The Yeet Reigns Supreme In Our WWE Royal Rumble 2025 Pound-For-Pound Rankings

Last Month’s Ranking: N/A

Last Month’s Segments: In the past few weeks, “The Irresistible Force” has been focused on obliterating the woman who cashed in her Money in the Bank contract and took her World Championship—SmackDown’s Tiffany Stratton. Over the last month, Nia found herself in a feud with her longtime rival, RAW superstar and Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. These two powerhouses clashed at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event special; however, Jax was unsuccessful in her pursuit of the world title. Following this loss, the former multi-time champion set her sights on the Royal Rumble, hoping to headline the biggest show of them all—WrestleMania.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: After entering the Royal Rumble at #29, Nia Jax wasted no time dominating the field, first eliminating WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus. The 2024 Queen of the Ring showed no fear when the remaining competitors in the ring attempted to team up against her, but Jax ultimately overcame each opponent. She recorded nine eliminations in this year’s Rumble match, taking out notable names such as Iyo Sky, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella, NXT’s Stephanie Vaquer, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Naomi and Bianca Belair, and Zelina Vega. Jax now holds the women’s record for most eliminations in a single Royal Rumble match.

Last Month’s Segments: Former World Champion Liv Morgan has been embroiled in a feud with the current champion, Rhea Ripley, for the better part of the past year. On WWE’s massive debut episode of RAW on Netflix, Morgan lost the WWE Women’s Championship to The Eradicator and hasn’t been the same since. She has grown somewhat distant from her boyfriend, “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio, as well as the rest of her Judgment Day stablemates.

Perhaps Morgan was distracted by her aspirations of winning the Royal Rumble. Or maybe the former Money in the Bank winner soured on Judgment Day after Mysterio seemingly tried to worm his way back to Ripley—his former flame—following Morgan’s loss last month. Regardless, the intrigue surrounding her situation made Morgan a viable choice to win the Rumble.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: With the New Jersey native having recently held the World Championship, it was crucial for Morgan to have a strong showing in the Rumble match. She lasted over an hour—the second-longest time ever recorded in a women’s Rumble—proving that she remains a top competitor in the division.

Entering at #2, Morgan secured two eliminations, first taking out veteran Natalya and later eliminating the returning former World Champion, Alexa Bliss. She demonstrated her endurance and fighting spirit by attacking nearly every competitor who entered the match after her. Morgan delivered an impressive performance, reaffirming her status as one of the premier talents in WWE’s women’s division.

Last Month’s Ranking: N/A

Last Month’s Segments: At Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14, Cody Rhodes defended the Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens. Rhodes emerged victorious, but the loss left his Canadian-born opponent furious. Following the match, Owens attacked Rhodes with his finishing move—the package piledriver—which had been banned in WWE until recently. He then stole the recently reintroduced winged eagle WWE Championship belt, effectively sidelining Rhodes for a few weeks.

During the buildup to the Royal Rumble, Owens repeatedly claimed he was the true World Champion and even attempted to recruit his longtime friend and fellow Canadian, Sami Zayn, to assist him in dethroning Rhodes. As tensions escalated, The American Nightmare made his return and engaged in multiple brawls with Owens on WWE TV. Their rivalry culminated in a contract signing for a ladder match at the Royal Rumble, where both the winged eagle title and the Undisputed Championship—still in Rhodes’ possession—would be suspended above the ring. The storyline leading into the premium live event (PLE) was compelling, with many fans believing Owens had a legitimate shot at dethroning Rhodes.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: The WWE Champion found himself in an all-out war against a dangerous and determined Kevin Owens at the Royal Rumble. The two competitors brawled into the crowd before making their way back to ringside, escalating the intensity of the match. Owens, known for always delivering an entertaining performance regardless of the match type, did not disappoint.

Rhodes endured a relentless onslaught for most of the contest. Desperate to turn the tide, he attempted to climb the ladder to retrieve the titles, but Owens had other plans. The Prizefighter yanked the ladder from under Rhodes, leaving him hanging in mid-air, clutching the suspended championships—a thrilling moment that paid homage to classic ladder matches of the past. Owens capitalized on the situation with a brutal powerbomb variation.

In a critical moment, Rhodes attempted to superplex Owens from the top rope—an ambitious move that rarely succeeds. Instead, Owens countered with a devastating Avalanche Fisherman Buster onto a ladder, delivering one of the match’s most jaw-dropping spots. However, Owens’ downfall came after he was sent crashing through a ladder via an Alabama Slam, sealing the victory for Rhodes.

