LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – FEBRUARY 27: Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton face off during SmackDown at KFC YUM! Center on February 27, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Mike Marques/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
HIGHLIGHTS
- Je’Von Evans (21) and Trick Williams are both main-roster newcomers making their Chamber debuts
- AJ Lee is the heavy favorite to dethrone Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Title
- The mystery crate reveal could be the most talked-about moment of the night
WWE Elimination Chamber will determine the challengers for Jade Cargill and Drew McIntyre’s titles at WrestleMania, but beyond the man and woman who emerge victorious from the chamber, there’s a ton more to sort out in Chicago. What will come of the Judgment Day?
How well will Je’Von Evans and Trick Williams perform? Does AJ get the title? Let’s dig into it.
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – FEBRUARY 27: Logan Paul in action against Jacob Fatu during SmackDown at KFC YUM! Center on February 27, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
1. Who Wins the Chamber Matches?
LA Knight is my pick in the men’s match. Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre is a natural continuation — but we’ve seen it and don’t need it again at WrestleMania.
I think Randy Orton is another realistic alternative; Orton winning and screwing Rhodes on the way out would also make narrative sense. Logan Paul earned a spot in the Chamber after Jey Uso was attacked, but there is little reason to believe he wins.
On the women’s side, it’s legitimately close. I have Tiffany Stratton as a slight favorite, with Raquel Rodriguez and Rhea Ripley as obvious possibilities.
2. Does the Judgment Day Finally Fall Apart?
Finn Balor showed up on the final Raw before Elimination Chamber in non-faction attire, told JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio to handle things on their own. He wasn’t subtle. The faction’s slow collapse has been in motion for a while — the Balor-Dominik tension in particular has been building toward something.
I’d watch for whether Judgment Day interferes in the Punk-Balor match. The most compelling outcome, in my view: Judgment Day costs Balor the title, officially triggering the breakup and setting up Balor vs. Dominik for WrestleMania.
3. What Do Je’Von Evans and Trick Williams Show Us?
I don’t see either winning the Chamber. But Evans is 21 years old, on the main roster less than two months, and already showing the kind of athleticism that makes highlight reels. The pod environment is tailor-made for a breakout spot.
Trick Williams, promoted in January, qualified by beating Damian Priest and Carmelo Hayes in a triple-threat. He has the crowd connection and natural presence.
The Chamber is a platform — how both use it will signal, to me, where WWE sees them over the next six months.
4. Does AJ Lee Win the Women’s Intercontinental Title?
AJ Lee has to be the heavy favorite to win, with Becky Lynch cast as the underdog. A win would be Lee’s first singles title in over a decade and the first time a Latina woman holds the Women’s Intercontinental Championship.
Lee has steady in her return — but Saturday could give her an opportunity to work a strong match.
Becky has been vocal that Lee hasn’t “earned” this shot, which is exactly the heat this match needs. In Chicago, I expect Lee to get a huge reaction from the crowd.
5. The Mystery Crate
Danhausen is the frontrunner — his AEW contract expired in February 2026 and the character’s eccentric energy fits WWE’s current creative appetite. The crate wasn’t mentioned on SmackDown, but it was shown in a backstage segment with R-Truth and a group of mid-carders. That leads me to believe it could be Danhausen as that is likely to be where he lands with WWE.
Chris Jericho has also surfaced as a possibility, and a Jericho return in front of a massive Chicago crowd would be seismic. Though I highly doubt they would put him in a crate.
In a card where most championship outcomes are fairly telegraphed, I’d say unpredictability is a feature.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2026/02/28/5-things-to-watch-at-wwe-elimination-chamber-2026-in-chicago/
