We are on the Road to WrestleMania, and we make a pit stop in CHICAGO before getting back to WrestleMania in Las Vegas! While on the Road to WrestleMania, we have two demonic Elimination Chamber matches taking place, both to determine #1 contenders for the Undisputed WWE Title and WWE Women’s Title at WrestleMania. Who will emerge victorious inside the threatening structure? Chicago’s own CM Punk will defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Finn Bálor! AJ Lee has her first singles match in over a decade as she challenge’s Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship! Also, what’s in the box?? The recap of WWE Elimination Chamber starts with the pre-show at 5 PM ET/4 Central on social media and the main premium live event at 7 PM ET on the ESPN App (USA) and Netflix (worldwide). Hit F5 or refresh as often as you like for the latest updates!
Welcome to Elimination Chamber in Chicago, the home of the champion of the world, CM Punk. We get a video package with words from Punk talking about Chicago and also the Chamber – the match and the PLE. Cue the pyro! We get shots of several WWE superstars who will be competing later getting themselves mentally ready for tonight. Michael Cole and Wade Barrett are the commentators for this event.
THE ELIMINATION CHAMBER IS COMING DOWN! Ring announcer Mark Nash states the rules for the match, and notes that the winner of this Chamber Match will be the #1 contender to challenge for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 42! Speaking of, we see the WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill watching the match up in the suite seats. The first four women who enter the arena – Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Raquel Rodriguez, and Rhea Ripley – will be locked in plexiglass pods and will be released at random intervals. The final two women to enter will start the match for the first five minutes. Referee Dan Engler will officiate the match.
* #1 Contender’s Elimination Chamber Match:
Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Kiana James vs. Tiffany Stratton
Kiana James and Tiffany Stratton start the match for the first five minutes. They lock up collar-and-elbow moving around the ring to a stalemate. They trade rear waistlocks, Tiffany takes her down with a headlock takeover, Tiffany showcases her athletism, and the crowd chants “Tiffy Time!” Kiana goes on the attack, with shoulder thrusts in a corner, knocks her down for a 1-count, Tiffany trips her onto the middle rope, splashes her back, basement dropkick and gets a 2-count. Kiana avoids a standing moonsault, hits her own standing moonsault, gets 2, throws her into the top turnbuckles, and tosses her outside the ropes. Kiana tries to suplex her, Tiffany blocks it, and delivers her own standing suplex. Kiana side-steps her and Tiffany flies backwards against Raquel’s pod, and Raquel laughs at her until the countdown for the first pod to open.
ASUKA has her pod opened, Kiana goes on the attack right away, but after she tosses Startton aside, Asuka retaliates by slamming Kiana’s face into the pod, and does the same to Tiffany. Asuka hits Tiffany with a bulldog and clotheslines Kiana on the outside, then hits a double missile dropkick to both women, covers Kiana for 2, and covers Tiffany for 2. Asuka kicks both women down, Tiffany hits a back elbow, handspring back elbow to Asuka and Kiana, but Asuka hits a knee strike and covers Stratton for 2.
ALEXA BLISS is the next woman out, stalks Asuka, hits a shoulder block, dropkicks Kiana, headscissors to Asuka, and hits a satellite DDT to Kiana. Alexa and Tiffany go face-to-face, Tiffany catches her, hits the rolling senton, and Alexa blocks the Prettiest Moonsault. Alexa ducks a clothesline to dropkick Tiffany, back elbow to Asuka, Kiana boots Asuka in the face, and Alexa rolls her up for 2. Kiana attacks Bliss, slams Stratton’s face into the chain wall, catapults her into a pod door, and the countdown is on again.
RHEA RIPLEY is the next out, attacks everyone, short-arm clotheslines to Asuka, face-plant, headbutt to Tiffany, and powerbombs her into Asuka. Rhea blocks the satellite DDT by Bliss, blocks the Sister Abigail, Alexa counters the Riptide, they fight on the outside, and Alexa blocks the Riptide by climbing the cage. All four women battle outside the ring, and Alexa hits the Twisted Bliss onto three of them as Kiana moved out the way! Kiana attacks Bliss, slamming her face into the chain, superkicks her, but Alexa catches her in her grasp, Asuka sprays the MIST into Alexa’s face, and Kiana covers Alexa for the 3-count! (Alexa Bliss is eliminated!)
