WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Preview & Match Card (1/31/26)

The first four of the big WWE Premium Live Events kick off the schedule as WWE Royal Rumble 2026 gets underway in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the first time on January 31, 2026. The Rumble is one of the most exciting events on WWE’s calendar, delivering shocking winners, surprise entrants, and a lot of unforgettable moments on the way to WrestleMania. This year’s edition will not be any different. We all know you want to get this started, so here’s a WWE Royal Rumble 2026 preview.

Let’s run it down.

AJ Styles vs. Gunther

AJ Styles boldly declared during the tail-end of last year that 2026 will be his final go-around as a professional wrestler, and he intends to go out the same way he came in; swinging. It looks like Styles finally got his wish as the biggest hitter in the game, the “Career-Killer” Gunther, stepped up to the plate.

The “Ring General” has ended the careers of the biggest stars this industry has ever seen, beginning with the WCW legend Goldberg, and more recently, killing the career of the “Greatest of All-Time” in John Cena. Gunther thinks it’s time to put Styles to pasture, but Styles proved on this last weekend’s Saturday Night’s Main Event that he has more than enough left in the tank, carving out an instant classic with Shinsuke Nakamura.

Styles even made Gunther tap out with a Calf Crusher, signaling that there’s definitely a weakness in the armor of the former two-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Styles has fought the best of them all, and while Gunther is another beast entirely, AJ is more than capable of slaying giants and keeping them down.

Will Gunther claim another career? Or will the AJ Styles Retirement Tour continue through 2026 as intended?

2026 Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble Matches

WWE Universe, this might be the most stacked collection of talents that will compete in their respective Rumble Matches in the history of the company. You have Cody Rhodes, who’s already won two Rumble Matches, joining an illustrious club of back-to-back winners, who’s looking to join “Stone Cold” Steve Austin in an exclusive class of three-time winners.

Rhodes was screwed out of the Undisputed WWE Title, but he’s not about to complain; he wants to make history and wants to claw back to the top. You also have the “OTC” Roman Reigns, who we haven’t seen since November, back at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames.

Reigns entry into the match was made official on SmackDown, immediately putting everyone on notice. Roman is also a former winner, winning the event back in 2015. It’s been a long time since Reigns has been champion, two years in fact, and it’s no secret he wants to be the “Tribal Chief of WWE” once again, and winning the 2026 Royal Rumble could be the first step towards that.

There’s a lot more name where that came from, making the Rumble match the biggest it has ever been.

On the women’s side, you have IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Asuka, and many other big names joining the fold. On an edition of SmackDown, the dominant Jordynne Grace made her intentions clear by declaring for the Royal Rumble and informing Jade Cargill that she’s coming for the WWE Women’s Championship.

On both sides, there are some more than capable names of throwing 29 other competitors as they book their ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 42.

Who will come out on top? Find out this Saturday night, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as we officially begin the Road to WrestleMania.

WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Preview & Match Card (1/31/26):