On the latest episode of the Off The Top podcast, Rikishi offered an in-depth breakdown of the 2026 Royal Rumble event from Saudi Arabia, touching on major victories, headline debuts, and the psychological groundwork being laid for WrestleMania 42.
Rikishi began by addressing Roman Reigns winning the Men’s Royal Rumble, securing his spot in the WrestleMania main event. He emphasized Reigns’ proven value as WWE’s most dependable draw on the biggest stage.
“When in doubt, call the Tribal Chief,” Rikishi stated. “The numbers don’t lie when the tribal chief is involved. Soon as the tribal chief is involved, you see everything, all moving parts of WWE moves smooth. I mean when I say smooth that comes from ticket sales, that comes from sponsorships”.
Rikishi also reflected on the symbolic visual of Jacob Fatu and Reigns standing together at the end of the match, describing it as a generational moment for the company.
“To be able to grace the ring with the past, present and future is a photo op to go down in generation, in history of WWE”.
Another major talking point was the Royal Rumble debut of Royce Keys, formerly known as Powerhouse Hobbs. Rikishi, who trained Keys early in his career, revealed the advice he gave him prior to making the jump from AEW to WWE.
“I kind of knew he was going to jump ship. You know, it was easy over there for him in AEW, but he wasn’t being used the right way,” Rikishi explained. “I said, take a chance. If you don’t take a chance, take a chance on yourself. WWE is where it’s at. I mean, every single wrestler on the planet that’s out here in independent circuit is gunning to be able to be seen or go to WWE”.
Rikishi also singled out Je’Von Evans as the breakout performer of the night, pointing to his impressive 42-minute run in the Rumble. While praising Evans’ energy and pacing, Rikishi cautioned him about the physical toll of WWE’s in-ring style.
“He’s understanding the tempo… but just put on a little bit of weight. Boy, all that, all that high flying. Man, it’s like if he misses a spot, he just looks like he’ll be broke, broken in two”.
Addressing the mysterious attack on Bron Breakker, Rikishi commented on online speculation suggesting Adam Pearce could be the masked assailant.
“This might be be the beginning of the end of Adam Pierce… meaning, beginning of his wrestling career, and the end of the general manager”.
The discussion concluded with Rikishi praising last week’s intense promo exchange between Reigns and CM Punk on WWE Monday Night Raw. He highlighted the authenticity of the segment and why it resonated so strongly.
“This one here, it feels it feels organic, you know, on so many personal levels,” Rikishi remarked. He specifically pointed to Reigns’ line, “I’m picking you because I hate you”.
“Sometimes the shoe promos are the best show promos… you’re letting us, as a fan, know, coming through that something that we probably never even knew about. And you know, when you when you bring out something personal like that, you know, that’s what sells tickets”.
Rikishi’s analysis underscored how WWE is blending star power, personal storytelling, and long-term narrative direction as it builds momentum toward WrestleMania 42.
