WWE Elimination Chamber 2026 Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction and Highlights

WWE returned to the United Center in Chicago for Elimination Chamber, the first premium live event held in the venue since SummerSlam 1994.

Featuring the men's and women's Elimination Chamber matches and two high-stakes title bouts, the show was brimming with WrestleMania 42 implications.

Who would leave with the World Heavyweight Championship?

Which Superstars would emerge from the Chamber contests with title opportunities?

Could Becky Lynch defeat AJ Lee to retain the women's intercontinental title?

Find out the answers to those questions and more in this recap of the February 28 show, including grades, analysis, and top takeaways.

Match Card

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The full lineup for Saturday's PLE:

Men's Elimination Chamber match: Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton vs. LA Knight vs. Je'Von Evans vs. Trick Williams vs. Logan Paul

Women's Elimination Chamber match: Rhea Ripley vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Asuka vs. Kiana James

World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Finn Balor

Women's Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. AJ Lee

Women's Elimination Chamber Match

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Last Time in Action: Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky lost to Nia Jax and Lash Legend (SmackDown, February 27); Kiana James defeated Jax and Charlotte Flair (SmackDown, February 20); Tiffany Stratton defeated Kairi Sane (SmackDown, February 27); Alexa Bliss defeated Giulia and Zelina (SmackDown, February 13); Raquel Rodriguez defeated Sky and Sane (Raw, February 23); Asuka defeated Bayley and Nattie (Raw, February 16)

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The Eradicator is heading to WrestleMania 42 following a grueling victory in a physical Elimination Chamber match to kick off Saturday's show.

Rhea Ripley outlasted Tiffany Stratton, Raquel Rodriguez, Asuka, Kiana James, and Alexa Bliss to cash her ticket to the Showcase of the Immortals.

Stratton and James started the match, but it was Bliss who shone in the night's first big spot, delivering Twisted Bliss from the top of one of the pods. Her WrestleMania dreams were dashed when The Empress of Tomorrow blinded her with the blue mist, allowing James to score the first elimination of the bout.

Ripley and Rodriguez starred upon their arrivals, with the latter obliterating the competition and pinning both James and Asuka to send them packing. The one-two punch of Mami and Tiffy, though, allowed the babyfaces to eliminate Big Mami Cool.

From there, Ripley outlasted the battered Stratton, sending her face-first into a pod and delivering the Riptide to secure the victory in a good match with strong action and a great performance from the runner-up.

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Result

Ripley defeated Stratton, Rodriguez, Asuka, James, and Bliss

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Grade

B

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Top Moments and Takeaways

Order of Elimination: Bliss (by James), James and Asuka (by Rodriguez), Rodriguez (by Stratton), Stratton (by Ripley)

The cameras caught WWE women's champion Jade Cargill watching from a suite, but did not revisit her during the match, when she should have been basking in the punishment her potential opponents were dealing each other.

Starting the match with James and Stratton was a choice given the relative inexperience compared to the other combatants. Still, they held their own, with James continuing to look impressive in her expanded opportunities.

Asuka misted Bliss to set up her elimination, potentially setting the table for a tag team match between the Kabuki Warriors and Bliss and Charlotte Flair.

Big Mami Cool looked like a world-beater here, destroying the competition and maintaining that unstoppable force aura built in recent months. Even in defeat, this was a good night for the second-generation star.

Stratton bumped all over in this one, selling everyone's offense.

Ripley winning and returning to the title picture in time for WrestleMania is the right call. She's one of the biggest stars in WWE and arguably the first- or second‑best in‑ring worker on the roster, and the matchup with Cargill is a fresh one. Where that leaves tag team partner Iyo Sky is the question.

Women's Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee vs. Becky Lynch

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Last Time in Action: AJ Lee teamed with Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley, and Iyo Sky to defeat Becky Lynch, Lash Legend, Nia Jax, Asuka, and Kairi Sane (Survivor Series: WarGames, November 28); Lynch lost in the women's Royal Rumble match (Royal Rumble, January 31)

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AJ Lee is the new women's Intercontinental champion after defeating Becky Lynch in a dramatic contest that involved referee bumps, a steel chair, and an exposed turnbuckle.