RAQUEL RODRIGUEZ is the last woman out, catches Stratton to block a hurricanrana, swings her into the cage, clotheslines Kiana James, and drops Ripley onto the top rope. Alexa, Kiana and Tiffany gang up on her, she fights them all off, Rhea goes after her, and Raquel throws Ripley around the at the side. Raquel remains in control, blocks a hurricanrana, slams her into the chain wall, and powerbombs her into the ring. Asuka punches and kicks Rodriguez, but Raquel blocks a kick, gives her a fallaway slam into the ring, Kiana goes after her, but Raquel POWERSLAMS JAMES THROUGH THE POD! Raquel ducks a kick from Asuka, deliver the TEJANA BOMB to Asuka right onto James, and covers BOTH women for the 3-count! (Asuka is eliminated.) (Kiana James is eliminated.)
Raquel, Rhea and Tiffany all battle it out, Tiffany hits a double handspring stunner to both women, Raquel plants her with a spinning front slam, and gets a 2-count. Rhea pulls her outside the ring, Raquel traps Ripley in the chain link, TIffany climbs the chain, Raquel blocks the hurricanrana again, sets up for a powerbomb, but Tiffany gives her a hurricanrana into the ring. Raquel fights back, elbow strikes in a corner, hits a fallaway slam, hits the spinning elbow drop in the corner, Tiffany blocks the Tejana Bomb, Raquel puts her on the top ropes, Rhea is atop the pod and hits Raquel with a cannonball! Tiffany hits Raquel with the PRETTIEST MOONSAULT EVER and covers for 3! (Raquel Rodriguez is eliminated!)
Jade Cargill looks on at the final two in the ring. Tiffany hits a knee strike, Rhea counters, facebuster, clothesline, picks her up for the Razor’s Edge, Tiffany counters to cartwheel into the Alabama Slam, and covers for 2.5! Tiffany goes up top, Rhea rolls out the way of the swanton, kicks her in the head, does the electric chair drop, and covers for 2. Tiffany counters the Riptide, side-steps her in the corner, hits the swanton, and covers for 2! Tiffany has blood dripping from her nose, but she doesn’t stop with the rolling senton, springboards up, but Rhea shoves her into the pod, hits the RIPTIDE, and covers for the 3-COUNT! WINNER: RHEA RIPLEY!!
Rhea Ripley is the new #1 contender for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 42! Jade Cargill mockingly applauds Ripley’s victory. Rhea points to the WrestleMania sign and gets the pyro to celebrate.
We get a video package to highlight the feud between Becky Lynch and AJ Lee since the latter’s return to WWE. The champ comes out first, and as the anticipation grows for AJ Lee to enter we see Becky’s face get more contentious. Mark Nash does the proper title match introductions. Jessika Carr is the referee for this match, which is interesting because Becky has had problems with her.
* Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch {C} vs. AJ Lee
The bell dings, they circle the ring, lock up, Becky backs her to a corner, and there’s a clean break. They lock up again, Becky with a side headlock, hits a shoulder block, and mocks her sitting in the ropes. Becky wrestles from a headlock to a hammerlock back to the headlock, AJ pushes her off, trips her, 1-count, rolls her up for 2, Becky with an armbar, AJ trips her, and Becky scrambles to the ropes. AJ does a tilt-a-whirl, knocks her down, hammerlock with a float-over bridge, Becky reverses into a hammerlock, AJ sends her out the ring, and skips around as Becky regroups at ringside.
Becky tries to hide behind Carr, boots AJ in the midsection, catches her in the electric chair, AJ counters, dropkicks her, and Becky hits a running boot to the chest followed by rear mounted punches. Becky stomps her down in a corner, taunts the crowd, takes her down to cover for 2, yells at the crowd again, and chokes her on the ropes with a kick to the back. Becky hits a forearm smash, springboard kick, hits the Becks-ploder, covers for 2, beats her down, AJ fights back, Becky hits an uppercut, back kick, and AJ drops her with a running bulldog.
