Preview, Predictions & the Road to Mania
As far as the pro wrestling calendar is concerned, once the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve and we enter a new year, the countdown is on until the Royal Rumble and the beginning of WrestleMania season. It’s arguably the one, true undisputed most wonderful time of the year.
The 2026 edition of the Royal Rumble PLE takes place in Saudi Arabia for the first time, featuring both the women’s and men’s Royal Rumble matches with winners chasing the usual carrot — that ever elusive main event spot at WrestleMania.
In addition to those signature matches, Drew McIntyre will be defending his WWE championship against Sami Zayn, while AJ Styles will be defending his right to continue his wrestling career when he takes on Gunther.
Rumbles tend to be very unpredictable every year. From the unexpected appearances to abrupt, shock title changes, to iconic freeze-framed moments in time that stick with you for as long as you watch wrestling, the Royal Rumble is always one of the most fun wrestling events regardless of any company (when they’re done right).
WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Sami Zayn
I think the outcome to this match is pretty cut and dried. Everybody loves Sami Zayn and while I think the time will eventually come for him to be a world champion in WWE, I think it isn’t now. With so little story build to the match I think it would be a disservice to both he and McIntyre to flip the title so soon.
The title shot is premised upon winning a mini-tournament comprised of a field that was hardly the most impressive tournament bracket WWE has ever produced. Couple that with unconfirmed “reports” citing a possible triple threat showdown between Drew, Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu at WrestleMania and Zayn winning seems even less likely.
Even without that rumour floating around, I’d disagree with the potential to crown Zayn for the above reason. There’s a good Foley-esque story to tell with Zayn, and it would be a waste to hotshot that potential. You also need to consider that with his reign still being fresh, if McIntyre were to drop the title mere weeks after obtaining it, I don’t think it would be to anyone other than Rhodes. Zayn winning here just doesn’t make sense. Prediction: Drew McIntyre
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
Both the men’s and women’s matches share the same problem when trying to figure out a winner. At present there are only 17 confirmed entrants prior to Smackdown, notably including Iyo Sky, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Bayley, Charlotte, Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch. Looking at the announced list there are a lot of intersecting stories that I think diminishes the potential to win for any one person. Looking at the list of known participants I think we can strike off Becky Lynch and Maxxine Dupri. I think Lynch will continue on as IC champion at least until WrestleMania, I think we can also write off anyone currently in the orbit of the women’s tag titles, as well as women’s U.S. champion Giulia. This just doesn’t feel like a climate where existing champions should be sniffing a world title opportunity.
Unlike last year I don’t think there’s an obvious winner in the field. I don’t think we’ll see someone like Chelsea Green threaten to win the match, and I would imagine the winner won’t come from the pool of participants that has not been named unless that person is Natalya. For example, any TNA talent that takes part probably won’t be winning the Royal Rumble. That again leaves us with who wins and which champion they choose. First, we need to understand the champions. Jade Cargill is a physically imposing figure who seems poised to benefit from another dominant title run similar to her TBS title run in AEW, whereas Stephanie Vaquer is a pure face champion right now. Cargill is 100% a heel, and I think she only works as a target if you want to feed someone young, fresh and disposable that can be sacrificed without them losing momentum.
With that consideration, I think Roxanne Perez could work, even though they’re on different shows. You could even mirror last year’s show and put Charlotte in the finale with Perez but flip the ending to give Perez the nod. It would be a smart play, and one that doesn’t bog down Stephanie Vaquer’s title reign in favour of something more natural in creating a proper build. The logistics of them being on different shows and Perez being part of a stable kind of complicates things, but not enough to render it impossible. Yet, unless some big names are announced ahead of the Rumble, it’s slim pickings on Smackdown and they might be better off using the Chamber to setup Cargill’s Mania opponent.
