Wwe Elimination Chamber: Ripley and Orton win, setting WrestleMania title paths
Rhea Ripley and Randy Orton emerged victorious in their Elimination Chamber matches at the United Center in Chicago, punching tickets to world-title opportunities at WrestleMania 42. The outcomes reshaped the main-event landscape, prompted an immediate championship ruling from SmackDown management, and produced a number of controversial in-ring moments that will carry into the coming week.
Wwe: Randy Orton’s men’s Elimination Chamber victory
Randy Orton captured the men’s Elimination Chamber by pinning Cody Rhodes, a finish that came after outside interference from Drew McIntyre. The six-man field included Orton, Cody Rhodes, Je’Von Evans, Trick Williams, Logan Paul and LA Knight. Seth Rollins was later revealed as the masked attacker who interfered earlier in the night, having assaulted Logan Paul and helped eliminate him from contention inside the Chamber.
Rhea Ripley’s Elimination Chamber win and in-ring sequence
Ripley outlasted Tiffany Stratton, Raquel Rodriguez, Asuka, Kiana James and Alexa Bliss to win the women’s Elimination Chamber. Stratton and James opened the bout, and Bliss produced a high spot — a Twisted Bliss from the top of a pod — but her momentum was halted when The Empress of Tomorrow blinded her with a blue mist, enabling James to score the match’s first elimination. Raquel Rodriguez made a major impact on arrival, pinning both James and Asuka, and Ripley ultimately sent Stratton face-first into a pod before finishing with the Riptide for the victory.
AJ Lee upsets Becky Lynch for Women’s Intercontinental Championship
AJ Lee defeated Becky Lynch to become the Women’s Intercontinental Champion in a match marked by referee bumps, a removed turnbuckle pad, an exposed turnbuckle and the use of a steel chair. Lynch removed the turnbuckle pad; referee Jessika Carr collided with the exposed hardware and was further incapacitated after catching a kick from Lynch. Lee later drove Lynch into the exposed turnbuckle, applied the Black Widow submission and forced the tapout.
CM Punk survives Finn Bálor and is set for Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42
CM Punk retained the World Heavyweight Championship in Chicago with a hard-fought victory over Finn Bálor. The match concluded with Punk still champion, and booking decisions now have Punk scheduled to defend the title against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42. The match drew strong reactions in Punk’s hometown setting and figures prominently in the card’s evolving main-event picture.
SmackDown GM Nick Aldis orders McIntyre vs. Rhodes; crate reveal and follow-ups
Following the show, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis announced that Drew McIntyre will face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed Championship on Friday; that match will determine which of the Chamber winners Orton will challenge at WrestleMania. The announcement is an official action that directly links McIntyre’s bout to Orton’s WrestleMania opponent, creating an immediate cause-and-effect path: McIntyre vs. Rhodes decides the titleholder, and that titleholder will face Orton.
Elsewhere on the card, the crate segment revealed Danhausen to the crowd, a moment described as confusing by those in attendance. Seth Rollins’ identity as the masked assailant who attacked Logan Paul was also confirmed, shifting earlier narrative threads about the mystery attacker.
Event context, predictions and last appearances
The Elimination Chamber was held at the United Center in Chicago on February 28; it was the venue’s first premium live event since SummerSlam 1994. The show carried WrestleMania 42 implications across multiple matches and streamed live from the United Center on Saturday at 7 ET/4 PT on in the United States and on Netflix in other territories.
WWE. com and Pat McAfee Show contributor Mark Kaboly offered pre-show predictions that largely anticipated several outcomes: he forecasted Punk to defeat Bálor, AJ Lee to upset Becky Lynch, and identified Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes and LA Knight as the primary contenders in the men’s Chamber. Kaboly also highlighted Je’Von Evans as a breakout performer and noted that Jey Uso’s earlier removal by a mystery attacker opened the door for Logan Paul’s Chamber spot over Jacob Fatu, a sequence that shaped the match card. Kaboly suggested a possible title program of Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania, a scenario that these results now alter or complicate.
Prominent recent outings for several competitors were noted heading into the show: Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky lost to Nia Jax and Lash Legend on SmackDown on February 27; Kiana James defeated Jax and Charlotte Flair on SmackDown on February 20; Tiffany Stratton defeated Kairi Sane on SmackDown on February 27; Alexa Bliss defeated Giulia and Zelina on SmackDown on February 13; Raquel Rodriguez defeated Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane on Raw on February 23; and Asuka defeated Bayley and Nattie on Raw on February 16.
Analysts, including Andreas Hale, have begun breaking down the card’s implications for WrestleMania 42. What makes this notable is how a single night—marked by interference, reveal segments and official mandates from management—has created a compressed path of matches and title determinations that will play out in the week ahead.
