The Road to WrestleMania 42 starts this weekend at the WWE Royal Rumble 2026. Here are six big questions to get you ready for the action.
The Road to WrestleMania 42 starts this weekend as the WWE Royal Rumble 2026 takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Saturday marks the second time in WWE history the Royal Rumble has been held outside the United States, with the first being in 1988 when the inaugural event was held in Canada.
Ahead of the big event, where two stars will punch their tickets for a WrestleMania championship match in Las Vegas come April, Uncrowned's Horsemen try not to toss each other out of the ring and answer some burning questions ahead of the Royal Rumble. Let’s ride!
1. Give us your picks for the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble, and how happy you think fans will be with the eventual winners.
Jackman: Now that’s a loaded question. Are WWE fans happy about anything these days?
I jest, of course, but I think we all know there has been a bit of slippage on the ol' satisfaction meter over the past few months or so.
For Rumble winners, I’m going with Roman Reigns for the men’s side, largely on the basis that it leads to a 'Mania-worthy match in Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre 2. For the women’s match, my pick is Liv Morgan, working from the rationale that something has to happen to move this whole Judgment Day storyline to second base. That, and the fact that Liv hasn’t won a Rumble before makes me think it's her time.
What would fans make of them? I know there's a bit of grumbling about Roman’s part-time schedule on social media (not least the fact that he basically declared for the Rumble by text), but I still think the vast majority of casual fans regard him as a big deal. Liv would be an even easier sell, given she’s one of the most universally liked stars on the roster.
Sulla-Heffinger: I’ve been shouting that 2026 is the year of Liv Morgan in basically every group-think piece Uncrowned has done this year, so it should come as no surprise that I agree with Robert and think she is going to win the women’s Royal Rumble. I look at a match like the six-woman tag on Monday’s episode of "Raw." As good as Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez are (and may factor into the title picture for WrestleMania 42 as well), Morgan’s pop is that much bigger and she can provide Stephanie Vaquer with the rival she desperately needs right now. Fans will be all over this.
The men’s side is a little harder for me to make a pick for, especially if WWE opts to have one winner from "Raw" (theoretically Morgan) and one from "SmackDown." I think it would be a bit short-sighted to have Drew McIntyre drop the belt after such a brief title reign (more on this later), but there’s an avenue for WWE to have an all-time Rumble moment if Sami Zayn can win it all in Saudi Arabia. Zayn works best as an underdog and a relentless pursuit of McIntyre would elevate both of their characters and set up a great WrestleMania 42 main event.
Riggs: It's finally LA Knight's time — YEAH!
OK, a lot of this is admittedly me doing my damnedest to will it into existence. It's a new year with a new direction, and the timing feels perfect for WWE to surprise fans with a big, crowd-pleasing return and win for Knight after he was written off by The Vision weeks ago. Something has to give after three consecutive Money In the Bank shaftings, right?
Giving the win to Roman Reigns, of all people, does the complete opposite. While fans would surely be happier with a Reigns win this year than in the past, it would also be completely unnecessary. Reigns is bulletproof, and although a 'Mania program with CM Punk or Drew McIntyre makes sense — or the most intriguing option, a Sami Zayn title defense vs. Reigns — there are plenty of avenues to get there without the Rumble. Also, there has to be more to Reigns' latest involvement with The Usos.
Ultimately, fans would be happiest with a good surprise that elevates a talent who could use it, like Knight, Trick Williams or Oba Femi — the last of whom arguably should get the win more than anyone. Strap the rockets on the big man and go from there. However, I don't think fans will be completely outraged unless someone like Jey Uso wins again, or let's say Logan Paul. WWE is actually in a pretty good spot this year when it comes to the possible men's winners.
