Predicting Royal Rumble 2026, AJ’s Future, And Who Steals WrestleMania

We break down Royal Rumble 2026 with clear picks, bold prop bets, and the real stakes around AJ Styles vs Gunther. With no obvious favorite in either Rumble, we map the most credible paths to WrestleMania and the swerves that could rewrite the card.

• Saturday Night’s Main Event recap and takeaways
• Why Drew McIntyre retains over Sami Zayn
• AJ Styles retirement rumors and Gunther’s rise
• Men’s Rumble winner scenarios and final four logic
• Starters, Iron Man, and most eliminations picks (men)
• Women’s Rumble favorites: Bianca Belair vs Liv Morgan
• Starters, Iron Woman, and most eliminations picks (women)
• How early start times change pacing and fan energy
• The path from Rumble to Elimination Chamber to WrestleMania

https://mixed-vibez-drip.printify.me/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome, welcome, welcome back to another episode of From My Perspective. I'm your boy Dion coming back to you. Go ahead and hit that like button. Go ahead and hit that subscribe button. Like I keep saying, and like I keep seeing, like 60% of you guys are not subscribed. I don't understand why y'all not subscribe. Y'all might as well subscribe so y'all can get that notification for when we provide a new episode. But again, thank you again for joining us for another episode of From My Respective. You know, I'm your boy Dion. I'm joined by the man in the myth, the legend himself, Captain Hader. How you doing today?

SPEAKER_02 0:35

Man, we'll do what it is. Y'all another bass is your boy, Mr. Bat. AKA say your name up on his pod. Might not be you the mouth. What's going on, Dion?

WrestleMania Season And Royal Rumble Hype

SPEAKER_00 0:41

I'm I. It's going good, bro. I'm feeling good because it's WrestleMania season and the Super Bowl season. We'll get to Super Bowl in another episode next week. But it's WrestleMania season because the Royal Rumble is this Saturday at 2 p.m. in Saudi Arabia. Are you excited?

SPEAKER_01 1:04

Yes. Kind of.

SPEAKER_02 1:09

Does that make sense? Yes.

Recap: Saturday Night’s Main Event

SPEAKER_00 1:10

Kind of. But uh according to the numbers, Royal Rumble last year was the most viewed PLE of all PLEs, including WrestleMania. But before we talk about Royal Rumble 2026, we gotta talk about Saturday Night's main event that happened last Saturday. Quick little thoughts. Obviously, Cody Rose versus Jacob. Me and you, we was like, I don't know who's gonna win this match, because neither one of them should lose this match. Didn't even happen a match. They just brawled through the fed, through the crowd. Dream McIntyre came out, did his thing, no match at all. So kept both people strong. Then you had the women's tag team match. Rhea Ripley and EL Sky, they kept their titles. Raquel Rare Reas tried to interfere. Stephanie Vakir came back. She's been hurt, but she came back and helped out. But Rhea got the victory. AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura. We'll talk more about AJ Styles here in a little bit, but they had an excellent match. Can't complain about that one. And then the uh Fatal Four Wave, me and you both got it right. Sami Zayn won, but pretty excellent match, good showing for Trick Williams, Sami Zayn Penn, Damian Priest. What was your thoughts of Saturday night's main event?

SPEAKER_01 2:23

Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, what is going on here? It was me.

Quick Takes On Results And Booking Logic

SPEAKER_02 2:50

So my honest thoughts is first, I never I guess I never thought of the possibility that they was just never gonna have a match between Cody and Jacob. That never crossed my mind. Drew interfering crossed my mind, but it never crossed my mind of how it played out. So that I guess for me that was a welcome surprise. I like I said before, I think I wanted the judgment day to win that match. They didn't, but I wanted the judgment day to win it. I wanted the judgment day to win that match. We knew it was Sammy, Sammy or Randy, so it just came out to be Sammy, which makes sense. Hometown Hero, and then he's also going to Saudi Arabia. Yeah, so Rhea or whatever. So it that you know that makes sense too. So everything, everything about Saturday's night's main event, it was a good, it was, it was good, but everything happened makes sense.

