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Who is going to win the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble?
The road to WrestleMania begins on Saturday as WWE presents the annual Royal Rumble event, emanating for the first time from Riyadh in Saudi Arabia.
The show is headlined by the men's and women's Royal Rumble matches as 30 Superstars enter the over-the-top battle royal, with each winner earning a world championship shot at WrestleMania in April.
Some of the industry's biggest names have won the event over the years, with the 2025 victors Jey Uso and Charlotte Flair part of proceedings once again.
With half the field already announced for the match, DAZN News predicts who could be pointing at the WrestleMania sign this weekend.
Men's
Roman Reigns
The favourite to be victorious in Riyadh right now is the OTC himself, Roman Reigns, who hasn't been seen on WWE TV since November's Survivor Series War Games.
However, he has been declared for the match and after two years away from the championship picture if feels like the right time to re-insert the Tribal Chief back into the title conversation.
Since losing to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40, thus ending Reigns's incredible 1,316-day reign as the company's champion, he hasn't really been near the gold again. In fact, his numours returns since have been centred around more personal feuds with the Vision, CM Punk and others.
Now, though, it feels like we need more Reigns in the run-up to WrestleMania, especially for fans who are growing tired of his constant comings and goings (illness aside). A win would make up for the horribly received Rumble victory of 2015, and put him in a prime position for a programme back with Punk or Drew McIntyre. Both of which feel WrestleMania worthy.
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Bron Breakker
At the other end of the scale, the Rumble could be the perfect time to completely anoint Bron Breakker as WWE's 'next big thing'.
The second-generation Superstar is already on his way to that spot, having established himself as the leader of The Vision in Seth Rollins' injury absence and improved both as an in-ring competitor and on the mic. Now could be the time to really pull the trigger on the young upstart.
Breakker has everything going for him, he has the look, the lingeage and a spear that already tops some of the best in the game. He's ready, but are WWE ready?
A win would surely set up a return meeting with World Champion CM Punk and a WrestleMania match that would very much be the clash of two generations. We're all for it.
WWE
Sami Zayn
The only one so far who hasn't been actually announced for the Rumble match, but don't let that fool you.
Zayn is already in a title bout on Saturday, as he challenges Drew McIntyre to try and win his first world championship, but right now it feels like that will be Sami's moment and most likely it's a non-finish thanks to Jacob Fatu.
Therefore, could Zayn get some retribution on the night by blagging himself into the Rumble match and winning it, setting up another shot at McIntyre or even an intriguing clash with Punk?
It's certainly a win that would go down very well with the Saudi crowd, given Zayn's profile, and continue the underdog story for the Canadian that his persona revells in.
WWE
Other possible contenders: Cody Rhodes, LA Knight
Most elimination prediction: Oba Femi
Iron Man prediction: Austin Theory
Surprise entrants: Chris Jericho, Seth Rollins
Women's
Bianca Belair
We haven't seen Belair for the longEST time, as she's been on the sidelines since Evolution last summer, but WrestleMania season surely means we see the return of WWE's EST.
Belair already has a Rumble win under her belt, so she knows what it takes to get the job done and she would get a thunderous reception on her return to action if she does indeed enter the match.
With former friend Jade Cargill now WWE Women's Champion, it makes perfect sense to set up a match between the two women that screams WrestleMania and continues their story from last year and Belairs dilemma over where Cargill's intentions lie.
(Getty Images)
Liv Morgan
Having returned from injury in November, it can't be too long before Liv Morgan is back in the World Championship reckoning, despite setting her current sights on tag team gold.
Morgan has come on leaps and bounds in the last two years to be a major player in the women's division and a Royal Rumble win feels like a logical next step to place her among the big female names in the company.
It's a story that can be easily written, too. With current champion Stephanie Vaqeur, without an obvious dance partner for WrestleMania, it could set up a feud between the two, with the added spice of Judgement Day partner Raquel Rodriguez's current issues with the champ being thrown in the mix.
Whatever the outcome, expect Morgan, Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez to have a massive say in what happens in the bout.
WWE
Tiffany Stratton
Another name we haven't seen on WWE TV for a while, ever since Stratton lost her women's World Title to Cargill in November at Saturday Night's Main Event.
The rest has given her time to heal up and reset after a relentless title run last year and she's now ready to reclaim her crown, just in time for WrestleMania.
There's no doubt WWE still have major plans for Stratton, evident by her role in the promo for WrestleMania, and so a first Rumble win would put her firmly back into the spotlight.
The only nagging doubt is if a rerun with Cargill over the gold is really a match that could grace Las Vegas, having already seen it twice in 2025.
WWE
Other possible contenders: Rhea Ripley
Most elimination prediction: Lash Legend
Iron Women prediction: Liv Morgan
Surprise entrants: Paige, Jacey Jayne