The Road to Wrestlemania 41 kicks off with the Royal Rumble, the first premium pay-per-view of the year. This year’s Royal Rumble features only two matches besides the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches, but both the matches bring in the heat. WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will defend his title, on what promises to be an intriguing clash, in a ladder match against former friend-turned-enemy Kevin Owens. Since then, their battle has turned into a thrilling rivalry, making the fans excited for their match. The other title match is between the WWE tag team champions DIY and former champions, Motor City Machine Guns. DIY and MCMG will battle it out in a “two out of three falls” match that has the potential to win the hearts of fans. The show will get underway Sunday, February 2 at 4:30 AM IST.

WWE Royal Rumble 2025 Predictions

Men’s Royal Rumble Match: Rilvalries will be on focus Seth Rollins earlier stated that he wants to throw Roman Reigns and Jey USO out of the ring and lastly, he wants CM Punk to be eliminated as the last man. There are big names like John Cena, who will be participating for the last time in the Royal Rumble. I believe that we will get to see a classic showdown between John Cena and CM Punk, who returned on Survivor Series 2023. Randy Orton has been out of the ring for sometime because of his injury but there have been rumours that Randy Orton might  make a surprise comeback. Cena and Punk have the best storyline and the fight between the two as the last man standing could really excite the fans. Cena, after stating that he will be participating in the Royal Rumble has not been present since and my prediction would be that Punk takes the win home as the last man standing. 

Prediction: CM Punk wins the Men’s Royal Rumble (To challenge Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes at Wrestlemania 41)

Women’s Royal Rumble Match: In the Women’s Royal Rumble, stars like Charlotte Flair, Nia Jax, Iyo Sky will be battling it out for the win. I believe that there could be a big showdown between Nia and Charlotte’s strength. Also, there are many stars like Becky Lynch, AJ Lee and Alexa Bliss that could surprise everyone with their return in the ring at Royal Rumble. Charlotte Flair is the one that comes to my mind that I would pick to thrive among the 29 competitors. 

Prediction: Charlotte Flair wins the Royal Rumble

Undisputed WWE Championship — Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens (Ladder Match):

These two have been making headlines for a while now. Cody Rhodes has been the reigning Champion for 296 days and Kevin Owens has consecutively lost 3 Championship matches. While Cody has defeated big stars like Roman Reigns, AJ Styles and Solo Sikoa to defend his title and be the reigning champion, there is a chance that WWE’s storyline could let Kevin win and prove his worth in the upcoming match. I believe “The American Nightmare” will retain his title and continue to defend his title against stars like Roman Reign, Seth Rollins.

Prediction: Cody Rhodes successfully defends his title against Kevin Owens.

WWE Tag Team Championship — DIY vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Two-Out-Of-Three Falls Match): DIY won the WWE Tag Team Championship in December 2024 by defeating Motor City Machine Guns and I believe it is soon for WWE to take the belts from them. Motor City Machine Guns will surely be a tough opponent as they are looking to take back their belts. I will choose DIY to win the WWE Tag Team Championship. 

Prediction: DIY to retain WWE Tag Team Champion title.

Representational Image.© AFP

Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist wrestler Bajrang Punia has said that the four-year ban imposed on him by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) is the result of “personal animosity and a political conspiracy” against him and accused the national doping body of “operating under the government’s influence.” Punia has been suspended for four years for refusing to provide a urine sample for anti-doping testing during the trials for the national team in March 2024. Afterwards, the United World Wrestling (UWW) has also put the World and Olympic medallist wrestler under suspension until December 31, 2024.

“This four-year ban is the result of personal animosity and a political conspiracy against me. This action has been taken as revenge for the movement we led in support of women wrestlers. In that movement, we raised our voices against injustice and exploitation,” Punia wrote in a long post on X.

“I want to make it clear that I never refused to undergo a doping test. When the NADA team came to test me, the doping kit they had was expired. This was a serious lapse, and I simply requested that the test be conducted with a valid and certified kit. This was essential for ensuring both my health and the security of my career. However, this issue was deliberately used as a weapon against me,” he added.

