Over 65,000 WWE fans packed Lucas Oil Stadium for the 2025 Royal Rumble premium live event. There were a lot of reasons to tune in, and WWE gave a ton of attention to Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens ladder match in the build toward the event.
This match went on third of the event, after the WWE Tag Team Title match was ended thanks to the Street Profits interfering. The contest also received a big match feel, thanks to Alicia Taylors introductions.
Kevin Owens took the lead in this match early on, as Cody Rhodes sold the attack. It also didnt take them very long to get a ladder involved, with Cody taking a bodyslam into the metal. The two fought in the crowd all over Lucas Oil Stadium after that.
The match continued, and Cody Rhodes did a lot of selling as Kevin Owens beat him around the ring. A bottom rung was broken off the ladder, giving Cody and Kevin both a chance to use it as a weapon. At one point, Kevin took a brutal back bump onto the ladder, and then he returned the favor by powerbombing Cody through a ladder that was propped up in the turnbuckle.
Cody then took a fishermans buster from Owens through a ladder that was propped up on the ropes and the ladder in the middle of the ring. That was another brutal spot as WWE officials went to the ring to check on Owens and Rhodes after that, including Sami Zayn, who spoke to Kevin Owens before checking on Rhodes. Then the match continued as Cody hit a Crossroads as a reversal from a Stunner by Owens. At that point, Kevin Owens was busted open the hard way after Cody slammed him against the announce table.
They battled on top of the announce table, and then Kevin Owens was put through a ladder at ringside with an Alabama Slam from the Undisputed WWE Champion. At that point, Cody Rhodes got in the ring and started climbing the ladder before he took them off to win the match. Kevin Owens still had officials surrounding him as Cody celebrated, leaving many to wonder about his condition.
This all really started at Bad Blood 2024, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes teamed with Roman Reigns to defeat Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. After the event, Kevin Owens confronted Rhodes in the parking lot and attacked him. Owens saw Rhodes teaming with Reigns as a betrayal due to his own history with The Bloodline.
Then on December 14, at Saturday Nights Main Event, Owens challenged Rhodes for the title, but he did not beat the American Nightmare. After the match, Owens attacked Rhodes with a package piledriver and stole the Winged Eagle belt.
SmackDown GM Nick Aldis demanded Owens return the Winged Eagle belt, but Owens refused unless he was granted a rematch. Cody Rhodes then challenged Owens to a ladder match at the Royal Rumble, with both the Undisputed WWE Championship and the Winged Eagle belt suspended above the ring. The two certainly did not disappoint in Lucas Oil Stadium.
This was quite an Undisputed WWE Title match, and only time will tell what other twists and turns fans see coming on the road to WrestleMania 41.
Whats your take on the ladder match at the Royal Rumble this year? Would you have booked the match like this? Let us know what you think in the comments section!
