With the WWE Royal Rumble 2026 fast approaching in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, there will be two brand new winners of the iconic battle royal bout.
While there are plenty of potential surprise returns, there may be some other WWE stars that have to win the match to secure their spots at WrestleMania 42.
Here are seven potential 2026 WWE Royal Rumble match winners.
7. Bianca Belair
Out of action since WrestleMania 41, WWE fans have yet to see the return of the fan favorite Bianca Belair.
Potentially reserving her return for a Royal Rumble surprise, it could be that Belair ends up winning the whole match.
Able to immediately return to a main event role, it would make total sense to see Bianca Belair end up not only winning the Royal Rumble but going on to challenge Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 42.
With certainly an untold story between the pair of former tag team partners, WrestleMania 42 could be the perfect venue to see their feud blossom.
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6. Jacob Fatu
Out of action since September 2025, it could be that Jacob Fatu makes a thunderous return at the Royal Rumble.
Being taken out of action after an off-screen attack, the mystery of who instigated the assault on Jacob Fatu has never been solved.
Potentially leading into a new storyline moving into WrestleMania 42, Fatu could end up becoming an amazing babyface challenger to a new heel champion.
Poised to possibly look to fight against Bron Breakker, Brock Lesnar or even Roman Reigns — Jacob Fatu could be the most interesting possibility for a 2026 Royal Rumble winner.
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5. Cody Rhodes
While Cody Rhodes continues to hold the Undisputed WWE Championship at the time of writing, he still has a steep hill to climb to hold on to the title.
With the challenging Three Stages of Hell match set for January 9 on SmackDown, Rhodes is headed for a collision course with Drew McIntyre.
With the looming threat of Brock Lesnar as well, it could very well be that by the time the Royal Rumble kicks off in Riyadh, Rhodes may be in a very different spot.
Since Rhodes has the rare opportunity to make Royal Rumble history if he were to capture a third victory, it could be that a loss now could lead to a bigger triumph in Las Vegas at WrestleMania 42.
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4. IYO SKY
With continued action in the women’s tag team division, it could be that IYO SKY becomes a dominant force in the Royal Rumble 2026.
Possibly kicking off a brand new storyline where she prioritizes herself over her friendships, SKY could be responsible for eliminating the likes of Rhea Ripley or AJ Lee — there could be a new layer of SKY’s character unlocked.
Able to play a more complex character than she is currently portraying, SKY can remain a fan favorite amongst fans of all ages while also gaining back a bit of an edge that makes her such a captivating performer.
Re-establishing herself at WrestleMania 42 as yet again a main event player in the women’s division, IYO SKY could capture a major victory in Las Vegas again.
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3. Oba Femi
Potentially set to make his Royal Rumble debut this year, it could be that standout from NXT Oba Femi takes the entire match.
Making a huge impression in his few appearances thus far on the main roster, Femi demonstrated he wasn’t afraid to step up to Cody Rhodes or Drew McIntyre.
Potentially able to kick off a new feud for Femi heading into WrestleMania 42, it would be an amazing swerve on the current expectations.
Able to challenge the likes of Bron Breakker, Brock Lesnar or Cody Rhodes — Oba Femi could become an amazing main eventer on the main roster in 2026.
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2. Liv Morgan
Since making her return to WWE, Liv Morgan picked up just where she left off.
Rejoining the Judgment Day, her massive return at Survivor Series: WarGames ended up becoming pivotal for Dominik Mysterio to reclaim his Intercontinental Championship.
Despite reports that she was planned to return as a babyface, Morgan has yet to show anything other than her heelish intensity as she returned to WWE Raw.
While potential a babyface turn could come by way of the Royal Rumble victory, moreover it would be a legendary return moment for Morgan to end up capturing a victory that she has yet to win but coming very close over the past three years.
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1. Randy Orton
Potentially making a huge return in Riyadh at the end of the month for the Royal Rumble — Randy Orton would be an ideal winner of the battle royal.
Leading him to have to choose between potentially aiming to take out Cody Rhodes or possibly CM Punk (or Bron Breakker instead), there could be a very interesting future for Las Vegas.
Able to bring about a lot of interesting changes if he returns alongside a stable of his own loyal talent in a similar fashion to The Vision, Orton could easily take aim at Paul Heyman and company.
Bringing his veteran experience to WrestleMania 42 for his 21st appearance, a win at the Royal Rumble 2026 could secure a massive spot for Las Vegas.
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