Elimination Chamber 2025 predictions roundtable: Who punches...
The Road to WrestleMania 41 continues on Saturday with WWE’s Elimination Chamber 2025 premium live event taking place in Toronto. The four-match card features both the men?s and women?s Elimination Chamber matches (with WrestleMania title shots against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley on the line), an unsanctioned contest between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, and a women?s tag-team match that has WWE Women?s Champion Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus taking on Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. Oh, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes might fork over his kayfabe soul to ?The Final Boss? Dwayne Johnson at some point during the evening. Once the action concludes on Saturday, we?ll have a much better idea of what April’s WrestleMania 41 card looks like, but why should we wait? Uncrowned?s Horsemen are here (for the second time this week!) to answer five burning questions tied to the event and give our predictions. 1. Who should win the men’s Elimination Chamber? Drake Riggs: It should and will be CM Punk. Other options like Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre or John Cena all have logical stories attached to Cody Rhodes, however no star power nor storyline is as significant or potentially fruitful as Punk. I fully expect a Roman Reigns interference in this match to ruin Rollins’ night and lead the two toward a big WrestleMania 41 showdown. Picture this: Rollins has the match won once it comes down to him and Punk. He probably hits like 28 Curb Stomps outside the ring just for good measure. Then in comes the “Tribal Chief” to make good on the favor he owes Punk. What better way than to help Punk achieve his dream of main eventing WrestleMania 41?
If I can’t have the triple-threat match I fantasy-booked between those three, I’ll take this consolation, and I think it’s clearly more realistic. Either way, I don’t see how Reigns doesn’t appear on Saturday. Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: I had John Cena locked in as my pick – shoot, just read the WrestleMania check-in from earlier in the week – but, then Monday night happened. After that segment on ?WWE Raw,? it has to be Seth Rollins. There?s so much history between these two – good and bad – and could you imagine the beauty of The Rock being in Cody Rhodes? corner in Las Vegas, with the two beating down Rollins when Roman Reigns? music hits? The pop would be historic and serve as a hard reset for the rest of 2025, which should be a major goal at WrestleMania 41.
Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins compete for a shot at Cody Rhodes on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images)
(WWE via Getty Images)
Robert Jackman: I?m firmly in the CM Punk column here, although I?m working backward from the starting point that John Cena – who happens to be the betting favorite by some margin – should not be the winner.
As I?ve said before, Cena?s retirement tour is going to be a story of triumph against the odds, which means we need to see him stumble a few more times before he finally rises up to win his 17th world title. Without those hurdles on the way, the eventual victory won?t feel as important. Once you?ve crossed out Cena, the field is pretty open, given that almost everyone has a plausible storyline ready to go with Cody Rhodes. But it?s CM Punk who’s had the most electrifying appearances with ?The American Nightmare,? particularly that faceoff before the Rumble. It also ties into the current arc about how being champion has placed a strain on Rhodes’ friendships. Who better to further that angle than someone whose connections have run deep for almost a decade now? Kel Dansby: Logan Paul.
Just kidding. But for the first time in a long time, the Elimination Chamber feels wide open, with almost every competitor being a legitimate challenger for Cody Rhodes’ title. So, let?s get wild – no one wins. For the first time in history, the Elimination Chamber ends without a winner because Rhodes refuses to sell his soul to “The Final Boss.” In response, The Rock obliterates every competitor in the match, asserting himself as the rightful challenger for Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.
Bianca Belair, Naomi and Bayley make up one-half of the women’s field this year. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)2. Who should win the women’s Elimination Chamber? Sulla-Heffinger: I want it to be Bianca Belair, if only because she?s already in the discussion for the greatest women?s performer at WrestleMania in WWE history. That said, she still has some unfinished business with Jade Cargill?s attackers – a storyline I think we all want to be finished sooner rather than later.
So if it isn?t going to be Belair, let?s strap the rocket to Roxanne Perez and have her win this to challenge Rhea Ripley (or Iyo Sky) at WrestleMania 41. You could even have her pull double duty and wrestle Bayley at NXT Stand and Deliver on Saturday and then make her ?Mania debut the following night. I?d also be OK with Alexa Bliss coming out on top here, but Perez in my mind is a clearly better option. Dansby: The right challenger for Rhea Ripley?s title is already fighting for it next Monday – Iyo Sky. Because of that, this Chamber match feels almost irrelevant. The consensus pick is Bianca Belair, so let?s roll with that. A Belair win makes the WrestleMania 41 match a triple threat, keeping things fresh. This outcome also sets the stage for Naomi to enter a feud with the returning Jade Cargill, built around Naomi attacking her to claim her spot as tag champion. Riggs: Alexa Bliss or Roxanne Perez, and I don’t think it’s close. WWE has seriously botched its women’s storylines lately. Even when they did one right like Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan, it got dragged on for far too long without any new sprinkles being added to the cake. It should be Ripley defending her title against Iyo Sky – who should’ve won the Royal Rumble – at WrestleMania 41. Instead, that happens next Monday and Ripley will likely retain, leaving us scrounging for fresh storylines – which brings us to the two I mentioned.