Lee outwrestled Lynch early on, frustrating the champion. The heel recovered and went on to dominate much of the match, but her inability to keep the challenger down bred frustration. She removed a turnbuckle pad, and referee Jessika Carr collided with it.

Later, Carr caught a kick from Lynch, taking her further out of the picture for the moment. The heel utilized a chair to her advantage but still failed to keep Lee down. Moments later, Lee sent Lynch into the exposed turnbuckle, applied the Black Widow and scored the submission win.

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Result

Lee defeated Lynch to win the title

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Grade

C+

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Top Moments and Takeaways

Michael Cole and Wade Barrett called the heck out of this match, setting up the story for the uninitiated and laying the groundwork for the competitors' strategies.

Barrett joked that he had had a singles match more recently than AJ Lee.

Carr's role in the match made sense and, at least initially, did not lead to excessive overbooking.

Lynch nearly won in a great false finish spot in which Lee kicked out at 2 and 3/4.

There was a whole lot of plunder and nonsense late in the match, leading to a disjointed finish that actually hurt the overall quality of the contest.

With that said, Lee looked good for someone wrestling her first singles match in over a decade and Lynch continued one of the greatest runs of her career from a character standpoint. This should result in another contest at WrestleMania and weeks of Big Time Becks crying "conspiracy."

World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk vs. Finn Balor

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Last Time in Action: CM Punk defeated AJ Styles via double disqualification (Raw, January 26); Balor lost to Punk (Raw, January 19)

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CM Punk will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42 after surviving his match against Finn Balor in Chicago.

The Second City Saint overcame a focused, determined challenger who was, for much of the match, the better man.

The Irishman outwrestled Punk, dominated the action, and looked like he may well disrupt the main event of the biggest show of the year. A late-match attempt at the Coup de Grace failed as the champion countered into a Sharpshooter.

Not even a dropkick through the barricade at ringside later could keep Punk down. As the action returned to the squared circle, The Best in the World proved his moniker correct, delivering a Go To Sleep and cashing his ticket to the main event of The Showcase of the Immortals for the second year in a row.

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Result

Punk defeated Balor to retain his title

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Grade

B

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Top Moments and Takeaways

Punk's entrance to the Chicago Bulls' "Sirius" by The Alan Parsons Project was iconic and fitting for an athlete synonymous with the city.

Balor looked like a main event threat here, a guy who was vastly superior to Punk for most of the match. Despite a crowd that knew he was not winning, the Prince looked like the champion's equal and nearly beat him more than once.

The Coup de Grace counter into the Sharpshooter from Punk was outstanding. And dangerous. But still awesome.

This was a great physical test for Punk ahead of Reigns. He has been hellbent on being a fighting champion, but matches like this will take months off of his title run. Could that be the deciding factor in the WrestleMania 42 main event?

Balor showed respect to Punk after the match, another step toward a babyface turn and what feels like an inevitable showdown with Dominik Mysterio as the Judgment Day implodes.

A strong, physical match that just barely missed out on being truly special. The post-match celebration for Punk and AJ Lee was a nice touch in front of their hometown fans.

A Very Nice, Very Evil Surprise

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Last Time in Action (on TV): Danhausen lost a battle royal (December 30, 2023)

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After weeks of speculation, the contents of the mysterious crate were revealed as Danhausen made his WWE debut, just 24 hours after his time in All Elite Wrestling came to an end.

The very nice, very evil face-painted Superstar made his way to the ring, flanked by female companions sharing his same look. He handed Michael Cole a jar of teeth, cursed the WWE Universe, and disappeared into the darkness.

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Grade

C+

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Top Moments and Takeaways

This would have been the perfect opportunity to allow Danhausen to get on the mic and give fans a taste of what his whole character is about. Not everyone knows him, and considering he has been off of television in any meaningful role for years, it would have been the exclamation point on the segment.

The presentation was solid. While it will take fans time to warm to him, he is in a place that will realize his potential from a character and merchandising standpoint.