Despite the loss, Owens delivered a stellar performance, proving once again why he remains one of WWE’s elite competitors.

Last Month’s Ranking: N/A

Last Month’s Segments: Heading into the Royal Rumble, CM Punk was widely considered the odds-on favorite to win. However, there was no shortage of superstars determined to prevent that from happening. Since his WWE return in late 2023, The Second City Saint has reignited his longstanding rivalry with “The Architect” Seth Rollins, a feud that has spanned over a decade. Their tensions escalated further after Punk defeated Rollins on WWE’s Raw on Netflix debut in January.

In addition to Rollins, Punk also had to contend with Drew McIntyre, who was fixated on avenging his loss to Punk inside Hell in a Cell. More intriguingly, Punk had an undisclosed arrangement with The Wiseman Paul Heyman before Survivor Series in November, which led him to assist The Only Tribal Chief Roman Reigns in his War Games match.

As the Royal Rumble approached, Punk’s in-ring promo with Cody Rhodes on the final Raw before the PLE added yet another layer to his ongoing storylines. With so many narrative threads converging, Punk winning the Rumble seemed like a natural outcome—perhaps even too easy.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: Entering at #24, Punk had a lot to prove. Last year, the former multi-time champion suffered an injury during the match and ultimately finished as the runner-up. This time, he was determined to change the outcome. Upon entering the fray, Punk immediately clashed with Rollins before Drew McIntyre took his turn attacking him. Logan Paul also attempted to ambush Punk but was swiftly taken out with a crisp “Go to Sleep” finisher.

The defining moment of Punk’s performance came when he shockingly eliminated both Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns simultaneously—a feat that few could accomplish. However, his Rumble run came to an abrupt end when he was eliminated by Logan Paul. The chaos didn’t stop there, as all hell broke loose outside the ring. Punk and Rollins continued brawling at ringside before being forcibly separated by a swarm of WWE officials.

Although Punk didn’t win the match, his elimination of Reigns and Rollins set the stage for something even bigger. His story—especially with The Tribal Chief—is just beginning.

Last Month’s Ranking: N/A

Last Month’s Segments: Is losing a match against CM Punk on Netflix really that bad? If you’re Seth Freakin’ Rollins, it is. After blowing one of the biggest moments of his career, The Visionary attempted to regain momentum. He declared himself for the 2025 Royal Rumble, dreaming of once again winning the match and heading to WrestleMania. Often entangled with longtime rivals like Drew McIntyre and CM Punk, Rollins has been a focal point of Raw. Some fans even considered him a favorite to win the Royal Rumble.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: Much like Punk, Rollins’ most memorable moments occurred after his elimination. After being thrown out by CM Punk, Rollins became unhinged. Roman Reigns was outside the ring, and Rollins delivered an unprovoked Curb Stomp before engaging in another brawl with Punk. At every opportunity, The Revolutionary attacked a vulnerable Reigns, ultimately delivering a brutal stomp onto the steel steps.

The former World Champion showcased a vicious side, all but guaranteeing an intense and compelling story build as we approach WrestleMania. A great effort by Seth Rollins.

Last Month’s Ranking: No. 1

Last Month’s Segments: On the Raw on Netflix debut, Roman Reigns went to war in a Tribal Combat match against Solo Sikoa. After an intense battle, Reigns managed to vanquish his former protégé. Following his victory, The Tribal Chief was absent from television but remained a focal point of WWE programming, as multiple rivals—including Drew McIntyre and Kevin Owens—continued to mention him weekly. Even when he’s not on the show, Reigns remains a central figure in WWE.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: Entering his first Royal Rumble in five years, Reigns aimed to reassert himself in the World Title picture. He quickly made an impact, delivering devastating spears to The Miz and Sheamus, leading to their eliminations. The Tribal Chief then made short work of TNA’s World Champion Joe Hendry and Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker, eliminating both.

Reigns secured a total of four eliminations before being eliminated by CM Punk. Throughout the match, he remained a credible contender for victory. With his ongoing story involving Punk and Seth Rollins, WWE fans are in for a roller coaster ride in the months leading up to WrestleMania.

Last Month’s Ranking: N/A

Last Month’s Segments: Multi-time World Champion Charlotte Flair had been absent from WWE television for over a year due to a serious knee injury. Over the past few weeks, the daughter of the legendary Nature Boy Ric Flair released a series of videos online, documenting her incredible journey back to the ring and showcasing her intense training sessions. It was soon announced that she would be making her WWE return and entering the Royal Rumble. Once the world discovered Flair’s participation in the match, she immediately became one of the top contenders to win.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: Charlotte entered at #27—a number that has historically produced the most winners—and quickly became the center of attention. All eyes were on the queen as she made her way to the ring. Flair lasted over 15 minutes and secured four eliminations, taking out Michin, Nia Jax, Piper Niven, and, lastly, former NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez.