As for the women's match, Liv Morgan or Jordynne Grace feel like the obvious choices based on recent happenings. Grace, in particular, doesn't really need the win, thanks to "SmackDown" being a barren wasteland. Morgan, however, has been taking losses as of late and has a clear story around the title and her Judgment Day bestie, Raquel Rodriguez. With that said, I'll go with Morgan. She's been away from the world title picture for long enough now, and a Stephanie Vaquer or Rodriguez 'Mania match would each work in their own ways.
Dansby: Let’s be honest, the Royal Rumble matches under the Triple H regime have been a bit hit or miss, and it’s hard to see both matches completely hitting a home run this year. That said, the fields feel wide open on both the men’s and women’s sides, which makes this one more interesting than it might look on paper.
That’s why I’m going with a returning Bianca Belair on the women’s side and LA Knight on the men’s side. Both picks feel fresh without feeling forced.
Fans should be happy with both outcomes. LA Knight has more than earned a true main-event push, and having him return to eliminate members of The Vision — the group that sidelined him — would make for strong, straightforward storytelling. On the women’s side, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill still have unfinished business after a two-year-long slow burn, and that feels like the WrestleMania match fans have been waiting for ever since Cargill signed with WWE.
2. Does WWE holding this event in Saudi Arabia change how you feel about this Royal Rumble?
Riggs: Not as much as it does for WrestleMania 43, but the state of affairs sure will be highlighted during the women's match.
I don't like either. We've already seen a Saudi Royal Rumble teased with the "Greatest Royal Rumble" in the past, though.
Dansby: It does. The Royal Rumble is arguably WWE’s best live event, and holding it in a location that isn’t easily accessible for the diehard WWE Universe feels like a miss.
The Rumble thrives on crowd energy, and that’s one area where this setting could fall short.
Sulla-Heffinger: The partnership has made strides since it first began, especially with regards to women competing on the card, so that is commendable and the shows have felt far less forced as of late as opposed to the early days.
It’s hard to single out WWE when there are other sports (combat and non-combat) that are in the same boat. If anything, this will be a good litmus test as to what to expect for WrestleMania 43 next year.
Jackman: Well, being in Europe, I’m pretty stoked that I get to watch it live without having to put a serious dent in my sleep schedule for once. I also echo what Anthony said about the shows' evolution, particularly on the women’s side. But I still have some reservations about this second phase of the Saudi partnership.
Until now, Saudi has paid around $100 million a year for two smaller PLEs a year. The current indication is they’re now preparing to spend several times that, for which they want to host some of the flagship events (not least WrestleMania 43) and have some of the A-list names attached to their shows (hence the reports about them wanting The Rock next year).
Being that dependent on any one country is always going to be a risk. There's a reason UFC hosts events all over the place, so they're not beholden to any one country or territory. Of course, there's also the question as to what Saudi wants in return. Am I the only one who thinks we've seen way more shots of the nascent Riyadh tourist scene on WWE programming lately? They definitely seem to be using WWE to promote the idea that Riyadh is this sporting and entertainment powerhouse.
3. What is one non-winner storyline you’re watching for, or want to see come out of each Royal Rumble match?
Sulla-Heffinger: We need to see a continuation of the story between Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu. After the chaos that unfolded on Saturday Night’s Main Event, it will be impossible for those two to share and ring and not immediately go after one another. This feud has the potential to carry all the way to WrestleMania and push Fatu to a new level of stardom.
On the women’s side, I would love to see the new Nattie just steamroll her competition before getting eliminated by Maxxine Dupri. Simple, yet impactful storytelling.
Jackman: I’m really curious to see how they launch Oba Femi. The SNME appearance, the video package trailers, the unfinished business with Drew McIntyre — everything points to him getting one hell of a push over the next few months. They know full well they’ve got something really special on their hands with Oba, and I have my fingers crossed they'll do him justice on Saturday.
For the women’s match, I’m interested in the Judgment Day power struggles between Liv Morgan, Roxanne Perez, and Raquel Rodriguez, and I’d be thrilled if we got some kind of clue as to where that’s going. I’m also keeping an eye on whether Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria interact. Their feud was fantastic last year and left several ends untied.
