This past year’s Royal Rumble – to the surprise of many WWE fans – saw Jey Uso emerge as its winner.
In 2026, for the first time ever, the Royal Rumble event will take place outside North America – heading to Saudi Arabia.
As we move into the second half of 2025, the question is already being asked: who could be the winner of the 2026 Rumble, and go on to headline WrestleMania 42?
Here are six of the early frontrunners.
6. Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns has won one Royal Rumble match – but could he do it again in 2026?
While still arguably the top star in the company, Reigns has been kept out of the Undisputed WWE Title picture ever since losing it to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40. Rhodes, now once again Undisputed WWE Champion, has yet to give Reigns a rematch.
With growing speculation around a potential Rhodes heel turn, the stage could be set for a long-awaited rematch – this time with the roles reversed and Reigns stepping in as the babyface.
If that’s the direction WWE goes, Reigns winning the Rumble for the second time could be the path to making it happen.
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5. CM Punk
CM Punk has never won a Royal Rumble match.
However, since returning to the company, he’s come close – surviving until the final two men in 2024 and making it to the final four in 2025.
Punk remains one of WWE’s biggest stars, and his long-running feud with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins looks set to continue – likely beyond the four-way title match they’re both part of at this weekend’s Clash in Paris.
With Punk still seeking revenge after Rollins stole the title from him at SummerSlam he may need to win the Rumble to secure a one-on-one bout, so it is quite possible that 2026 could very well be the year Punk finally wins it.
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4. Bron Breakker
It’s clear that Bron Breakker is being positioned as WWE’s next top babyface star.
Placed in the company’s top heel group The Vision after WrestleMania 41, subtle seeds are already being planted for his eventual departure and feud with group leader – World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins – as seen in his reaction to Rollins during a segment together on the August 25 edition of Raw.
The question, of course, is when WWE will pull the trigger on the 27-year-old’s turn.
With it seeming likely to happen sooner rather than later, we could very well see Breakker win the 2026 Royal Rumble and go on to defeat Seth Rollins for the World Title at WrestleMania 42.
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3. Dominik Mysterio
Royal Rumble 2025 saw a winner that surprised many fans – could 2026 be the same?
Still playing the role of despicable heel, Dominik Mysterio was oddly embraced by the crowd at WrestleMania 41, and has continued to draw massive reactions ever since.
More recently, he’s made appearances for WWE-owned lucha promotion AAA, where he’s been receiving the biggest babyface reactions of the night, quickly being accepted as the promotion’s biggest star.
Clearly a cult favourite in the US and a major star in Mexico, the younger Mysterio winning the Rumble would be even more surprising than Jey Uso’s win last year – while it would undoubtedly blow the roof off in Saudi Arabia, this one feels like a long shot.
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2. Jacob Fatu
Could a member of the legendary Anoa’i family, win the Royal Rumble again in 2026?
If so, the most likely candidate is, arguably, Jacob Fatu.
Since arriving in WWE last year, Fatu has caught fire: with his spectacular moveset and wild charisma, he’s become hugely over with the company’s fanbase.
It appears fans are more than ready to see the ultra-popular upper mid-carder thrust into WWE’s mix of top stars – something a Royal Rumble win and WrestleMania main event would certainly achieve.
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1. Logan Paul
With only 23 matches to his name, it’s hard to argue that Logan Paul isn’t a prodigious talent.
Since beginning his in-ring career in 2022, he’s only wrestled in big matches – and has delivered almost every time, producing some of the most breathtaking high-flying spots WWE has seen in recent memory.
One legitimate question, however, is whether he will ever be a WrestleMania main-eventer.
Winning the 2026 Royal Rumble is certainly the most likely route for Paul to land that spot – and while it’s not outside the realm of possibility, this one also feels like a long shot.
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