WWE's Most Important Story to Tell During Men's Royal Rumble 2025
WWE's 2025 edition of the Royal Rumble on February 1 has many, many interesting stories it could weave, especially in the men's match at the very top of the card.
Even casual fans know the big ones worth a mention: Possible huge returns. John Cena's retirement tour. Bloodline shenanigans. Seth Rollins' hatred for CM Punk. Everyone and anyone who wants a shot at Cody Rhodes. Even the specter of the Rock hangs in the background.
But the most important story of all for WWE to tell? Punk and his grip on Roman Reigns.
Grip, because Punk cut a deal with Paul Heyman behind Reigns' back before the Survivor Series "WarGames" match and assisted the Tribal Chief—who now owes the Best in the World a "favor."
Fast foward to just a few weeks out from the rumble and, while everyone on the planet seems stuck on Punk's (hilarious) comments about Hulk Hogan, there's a little tidbit in his ranting that refers to the favor Reigns owes him.
That "favor" is by far the biggest wild card in the rumble, and it's getting a mention now, even subtly, for a good reason. Because on paper, it seems super obvious—Punk will call it in during the men's rumble match, requiring Reigns to help him clear the ring and win the whole thing.
Fans can see where this hypothetical is going given what they know about both men, of course. Reigns might help at first, especially if Heyman is on the outside, convincing him to do so. After all, an agreement is an agreement, and Reigns wouldn't be where he's at in the ongoing Bloodline saga right now had Punk not helped at Survivor Series.
But the help isn't likely to last.
At some point, one has to imagine that Punk and Reigns would indeed clear most of the entrants from the ring. But that's when the realization will hit the Tribal Chief that he's oh-so-close to another WrestleMania main event and, perhaps more importantly, another shot at Rhodes and everything he lost when his historic title reign ended one year ago.
Not that Punk wouldn't foresee this and be ready, leading to a collapse of the alliance in real-time and some third party swooping in and eliminating them both. If one had to guess, that's an opportunistic Cena stealing the rumble win and the right to go on and challenge Rhodes to really get the retirement party started.
One smooth storytelling swoop like that and 'Mania is set about as perfect as it could be, provided Rock doesn't fly back in at the last second and ruin the storytelling again.
In this scenario, Punk gets peeved that Reigns didn't make good on the favor and cost him a 'Mania main event. Reigns would be mad at the latter, too, while also justifiably mad that he was put in this position in the first place without his consent by Heyman, ever the schemer. And Heyman, of course, would be stuck in the middle, smack between his past and present.
WWE has thrown down several hints at a Punk vs. Reigns 'Mania match for good reason, so this is one solid way to get things there. The pops and ratings the two generate together almost comically dwarf anything else the company has on offer right now. The match wouldn't need a title at stake, but it wouldn't be all that shocking to see Gunther lose his to one of the two before 'Mania, either.
Furthering this notion is the fact WWE wasted (and that's the right word, the show was lukewarm and corporate-filled weirdness at best) what should have been a 'Mania Night 1 main event between Punk and Rollins on Raw's Netflix debut.
Granted, WWE could revert to Vinceish booking habits and actually have one of Punk or Reigns win the whole rumble at the cost of the other, weaving their way to a triple-threat main event involving Rhodes, too.
More appealing, though, is Cena getting the Rhodes match while Punk and Reigns headline the other night in a blood feud that now slots as the best long-running story going in a narrative-focused WWE.
Of the many stories the royal rumble needs to tell, this is by far the most important right now. WWE has made a habit of missing out on dream 'Mania main events over the years (Sting-'Taker, Rock-Reigns, etc. etc.) and can't let Reigns vs. Punk be another.
Right now, there's nothing more compelling in pro wrestling. With a device like the Royal Rumble and 'Mania now split into two nights, meaning two main event chances, there's no excuse to put any other story above the simmering drama between Reigns and Punk.