If Vaquer is the choice, I think the pathways are a little clearer with so many good heels being in the match, and if you wanted to go the dream match route you can easily give Iyo Sky the Rumble win and have her go after Vaquer. And should she win, you can turn Ripley on her at some point to feud through 2026. The winner coming from Raw seems more plausible, and comes with the most options. I think Iyo Sky is a safe bet that you can use for either champion, and if we’re going with the face-heel dynamic I wouldn’t be surprised to see Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez or Perez come out from Judgment Day and win. Were it one of those three, I feel like Rodriguez making her claims is a red herring to misdirect our attention, and while they made their intentions clear, both Morgan and Perez are viable options for the world championship. And I think if we’re discussing the creation of a situation where you have a competitive match for Vaquer, then Morgan is the next best logical option with what you have on Raw. Prediction: Iyo Sky (safe bet) or Liv Morgan (the caveat here is you can also use this to sew some discord into Judgment Day’s ranks).
Men’s Royal Rumble Match
I think this one is a little more obvious. First and foremost I don’t think the winner is either coming from Smackdown, nor will the winner come from Raw and contest the WWE title. I think the story is strong enough surrounding the WWE championship that you don’t need to use the Rumble to stamp a story and make it relevant. I also think you’re running the risk of making the WWE title picture more convoluted than it maybe needs to be; it can stand on its own merits. That also removes Cody Rhodes from contention for a third straight Rumble win, and you can probably accomplish that by having he and Fatu eliminate each other. I suppose if you WANTED to make this more convoluted you could do the photo finish double elimination at the end, which has been done before numerous times and it’s frankly lazy, but might be needed to get around McIntyre’s “no rematch” stipulation.
Notwithstanding, where the men are concerned I think it almost needs to be Bron Breakker going after CM Punk. You have the element of the story already in place, but it’s one that’s not nearly as overwrought and the dynamic and history are there to make its presentation really work to build Breakker and bring him to the next level. Although this could be accomplished easily with a dominant Elimination Chamber showing to earn that spot opposite Punk, I’ve never viewed that as a signature win in the same way that the Rumble is considered. Giving him big marquee wins seems to be what they want for him as they build his notoriety up to the next plateau.
Much like the women I would expect the same parade of shock appearances, hall of famers and TNA talent showing up, but none of them should contend to win, with Brock Lesnar being an obvious exception. I can see a scenario where Cody and/or Fatu win and work toward setting up a triple threat and lock that in against McIntyre, I just don’t think it’s the best option.
It’s clear that Breakker is circling the world title and it’s a matter of when and how, not if, he becomes champion. Multiple reports had surfaced late last year stating the creative team wanted to save his coronation for a big moment, and given his title loss to Punk, the timing, motivation and narrative all line up to have Breakker get a signature Rumble win, and ultimately the world championship at WrestleMania. Prediction: Bron Breakker
AJ Styles vs. Gunther
Gunther’s 2025 was defined by his retiring of Goldberg and John Cena, and it appears that’s the crux of the story here — a continuation of that plot, built around the premise of Styles wanting to prove a point to Gunther and to himself that he could beat him. I’m expecting Gunther to once again be very good in this role as WWE dangles the reality of AJ Styles’ retirement in front of us.
The question remains whether or not it happens.
I’ve been an AJ Styles fan since his WCW debut, and since then I’ve watched him do crazy things that were groundbreaking in their time and place. Regardless of the ring he was in, he has been one of the most consistent, enjoyable wrestlers to follow because he’s just fantastic. He’s also earned his retirement. But the question is whether or not that’s coming now with his contract supposedly expiring in the coming days or weeks after 10 years with the company. I think everything is lined up for either scenario to play out, but it feels more like the end than not. The inkling I can’t shake though is the end of the Styles match against Punk. I feel like he would have unfinished business with Balor, otherwise why not just let it play out with Punk beating him? Maybe it’s nothing, but it sticks out as weird. As for the result, while I expect Gunther is winning the match, let’s be optimists and hope we get more time with AJ Styles. Prediction: AJ Styles
However should he lose and end his WWE run, I’m not sure a final push in TNA would be the most ridiculous development to come out of the 2026 Royal Rumble. It would be a perfect bookend to a storied career.
