Alternative Winners For The 2026 Royal Rumble Matches

While Morgan has long been a fan favorite, she does not offer a compelling narrative for either of her prospective opponents in the lead-up to WrestleMania 42. Meanwhile, one woman who was not present on Saturday does.

Bianca Belair was formerly Jade Cargill’s soul sister, holding the Women’s Tag Team Championships with her for quite some time. Since then, however, their paths have diverged greatly.

“The EST” broke her fingers during a unsuccessful title shot at WrestleMania 41 and has not wrestled since then, though she officiated Cargill’s match vs. Naomi at Evolution. As for “The Storm,” she won the WWE Women’s Championship after turning heel, but has not defended since.

After winning, Belair could express disappointment, anger even, at what her former friend has become – turning her back on the fans, then coasting on her reputation. Of course, that is not to mention Tiffany Stratton, the former champion who did return at the Rumble and still has her rematch clause against Cargill. The ensuing triple threat match would have been narrative magic, showcasing speed, power, agility, and hunger all at once.

Men’s Match: Jacob Fatu

Reigns would have made sense as the men’s winner had Bron Breakker won the World Heavyweight Championship to start the year.

That clash of powerhouses would have been huge. Paul Heyman’s current top dog against Paul Heyman’s former top dog. Anoa’i vs. Steiner. Spear vs. spear. Throw in Seth Rollins’ shadow looming over the match, and it would have been a guaranteed must-see attraction.

Alas, that did not happen, as CM Punk retained over Breakker. Thus, Jacob Fatu should have earned the spoils instead. “The Samoan Werewolf” already has the history with Drew McIntyre, which is easy to build on.

Maybe WWE wanted Fatu to first settle his business with Cody Rhodes, but it could still work with him as winner. Between now and WrestleMania, a match between the two men is booked. If Rhodes wins, he joins the match, making it a triple-threat.

Now, McIntyre is in serious trouble. He may now have to face not one, but two men who utterly despise him, and he can lose the title without being pinned or submitted. Blood will not just boil here; it will spill over for a showcase of carnage.

End Of My 2026 Royal Rumble Rant

Last year’s Royal Rumble winners already felt underserving enough. Charlotte Flair definitely did not need to win in 2025, while Jey Uso’s triumph was similarly excoriated as rewarding hype over consistency.

It definitely feels like that way again this year, though to a lesser extent. Instead of going with the flow of logic, WWE has chosen to prioritize confusion, and that is not good…