The Royal Rumble 2026 results are in, and if you watched the Wrestling Uncensored live reaction, you know the verdict is complicated. Roman Reigns won his second Royal Rumble—exactly as Dave Simon and Johnny North predicted 24 hours earlier. Liv Morgan claimed the women’s Rumble. AJ Styles’ WWE career ended against Gunther. On paper, this was a successful event. In reality? The crew had some serious issues with what went down in Riyadh.
Dave Simon, Genesis Johnny North, and special guest Ben Simon gathered to watch the men’s Rumble live, delivering real-time reactions to every elimination, every surprise (or lack thereof), and every questionable booking decision. The result was an entertaining hour that captured exactly what wrestling fans felt watching this event: moments of genuine excitement undercut by inexplicable creative choices and an embarrassingly empty stadium.
🎯 Key Takeaways
- Roman Reigns wins his second Rumble: Both hosts predicted it, and despite his 2015 victory being controversial, this one felt earned. CM Punk at WrestleMania awaits.
- Liv Morgan defeats Tiffany Stratton: Johnny’s pick was correct. The women’s Rumble was arguably the match of the night with strong performances from Lash Legend and Sol Ruca.
- No Chris Jericho: The biggest disappointment of the night. Triple H promised surprises, and Powerhouse Hobbs was all WWE delivered.
- Empty seats embarrass WWE: The brand-new stadium—built in 30 days—was noticeably empty. Dave called out the “moral laundering” of the Saudi deal gone wrong.
WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Results
Oba Femi’s Early Dominance Sets the Tone
The men’s Royal Rumble 2026 started with a statement. Oba Femi entered at number one and proceeded to eliminate four competitors in rapid succession: Bron Breakker (who was attacked by a masked man before the match), Solo Sikoa, Rey Mysterio, Matt Cardona, and Rusev. Dave compared it to Stone Cold’s legendary Rumble performances or to a video game where you’re just storing finishers and quickly tossing out anyone who enters.
“It’s like the video game,” Dave observed during the early eliminations. “He’s storing a finisher, quick toss out, waiting for the next guy.” Johnny noted Oba’s potential, calling him “a big guy with potential” who carried the opening stretch convincingly. The NXT Champion proved he belongs on the main event stage, even if his Rumble ended when Brock Lesnar eliminated him from behind later in the match.
The mysterious masked attacker on Bron Breakker drew immediate speculation. Dave and Johnny debated whether it was Seth Rollins (the moves suggested it) or possibly Austin Theory playing mind games. The consensus: WWE is clearly building toward a Rollins-Breakker WrestleMania program, but the execution felt odd this early in the match.
The Empty Seats Controversy
Within minutes of the watch-along starting, Johnny North raised the elephant in the room: the attendance. “We’re gonna talk about the lack of attendance again tonight?” he asked. Dave didn’t hold back, noting the LED lights on empty chairs made the situation even more obvious than usual.
You think of all the moral laundering they’ve done over the years for Saudi Arabia. They built this stadium in 30 days. You don’t want to think about the pain and suffering they threw at that to make it happen. There’s just nobody there. It was for nothing. Could have had this in Philadelphia.”— Dave Simon on the Saudi Arabia situation
Johnny pointed out that WWE is usually excellent at camera angles to hide poor attendance, but this event was “a disaster” that they simply couldn’t mask. The reseller situation Dave mentioned in Friday’s preview—where speculators bought up tickets for a stadium that wasn’t even built yet—apparently materialized into exactly the nightmare scenario everyone feared.
When Triple H’s response about being “up bad for a month” building the stadium came up, Dave’s retort was sharp: “You didn’t have to build it, Trips. You weren’t on the 24-hour working cruise.” The crew noted that workers’ comp in Saudi Arabia probably doesn’t mirror American standards—a dark observation that hung over the entire broadcast.
