In　this　paper,　the　effect　of　a　novel　surface　treatment　method　that　combing　the　discrete　laser　surface　hardening　(DLSH)　and　ultrasonic　surface　rolling　(USR)　on　the　material　properties　(surface　roughness,　microstructures,　microhardness　and　residual　stress)　and　rolling　contact　fatigue　(RCF)　behaviors　of　25CrNi2MoV　steel　were　investigated.　A　continuous-wave　diode　laser　with　a　maximum　output　power　of　2　kW　was　used　to　fabricate　four　different　types　of　DLSH　density　samples　with　a　size　of　Φ42　mm　×　6　mm.　The　results　showed　that　the　combined　USR　treatment　improved　the　surface　quality　(including　roughness　and　oxide　layer)　of　the　DLSH　samples,　increased　surface　hardness,　and　obtained　a　beneficial　surface　compressive　residual　stress　of　up　to　1240　±　91　MPa.　The　severe　plastic　deformation　introduced　a　gradient　nano/ultrafine　grain　layer　on　both　hardened　zone　(HZ)　and　substrate　zone　(SZ)　surfaces　of　DLSH　group　samples,　and　the　deformation　depth　decreased　with　the　increase　of　DLSH　density　within　24.3–65.3　μm.　Accumulation　of　plastic　deformation　below　and　around　the　HZ　edge　resulted　in　a　gradient　drop　in　hardness　from　HZ　to　SZ,　which　helps　to　relieve　the　occurrence　of　stress　concentration　at　the　surface　HZ　edge.　Benefit　from　favorable　factors,　the　RCF　life　of　combined　treated　samples　with　hardened　spot　densities　of　28%,　50%,　79%　and　100%　was　increased　by　82.2%,　123%,　143.6%　and　171.9%　compared　with　that　of　the　untreated　samples,　respectively.　After　USR　treatment,　the　failure　mode　within　the　SZ　changed　from　spalling　to　delamination,　but　it　remained　as　spalling　failure　within　the　HZ.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd