WWE Elimination Chamber Preview: Who will book their ticket to WrestleMania 42?

As a service to fans who have a general interest in WWE but may not have watched a match in months, we are pleased to provide this FAQ as a guide for WWE Eliminating Chamber from the United Center in Chicago on Saturday at 7pm ET on ESPN Unlimited.

How will Elimination Chamber matches return again?

The ring is surrounded by a giant steel structure that covers it from floor to metal roof. One could call it a “cell” where “hell” can take place, but here’s what separates Elimination Chamber from that other match: There is a glass booth positioned in each corner of the ring that will contain the final four participants. Like on the Netflix dating show “Love Is Blind,” the glass containers are called “pods.” Unlike “Love Is Blind,” no one expects to meet their soulmate outside the pods — just heartbreak.

There are six participants in both the men’s and women’s matches. Two wrestlers start in the ring and four inside the pods. At pre-determined time intervals before the match, the pods are opened one by one to bring a new opponent into the battle. Fighters are eliminated via pinfall or submission. There are no disqualifications in Elimination Chamber, as CM Punk learned when Seth “The Eliminator” Rollins headbutted John Cena’s win at Elimination Chamber last year.

(Yes, it’s been a year since John Cena’s shocking transformation at Elimination Chamber. Where have you gone, Travis Scott?)

The winner of Elimination Chamber gets a championship match at WrestleMania 42. After Roman Reigns won the Royal Rumble in January, he chose World Heavyweight Champion Punk as his opponent at Mania. On Monday’s episode of “Raw,” fellow Royal Rumble winner Liv Morgan picked up WWE Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer. And by “chosen” we mean punched in the face with the microphone in her hand. Which always sounds great sonically.

This means that the winner of the men’s Elimination Chamber match will wrestle for the WWE Undisputed Championship, currently held by Drew McIntyre, and the winner of the women’s Elimination Chamber match will earn a shot at the WWE Women’s Championship, currently held by Jade Cargill.

Who will participate in the women’s Elimination Chamber match?

In both matches, WWE held triple threat qualifying matches on “Raw” and “SmackDown” to determine the Elimination Chamber participants. The six women competing for the title are:

• Tiffany Strattonwho defeated Chelsea Green and Lash Legend on the February 6 episode of “SmackDown.” Please remember that Cargill ended Stratton’s 300+ day title reign with a win on “Saturday Night’s Main Event” in November 2025.

• Rhea Ripleywho defeated Ivy Nile and Lyra Valkyria on “Raw” on February 9. Ripley has not held the WWE Women’s Championship since 2021, despite her only reign lasting 379 days.

• Alexa Place The United States Women’s Champion defeated Julia and Zelina on February 13 on SmackDown to secure a spot in the match, pinning Zelina after Sister Abigail in the middle of the ring. Bliss is a three-time women’s champion.

• Asuka She defeated Bayley and Nattie on “Raw” three days later to take her place in the chamber. Did you know that Asuka never won a match at WrestleMania? Just throw that out there.

• Kiana James It was a surprising participation after she upset both Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax on the last episode of SmackDown. James slid down while Flair was doing her figure-four bridge and pinned Flair’s shoulders for the win, which was very clever.

• Raquel Rodriguez He defeated Io Sky and Kairi Sane on Monday’s Raw for final place. She is looking for her first singles title in WWE. Rodriguez has been getting a push lately, and a strength-versus-strength matchup against Cargill will be interesting. But never underestimate when “Tiffy Time” could come again.

Who will participate in the men’s Elimination Chamber match?

• J Owusu El Grande Americano — the original version, not the new El Grande Americano (that’s a different guy) — and Bronson defeated Reed on Monday’s “Raw,” but Reed had to leave the match early after tearing his muscle. Was Reed going to win this match and earn a spot in the Elimination Chamber? The fact that they didn’t have a chart ready for a Uso victory may I was saying.

• Randy Orton He won a hard-fought match on February 6 on “SmackDown” against Aleister Black and Solo Sikoa with an “outta nowhere” RKO on Sikoa as he loaded a Samoan Spike. Please note that Orton lost a match against Black on the subsequent SmackDown show after McIntyre hit him in the head with his belt. This is what prompted Cody Rhodes to chase the champion. Speaking of which…

• Cody Rhodes Jacob defeated Fatu and Sami Zayn on February 13 on SmackDown in a match in which McIntyre interfered and attempted to keep Rhodes out of the Elimination Chamber match by giving Zayn the win. Unfortunately, Rhodes recovered and pinned Sami instead.

