Royal Rumble weekend clarified some futures — and muddied a whole lot more.
The 2026 Royal Rumble has come and gone, and we have our winners, with Roman Reigns and Liv Morgan emerging victorious in Riyadh. Both will now get their shots at one of WWE's world championship belts when we reach WrestleMania 42 later this spring.
They may have been the winners from this weekend, but where does that leave them in the overall hierarchy? In our first power rankings of 2026, we've taken stock of the most dominant personalities across the two biggest promotions. Here’s how they stand going into February.
MEN’S POWER RANKINGS
10. LA Knight (Prev: NR)
He turned up in Riyadh and got his monster pop. But what does the future hold for LA Knight? There'd been reports that 2026 would finally see him embark on a title run, cementing his reputation as one of the top babyfaces on the WWE roster. Then again, it isn’t like we haven’t been here before. Let’s see if he gets the nod for this year’s Elimination Chamber before we get too excited.
9. Bron Breakker (Prev: 4)
Who would have guessed Bron Breakker would be the fastest-eliminated participant in the men’s Rumble, chalking up just 10 seconds in the ring? God knows how much money you could've made if you had the inside line on that one. Presumably, the whole masked man mystery (mark two) is building toward something big for The Vision’s biggest hitter at WrestleMania. Either that or he's going to lose a lot of momentum.
8. Jacob Fatu (Prev: NR)
WWE wasted no time making a splash with Jacob Fatu’s return, as his dual assault on Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre in Berlin led to one of the most surprising payoffs in recent years. “The Samoan Werewolf” also made his presence felt in this weekend's Rumble, scrapping with Rhodes and Roman Reigns. Rumor has it he’s set to be in the main title match at WrestleMania, so we’ll see what’s next for WWE’s most intimidating Samoan.
7. AJ Styles (Prev: NR)
It’s true, then: AJ Styles has retired from WWE after submitting to Gunther’s lethal sleeper hold. But is “The Phenomenal One” really done with wrestling? The fact that he declined to leave those famous blue gloves behind in the ring on Saturday has reignited rumors that he might be heading to AEW for one final swan song. AJ Styles vs. Kenny Omega this summer, anyone?
6. MJF (Prev: NR)
Every few months MJF cuts a promo that reminds you just what an absolute master of the microphone he really is. Just feel the sizzle of those barbs he’s been hurling at Brody King over on “Dynamite." You might not like him, but you have to agree the AEW product is much stronger when Maxwell Jacob Friedman is around. Good news, then, that he looks set to main event this year’s Revolution.
5. Oba Femi (Prev: 6)
When it came to the Royal Rumble, Oba Femi delivered on expectations. Entering at No. 1, he scored an instant elimination over Bron Breakker (albeit with a bit of help) before embarking on a Brock Lesnar–like spree of tossing each new entrant over the ropes. The former NXT champ then ended up face-to-face with “The Beast Incarnate,” a situation fans have been manifesting for the past year.
4. CM Punk (Prev: 5)
WWE’s World Heavyweight Champion was absent from the Royal Rumble, though he had two spirited title defenses this past month, seeing off Finn Bálor and AJ Styles on “Raw.” No doubt Punk will now be waiting with bated breath to find out who he'll face at this year’s WrestleMania. Will it be a repeat outing with Roman Reigns (albeit without Seth Rollins this time), or will it depend on who survives the Elimination Chamber?
3. Gunther (Prev: 3)
“The Ring General” pulled double duty in this year’s Royal Rumble, going from his gut-punch victory over AJ Styles to ending up as the runner-up in the main event. While Gunther missed out on a world title match at 'Mania, WWE seems to be going full guns blazing on the “career killer” gimmick. There’s no doubt it suits the Austrian bruiser — but can it really maintain the same emotional force in the future?
2. Roman Reigns (Prev: NR)
WWE’s former Undisputed Champion was always a healthy favorite to win this year’s Rumble — and for good reason. With John Cena and The Rock out of the picture, Triple H presumably sees “OTC 1” as the man with adequate star power to main event this year’s WrestleMania. Will it result in Reigns winning gold for the first time since his downfall at 'Mania 41, finally giving him a reason to turn up for work on a regular basis? We’ll certainly be seated to find out.
