Ranking the 6 WWE Stars Who Need a Men's Royal Rumble Win Most
The Royal Rumble has almost always been about telling the right story heading into WrestleMania season and not necessarily elevating new stars, which is what the Money in the Bank briefcase should be reserved for.
However, WWE has used the Rumble in the past to give Superstars who were on the brink a big win and cement them as main event players. There have been many other instances of wrestlers who were already established winning the Rumble—including for a second time—and fans being bored by it.
The vibe going into the 2026 Royal Rumble is that a fresh face should emerge victorious, specifically in the men's matchup. Roman Reigns ruling another Rumble isn't all that interesting, nor is Cody Rhodes tying "Stone Cold" Steve Austin for all-time Rumble victories at three in order to work his way back into the top title picture.
What's so promising about the upcoming installment is that the outcome feels genuinely unpredictable and there are a number of different directions WWE can go in with it.
Jey Uso's shock Rumble win a year ago led to him winning the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time, and there's an opportunity to do something similar this year.
Of everyone expected to be involved, these six names in particular need a win in the men's Rumble match the most.
6. Oba Femi
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After willingly relinquishing the NXT Championship in his NXT swan song at the onset of 2026, Oba Femi has everything to gain once he officially arrives on WWE's main roster at the Royal Rumble.
He's been confirmed to take part in the men's Rumble and should be considered a front-runner to win the whole thing. Never before has anyone won the Rumble in their first appearance on WWE TV after being called up, and Femi has a realistic chance of making history given how high of a ceiling he has.
Coming up short in the Rumble wouldn't damage him in the slightest, especially since he'll be protected by not being pinned. He can just as easily have a standout showing and make his mark despite eating defeat.
If he were to win, he'd be instantly established as someone the fans must take seriously as a star on the rise and a soon-to-be world champ. Femi has his entire career ahead of him, but there would be no harm in skyrocketing him right to the top starting this Saturday.
It would also result in Raw and SmackDown's general managers doing everything in their power to sign him so their brand could be represented in the WrestleMania main event.
5. Gunther
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Gunther is by no means in an unenviable position at the moment. In fact, he's currently one of WWE's most prominently featured Superstars following his statement submission win over John Cena in the latter's last match at the end of 2025.
The only thing he's missing is a world title, something he hasn't held or even received a rematch for since losing the World Heavyweight Championship to CM Punk in the main event of SummerSlam Saturday last August.
A Rumble win this weekend would put him back in that conversation, most likely opposite Punk at WrestleMania 42 if The Second City Saint maintains possession of the prestigious prize until then.
Gunther wouldn't be included in this list if he wasn't also scheduled to face AJ Styles earlier in the event. The Phenomenal One's illustrious career will be on the line, and if The Ring General loses, he would need a Rumble win to bounce back.
Otherwise, he risks losing a lot of the momentum he gained from retiring Goldberg and Cena. Gunther winning the men's match is not a must, but if he suffers a loss to Styles beforehand, a Rumble victory would ensure he continues looking strong.
4. Jacob Fatu
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Jacob Fatu being involved in the main event mix on SmackDown lately has been a breath of fresh air, and he's more than made the most of his push.
His heated altercation with Cody Rhodes on the Jan. 23 edition was far and away the highlight of the night as well as their wild brawl the following night at Saturday Night's Main Event. He's one massive win away from being in contention for the Undisputed WWE Championship, and the Royal Rumble is his chance to shine.
Fatu already has history with reigning champ Drew McIntyre and winning the Rumble would simply put him in a position to take that title from the Scot on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
His rivalry with Rhodes can't only be "filler" for The American Nightmare before he inevitably enters the title scene again. Rather, their storyline should be designed to get the belt around Fatu's waist before long.
Rhodes and Fatu eliminating each other would be a logical way to further that feud, but a Rumble victory is what he needs to move up to the next level.
3. Bron Breakker
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Bron Breakker pinned CM Punk to win WarGames for The Vision in the main event of Survivor Series and automatically earned himself a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.
On the one-year anniversary of Raw's Netflix premiere, Breakker lost to Punk but only after delivering a hard-fought performance.
Breakker should have won the title in the immediate aftermath of his betrayal of Seth Rollins. The beginning of the year would have worked just as well. Instead, WWE decided to delay the inevitable, presumably because it wants his crowning moment to come on a more significant stage.
His subsequent "suspension" for putting his hands on Raw GM Adam Pearce has kept him busy since then, but now that he's been reinstated and named for the Royal Rumble, something major has to happen with him on Saturday to make up for his failure to beat Punk.
A rematch with The Best in the World doesn't sound overly appealing on paper for WrestleMania 42, but it's the only way to correct course with Breakker. Otherwise, it may be many more months before he's challenging for the title again, and he would have to spin his wheels in the meantime.
2. Sami Zayn
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Although he's slated to face Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble after becoming number one contender at Saturday Night's Main Event, Sami Zayn can't be counted out as a potential pick for the men's Rumble in Saudi Arabia.
The story of his match with McIntyre is that he's never defeated The Scottish Warrior before and has yet to win a world title in WWE. That isn't going to change at the Rumble as it's too early in McIntyre's reign for him to be losing the strap, but Zayn's journey to the pinnacle of WWE doesn't have to end there.
Suffering yet another loss to McIntyre will only add to his ascent. Jey Uso experienced similar struggles a year ago when he fell short against Gunther and went on to win the Rumble a week later so he could get a rematch with The Ring General at WrestleMania 41.
Going down that same road in back-to-back years would be unoriginal, but it would make for an amazing moment at the Rumble if he were to win it after losing earlier on. At 'Mania, Zayn could finally get his just due, whereas if he leaves the Rumble a loser, there's no guarantee he'll make the card for April 18-19 at all.
1. LA Knight
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LA Knight has been out of sight and therefore out of mind for many fans since The Vision systematically beat him down in December. His absence from WWE TV is completely storyline-related, so he'll be brought back whenever WWE decides the time is right.
The Royal Rumble would make the most sense, especially with so many members of The Vision involved in the men's matchup. It's not enough for him to eliminate one or two of them, though. The Rumble could be his last chance to prove himself as a top-tier talent in the company.
Anyone getting their hopes up for a shock Knight victory is setting themselves up for disappointment. If he was going to win, WWE would have committed to pushing him in that way long ago, but it's not unfathomable, either.
The Megastar needs something to hang his hat on to avoid killing whatever credibility he has left. He remains super popular despite regularly losing whenever it matters most, and a Rumble win would change the audience's perception of him overnight.
Knight battling CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship would be an attraction worthy of WrestleMania billing and a story. At the Rumble, Knight could see his stock soar by winning the men's match, but that would require the powers that be to realize they dropped the ball by not pushing him to that extent sooner.
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.
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