Could ‘The EST of WWE’ Win the 2026 Royal Rumble?

After Bianca Belair’s incredible WrestleMania XLI match against Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women’s World Championship, ‘The EST of WWE’ has been out of action for the past eight months with a broken knuckle and a joint in her hand. With the 2026 Royal Rumble being 12 days away, a return by the three-time World Champion would be huge for the WWE and the WWE Universe. The pop during her potential return would be loud and exciting to see. Belair has been deeply missed in the main event scene, and having her back will be huge heading into WrestleMania. ‘The EST of WWE’ won the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble, eventually defeating Sasha Banks for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 37. With the huge superstar Belair is, winning a second Royal Rumble would put her along with Charlotte Flair as the only two-time Women's Royal Rumble winners. If Belair is to return, will she win her second Royal Rumble?

WWE Women’s Championship

If ‘The EST of WWE’ wins the 2026 Royal Rumble and remains on Friday Night SmackDown, her WrestleMania XLII opponent would be her former friend, tag team partner, and current WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill. This is the matchup the entire WWE Universe wants to see. After Belair, Cargill, and Naomi won a six-woman tag match at WrestleMania XL against Damage CTRL, Cargill and Naomi eventually faced off a year later at WrestleMania after the current WWE Women’s Champion found out that Naomi was the one who brutally attacked her. The dynamic between Belair and Cargill since Naomi’s attack was interesting. It seemed like Cargill had lost respect for ‘The EST of WWE’ after sticking around with Naomi as her tag team partner. With the current WWE Women’s Champion as a heel and Belair as a face, this potential WrestleMania matchup is too good to pass up on. This feud would get the proper closure it desperately needs, since the three-time World Champion broke her knuckle, and with Naomi being pregnant. It would most likely set up Belair’s next championship run, which hopefully showcases new opponents vying for the title.

WWE Women’s World Championship

Belair winning the 2026 Royal Rumble and deciding to chase after the WWE Women’s World Championship would put ‘The EST of WWE’ in a feud with the current champ, Stephanie Vaquer. This match is certainly enticing; however, there’s too much story between Belair and Cargill not to see those two go after one another. Putting the three-time World Champion against Vaquer would draw attention, yet both of them are considered faces, so it wouldn’t make sense to have these two go up against each other unless one of them turns heel. We have not seen Belair as a heel since her days down in NXT. Before WrestleMania XLI, we saw more boos coming her way, so it may be considered turning ‘The EST of WWE’ heel if she were to challenge for the WWE Women’s World Championship. This potential match could highlight the best of what WWE has to offer with two mainstream stars going head-to-head.