How The Confident Points Work

Sami Zayn vs Drew McIntyre Picks

SPEAKER_00 3:50

Well yeah, it was cool, but let's go ahead and just fly right into Royal Rumble. Guys, if you don't know first time here, we do confident point prediction. A little different as it's Royal Rumble, and there's only four matches. So what we do is we pick who we think is gonna win, and we pick a confident point. If we're confident, we give them four points. If we're not that confident, we give a one. But since it being Royal Rumble, we have a lot of prop bets to raise up the score a little bit. But before we get to those Rumble matches, let's talk about Sami Zayn, the fan favorite in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as he's going up against Drew McIntyre. First title defense for Drew McIntyre against Sami Zayn. I I guess I'll go ahead and start it off. Man, it's gonna be Drew McIntyre. He's not gonna lose the title this fast, and apparently supposed to walk into the uh WrestleMania with the title, and I think it will. So I got Drew at four, not expecting much. I I can see this, it's probably gonna open. It's a I mean, it's to be the match right after the first Rumble Rumble, I think. I don't know. Is it we'll see. We'll see.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

No, I agree with you. Uh, I'm going with Drew with four, too, because I don't think it's I don't think is they're gonna pull the trigger on Sammy.

unknown 5:14

Yep.

AJ Styles vs Gunther: Career On The Line

SPEAKER_00 5:14

Uh so let's go ahead. We're gonna talk a little bit of time with this match here. AJ Styles versus Gunther, and it's a if AJ Styles loses, his career is over. Now we all knew that 2026 was the last year of AJ Styles. I from my perspective, I was not assuming it was gonna be this soon. When this match first was announced, I remember hearing about it, seeing about him like, there's no way AJ Styles is losing at the Royal Rumble. I thought his last match would have been WrestleMania, not Royal Rumble. But as time goes on, as you start hearing more stuff, you hear that AJ Styles' contract is technically up in February, which is literally next month. You obviously you know that he's he's done in 2026. He's having these matches with Shinsuke, had one with CM Punk. It's like might be his last hurrah. Uh someone's mentioned AJ, he started at Royal Roma in 2015. He could end at Royal Roma 2026, which would be fitting. I just it just didn't c it just didn't hit me until I heard it. And then you've seen that he's basically got his trademark back for his phenomenon and his phenomenal stuff, but which is usually the normal stuff for him. He owns it, he just gives these companies the rights to sell stuff with their shirts on it. He's getting it back. I know you mentioned that he's probably potentially could go to another company, probably AEW. I don't think he is. I think if he retires, he retires. He may come back and give us one more match, like uh Shawn Michaels or something like that. But I don't know. I I'll let you go first with your prediction. But my my mindset completely changed from there's no way this is his last match to it's looking like this is gonna be his last match.

Is AJ Retiring Or Switching Promotions

SPEAKER_02 7:16

If you asked me a week ago, I would say, ain't no way this is his last match. When we first when we first found out it was AJ versus Gunther, like I said, it's a week ago. It was like, nah, he ain't gonna lose it. He's gonna win this match and then they're gonna run it back later on down the line. Cool. You get the contract is up in February, you get all the news. You even get the Shiskey, Shiskey Nakamura, his Instagram post from one of his diaries where it says AJ had told him last year sometime or whenever it was that yeah, I'm done after the rumble. And then Shiskey, he put that up on his Instagram story. It caught so much attention, then he took it down. Like I think within a coup within a couple hours. So it makes me want to believe, it makes me want to think that yeah, this is going to be his last match. But part of me think this is gonna be his last match of WWE. And and he go. I didn't I don't think AEW, I think it'd be more TNA. TNA got the contract now, so maybe he goes and rides, you know, he rises after sunset with TNA. So with that, but I'm still also holding that hope. Like, nah, he's gonna run it back. He he gonna finish around something.

SPEAKER_00 8:35

I just want to go to WrestleMania, but I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

So because I don't feel like he actually had a proper retirement tour. No more, he had the John Cena match, he had a little tag team run, but then he got this the CM Punk match, and then he got the Shiskay match, but it's like it was like a sneaky little retirement tour that nobody really it's we knew it was coming, but like February, right? We thought we was gonna have 2026. We didn't think we was gonna just be like, all right, boom, John Cena. Okay, a month and a half later, AJ said he's gonna be like, all right, because I'm gonna get at y'all. We didn't think it was gonna become that quick. We knew it was this year, but we didn't think it was gonna come that quick. I'm gonna go Gunther with a two.

