about every aspect we possibly can put them in – from a tag-team perspective, from a singles perspective, from a surprise perspective.

“There’s going to be so many different elements that we’re going to put them through. They’re going to, like I say, run the gambit as far as that goes. But I’m looking for someone who’s prepared for those situations because, just like I’ve been talking to my students since day one, preparation is the only luck you’re going to have in making it in this business.”

“WWE Legends and Future Greats” features four coaches trying to develop the next great superstar. (A&E)

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“WWE Legends and Future Greats” is on A&E at 8 p.m. ET starting Sunday.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 13, 2025
Mickie James reveals the ‘last thing’ a pro wrestler should want to be as she gears up for ‘WWE LFG’

Mickie James is a legend when it comes to women’s professional wrestling.

She performed in the National Wrestling Alliance, Ring of Honor, Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling and Ohio Valley Wrestling before breaking out with WWE in 2005.

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James had a lasting and memorable career with WWE, with her first stint ending in 2010 and her second stint ending in 2021. She was a five-time WWE women’s champion and one-time WWE Divas champion. She was in TNA, Global Force Wrestling and a few other indie promotions in between runs with WWE.

James’ vast experience in professional wrestling made her the perfect choice as a coach in the upcoming television show “WWE Legends and Future Greats,” also known as “WWE LFG.”

Mickie James arrives prior to the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 15, 2018. (Larry McCormack/The Tennessean via USA TODAY NETWORK)

The reality show, which premieres on Sunday, will see James, The Undertaker, Booker T and Bubba Ray Dudley mentor the next generation of wrestling superstars. Viewers will get an inside look at what it takes to make it in the business.

James told Fox News Digital in a recent interview it was quite difficult to determine what type of characteristics she looked for in a pro wrestler given a competitor’s background and experience.

“Each person you have to coach so differently depending on where they are in their wrestling journey,” she explained. “I always say that I think what makes a superstar is the ability to tap into the thing that makes you unique, that stands out from the crowd, whether it be physically or emotionally or whatever, and making that larger than life.

“In my opinion, as a talent, a lot of the times those things that, just through culture and our desire to fit in and be like everyone else and normal – that’s the last thing you want in wrestling is to be like everyone else and normal. You want to be larger than life. Those things that make us and set us apart and make us so different are the things that we’ve pushed down and tapped down and kind of hidden and are insecure about.

Ruby Riott, right points to Mickie James standing on the corner ropes before the start of a women’s match during Saturday’s WWE Live wrestling event Jan. 19, 2019. (Ronald W. Erdrich/Reporter-News)

JEY USO CHOOSES GUNTHER AS WRESTLEMANIA 41 OPPONENT WITH WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE

“And, I could just be speaking for myself, but I often find those are the things that you want to make larger, even bigger and go bigger with because those are the things that are going to set you apart from everybody else. The last thing you want is to be like anyone else in the arena.”

James said she was excited to be a coach on the show and to pull the curtain back on some of the WWE greats she will be working with.

She added that she believed she had a unique experience because of her career trajectory.

“I do think I relate most to these ‘Future Greats’ because I did go through the developmental system and then came up to television,” she told Fox News Digital. “I can understand. I can relate a little bit more with them of what it feels like to be in their shoes.

“It’s been a lot of run to do. I feel like I’m constantly learning even still and it’s cool to get to know these talent on a different level, on a real personal level and have fallen in love with all of them. But also to get to know all of my fellow coaches on a different level and hopefully earn a newfound respect from all of them. They certainly, I feel like, are my brothers now and I adore each and every one of them. So, yeah, it’s been a lot of fun.”

“WWE Legends and Future Greats” features four coaches trying to develop the next great superstar. (A&E)

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“WWE Legends and Future Greats” is on A&E at 8 p.m. ET.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 13, 2025
Ricky Starks makes stunning WWE NXT appearance after release from rival company

The WWE Universe was left stunned on Tuesday as NXT wrapped up its latest episode as pro wrestling superstar Ricky Starks showed up to the building to address the crowd.

Starks was released from All Elite Wrestling on Monday following a months-long absence. He hadn’t been seen on AEW television since March 30, 2024, when he and Big Bill lost a tag-team match to Dante and Darius Martin.

