Royal Rumble 2026: Liv Morgan and Roman Reigns return victorious from the ring

The 2026 edition of WWE’s Royal Rumble delivered memorable moments in the ring as Liv Morgan secured her spot at WrestleMania after winning the women’s battle royal, while Roman Reigns reaffirmed his dominance by winning the men’s event. The show also witnessed a historic retirement and unexpected appearances that marked the night for the American professional wrestling company.

Liv Morgan Shines in the Women’s Battle Royal Ring

The women’s Royal Rumble opened the 2026 event, and although initially nine participants were confirmed, the final battle featured 30 competitors. Throughout the contest, wrestlers like Lola Vice and Candice LeRae were eliminated after clashes with their opponents while on the ropes. Gradually, Nile, Nia Jax, Maxxine Dupri, Becky Lynch, and Kiana James left the ring.

Tension reached its peak when only three competitors remained in the ring: Sol Ruca, Liv Morgan, and Tiffany Stratton. At a critical moment, all three were close to elimination simultaneously. However, Liv Morgan showed speed and precision, first knocking out Sol Ruca and then taking Tiffany Stratton with an agile move that threw her out of the ring. With this victory, Morgan secured her participation in WrestleMania 2026, establishing herself as one of the top contenders of the moment.

The Culmination of AJ Styles’ Journey in the Ring

One of the most emotional matches of the night was between Gunther and AJ Styles, where not only victory was at stake but also the veteran’s career. AJ Styles, with over two decades in professional wrestling rings, faced Gunther in a battle that started relatively evenly. Although both participants were warned for fouls, according to commentators, these did not reach the level of disqualification.

As the match progressed, AJ Styles showed signs of exhaustion after a leg submission hold. Gunther capitalized on this advantage, once again forcing his opponent to the mat and applying a second submission that ultimately secured his victory. This marked the end of AJ Styles’ professional career, who left the ring to applause from the crowd, recognized for his legacy in the company.

Drew McIntyre Wins the WWE Championship

The second significant match was between Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn for the coveted WWE Championship. The fight initially favored Sami Zayn, who managed to execute a leap from the third rope outside the ring to impact his opponent. However, Zayn’s dominance was short-lived, and Drew McIntyre took control of the contest.

McIntyre launched a continuous offensive, repeatedly hitting his rival and even destroying one of the commentators’ tables to use as a weapon against Sami Zayn. Unable to recover, Sami was subdued by his opponent, allowing McIntyre to take the belt and solidify his position in WWE’s hierarchy.

Roman Reigns Prevails in the Men’s Royal Rumble

The men’s Royal Rumble began with an unusual incident when Bron Breakker was attacked by a mysterious individual before entering the ring, resulting in his quick elimination after just a few seconds. As participants entered, the appearance of Rey Mysterio Jr., the Mexican legend, was met with enthusiasm, though his stay in the ring was brief.

Mexico had a notable presence with multiple representatives: Mr. Iguana, La Parka in his new version, and Penta Zero Miedo. The latter was victim to a powerful RKO from Randy Orton that eliminated him. After the presentation and elimination of 28 wrestlers, only Gunther and Roman Reigns remained in the ring as the last two contenders. In the final confrontation, Roman Reigns demonstrated his superiority, eliminating Gunther and securing not only the event’s championship title but also his guaranteed spot at WrestleMania.

Card and Participants of the 2026 Royal Rumble

The official card of the event included four main matches, two of which were monumental:

• Royal Rumble Match (Men’s Battle Royal)
• Royal Rumble Match (Women’s Battle Royal)
• Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Championship
• AJ Styles vs. Gunther (with a retirement clause for the loser)

Men’s Royal Rumble Participants

The male participants included established figures and emerging prospects: Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Gunther, Rey Mysterio, Penta Zero Miedo, Dragon Lee, Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, Bron Breakker, Logan Paul, Austin Theory, Bronson Reed, Je’Von Evans, Oba Femi, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton, La Parka, Mr. Iguana, and Drew McIntyre, among others.

Women’s Royal Rumble Competitors

In the women’s category, the battle featured IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Roxanne Perez, Raquel Rodriguez, Bayley, Asuka, Lyra Valkyria, and Kairi Sane, along with other competitors completing the 30-participant field.