The 2026 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event is scheduled for this weekend in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, featuring some of WWE’s biggest names, including Gunther, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and Jey Uso. Recently, Oba Femi has been teased extensively through vignettes on RAW and SmackDown, hinting at his transition from NXT, where he relinquished the NXT Championship after defending it against Leon Slater. His participation in the Royal Rumble match has been officially confirmed, setting the stage for a potential major breakthrough.
Victory Could Cement Oba Femi as a Leading Star
Oba Femi’s performance in NXT was dominant, capturing the North American Championship once and the NXT Championship twice without ever losing the latter in competition, vacating it voluntarily. Winning the Royal Rumble would immediately elevate him to the main event scene, placing him among WWE’s top-tier wrestlers and affirming his readiness for bigger storylines and championship challenges.
A Surprising Winner to Energize WWE Storylines
The creative team in WWE has introduced several shocking moments this past year, and an Oba Femi victory would fit seamlessly within that pattern. While many fans anticipate Roman Reigns or Bron Breakker to emerge as the winner, crowning Oba Femi instead would dramatically shake up expectations and generate a fresh buzz around the main roster’s direction, creating renewed fan interest.
Oba Femi’s Current Momentum Supports a Big Win
At 27, Oba Femi has built significant traction, marked by his recent promotional packages hinting at a move to RAW or SmackDown. Unlike many others who receive similar buildup, the audience’s excitement for his arrival on the main roster is notable. This momentum mirrors that of Shinsuke Nakamura nearly ten years ago, who won the Royal Rumble and earned an immediate title shot; WWE could position Oba in the same way to establish him as an immediate contender at WrestleMania.
Establishing a New Dominant Force in WWE
WWE’s roster has lacked a truly dominant presence comparable to legends such as Kane, Big Show, and Mark Henry for years, with the current main event scene missing a consistent, larger-than-life figure due to part-timers like Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns. Oba Femi winning the Royal Rumble could fill this void, elevating him to the top of the hierarchy and presenting a strong candidate for becoming world champion at WrestleMania 42. This would lay the groundwork for a long-term dominant star on the roster.
Oba Femi 🤝 Royal Rumble @Obaofwwe pic.twitter.com/PsuUdjNqry
— WWE (@WWE) January 27, 2026