Women’s Royal Rumble 2026 Results: Liv Morgan Prevails
The women’s Rumble happened before the watch-along began, so Dave recapped the highlights while the men’s match unfolded. The big news: Johnny North’s prediction was correct. Liv Morgan eliminated Tiffany Stratton with an Oblivion on the apron to win the whole thing.
“It was down to Tiffany and Liv,” Dave explained. “Tiffany and Liv were the final two, and Liv won. Hit the Oblivion on the apron to eliminate Tiffany Stratton.” He acknowledged Johnny’s correct prediction with genuine respect: “As predicted by Johnny North. Well done. Kudos to you, John.”
Several standout performances emerged from the women’s match. Lash Legend eliminated five competitors, including Charlotte Flair, Jordynne Grace, IYO SKY, and both Bella twins, doing a taunting pose after each one. Brie Bella received what Dave called potentially “the biggest ovation she ever had in her career” as the crowd went nuts for her surprise appearance.
The Judgment Day drama also advanced, with Raquel Rodriguez eliminating Rhea Ripley via powerbomb on the apron, only for Liv Morgan to immediately eliminate Raquel. Dave noted this created instant tension within the faction, which will clearly play out on the Road to WrestleMania.
Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi: The WrestleMania Match We Need
When Brock Lesnar’s music hit at number 22, the energy in Dave’s studio shifted immediately. “Business has just picked up,” Dave announced as the Beast Incarnate made his entrance with Paul Heyman. Johnny was impressed with the pyro: “Great pyro for Brock. Great pyro.”
The moment everyone wanted arrived when Brock and Oba Femi locked eyes. Dave was practically begging for the confrontation: “I want to see him pick up Oba Femi.” What followed was electric—German suplexes flying, F5s being delivered, and a legitimate big-man showdown that felt like a WrestleMania main event in miniature.
Dave and Johnny agreed this staredown justified a WrestleMania match on its own. Unfortunately, Brock eliminated Oba from behind when Femi turned his attention elsewhere—a decision that robbed us of a definitive confrontation but left the door wide open for a proper program. “Maybe Oba Femi vs. Brock is the Mania match,” Dave speculated. It should be.
Where Was Chris Jericho? The Missing Surprise
As the Rumble progressed and entrant after entrant failed to be Chris Jericho, Dave’s frustration built to a crescendo. By the time entry 28 (Penta) and 29 (Randy Orton) arrived with no Jericho in sight, the dam broke.
Reality Check: Triple H’s “Big Surprises” Were a Lie
The Reality: “Remember when Triple H was like, ‘there’s gonna be a lot of surprises for this Rumble’? Another bullshit lie from the number one doofus.” Dave Simon didn’t mince words after Gunther entered at number 30 instead of the anticipated Jericho return. The “big surprise” WWE delivered? Powerhouse Hobbs, now renamed Royce Keys. That’s it. For one of the biggest events of the year, that’s inexcusable.
“Everybody wanted Jericho. Everybody expected Jericho. He’s in shape. The big surprise you give us is Powerhouse Hobbs? Get the fuck out,” Dave vented as Gunther made his entrance. Johnny tried to remain diplomatic: “There is a lack of surprises, that’s for sure.”
Dave’s response was visceral: “Fuck this Saudi Arabia Rumble. Fuck this. No Jericho bullshit.” The disappointment was palpable. Every fan with their phones out at number 30, hoping for something special, instead got Gunther, who, while a great performer, was already announced for the match.
Roman Reigns Wins: A Family Affair
The final four came down to Roman Reigns, Gunther, Randy Orton, and Logan Paul—exactly the kind of star-studded finish a Royal Rumble deserves. When Gunther locked in the sleeper hold on Roman, the tension was genuine. Dave was calling for Gunther to simply put Roman to sleep and “casually toss him over” for maximum heel heat.
Instead, Roman escaped, hit the spear, and eliminated Gunther to win his second Royal Rumble. At that exact moment, Dave’s entire family invaded the studio. “Oh my goodness, get in here! Get in here! The whole crew is here!” Dave announced as chaos ensued.
