The road to WrestleMania 42 officially kicked off with a massive bang, and honestly, it felt different this time. For the first time ever, the traditional Royal Rumble left North America, landing right in the heart of the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. If you were looking for royal rumble live updates, the chaos started long before the first buzzer even sounded.
The heat in Riyadh was one thing, but the heat in the ring was on another level. We saw massive returns, a brand new Undisputed WWE Champion defending his gold, and two superstars punching their tickets to Las Vegas for the "Showcase of the Immortals."
The Night Everything Changed for Drew McIntyre
Heading into the night, the big story was the fallout from SmackDown. Just weeks ago, Jacob Fatu made a shocking return that inadvertently helped Drew McIntyre capture the Undisputed WWE Championship from Cody Rhodes in a brutal Three Stages of Hell match. The Scottish Warrior didn't have much time to celebrate, though.
McIntyre walked into Riyadh with a massive target on his back. While the Rumble matches usually steal the show, seeing the title defended on the same night added a layer of tension we haven't seen in years. Drew has been fuming lately, and seeing him hold that gold while the crowd roared in Saudi Arabia was a sight to behold. He’s basically become the final boss of the brand right now.
Men’s Royal Rumble: Surprises, Slaps, and the Final Six
You’ve gotta love the Rumble for the entry numbers alone. The tension when that 10-second countdown starts is basically unmatched in sports.
This year, the field was stacked. We had heavy hitters like Roman Reigns, who is operating as the "Original Tribal Chief" (OTC) these days, and Sami Zayn, who is basically a hometown hero every time he steps foot in Saudi Arabia. The crowd was unglued for Sami. It’s hard to describe the noise—it was just constant.
Who showed up?
Surprises are the lifeblood of this match. While rumors were flying about Chris Jericho or even a Jeff Hardy sighting, the actual "pop" of the night came when Jacob Fatu officially entered the fray. He didn't just enter; he leveled half the field.
The final six came down to a "who's who" of modern wrestling:
- Roman Reigns (The OTC looking for his second Rumble win)
- Sami Zayn (The sentimental favorite)
- LA Knight (The man the fans still can't get enough of)
- Seth "Freakin" Rollins (The visionary returning from his recent injury woes)
- Gunther (The Ring General who simply refuses to be eliminated)
- CM Punk (The veteran looking for that one last main event)
The finish was pure chaos. It’s kinda wild how Gunther can stay in a ring for over an hour and still look like he could go another sixty minutes. But when the dust settled, the story of the night was the collision between the past and the future.
The Women’s Royal Rumble: Making History in Riyadh
There was a lot of talk leading up to this about how the women's division would handle the full-body gear and the intense environment. Honestly? They killed it. Charlotte Flair walked in as a favorite, especially after her historic 2025 win where she became the first two-time Women’s Rumble winner.
But the story this year was about the "new guard." We saw a massive showing from Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair. Bianca had been sidelined with a finger injury since WrestleMania 41, so seeing her hit the ring as a "surprise" at number 15 sent the place into a frenzy.
The ending of the women's match wasn't just about who won; it was about how they won. The technicality on display—specifically from the likes of Iyo Sky and Stephanie Vaquer—showed why the division is currently the strongest it’s ever been.
Real Talk: Why This Rumble Felt Different
Let’s be real for a second. Hosting a "Big Five" event in Saudi Arabia is a polarizing move for some fans. But from a purely athletic standpoint, the production was top-tier. The KAFD venue looked like something out of a sci-fi movie.
👉 See also: Skip Bayless on Undisputed: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes
One thing most people get wrong about these international shows is thinking they’re just "glorified house shows." They aren't. Not anymore. With the Netflix deal and the global expansion, every royal rumble live updates thread was moving at a million miles per hour because the stakes actually mattered.
Actionable Insights for the Road to WrestleMania 42
Now that the dust has settled in Riyadh, what does this mean for you as a fan? Here is how you should be looking at the next few months:
- Watch the Elimination Chamber: Historically, the person who "almost" won the Rumble gets their redemption here. Keep an eye on whoever was the runner-up in the Men’s match—they are almost guaranteed a high-profile spot in Perth or wherever the next stop lands.
- Follow the Bloodline Civil War: With Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu both showing out in the Rumble, the power struggle within the Bloodline is only going to get messier.
- Check the "Iron Man" Stats: Usually, the person who stays in the longest (like Gunther or Jey Uso in previous years) gets a massive solo push heading into the summer.
The Road to WrestleMania 42 is officially open. Whether you're Team Cody, Team Roman, or pulling for a dark horse like Trick Williams, the landscape of WWE just shifted permanently under the desert sun.