Dansby: I want to see Oba Femi eliminate Brock Lesnar. That single moment would instantly set up a monstrous WrestleMania feud. Oba Femi feels like the future, and conquering someone like Lesnar would rocket him into true main-event territory heading into next 'Mania season.
Riggs: At this point, I have to assume WWE has dragged out everything between Becky Lynch and AJ Lee purely to have them go one-on-one at WrestleMania 42. So seeing Lee's return will be fun, and she'll surely eliminate Lynch. Lash Legend will also, hopefully, have another standout performance after what we saw at WarGames. I wouldn't complain if she wins it all either.
After this week's "Raw," the men's match appears destined to see some dissension form between The Vision. There's also an easy way to create friction between The Usos and Reigns, while Brock Lesnar probably gets involved with both groups. At the same time, Knight, despite being my winner, will have to get some type of revenge on The Vision too.
But who am I kidding? The real story is seeing how a returning Chris Jericho gets treated in what will presumably be his final WWE run.
4. Will this be the last time we see AJ Styles in a WWE ring? If so, what is his legacy with WWE in particular?
Sulla-Heffinger: It feels like WWE has kind of booked itself into a corner here. While a loss to AJ Styles doesn’t totally kill Gunther’s momentum, it would feel like a cheapening of his win over John Cena back in December. By that logic, yes, I do believe this will be the last time we see Styles wrestle in a WWE ring. There’s also a nice finality to him exiting 10 years after he debuted at the 2016 Royal Rumble.
As far as his legacy goes, his overall body of work makes him a surefire Hall of Famer and he shined brightest at the top of the card. Styles made every single person he stepped in the ring with better and was able to work in pretty much any role WWE asked of him. I still think there’s a segment of the wrestling community that will more closely associate Styles with TNA or New Japan, but that shouldn’t take away from a decade of excellence with WWE.
Riggs: I'm continuing to manifest. That's our theme for 2026: Manifestation. It will be Styles' last WWE match — before he goes to AEW to retire properly, delivering bangers with wrestlers like Will Ospreay. Don't tell me you don't want to see it, especially after that abysmal rehash attempt at Punk vs. Styles.
Describing Styles's WWE legacy is difficult. He undeniably found the success he was destined for, further cementing his all-time great status. Even then, it felt like he never quite ascended to the heights or big programs he should have. Obviously rivalries like John Cena were fantasy-level epic, but attempts at sparking the brilliance of previous rivalries outside the company — Samoa Joe or Shinsuke Nakamura — never hit the same. This could just be because of how highly I consider Styles, but he's as great as it gets. I still often find myself contemplating whether he is the tip-top greatest wrestler of all time.
Jackman: I’m going to be brave and say no. The way everything has been set up to point to Styles retiring on Saturday is just too neat. The Shinsuke Nakamura tribute being posted on social media and then deleted — it feels to me like a breadcrumb trail leading right into another episode of "WWE Unreal."
On the legacy point, I agree with what’s been said about AJ Styles not quite reaching the incredible standards of his pre-WWE matches. But was that ever really the expectation? It’s a bit like casting an acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company actor in a Marvel movie or whatever — they’re never going to unleash their full repertoire, but they’ll still do a better job than anyone else would have done in the same position.
Dansby: I really do think this might be it for AJ Styles, and if so, what a way to go out. Gunther has quietly become the legend killer, and adding Styles to that list would only strengthen his aura.
Styles will go down as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time and arguably the best non-WWE-created talent to ever step foot in the company. He was already a Hall of Famer before he arrived, but what he accomplished in WWE fully cemented his legacy.
5. Should Sami Zayn beat Drew McIntyre? If not, does this feud continue, or is it a one-and-done like Zayn’s run against Roman Reigns a few years ago?
Sulla-Heffinger: No and no.
