Roman Reigns Books His WrestleMania 42 Ticket with a Historic Second Royal Rumble Victory

Roman Reigns captures his first Royal Rumble win since 2015, outlasting Gunther to headline a record 11th WrestleMania.

Roman Reigns Books His WrestleMania 42 Ticket with a Historic Second Royal Rumble Victory

Roman Reigns wins the 2026 Royal Rumble (via WWE)

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The 2026 Royal Rumble officially kicked off the road to WrestleMania 42 on Saturday night in Riyadh. Headlined by the traditional 30-person Men’s Royal Rumble match, the PLE saw a boatload of action in the heart of Saudi Arabia. To cap off the night, Roman Reigns captured his second Royal Rumble victory, outlasting 29 other competitors to punch his ticket to Las Vegas. 

The win comes 11 years after his first triumph in 2015 and sets Reigns up to headline a record-breaking 11th WrestleMania. The closing moments of the match featured several major twists. 

Undisputed WWE champion Drew McIntyre entered the fray and delivered a Claymore to eliminate Cody Rhodes, denying Rhodes the chance to earn a rematch for the title he lost earlier this month. Entering from the powerful #26 spot, Reigns immediately faced a stacked field of top stars, including his cousins Jey Uso and Jacob Fatu. 

In an ironic turn, ‘The OTC’ eliminated both former Bloodline members on his way to the final four alongside Randy Orton, Logan Paul, and Gunther. Reigns threw out Paul, while Gunther eliminated Orton, setting up a dramatic showdown between Reigns and ‘The Ring General.’

Gunther looked poised to finish Reigns the same way he nearly ended AJ Styles earlier in the night, repeatedly locking in his punishing sleeper hold. But Reigns fought free, delivered a massive spear, and eliminated Gunther to secure the 2026 Royal Rumble win.

The match took place in front of a loud Riyadh crowd and featured several surprise entrants, including former AEW powerhouse Royce Keys, LA Knight, and AAA stars Mr. Iguana and La Parka. Established names like Rhodes, Orton, Fatu, and Uso also added to the star-studded field.

While the Men’s Rumble didn’t quite match the highs of the women’s bout, it still delivered plenty of memorable moments. Oba Femi and Je’Von Evans stood out as breakout performers, and the staredown between Brock Lesnar and Femi sparked immediate WrestleMania buzz.

With McIntyre seemingly headed into a feud with Rhodes and Fatu, Reigns now shifts focus toward WrestleMania 42, where a blockbuster main event against World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk appears to be on the horizon.

Bron Breakker gets taken out by a mysterious hooded man at the Royal Rumble

Chaos erupted immediately at the start of the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble match, as a masked attacker sparked one of the night’s most shocking moments. Oba Femi entered first at the #1 spot, but the surprise came moments later when Bron Breakker arrived as the #2 entrant, a placement that had been revealed during the pre-show. 

Bron Breakker at the Royal Rumble
Bron Breakker at the Royal Rumble (via WWE)

Breakker was expected to square off with ‘The Ruler,’ but he never even made it to the ring cleanly. Before he could begin his Rumble run, a mysterious figure dressed in a black hoodie ambushed him from behind just like it happened at Survivor Series. 

The masked assailant stomped Breakker and tossed him into the ring, where Femi immediately capitalized and eliminated him within seconds. At ringside, Paul Heyman looked on in disbelief. As officials rushed in, Heyman screamed that the attacker was Seth Rollins. 

Although the assailant’s face was never shown, his movement and style strongly resembled the former world champion, adding fuel to the speculation. The attacker escaped through the crowd before anyone could stop him, leaving Breakker and Heyman stunned as they headed to the back.

If the masked person truly was Rollins, it could signal an unexpected return. Rollins had publicly dismissed reports on ESPN that he would appear at the Royal Rumble, claiming his shoulder injury would keep him out until WrestleMania. However, this incident suggests otherwise.

The ambush would also fit into their recent history, as Breakker attacked Rollins and forced him out of The Vision months ago, following Crown Jewel in Perth. For now, the identity of the masked attacker remains unconfirmed, but the mystery may have just set the stage for a major WrestleMania feud.

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