What’s next for 2026 Royal Rumble winners?

We know who is headed to WrestleMania 42. Now, it’s time to figure out who they will face, and for what prize.

The 2026 Royal Rumble started the road to WrestleMania, with the winners of the men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches earning a championship match at WWE’s signature event. After some star-studded battles that featured shocking moments we have our 2026 winners of the matches: Roman Reigns won his second Rumble and Liv Morgan finally survived the gauntlet on the women’s side.

As the winners, Reigns and Morgan get the option of what championship they want to fight for, and it isn’t an easy decision. So, who will they face? Let’s examine the options and likely candidates.

Who will Liv Morgan face at WrestleMania 42?

This one is pretty straight forward. Morgan was Women’s World Champion and has been quietly eyeing that title ever since she lost it in January 2025.

Who she’ll face, though, will be the interesting plotline. During the Royal Rumble, Morgan made a stunning move when she purposely eliminated Raquel Rodriguez, a fellow member of The Judgment Day. It certainly rattled Rodriguez as they had been preaching about team effort going into the battle, only for Morgan to act quick when she had the opportunity.

What makes it more compelling is Rodriguez is set to face Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer on the Monday, Feb. 2 edition of Raw. If Rodriguez wins, does that mean Morgan vs. Rodriguez at WrestleMania 42 in a battle between the faction? If Vaquer wins, does Rodriguez get jealous of the opportunity Morgan has and turns her back on Morgan?

‘We have full expectations of (Rodriguez) winning that Women’s World Championship,’ Morgan said on the Royal Rumble postshow.

It undoubtedly will be the focus of Morgan’s road to WrestleMania. The championship she will challenge for seems clear. Who she will face, and what rivalry brews from it, is yet to be determined.

‘I’m going to take my time. I will choose when the time is right, when I think it’s right,’ Morgan said.

Prediction: Liv Morgan vs. Stephanie Vaquer/Raquel Rodriguez for the Women’s World Championship.

Who will Roman Reigns face at WrestleMania 42?

Decisions, decisions, decisions. Reigns’ situation is more unknown because WWE can go either way and it will make sense. It’s just a matter of what is the better story for the company’s biggest event.

The Undisputed WWE Championship is the biggest prize and it’s the one that fits Reigns’ standing in the business. He has history with champion Drew McIntyre, who suffered plenty during Reigns’ historic reign and by the hands of The Bloodline. McIntyre addressed the opportunity on the postshow and welcomed it.

‘His bloodline made my life a living hell for so long,’ McIntyre said. ‘Go for it Roman, pick me.’

On the other hand, it doesn’t get juicier than Reigns vs. CM Punk. The World Heavyweight Champion has deep hatred for Reigns, and it’s the same with the ‘OTC.’ Given how much history there is between them, it would easily be one of the best storylines going into the event and would generate so much interest. It could main event one of the two nights of WrestleMania.

The only concern is if the prestige of the World Heavyweight Championship isn’t enough for Reigns. In the same vein, he would do wonders for the title if he did challenge for it, elevating it as so many others have been trying to do since it was introduced in 2023. It would certainly help by putting the belt in the middle of one of the best feuds WWE could have.

‘It’s a lot to think about,’ said WWE chief content officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque.

You could go either way with the decision, but given how much tension has been building between Reigns and Punk in the past year, it feels like the best way to go.

Prediction: Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship.