The Royal Rumble is always a highlight for WWE fans on the wrestling calendar. Every year, fans eagerly await the event's surprise entrants, shocking eliminations, and fast-paced action that comes with one of the greatest stipulation matches in the wrestling world.
The 2025 Royal Rumble, airing live from Indianapolis, IN tonight at 6 pm ET, promises to be no different. Fans have been speculating for weeks about who the surprise participants in this year's Rumble match could be.
Names like Becky Lynch, Joe Hendry, and Matt Cardona have all been mentioned, but one rumored name towers above the rest. In the lead-up to the event, speculation has run wild that The Rock will make a surprise appearance tonight.
Not only is there speculation about The Rock appearing, but some believe he will be in the Royal Rumble match himself. There's a very creative theory floating around that involves the former Rocky Maivia flexing his political power.
Will The Rock be in the Royal Rumble tonight?
The last time we saw The Rock — save for a brief NXT appearance — was at Monday Night RAW's Netflix premiere when he seemingly ditched his "Final Boss" character and made amends with WWE champion Cody Rhodes. But what if that was all a swerve?
What if the plan all along was to throw WWE fans off the scent and have The Rock shockingly return as The Final Boss in the Royal Rumble? That's what fans seem to be speculating.
There's some credence to the rumors. The Rock somewhat curiously appeared in Netflix’s latest Royal Rumble promotional video. The Great One pops up at the very end of the video when the clock strikes 0:01, suggesting he could be a surprise entrance.
But this is The Rock we're talking about — a larger-than-life character who demands an equally bold booking decision to justify his place in the match.
One genius fan theory would see The Rock enter himself into the match at the fictional No. 31 spot. As a member of the TKO board of directors, The Rock could flex his political power — in storyline, right? — and force his way into the match.
Just picture it. Entrant No. 30 enters the ring. Everyone in the arena is focused on the men in that squared circle with an obvious belief that one of them will be this year's Royal Rumble winner.
Then, suddenly — a timer appears on the screen.
The arena falls into a stunned hush. 10... 9... Confusion spreads like wildfire. This wasn’t supposed to happen. 8... 7... Some fans clutch their heads, others exchange bewildered glances. 6... 5... A murmur grows, frantic whispers giving way to gasps. 4... 3... A realization dawns.
2... 1... The buzzer sounds.
A beat of silence. Then — BOOM!
The speakers explode. The entire building shakes.
"IF YOU SMELLLLL...."
The retractable roof nearly blows off Lucas Oil Stadium. Some fans scream, others jump to their feet, and a few stand frozen in sheer disbelief. The impossible has happened. The Rock has returned.
Does he win the match? Possibly. Maybe he goes onto WrestleMania to face Rhodes for the WWE Championship. It's a scenario worth exploring, even if the idea of a 52-year-old Dwayne Johnson fighting for a world title isn't all that appealing.
The entire wrestling world is buzzing with anticipation for tonight's Royal Rumble event. If WWE plays its cards right — and The Rock is willing (and available) to play ball — we could have a return for the historic books later tonight.