WWE Must Commit to the Future with 2026 Royal Rumble, Who Should It Be?

For as star-studded as the current roster is, WWE has been long overdue for an influx of fresh faces for some time now.

The 2026 Royal Rumble must be where the company showcases the talent of tomorrow and sends the message that this is a new era.

The December 13, 2025 installment of Saturday Night's Main Event served as a successful preview of what the next generation of WWE will look like with so many top prospects from NXT in action. Thus, it was no coincidence that some of them subsequently made their way to Raw and SmackDown.

Trick Williams, Je'Von Evans and Jordynne Grace have all officially joined the main roster and are expected to have standout showings in their respective Rumble matches this coming weekend.

The event itself is the perfect place for other up-and-comers from NXT to debut and make their mark ahead of their own imminent call-up.

WWE's creative direction for the rest of 2026 will hinge on how the Rumble goes and whom the company decides to put its effort into. Among the following eight names who are either on their way to the grand stage or have recently arrived, who has the best chance of being considered the future?

Trick Williams

Craig Melvin/WWE

Although Trick Williams spent far longer in NXT than he should have, he made the most of his time down in developmental, captured several titles and came into his own as a total package of a performer.

From the moment he made his first in-person appearance on SmackDown earlier this year, Williams came across like a total star. He has shared the screen with Sami Zayn, Randy Orton and Damian Priest in recent weeks and hasn't looked or felt out of place in the slightest.

He was even involved in the Fatal 4-Way to determine the next number one contender to the Undisputed WWE Championship at Saturday Night's Main Event, so he's already in a pretty promising spot mere weeks into his main roster run.

SmackDown desperately needs elite-level heels at the moment and Williams helps fill that void. While he won't be winning the Royal Rumble, he could very well end up challenging his former friend Carmelo Hayes for the United States Championship at WrestleMania 42 if he can continue building momentum.

Thanks to his above-average mic skills and innate charisma, Williams will be in WWE's main event mix for years to come.

Jordynne Grace

Craig Ambrosio/WWE via Getty Images

On the same show Trick Williams officially arrived on SmackDown, Jordynne Grace also debuted in a backstage segment where she confronted Jade Cargill.

The two have been at odds ever since and it shouldn't be long until they collide with the WWE Women's Championship on the line.

Grace finds herself in a similar spot as Williams in that she's getting an aggressive push out of the gate and rightfully so, but her climb to the top of the women's division may be more gradual. It's unrealistic to assume she'll dethrone Cargill this close to WrestleMania 42, but she will be wearing gold eventually.

Grace honed her craft in TNA for many years and held the TNA Knockouts World Championship on three occasions. Her promos are arguably her biggest Achilles' heel, but once she overcomes that obstacle, she'll be a permanent fixture in the title scene on SmackDown.

Amazingly, she is only 29 years old and is already incredibly experienced. Winning the women's Rumble would not only send her straight to WrestleMania but also allow her to break out big-time.

At the very least, Grace should be as impressive as she was the last two times she participated.

Je'Von Evans

Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images

The always-electrifying Je'Von Evans took NXT by storm shortly after signing with the brand in 2024 and was an exciting staple of the show until making his way to Raw at the beginning of the month.

In addition to his awe-inspiring aerial offense making every match of his a treat to watch, he's a likable character and doesn't have trouble connecting with any crowd. He wins his fair share of matches but has yet to hold gold of any kind in WWE.

At the age of 21, Evans has his entire career ahead of him, but that doesn't mean WWE can't make him an important part of its programming in the meantime. He should be a mainstay in the midcard scene on Monday nights while occasionally competing in main events.

At first glance, he doesn't look like the type of star WWE would build around, but he can easily exceed expectations depending on how much he excels with where he is currently on the card. He could be in that conversation if he stays the course and has the audience behind him.

Avoiding elimination in innovative fashion would be an excellent use of Evans in the men's Royal Rumble match.