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Ricky Starks at San Diego Comic-Con on July 23, 2022, in San Diego, California. (Irvin Rivera/Getty Images for IMDb)

He made an appearance at a Game Changer Wrestling show at the American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and then appearances at House of Glory last month. He won the DEFY World Championship last week against defending champion KENTA.

Then, he was released. WWE didn’t appear to waste any time for him to show up.

“Holy crap!” NXT broadcaster Vic Joseph said as Starks appeared in the crowd.

Fans in attendance cheered Starks’ name as he addressed them.

JEY USO CHOOSES GUNTHER AS WRESTLEMANIA 41 OPPONENT WITH WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE

“It’s obvious you know who I am,” he said. “If NXT is the future of professional wrestling, well guess what? You need an absolute superstar of the future. If this is the hottest brand, well you need the hottest free agent right now, baby.”

Starks’ appearance in NXT is the latest example of a pro wrestler making a stunning jump to a rival company.

Ethan Page performed at AEW up until the summer of 2023, and then he was at Ring of Honor before he joined WWE last year. Shawn Spears was with AEW from its launch in 2019 before he rejoined WWE in February 2024 and started to perform in NXT.

On the flip side, former WWE stars Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin and MVP were among those to recently appear in AEW after their departure from the Connecticut-based company.

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The WWE Monday Night Raw Supershow Halloween event on Oct. 31, 2011, in Atlanta. (Moses Robinson/Getty Images)

It’s unclear what impact Starks will make right off the bat. But it was clear fans were excited for his arrival.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 13, 2025
WWE touts historic Royal Rumble numbers as more than 70,000 attend event

The WWE on Monday touted historic numbers around the Royal Rumble, which saw Jey Uso and Charlotte Flair win the men’s and women’s marquee matches over the weekend.

The Royal Rumble took place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, transforming the home of the Indianapolis Colts into a pro wrestling spectacle. The company announced it was the “most-successful and highest-grossing Royal Rumble” in its history.

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Jey Uso points to the WrestleMania 41 sign. (WWE)

WWE said the 2025 event drew the largest gate for any single-night event in the promotion’s history. Around 70,342 fans attended the event. The attendance figure sits only behind WrestleMania 40’s Night 1 and 2 attendance at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

The company added that viewership was up 14% in the U.S. from last year. Bayley and Cody Rhodes each won their Rumble matches and went to WrestleMania 40 to win their respective titles.

WWE said merchandise and sponsorship sales were also up.

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John Cena raises Jey Uso’s hand. (WWE)

Social media appeared to be interested in streamer IShowSpeed’s appearance in the men’s Rumble match. He took the place of Akira Tozawa who wasn’t able to compete in the match at the last second. IShowSpeed entered the ring and did a backflip to hype of the fans.

But the streamer’s time was short-lived. Bron Breakker bounced off the ropes at full speed and nearly broke IShowSpeed in half with a spear. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque applauded IShowSpeed for his willingness to take the spear.

The moment generated more than 300,000,000 views across social media platforms in less than 24 hours.

The 2025 Royal Rumble took place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (WWE)

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The Royal Rumble is the first premium live event on the road to WrestleMania 41. Uso and Flair are guaranteed world title matches. It’s up to them to pick who they will face.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 3, 2025
WWE legend Triple H reflects on surprise Hall of Fame announcement

Paul “Triple H” Levesque was surprised at WWE HQ last week when CEO Nick Khan and legends Shawn Michaels and Undertaker revealed he would be the first member of the 2025 Hall of Fame class.

Levesque will go into the Hall of Fame as a solo wrestler. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a member of the D-Generation X tag-team with Michaels, who were both integral parts of the “Monday Night Wars” against World Championship Wrestling in the late 1990s.

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WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque aka Triple H speaks during a press conference after the WWE Royal Rumble at the Alamodome in San Antonio on Jan. 28, 2023. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

He spoke about receiving the honor at the Royal Rumble post-event press conference.

“In business for me, outside of the ring, there’s nobody that I respect more, nobody, than him,” he said of Khan. “He’s my partner in all of this. So him doing that for me was incredibly meaningful.”

Last week, Khan was addressing the company when Michaels and Undertaker, whose real name is Mark Calaway, interrupted and surprised Levesque with their own announcement.

“From a guy who usually has something to say about everything, I’m speechless,” Levesque said on Wednesday. “I’m gonna kill Nick when we leave here. If you see someone flying off of the roof, just ignore it. I don’t really know what else to say.”

