The 2026 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event takes place later today from the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh Saudi Arabia and a late development has added even more intrigue to the show.

A recently signed WWE star is believed to be in the country ahead of the event, fueling speculation that a surprise debut could be imminent. Powerhouse Hobbs, who recently made the jump from AEW to WWE, is confirmed to be in Saudi Arabia this weekend. Internally, plans have reportedly been made for him to debut under a new ring name, with “Royce Keys” expected to be the name used going forward on WWE television.

While WWE has not publicly announced Hobbs for the Royal Rumble card, his presence in the host city on the day of the show has raised eyebrows. Situations like this have historically pointed toward either a surprise Royal Rumble entry or a post match debut designed to make an immediate impact.

Extra steps were reportedly taken to keep Hobbs movements under wraps. Unlike the rest of the main roster, he did not travel on WWE’s charter flight earlier this week. Instead, he made the trip to the Kingdom separately, a familiar strategy used by the company when attempting to protect surprise appearances from early leaks and online tracking.

As of this afternoon, there is still no confirmed word on whether Royce Keys will officially enter the Men’s Royal Rumble match or appear in another role during the broadcast. However, if he does step onto the WWE stage tonight, he would immediately be thrown into a loaded landscape that already features Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and GUNTHER.

The Royal Rumble event will also feature both the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble matches, Drew McIntyre defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Sami Zayn, and AJ Styles putting his career on the line against GUNTHER. Once the dust settles in Riyadh, WWE will shift focus to the Elimination Chamber next month, the final major stop on the road to WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas.

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