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WWE announced the brackets for both the 2026 King and Queen of the Ring Tournaments on the Clash in Italy post-show. Jade Cargill won the 2025 tournament and faced then WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton at SummerSlam.
Like last year, the first round will consist of four fatal four-ways featuring stars from both RAW and SmackDown. Officials certainly made some interesting decisions, as Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan was put into the tournament instead of defending her title.
Thanks for the submission!
New Women’s Intercontinental Champion Sol Ruca was also included. Putting current titleholders in fatal fourways is certainly an odd choice.
WWE could obviously set up future challenges for each title with what transpires in each match, but what about women who weren’t used? Here are predictions for the first round matchups of the 2026 Queen of the Ring Tournament.
#4. WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan is in the tournament
WWE didn’t want to book Morgan to defend her title, so they thrust her into the 2026 tournament instead. She’s declared herself to be the greatest women’s champion of all time and said that’s the reason why she is in this year’s tournament. Defending the title would actually prove that point.
Joining her are Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, and Chelsea Green. This pairing is all about Morgan, so it would be a shock if she lost. Bliss and Green are in the match to be pinned because officials don’t consider Bliss a priority.
Green is one of the biggest fan favorites and is turning face, but they probably wouldn’t give her a big win over names like Lynch and Morgan.
Booking a victory for either Green or Bliss would be an intriguing option, but that doesn’t play much in WWE in 2026. For that reason, and the lack of activity around her title, this one is the easiest to predict.
Prediction – Liv Morgan advances.
#3. Issues between Charlotte Flair and Jade Cargill used in pairing
Like the first matchup, WWE put a current titleholder into the tournament in Sol Ruca. She just won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship and is immediately included in an opportunity to potentially win another title shot.
It’s another massive sign of how bookers favor her over other newer stars. She faces Charlotte Flair and Jade Cargill, who have been feuding on SmackDown over the last month.
Lyra Valkyria is the odd woman out and could use the win more than any of the others in this pairing. It’d be nice for WWE to do more with her, but she’ll probably be pinned to protect everyone else.
Ruca should not be winning this by any means. Cargill has been in the title picture and won the whole thing last year. Flair will probably advance over Bliss. The Storm can then cost The Queen in the next round to set up a match at a future PLE.
Prediction – Charlotte Flair advances.
#2. IYO SKY clashes with Roxanne Perez, Giulia, and Lash Legend
This comes down to IYO SKY and Roxanne Perez. WWE could do something interesting with Perez since there’s definitely some tension in the Judgment Day between Morgan and The Prodigy.
Roxanne proved her loyalty to the group by hitting Finn Balor with the ring hammer in a match, but it still feels like Morgan doesn’t trust her. Perez could have won a singles title, but WWE kept her in the tag division.
Officials have booked Giulia terribly despite giving her two runs as the Women’s United States Champion. Nothing that’s happened lately suggests that will change in the Queen of the Ring Tournament.
What should happen is that SKY advances and potentially wins due to how she’s been booked as a side player for much of the last year. She’s the biggest name in the group, and Lash Legend is better suited to the tag division.
Prediction – THE SKY advances.
#1. Bayley can’t escape the Judgment Day
WWE just can’t help but shove Bayley and the Judgment Day against each other yet again with these Queen of the Ring pairings. She’ll tangle with Raquel Rodriguez, Jacy Jayne, and Kiana James in the first round.
James is the only one who doesn’t have much of a case despite wowing fans over the last two months in her losing efforts. Sol Ruca has done the same in her losses, but has been pushed beyond the moon.
Rodriguez could win to potentially set up a Judgment Day showdown, but that doesn’t help anyone other than the group. She also destroyed Stephanie Vaquer’s reign as champion with five opportunities at the belt.
Bayley is the sentimental favorite, but since she’s new and made an impact, Jayne winning seems like the direction. It keeps her moving forward, as she was the first woman to announce intentions for the tournament. It would also make sense for Fatal Influence to interfere since it will be legal.
Prediction – Jacy Jayne wins.
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Edited by Matthew Serocki