Watch Party Plans And Early Start Time

SPEAKER_00 9:22

All right, so yeah, I got a Gunther with a three. That's because I hope I'm wrong and AJ wins. Yeah, I I hope I'm wrong. I I give give us one more mania. Damn, AJ. I mean, he can still go. Odds, he can't go like he used to. But like like you say with some people like like a Tyreek Hill. I mean, you you four, you four two, you four two three. You get a little tweak in your knee, now you four three. You're still one of the fastest people. That's how AJ is like, okay, you're not the greatest wrestler in the world, like you used to be, you're still top 10. So it's just it's just perspective. But we'll see. I'm very interested in how this goes. I was just hoping for an actual retirement tour. And we might not get it, but if AJ is ready to retire, he feels like he's done, he wants to hang up the boots, and you had a wonderful career, but we will find out at 2 o'clock. And my fault, guys. Um I failed to ask my original very first question. I usually ask Q every time we talk about the PLE. This one's at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Eastern. I'm assuming you're gonna be watching this one live, huh?

SPEAKER_02 10:32

Yeah, I ain't gonna have a drink though. I guess I have uh I like drinking at night. I guess that's just my thing. But yes, I'm gonna I'm gonna be watching it live.

SPEAKER_00 10:42

It's 8 o'clock somewhere. I probably won't be drinking because I have plans afterwards. I can't I can't get sculled before.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

Yeah, you gotta be responsible, and you know what I'm saying?

Men’s Rumble: Field And Unclear Favorite

Outsiders, Swerves, And Injury Timelines

SPEAKER_00 10:52

I probably will have me know a nice little big slice of pizza while watching, but we will see. But let's go ahead and get to what makes the Royal Rumble great, and that's the Royal Rumble match. Let's go ahead and talk about who we think will win. Let's go ahead and start out with the men's Royal Rumble. I'm gonna go ahead tell you, I have no idea who's gonna win this one. Uh I was listening to some podcasts, and people was like, there this usually Royal Rumble, there's a story lined up for somebody. Yeah. Somebody. And it's this year's no, and sometimes even there's a lot of story that's lined up for somebody, they might swerve you like last year. The story was lined up for John Cena, but they swerved it for Jay Uso. Past couple years, the story was lined up for Cody. There's been some years, like, no, a story was lined up for Roman one year. That was all year that the story was lined up for Batista, so on and so forth. The story's not lined up for anybody. Oh, they can I don't even know who they can even swerve us with. I have no idea, but obviously the head honchos. We got Roman Reigns, he's gonna be in it. Cody Rose, he's gonna be in it. We got some newcomers, old Femi. Haven't seen him in a while, but we know he's gonna be in it. You got Braun Breaker, who's probably, I would assume maybe is the favorite, because he's probably got the one story that probably is lined up for him. But again, he's got the numbers, and usually that that doesn't go hell for him. But honestly, I have no idea. You asked me today, January 29th, 2026, at 9 p.m. I'm just gonna say Braun Breaker. I'm not confident in it. That's why I got one, but I do think he'll probably be in the final four, but we'll get to that later in the pod. But I don't know. I'm just gonna go Braun Breaker because I don't know.

SPEAKER_02 12:53

It gotta be somebody from Bra. Because I feel like the SmackDown is it's gonna be Drew Cody and Jacob. Yep. So it's it's somebody from Raw.

SPEAKER_01 13:12

What? Alright, let me go like this.

