Nobody wants to be the competitor who lasts the shortest time in the Royal Rumble, WWE’s flagship annual event. Yet, each year, some participants exit early, whether due to surprising eliminations, brief appearances by part-timers, or other factors. As a result, several wrestlers would probably prefer to forget their performances in the 2026 Royal Rumble.
Although no records were shattered—Santino Marella’s one-second appearance remains unchallenged—some wrestlers from both the men’s and women’s matches had notably brief stays inside the ropes this year.
8. Candice LeRae
Time in Royal Rumble: 2:13
Candice LeRae, who entered early, had minimal involvement in the 2026 Royal Rumble. She mainly served to elevate Jordynne Grace, spending just over two minutes in the ring. LeRae was one of the first eliminated alongside Ivy Nile and Laura Vice, becoming the second competitor to exit the women’s match.
7. Mr. Iguana
Time in Royal Rumble: 2:05
Making a surprise appearance, Mr. Iguana—a comedic puppet character associated with AAA—added a fun twist alongside La Parka. He entertained the crowd for just over two minutes before being forcefully removed by the new SmackDown star Trick Williams, who sparked displeasure by tossing the puppets out of the ring.
6. Kairi Sane
Time in Royal Rumble: 1:36
Kairi Sane had the shortest run in the women’s 2026 Royal Rumble. Entering at number 28, she accidentally eliminated her tag partner Asuka with a missile dropkick before being promptly thrown out by former ally Iyoskai. Post-elimination, Asuka angrily grabbed Sane’s hair, hinting at brewing tensions between the two.
5. Rey Fenix
Time in Royal Rumble: 1:28
Despite his reputation as an exceptional in-ring talent, Rey Fenix was quickly dispatched in the men’s match. Entering at 24, Brock Lesnar overwhelmed him, finishing with an F5 and sending Fenix out in under 90 seconds, with little fanfare.
4. The Original El Grande Americano
Time in Royal Rumble: 1:21
Returning to the Royal Rumble, the original El Grande Americano faced off against a new competitor adopting his persona in a playful early feud. Although he eliminated the imposter, he was soon knocked out by Trick Williams after just over a minute, despite delivering several impactful German suplexes.
3. Matt Cardona
Time in Royal Rumble: 0:55
Making his first Royal Rumble appearance since 2015, Matt Cardona entered at number six but faced only Oba Femi in the ring. Despite attempts to fight back, Cardona was quickly overpowered and eliminated in under a minute.
2. Rusev
Time in Royal Rumble: 0:32
Rusev, once a Royal Rumble runner-up, suffered the worst showing of this year’s matches. Entering at five, he landed a strong dropkick but was immediately overwhelmed and eliminated by emerging star Oba Femi in just 32 seconds.
1. Bron Breakker
Time in Royal Rumble: 0:10
Favored as a potential winner, Bron Breakker became the shortest competitor in this year’s Royal Rumble overall. Attacked during his entrance by a mysterious masked assailant, he was handed off to Oba Femi and eliminated in a mere 10 seconds—a shocking contrast to his standout performances in 2024 and 2025.
Fan Take:
This roundup spotlights how even top-tier or fan-favorite wrestlers can have fleeting Royal Rumble moments, underscoring WWE’s unpredictable storytelling. For fans, such rapid eliminations can be frustrating but also signal shifting dynamics and emerging talents like Oba Femi, hinting at exciting new directions for the sport.
