WWE Royal Rumble 2026: 10 Surprise Entrants We Could See

10. Chris Jericho

There is every chance that Chris Jericho's WWE return happens before the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia, but Y2J's big comeback will surely include a spot in the 2026 Royal Rumble. With his contract at AEW up any day now and Tony Khan doing that thing he does in interviews where he says he'd "love to have Chris back in AEW" without using him on television, Jericho's reunion with WWE feels like an absolute certainty.

What is most intriguing about Chris's return in the Royal Rumble is what direction he'll begin to take in the build towards next year's WrestleMania. Jericho is unlikely to win the Rumble itself, but there's every chance he comes out of the match with one of the biggest storylines of the night.

Jericho has a long-running history of wanting to work with younger talent, and would be great as either a face or a heel. Could he be the man to lead The Vision in 2026 until Seth Rollins returns, reuniting with his former ECW alumni, Paul Heyman? Will the serotonin rush of his WWE return fuel a babyface run for what he has said will be the final wrestling contract of his career? One thing's for certain: everything will look much clearer after this year's Royal Rumble.