The Royal Rumble 2026 event took place on January 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, inside the new stadium at the King Abdullah Financial District. Featuring just four matches, the event included both the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble contests, Drew McIntyre defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Sami Zayn, and a career-threatening match where AJ Styles faced Gunther. The Royal Rumble 2026 matches captivated viewers with high stakes and dramatic storytelling throughout the night.
Women’s Royal Rumble Match Evaluation
The Women’s Royal Rumble match received a 6 out of 10 rating from TheSportster, struggling with pacing and overall flow despite some standout moments. The match often felt crowded, with too many wrestlers inside the ring simultaneously, causing segments to appear chaotic rather than coordinated. Technical execution was inconsistent, and the storytelling lacked a clear, cohesive narrative outside of brief highlights.
Notably, newer talents such as Lash Legend and Jordynne Grace received significant attention, with Legend showcasing a dominant phase and Sol Ruca impressively lasting until the final three. The women’s tag team division played a part in the story as well, highlighted by Liv Morgan eliminating her own partner Raquel Rodriguez, alongside early exits by Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair.
The final five minutes brought heightened energy, featuring intense eliminations by Rhea Ripley and Rodriguez, and a vigorous contest between the last three competitors. However, this surge in excitement was not enough to fully compensate for the match’s slow build and numerous anticlimactic moments. Liv Morgan’s victory, achieved through her finishing move Oblivion on Tiffany Stratton, provided a decisive and emotionally resonant conclusion for the women’s battle.
Men’s Royal Rumble Match Breakdown
The men’s Royal Rumble match earned a slightly better score of 6.25 out of 10, balancing strong technical moments with periods of disengagement. Oba Femi’s energetic early performance stood out, as he eliminated several opponents, including Bron Breakker, who was unexpectedly attacked by a masked figure. Femi’s dominance injected excitement in the opening phase, but the momentum faltered mid-match, resulting in a fragmented presentation that lost crowd interest.
The match regained intensity during LA Knight’s return, whose comeback revitalized the atmosphere. Brock Lesnar’s entry, however, failed to create the anticipated impact, with his interactions feeling disjointed, including an unremarkable stare-down with Femi and an indifferent exit after being eliminated by Cody Rhodes and Knight during Jey Uso’s entrance. The crowd’s apathetic reaction towards these moments underscored the match’s struggles with storytelling.
The concluding segment, featuring a heated exchange between Roman Reigns and Gunther, captured the audience’s attention and culminated in Reigns winning his second Royal Rumble. Still, the overall bout suffered from a lack of meaningful narrative development related to WrestleMania feuds, leaving many participants’ storylines stalled and the event’s build-up somewhat hollow.
Drew McIntyre Versus Sami Zayn for the WWE Championship
The WWE Championship bout between Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn was rated a respectable 7 out of 10, characterized by a physical contest that took an emotional toll on both competitors. Early in the match, Zayn suffered a back injury following a high-risk dive to the outside. This injury shaped the match’s direction, as McIntyre relentlessly targeted Zayn’s weakened area, turning the encounter into a grueling test of endurance.
Despite considerable pain, Zayn displayed admirable resilience, rallying multiple times with strong audience support. However, the match’s outcome appeared inevitable, as McIntyre methodically wore down Zayn and ultimately secured victory with two Claymore kicks. While technical execution was solid throughout, the pace often slowed, and the crowd’s engagement lagged, making the championship defense feel somewhat underwhelming given the talents involved.
Gunther Versus AJ Styles: A Career on the Line
The top-ranked match of the night, Gunther versus AJ Styles, received an 8.75 out of 10 as it captured the event’s intense emotional core. With Styles risking his career, the match built steadily from cautious beginnings to a punishing and dramatic battle filled with powerful exchanges and high tension. Both men delivered exceptional performances, combining technical skill with compelling psychology throughout their encounter.
The match told a story of the veteran Styles giving everything he had in his final moments against Gunther’s overwhelming strength and relentlessness. Styles attempted to resist and escape Gunther’s devastating sleeper hold, but ultimately passed out, silencing the audience and underscoring the tragic end of a remarkable career. This contest not only advanced the narrative they started on RAW but also drew out a deeply emotional response from the crowd, highlighting the significance of the moment in WWE history.
AJ Styles’ farewell match was a striking contrast to the other bouts on the card, delivering profound storytelling, intensity, and memorable drama that resonated with fans long after the final bell rang.
