Liv Morgan, Gunther, and the Real Winners and Losers of WWE Royal Rumble 2026 Match Card
WWE kicked off the road to WrestleMania 42 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with the 2026 Royal Rumble.
Liv Morgan and Roman Reigns cashed their tickets to The Showcase of the Immortals with their respective wins in the women's and men's Rumble matches, but who joined them among the night's biggest winners?
Which Superstars were less lucky, emerging from the event without that momentum and in need of some help entering the most important stretch of the WWE calendar?
Find out with this look at the real winners and losers of Saturday's card.
Winner: Lash Legend
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Not only was Legend tapped for the "Diesel" spot in this year's match by tallying eliminations in dominant fashion, but she also became the most hated competitor in the match thanks to the bevy of fan-favorites she sent packing.
Brie Bella's return and reunion with sister Nikki was a great moment for fans, but the former WNBA star did not care, overpowering them and tossing the Hall of Fame twins to the floor.
Charlotte Flair's near-hour-long run? Legend tossed her out, too, depositing last year's winner to the ground like the 14-time world champion was an NXT upstart.
Iyo Sky, justifiably touted as the best wrestler in the world by Michael Cole on commentary? No match for the bigger, stronger competitor.
Legend showed up, showed out, and based on the crowd's reaction, her booking in this match worked. She looked like a star and was only eliminated after Rhea Ripley clotheslined her over the top rope.
Seizing the opportunity, making an impression, drawing the ire of fans by eliminating their favorites, and only being tossed by the biggest star in the women's division is not a bad way to spend one's second Royal Rumble appearance.
Winner: Liv Morgan
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After finishing second, second, and third in her previous three Rumble appearances, and being one of only two competitors to appear in every one of the women's matches since its inception in 2018, it sure felt like Morgan's time to win the whole thing Saturday.
She did, finally outlasting the other 29 women who joined her in the 2026 edition and cashing her ticket to WrestleMania 42.
It was the latest accomplishment in a career that achieved new heights since 2022, when she first captured individual championship gold. Despite her achievements, she has never competed on the grandest stage in wrestling with a singles title on the line. That will change this April when she competes for either the Women's World Championship, held by Raw's Stephanie Vaquer, or the WWE Women's Championship, held by SmackDown's Jade Cargill.
For now, one of the biggest stars in the women's division has the Rumble victory that has eluded her and a chance to become one of the stars at the forefront of this road to WrestleMania in Las Vegas.
Other Winners, Losers from Women's Royal Rumble
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Loser: Alexa Bliss
Her tag team partner got the Iron Woman run, lasting nearly an hour while Bliss was the fifth woman eliminated from the bout. Yes, the one-two start was nice, but Flair is the priority in the team, for better or worse.
Winner: Sol Ruca
As if her victory over Bayley on Saturday Night's Main Event on December 13 was not enough, Ruca's third-place finish in this year's women's Rumble should tell you everything you need to know about how she is viewed by management. A future world champion, probably sooner rather than later.
Loser: Bayley
Speaking of Bayley, The Role Model's entry should have meant more than it did. Not allowed the same lengthy run as Flair, or the storyline-advancing elimination of Becky Lynch, her and teammate Lyra Valkyria were eliminated by The Bella Twins in a moment that is more likely to set up a Raw match than a significant role for WrestleMania 42.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
The biggest star in the women's division, the mood changes when Ripley comes through the curtain. Regardless of how a match or angle was perceived before, her arrival elevates whatever she is involved in. This year's women's Rumble match was no different.
Winner: Gunther
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The Ring General was crowned as the elite career killer following his victory over AJ Styles via referee stoppage.
For the second time in a month, he ended a WWE career, putting The Phenomenal One to sleep in front of thousands of fans.
Even before that, the former world champion was dominant, unloading with a vicious barrage of chops and a wicked clothesline. He beat and battered Styles en route to victory and has emerged such a credible, badass heel that it is becoming harder to keep him out of the world title picture with every passing victory.
Gunther reemerged later in the night, entering the Royal Rumble at No. 30 and lasted until the final two before being eliminated by Roman Reigns.
It was his second runner-up performance in the last four years at the event and suggests WWE still has big plans for The Ring General, even if they are not readily apparent entering WrestleMania season.
Loser: Sami Zayn
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There is no universe in which anyone can argue Sami Zayn emerged from Saturday's Undisputed WWE Championship match loss to Drew McIntyre better than he entered.
A hero to the fans in Saudi Arabia, if there was ever a time to put the world title on Zayn, it was Saturday.
Instead, his night was defined by another world title match and another loss.
At some point, fans will grow tired of throwing their support behind Zayn in these battles for the top prizes until there is even a hint that he might win the gold.
Even then, his dreams have been snuffed out so regularly at this point that it is reasonable to question whether WWE Creative missed its chance to put the strap on the most lovable underdog in the company and pay off his journey.
Zayn is still wildly popular and a favorite of Triple H, which means there will be chances for him to finally etch his name in the history books as world champ. Whether it comes at the expense of what could have been a bigger, more historically significant moment is the question.
Winner: Oba Femi
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In his first Royal Rumble appearance, Femi took on the dominant run popularized over the years by Diesel and Brock Lesnar. He looked the part of a star as he chucked Hall of Famers, fan-favorites, and others over the top rope.
He enjoyed a long run, paired off with Lesnar in one of the most anticipated moments of the match. Although he did not win, he left an impression on fans with his performance.
Yes, his elimination at the hands of The Beast Incarnate probably could have been better handled in a way that capped off his momentous night in a more meaningful way, but there is no denying that when fans look back at the 2026 men's Royal Rumble, one of the stars most closely associated with it will be the former NXT champion.
Other Winners, Losers from Men's Royal Rumble
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Loser: Matt Cardona
It sure feels like the momentum surrounding Cardona's return a few weeks back is gone. He had a hasty exit from the Rumble, courtesy of Femi.
Winner: Je'Von Evans
The Young OG made his Royal Rumble debut Saturday, and while he was never a favorite to win, he had a lengthy run and the opportunity to mix it up with elite stars such as Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and Brock Lesnar. Good work for his first PLE as a main roster star.
Loser: Rey Mysterio
Generated one of the biggest pops of the match, but lasted mere minutes before being dumped by the dominant Femi. A Hall of Famer and on the short list of the best to ever do it, The Master of the 619 has deserved better for a long time.
Loser: LA Knight
Sure, Knight got his revenge on Bronson Reed for the attack that left him sidelined, but he was quickly shut down and became just another face in a ring full of them. His unceremonious elimination by Cody Rhodes did not help matters.
Winner: Roman Reigns
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In 2016, Reigns entered the Rumble at No. 1, faced tremendous odds, was screwed over by Triple H and The Authority, and fans still wanted nothing to do with The Big Dog winning the match.
Fast forward a decade and Reigns emerged from the annual event as the hero, winning the 2026 Royal Rumble by last eliminating the most hated man in wrestling: Gunther.
It was a triumphant showing for The Tribal Chief and a moment that only further vindicates a historic second chapter to his career that has seen him reinvent his on-screen persona and enjoy one of the greatest runs by any main event attraction in WWE history.
Reigns is on his way back to WrestleMania, with a chance to challenge for championship gold. While he will have his choice, an Undisputed WWE Championship match feels more likely. Whether he faces McIntyre or someone else, like longtime rival Rhodes, is a question for which an answer will be provided over the next three months.
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