Royal Rumble returns to action at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, its first time being hosted outside North America. Along with the Royal Rumble, UFC 325 is set to go live on the same day but at different times. As WWE’s premium live event goes live, the question remains: Who is going to win this year’s Royal Rumble? As fans predicted their winners, some UFC stars have now joined them to select their picks.

The beauty of Rumble is how fast everything can change. The winner of the 30-man/woman fight gets to challenge for any one of the men’s/women’s world championships of their choosing at WrestleMania. Just before the WWE event, UFC 325 main eventer Alexander Volknovski and other stars from the company, including Oban Elliot and Torrez Finney, picked their favorites for the Royal Rumble matches.

Alexander Volkanovski bids his wishes to his Royal Rumble 2026 pick

“Just want to wish Rhea Ripley good luck. You’re awesome. Big fan of yours. Can’t wait to watch you in the Royal Rumble. Go get it,” Alexander Volkanovski shared in a recent appearance with the TKO group.

One of Australia’s top female WWE athletes, Rhea Ripley, has often shown her support for compatriot Alexander Volkanovski. From attending UFC shows to vocal support for Volk, Ripley is a major ally for the Australian. The featherweight has, in turn, returned the favor, with his women’s Rumble picks. This crossover is more than a promotional moment for the promotions under the TKO group.

Volkanovski’s message showcases national pride and a heartfelt appreciation for ‘The Eradicator’. As ‘The Great’ picked Ripley, UFC stars Finney and Elliot selected their picks for both men’s and women’s Royal Rumble matches.

Torrez Finney and Oban Elliot reveal their Royal Rumble picks

In a recent interview with TKO Group, a hot new prospect and DWCS standout, middleweight Torrez Finney shared his picks for both men’s and women’s events. “I’m going to go with Iyo Sky. I think she’s a hot thing right now,” exclaimed Finney. This is a pick dictated by the Japanese wrestler’s high-flying in-ring style and championship runs, including tag titles.

Welterweight Oban Elliott, on the other hand, shared his preference for Iyo Sky’s arch-nemeses-turned-tag-partner and former Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley. While both Ripley and Sky have achieved top WWE accolades, they are currently teammates.

While Liv Morgan is speculated to win the women’s match, the UFC stars think otherwise. Considering Ripley and Sky are the current women’s tag team champions, the WWE creative team might book someone like Morgan to challenge Stephanie Vanquer at WrestleMania this year.

Talking about the men’s Royal Rumble match, the company has multiple potential challengers who can set up storylines for the world titles on the road to WrestleMania. The men’s division is stacked with top stars, as CM Punk and Drew McIntyre hold the world titles.

“I could see Cody winning the Royal Rumble. He won it twice, actually. He won it back-to-back years. That’s right. And he’s the A-list player right now,” Finney shared, and rightfully indeed, with Rhodes’ storied WWE career. Since his return, Rhodes has won the 2023 and 2024 men’s Royal Rumble match, and a win this year will tie him with Stone Cold Steve Austin as one with the most RR wins.

Elliott, on the other hand, stated, “Roman Reigns. Because he’s the master.” Entering the Royal Rumble as a crowd favorite, Reigns might have only one win to his name, but he has four runner-ups in his pedigree. Moreover, both WWE stars have crossed paths on more occasions than one, with an equal 1-1 record in WrestleMania against each other, adding to the building tension.

With that said, who do you think will survive the 29 other men and claim victory? Drop your Royal Rumble picks in the comments below.