In the buildup to Royal Rumble 2026, speculation circulated about Cody Rhodes reclaiming momentum with a victory. However, WWE officials had no plans to position Rhodes as the Royal Rumble 2026 winner. According to insights shared by Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, Rhodes’ chances of winning the event were dismissed early in the storyline planning after WWE finalized his WrestleMania direction once he lost the championship.
Choosing Rhodes’ Path to WrestleMania
WWE narrowed Rhodes’ road to WrestleMania down to two possibilities: winning the Royal Rumble or advancing through the Elimination Chamber. Ultimately, the creative team ruled out the Royal Rumble route for him. The narrative they wanted to present required Rhodes to face adversity by not winning the Rumble, then progressing through the Chamber instead.
Cody was no longer champion, had to win either Rumble or Chamber. And Cody was never scheduled to win the Rumble because the nature of the storyline was that he had to overcome the adversity and not win the Rumble and then went into the chamber,
Meltzer explained, drawing comparisons to John Cena’s storyline from the previous year.
Creative Reasoning and Storytelling Goals
The choice to exclude Rhodes from the Rumble winner’s spot was intentional, aiming to avoid fast-tracking him into a championship match. WWE wanted to emphasize a storyline where Rhodes experiences a setback before redemption, rather than an immediate triumphant return. This approach leaned heavily on crafting a more challenging and dramatic journey for his character.
Once Rhodes was assigned to the Elimination Chamber route, he was effectively removed from contention as the Royal Rumble winner. WWE then shifted focus to other contenders to claim that victory.
So that led to Roman being the one who won the Rumble,
Meltzer noted about Roman Reigns taking the victory.
Implications of WWE’s Creative Direction
The decision to keep Rhodes out of the Royal Rumble win was not a last-minute change or a response to fan reaction. Rather, it was rooted in a long-established storyline plan connected to his WrestleMania arc. Rhodes was never sidelined or replaced; he simply was never part of the final Royal Rumble winner equation.
This storyline places Rhodes on a more demanding path defined by struggle and perseverance instead of quick success. Whether this route resonates strongly with audiences remains to be seen, but WWE’s internal strategy had been solidified well in advance of the event’s conclusion.