Men’s Rumble Prop Bets: Starters, Iron Man, Eliminations

SPEAKER_02 13:17

I don't think Brock Lesnar's gonna win it. Nope. Yeah, I forget he's in it. I don't think Cody's gonna win it, because I would give Cody three, and I don't think they want to do that. So I don't think what three and four years too? Yeah, no. Yeah, Cody's not winning it. I don't think Roman's winning it. He don't need it. And then going through the quick hitters of other people. Anyone else in the vision besides Braun Burkle? No. Penta's in it, no. Ray's in it, no, Dragon Lee's in it, no. Chris Jericho's coming back. No.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

I Oba, he's the NXT superstar. Oh, he's he's a newcomer, they're not gonna give it to him. They're not gonna get to him. He's supposed to be on SmackDown, ain't he? Yeah, he's on SmackDown. No, he's on he's on Raw. He's on Raw.

SPEAKER_02 14:00

Is he on Raw? Okay, cool. That's Trick was the one that was flirting with both of them. Yeah. Here's the other thing. Obi ain't Oba ain't gonna be is he gonna be a heel? Because I don't think he's gonna be a heel.

SPEAKER_00 14:11

Nah, he's he's gonna be he's gonna be Oba. He's gonna do him. He's gonna be talking about him when we I'll talk about him when we talk about most eliminations. I'm just gonna say I got him for most eliminations. I don't think he'll win it. He's gonna get about 14 eliminations. I don't know what the record is, but he's gonna get 12 to 14 eliminations. I'm gonna go ahead and put him down for most eliminations.

SPEAKER_02 14:32

I'm going Braun Berker with a one, too. Because I I don't really see I don't really see a potential of another storyline. Because Chris Jericho, even if Chris Jericho come back, like I don't because it would be like a we could sell that out.

SPEAKER_00 14:43

CM Punk to be fighting for a world title.

SPEAKER_02 14:46

Yeah, but even then it's like Chris Jericho, all things coming back as a heel. So it has to be a heel to go against CM Punk.

Final Four And Winner Picks (Men)

SPEAKER_00 14:54

Good point. Now, question for you. He was on ESPN, he's been on ESPN. Do you think he will be? He said he's not in it. Because they asked him, Are you gonna meet a Royal Rumble? He said he's not in it. We know Wrestle's lie. They be lying a lot, they be lying like lawyers. They do. Do you think he's gonna be in it? Because I think there's a possibility, but if he is in it, I think that cancels out Braun. I think he's Braun.

SPEAKER_02 15:34

I don't think he's in it. No, I don't think he's in it. I think because I don't think he his timetable is WrestleMania or a little bit after. So this would put him far ahead.

SPEAKER_00 15:45

Remember the first time. Remember true, true. Remember John Cena in what 2008?

SPEAKER_02 15:50

Yeah, John. Yeah, you were right. Now, I'm going, I don't think Seth Rollins is back. I don't. I think Seth Rollins is back by WrestleMania and he calls he calls Braun that mat.

SPEAKER_00 16:00

Alright.

SPEAKER_02 16:01

But no.

SPEAKER_00 16:02

Alright. So let's go ahead and uh let's go ahead and talk about the prop that's for the men's Royal Rumble. First off, let's see, who do you think will be the first two to start off and start it off?

Women’s Rumble: Top Contenders

SPEAKER_02 16:17

Wouldn't it be? Okay, so I think with the angle that um what's his name? Uh Pierce. Adam Pierce. He did this, he just recently did his whole apology to Brian Barker because he said, I put my hands on you first, blah, blah, blah. And then he did the apology. I feel like the best way to stick it to him is to put him first, first and second. But I know they didn't do that on Raw, but what if they did that? But I don't know if they want to book Adam Pearls like it. I'm really thinking all this through in real time. Uh I'm gonna go Jay Uso.

SPEAKER_01 17:02

And I'm gonna go Brunson Reed. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 17:10

I don't I don't hate that. Uh I have another two guys, two different guys, one from each brand. One guy I get to a little belated because I think he'll probably be the Iron Man. But I have Javon Evans and Carmelo Hayes. They usually put two good wrestlers in there, started out, and I guess I can go ahead and say now I got Javon Evans as my Iron Man of this. Trick Williams has shown his worth to the main roster so far. Oba, I like I said, I I just the hedge might already said it earlier. I think he's gonna show his worth by getting the most eliminations in this room. You know, Von Evans has to show us something. He's either gonna get be the Iron Man or he's gonna give us a Kofi Kingston John Morrison spot. We'll see, but he's not gonna do both. But I'm gonna say he's the Iron Man. Okay.

