WWE: Royal Rumble Reportedly Likely Returning to United States in 2027, Potential Plans for Finn Balor vs. CM Punk Match at Elimination Chamber 2026, Brie Bella Confirms She’s Back Full-Time for Her WWE Return

Royal Rumble Reportedly Likely Returning to United States in 2027

This past Saturday’s WWE Royal Rumble 2026 event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was notable for being the first time ever in WWE history that a Royal Rumble event was held outside of the United States and Canada. This was also the first time ever that WWE held a Royal Rumble event in Saudi Arabia.

WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that WWE officials have already held some early discussions regarding plans for next year’s Royal Rumble event to headed back to the U.S. and in a stadium location.

It was reported that the current belief is that next year’s event will still be a one-night show. WWE officials have held discussions in the past about expanding the Royal Rumble into two nights similar to their WrestleMania and SummerSlam events.

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Potential Plans for Finn Balor vs. CM Punk Match at Elimination Chamber 2026

CM Punk is currently scheduled to defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns in the main event of this April’s WrestleMania 42 event in Las Vegas, Nevada.

WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reported that their sources stated that one proposed plan for this March’s Elimination Chamber 2026 event is for CM Punk to defend his title against Finn Balor. It was reported that this year’s event taking place in Punk’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois has made his participation in the event a priority for WWE.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp reported that his sources stated that the plan has long been for Punk to compete at the event in some capacity given the location for it this year. Sapp reported that one specific creative plan involves Punk accepting a rematch from Balor on the basis of it being on “his turf” after previously defending the title in Northern Ireland, which was closer to Balor’s home.

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Brie Bella Confirms She’s Back Full-Time for Her WWE Return

As noted before, this past Saturday’s WWE Royal Rumble 2026 event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia featured WWE Hall of Famer Brie Bella making her surprise return to WWE.

A recent episode of the Impaulsive podcast featured Bella as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Bella’s thoughts about her recent return to WWE.

“I think I really put it out there over the last year that I really wanted to make a run. I had to wait for the timing. It was definitely a ‘me’ idea that I started to manifest and want to make happen. I was just waiting for the call. I didn’t know if the call was going to come or not, I’ll be honest.”

Bella also gave her thoughts about if she was jealous that her sister Nikki Bella got the call for a WWE return last year.

“No, not at all. Happy. I’m always happy for anything she gets in life. To be honest, at the time she got the call, I wasn’t ready. I wouldn’t have been ready. That’s why timing worked out. Sometimes in life, we feel like we’re ready for something, and you realize you’re not. I very much realized Nikki was ready when she went back and I definitely wasn’t. I needed the time. Time has been on my side. What I love is that I did throw it out there a lot and I think that helped get their wheels going. When I did get the call, I was shocked.”

Brie also gave her thoughts about if her return to WWE was meant to be a one-off match appearance.

“No. I’m back. Full-time.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com