The Royal Rumble, the third-longest-running annual WWE premium live event, is set to return this Saturday at 2 p.m. ET (ESPN Unlimited). Taking place at the KAFD in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this event, which first began in 1988, is traditionally the opening PLE of the year.
The card will showcase both a men’s and women’s Royal Rumble match, with the winners receiving a chance to compete for a world championship at WrestleMania 42 in April in Las Vegas. plus, Undisputed WWE champion Drew McIntyre will defend his title against Sami Zayn, while AJ Styles will risk his in-ring career in a match against Gunther.
As the path to WrestleMania unfolds, here’s a look at the legacy of this event.
Men’s Royal Rumble match
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The inaugural Royal Rumble match took place in 1988, won by WWE Hall of Famer “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, who achieved three eliminations, including the final one against One Man Gang. The first elimination ever was Jake “The Snake” Roberts eliminating “The Natural” Butch Reed.
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This weekend, Jey Uso aims to become the next wrestler to win consecutive Royal Rumble matches, a feat accomplished by four wrestlers: Hulk Hogan (1990, 1991), Shawn Michaels (1995, 1996), “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (1997, 1998), and Cody Rhodes (2023, 2024).
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The Miz leads the current roster in Royal Rumble appearances with 16. The record for most entries is held by Kane with 18 (including two more under different personas), while he also holds the record for the most eliminations at 45.
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Gunther set the record for the longest single duration in a Royal Rumble match in 2023, entering first and lasting over 1 hour and 11 minutes, finishing as the runner-up. Conversely, the shortest time spent in a Rumble match is held by Santino Marella, who lasted just 1.9 seconds in 2009.
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Of the ten superstars who have won two men’s Royal Rumble matches, only one, Austin, has triumphed three times, winning in 1997, 1998, and 2001. Other multiple-time winners include Hogan, Shawn Michaels, John Cena, Batista, Triple H, Randy Orton, Edge, Brock Lesnar, and Rhodes.
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Roman Reigns will compete in his eighth Royal Rumble match. He has one victory (2015), and holds the most runner-up finishes (4).
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No one has more final four finishes in Royal Rumble matches than Orton, with 8, two of which were wins (2009 and 2017).
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Chris Jericho is the only superstar to surpass five hours across all Royal Rumble matches, appearing in 11, finishing as the runner-up once, and reaching the final four three times.
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Entering last (No. 30) in the men’s Royal Rumble has proven to be beneficial, with five superstars (Lesnar, The Undertaker, Rhodes, Cena, and Triple H) winning from that spot. Meanwhile, only three (Shawn Michaels, Chris Benoit, and Edge) have won after starting from the first position.
Women’s Royal Rumble match
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The inaugural women’s Royal Rumble match took place in 2018, with Asuka emerging victorious after eliminating Nikki Bella. This victory granted her a SmackDown Women’s Championship match against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 34.
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Both Liv Morgan and Natalya share the record for the most appearances in women’s Royal Rumble matches, having participated in their eighth Rumble in 2025.
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In the 2025 Rumble, Nia Jax made history by eliminating nine competitors, bringing her total eliminations to 27, making her the record holder.
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Jax is also the first woman to compete in both the women’s and men’s Royal Rumble matches in the same year. In 2019, after participating in the women’s match, she entered the men’s match at No. 30 and secured an elimination (Mustafa Ali) before being eliminated by Rey Mysterio.
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Roxanne Perez’s time of 1 hour and 7 minutes during the 2025 Rumble is the longest recorded in a women’s match.
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Charlotte Flair is the only multiple-time women’s Royal Rumble winner, having won the matches in 2020 and 2025. She has entered five Rumble matches and reached the final four in all of them.
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In 2023, Rhea Ripley became the only superstar to win the women’s Royal Rumble match as the first entrant, going the distance alongside the second entrant, Morgan, as both spent over an hour in the ring.
Undisputed WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Sami Zayn
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The first WWE championship bout at a Royal Rumble occurred in 1991, when Sgt. Slaughter defeated The Ultimate Warrior to claim his only title during the era of the WWF.
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This won’t be McIntyre’s first rodeo defending the WWE Championship at a Royal Rumble, having retained the title in under three minutes against WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg in 2021.
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Zayn has yet to achieve a victory over McIntyre in a singles match, with six one-on-one encounters on television since 2023.
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Zayn is in search of his first Royal Rumble victory, as seven of his eight losses have been in Rumble matches, with the exception being in 2018 when he and Kevin Owens faced AJ Styles in a handicap match for the WWE championship.
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Triple H reflects on his favorite Royal Rumble moment
Triple H joins “Get Up” to discuss the upcoming star-studded Royal Rumble in Riyadh and shares some cherished memories.
Singles match: Gunther vs. AJ Styles (Styles’ career on the line)
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It has been over three years since Styles last secured a win at a WWE PLE, his last victory being in 2022 at Survivor Series: WarGames over Finn Bálor. Meanwhile, Gunther has tallied ten PLE wins, with his most recent triumph over Pat McAfee at Backlash in 2025.
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Styles’ WWE career could potentially conclude at the same event that marked his debut in 2016. He entered the Royal Rumble that year as the third entrant, lasting nearly 30 minutes before being eliminated by Kevin Owens after eliminating two superstars.
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This won’t be the first instance where a career is on the line at a Royal Rumble, as Ric Flair faced MVP in a similar situation in 2008 and emerged victorious.
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Gunther stands to end another career in as many months, having submitted Cena in his last match at “Saturday Night’s Main Event” in December.
