Royce Keys absence from WWE television since the Royal Rumble may not be random it could be tied to bigger WrestleMania shifts. After making an impact with his surprise entry at No. 14 in the 2026 Mens Royal Rumble and eliminating Damian Priest before getting dumped by Bronson Reed, many expected WWE to quickly follow up. Instead, Keys hasnt appeared on television since. Now theres a reason why. During a Q&A session on February 16, 2026, WrestleVotes explained that WWE originally had plans in place for Keys coming out of the Rumble but shifting WrestleMania creative changed the trajectory. WrestleVotes then detailed how broader card adjustments affected that direction. WrestleVotes summed it up by pointing to the bigger picture: Theres definitely a trickle-down effect right now with everything happening around WrestleMania. While Keys did wrestle a dark match against Nathan Frazer before the February 13 edition of SmackDown, he has yet to appear on televised programming since his Rumble debut. If the reported plans still materialize, Keys vs. Priest could still happen but for now, it appears creative changes are the main reason fans havent seen him back on TV. Do you still want to see Royce Keys vs. Damian Priest, or should WWE pivot to something bigger for him? Sound off in the comments. Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication. G Add as a preferred source on Google