Women’s Final Four And Winner Picks

SPEAKER_02 18:02

Uh all right. Can I change my Brian Burker real quick? Go ahead. I'm going LA Night. I had to say good pick. Damn, I didn't even think about him. I thought about him, then I was like, he ain't heal. But at this point, they just need it, don't matter. Uh so yeah, I'm going LA Night. Jay Usa and Brian's gonna start it. My Iron Man, I think I'm going to go with who I'm gonna go Roman. Hey, it worked all year, you might as well get clock in. I'm gonna go Roman. And then what are we doing? Most eliminations. Roman. I know that's a that's a reach, but hell. We reach everything in this match is a reach.

SPEAKER_00 18:58

Hey, we don't know. So last but not least, who you got is your final four in the 2026 Road Rumble. You already got LA Knights because you think he's winning.

Early PLEs And Schedule Wish List

SPEAKER_02 19:10

Ron Breaker. Cody Rhodes. Roman rights. I could see Jacob there, but I'm gonna I'm gonna stick with the Roman.

Road To WrestleMania And Closing CTAs

SPEAKER_00 19:24

I forgot all about Jacob. He got a he'll have a good case for most eliminations. So I got everything you got, but instead of the LA Knight, I got over Femi as my is in the final four. So let's go ahead and get to the women's Royal Rumble. I think it's a little bit similar to like who knows. Uh I have a favorite. I think this, I think it's between two women from my perspective. It's The woman that we haven't seen in a very long time because she had this finger injury and Liv Morgan. But I'm going with the woman we haven't seen in a very long time. And I'm going with Bianca Belair, and I'm gonna put two. We haven't seen her. I'm not trying to say it's like I'm not trying to shit on Bianca, but like it's a finger injury. How long can a finger injury keep you out? I know it's bad. I saw the picture, but you she I feel like she's been ready for a little bit, but I got Bianca, and then I did see some videos where she is there, but her husband works for WWE too. Wouldn't be surprised. But I got Bianca winning this, and I have a challenge with Jade Cargill.

SPEAKER_01 20:47

And I got two, because that's all I got left. So I got three left.

SPEAKER_02 20:51

Um I ain't gonna lie. It for me too is between Liv and Bianca. Because again, those are the two that make that you know can sell out some stuff and they can make sense. So because you went with Bianca, I'ma go with Liv. Because it ain't Becky, because you know, she her her match, her match in WrestleMania is AJ. Like AJ, look we are only other person who made that's those are the two for me. Because Rhea and E are both, they got the taxing title. So that I think that's they're gonna carry those through WrestleMania. So it only only people that obviously make sense already got storylines besides besides Bianca and Leo.

SPEAKER_00 21:40

So gotcha. Uh so who you who you got starring this one off for the for the women? And so people someone joked, they said they're gonna be the women gonna be looking like Power Rangers because they gonna they gotta be in full bodysuits since they in Riyed. I was like, I laughed a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 21:57

I ain't gonna lie, that's why I don't really that's why I gotta know what this is to be in free eye because of the fact. This ain't their normal attire, bro.

SPEAKER_00 22:05

I want to see them in their essence, not in the they're gonna be looking like power rangers, straight bodysuits.

SPEAKER_02 22:11

I don't really want it over here, but uh WrestleMania is over there next year, too.

SPEAKER_00 22:17

Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 22:17

I know, and I'm ill. Oh they do one day, one night only and three eye, and then the other night is somewhere else. Uh cool. Start off the match.

SPEAKER_01 22:34

Charlie Flair and Bailey and Bailey.

SPEAKER_00 22:39

I like it. I actually like that. I paid to see that. Uh next up, Iron Woman. Oh, oh, my fault, my fault, guys. For my first two, I got Oscar and Eosky. You guys know this is the EOSCA stand account. So I got Eosky and Oscar for the Iron Woman. It's an EOSCA fan account. I got her being the Iron Woman as well. She's coming in one and two. She's gonna go the distance. We'll get to that. But who's your uh first two? I mean, who's your Iron Woman? Rhea. Hmm.

SPEAKER_02 23:22

Yeah, real. Iron Woman, real.