I hinted at this in a previous answer, but McIntyre losing to Sami Zayn weeks after dethroning Cody Rhodes doesn’t do anyone any favors. McIntyre should look fairly dominant but not win cleanly, setting up a program to build into a WrestleMania 42 match where Zayn finally captures the elusive Undisputed WWE Championship and Las Vegas erupts for Wrestle-Zayn-ia (you can have that one for free, Trips).
I think there’s a “have your cake and eat it too” scenario for Saturday as well if Zayn comes out all bandaged up and shockingly wins the men’s Royal Rumble. There’s always money in a babyface chase.
Dansby: Sami Zayn’s entire gimmick has been about getting close and coming up just short. It’s time to flip that script. Drew McIntyre’s ongoing issues with Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu feel like they’re going to come back to haunt him, and that chaos should cost him this match.
Zayn finally achieving his lifelong goal of becoming WWE Champion feels earned, and it sets up a fun four-way story heading into WrestleMania, likely playing out inside the Elimination Chamber.
Riggs: Before Saturday Night's Main Event, I struggled to imagine McIntyre losing to anyone at the Royal Rumble. His win has been treated like such a great, big deal — yet he's done nothing since. A loss on Saturday would make this whole reign seem like it was nothing more than a temporary hitch in the road of Cody Rhodes. Not that we should put that past WWE at all, but I don't know.
But then Saturday Night's Main Event happened, and McIntyre — for no good reason at all — decided to get involved with Rhodes and Jacob Fatu's brawl and attack Rhodes. One or both will find a way to cost McIntyre in his first defense. Either way, there's no way the guy makes it past 'Mania as champion, and I've started to talk myself more into the fun idea of Zayn defending a world title against Reigns at some point. Short title reigns aren't necessarily a bad thing, folks.
Jackman: Make Drew the first Undisputed champion in recent history not to mount a successful title defense? That would be a terrible move, given his already patchy history with major title runs (i.e. having his biggest-ever title run during the COVID pandemic, and then having his second title run cut short in five minutes with the Damian Priest cash-in). I’m a kayfabe-til-I-die guy, but it feels like part of the reason Drew got the belt this time was a sense that he deserves a proper title run given his work-rate over the past five years.
The obvious play here is to tap into Sami Zayn’s hugely elevated babyface status in the Middle East to give Drew some serious heel energy — much like the time Roman Reigns crushed Zayn at Elimination Chamber in front of the heartbroken Montreal crowd. As much as Drew deserves to be champion, he still hasn’t quite gotten that loud heel antagonism from the crowd yet, and this is a chance to change that.
I don’t think the McIntyre-Zayn feud continues in the short term. But I do think this match becomes part of a much bigger arc for Sami, which likely culminates in him finally winning a world title at next year’s WrestleMania, probably in a highly emotional moment with his wife and son in tow. But who knows if Drew will be his opponent by that point.
6. One-name answer: Who will be the biggest surprise entrant in either Royal Rumble match?
Riggs: Paige.
Sulla-Heffinger: Will Hobbs.
Jackman: Noor “Phoenix” Diana.
Dansby: It’s predictable, but I expect Chris Jericho to return in the men’s Rumble, complete with “Judas.” On the women’s side, I don’t expect many massive surprises, but Paige feels like a realistic pick. With Nikki Bella and AJ Lee both returning recently, it would fit the trend nicely.
Predictions
Men's Royal Rumble Winner: LA Knight (Dansby, Riggs), Roman Reigns (Jackman), Sami Zayn (Sulla-Heffinger)
Women's Royal Rumble Winner: Liv Morgan (Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger), Bianca Belair (Dansby)
Undisputed WWE Championship match: Drew McIntyre (Jackman, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Sami Zayn (Dansby, Riggs)
Gunther (Dansby, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. AJ Styles (Jackman)
2026 standings
Kel Dansby: 3-0
Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: 2-1
Robert Jackman: 2-1
Drake Riggs: 1-2
Category: General Sports