• Jevon Evans He defeated Gunther by pinning Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio on the February 16 “Raw”, which is probably the least painful way to defeat Gunther. Expect a lot of cage-related high points from Evans on Saturday, who is one of the best aerial performers in WWE.

• Williams trick He defeated Damian Priest and Carmelo Hayes last Friday on “SmackDown,” as he seeks his first singles title in WWE after years of dominance in NXT.

• Los Angeles Knight He won a match against Penta (the scary guy in the fighter mask) and Austin Theory (the less scary guy in the black jacket, and now one of the only healthy members of The Vision) on “Raw” on February 9.

We’ll have “Yeet” by Jey Uso, “Whoop That Trick” by Trick Williams, and “Yeah” by LA Knight. Is the Elimination Chamber structurally sound enough to withstand such a trio of iconic cheers?

Since this match is to main event WrestleMania and Rhodes is in the match, he is expected to win a title shot. But don’t underestimate Orton, who has a feud with McIntyre. It’s a nostalgia play – Orton hasn’t held the World Singles Championship since 2020.

If you think drought is a thing, consider that Finn Balor hasn’t won a world title since the WWE Universal Championship in 2016. That could change at Elimination Chamber against CM Punk.

Why is Punk defending his world title against Balor?

He plays

CM Punk vs. Finn Balor at Elimination Chamber

Arda Okal previews a huge World Heavyweight Title match between CM Punk and Finn Balor at Elimination Chamber in Chicago.

It’s the courtroom chicago. It is illegal to not have “Second City Saint” CM Punk on the card.

But seriously, Balor won this rematch against Punk after nearly defeating the “Fighting Champion” on Raw in Belfast, Ireland, in January. Punk raised Balor’s hand after the match in appreciation for the effort.

Things got ugly after Balor was “removed” from the 30-man Royal Rumble match, which led to him attacking Punk during a match with AJ Styles on “Raw.” Challenges are made. Balor announced that after Punk made him lose in his native Ireland, he would make Punk lose on his “home turf.” A match was held for the Elimination Chamber World Championship.

There are two things to consider here. First, Punk will have a match at WrestleMania against Roman Reigns. Second, one never knows when Balor’s highly flammable stable, “Doomsday,” might finally explode.

Punk isn’t the only one in his family who will have a championship match at Elimination Chamber. His wife, AJ Lee, is on track to win Intercontinental gold as well.

The long-awaited AJ Lee vs. Becky Lynch match has arrived

He plays

Arda Öcal previews the WWE Women’s Title match on IC

Arda Okal looks forward to the WWE Women’s Championship match between Becky Lynch and AJ Lee at Elimination Chamber.

That she has. This feud began last September when Lee returned to WWE for the first time in over a decade to help her husband in his battle against WWE powerhouse duo Seth Rollins and Lynch. In a mixed tag team match at WWE Wrestlepalooza last September, Lee forced Lynch to submit to Black Widow.

Later, Lee distracted Lynch in a title match against Maxine Dupri on “Raw” at Madison Square Garden, costing Lynch the Intercontinental Title and a record reign of 163 days. Lynch was caught in a complete spiral that saw her, among other things, suggest that “fraudulent” WWE referees were out to get her. Lynch and Lee next met at Survivor Series: WarGames in late November, when Lee once again nailed Becky with the Black Widow.

At this point, an angry Lynch was desperately searching for a way to finally get rid of Lee. Earlier this month, she challenged Lee to an Elimination Chamber match. When Lee said she wouldn’t accept the match unless Lynch brought up the IC Title, Lynch said, “No,” which is a great way to get the WWE crowd chanting, “Yes, yes, yes!” Lynch finally relented and put the belt on the line to get her hands on her tormentor.

Of all the potential events on this card, a title match between an angry Lynch and a trolling Lee might be the most bitterly satisfying — especially if Lee and Punk win their title matches on the card.

Did we mention that this event takes place in Chicago? Just checking.