Early WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 Match Card Predictions

On the heels of a momentous Royal Rumble that saw the shocking betrayal of The Bloodline by Sami Zayn, the beloved underdog will return to his hometown of Montreal for the Elimination Chamber premium live event as a focal point of the show.

But who will Zayn square off with and why will it not be undisputed WWE universal champion Roman Reigns?

What else can fans expect from a show that will go a long way in giving a taste of what to expect in Los Angeles at WrestleMania 39?

Find out now with these too-early predictions for the February 18 extravaganza.

Sami Zayn vs. Solo Sikoa

Anyone expecting to see Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber should temper their expectations. The Tribal Chief is not, and never has been, advertised for the premium live event and that is unlikely to change.

Instead, WWE officials will look to follow up on the shocking conclusion of the Royal Rumble and the brilliant storytelling that has existed throughout the ongoing Bloodline storyline featuring Sami Zayn by booking the hometown hero to battle the enforcer of the group, Solo Sikoa.

Jimmy Uso's legal history will likely keep him out of Canada, as was the case a few months ago on SmackDown, but Jey should be able to attend, and therein lies the heart of this matter anyway.

We saw the conflicted Right Hand Man walk out on The Bloodline Saturday at the Royal Rumble, but it will be at Elimination Chamber where he returns and either betrays Zayn to set up a tag title match at WrestleMania or screws over Sikoa, further alienating himself from the family.

Either way, the storytelling ramps up in three weeks.

Elimination Chamber Match for the Intercontinental Championship

Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus vs. Ricochet vs. Braun Strowman vs. Santos Escobar vs. Gunther

Gunther delivered a star-making performance by competing for 70-plus minutes in the Royal Rumble match Saturday. At Elimination Chamber, he will again have the opportunity to impress the WWE Universe when he defends the Intercontinental Championship inside the titular structure.

His opponents? All familiar to him and Imperium.

Drew McIntyre's and Sheamus' battles with the group are well known, and Ricochet and Braun Strowman have had their fair share of clashes with the trio, too. Santos Escobar is new to the equation, but Legado del Fantasma did just battle Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci in the tag team contenders tournament, making him a logical sixth participant.

The match should be damn good given the array of talent, but one should expect The Ring General to emerge victoriously once more.

Elimination Chamber Match for the Raw Women's Championship

Bianca Belair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Asuka vs. Bayley vs. Iyo Sky vs. Dakota Kai

Dating back to SummerSlam, Damage CTRL has made life a living hell for Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch and Asuka. At Elimination Chamber, before WWE finalizes its plans for WrestleMania 39, the six women will finally settle their differences with the Raw Women's Championship at stake.

We saw Bayley, Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky work as a unit in the Royal Rumble, but they were eliminated before the self-centered backstabbing could commence. Might we see dissension within the group here when the title and a spot in the WrestleMania main event is at stake?

More importantly, can Belair survive and advance to another high-profile WrestleMania match, this time against Rhea Ripley?

Those are the questions surrounding this one.

Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley

Edge and Beth Phoenix have been tormented and beaten down by Judgment Day, including an unforgettable assault back at Extreme Rules in Philadelphia in October. The Rated R Superstar and Glamazon returned with a vengeance at Royal Rumble, the former taking the fight to Balor while Phoenix gained a momentary measure of revenge against Ripley.

Except Ripley went on to win the Royal Rumble and cash her ticket to a WrestleMania title opportunity anyway.

Can Phoenix settle her differences with Ripley while Edge gets a measure of revenge on the faction he created with a mixed tag team victory? What would a defeat do to Ripley's momentum ahead of WrestleMania?

Given Edge is a native Canadian and beloved even more north of the border, this would easily be one of the show's marquee bouts.

Cody Rhodes vs. Austin Theory

Austin Theory is an entitled, egotistical young star who probably thinks he should have won the Royal Rumble match. Cody Rhodes busted his ass to return from a torn pectoral muscle to actually win said match.

While the United States Championship will not be up for grabs in the match, a bout between Rhodes and Theory would give The American Nightmare something to do on his penultimate stop on the Road to WrestleMania and Theory another taste of a high-profile, premium live event match.

It would be damn good, but it would ultimately be little more than a warm-up for Rhodes ahead of the biggest night of his life in Los Angeles.

Where this card leaves the likes of Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley and Charlotte Flair remains to be seen. There is a plethora of talent floating around, but there is a lack of obvious direction. In the case of Lashley, Brock Lesnar is not formally advertised for the event, leaving his options unclear.