Roman Reigns is favored at 2026 WWE Royal Rumble, but this underdog should pull off upset

It feels like a foregone conclusion that former Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns will win the Royal Rumble in 2026, and the “Tribal Chief” may be on his way to reclaiming his place atop the promotion.

Reigns is already a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but he’s one of the few legends to not win two Royal Rumbles. It’s an accolade that has alluded him, and he will inevitably cross it off his list.

If he wins, he could finally have that dream singles match against CM Punk, or he could put an end to his longstanding feud with Drew McIntyre. Or, in an unconventional move, he could use his Rumble win to challenge The Rock at WrestleMania next year (let me dream).

However, there’s someone else who should win the annual battle royal; someone who could use the rub even more than him (and it’s not Gunther or Bron Breakker).

LA Knight, not Roman Reigns, should win the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble

More than likely, LA Knight will make his return at the 2026 Royal Rumble. He was written off TV in December 2025 after an attack by the Vision.

If WWE is smart, they would give Knight the win. He has been the subject of bad press due to WWE Unreal Season 2 on Netflix. His flub at the end of the 2025 Money in the Bank ladder match and the aftermath of it.

He has been a good soldier and waited in line for years. It’s time for Knight’s hard work to be rewarded. Imagine his promos with Punk, if he wins and chooses to go after the World Heavyweight Championship. If he goes after Drew McIntyre, he’d be the ultimate underdog.

Knight is going to make a splash upon his return. At the very least, he will probably eliminate several members of the Vision. Best-case scenario, he eliminates them all and wins the whole match.

Giving Knight the win is a win-win scenario. If all goes well, you have a new main event star. If it doesn’t, he’s still a valuable asset who can work the midcard while being main event-adjacent.

The case for Roman Reigns

11 years ago, Reigns won the Royal Rumble, which was hated by fans. His initial push in the mid-2010s was controversial, to say the least.

As noted, he has yet to win a second Rumble. It would be shocking if he never accomplished that before his career is all said and done.

Above all else, WWE would likely want to right the wrong of Reigns’ last win. The crowd booed him winning, and surely WWE would want him to win it now that he has found his footing as a performer.

The case against

However, it doesn’t have to happen this year. If all goes well, he will continue wrestling at his current rate for the next few years, meaning he’s got a handful of Royal Rumbles left to win. Yes, you want to strike while the iron is hot — who knows who will be vying for a Rumble win in 2027? — but the same could be said about Knight.

2026 initially seemed like the ideal time for it to happen. A few months ago, his longtime rival Seth Rollins was the reigning World Heavyweight Champion, while Cody Rhodes was still holding the Undisputed WWE Championship, which he beat Reigns to win for the first time in 2024.

At that point, Reigns winning the Royal Rumble was a more exciting prospect. Now, he’d either face Punk, which is, admittedly, a dream match, but one that seems destined for Breakker this time around, or McIntyre.

Reigns vs. McIntyre is a money match, and they still have a score to settle, as the “Tribal Chief” has beaten McIntyre in their last two marquee singles encounters. However, it would feel forced to run it back this year. Perhaps they can revisit the feud if McIntyre’s title reign lasts several months. That way, he could beat Reigns.

Ultimately, Reigns is a victim of circumstance. He was the perfect winner for the 2026 Royal Rumble, but even as one of his biggest fans, it’s clear that Knight’s time is now.

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