The 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble delivered plenty of jaw-dropping moments, highlighted by several shocking returns and a major debut. Fans saw the returns of Chad Gable, Brock Lesnar, and LA Knight, while former AEW standout Powerhouse Hobbs made his WWE debut under his new ring name, Royce Keys.

At the WWE Royal Rumble 2026, Gunther forced AJ Styles to pass out in the sleeper hold, forcing "The Phenomenal One" to retire with the loss.

Many of Raw and SmackDown's top stars converged on the blue brand ahead of the Rumble. Undisputed WWE champion Drew McIntyre found himself in the crosshairs of numerous rivals amid the chaos. Cody Rhodes, Jacob Fatu and Sami Zayn all had their sights set on the champ. With SmackDown's top stars fixated on gold, Breakker struck.