The 2026 WWE Royal Rumble is just one week away on Saturday, January 31, with this year’s event being the first to be held outside of North America as it emanates from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
This may not be the only change WWE fans can expect with this year’s event however, as the company could both announce several more alterations to the card ahead of the show, and pull out some surprises on January 31 itself.
Here are six potential changes to the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble event.
6. AJ Styles vs. GUNTHER Becomes Submission Match
While the two Royal Rumble Matches will take center stage, the potential retirement of AJ Styles may very well be the most newsworthy headline once the event is said and done.
Despite making it clear that he intends to retire in 2026, few fans would have expected the moment to arrive so soon, especially with WrestleMania 42 just three months away.
It remains to be seen whether January 31 will be the end for Styles, but what could be confirmed ahead of time is his match with GUNTHER receiving an added stipulation to further heighten the drama.
Given that Styles made GUNTHER tap out on the January 12 episode of Raw, it only feels right that the pair settle their score in a Submission Match at the Royal Rumble.
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5. Bron Breakker Given Number One Entry
The WWE Royal Rumble go-home episode of Raw on January 26 will see Adam Pearce and Bron Breakker hold face-to-face talks after their heated exchange on January 12.
While Breakker was suspended by Pearce, it seems as if a higher power above the Raw GM has potentially forced his hand to reinstate the former Intercontinental Champion.
Given the pressure from above, Pearce may even be forced to add Breakker to the Royal Rumble Match, albeit without totally letting him off the hook from being punished.
Pearce allowing Breakker back, but with the caveat that he has to enter the Royal Rumble first, would make for an interesting story beat and potentially set the second-generation star up for one of the all-time best performances in the match.
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4. First Ever WWE NXT Winner
Along with Bron Breakker, one of the favorites to win the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble has to be former NXT Champion Oba Femi.
“The Ruler” has not yet been confirmed to be involved in the 30-man match, however, the vignettes teasing his arrival on the main roster seemingly suggest that this could be the case.
While he is bound for Raw or SmackDown, Femi is currently still listed as an NXT star, and if he were to go the distance, he could become the very first NXT star to win the whole thing.
While less likely, the women’s Rumble also has some potential winners including Blake Monroe and 2025 NXT standout Jacy Jayne.
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3. Several TNA Wrestling & AAA Stars Enter Each Royal Rumble Match
On the back of previous cameos from the likes of Jordynne Grace and Joe Hendry, perhaps the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble will see the company go all in and feature several talents from AAA and TNA Wrestling.
Given his crossover popularity, Mr. Iguana feels like a sure fire bet to enter the Royal Rumble, while reigning AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Lady Flammer could represent the promotion in the women’s Rumble.
As for TNA, X-Division Leon Slater has been appearing more and more on WWE TV lately, so he feels like a safe bet, but there’s also potential for the likes of TNA World Champion Mike Santana and Knockout’s World Champion Lei Ying Lee to appear.
Then there’s the likes of Nic Nemeth, Mustafa Ali or The Hardys, all of which previously made their WWE in-ring return in 2025. Many possibilities are on the table, so expect to see more surprises than ever before.
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2. WWE Women’s Royal Rumble Closes The Show
The 2018 WWE Royal Rumble event was not only the first to introduce a Women’s Rumble Match, but also the only time where that match headlined the show.
While there is a great deal of intrigue regarding who will win the Men’s Royal Rumble Match, the field for the Women’s Rumble is arguably even more wide open, with no clear and obvious favorite.
Whether it be former winners like Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair, legends making their first Rumble appearance like AJ Lee, or perhaps rising stars like Blake Monroe – there are many exciting options.
With the women’s division as stacked as ever heading into the 2026 Royal Rumble event, WWE could give their female talent a chance to shine with the marquee show-closing spot.
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1. WWE Intercontinental Or Women’s World Championship Vacated
Heading into WWE Royal Rumble 2026, two of Monday Night Raw’s top champions are on the shelf with injury.
WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio has yet to make an in-ring appearance in 2026 after suffering a shoulder injury at AAA Guerra de Titanes on December 20.
WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer on the other hand has made televised appearances this year, but has been dealing with a leg injury for several weeks now and has remained out of action.
While neither injury was reported to be too serious, WWE may look to potentially stripping one or both of the titles if Mysterio and Vaquer’s absences are prolonged.
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