1. Drew McIntyre (Prev: NR)
“The Scottish Warrior” had the perfect start to the year, winning the Undisputed Championship in a shocking result on WWE’s European tour. Since then, he’s reigned supreme as the latest heel champion, scoring a big win against Sami Zayn at the Royal Rumble before going on to cause more problems for Cody Rhodes by interfering in Saturday's titular Rumble match. McIntyre is riding high at the moment with that belt around his waist — but we’ll see how he fares at WrestleMania.
WOMEN’S POWER RANKINGS
10. Thekla (Prev: NR)
AEW’s women’s division came on in leaps and bounds last year, with Thekla among the big beneficiaries of that overhaul. The Austrian star has been a joy to watch since her debut and now seems to be creeping — well, spider-walking — toward the upper card, having already battled with the almighty Kris Statlander on "Dynamite." Presumably, it won’t be the last time she competes for gold for AEW.
9. Becky Lynch (Prev: 9)
You can question whether Becky Lynch really needs WWE's mid-card Intercontinental title, but you can’t deny she’s done a fantastic job since winning it. She remains one of the most interesting performers on “Raw,” whether she’s working with a veteran like AJ Lee or a sprightly up-and-comer like Maxxine Dupri. Now she just needs the right opponent to take her into WrestleMania…
8. Jade Cargill (Prev: 5)
Let’s get the negative bit out of the way first. Almost three months since winning the WWE Women’s Championship in Salt Lake City, Jade Cargill has not managed a single title defense — despite being a regular presence on “SmackDown”. Surely that has to change soon? We’ve seen friction between Jade Cargill and the newly promoted Jordynne Grace, which gives me hope we’ll finally get a decent match soon.
7. Raquel Rodriguez (Prev: 10)
Raquel Rodriguez has been on an absolute tear over the past six months, stepping into the shoes of the absent Liv Morgan to team with Roxanne Perez. The former tag champion shined bright in this year’s Rumble, even scoring a big elimination of her old nemesis Rhea Ripley. Now she'll face Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship on “Raw.” It's a difficult match, but I wouldn't rule out her winning.
6. Iyo Sky (Prev: 7)
It was another solid Rumble performance from Iyo Sky, drawing more praise from an awed Michael Cole. By this point, though, we all know Sky is magic in the ring. The real question is when we will see the next phase of this star-studded tag-team storyline, which has been moving at a glacial pace for weeks now. Surely it’s time for RhIyo vs. Flair and Bliss to finally take shape, either for Elimination Chamber or WrestleMania.
5. Kris Statlander (Prev: 6)
Of all the women’s champions in wrestling, Kris Statlander feels like the one who has reshaped her division in her image. Watching her dominate the likes of Thekla and Jamie Hayter, I feel guilty for doubting her championship credentials after she first surprised us at All Out last year. Since then, the stuntwoman-turned-wrestler has provided several reminders of why she deserves to be at the top of the pile in AEW.
4. Tiffany Stratton (Prev: NR)
Tiffany Stratton enjoyed a stunning sophomore year in WWE last year before disappearing from the spotlight after her defeat to Jade Cargill back at SNME. At this weekend's Rumble, the former gymnast made her widely-anticipated return, immediately establishing her credentials as one of the top performers in the division — much to the chagrin of Charlotte Flair. It looks like it's Tiffy Time once again, and I, for one, am not complaining.
3. Rhea Ripley (Prev: 1)
Another PLE, another star performance from Rhea Ripley. It’s true “The Eradicator” didn’t win the Rumble, but she certainly bagged the award for the loudest entrance of the night — and not for the first time. For all the ground-shaking pops and massive pyro displays, I still stand by my opinion that Ripley needs something to keep her busy this year. This tag-team storyline hasn’t quite delivered on that front yet.
2. Stephanie Vaquer (Prev: 2)
She might not have appeared at the Royal Rumble, but Stephanie Vaquer still looms large over the women’s division. Unbeaten in singles matches since coming up to the main roster, she looks every inch the WWE Women’s World Champion. But could her ongoing feud with Judgment Day end up costing her the gold? Assuming she can defeat Raquel Rodriguez on “Raw,” she'll remain the most likely target for Liv Morgan at WrestleMania.
1. Liv Morgan (Prev: 4)
Just when we thought Liv Morgan’s return at Survivor Series was as good as it gets, her Rumble run came along and blew it out of the water. The Judgment Day leader (sorry, Finn) looked like a star from the second she made her entrance at No. 14, and went on to deliver a thrilling final-three segment with Tiffany Stratton and Sol Ruca. She looks set to be one of the leading lights of this WrestleMania — and not a second too soon.
Category: General Sports