Ben Simon joined the broadcast just in time to see the finish, offering his assessment: “Not many big surprises. The main surprise was Powerhouse Hobbs as the spider.” When asked if he was disappointed about no Jericho, the answer was an emphatic yes. Dave noted the contrast with Roman’s first Rumble win in 2015: “Compared to the last time Roman Reigns won the Rumble, we’re much happier now. Last time it was terrible, filled with rage. This time it’s pretty good. Both times were predictable.”
The broadcast concluded with Dave’s daughter offering viewing advice that perfectly summarized the evening: “Don’t hit. Turn this off.” As Dave noted, “That’s good advice for everybody.”
AJ Styles Retires: End of a Phenomenal Era
Johnny missed the AJ Styles vs. Gunther match, but Dave filled him in on the details. Gunther choked out AJ Styles to end his WWE career—exactly 10 years after Styles made his surprise debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble. The finish saw Styles go to sleep rather than tap, which Dave appreciated as the right call for a legend’s sendoff.
The crew discussed AJ’s future. Johnny believed TNA might be first, but Dave pushed back hard: “What are the matchups there? There’s nothing to do in TNA. There are matches to have in AEW and in New Japan. There’s nothing you could do in TNA.” When Johnny suggested Dolph Ziggler as a potential TNA opponent, Dave dismissed it: “Who goes anywhere to wrestle Ziggler? Nobody.”
The key detail everyone noticed: AJ didn’t leave his gear in the ring like John Cena and others have done. This suggests the “retirement” may have an asterisk—his WWE career is over, but his wrestling career might continue elsewhere.
WrestleMania 42 Implications
With Roman Reigns winning and CM Punk holding the World Heavyweight Championship, the main event picture for WrestleMania 42 is taking shape. Dave laid out his predictions immediately after the finish:
- Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship seems like the clear direction
- Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Jacob Fatu in a triple threat for the Undisputed WWE Championship makes sense given their ongoing feud (Drew eliminated Cody during the Rumble)
- Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi or Gunther vs. Brock Lesnar could materialize from the Rumble interactions
- Liv Morgan vs. Raquel Rodriguez or whoever holds the Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania
Ben suggested an ambitious six-way: Roman, Drew, Cody, Jacob, and whoever wins the Elimination Chamber. While probably too chaotic for a WrestleMania main event, it speaks to how loaded WWE’s main event scene currently is.
The Royal Rumble 2026 results delivered a predictable but satisfying conclusion with Roman Reigns earning his WrestleMania opportunity. The path to Las Vegas is now clear, even if the journey through Riyadh left something to be desired. As Dave put it before signing off to prepare for the UFC 325 watch along: “Thanks for watching. Congratulations to Roman Reigns.”
Who won the men’s Royal Rumble 2026?
Roman Reigns won the 2026 men’s Royal Rumble, eliminating Gunther in the final two after hitting a spear. This is Roman’s second career Royal Rumble victory, following his controversial 2015 win.
Who won the women’s Royal Rumble 2026?
Liv Morgan won the women’s Royal Rumble by eliminating Tiffany Stratton with an Oblivion on the apron. The match lasted 1 hour and 6 minutes and featured standout performances from Lash Legend (5 eliminations) and returning surprise Brie Bella.
Did Chris Jericho appear at Royal Rumble 2026?
No. Despite widespread expectations and Triple H promising ‘big surprises,’ Chris Jericho did not appear at Royal Rumble 2026. The only notable surprise entrant was Powerhouse Hobbs (now called Royce Keys), who disappointed many fans.
Did AJ Styles retire at Royal Rumble 2026?
AJ Styles’ WWE career ended at Royal Rumble 2026 after losing to Gunther via submission (sleeper hold). However, AJ did not leave his gear in the ring, suggesting he may continue wrestling elsewhere—potentially in AEW or New Japan.
Who will Roman Reigns face at WrestleMania 42?
Roman Reigns is expected to challenge CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. This would be their first singles match at WrestleMania.
