Kevin Owens Earning Backstage Praise After Royal Rumble 2025 Heroics (WWE News)

Kevin Owens has earned high praise in WWE for his performance opposite Cody Rhodes at Royal Rumble 2025 and his role in putting their ladder match together.

As well as the big bumps he took in the Undisputed WWE Title match, PWInsider reports that Owens has drawn plaudits for laying the bout out. Rhodes and other people involved in the planning process turned the attention towards KO when receiving praise for the contest, saying that Owens, who lost, deserved the credit.

Rhodes defeated Owens in just over 25 minutes, hitting Kevin with an Alabama Slam onto a bridged ladder that broke on impact. It was a nasty, nasty bump, and one that neutralised Kevin completely, allowing Cody to retrieve the Undisputed WWE and winged eagle title belts hanging above the ring.

Owens' friend-turned-enemy-turned-friend-turned-enemy-again-and-again Sami Zayn was at ringside for the finish, having arrived to check on KO earlier in the match. On last night's Raw, Owens attacked Sami after Zayn had lost to CM Punk, hitting a Package Piledriver while commentary put him over as "delusional and dangerous."

Following this angle, Zayn vs. Owens would appear to be WWE's direction for the two at WrestleMania 41. If that happens, it'll be the second time they have faced each other at the biggest wrestling show of the year, having last tied up on WrestleMania 37's second night in 2021. More recently, they defeated The Usos to become Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions in the main event of WrestleMania 39's first night.

John Cena is amongst Rhodes' rumoured WrestleMania 41 opponents. Having failed to win the 2025 men's Royal Rumble, the 16-time World Champion will attempt to earn contendership by entering the Elimination Chamber in March.