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Key WWE Events and Championship Developments: January - March 2026

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WWE Road to WrestleMania 42: A Recap of Major Events (Jan-Mar 2026)

A series of WWE premium live events and weekly television broadcasts from January through March 2026 featured multiple championship changes, the conclusion of a veteran's career, and the establishment of several matches for the upcoming WrestleMania 42.

Royal Rumble 2026 Results

The 2026 Royal Rumble event took place on January 31 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Liv Morgan won the Women's Royal Rumble, last eliminating Tiffany Stratton to earn a championship match at WrestleMania 42.

Roman Reigns won the Men's Royal Rumble, last eliminating GUNTHER to earn a championship match at WrestleMania 42. The match began with an attack on entrant #2, Bron Breakker, by a hooded individual, allowing Oba Femi to eliminate him.

In a match where AJ Styles would retire if he lost, GUNTHER defeated Styles via referee stoppage after applying the Gojira Clutch, concluding Styles' in-ring career. Styles acknowledged the crowd following the match.

  • WWE Undisputed Men's Championship: Champion Drew McIntyre defeated challenger Sami Zayn to retain the title.

Elimination Chamber 2026 Results

The Elimination Chamber event was held on February 28 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois.

Rhea Ripley won the Women's Elimination Chamber, last eliminating Tiffany Stratton, to earn a shot at the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 42.

Randy Orton won the Men's Elimination Chamber, last eliminating Cody Rhodes, to earn a shot at the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42. The match featured interference from Seth Rollins, who attacked Logan Paul, and from WWE Champion Drew McIntyre, who attacked Cody Rhodes.

  • World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk defeated Finn Balor to retain the title in his hometown of Chicago. The two shook hands after the match.
  • Women's Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee defeated Becky Lynch to win the title, marking her first singles match in over a decade.

At Elimination Chamber, General Managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis opened a mystery crate, revealing a coffin from which Danhausen emerged.

WrestleMania 42 Match Card Developments

Following the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber, several WrestleMania matches were set or advanced through storylines on Raw and SmackDown.

  • WWE Championship: Randy Orton, as the Elimination Chamber winner, earned a title match. The champion heading into WrestleMania was determined on the March 6 episode of SmackDown, where Cody Rhodes defeated the reigning champion to win the WWE Title. This set a WrestleMania match between champion Cody Rhodes and challenger Randy Orton.
  • World Heavyweight Championship: Roman Reigns, as the Royal Rumble winner, is scheduled to challenge champion CM Punk. The two had a confrontational segment on the February 23 episode of Raw.
  • WWE Women's Championship: Rhea Ripley, as the Elimination Chamber winner, is scheduled to challenge champion Jade Cargill. The two exchanged words in promos leading up to the event.

Other Championship Changes and Key Events

On the February 27 episode of SmackDown, Drew McIntyre defeated Cody Rhodes in a Three Stages of Hell match to win the WWE Title. The match featured interference from a masked individual later identified as Jacob Fatu.

  • Intercontinental Championship: On the February 23 episode of Raw, Penta defeated Dominik Mysterio to win the title.
  • WWE Tag Team Championships: On the January 23 episode of SmackDown, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga defeated Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy to win the titles. The match involved interference from Talla Tonga.
  • NXT Women's Championship: On a recent NXT event, Lola defeated former champion Jacy Jayne and Kendal Grey in a triple-threat match to win the title. Attempted interference during the match was prevented by Wren Sinclair.

Notable Weekly Show Segments and Build-Up

  • Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu: A feud developed between Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu, involving verbal confrontations and physical altercations, including Fatu's interference in the Three Stages of Hell match.
  • Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes: Tension was highlighted in promos where Orton criticized Rhodes' past actions, while Rhodes stated his focus was on their upcoming match.
  • Drew McIntyre Promos: As champion, McIntyre delivered promos criticizing various contenders, including Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, and Randy Orton.
  • Royal Rumble Qualifiers and Announcements: Several wrestlers, including Roman Reigns, declared for the Royal Rumble matches during weekly shows. A graphic during a January 30 SmackDown appeared to accidentally reveal Bron Breakker as a #1 entrant.
  • Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal: On a WrestleMania go-home show, Royce Keys won the battle royal, last eliminating Talla Tonga.