The 30-year-old, who was one of the leading faces of the wrestlers’ protest against the then Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, further accused the WFI and the ruling government of conspiring against him for his involvement in the protests against its former WFI chief.

…

— Bajrang Punia (@BajrangPunia) November 27, 2024

“The BJP government and the federation have conspired to trap me and destroy my career. This decision is not fair but rather an attempt to silence me and other athletes like me,” he wrote.

Earlier this year in July, Punia had also accused NADA of targeting him for pointing out flaws in their system. “NADA’s actions have proven that they have no regard for impartiality. Such institutions are operating entirely under the government’s influence. The real motive behind this ban is to silence me and stop me from raising my voice against injustice.

“Let me make it clear that even if I am suspended for life, I will not stop raising my voice against injustice. This fight is not just mine; it belongs to every athlete who has been silenced by the system. I will appeal against this decision and continue to fight for my rights until my last breath,” the post concluded.

Bajrang Punia is one of India’s most decorated wrestlers with multiple medals in the World Championships, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Championships, and Commonwealth Championships in a decade-long international career starting with the 2013 Asian Championships in New Delhi, when he came into the limelight. He has been awarded the Arjuna Award (2015), Khel Ratna, and Padma Shri in 2019.

In September this year, Punia joined the Indian National Congress ahead of the Haryana Assembly polls along with fellow Olympian Vinesh Phogat, who contested an election from the Jhulana seat and won.

The National Anti-Doping Agency on Tuesday suspended Bajrang Punia for four years for his refusal to provide his sample for dope test on March 10 during selection trials for the national team. NADA had first suspended the Tokyo Games bronze medallist wrestler on April 23 for the offence following which, the World Governing body UWW had also suspended him. Bajrang had appealed against the provisional suspension and NADA’s Anti-Disciplinary Doping panel (ADDP) had revoked it on May 31 till NADA issues the notice of charge.

NADA, then on June 23 served the notice to the wrestler. Bajrang, who joined Congress along with fellow wrestler Vinesh Phogat and was given charge of All India Kisan Congress, had challenged the charge on July 11 in a written submission following which hearings were held on September 20 and October 4.

“The Panel holds that the Athlete is liable for sanctions under Article 10.3.1 and liable for ineligibility for a period of 4 years,” the ADDP said in its order.

The suspension means that Bajrang will not be able to return to competitive wrestling and apply for a coaching job abroad, if he aspires to.

“In the present case, since the Athlete had been provisionally suspended, the Panel accordingly holds that the Athlete’s period of his ineligibility for the period of 4 years shall commence from the date on which the notification was sent, i.e., 23.04.2024.

“Needless to say that on account of the lifting of the provisional suspension for the period from 31.05.2024 to 21.06.2024 shall not be credited into the total period of ineligibility of four years.” Bajrang has maintained since the beginning that he was given extremely prejudicial and unfair treatment with respect to doping control because of his involvement in the protest against former WFI President Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

Bajrang also maintained that he never refused to give sample but only demanded to know NADA’s response to his email where he sought answer why expired kits were sent to take his samples in December 2023.

NADA also explained the reason for its action, saying that the Chaperone/DCO had duly approached him and informed that he was required to provide a urine sample for dope analysis purposes.

Bajrang in his written submission said that the conduct of NADA in two previous instances had created mistrust in the athlete’s mind, especially with NADA failing to acknowledge or even respond to their callous approach towards the doping control process in both such instances, the failure to take responsibility for their action pertaining to their dispersal of duties meant that the athlete was morally bound to take a stance in resort as a senior athlete who holds a voice in the sporting community.

Bajrang also said “it was not an outright refusal per se. The athlete was always willing to provide his sample provided that he first received a response from NADA concerning the use of expired kits.” However NADA said, “the outright refusal by the athlete to provide urine sample for the dope test was intentional and deliberate” and that “Athlete has demonstrated utter disregard towards his duties and responsibilities as per Articles 20.1 & 20.2 of the Anti Doping Rules, 2021.”

