3. Matt Cardona (00:55)
Matt Cardona returned to WWE in late 2025, and the former Intercontinental and United States Champion entered his first men’s Royal Rumble match in 11 years. However, his fifth Royal Rumble match outing didn’t go according to plan. “The Ruler,” Oba Femi, was in no mood to hang around.
Cardona’s catchphrase is “Always Ready,” but no one was ready for The Ruler’s dominance. Cardona upped the pace, attempting to knock Femi to the ground. He attempted Rough Ryder, but Femi caught him with a devastating Fall From Grace. Nevertheless, Cardona became Femi’s fifth and final victim in the 2026 men’s Royal Rumble match, marking his return to a Rumble lasting just 55 seconds.