AJ clotheslines her, hits a back elbow, blocks the kick, gets on the second ropes, hits a tornado DDT, and connects with the shining wizard for 2.5! AJ counters the Manhandle Slam with a rollup for 2, Becky counters for 2, blocks the Black Widow, hits an inverted DDT for 2, and beats her down. Becky rips off the pad of the top turnbuckle exposing the steel. AJ blocks a kick, trips her in the ropes, goes up top, Becky cuts her off, delivers the superplex, and floats over into the cross armbar. AJ counters, kicks her in the head, covers, and gets a near-fall. Ref Jess gets the turnbuckle pad from outside the ring, attempts to get it together, Becky shoves AJ into her, rolls AJ up for 2, Becky boots her in the face accidentally and the ref is down! AJ locks in the BLACK WIDOW, Becky taps, but Ref Jess is down! AJ checks on her, Becky clobbers AJ from behind, and she lands on the ref’s back.
Becky beats up AJ at ringside, throws her into the barricade, pulls out a steel chair from under the ring, and slides it in. AJ fights her off, throws her into the barricade, slams her head on the ring apron and barricade, puts her back into the ring, hits a back elbow, Becky counters the tornado DDT, and plants AJ with the DDT onto the chair! Becky tries to revive the ref, hits the MANHANDLE SLAM, and covers for the 1-2-KICKOUT!! Ref Jess blocks Becky from throwing her into the exposed steel, and Becky gives her the biggest glare. AJ with a schoolgirl roll-up for 2, counters the Manhandle Slam with an armdrag, AJ side-steps her, Becky’s face went into the exposed steel, AJ locks in the BLACK WIDOW, and BECKY TAPS!! WINNER and NEW WOMEN’S INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION: AJ LEE!!!
AJ Lee has finally won a title in WWE after over 11 years!! Congrats AJ Lee, the new Women’s Intercontinental Champion!
Raw GM Adam Pearce and SmackDown GM Nick Aldis are backstage standing in front of the huge box that’s been shipped back and forth between their shows. Will we find out what’s in the box now? Well, R-Truth has the mystery solved, except the box he has is a pizza box from Papa Johns, and after taking a bite of pizza he takes off with it.
We show love to the U.S. Air Force before the next match. Finn Bálor heads to the ring with his old theme and gets the crowd hyped up like he used to do before joining Judgment Day. Chicago is ready for their Second-City Saint to come to the ring next, and CM Punk gets the Michael Jordan experience of an entrance that would be fitting for the Chicago Bulls including the legendary basketball announcer Ray Clay! This will be Punk’s first WWE match in Chicago since June 2013! Ring announcer Mark Nash does the proper title match introductions here as well, Chad Patton is the referee for this match, and the bell dings to get this match underway.
* World Heavyweight Championship: Finn Bálor vs. CM Punk {C}
They lock up, Punk takes an arm, Bálor spins out to reverse, Punk counters to a hammerlock, Bálor reverses, Punk counters to a full nelson, Bálor reverses, Punk drops to counter with a rollup for 2 and puts him in a side headlock. Bálor pushes him off, shoulder block, 1-count, headlock takeover, 1-count, Punk counters for a 1-count, Bálor keeps the hold on, Punk gets back to his feet to push off, hits the jumping calf kick, and delivers the backbreaker. Punk with a snapmare, chop to the back, kick to the chest, kneedrop, covers for 1, and hits forearm shots to the kidneys.
Bálor counters a suplex, they trade punches, Punk chops him, Bálor chops him, Punk chops him back, 10-punch in the corner, Bálor cuts him off to trip him, kick-trip, stomps him down, traps him in the ropes and hits body blows to the ribs followed by a running kick to the ribs. Bálor hits a running chop, Punk hits the high knee in the corner, Bálor blocks the bulldog and applies the abdominal stretch. Punk escapes with a hiptoss, and both men clothesline each other. Both men trade shots back and forth, Punk with more punches, Bálor kicks him in the midsection, Punk hits a back elbow, clothesline, high knee, and connects with the bulldog. Bálor blocks the GTS, Punk sends him out the ring, hits the suicide dive and Bálor crashes onto the announce table.
