Cm Punk favored to retain World Heavyweight Title at Elimination Chamber in Chicago

Mark Kaboly laid out a set of predictions ahead of the Elimination Chamber event streaming from the United Center in Chicago on Saturday at 7 ET/4 PT, and his projection places cm punk at the center of the card. Kaboly’s picks tie title outcomes to WrestleMania 42 plans and several personal storylines that could collide inside the Chamber.

Cm Punk vs. Finn Bálor: World Heavyweight Title implications and an in-ring ambush

The World Heavyweight Title match is CM Punk (c) versus Finn Bálor, and Kaboly predicted Punk cannot lose in his hometown of Chicago. He argued that not having Punk hold the World Heavyweight Title going into WrestleMania 42 would be a longshot and said Punk will — and has to — win cleanly to keep the Punk vs. Roman Reigns main event intact for WrestleMania. Kaboly framed the pairing as a program-building match for Bálor that can lead to WrestleMania, and he specifically predicted: Punk defeats Bálor, who then gets attacked inside the ring by "Dirty" Dom.

Dominik Mysterio, Intercontinental Champion, set to escalate issues with Judgment Day

Dominik Mysterio is identified as the Intercontinental Champion and Kaboly noted that he has had issues with his Judgment Day brother for some time. Kaboly forecast that those issues will finally come to a head at the Elimination Chamber, writing that Dominik will attack Finn Bálor inside the ring after the World Heavyweight Title match.

Becky Lynch (c) vs. AJ Lee for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship: an upset pick

The Women’s Intercontinental Championship match pairs Becky Lynch (c) against AJ Lee. Kaboly described AJ Lee as a thorn in the side of Becky Lynch since Lee’s return and pointed out that Lee hasn’t had a singles match in almost 11 years, making this her first singles outing in that span against one of the most decorated and ruthless Superstars. While Kaboly said Lee winning is a hard sell, he left open the possibility that Lee could raise the title in her city and hold it briefly to set up a rematch at WrestleMania 42. He included the Roddy Piper line — "Once you think you know that answers, I change the questions. " — and ultimately predicted an upset: AJ Lee defeats Becky Lynch, even as other indications point toward Lynch retaining.

Men’s Elimination Chamber entrants and the likely Cody Rhodes path to WrestleMania 42

The six-man Chamber match is listed as Randy Orton versus Cody Rhodes versus Je’Von Evans versus Trick Williams versus Logan Paul versus LA Knight. Kaboly guaranteed two outcomes from the match: Je’Von Evans will "wow us, " and Randy Orton will catch Evans with a spectacular RKO at some point. He called it a three-man race among Orton, Cody Rhodes and LA Knight, and said Knight has a real chance.

Jey Uso, Jacob Fatu, Logan Paul and how the Chamber result may shape WrestleMania 42

Kaboly pointed to Jey Uso being taken out by a mystery man on a recent broadcast as the event that opened the door for Vision member Logan Paul to take the sixth and final Chamber spot over Jacob Fatu. That sequence of events, Kaboly wrote, solidified in his view a Cody versus Drew McIntyre Title Match at WrestleMania 42. He added that if Fatu had slid into the Chamber, the outcome might have changed.

Cody Rhodes’ role, a hinted character turn, and an unfinished prediction

Kaboly floated the possibility that Cody Rhodes — nicknamed "The American Nightmare" — could finally give in to years of subtle hints about turning from "good guy" to "bad guy, " though he cautioned that fans might be disappointed if that happens. He said he "cannot see WrestleMania 42 taking place without Cody Rhodes being in a main event Title Match. " Kaboly also wrote that it will be a straightforward, workmanlike performance by Rhodes that "sends him" — unclear in the provided context what that phrase was intended to complete.

Those are the principal predictions Kaboly laid out ahead of the Elimination Chamber, with title stakes, post-match attacks and a six-man Chamber that Kaboly believes will shape the WrestleMania 42 landscape.