7 Returns For 2026 WWE King & Queen Of The Ring Tournaments

On the June 1 edition of Monday Night Raw, the 2026 WWE King and Queen of the Ring tournaments will begin.

While there will be many currently active WWE competitors seeking to earn a shot at the world title of their brand, several other stars who have been sidelined or absent from the company could also come back to the promotion through this year’s tournaments.

Here are seven potential returns for 2026 WWE King & Queen of the Ring tournaments.

7. Stephanie Vaquer

At WrestleMania 42 Night One, Liv Morgan defeated Stephanie Vaquer to win the WWE Women’s World Championship.

Then on the April 27 episode of WWE Raw, Morgan and The Judgment Day jumped Vaquer, sidelining her with an AC sprain joint injury.

“La Primera” might use the Queen of the Ring tournament as a way to make her way back into the mix of the WWE women’s division.

Considering her status as one of the top stars in the women’s scene, Vaquer would certainly be a favorite to win the Queen of the Ring and earn a rematch with Liv for the WWE Women’s World Championship.

6. Chad Gable

At the May 30 AAA Noche de Los Grandes 2026 event, El Grande Americano will face “Original” El Grande Americano in a Mask vs. Mask Match.

Many fans believe El Grande Americano will win to reveal “The Original” has actually been Chad Gable all along.

This might lead to the return of Gable where he could once again reassert himself as one of the best in-ring competitors on the WWE roster.

The former Olympian making his return as an entrant in the 2026 WWE King of the Ring tournament would be very interesting in a major way.

5. Sheamus

In November 2025, Sheamus was announced as being sidelined with a serious shoulder injury.

Being placed on the shelf following shoulder surgery, “The Celtic Warrior” seems like he might be getting close to a comeback sometime soon.

Wanting to get one more run at the top of WWE, Sheamus could return and really cement himself as one of the best in the company right now.

Whether he makes it far into the tournament or steals the show with one of his signature “bangers,” Sheamus has a chance to put himself back in the spotlight once again.

4. Nikki Bella

At WWE WrestleMania 42 Night One, Nikki Bella was scheduled to team with her twin sister Brie to challenge for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.

However, Nikki suffered a serious ankle injury that led to her being sidelined and removed from the card.

Nikki was replaced by Paige who went on to capture the titles alongside Brie and have been steady champions since then.

In the Queen of the Ring tournament, Nikki could find herself back in contention for the WWE Women’s World Championship once again.

3. Bronson Reed

Ahead of WWE Elimination Chamber 2026, Bronson Reed was sidelined with a torn bicep injury.

The Vision member has been showing off pictures of himself in the gym, preparing for an in-ring return.

Now in the best shape of his career, Reed feels like someone who could make an immediate impact upon his comeback to WWE.

Reed returning in the 2026 WWE King of the Ring would be a significant addition that could help The Vision reassert the dominance on Monday Night Raw.

2. Randy Orton

At WWE WrestleMania 42 Night One, Cody Rhodes defeated Randy Orton to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship.

After the match, Orton laid out “The American Nightmare” with a title belt shot and a Punt Kick to the head.

“The Legend Killer” has not appeared on WWE television in the past month since Mania.

Orton returning in the King of the Ring tournament would be a form of redemption for “The Viper” after coming up short in the past two finals as well.

1. Asuka

At WWE Backlash 2026, IYO SKY defeated Asuka. Post match, an emotional Asuka gave a tearful embrace to IYO before waving farewell to the fans.

Then on the May 11 episode of Monday Night Raw, Asuka officially passed the torch to “The Genius of the Sky” in a backstage segment before walking out of the arena.

Since then, Asuka has confirmed that she is still signed with WWE and will return down the road, but her appearances will be rarer than fans have been used to.

“The Empress of Tomorrow” making her return in the 2026 WWE Queen of the Ring for the second year in a row would immediately make her an odds-on favorite to win and move on to a WWE Women’s World Championship match at SummerSlam 2026.

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