Randy Orton — randy orton and Elimination Chamber predictions from Chicago
WWE Elimination Chamber is set for the United Center in Chicago on Saturday at 7 ET/4 PT, and randy orton is part of a men’s Chamber field that pundits see shaping the road to WrestleMania 42. Pat McAfee Show contributor Mark Kaboly laid out predictions and context for the card, including the World Heavyweight Title match and two titular Chamber matches that will determine WrestleMania challengers.
World Heavyweight Title outlook
Mark Kaboly previewed CM Punk (c) vs. Finn Bálor for the World Heavyweight Title and stressed that CM Punk cannot lose in his hometown of Chicago. Kaboly wrote that not having Punk holding the World Heavyweight Title at WrestleMania 42 seems like a longshot, and that Punk will — and has to — win cleanly to preserve a Punk vs. Roman Reigns main event for WrestleMania. The match was framed as much about Finn Bálor and building a program that can lead to WrestleMania.
Dominik Mysterio angle
Kaboly noted the presence of Dominik Mysterio, identified as the Intercontinental Champion, as a narrative factor. Dominik has had issues with his Judgment Day brother for some time, and Kaboly predicts that the conflict will come to a head at Elimination Chamber. His forecast: Punk defeats Bálor, and Bálor is then attacked inside the ring by "Dirty" Dom.
Women’s Intercontinental title fight
The preview listed Becky Lynch (c) vs. AJ Lee for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship and highlighted AJ Lee’s return to singles action after almost 11 years without a singles match. Kaboly judged an AJ Lee win a hard sell unless Lee could raise the title in her city and hold the gold for a short period to set up a WrestleMania 42 rematch. Kaboly observed that everything points toward Lynch retaining, most notably how Lynch has been defeated by Lee since Lee’s return, but also allowed for an upset. Kaboly quoted Roddy Piper’s line — "Once you think you know that answers, I change the questions" — as part of the reasoning and closed with the prediction: AJ Lee defeats Becky Lynch.
Randy Orton's Chamber chances
The men’s Elimination Chamber field listed by Kaboly is Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Trick Williams vs. Logan Paul vs. LA Knight. Kaboly guaranteed two things: Je’Von Evans will wow the audience, and Randy Orton will catch Evans with a spectacular RKO at some point in the match. Kaboly framed the contest as essentially a three-man race among Orton, Cody Rhodes and LA Knight, while noting Knight has a real chance as well.
Cody Rhodes and main-event setup
Kaboly argued that he could not see WrestleMania 42 taking place without Cody Rhodes being in a main-event title match, and sketched a path in which a Jey Uso attack by a mystery man on SmackDown opened the door for Vision member Logan Paul to take the sixth and final Chamber spot over Jacob Fatu. Kaboly suggested that setup solidified a Cody versus Drew McIntyre title match at WrestleMania; if Fatu had slid into the Chamber, things might have changed. Kaboly also raised the possibility that Rhodes could finally give in to hints of turning from "good guy" to "bad guy, " but judged that unlikely. He concluded that "it’s going to be a straightforward, workmanlike performance by Rhodes that sends him" — unclear in the provided context.
Fan and pundit perspectives
A separate preview from Uncrowned’s Horsemen — Kel Dansby, Robert Jackman, Drake Riggs and Anthony Sulla-Heffinger — framed Elimination Chamber 2026 as the next stop on the road to WrestleMania 42 and said the winners of the two titular matches will earn championship opportunities at WrestleMania 42 in April. Robert Jackman said that for the men’s match Cody Rhodes or Randy Orton are the better choices because name recognition matters for this year’s WrestleMania. Jackman added that on the women’s side he would love to see Rhea Ripley win but noted that extracting her from the swamp-like women’s tag title scene and perhaps ending RhIyo would be difficult given how invested creative has been in that storyline; Jackman still predicted Rhodes and Tiffany Stratton as winners and quipped, "It’s obviously a good year to be a blonde. "
Kel Dansby argued the main-event scene needs a shake-up and suggested rewarding LA Knight’s momentum with a Chamber win, saying the United Center in Chicago would "absolutely explode" and that a Knight victory would set up a strong WrestleMania match with Drew McIntyre, assuming Drew is still champion. Dansby also proposed letting Raquel Rodriguez win the women’s Chamber and turning the ensuing title picture into a triple threat involving Stephanie Vaquer and Liv Morgan, which would create built-in drama heading into WrestleMania.
Anthony Sulla-Heffinger backed the plan to use a Liv Morgan–Raquel Rodriguez dynamic, saying you do not have Liv Morgan eliminate Raquel Rodriguez from the Royal Rumble without some plan to feud them like Shawn Michaels and Diesel in the 1990s. He argued a triple threat at WrestleMania could give the belt to Morgan while protecting Stephanie Vaquer and stated that "Big Mami Cool" should and will win. He also pivoted to the Judgment Day, suggesting this could be the beginning of the end for the group and praising how the stable has developed its stars; the preview ends noting the group has been popular — unclear in the provided context.
Mark Kaboly’s predictions, the Horsemen’s takes, the full Chamber fields, venue and start time all feed into an Elimination Chamber card that is being cast as a pivotal weekend on the road to WrestleMania 42.
Closing: The event takes place Saturday at the United Center in Chicago at 7 ET/4 PT, with title implications for WrestleMania 42 and a slate of matches and storylines outlined by Mark Kaboly and Uncrowned’s Horsemen.