Sol Ruca

Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images

Much like Je'Von Evans, Sol Ruca has made a name for herself in NXT through her unbelievable athleticism and hitting her thrilling Sol Snatcher finisher on her opponents out of nowhere.

The 26-year-old has spent more than enough time in NXT and therefore it's a bit of a surprise she hasn't made her way to Raw or SmackDown yet. She battled Bayley at last month's installment of Saturday Night's Main Event and managed to emerge victorious, but she's been spinning her wheels on NXT ever since.

If she is main roster-bound soon, she'd be a welcome addition to the women's Rumble match, where she can wow the crowd with her flashy arsenal. She wouldn't have to report to Raw or SmackDown immediately, but being in Saturday's contest could set the stage for her being called up post-WrestleMania.

The Raw women's division is top-heavy with star power at the moment, so Ruca would work well in the Women's Intercontinental Championship scene. If Zaria is brought up alongside her, they could chase the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship and help further elevate that division.

The long-term outlook of women's wrestling in WWE will be encouraging if Ruca is at the helm.

Oba Femi

Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images

Oba Femi has yet to declare whether he'll be joining Raw or SmackDown full-time, but based on the vignettes that have aired promoting his pending debut, he's guaranteed to be a big deal regardless of where he winds up.

The 27-year-old was last seen on the New Year's Evil edition of NXT at the onset of 2026, defeating Leon Slater to retain the NXT Championship before relinquishing it and entering free agency. WWE holding off this long on having him appear on either brand must mean he'll first take part in the men's Royal Rumble.

It isn't impossible for him to win the whole thing, but he's more likely to get a ton of eliminations and be established as a force to be reckoned with. From there, there's no telling what he'll be involved with on the Road to WrestleMania, but it should be significant.

He and Trick Williams have the potential to be main event players for WWE sooner rather than later, so with Williams now signed to SmackDown, Femi would be a better fit on Raw from the get-go.

If he's not challenging for one of Raw's top titles come 'Mania, he should be slotted in a storyline with a notable name, with Brock Lesnar being the best option.

Femi could make a major impact by beating The Beast Incarnate at The Show of Shows before dominating the rest of the red brand from that point forward.

Blake Monroe

Mike Marques/WWE via Getty Images

There have been conflicting reports as to whether Blake Monroe is on the verge of moving to the main roster or not, but her recent rivalry with Jaida Parker in NXT suggests she'll be staying put for the time being.

It's barely been a year since Monroe jumped from All Elite Wrestling to WWE, and she's been a recurring highlight on NXT TV in that time. Her feud with Jordynne Grace and reign as NXT Women's North American champion have seen her show more range as a character and display what she can do in the ring.

When the time comes for her to take her place on WWE's main stage, SmackDown would be where she'd be best suited. There are a lot of interesting directions she could go in on the blue brand, specifically Tiffany Stratton, given the many similarities between the two.

A cameo from Monroe in the women's Royal Rumble would give the audience a glimpse of what she's capable of as well as some teases for future matchups with members of both brands. After all, she has an aura about her that would force fans to take notice if they're not familiar with her work from NXT.

Powerhouse Hobbs

One familiar face to keep an eye out for in the men's Rumble match is Powerhouse Hobbs, who is fresh off his departure from AEW and reportedly ready to debut for WWE any day now.

He was with AEW for over five years and was only ever utilized at a certain level, but in WWE, he has a stronger chance of ascending the card and finding more success as a singles star, starting with an exemplary performance in the Rumble.

Hobbs, 35, is as dominant and as destructive as they come and shouldn't be lost in the shuffle upon arriving in WWE. Otherwise, it would be a waste to debut him in the Rumble when he could be saved for after WrestleMania 42 instead.

AEW had the opportunity to push him as a top-tier talent but was content to keep him in the upper-midcard at all times.

It's possible Hobbs doesn't get much higher than that in WWE, either, but with so many eyes on the Rumble, it's imperative he makes a memorable first impression and gets this run off to a hot start to ensure he has the company's complete confidence.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.