File photo of Vinesh Phogat© AFP

File photo of Mansi Ahlawat© Twitter

Chirag Chikkara became only the third Indian to become Under-23 world champion as India capped a rich haul of nine medals, including a gold and silver each, at the age group tournament in Tirana, Albania Chikkara, competing in the men’s freestyle 57kg category, eked out a narrow 4-3 in the closing seconds of the final win over Abdymalik Karachov of Kyrgyzstan. He becomes the second Indian man, after Paris Olympics bronze medallist Aman Sehrawat, to win the gold at the U23 Championships.

Sehrawat had achieved the feat in the same category in the 2022 edition of the meet while Reetika Hooda had become the first Indian woman to bag a gold at the tournament when she won in the 76kg category last year.

Ravi Kumar Dahiya had also won a silver in the U23 World Championships in 2018.

Chikkara reached the final after a series of dominant performances, defeating Gaukoto Ozawa 6-1 in the pre-quarterfinals, Iunus Iavbatirov 12-2 in the last eight stage and Allan Oralbek 8-0 in the semifinals.

India’s medal haul in the men’s freestyle category also included two bronze medals, placing the nation fourth in the team standings with 82 points, trailing Iran (158), Japan (102), and Azerbaijan (100).

India also won two more bronze in men’s freestyle taking the country’s medal count in the category to four that secured the nation a fourth place in the team rankings.

Iran topped the team rankings with 158 points followed by Japan (102), Azerbaijan (100) and INida (82).

Vicky defeated former U20 World Championships silver medalist and European junior champion Ivan Prymachenko of Ukraine with a convincing 7-2 margin to win bronze in the men’s 97kg freestyle event. It is the highest weight category at which India have medalled at this tournament.

Vicky had defeated Merab Suleimanishvili of Georgia via fall in round of 16, Radu Lefter of Moldova 5-0 in quartefinal before losing to Mahdi Hajiloueian Morafah of Iran in semifinals.

Having narrowly missed a final berth the other day, Sujeet Kalkal bounced back from being 0-4 down to beat Mustafo Akhmedov of Tajikistan 13-4 and win bronze in men’s 70kg freestyle.

Sujeet had beaten Georgi Antoanov Zhizgov 10-0 in round of 32, Tugsjargal Erdenebat 7-4 in pre-quarters, Narek Pohosian 6-1 before losing to eventual gold medallist Magomed Basihr Khaniev 4-8 in the final seconds the semifinal.

Abhishek Dhaka had earlier won a bronze as India finished with four medals (one gold and three bronze), bettering their previous year’s performance where they had bagged two bronze in the freestyle category.

The Indian women’s wrestling team also excelled earlier, bringing home one silver and three bronze medals: Anjli claimed silver in the 59kg category, while Neha Sharma (57kg), Shiksha (65kg), and Monika (68kg) each secured bronze.

Additionally, Vishvajit More earned a bronze in the men’s 55kg Greco-Roman category, rounding off India’s impressive tally at the championships.

The government on Friday cleared Indian wrestling team’s participation at the World Championships after all the 12 selected athletes assembled outside the residence of Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and sought his intervention, a day after the WFI withdrew the nation’s entries from the prestigious tournament. The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) was on Thursday forced to pull all three Indian teams out of the championships after wrestler Satyawart Kadian, husband of Sakshi Malik, approached the court against the federation’s decision to conduct trials for the U23 and senior Worlds.

Kadian contended that sice WFI is suspended, it was committing a contempt of court by taking decisions.

The WFI remains suspended by the ministry and the IOA has refused to re-introduce the ad-hoc panel, leaving the sport and the future of the wrestlers in limbo. The world governing body UWW has, though, lifted suspension of the WFI in February this year. “A group of wrestlers met me and apprised me of the issue and their concern. I gave the direction that the court matter will continue in court but the wrestlers must compete in World Championships. They should get this opportunity. Whatever and wherever I needed to speak, I have done that,” Mandaviya told reporters.

The gathered bunch of wrestlers met the minister along with WFI President Sanjay Singh. The interaction lasted about an hour.