Men's Elimination Chamber Match

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Last Time in Action: Trick Williams defeated Carmelo Hayes and Damian Priest (SmackDown, February 28), LA Knight and The Usos lost to The Vision (Raw, February 16), Cody Rhodes defeated Jacob Fatu and Sami Zayn (SmackDown, February 13), Je'Von Evans defeated Kofi Kingston (Raw, February 23), Logan Paul defeated Jacob Fatu (SmackDown, February 28), Randy Orton lost to Aleister Black (SmackDown, February 20)

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Randy Orton will challenge Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42 following a chaotic conclusion to Saturday's Elimination Chamber main event.

The Viper outlasted Cody Rhodes, Logan Paul, Trick Williams, LA Knight, and Je'Von Evans, with a little help from The Scottish Warrior and the returning Seth "Freakin" Rollins, along the way.

Evans was the first Superstar to be sent packing when his addiction to the thrill proved costly, resulting in an elimination courtesy of The Maverick. It was not Paul's last of the night as he also dispatched Knight and Williams, building momentum for the mid-match angle where a man in black appeared, only to be unmasked and whisked away by security.

With the chamber door still open as referees removed the defeated Williams, another hooded man entered the squared circle and delivered a stomp to Paul to set up his departure.

McIntyre entered the fray next but found himself teed off on by Rhodes and Orton before The Legend Killer dropped his friend and protege with an RKO to win the match and earn the title opportunity.

During the post-show, Nick Aldis announced Rhodes will face McIntyre on Friday for the WWE Championship.

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Result

Orton defeated Rhodes, Paul, Williams, Knight, and Evans

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Grade

B-

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Top Moments and Takeaways

Order of Elimination: Evans (by Paul), Knight (by Paul), Williams (by Paul), Paul (by Rhodes), Rhodes (by Orton)

Evans got the huge Superstar entrance that lasted several minutes. The Undertaker would have been impressed with the duration of the thing. With that said, the crowd loves him and any doubts that some may have had about his ability to be a main event star should be eased.

Ditto Williams.

Evans' elimination felt somewhat lackluster after the big frog splash off the top of a pod to Williams. Still, the commentary team covered it well, noting that his overzealous nature cost him.

Knight tried to jump from the middle rope to the top for his trademark elbow drop and slipped, resulting in an ugly miss. He is over enough that he does not have to get cutesy and suffer those missteps in big matches like this. An unforced error.

The Rollins reveal was excellently executed. Even if it was telegraphed with Paul's addition to the match.

"What a mess the ending of this Elimination Chamber match was..." Barrett said on commentary. I love shoot comments that are not meant to be shoot comments.

Orton's win following McIntyre's late involvement made sense within the context of the ongoing storyline, as he finally dropped Rhodes with an RKO.

Unfortunately, it was not in the context that most wanted, and the finish felt more like a way to get to a multi-man main event at WrestleMania, which will almost certainly include The American Nightmare and Jacob Fatu, perhaps as punishment for the WWE champion repeatedly sticking his nose in everyone's business.

The match itself was somewhat disappointing, with spot after spot until the two angles took over ahead of the finish. It was fine, but given the talent involved, felt like a missed opportunity to deliver a truly great Elimination Chamber contest.

Overall Grade

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Elimination Chamber 2026 was a mixed bag for WWE fans, as is becoming the trend with the company's premium live events.

On the one hand, the production was great. The show looked like a million bucks and felt like a big deal. The commentary team was also on point for most of the show.

The women stole the show once again with their Elimination Chamber match, easily eclipsing the men's. Add to that a crowd-pleaser in the form of AJ Lee winning the IC title, and you have a quality start to the PLE.

CM Punk defeating Finn Balor in a strong match added to the event's early quality, but that is where the positives end.

It is so clear that WWE has no idea what to do with the SmackDown brand's title match at WrestleMania that it is likely to throw a handful of guys into one contest rather than write a competent story arc for any of them.

Whereas Triple H thrived early as a booker by intertwining storylines in matches and angles, he appears to have lost his way, and the result was again a jumbled mess.

The good outweighed the bad, and we at least have some direction for the WrestleMania card, but it remains difficult to get excited about the upcoming Showcase of the Immortals as it stands.

Grade: B-