The Elimination Chamber premium live event is only days away, and historically, it often feels like a placeholder on the road to WrestleMania. With major matches usually easy to project, WWE rarely uses this show to dramatically shift its biggest plans.
That said, WrestleMania 42 is still seven weeks away, leaving enough time for creative detours—if WWE is willing to take them. While some results appear inevitable, there is just enough uncertainty to make parts of this card worth examining more closely.
Below, I break down three key matches, focusing on the stories being told, what should happen, and where unexpected outcomes could still emerge.
CM Punk (c) vs. Finn Balor for the World Heavyweight Championship
What’s the story?
Finn Bálor entering Chicago is fundamentally the same competitor who lost cleanly to CM Punk weeks before the Royal Rumble—and that appears to be intentional. Nothing meaningful has changed between them. There were no Judgment Day distractions, no controversy, and no asterisk next to Punk’s win in Dublin.
Rematches only work when conditions evolve. Here, they haven’t. Bálor is no stronger, Punk no weaker. While RAW briefly hinted that Punk might be overlooking Bálor, that thread was never developed enough to justify a genuine upset.
The most intriguing element is Bálor’s insistence that Judgment Day stay out of the match—a request rooted in pride, not logic.
What should happen?
Judgment Day’s internal tension should define the finish.
JD McDonagh clearly wants to help Bálor, while Dominik Mysterio has openly admitted he relies on help to retain his own championship. That contrast matters. The cleanest outcome is JD attempting to interfere, only for Dominik to stop him—granting Bálor what he asked for while ensuring his failure.
Punk retains, Judgment Day fractures further, and the road to CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42 remains unobstructed.
Prediction: CM Punk retains
Becky Lynch (c) vs. AJ Lee for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship
What’s the story?
At this point, it’s difficult to say.
AJ Lee returned to assist CM Punk and quickly submitted Becky Lynch. Then both women’s original motivations—defending their rival husbands—vanished when Seth Rollins was injured, and the feud drifted into a series of loosely connected confrontations.
Lee returned to help Maxxine Dupri against Lynch. The reason? Lee was sticking it to a bully, and Lynch lit a fire in her. This led to Lee joining WarGames, only for Lynch to join in retaliation and be submitted again.
Then… Lee disappeared for two months. The fire Lynch lit didn’t burn long. When Lee returned to support Dupri (after she was screwed out of defending her Women’s IC Championship, mind you), her appearance drove Lynch crazy. Now we have a singles match at Elimination Chamber.
In a linear sense, the story tracks: Lee annoys Lynch, Lynch becomes obsessed with silencing her. But emotionally, it feels underdeveloped. The match exists more for its novelty than its narrative weight.
What should happen?
There are two incomplete motivations colliding:
- Lynch wants redemption
- Lee wants the Women’s IC Title, for some reason
If WWE wants to reignite Lee’s intensity, the best option is a tainted Lynch victory. A cheap win gives Lynch false closure while providing Lee a reason to return with renewed purpose.
Prediction: Becky Lynch retains (via questionable means)
Tiffany Stratton vs. Asuka vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Kiana James in the Women’s Elimination Chamber Match
What’s the story?
Beyond six competitors chasing a WrestleMania title shot, only two women have direct narrative momentum.
Tiffany Stratton has the clearest path. After losing to Jade Cargill, Stratton was injured and brutalized, setting up a logical redemption arc.
Raquel Rodriguez also has unfinished business, stemming from Liv Morgan interfering in Raquel’s championship match against Stephanie Vaquer. While it didn’t directly cost Raquel the match, Morgan’s involvement certainly didn’t help.
The remaining competitors feel more like future multi-tag participants than singles contenders.
What should happen?
The cleanest booking choice is Stratton. It leads directly to a WrestleMania rematch and requires no narrative gymnastics.
It would be intriguing to have Raquel win. However, I doubt fans would be interested in Raquel challenging Cargill, and with Morgan choosing Vaquer as her WrestleMania opponent, it wouldn’t make sense for Raquel to seek a triple threat match with those two and make Morgan an active obstacle rather than an unintended one.
Is there a wildcard?
Yes—Rhea Ripley.
While the story doesn’t demand her victory, the match quality does. A Ripley win opens compelling alternatives, including advancing Iyo Sky vs. Asuka, a long-simmering story involving Kairi Sane that still needs resolution, and a Tag Team Showcase similar to what we saw at WrestleMania 39.
Prediction: Tiffany Stratton
Wildcard Pick: Rhea Ripley
Final Thoughts
Elimination Chamber 2026 may not radically reshape WrestleMania, but it doesn’t have to. The most effective outcomes here reinforce long-term directions while quietly setting the table for stronger stories in the weeks ahead.
The question isn’t whether WWE can surprise us—it’s whether it needs to.
Damion Ferrell 