10 Ways WWE Has Shot Itself In The Foot In 2026

9. Royce Keys’ Debut

The Royal Rumble match is often used to debut new stars. In 2026, the WWE audience were introduced to the very impressive figure of Royce Keys, previously known as Powerhouse Hobbs in AEW. 

Keys did alright for himself, lasting about 10 minutes and eliminating former world champion Damian Priest. The fanbase began to speculate on what Keys would do next. Who would his first opponent be? It turns out that the answer to this question would take a very, very long time to arrive. 

Despite appearing on numerous live events following the Rumble, Keys wouldn't have his first televised singles match until April 10th. That's over 10 weeks of TV without a single contribution from this new signing. All the momentum from his debut had vanished, leaving people wondering why he'd even been in the Rumble in the first place. 

In a Rumble severely lacking in surprises, Keys' debut was one of the few genuine shocks. WWE had the chance to capitalise on this, but they just left him on the shelf for no reason whatsoever. He's on TV now, but it's a case of too little, too late.