SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
The 2026 Royal Rumble has come and gone, and the road to WrestleMania has begun in earnest.
This year’s show did not disappoint. Although the arena looked half empty, the action was fast and furious and the enthusiasm of the fans in attendance was infectious.
Although many consider doing business with the Saudi regime morally questionable, it’s wonderful to see thousands of Saudis share our love of wrestling.
The show was light on surprises, but it’s always fascinating to see which wrestlers are featured on such a major show and in what way.
This tells us a lot about what creative sees in various performers and who we can expect to have a bigger role in 2026.
Rising Star of the Rumble: Lash Legend
Lash Legend was portrayed as the most dominant force in the women’s Royal Rumble match.
She eliminated top contenders Charlotte Flair and Iyo Sky, not to mention up-and-comer Jordynne Grace and both Bella twins. It took no less a star than Rhea Ripley to stop her.
Legend’s assets are clear. She possesses a size, strength, and athletic ability which simply can’t be taught. Although her ring work has never been particularly good, she has improved immensely in recent years. Not yet a great talker, she possesses an innate charisma which suggests she could become one with practice.
Having failed to win any titles in her four years on NXT and cast as a tag team wrestler since her recent debut on the main roster, it was surprising to see the so-called Bougie Bully suddenly treated like the next big thing.
I didn’t care for the way she hung over the ropes to mock each wrestler she eliminated. Were the Rumble a legitimate competition, she would have left herself wide open for another competitor to dump her over the top rope with ease. The performer knew that she was protected by “plot armor,” but the wrestler had no way of knowing this. Other than that, she performed well.
Expect big things out of Legend in 2026.
1st Runner-up: Drew McIntyre
The Scottish Warrior looked like a world beater defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against perennial underdog Sami Zayn.
Given his mixed win-loss record in the last few years, McIntyre really needed a solid win in order to make him seem like more than just a transitional champion.
A solid win is precisely what he got.
Drew’s 15-minute beatdown of Sami resembled more of a squash match than a competitive title bout.
Kudos to Sami for his fantastic bumping and selling, which put over McIntyre strong.
Remorseless and seemingly unstoppable, McIntyre came off as a main event heel on the level of Brock Lesnar, one capable of retaining a world title at WrestleMania.
Although the identity of his WrestleMania opponent is still unclear, Drew is in prime position to have a memorable program worthy of the spot, one few fans could’ve predicted only a few weeks ago.
2nd Runner-up: Brie Bella
Who would have predicted that one of the biggest pops of the night would be to the returning Brie?
Although her physical performance in the Rumble was hardly one to write home about, no one can deny that Brie received a hero’s welcome from Riyadh.
Generally considered the lesser of the Bella sisters, Brie lacks even the modest promo and ring skills of her sister.
Nostalgia for the Yes Movement, combined with Brie’s connection with her beloved husband was apparently enough to inspire Saudi fans to a response which must have made Tiffany Stratton jealous.
Although it seems unlikely other audiences will be as enthusiastic, Brie truly had a moment.
Pairing the Bella Twins as a tag team to put over the hapless Bailey and Lyra Valkyria seems an appropriate use of these Divas-Era throwbacks.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Raw: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
Fading Star of the Rumble: Tiffany Stratton
As the surprise no. 30 entrant into the Rumble following nearly three months’ absence, the former champion Tiffany Stratton no doubt expected a far warmer reception than the lukewarm one she received.
Instead, the crowd went mild, an indication that few fans missed Tiffy Time. This beautiful and incredibly athletic performer failed to find a babyface persona which her limited mic skills could adequately pull off.
Should other crowds respond in a similarly tepid fashion, creative should consider changing strategies with Stratton. She seems more capable of connecting with audiences as a heel.
Even so, she must be kept far away from Blake Monroe, who does a far more convincing and engaging blonde mean girl than Stratton ever has.
1st Runner-up: Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar entered the Royal rumble at a coveted no. 29 and yet still failed to break into the final eight competitors.
The Beast did manage to eliminate Ilya Dragunov, Rey Felix, and an exhausted Obama Femi. Still, this amounts but a fraction of the impact he has had in previous years. In 2020 Lesnar set a record by eliminating 13 competitors.
Lesnar barely lasted five minutes in the match before being unceremoniously dumped out by Cody Rhodes and L.A. Knight in an elimination, which many fans missed due to the distraction of Jet Uso’s entrance.
Given his dominant performance in previous Rumbles, it was surprising to see Lesnar have so little of an impact. His elimination of Femi suggests a possible WrestleMania showdown between the two, a potentially epic showdown which has the potential to legitimize The Ruler as a top star.
Lesnar will need to coast on this reputation for the time being, as his disappointing Rumble appearance did precious little to heat him up.
2nd Runner-up: Becky Lynch
Much like Lesnar, Becky Lynch surprised fans by doing so little of consequence in the Rumble. The Man lasted all of seven minutes, eliminating only Maxxine Dupri before herself being dumped out by the re-debuting Nattie.
A former Rumble winner who has lasted up to 30 minutes in the past, Lynch is a main event-level talent of whom we’ve grown to expect far more.
Her interactions with Nattie and Dupri suggest a three-way feud going forward. Lynch spent most of 2025 in programs “slumming it” with lesser talent like Dupri and Valkyria. Of her opponents, only A.J. Lee seemed anywhere near Lynch’s level.
At this point the most we can hope for her WrestleMania prospects is a one-on-one matchup with A.J. Lee.
The Man and wrestling fans deserve better.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.