With the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble fast approaching later this month, there could be some exciting surprises ahead.
From returning stars to appearances that could easily be a one-off, there are some fun surprises that could happen in Riyadh.
Here are six potential surprises for Royal Rumble 2026.
6. Trish Stratus
A potential returning legend that could be a fun inclusion in the 2026 Royal Rumble would be Trish Stratus.
Certainly no stranger to competition in the Royal Rumble, Stratus has also previously appeared at WWE events in Saudi Arabia and was a fan favorite.
Able to join this year’s Rumble primarily for fun, there could still be an intriguing feud that kicks off through the match that could see the return of Stratus in the future.
A WWE Hall of Famer that fans are always enthusastic about seeing in competition, Stratus could be the perfect surprise for this year’s Royal Rumble in Riyadh.
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5. Nick Aldis
One fun surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble could be current SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis.
Marking his first in-ring appearance in WWE since joining the company in 2023, Aldis could make his debut in the Royal Rumble.
With conflict arising in the past year with numerous different WWE stars, there could be some fun showdowns within the match as well.
Certainly able to face off against some of SmackDown’s most troublesome athletes, it would likely be most interesting to see a showdown between Aldis and Randy Orton.
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4. Brie Bella
Since the Royal Rumble 2025 return of Nikki Bella, fans of The Bella Twins have been waiting to see if twin sister Brie will join her.
While so far there have not been any on-screen or in-ring appearances by Brie Bella since Nikki’s return, it doesn’t mean that there couldn’t be some twin magic set for Riyadh.
With the first Royal Rumble held outside of North America being a historic reason to make an appearance, it would be enjoyable for fans to see the twins mix it up again in WWE.
Whether or not the appearance was for more than just a one-off, there could still be memorable moments to capture the essence of Brie Mode for fans in 2026.
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3. Bobby Roode
Last competing in the 2022 Royal Rumble, perhaps Bobby Roode could make a return appearance this year in Riyadh.
While Bobby Roode may make periodic appearances on-screen in WWE, it has been in the context of breaking up fights as a backstage authority figure.
However, with the Royal Rumble hosting the perfect opportunity for fun surprises, Roode could find himself hopping into in-ring competition as a surprise entrant.
Perhaps not to be outdone, WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce could also end up throwing himself into the battle royal as well with his own history as an in-ring performer.
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2. Chris Jericho
After some fans expected a debut from Chris Jericho on the first week of WWE programming in 2026, alas no such luck as there have been no Jericho sightings.
However, it is entirely possible that Chris Jericho will already have made a debut on the first episode of Thursday Night Impact on AMC Network but later still pop up in the Royal Rumble.
Potentially representing TNA Wrestling in the titular battle royal at the event in Riyadh, an appearance from Chris Jericho would be a remarkable crossover.
Bringing even more attention to the newly launching TNA Wrestling series, there seems to be plenty of twists and turns ahead.
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1. Paige
A returning star that could be a great surprise in this year’s big Royal Rumble event might be Paige.
Since she departed WWE, the former Divas Champion and inaugural NXT Women’s Champion returned to in-ring action in AEW where she would find success and capture gold before departing in March 2025.
Able to enter the 2026 Royal Rumble as a fun surprise entrant, there could definitely be some intriguing storylines that come forward from the big match.
With plenty of WWE history with the likes of Nikki Bella, AJ Lee, Nia Jax and Charlotte Flair, we could see sparks fly if there even was a one-off appearance by Paige.
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