The 2026 WWE Royal Rumble is fast approaching, set to take place on January 31st—less than three months away. Before then, fans can look forward to two editions of Saturday Night’s Main Event and Survivor Series: WarGames on the schedule. The WWE landscape has shifted dramatically recently, with three of the four major WWE titles changing hands. These shifts have altered the favorites to win each Royal Rumble from month to month, making the upcoming event even more unpredictable and exciting.
At Saturday Night’s Main Event, CM Punk and Jade Cargill captured titles and are both expected to hold their reigns until WrestleMania. Meanwhile, Stephanie Vaquer claimed the Women’s World title at Wrestlepalooza in September. Both divisions feature several compelling contenders. Let’s take a look at the top five early favorites to win the Men’s Royal Rumble match in 2026.
### #5. LA Knight Gets the Monkey Off His Back
The Megastar has hovered around the World Heavyweight Championship picture ever since WrestleMania 41. Despite several opportunities, Knight has fallen short of capturing the title every time, including a loss to Bron Breakker just before Saturday Night’s Main Event. However, these setbacks could be setting the stage for future success—in a similar vein to how Money in the Bank winners often struggle before their ultimate triumph.
LA Knight remains one of the most popular stars in WWE and would make an excellent challenger for either CM Punk or Cody Rhodes, assuming both hold titles by next April.
### #4. Gunther Chops His Way to Royal Rumble Victory
The Ring General impressed fans by making it to the final two in the 2023 Royal Rumble and was notably absent from the 2024 match due to holding the World Heavyweight Championship. After losing the title to Jey Uso at WrestleMania 41, Gunther reclaimed it over the summer. However, CM Punk recently took the belt from him at SummerSlam in a heated match where Gunther suffered a broken nose.
Upon his return, Gunther is expected to leap back into the spotlight and become one of the top favorites to win the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble.
### #3. Roman Reigns Looks to Win a Second Royal Rumble
Roman Reigns remains a perennial favorite to win a Royal Rumble match, despite his part-time status. He won his only Rumble victory back in 2015 when WWE was positioning him as the company’s new face. While his sporadic appearances make it challenging for him to be the winner, he still figures strongly among the frontrunners for 2026.
Reigns has storyline grounds to challenge both current champions. Cody Rhodes defeated The Tribal Chief for the Undisputed Championship, while Reigns shares a complex rivalry with “The Best in the World.” This dynamic keeps him relevant in the title picture.
### #2. Sami Zayn’s Quest to Win a World Championship
Sentimental favorite Jey Uso was pegged to win the 2025 Royal Rumble, but in 2026, Sami Zayn is poised to take that spotlight. Zayn recently lost the United States title to Ilja Dragunov but has yet to capture a World Championship in WWE. Many stars, including CM Punk, have teased this storyline, hinting that the “Ultimate Underdog” is overdue for a breakthrough.
Considering the event will take place in Saudi Arabia, where Zayn enjoys immense popularity, booking him as the 2026 Royal Rumble winner could deliver a highly compelling and fan-approved moment.
### #1. Bron Breakker Is the Future of WWE
Bron Breakker’s rise has been strategically accelerated, especially following Seth Rollins’ unfortunate injury at Crown Jewel. Known as “The Vision,” Breakker was deliberately held out of the battle royal that determined Punk’s World Heavyweight title challenger at Saturday Night’s Main Event. This booking choice hints at an even bigger moment for Breakker, possibly a Royal Rumble victory followed by a WrestleMania win.
Royal Rumbles and Money in the Bank events are perfect platforms to push emerging main-eventers and underutilized veterans who deserve title opportunities. Breakker fits this narrative to a tee and currently sits atop the list of favorites to win the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble.
—
With so many compelling contenders and shifting storylines, the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble promises to be a thrilling event full of surprises. Fans won’t want to miss who emerges victorious as the road to WrestleMania heats up!
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/5-way-early-favorites-win-2026-wwe-men-s-royal-rumble-match
