• Possible Brand For Royce Keys After WWE Debut
Royce Keys (fka Powerhouse Hobbs in AEW) could be headed to SmackDown following his WWE debut at Royal Rumble 2026, according to discussion on WrestleVotes Live on Fightful Select.
Keys made an immediate impression in his first main-roster appearance by eliminating Damian Priest from the Men’s Royal Rumble match, a moment that was highlighted as potentially significant for his early positioning. The elimination was framed as intentional rather than incidental, suggesting WWE may already be aligning Keys with a specific brand and direction.
The conversation pointed toward SmackDown as the most likely landing spot for Keys coming out of the Rumble. The belief shared was that eliminations in the Royal Rumble, particularly when involving established names, are often used to quietly signal future brand placement or storyline direction.
While no official confirmation was given regarding Keys’ assignment, the idea of him joining SmackDown was tied directly to the Damian Priest elimination, which stood out as a defining moment in the match. WWE has historically used Royal Rumble debuts to establish new talent quickly, and Keys’ involvement in a notable elimination fits that pattern.
• Why Roman Reigns Acknowledged A Fan On RAW (Video)
On this week’s RAW, 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns announced that he will face CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 42.
While he was making his entrance to the ring, The OTC acknowledged a fan at ringside, because this fan had the same shoes as The Head of the Table. You can watch it below:
Roman Reigns acknowledged a fan on RAWpic.twitter.com/acdcPsaa22
— WrestleFeed (@WrestleFeedApp) February 4, 2026
• WWE Is Delaying Meaningful Creative For Champion Until WrestleMania 42
Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch’s creative direction heading into WrestleMania 42 is largely focused on patience rather than immediate storyline development, according to discussion on WrestleVotes Live on Fightful Select.
The belief shared was that WWE has intentionally avoided locking Becky Lynch into a major program in recent months as the company works toward WrestleMania 42. Rather than starting and stopping short-term storylines, WWE is said to be keeping her positioning flexible while the bigger picture comes into focus.
The long-term direction points toward a WrestleMania program involving AJ Lee, which was framed as the primary reason WWE has delayed committing to anything significant for Lynch. With WrestleMania serving as the destination, creative decisions since last year were described as a holding pattern designed to bridge the gap without complicating plans.
It was also noted that the Royal Rumble did not require Lynch to be involved in a heavy storyline, further allowing WWE to push meaningful creative closer to WrestleMania season. Once that event concludes, Lynch is expected to receive a fresh direction moving forward.
No specific match details or timing were confirmed, but the discussion reinforced that Becky Lynch remains a central figure in WWE’s WrestleMania plans, even if her current television role does not fully reflect that positioning yet.
• Top WWE Star Was Internally Expected For Royal Rumble 2026, Plans Fell Apart
AJ Lee was expected internally to be involved in the Women’s Royal Rumble match, but plans ultimately fell apart for reasons that remain unclear.
The situation was discussed on WrestleVotes Live on Fightful Select, where it was noted that AJ Lee had been lined up for the event before her absence became apparent. While her name had been circulating internally ahead of the show, she did not end up appearing in the Women’s Royal Rumble match.
No specific explanation was provided regarding why the plans changed. The discussion did not point to injury, creative disputes, or contract-related issues, leaving the reason for the shift unresolved. The belief expressed was that something changed late enough in the process to remove her from the event entirely.
AJ Lee’s absence stood out given the level of anticipation surrounding the Royal Rumble and the number of returns and surprises expected. Her non-appearance was viewed as more than a simple omission, particularly since expectations had already been set behind the scenes.
Also Read: Released Star Returned To WWE TV Last Night
• Nikki Bella Reveals Why She Didn’t Attend John Cena’s Retirement Match
Nikki Bella reunited with her ex-fiancé, John Cena, backstage in WWE in 2025, during Cena’s retirement tour. During an appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Nikki was asked if it was awkward to meet Cena after their breakup. Here’s what the WWE Hall of Famer said:
“I mean, the first time, like, we hadn’t seen each other in so many years, so it was just like you didn’t know what to expect. So, yeah. And then it was fine. And then it was like normal. And then I got to meet his wife. Then I would talk to them both every time I saw them at TV and then it was normal, but of course the first time for sure.”
Logan’s podcast co-host then asked Nikki if she was happy when Cena was forced to tap out to Gunther in his retirement match. In her answer, Nikki explained why she didn’t attend Cena’s final match:
“No. I don’t… You know what? I guess I didn’t have an emotion to it. Meaning like I was sad at the fact that he was retiring, but I was having a lot of fun at the Flyers game that night, too. That I got a lot of sh*t for.
People acted as if I was invited to his last match and I denied the request. Wasn’t invited. So, I was at the Flyers game because the Eagles were playing the next day and so I was in Philly.
I was more sad about him retiring. I just wanted his run to be the way he wanted. So, as long as he’s happy, I’m happy.”
