Summary

Royce Keys has made his next target clear.

After becoming a regular presence on Friday Night SmackDown and adding the Andre the Giant Battle Royal to his recent list of accomplishments, Keys said his main goal before the end of 2026 is to win championship gold in WWE. The comment came during a new interview with SportsBoom, the same conversation in which he also named Gunther, Trick Williams, Jacob Fatu and Oba Femi as opponents he wants to face.

Quote from Royce Keys

"Have a championship belt around my waist," said Keys. "It's gonna happen."

Keys also pointed to promo work as an area where he still wants to improve, and he cited Jake "The Snake" Roberts as someone he studies when it comes to connecting with an audience.

Keys said:

"Talking to the audience, you can always get better at promos. You can always figure out a different way or how to get better connecting with the audience. One person that comes to mind is Jake 'The Snake' Roberts. He reminds me of my grandfather, because my grandfather was stern and he knew he was serious, and he didn't have to yell. You look back at old Jake Roberts' promos, he never yelled. But you knew he was serious."

What Royce Keys' Goal Means In WWE

Keys is no longer talking like a prospect trying to find his place on television. By framing a championship as his goal for the end of 2026, he is positioning himself as someone who expects his recent SmackDown momentum to turn into a real place in WWE's title picture.

The mention of promo improvement matters too. If Keys is already stacking wins and also focusing on sharpening his delivery, WWE fans have a clearer sense of how he sees the next step, not just more appearances, but a push that could eventually put him in contention for gold.

Sources

Royce Keys while speaking with SportsBoom