SPEAKER_00 23:26

Alright, uh, who do you have getting the most eliminations? Last legend. You stole you we must be thinking alike, because I got the same thing. Last legend. Uh right now I believe uh her tag team partner at the moment. Um Nia Jax has the most eliminations. I do know for a fact she has the most eliminations in total. King has it for the men's side and like fucking 30 something. I think 30 or 45, something crazy like that. Lash has like 25 eliminations in all our rumbles. I mean Niax has 25 eliminations in all our rumbles, but now we get to the final four. You obviously have Liv, who's your three other women?

SPEAKER_02 24:11

Uh Bianca Roxanne.

SPEAKER_00 24:22

And I got you, I got you. So I have B uh Bianca Bianca, Jordan Grace. I think she's gonna have a pretty good showing. For me, it was either her or lash legend to get the most eliminations. I just picked with that. I went with Lash. Okay, and then real EO for my final four. So I think potentially we could get a real EO match at WrestleMania. Maybe, maybe not. These attacking champions, I it would be kind of pushing it a little bit, but I think that is a possibility. But 2026 Royal Rumble should be exciting at two o'clock. I ain't gonna lie, I love these early uh pay-per-views. I wish, you know, we obviously we don't cover UFC on this show, but I wish USP y'all would do some earlier, earlier fighting nights because I ain't gonna lie. I'm creeping up on that at age 30. When that man event rolls around for UFC, I'd be tired. So USC help a brother out because I'd be tired when that man event comes around. But back to WWE. I'm looking forward to it. WrestleMania season is finally here, Royal Rumble, and we are going to be covering it all for you guys from Royal Rumble to Elimination Chamber to Two Nights of WrestleMania. It's back in Las Vegas. When is it coming to it? It's supposed to be an indie at some point. I'm not trying to go, I just want to go up there and like be around the scene for a little bit and come back and watch it on my TV. When is it coming to Indy? Like, come on, like you. I know you got some connects with Indianapolis, though you know. When is it coming, bro? I just want to go up there, maybe go to the little super show, superstore they got, and come back and watch it on my TV. I really think it's next year. They they owed one that they said in the next what five years they're gonna get one. They get it. They just need their WrestleMania. Yeah, I think it's next year. I think. Well, not well, next year's Rhea, but Rhea uh Saudi.

SPEAKER_02 26:37

Oh, you I thought the Royal Rumble they already had their Royal Rumble, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 26:40

They already had their I'm on at WrestleMania.

SPEAKER_02 26:43

I didn't know that I forgot they had their Royal Rumble. I thought it was their Royal Rumble was gonna be next year. That's why I'm like, I thought it was next year.

SPEAKER_00 26:49

They had their Royal Rumble. They they waiting on their uh they waiting on WrestleMania.

SPEAKER_02 26:53

Oh yeah, it means it's gonna be the year ever.

SPEAKER_00 26:54

It's gotta be. I hope so. I very sure do hope so. But thank you guys for joining us for another episode from our perspective on your boy Dion. Please like, please subscribe again. 60% of y'all not subscribe. Why y'all not subscribe? I do not know. Please subscribe so y'all can get that notification. Uh go ahead and leave a comment. Please give us who you think will win the Prospective Royal Rumbles men and women in the comment section below. Because I don't know. Y'all have a better chance of guessing than I do. I'm just saying. But also hit that link in the bio. Y'all, yeah, y'all missed on Martin Luther King Day. I had a dream that y'all would buy some from my perspective merch. Y'all missed on that. Valentine's Day is coming up. You can get your significant other and from our perspective, shirt, blanket, or something. They'll seem like, dang, let me listen to that. Listen to them. Get us another listen. Just saying. Just saying. But again, I'm your boy Dion. Thank you for listening to another from our perspective. Cube, go ahead and take us home.

SPEAKER_02 27:55

Man, that Indianapolis was the last shirt for the Royal Rumble. Why did I forget that that quick? I didn't know they. Damn. But y'all ain't got the batch. It's your boy, Mr. Bat, aka say your name up on the spot. Might not put you tomorrow. We'll catch y'all on the next one. Later.