Punk throws him back into the ring, goes up top, hits the flying clothesline, and covers for 2. Bálor counters the GTS with a reverse DDT elbow drop, and covers for 2. Punk catches him on his shoulders, Bálor counters the GTS with a small package, Punk hits the swinging neckbreaker, and covers for 2. Punk trips him, Bálor with an upkick, Punk sets him up on the top turnbuckle, boxes his ears, sets up for a superplex, Bálor battles back with elbows and forearm shots, Punk falls to the mat, and rolls away from Coup de Grace. Punk hits a short-arm clothesline, goes up top with a bloody mouth, hits the Macho diving elbow drop, slowly makes the cover for 2, Bálor counters with a cover for 2, then hits the sling blade. Punk takes him down, locks in the Anaconda Vice, Bálor rolls through to pin him for 2, hits elbow strikes to the jaw, picks him up, delivers the 1916, goes up top, hits the COUP DE GRACE, covers, and gets the 1-2-KICKOUT!!
Bálor picks him back up, Punk counters, lifts him up onto his shoulders, hits the GTS, and Bálor falls out the ring!! Chad Patton makes his count, gets up to 5, Punk rolls out breaking the count, charges, Bálor hits the sling blade on the floor, hits the shotgun dropkick sending him through the barricade, stares at the championship, throws the champ back into the ring, blocks the GTS, hits another sling blade, hits the running dropkick, goes back up top, but Punk gets his foot up to counter into the SHARPSHOOTER!! Bálor crawls and makes it to the bottom rope to break the hold, Punk pulls him to the middle of the ring, goes for it again, short-arm stomps to the jaw, pulls him back up to his feet, back on his shoulders, hits the GTS, and covers for the 1-2-3!!! WINNER and STILL WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION: CM PUNK!!
That was an excellent match! CM Punk can now focus on his main event match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Bálor spins Punk around, nods his approval, extends his hand, Punk delays, and they shake hands for respect on a good match. AJ Lee trots to the ring as the brand new Women’s Intercontinental Champion, and the married couple celebrate with their titles.
We see Michael Chandler, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Lil Yachty are all in the crowd. Tonight’s attendance is listed at 19,346. Time to find out what’s in the box! The box is on the stage, Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis open the box, and there’s a coffin inside. The coffin opens… we hear a laugh over the PA, several women with faces painted dance through the coffin door, and here comes DANHOUSEN!! Danhousen makes his way to the announce table and leaves a jar of teeth in front of Michael Cole. The crowd is somewhat surprised but also not too pleased (probably because it’s not who they expected).
THE ELIMINATION CHAMBER IS COMING DOWN AGAIN! Mark Nash is back once again to list the rules for the Elimination Chamber match. The winner of this match will go on to challenge Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42! The first four men who enter the structure and enter the pods are Trick Williams, LA Knight, Logan Paul, and Randy Orton. Paul Heyman and Austin Theory accompany Logan Paul to the ring. The final two men to enter will start the match for the first five minutes. Referee Rod Zapata will officiate the match.
* #1 Contender’s Elimination Chamber Match:
Trick Williams vs. LA Knight vs. Logan Paul vs. Randy Orton vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Cody Rhodes
Je’Von Evans and Cody Rhodes will be the unlucky two men to try and go the distance. The bell dings, five minutes on the clock, they lock up collar-and-elbow, Rhodes with a side headlock, Evans pushes him off, Rhodes with the drop-down uppercut, picks him up for the delayed gourdbuster, and covers for 2. Evans rolls him up for 1, backflips to side-step him, hurricanrana, hits the bouncy ‘rana, and connects with a running knee strike for a 2-count. The crowd chants “Fuck you Logan!” as Rhodes slams Evans into his pod and throws him back into the ring. Rhodes clotheslines him, covers for 1, sets up for a suplex, Evans blocks him, counters another attempt, delivers a suplex, Rhodes punches him in the gut, and the countdown begins.
TRICK WILLIAMS is the first man out of his pod and gives Rhodes a flapjack on the padded metal floor. Williams and Evans square off with their history, Evans rolls him up for 1, hits the Red Dot kick to the head, Williams blocks the OG Cutter, and Evans punches Rhodes on the push-off. Williams uppercuts Evans, Rhodes comes up from behind with the Russian legsweep, Williams hits the crescent kick, rolls him up, hits a double Book End to both men, covers Rhodes for 2, and covers Evans for 2. Williams throws Evans to the floor, chops him hard on the chest, Rhodes chops Evans, chops Williams, slams his head into the chain, and now Evans chops Williams.
