In a thrilling display of strength and strategy, Roman Reigns emerged victorious in the 2026 WWE Men’s Royal Rumble, securing his second Rumble win—a feat he last achieved in 2015. But here’s where it gets controversial: Reigns’ final showdown with Gunther has reignited debates about who truly deserved the title. Could Gunther’s exhaustion from defeating AJ Styles in a retirement match just hours earlier have tipped the scales in Reigns’ favor? And this is the part most people miss: Gunther has now made it to the final three in three of the last four Rumbles (2023, 2024, and 2026) without ever claiming the win. Is he the Rumble’s perennial underdog, or is there more to the story?
The match’s final three—Reigns, Gunther, and Randy Orton—delivered a high-octane climax, with Reigns ultimately eliminating Gunther to secure the victory. With this win, Reigns will now face either WWE Champion Drew McIntyre or WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. Who do you think he’ll challenge? Let us know in the comments!
Reigns joins an elite group as the 10th superstar to win the Men’s Royal Rumble twice, alongside legends like Batista, Brock Lesnar, and John Cena. But here’s a bold question: Does Reigns’ dominance signal a new era in WWE, or is he simply riding the wave of past glory?
Meanwhile, Stone Cold Steve Austin remains the only superstar to win the Royal Rumble three times (1997, 1998, and 2001). Will anyone ever match his record?
The 2026 Rumble wasn’t just about Reigns and Gunther. It marked the WWE debut of Royce Keys (formerly Powerhouse Hobbs), featured appearances from AAA’s Mr. Iguana and La Parka, and showcased a heated showdown between El Grande Americano (Ludwig Kaiser) and the ‘Original’ El Grande Americano (Chad Gable). Oba Femi and Roman Reigns led the eliminations with five each, while Je’Von Evans earned the Iron Man title for his endurance.
Here’s the full breakdown of the Men’s Royal Rumble entrants and their fates:
- Oba Femi (eliminated 18th by Brock Lesnar)
- Bron Breakker (eliminated first by Oba Femi)
- Solo Sikoa (eliminated third by Oba Femi)
- Rey Mysterio (eliminated fourth by Oba Femi)
- Rusev (eliminated second by Oba Femi)
- Matt Cardona (eliminated fifth by Oba Femi)
- Damian Priest (eliminated 10th by Royce Keys)
- Je’Von Evans (eliminated 22nd by Randy Orton)
- Mr. Iguana (eliminated sixth by Trick Williams)
- Trick Williams (eliminated ninth by Cody Rhodes)
- Cody Rhodes (eliminated 24th by Drew McIntyre)
- El Grande Americano (eliminated seventh by ‘Original’ El Grande Americano)
- ‘Original’ El Grande Americano (eliminated eighth by Trick Williams)
- Royce Keys (eliminated 11th by Bronson Reed)
- Austin Theory (eliminated 14th by LA Knight)
- Bronson Reed (eliminated 15th by LA Knight)
- Ilja Dragunov (eliminated 16th by Brock Lesnar)
- La Parka (eliminated 12th by Austin Theory & Bronson Reed)
- Dragon Lee (eliminated 13th by Bronson Reed)
- Logan Paul (eliminated 27th by Roman Reigns)
- LA Knight (eliminated 21st by Cody Rhodes)
- Brock Lesnar (eliminated 19th by Cody Rhodes & LA Knight)
- The Miz (eliminated 20th by Roman Reigns)
- Rey Fenix (eliminated 17th by Brock Lesnar)
- Jey Uso (eliminated 26th by Roman Reigns)
- Roman Reigns (Winner)
- Jacob Fatu (eliminated 25th by Roman Reigns)
- Penta (eliminated 23rd by Gunther)
- Randy Orton (eliminated 28th by Gunther)
- Gunther (eliminated 29th by Roman Reigns)
What did you think of the 2026 Royal Rumble? Was Reigns’ win deserved, or did Gunther get the short end of the stick? Share your thoughts below—we want to hear from you!
