Brett Davis-Imagn Images

First Entrant in the Royal Rumble Revealed — Here's Who

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Steven Harrison | Last updated Jan 16, 2026 11:33 PM ET

For the first time in its history, the WWE Royal Rumble will take place outside the United States, emanating from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

As always, the event will be anchored by the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble Matches. Sixty WWE superstars will enter, all chasing a guaranteed world championship opportunity at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas.

This year’s Rumble build has been fairly quiet. WWE has yet to announce a full slate of entrants, and unlike some previous years, there have been no qualifying matches or sustained focus on the Rumble itself.

That began to change on the January 16 edition of SmackDown: London, when the first official entrant into the Men’s Royal Rumble declared himself: “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes.

.@CodyRhodes has officially declared for the 2026 Royal Rumble!! pic.twitter.com/hCPvh8jVGh
— WWE (@WWE) January 17, 2026

The former Undisputed WWE Champion announced his entry while acknowledging growing a criticism—that his path has become too predictable. For Rhodes, winning the Royal Rumble represents the next step toward reclaiming championship gold.

Will Cody Rhodes Win the Royal Rumble?

This is the type of energy we love to see from our QB1 @CodyRhodes pic.twitter.com/ja7SDfcnN3
— WWE (@WWE) January 17, 2026

Cody certainly could win the Rumble—but it’s hard to imagine WWE pulling that trigger again. He is already a two-time Royal Rumble winner, with both victories coming within the last four years. Crowds have begun to turn on him, and unless WWE is preparing for a full-scale heel turn, another Rumble win may not land well for the company’s top babyface.

That said, Rhodes doesn’t need a Rumble victory to reach the WrestleMania main event.

Cody Rhodes enters the arena during the WWE Undisputed Championship match during the WWE Royal Rumble.Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

If anything, the more compelling path looks something like this—a prediction echoed by Chris Van Vliet, and one that makes a lot of sense:

Roman Reigns wins the Royal Rumble
Sami Zayn defeats Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship
Cody Rhodes beats Sami Zayn at Elimination Chamber
Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns III at WrestleMania

If WWE wants tension, stakes, and a story fans can emotionally invest in, that road might be the most effective one.

WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Full Card:

Men's Royal Rumble Match
Women's Royal Rumble Match
Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Winner of SNME Fatal Four Way Match — Singles match for the WWE Championship

WHAT A WIN!@RandyOrton has qualified for the Undisputed WWE Championship No. 1 Contender's Match pic.twitter.com/ImEGHI33A6
— WWE (@WWE) January 17, 2026