The men's match at WWE Royal Rumble 2026 was a wild affair filled with chaos, drama, and a handful of stars were thoroughly made as
Roman Reigns dispatched all challengers in one of the most fiercely contested Rumbles in recent history. In a contest where the momentum changed hands numerous times, and emotions ran high when a couple of fan favorites were eliminated from contention, the closing stretch of the match had proven winners competing for a guaranteed spot in the main event at the next edition of WrestleMania.
The game opened at a high tempo from the very first bell. As soon as the competition kicked off, the rising powerhouse Oba Femi established his deadly trap, sweeping through the competition early on and cutting opponents left and right. He's got the strength and aggression to set the tone and make a veteran re-evaluate. With the ring filling up, the wrestling action got ramped up a notch as
Cody Rhodes stood neck and neck with Femi, showing resilience and endurance.
Chaos builds as star power fills the ring
The Rumble had significant momentum swings in its middle section. Eliminating Brock Lesnar caused one of the loudest reactions of the night, courtesy of Cody Rhodes changing the complexion of the match in hindsight. His run, however, wasn't destined to continue, as Drew McIntyre eventually kicked Rhodes off the top rope in a key moment that changed the endgame.
As soon as Roman Reigns came in, the whole mood shifted. In typical fashion, the former champion rushed to the ring, cleaned house, and laid out wherever he stood.
The most convincing and emotional moment came when Reigns eliminated Jey Uso, his cousin and former champion, drawing a huge reaction from the fans.
The tension then ramped up even further late in the match when Randy Orton entered the ring at No. 29, just ahead of Gunther coming in at No. 30, having just retired AJ Styles earlier in the night. It was an elite competition, stacked inside the ring, leaving the finish to a bang.
Roman Reigns stands tall in a dramatic final sequence
The final three consisted of Roman Reigns himself, Gunther, and Randy Orton. After a bit of back-and-forth, Orton was eventually sent packing, leaving Reigns and Gunther to settle their issues in a one-on-one showdown. The two went back and forth with high-impact moves and near eliminations before Reigns finally capitalized on a moment, tossing Gunther over the top rope to win the match to huge cheers from the crowd.
Roman Reigns is now the official winner of the Men’s Royal Rumble in 2026 after winning the match and earning his title shot at WrestleMania. That victory served to reinforce his power, as did the way we saw Gunther, Oba Femi, and so many others leave marks in the course of the match.