“We discussed the issue with the minister, who assured that they will take responsibility if a contempt charge is levelled on the federation and cleared the participation of the team. Tickets have already been booked and the team will depart as scheduled on Sunday morning,” Sanjay Singh said.

Asked if the government has also assured on lifting the suspension, Sanjay Singh said, “The ministry has said it will review it. It may take a one month or so.” Mandaviya though remained non-committal and did not give a clear answer.

“The government is clear, all federations can work as they want, the government only helps them. Sports should grow in the country and our players should do well both at national and international level,” he said.

During the day, all 12 wrestlers who won the trials for the World Championships sat outside the residence of the minister and sought his intervention.

“It takes 10-12 years to reach this stage where you get to qualify for the World Championships and now this opportunity is being snatched away from us. What is our fault?” Mansha Bhanwala, who made the cut in the women’s 65kg category, told PTI earlier in the day.

“These protesting wrestlers are done with their careers, why are they playing with ours? The junior wrestlers do not need their support. If we are not sent for the World Championships, we will begin a protest of our own,” she said.

Manisha, winner of two bronze medals at the Asian Championships, was relieved that they will now travel to Albania for the competition.

“We explained the issue to minister sir. He listened to us patiently. He assured us all the help. He even discussed how the government plans to support the athletes when India will host the Olympics,” she said after the meeting. Manisha was accompanied by fellow women wrestlers Mansi Ahlawat (59kg), who won a gold in Almaty and a bronze medal at the UWW Ranking Series event last year in Tunis, Kirti (55kg) and Bipasha (72kg).

Four men’s freestyle wrestlers Udit (61kg), Manish Goswami (70kg), Parvinder Singh (79kg), Sandeep Mann (92kg) and as many Greco-Roman exponents Sanjeev (55kg), Chetan (63kg), Ankit Gulia (72kg) and Rohit Dahiya (82kg) also sat on the pavement outside the minister’s residence after travelling all the way from Haryana.

The wrestlers had first moved the court but they were told that their petition can’t be heard o Friday and they can get a hearing date.

They then moved to the Sports Minister’s residence but could meet him only in the evening.

The WFI had cited government “interference” in its autonomy while conveying to world governing body UWW that it was withdrawing its entries.

The senior World Championship in 12 non-Olympic categories is scheduled to be held in Tirana, Albania, from October 28.

The WFI had recently announced selection trials for the U23 and World Championships, which was challenged as contempt of court by the protesting wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and her husband Satyawart, who had questioned the legality of the selection by the WFI. 

Babita Phogat (L) and Sakshi Malik© X (Twitter)

Former Indian wrestler Babita Phogat, whose life story inspired the famous Bollywood movie Dangal, has made an astonishing revelation. Babita, who has gone on to walk a political path after her retirement from wrestling, turned many heads as she revealed some financial details from the movie Dangal. The Bollywood flick, starring Amir Khan, went on to shatter many box office records after its release. It is widely suggested that the movie made over Rs 2000 crore. However, Babita Phogat revealed that her family only received a sum of INR 1 crore from the makers.

“Out of Rs 2,000 crore made from Dangal, the Phogat family received only Rs 1 crore?”, Babita was asked during an interview with News 24. The wrestler-turned-politician confirmed the figure and responded with a firm “Yes.”

When asked if she or her family was disheartened upon receiving a meager sum of Rs 1 crore while the move made an exorbitant amount of money, Babita said that she and her family’s motive was only to earn respect and love.

“Nahi, papa ne ek cheez kahi thi ki logo ka pyaar aur sammaan chahiye.” (No, father had said one thing, we want people’s love and respect.)

The movie Dangal, released in 2016, featured the story of Babita Phogat, her elder sister Geeta Phogat, and their father Mahavir Phogat. The story revolves around how Mahavir Phogat turned his daughters into elite wrestlers who went on to earn several laurels for the country.

Babita herself has clinched a silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. In 2014, she produced an even better result, earning a CWG gold.

She also has a bronze medal to her name at the World Wrestling Championships in 2012. She was also a part of the Indian contingent at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but failed to win a medal. In 2019, Babita quite wrestling and turned into a politician.