WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Recap

The Royal Rumble signifies not just the start of a new year of WWE wrestling, but also the beginning of the road to WrestleMania. And this year’s Royal Rumble held extra significance as the first of WWE’s “Big Five” premium live events (the others being WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series and Money in the Bank) to be held in Saudi Arabia, in an elaborate makeshift stadium in the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh.

The show kicked off with the Women’s Royal Rumble, which saw thirty of WWE’s female superstars duking it out for a shot at a main event match at WrestleMania. The Rumble commenced with current tag team partners Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss as the first and second entrants, causing immediate potential friction between the teammates. But with new wrestlers entering every ninety seconds, Flair and Bliss had their hands full throughout the first half of the Rumble, dealing with the likes of roster regulars Kiana James, Nia Jax, and Jordynne Grace, as well as NXT up-and-comers like Lola Vice and Sol Ruca. The turning point in the match came with the arrival of Liv Morgan at #14. Even when faced with former Rumble winners like Asuka, Rhea Ripley and Bayley, Morgan found herself as the last woman standing, winning her first Rumble after eight straight appearances.

Former WWE champion Gunther had already ended the careers of Goldberg and John Cena when he entered the ring against veteran AJ Styles last weekend. Styles, undaunted by the relentless and imposing Gunther, put his career on the line for the match, agreeing to retire if Gunther defeated him. And while the Phenomenal One put on an impressive show against the so-called Ring General, Gunther’s powerful submission holds won the day, choking Styles into unconsciousness and giving Gunther the victory by technical submission, bringing an apparent end to Styles’ career in the WWE.

Sami Zayn, despite a long career as a WWE fan favorite, has never won a World title with the company. He hoped to change that in Saudi Arabia as he faced Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship (which McIntyre won off Cody Rhodes earlier this year on SmackDown). Unfortunately the match was more than a little one-sided as McIntyre dominated Zayn in a 16-minute brawl. McIntyre secured the pinfall, retaining the title and leaving Zayn’s future as a championship contender uncertain.

The Men’s Royal Rumble capped off the night. The first two entrants were both favorites to win it all, former NXT champion Oba Femi and Paul Heyman’s latest protege Bron Breakker. Things took a sharp turn when Breakker never even made it into the ring, getting brutally assaulted by a masked assailant, leading fans to wonder if Breakker and Heyman have been betrayed by another member of their Vision faction (which includes fellow Rumble entrants Bronson Reed, Logan Paul and Austin Theory).

Femi dominated the Rumble for almost forty minutes, eliminated such formidable foes as Solo Sikoa and Rey Mysterio, before getting thrown out himself by Brock Lesnar. Former champ and two-time Rumble winner Cody Rhodes put on an impressive show, eliminating Lesnar, Trick Williams and LA Knight before getting thrown out by an interfering Drew McIntyre. Entering at #26, former champion (and another former Rumble winner) Roman Reigns returned, plowing through Gunther, Jacob Fatu and his own cousin Jey Uso to win the Rumble, setting up a showdown between himself and current Heavyweight Champion CM Punk at WrestleMania.