Despite her long absence, the former Royal Rumble winner showed no signs of ring rust, even delivering a perfectly executed Natural Selection on Bayley at one point in the match. Overcoming both a torn ACL and MCL, as well as fierce competition, Flair cemented her triumphant return by winning the Rumble. Now, she has the opportunity to choose which World Champion she will challenge in a headlining match at WrestleMania.

All hail the queen.

Last Month’s Ranking: N/A.

Last Month’s Segments: Over the summer, John Cena announced that 2025 would be the final year we see him perform in a wrestling ring. On the Raw on Netflix debut, the 16-time champion reflected on what the year might hold for him. He questioned whether he could still headline another WrestleMania. How would he get there? Could he win the Elimination Chamber match? Or maybe he could win the Royal Rumble?

After posing these questions to both the audience and himself, Cena officially declared his entry into the Royal Rumble match. While the announcement was predictable—since most fans expected him to compete—Cena remains one of the most entertaining and captivating figures in WWE history. The future Hall of Famer successfully piqued the interest of fans leading up to the Royal Rumble event.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: Cena has mastered an offensive style that he can execute effectively at any age, which worked in his favor during the match. He delivered all his signature moves, including a perfectly executed Five Knuckle Shuffle on the eventual winner, Jey Uso.

The battle-tested veteran engaged in a hard-hitting exchange with Uso on the ring apron before ultimately becoming the last man eliminated from the Men’s Royal Rumble. Cena lasted over 30 minutes in the match and secured three eliminations, taking out Braun Strowman, Finn Bálor, and YouTube sensation Logan Paul.

After the match, Cena “passed the torch” to Uso in true legendary fashion. A great outing from The Man We Can’t See.

Last Month’s Ranking: N/A

Last Month’s Segments: Known affectionately as Rok-C, the 23-year-old former NXT Champion has been in a heated rivalry with Raw superstar Bayley over the past few weeks. Perez would cost Bayley a win in a match against WWE women’s champion Tiffany Stratton after an exchange on NXT earlier in that same week. Roxanne entering the Royal Rumble could gain her back some much-needed momentum after losing her women’s championship to Giulia earlier this year.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: The earlier you enter the Rumble, the less likely you are to win the match. After entering at #3, Perez found her back against the wall against 29 other incredible women. Roxxane had a historic performance in this year’s Royal Rumble match, lasting over 1 hour and 7 minutes and shattering the record (previously held by Liv Morgan) for longest time spent by a woman in the match. She also tasted a bit of revenge when she eliminated the NXT Champion Giulia. After outlasting the rest of the field, Rok-C came up short in her quest to win the Royal Rumble, but she undoubtedly established herself as a mainstay for years to come.

Last Month’s Ranking: N/A

Last Month’s Segments: Earlier this year, the man with the “Yeet” catchphrase won a match to make himself the #1 contender for World Champion Gunther. At Saturday Night’s Main Event, Jey Uso faced Gunther and lost. For some stars, such a defeat would immensely derail their character development. However, “Main Event” Jey Uso proved he was too popular with the audience to lose any steam. Each week, the crowd chanted and sang along to Uso’s theme song while also doing the signature “yeet dance” with him. Jey wanted to prove he was not just the “right hand man” for Roman Reigns or the “other twin,” and that he could succeed as a solo (no pun intended) wrestler. For Jey, the Rumble match was the best opportunity to exhibit his skills and further elevate his value.

Royal Rumble In-Ring Performance: The former intercontinental champion found himself in a favorable position, entering the match at number 20 as approximately 70,000 people reacted with loud Yeet chants. Something felt special about the multi-time team champion that night. Uso had an unforgettable moment with the mega star LA Knight in which they went back and forth with strikes that inevitably forced the crowd to chant “yeah,” which is Knight’s catchphrase, and “yeet.” Truly entertaining! What fans will remember the most about Jey’s performance, however, is his interaction with John Cena at the end of the match. In what is unquestionably the biggest win of his career, Jey Uso eliminated Cena to win the 2025 Royal Rumble. Uso will now get a well-earned, well-deserved push and headline WrestleMania. What a start to the year for Main Event Jey Uso. Yeet!