LOGAN PAUL is the next man out, all three men attack him, gang up on him in and out the ring, and they throw him back into his pod and out the other side! Evans dives onto Williams and Rhodes, hits a springboard tornillo kick, covers for 2, and Rhodes throws Trick out the ring. Rhodes attacks Evans in a corner, back drops him out the ring, and Paul hits Rhodes with the float-over lariat. Rhodes jabs Paul in the jaw, Paul with a chop to the throat, and the countdown is on again.
LA KNIGHT (YEAH) is out next and he goes right at Logan Paul! Knight clotheslines Rhodes turning him around, side-steps Williams to hit the neckbreaker, steps out the ring to throw Paul into the chain-link wall of the Chamber, and Paul pulls him into Orton’s pod door. Logan climbs up to the top of a pod, Evans climbs up to meet him there, Knight climbs up as well to beat Paul up there as well, and they launch Paul off the pod into Cody and Trick! Evans and Knight battle on top of the top, and Knight drops him with the BFT up there!
RANDY ORTON is the final man out, he steps in the ring, clotheslines Trick twice, clotheslines Logan, powerslams Trick, powerslams Logan, clotheslines Trick out the ring, and back drops Logan into Trick. Orton pulls both Paul and Williams for a double draping DDT! Orton hears the voices, Knight blocks the RKO, plants him with a DDT, and all six men are down. Evans starts stirring atop the pod, only one man is near him, so he hits Williams with the frog splash from the top of the pod, and Paul drops Evans on his head with the PAULVERIZER and gets the 3-count! (Je’Von Evans is eliminated.)
Rhodes and Paul battle it out, Knight catches Rhodes to hit the burning hammer, covers for 2, Orton uppercuts Knight European-style, gives him the 10-punch in the corner, European uppercut, Irish whip to the turnbuckles, Knight gets his boot up, but slips on the ropes going for the jump-up elbow. Williams rolls Knight up for 2, Knight counters the Book End, and hits Williams with the BFT! Logan gives Knight the low blow and rolls him up for 3. (LA Knight is eliminated.) Paul chokes Cody on the ropes, slams his head on the chain, attacks Orton, but Orton pokes him in the eye, and Logan kicks him in the gut. Paul and Williams battle, Paul side-steps the Trick Shot, Williams lands on his feet to avoid the Paulverizer, Rhodes hits Williams with the CROSS RHODES, Paul throws Cody out the ring, and steals the pin on Williams for 3 and gets another elimination! (Trick Williams is eliminated!)
The masked man is here! He starts to climb the wall, but security quickly grab him, drag him away, Adam Pearce unmasks him and it’s another random man. Williams gets helped out the ring by a couple of referees, with the door still open another masked man sneaks into the Chamber and into the ring, kicks Logan Paul in the gut, and hits THE STOMP!! Cody makes the cover on Paul, and gets the 3-count! (Logan Paul is eliminated.) THE MASK MAN REVEALS HIMSELF, AND IT’S SETH ROLLINS!!! Paul Heyman is freaking out at ringside! Seth Rollins makes his exit through the crowd as they sing his song.
We’re down to the final two men as they are family, friends, and now foes. DREW McINTYRE hits Cody in the back of the head with the WWE Championship since the door was still wide open! Drew McIntyre takes this advantage to prevent his enemy from winning, he backs up to a corner, Cody side-steps the Claymore, goes on the offense, McIntyre hits the Glasgow Kiss, and beats him down in a corner. Orton hits McIntyre with the RKO, Cody hits McIntyre with the CROSS RHODES, and Orton drops Rhodes with the RKO OUTTA NOWHERE for the 1-2-3!!! WINNER: RANDY ORTON!!!
What a turn of events!! Randy Orton is going to WrestleMania to challenge Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Championship! Drew McIntyre gets his wish within two days in a row that it won’t be Jacob Fatu or Cody Rhodes to challenge him for the title, but now he has The Viper to deal with at WrestleMania. That’s all for WWE Elimination Chamber!
