Who Secured Their WrestleMania Spots at Royal Rumble 2026?
The road to WrestleMania officially kicked off at Royal Rumble 2026, where 30 men and 30 women competed for an opportunity to earn a world title match at the Grandest Stage of Them All. When it was all said and done, two superstars survived their respective Rumble matches, a world title bout had a definitive winner, and the possible end of a legend’s career was set in motion. Under the night sky in Saudi Arabia, storylines progressed, and potential twists and turns were established on the road to Las Vegas. Here is a recap of what happened at Royal Rumble 2026.
Women’s Royal Rumble Match
The show kicked off with 30 women vying for an opportunity to earn a world title match at WrestleMania. Charlotte Flair served as the Iron Woman of the bout, surviving for nearly an hour before being eliminated by Lash Legend. That would not be the only notable moment for Legend, as she also finished with the most eliminations in the match, totaling five. The match featured a couple of surprise NXT entrants, such as Lola Vice, Sol Ruca, Kelani Jordan, and NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne. The final three women in the match were Ruca, Liv Morgan, and a returning Tiffany Stratton. Morgan, who shockingly eliminated her own Judgement Day partner Raquel Rodriguez earlier in the match, survived until the very end, delivering an Oblivion to Stratton on the side of the ring to win her first Royal Rumble match and earn a world title match at WrestleMania. Morgan, who was an early favorite to win the Rumble, now has to set her sights on the world title picture, as there could be possible implications within the Judgement Day that could sway her decision. With Rodriguez competing for the Women’s World Championship on the upcoming Raw, it’ll be interesting to see if the bond between Judgement Day lasts any longer.
A.J. Styles vs. Gunther
It was hard to imagine that A.J. Styles’ career could come to an end so early in 2026. Unfortunately, that became reality as Gunther put Styles to sleep in a very competitive bout that saw Styles doing whatever it took to save his career. Although ‘The Phenomenal One’ put it all in the ring, ‘The Ring General’ proved to be too much for Styles. A low blow was not enough to put Styles away, but multiple sleeper holds ultimately did the trick, with Styles coming inches from grabbing the bottom rope before losing consciousness. As Styles regained his footing in the ring, he removed his gloves and nearly placed them on the mat. Instead, he put them back on and posed both in the ring and on the ropes, saying goodbye to the WWE Universe. That gesture has led many to believe that while his WWE career may be over, it might not be the last time fans see Styles inside a squared circle.
Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn for the Undisputed WWE Championship
It was clear that Drew McIntyre wasn’t going to drop the title in his first defense, but the crowd put Sami Zayn on their shoulders and cheered him on throughout the entire match. The fan-favorite Zayn looked to earn not only his first victory against McIntyre, but also his first world title on the main roster. Zayn fought valiantly against the odds, but facing this new and dangerous version of McIntyre proved to be an uphill battle. Despite being put through the announce table, Zayn continued to fight until McIntyre connected with a Claymore. That was not enough, as McIntyre delivered a second Claymore for good measure to retain the championship. Zayn will now have to find another path to the WrestleMania main card, while McIntyre awaits his next challenger for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Men’s Royal Rumble Match
The Men’s Royal Rumble delivered its own share of surprises and shocking moments. The first came before the match even officially began. As Bron Breakker made his way into the ring, he was attacked by a masked man, who delivered a Curb Stomp to Breakker on the outside before tossing him into the ring and feeding him to Oba Femi, who eliminated Breakker immediately after the bell rang. Femi would tie for the most Rumble eliminations with five before being eliminated by Brock Lesnar, potentially setting up a future program between them. AAA was well represented in this match, with appearances from Mr. Iguana and La Parka. The biggest surprise of the night came when the titantron displayed Powerhobbs Hobbs’ name on a set of bricks, before breaking down and revealing his new WWE name, Royce Keys. Hobbs, who most recently competed in AEW, left his mark in his WWE debut with one elimination, and fans will look to see which end he will end up on. Roman Reigns and Gunther were the final two competitors. As Gunther looked to add another historic accomplishment to his career, Reigns seized the moment, eliminating him to become a two-time Royal Rumble winner and earn a world title opportunity at WrestleMania.
