The WWE and ESPN programming partnership will expand a bit this weekend. According to Wrestlevotes on Fightful Select, ESPN will be airing a condensed version o

WWE's first premium live event of 2026 kicks off with the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia, which officially starts the road to WrestleMania 42.

The women's Royal Rumble match kicked off the show. Charlotte Flair made her way to the ring as the first entrant. Her tag team partner, Alexa Bliss, drew No. 2. It took until there were eight competitors in the ring for the first elimination to take place, but the second and third followed quickly.

The WWE Royal Rumble is the starting line for a journey that culminates with two world title matches at the Showcase of the Immortals. The man and woman who win their respective Rumble matches will choose a world champion to face at WrestleMania.

Last month, Riyadh hosted WWE Royal Rumble 2026. It was the first time WWE had gone outside of North America for its annual Royal Rumble.

The 2026 Royal Rumble took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was the first time the women’s match happened in the kingdom. Thirty athletes entered the ring, e