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Stephanie McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque arrive at the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angels on Sept. 22, 2019. (Harrison Hill-USA TODAY)

Levesque was a 14-time world champion in WWE, winning the WWE Championship nine times and the World Heavyweight Championship five times. He had significant feuds with The Rock, Mick Foley, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Michaels, Undertaker and countless others throughout the duration of his career.

He became WWE’s chief content officer in 2022 and helped usher in a “new era” in the company following the departure of Vince McMahon, his father-in-law, due to sexual misconduct allegations. He has since been the main voice behind the company’s creative work.

Levesque’s WrestleMania XX match against Chris Benoit and Michaels, his WrestleMania 22 match against John Cena and WrestleMania XXIV match against Undertaker are considered some of the best in the event’s history.

Paul “Triple H” Levesque speaks at a WWE news conference at T-Mobile Arena on Oct. 11, 2019 in Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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The WWE Hall of Fame ceremony is usually set for the Friday before WrestleMania, which would be April 18. He is the only person in the class so far.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 3, 2025
2025 Royal Rumble: 5 predictions for major WWE premium live event

The Royal Rumble is one of the WWE’s marquee premium live events of the year.

The event features the annual Royal Rumble match for both the men’s and the women’s divisions, respectively. The unique program consists of 30 participants entering the ring with the last person in the ring standing earning a shot at the world championship at WrestleMania.

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Cody Rhodes celebrates after winning the Men’s Royal Rumble match at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Jan. 27, 2024. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

The match starts with two participants in the ring with a new competitor entering the ring every 90 seconds or so. The only way participants can be eliminated is if they’re thrown over the top rope and both of their feet hit the ground.

One of the best things about the match is the feeling that anyone could win and anyone could be in the match. WWE legends, stars who recovered from injuries, or wrestlers who fans haven’t seen in a while have been known to make epic returns and stun the audience.

Former WWE star Edge, whose real name is Adam Copeland, talked to Fox News Digital in 2022 about what it was like to return in the Royal Rumble in 2020 after being out of in-ring action for about 10 years due to injuries.

“I expected if we could keep it as under wraps as we could, then, yes, just for the sheer shock of it,” he told Fox News Digital at the time when asked whether he expected the wild crowd reaction.

“Because, just like everyone, I assumed that it’s done,” he said of what he thought of his wrestling career at the time. “So, because of that, I assumed there would be a pretty shocked response, and then you do it in a stadium and chances are there’s going to be a pretty good reaction. Even though I thought that, it still doesn’t really prepare you for every emotion that really jolts through your system at that point. I kind of felt like I got hit by lightning in a good way.”

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn celebrate after defeating The Usos for the Undisputed WWE tag team championship during WrestleMania Goes Hollywood at SoFi Stadium on April 1, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

This year is no different. The road to WrestleMania 41 is foggy at best at this point. Champions like Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Rhea Ripley and Tiffany Stratton don’t have opponents for the big couple of nights coming up on April 19-20 in Las Vegas.

The 2025 Royal Rumble in Indianapolis at Lucas Oil Stadium will feature the Rumble matches, a ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Championship between Rhodes and Kevin Owens, as well as a WWE Tag Team Championship match between Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley and Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa.

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Read below for five predictions for what might happen in the event.

1. John Cena will be welcomed back with open arms

John Cena is shown during WrestleMania Goes Hollywood at SoFi Stadium on April 1, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

WWE fans expected John Cena to be on weekly programming since he made his return to “Monday Night Raw” this month. But that hasn’t been the case. He did announce himself for the Royal Rumble, and when he does come back, his entrance will blow the roof off of the stadium.

2. Logan Paul, Penta steal the show

Logan Paul has stunned the wrestling audience with the moves he can pull off in the middle of a WWE ring. It’s earned him street cred among hardcore pro wrestling fans and has emboldened his trash talk on the mic to make him one of the biggest heels on the roster. He really got an earful from the crowd in Atlanta on Monday.

Paul had pulled off some incredible moments with former WWE star Ricochet, and with Penta joining the fracas over the last few weeks, it’s likely the two will pull off something wild in the ring for the fans in Indianapolis.

Penta has drawn immense praise since he debuted in WWE, and his debut in the Rumble match is certainly welcomed.

3. Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn begin bitter feud

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are best friends inside and outside the wrestling ring. They have been at nearly every promotion together and have dominated for quite some time. But their journey is at a crossroads.

