RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Roman Reigns secured his second career Royal Rumble victory on Saturday night, outlasting 29 other superstars in the first-ever Royal Rumble held outside North America at the Riyadh Season Stadium in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD).
Reigns, who entered the match at #26, eliminated Gunther to punch his ticket to the main event of WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. The 56-minute match was marked by high-stakes drama, including the elimination of favorite Cody Rhodes following outside interference by Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre. According to official results, Reigns joins an elite group of two-time winners, having first won the event in 2015.
The evening was also defined by a high-stakes “Career Threatening” match between AJ Styles and Gunther. After a 24-minute physical encounter, Gunther forced Styles to pass out in a sleeper hold. Per the pre-match stipulation, the loss officially ends the “Phenomenal One’s” 10-year in-ring career with WWE. Following the match, the Riyadh crowd provided a standing ovation as Styles offered his signature “P1” hand signal one final time.
In the women’s division, Liv Morgan secured her first Royal Rumble victory by last eliminating Tiffany Stratton. Morgan, who entered at #14, remained in the match for 43 minutes, eventually overcoming a final three that included Stratton and NXT standout Sol Ruca.
Official attendance figures and viewership data for the event, which streamed globally on Netflix and ESPN+, are expected to be released by the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) later this week. The event featured a total of four matches on the main card, including Drew McIntyre’s successful title defense against Sami Zayn.