Elimination Chamber 2026 isn’t just another premium live event. This is the final major checkpoint before WrestleMania 42. And when I’m making predictions for a show like this, I’m not asking, “Who do I want?” I’m asking, “What creates the biggest possible WrestleMania?” Here are my official picks!
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Men’s Elimination Chamber: Randy Orton
Let’s get this out of the way: Cody Rhodes is the obvious choice. And that’s exactly why I’m not picking him.
Cody winning the Chamber feels predictable. It feels safe. It feels like the path everyone assumes WWE will take. But WrestleMania season isn’t about safety; it’s about momentum and intrigue. Randy Orton’s win gives us the biggest possible shake-up heading into WrestleMania 42.
Orton changes the entire energy of the main event scene.
Instead of a continuation of an expected story, we suddenly get unpredictability. We get a veteran who knows exactly how to peak at the right time. Orton winning the Chamber isn’t just a great result; it’s a statement that WrestleMania is going to feel different.
Cody is obvious. Orton is disruptive.
And the build to WrestleMania 42 needs disruption.
Women’s Elimination Chamber: Rhea Ripley
This one is about business.
If the Women’s Champion going into WrestleMania is Jade Cargill, then the biggest possible match you can make is Jade Cargill vs. Rhea Ripley. Period.
If WWE wants to maximize WrestleMania’s drawing power, you book the biggest clash of presence and power in the entire women’s division. Jade brings star aura. Rhea brings dominance and credibility. Put them in the same ring on the biggest stage of the year, and you’ve created something that feels massive before the bell even rings.
If they want to move tickets, this is the match.
WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee
This is the one that carries emotional weight.
AJ Lee returning to singles competition for the first time in ten years is already a moment. That alone gives this match gravity. But if she wins? That turns it into history.
The Women’s Intercontinental Championship is still a relatively new title. Championships need lineage. They need names attached to them that give them instant credibility. AJ Lee winning adds exactly that.
Becky Lynch as champion already gives it legitimacy. But AJ capturing it ties the new era to a pivotal figure from the previous generation. It creates continuity. It creates discussion. It gives the title a story.
AJ Lee winning isn’t just nostalgia. It’s strategic. It’s how you build prestige around a championship that’s still carving out its identity.
Ten years removed from singles competition, coming back and winning gold? That’s powerful.
World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk Retains
This might be obvious. But it’s the correct call.
CM Punk retaining over Finn Bálor feels inevitable. WWE is already advertising Roman
Reigns vs. CM Punk for WrestleMania. You don’t tease that level of main event and then pull the rug out from under it.
Could Finn’s win be a huge shock? Absolutely.
It would be one of the biggest swerves of the year. It would create chaos. It would set social media on fire.
But if I’m putting real money on it? I’m not betting against Punk.
The company has clearly positioned him for something massive at WrestleMania 42. A title loss here would completely derail that direction. And while surprises are fun, WrestleMania season is about delivering on the biggest possible matches.
Punk retaining keeps the road clean and clear.
It might not be the flashy pick. But it’s the logical one.
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