Owens is already in a match for the WWE title against Rhodes early in the night. It will appear unlikely that he enters the Royal Rumble match. But with Zayn being friends with Rhodes, the possibility of Zayn costing Owens the title is very much in play.

In turn, watch for Owens to cost Zayn in the Rumble match and ignite a path of best friends-turned-bitter enemies.

4. There will be major returns and debuts

Rhea Ripley (black attire) and Becky Lynch compete in the Women’s World Championship match during WrestleMania XL in Philadelphia on April 6, 2024. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

The Royal Rumble is always known for something wild to happen, and it’s likely something like that will occur again.

The women’s Rumble could include pro wrestlers like Becky Lynch, Nikki Bella or Jordynne Grace. The latter signed a deal with WWE after her contract with TNA expired, Fightful Select reported this week, though Grace was adamant that she wouldn’t be in Indy for the weekend. Additionally, Jade Cargill suffered an on-screen injury and was written off of her storyline as a tag-team champion with Bianca Belair. She could potentially return to confront the person who “attacked” her.

The men’s side could also bring out a major return.

The Rock is always rumored to be involved in WWE storylines one way or the other, but his speech to kick off Raw’s Netflix debut left fans wondering whether he would try to tie up loose ends with Rhodes, Roman Reigns and the rest of the Bloodline.

Omos has also made an impact at the NOAH promotion in Japan. The 7-foot-3 wrestler’s popularity increased as he spent time there and might make at least one more appearance in WWE. His former teammate, A.J. Styles, has also been off television for a while and a return at the Rumble would surprise fans.

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5. CM Punk and Charlotte Flair win the Rumble matches

CM Punk is shown during the Men’s Royal Rumble match at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Jan. 27, 2024. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

CM Punk was injured in the Royal Rumble match last year, and it cost him months and an in-ring spot at WrestleMania 40. His intense promo with Rhodes on “Monday Night Raw” was passionate and piqued the interest of the wrestling fan. A Punk-Rhodes WrestleMania main event would definitely be the talk of the pro wrestling world in the spring.

Charlotte Flair has not been seen in a WWE ring since she tore her ACL, MCL and meniscus during a match on SmackDown on Dec. 8, 2023. She’s appeared in vignettes on WWE programming in recent weeks and is set for a Rumble return.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

February 1, 2025
WWE star ‘feeling in danger’ after scary ‘romantic’ advances during fan interactions

WWE superstar Asuka, the four-time world champion, said she has recently felt in danger and has contacted the police regarding fan interactions that have had “romantic” advances involved.

Asuka, whose real name is Kanako Urai, is a Japanese professional wrestler who sent out multiple posts on her X account Wednesday, when she expressed her feelings about recent fan interactions that had been taken too far in her eyes.

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“I’ve been feeling in danger recently,” she wrote on X. “I’ve already consulted the police. At this rate, even if fans approach me at the airport or in the city, I will feel the possibility that something might happen, and it will scare me, making me unable to respond.”

Asuka kneels on Iyo Sky during the triple threat women’s championship match of the WWE Fastlane pro wrestling event on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. (IMAGN)

While Asuka did not talk about a specific interaction she had with fans, she did express her want for fans to stop having “romantic feelings for me.”

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“It’s meaningless – 100% pointless,” she wrote in a separate post.

“There is absolutely no possibility for others to interfere in my private life.”

It is worth noting this is not the first time a WWE star has dealt with fans who take their love for the sport and brand too far.

Asuka battles in the Women’s Money in the Bank match during Money in the Bank at Dickies Arena. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

Fellow star Sonya Deville had an obsessed fan of hers drive from his home in South Carolina to Tampa Bay, Florida, where she lived, with the intent of abducting her. The man, Phillip Thomas, carried a knife, zip ties, duct tape and mace, and broke into her home.

A plea deal was ultimately struck for 15 years in prison in 2023 after the incident in 2020, when Thomas was charged with attempted kidnapping, aggravated stalking and armed burglary.

Asuka, 43, has not been wrestling of late, as she suffered an injury in May 2024, which required knee surgery.

Asuka during Wrestlemania Night 2 at SoFi Stadium. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

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Asuka is the longest-reigning NXT women’s champion, and she’s also won the Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank in her career, which began in 2015.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 30, 2025