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The 2026 Royal Rumble will take place on January 31, 2026, at Riyadh Season Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Sami Zayn – Undisputed WWE Championship match
A tournament was held to determine who would face Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Royal Rumble. Sami Zayn defeated Ilja Draganov on his way to defeating Randy Orton, Trick Williams, and Damian Priest in a fatal four-way at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Prediction and Analysis: Looks like the spotlight is back on Sami Zayn’s quest to win any top title that seemed to have taken a back seat after he was transferred to SmackDown. Either that or this is just to showcase Sami in his other “home” town in Saudi Arabia and then he’ll be forgotten about again. I’m sure he’ll have a good showing, a visual win, but Drew wins by cheating.
AJ Styles vs. Gunther – Styles Agrees to Retire If He Loses
Having had defeated both Goldberg and John Cena In their last matches, Gunther has styled himself the career killer. Gunther kept mocking forcing Cena to tap out, week after week, rubbing many wrestlers the wrong way. One of the wrestlers that stood up to Gunther was AJ Syles who had a personal rivalry-turned-mutual respect with Cena. The two had a match that Gunther won after hitting Styles with an illegal low blow. Gunther had tapped to Styles’s submission during the match, but the referee missed it. Styles demanded a rematch with Gunther but Gunther would only agree to it if Styles puts his career on the line.
Prediction and Analysis: Styles was invited to Smackdown to face his rival Shinsuke Nakamura which felt like a sure sign that Styles is retiring at the Rumble. He also made his (real) debut at the Rumble so that’s poetic. But then Raw happened and it seems that the roster was treating it as fait accompli that he was losing to Gunther, and now he seems to have unfinished business with Finn Balor. I think there is a chance that Styles wins when Gunther gets either disqualified or gets pinned while applying the sleeper as has happened before. But maybe that’s just wishful thinking on my part.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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Men’s Royal Rumble match
The winner will likely face Drew McIntyre or CM Punk at WrestleMania. The following is a list of participants announced as of writing along with issues they may have with other participants when applicable:
Cody Rhodes would be winning his third Rumble which would likely draw ire from fans but, being in Saudi Arabia, it would be the safest time. But more likely, he and Jacob Fatu eliminate each other. Randy Orton will also likely get involved with Cody at some point.
Gunther is pulling double duty, and I have a feeling that he and Brock Lesnar will cross paths. Maybe upset that he couldn’t end Syles career he goes after Lesnar?
Jey Uso has won it in a surprise, but lighting won’t strike twice.
Roman Reigns is another favorite to win. He still has issues with Cody and there is the strained dynamic between him and Jey. Possible key moments for him are with Cody, Jey, Bron Breaker, Bronson Reed, Oba Femi, and/or Lesnar.
The Vision (Breaker, Reed, Austin Theory, and Logan Paul) are supposedly going to work together but I’m sure things will go awry at some point. Maybe Seth Rollins returns?
Rey Mysterio (injury permitting), Dragon Lee, Penta, Solo Sikoa (maybe some Wyatt Sicks interference?), Je’Von Evans, Damian Priest, Trick Williams, The Miz, Ilja Dragonov, and Matt Cardona are the others announced.
Prediction and analysis: I’m doing this a bit differently with categories.
- Possible surprises: Chris Jericho, Evil, Seth Rollins, Joe Hendry, L.A. Knight, the iguana guy.
- Winner: Cody or Roman would be lazy. I think Smackdown has a better Elimination Chamber card so I’m leaning that the chosen champion will be Punk. That being the case, Reigns, Breaker, Seth Rollins, or Jericho,
- Most eliminations: Oba Femi
- Longest: Dragonov
- Miraculous save (aka the Kofi Kingston spot): Je’Von Evans.
Women’s Royal Rumble match
The winner faces Stephanie Vaquer or Jade Cargill at WrestleMania as of now. The following is a list of participants announced as of writing along with issues they may have with other participants when applicable:
About half of the participants have all been involved in the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship hunt, so this won’t be all that different from the multiman matches we’ve already had. This would include Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, Roxanne Perez, Liv Morgan, Bayley, Lyra Valkyria, Asuka, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, and Lash Legend.
Raquel Rodriguez who is already feuding with Vaquer.
Jordynne Grace who’s already feuding with Jade Cargill.
Becky Lynch and Maxxine Dupri had been feuding until recently.
And Giulia and Chelsea Green round out the cast.
Prediction and analysis: I’m doing this a bit differently with categories.
- Possible surprises: AJ Lee, Bianca Belair, Tiffany Stratton
- Winner: If Belair is back, I’ve got her. There is a chance that AJ Lee wins and challenges Becky for the IC Belt instead, otherwise Lee eliminates Becky. There has been some teasing of Charlotte and Jade so failing a Belair return, that’s my pick.
- Most eliminations: Legend
- Longest: Iyo
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