3 Reasons why Roman Reigns didn’t win WWE Royal Rumble this year

Roman Reigns entered the Men's WWE Royal Rumble Match 2025 with high hopes of winning. However, the Original Tribal Chief’s dreams were shattered when CM Punk eliminated both him and Seth Rollins from the Rumble match. Following this, Reigns also faced the wrath of The Visionary, who stomped his head onto the steel steps.

Despite being one of the favorites to win the Rumble match, Reigns' failure to secure the victory came as a surprise to many fans. In this article, we will discuss three potential reasons why Roman Reigns didn’t win the 2025 traditional Rumble match.

---

#3. To keep Roman Reigns away from title picture

Roman Reigns had an impressive Undisputed WWE Universal Title reign that ended after a record-breaking run as champion. After nearly four years of holding the title, letting the Original Tribal Chief enter a title feud again so soon may not have been something Triple H planned for.

This could be the reason why Roman Reigns failed to win the Men’s Royal Rumble Match this year. If the OTC had won the match, he would likely have been engaged in a title feud.

However, the immense popularity of The Head of the Table still makes him relevant for a 'Mania mega feud, as he doesn’t need the title to look bigger. So, keeping the Original Tribal Chief out of the title picture could be one of the motives behind his failure to win the Rumble match.

---

#2. Roman didn't need the victory

The OTC has already proven his legacy and cemented himself as one of the best stars of this generation. The reality is that the OTC doesn’t need a Rumble victory anymore, as he has nothing left to prove. Speaking of accolades, The Head of the Table has previously won the Men’s Royal Rumble Match back in 2015.

With one Rumble victory already in his bag, Reigns doesn’t need another one. Even with his guaranteed position as a main-event star, Roman could easily get a world title shot at 'Mania, without even needing to win the Rumble match.

Giving Jey Uso the victory instead of the OTC would be something The YEET Master needed more to elevate his position on the roster. So, this could be why Reigns failed to win the traditional Rumble match.

---

#1. To set up Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins

If Roman hadn't been eliminated from the Men’s Royal Rumble Match by CM Punk, along with Seth Rollins, WWE wouldn’t have been able to plant the seeds for their potential Triple Threat bout.

Thus, kicking off their upcoming feud could serve as another rationale behind why the Original Tribal Chief failed to win the over-the-top-rope battle royal. With seeds planted now, the company could easily set up a 'Mania Triple Threat bout between the three of them.