The road to WrestleMania makes a stop in Saudi Arabia as Elimination Chamber takes place Saturday.
For the first time since WWE’s partnership with Saudi Arabia began in 2018, the country will host one of WWE’s traditional annual pay-per-views instead of a PPV event with its own specialized branding. That such a significant show is being held in Saudi Arabia is a sign that, no matter how morally repugnant WWE’s deal with the Saudi government is, the ties between the two sides are only getting stronger. At an estimated $50 million per event, WWE’s long-term contract with the Saudi General Entertainment Authority is one of the company’s most lucrative revenue streams. In return, WWE is boosting the image of a regime with a long history of human rights abuses.
What started as little more than glorified house shows have continued to gain importance over time. In terms of in-ring quality, October’s Crown Jewel was by far the best WWE show that’s ever taken place in Saudi Arabia. Elimination Chamber will feature another loaded card that will answer many of the remaining questions surrounding WrestleMania season.
The biggest question that will be answered is whether Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar is going to be a title-vs.-title match at WrestleMania 38. The bout between Reigns and Lesnar was confirmed after Lesnar won last month’s men’s Royal Rumble match. Reigns currently holds the universal championship and is set to defend it against Goldberg on Saturday. After Reigns cost him the WWE championship at the Royal Rumble, Lesnar will attempt to reclaim that title from Bobby Lashley in an Elimination Chamber match that also includes Seth Rollins, Austin Theory, Riddle and AJ Styles.
While Reigns retaining his title against Goldberg is a foregone conclusion, Lesnar winning the WWE championship is less certain. There are strong cases to be made on either side of the title-vs.-title debate. Having two championships on the line inevitably makes a match mean more. Reigns and Lesnar are far and away the biggest male stars in WWE at the moment. They’ve been presented as a class above everyone else on the roster. It only makes sense that the two biggest forces in WWE would collide at the biggest show of the year with everything at stake.
But with WrestleMania being a two-night event, having two of the company’s top titles wrapped up in one match would take some depth away from the card. It would be easy to just have the WWE championship defended on one night and the universal championship defended on the next. WWE’s decision should be based on whether there are enough attractions scheduled for WrestleMania to make up for the loss of a title match. With Ronda Rousey back on the WWE roster and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin also being rumored for a WrestleMania return, a separate championship match may not be necessary. Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair and Austin vs. Kevin Owens are both viable options to headline one of the nights at AT&T Stadium.
Rousey will wrestle in Saudi Arabia for the first time when she teams with Naomi against Flair and Sonya Deville at Elimination Chamber. In another marquee bout on the show, Lita will have her first singles match in a decade as she challenges Becky Lynch for the Raw women’s championship.
Saturday’s main card kicks off on Peacock/WWE Network at 12 p.m. ET. Here’s a full rundown of the lineup, along with predictions for each match.
Elimination Chamber match for the WWE championship: Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth Rollins vs. Austin Theory vs. Riddle vs. AJ Styles
This has the potential to be one of WWE’s best matches of the year. Elimination Chamber matches are usually great, and Lashley and Lesnar’s explosiveness combined with a group of standout in-ring workers should keep things compelling throughout. Aside from Austin Theory, everyone involved feels like they have at least a small chance to win.
There’s been no indication as to what the WWE championship match at WrestleMania could be if Reigns vs. Lesnar isn’t title vs. title, so Lesnar becoming champion again seems like the safest bet.
Prediction: Brock Lesnar wins
Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg for the universal championship
Once planned to be one of the main events of WrestleMania 36 in 2020, Reigns vs. Goldberg will finally happen at Elimination Chamber. The match was pulled from the WrestleMania card two years ago when Reigns had to remove himself from the show following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their feud has picked up abruptly over the last couple of weeks, but it’s not like this is a difficult story to tell. Reigns and Goldberg are both powerhouses. They both use the spear as one of their signature moves. They played college football at rival schools (Reigns at Georgia Tech and Goldberg at Georgia). It’s a ready-made story line that has always made a match between the two seem inevitable.
Goldberg constantly returning for title shots got stale a long time ago, but at least he’s coming off a win in his last match against Lashley. That was Goldberg’s best match in years, giving some hope that this will deliver in the ring even if the result isn’t in question.
Prediction: Roman Reigns retains
Raw women’s championship match: Becky Lynch vs. Lita
It’s been really nice having Lita back on WWE programming for the last several weeks. She’s a legitimate legend of the Attitude Era and has been treated that way in her return. Outside of being brought back for the Royal Rumble, women from her era too often don’t get the respect they deserve. They helped keep women’s wrestling alive in WWE when times were tough and paved the way for today’s golden age.
Hopefully we’ll be seeing more of Lita in the future, but Lynch has to retain her title here. She’ll be in one of the key matches at WrestleMania and should be kept strong by defeating such a meaningful opponent.
Prediction: Becky Lynch retains
Ronda Rousey and Naomi vs. Charlotte Flair and Sonya Deville
Ahead of their SmackDown women’s championship match at WrestleMania, we’ll get a preview of Flair vs. Rousey in this tag team bout. Rousey being part of the Elimination Chamber card gives her a chance to work out any ring rust that might exist before she faces Flair one-on-one.
Naomi and Sonya Deville have been feuding for months and could also be set for a WrestleMania match. Rousey taking any kind of a loss right now would be a mistake. She should get the victory by pinning or submitting Deville.
Prediction: Ronda Rousey and Naomi win
Elimination Chamber match: Rhea Ripley vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Doudrop vs. Nikki A.S.H. vs. Alexa Bliss
The winner of the women’s Elimination Chamber match will challenge either Lynch or Lita for the Raw women’s championship at WrestleMania. Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair are the strongest contenders, with the returning Bliss also being a possible candidate for such a big spot. Belair won a gantlet match earlier this week to earn the advantage of entering the chamber last.
As much of a star as Ripley is, there’s only one option for who should challenge Lynch at WrestleMania. Belair needs to be the person to take Lynch’s title. The only justification for holding off on doing Lynch vs. Rousey immediately is so that Belair can finally get revenge for the way she lost to Lynch at SummerSlam last year.
Prediction: Bianca Belair wins
SmackDown tag team title match: The Usos vs. The Viking Raiders
The Viking Raiders are a great team but haven’t been positioned as credible enough threats to The Usos’ SmackDown tag team titles. The Usos have been champions for seven months now and aren’t going to drop the titles right before WrestleMania.
Prediction: The Usos retain
Falls count anywhere match: Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss
Even with the added falls-count-anywhere stipulation, this match feels unnecessary. Drew McIntyre already defeated Madcap Moss when they faced off at Day 1 last month. After that match, McIntyre was temporarily written off WWE television when he was attacked by Baron Corbin and Moss backstage. McIntyre was dealing with legitimate neck issues but was able to return quickly, appearing as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble.
McIntyre facing Corbin on Saturday would have made more sense than a McIntyre vs. Moss rematch, but it appears that McIntyre vs. Corbin is being saved for WrestleMania.
Prediction: Drew McIntyre wins
Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz
Unless there are significant WrestleMania plans for The Miz that have yet to be made apparent, he should lose to Rey Mysterio. Legends usually win their matches in Saudi Arabia, and Mysterio defeating Miz will get a good reaction.
