At the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble premium live event on January 31st, Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defended his title against Sami Zayn. According to Dave Meltzer's report in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE made adjustments to the match order from what was originally planned.
Meltzer noted that the Undisputed WWE Championship match was initially scheduled to follow the Women's Royal Rumble match, as that position is typically used to maintain the event's momentum early on. However, the match was moved to the third position on the card, placing it after the match between AJ Styles and GUNTHER.
Meltzer explained that the Styles vs. GUNTHER match carried additional significance due to its stipulation, which would ensure that it received a strong reaction from the audience. As a result, McIntyre vs. Zayn was relocated from the originally advantageous second position after the Women's Rumble match. The decision was made because there was concern that the audience's energy would be lower following the emotionally charged Styles retirement match. This change raised questions about the rationale behind the order adjustment.
WWE often modifies the match order close to event time to balance pacing, crowd response, and storytelling priorities. McIntyre entered the match as champion with a well-established rivalry, while Zayn continued his long-running underdog narrative. Internally, there was confidence that both performers could deliver an excellent match regardless of the timing. Ultimately, McIntyre successfully retained his title by defeating Zayn.
