John Cena & 4 other WWE Superstars AJ Styles must interact with if he returns in the 2025 men's Royal Rumble match

It's been months since AJ Styles last competed in a WWE ring, but his injury status still remains up in the air. A surprise return at Royal Rumble 2025, if he's cleared for action, could be the move.

Over the last nine years, The Phenomenal One has crafted a Hall of Fame-worthy WWE career for himself. He has fought almost every main-event star and emerged as a Grand Slam Champion. Thus, even though he hasn't come out on top in most of his key storylines over the last couple of years, he's still among the most must-see stars on the roster.

That said, if Styles turns out to be a surprise entrant in the upcoming Royal Rumble match, fans would love to see him interact with the following five WWE Superstars.

#5. 16x WWE World Champion John Cena

Although AJ Styles had already become an all-time great professional wrestler before he set foot in a WWE ring, his tremendous debut year in the Stamford-based promotion propelled him to unfathomable heights.

The Phenomenal One capped off his first year in WWE by wrestling John Cena in what many tout as a generational bout. That match, which served as the culmination of a heated feud that began in the summer of 2016, took place at Royal Rumble 2017.

So, it's understandable why fans are clamoring for Styles and Cena to run it back during the latter's farewell tour. While another one-on-one match between them is always welcome, a mere interaction during the Royal Rumble would also bring thousands in the crowd to the edge of their seats.

#4. Drew McIntyre

Just like McIntyre, Styles has his grievances against Roman Reigns and The Bloodline. Perhaps their mutual disdain for The Tribal Chief could bring them together during the Rumble.

Ever since his return late last year, The Scottish Warrior has taken it upon himself to hunt down members of the OG Bloodline. His only ally in this quest so far, Kevin Owens, will most likely not be a part of the Royal Rumble match this year. So, it would be wise for McIntyre to pursue new allies to boost the chances of Reigns not pointing at the WrestleMania sign at the end of the night.

That could prompt him to pitch an alliance with AJ Styles, provided the latter is an entrant in the 30-man match. This interaction could have major implications for the Road to WrestleMania 41.

#3. Carmelo Hayes

While fans want The Phenomenal One to feud with established main-event stars upon his WWE return, logic would dictate that he should settle his differences with Carmelo Hayes first.

It was during his match with the 30-year-old rising star that Styles suffered a serious injury. Given that, in Kayfabe, Melo is the reason why The Lone Wolf has been on the sidelines for months, he has to be on the radar of a vengeful AJ Styles.

Therefore, if the two-time WWE Champion makes his much-awaited comeback during the 2025 men's Royal Rumble match, he should immediately scope the field for Hayes. If he secures a successful sighting, Styles should instantly get his payback on Hayes by unloading on and then eliminating him.

#2. CM Punk

The illustrious history of professional wrestling is proof that real-life rivalries translate to incredible on-screen feuds. At Royal Rumble 2025, WWE might have an opportunity to tease a feud between two stars who aren't fans of each other in real life, i.e. AJ Styles and CM Punk.

Their animosity made headlines in 2020. The Phenomenal One went as far as dubbing The Second-City Saint an attention-seeker. So, even though almost five years have passed since they took shots at each other, the demand for them to square off still remains high.

WWE could plant the seeds for this dream feud in the upcoming Rumble match. They could either have a brief exchange of blows or save all the physicality for later and send chills down the fans' spines via a mere face-off.

#1. Logan Paul

It's true that The Maverick has already wrestled Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens & numerous other current top stars. So, it's high time he tests his might against The Georgia Pitbull.

The 47-year-old Styles facing a young star who never misses a chance to wow the crowd with his unrivaled aerial offense, just like the former used to back in the day, could be a great story. But like every good story, this potential feud would need a logical starting point, and the 2025 men's Royal Rumble match could be that.

If both The Maverick and The Phenomenal One work the Rumble match and are in the ring at the same time, there's no reason for them not to interact. WWE could have Paul eliminate Styles in sneaky fashion to begin their rivalry, which could result in a blow-off match at Elimination Chamber or, even better, at WrestleMania 41.