WWE Elimination Chamber 2026 recap
The last stop on the path to WrestleMania 42, and for the WWE locker room, every strategy, feud, sweat, and moment of preparation has culminated in this early spring in Chicago. The United Center was packed with enthusiastic spectators on February 28, 2026, eager to see fate rewritten within the merciless steel of the Elimination Chamber. This was more than just a pay-per-view event; it was a furnace where rivalries were resolved, dreams were created, and the road to the biggest concert of the year was finally starting to take shape. Alliances were established and broken on Raw and SmackDown every night. Hope was constructed and put to the test. Steel and spectacle would provide the answers tonight.
Women’s Elimination Chamber Match
Rhea Ripley earns her WrestleMania title shot
With only one dream the opportunity to compete for gold in April six ferocious competitors entered the harsh steel building. From the first bell, Tiffany Stratton and Kiana James brought fire and agility to the game. In an attempt to steal the show, Asuka and Alexa Bliss soon injected turmoil and experience. Raquel Rodriguez entered the fight last and dominated with strength, leveling opponents and inspiring the audience to support Ripley’s opponents.
However, Rhea Ripley outperformed the others in this contest of survival, cunning, and strength. Ripley battled valiantly through every avalanche and high-risk strike, overcoming every challenge until the very end to defeat Stratton and win. Her win grants her a title match at WrestleMania 42, a moment years in the making.
This wasn’t a stroll, it was a war within steel and Ripley emerged as the one to carry the torch forward.
Video by WWE posted on their youtube channel
Women’s Intercontinental Championship
AJ Lee shocks the world and Becky Lynch
One of the fiercest competitors of her generation, Becky Lynch, faced up against AJ Lee in a contest that was characterized as much by momentum shifts as by championship legacy. What started off as a sophisticated chess encounter swiftly turned into a battle in which each hold and countermove was crucial.
Lynch’s unrelenting intensity teased dominance. However, timeliness turned out to be expensive. Lee was able to lock in her trademark Black Widow choke and force the tap when Lynch ran face-first into an exposed turnbuckle in a stunning turn of events. After more than ten years, AJ Lee returned to the championship picture and emerged victorious as the new Women’s Intercontinental Champion after the referee finally tallied the falls.
This outcome changed everyone’s expectations and served as a reminder that legends in the WWE never really die.
Video by WWE posted on their youtube channel
World Heavyweight Championship
CM Punk retains in a hard-fought battle with Finn Bálor
This game was an emotional homecoming for some. Others saw it as the ultimate testing ground. In his birthplace of Chicago, CM Punk defended his World Heavyweight Championship against the nimble and unpredictable Finn Bálor.
There were quick counters, near-falls, and times when it seemed like the tide could change in an instant during the fierce back-and-forth struggle. Every chant was echoed and every heart-stopping exchange was met with an electrifying response from the audience. Bálor gave it his all, but in the end, Punk’s expertise, calculated attacks, and that trademark Go-to-Sleep won out. Punk maintained his title after the last pin, paving the way for him to become one of WWE’s most captivating champions once again on the brink of WrestleMania.
Video by WWE posted on their youtube channel
Men’s Elimination Chamber Match
Randy Orton upsets the odds to storm WrestleMania
Six men fought inside steel for a sure opportunity at world title at WrestleMania in one of the night’s most chaotic and unpredictable contests. Cody Rhodes, LA Knight, Je’Von Evans, Trick Williams, and Logan Paul were all involved in an intense matchup.
Only Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes were left after early eliminations and moments of great impact. When it appeared that Rhodes may take charge, the unexpected occurred: the rhythm was broken by disorder and intervention. Orton, however, sealed the victory and punched Rhodes’ ticket to WrestleMania 42 for a title chance by landing Rhodes with a crushing RKO in the final exchange.
Video by WWE posted on their youtube channel
What This Means for WrestleMania 42
- Rhea Ripley is headed to WrestleMania for a championship clash.
- AJ Lee holds gold and renewed momentum.
- CM Punk remains champion, battle-tested and unbowed.
- Randy Orton upset expectations to earn his shot at immortality.
