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WWE Royal Rumble weekend unveils Indy community champions 

NORAL PARHAM
NORAL PARHAM
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.

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Downtown Indianapolis transformed into a high-flying haven of wrestling enthusiasts for Royal Rumble weekend, kicking off with a community event at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Jan. 31.  

More than 300 people, including city officials, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) talents and community executives, arrived at the Bicentennial Unity Plaza to celebrate the famed WWE pay-per-view (PPV) coming to Circle City for the first time. 

Mayor of Indianapolis Joe Hogsett welcomed the tens of thousands of tourists anticipated for the high-octane weekend. 

WWE Community Champions event
Mayor of Indianapolis Joe Hogsett during the Wwe 2025 Royal Rumble community kick-off and celebration of community champions, on January 31, 2025, at Gainbridge FIeldhouse, in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo/Clarence Coleman)

The PPV is a product of a deal with Indiana Sports Corp and the City of Indianapolis, bringing Royal Rumble, Summerslam and Wrestlemania.

Royal Rumble, one of WWE’s largest PPVs, draws an international audience looking to immerse themselves in a one-of-a-kind experience. In 2024, the event drew in more than 50,000 people, helping St. Petersburg, Florida see a return of around $47 million. 

Like Rumbles of the past, each nonprofit receives a large donation from the wrestling corporation as a token of gratitude for their outstanding work. 

In the spirit of community, WWE announced this year’s community champions making an impact in their neighborhood: Inner Beauty/New B.O.Y., Girl’s Inc. and the Indianapolis Public School (IPS) Foundation. 

Chief Executive Officer of IPS Foundation Stephanie Bailey accepted the WWE Community Chamipons championship belt. saying: 

“Each organization is making a difference through education, sports, inclusion, literacy and emotional wellness programs.” 

More: Pacers suplex Pistons on WWE Night

Biance Belair at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for WWE Night.
WWE superstar Bianca Belair during WWE Night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on January 29, 2025 in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo/Walt Thomas)

The IPS Foundation offers financial support and resources to IPS students and school with programs such as accelerator grants and education equity funds. 

Mark Hendry during the 2025 Royal Rumble WWE community champions celebration.
Mark Henry (right) during the WWE Royal Rumble Community Champions celebration and kick-off, on January 31, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, (Photo/Clarence Coleman)

‘The world’s strongest man’ and former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry, an outspoken advocate on equity and inclusion in sports, also was in attendance.

Inner Beauty/New B.O.Y., a nonprofit youth mentoring program focusing on improving the emotional wellness, held their 2024 holiday giveaway for kids who brought in their report cards. The organization also held a ‘guns down, gloves up’ event, promoting conflict resolution without violence. 

Girls Inc., a nonprofit helping girls develop skills necessary for success in social and professional spaces, continues to be a community champion in greater Indianapolis. In 2024, the Eli Lilly Foundation and Pacers Foundation worked with the youth. 

2024’s WWE community champions received upwards of $250,000 in donations during Royal Rumble week.

The excitement begins with Friday Night Smackdown, starting at 8 p.m. at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Royal Rumble takes place at 6 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium the following day.


Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on TikTok @3Noral. For more WWE news from the Indianapolis Recorder, click here.

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