Perez would be an obvious catapult into the title picture, similar to Ripley’s main roster arrival, and she’ll be there one day. She’s clearly already headed for a Bayley match, but there could be something enjoyable between her and “Mami.” The size and style difference alone between her and Ripley makes the match intriguing. It would be similar to Bliss, who carries the ex-champ accolades, the aura of a big return, and added edges to her character since she reigned over the women’s division. I mean, just go back and hear her pop at the Royal Rumble. This is it, man. That character clash is primed and ready to be epic. Jackman: I?m going to make the case for Bianca Belair here, although largely on the basis that I don?t see how WWE can resist the temptation to deliver one of its most cited dream matches in women?s wrestling history. If you?re not going to do Belair vs. Rhea Ripley now, then when are you? It?s true there?s been virtually zero attempt to lay the groundwork storyline-wise, but that goes for almost every competitor in Saturday’s six-women match. And I have a theory as to why that might be the case. There was some chatter a few weeks ago that Ripley vs. Liv Morgan was originally pencilled in for WrestleMania but got shunted forward to the Netflix premiere. Given that, perhaps the original plan was to have Ripley win the Chamber and thus earn her shot at ?The Showcase of the Immortals.?
By bringing everything forward, WWE was then left with a bit of a void as to what to do with this match. Admittedly, you?d think that after nearly two months, they might have addressed that problem. But I still think that theory makes sense.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are back at it once again. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) (Ronald Martinez via Getty Images)3. Explain Kevins Owens vs. Sami Zayn in terms of any other non-wrestling rivalry/feud. Will the unsanctioned match be the end of this chapter? Dansby: The only fitting comparison for the Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (Steen vs. Generico) rivalry? Peter Griffin vs. the Chicken from “Family Guy.” It?s always on sight when these two cross paths. At times, they might be allies. They might even unite for a greater cause. But in the end? Punches will be thrown.
This chapter should culminate at WrestleMania 41. Hell in a Cell, perhaps? Sulla-Heffinger: The 2000s reality TV junkie in me had a few frenemy situations run though my head: Kristin Cavallari and Lauren Conrad (“Laguna Beach”), Conrad and Heidi Montag (“The Hills”), Ronnie and The Situation (“Jersey Shore”), CT and Johnny Bananas (“The Challenge”), Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga (“The Real Housewives of New Jersey”), but ultimately I settled on Thor and Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two Asgardian brothers had about as tumultuous an on-screen relationship as Owens and Zayn and there?s undeniably some very entertaining aspects of the heel on both sides in KO and the God of Mischief himself. This being an unsanctioned match does feel very much like the close of the latest chapter between the two – and it?s happening in Canada, which is a cherry on top – but as we?ve learned over two decades of this feud and of Marvel movies, there?s almost always a post-credits scene. Riggs: I don’t remember where I said it, but an unsanctioned match in Canada feels like such a clear final landing zone for this rivalry. At least for now, because these two will be linked forever. Whether it’s during or after the match, Randy Orton will come back to attack Kevin Owens and set up their WrestleMania match, while Sami Zayn flounders off and … faces Karrion Kross? Maybe McIntyre again? I really have no clue. There’s been something brewing with Kross though, so I’d like to think that isn’t all for nothing.
As for a comparison to their feud, that’s a tricky question. I’ll go with Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington in MMA purely based on how they were best friends for so long and rose through the welterweight ranks together before embarking on a literal assault lawsuit, thanks to the downward spiral things took. Jackman: As a Brit, I’m going to say Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usborne from the absolute steller sitcom “Peep Show.” Like Owens and Zayn, they’re oddball best friends who have a history of getting into various scrapes and petty vendettas. (I’m aware that sounds like the most generic description of sitcom characters there is, but I’m trying my best to point out the parallels here!) The actors who play them, David Mitchell and Robert Webb, are also very close in real life and have a history of collaborating on lots of other projects, which reflects Owens’ and Zayn’s histories on the indies. As for the second question, I agree with Drake in that this feels like a curtain-closer rather than a rehearsal for something at WrestleMania 41. On this week’s Elimination Chamber media call, Zayn made an interesting comment about how this match feels like a ?Canadian WrestleMania,? given that it?s taking place in front of their home crowd. That plays into my feeling that we?ll get something that feels like an ending, even if it leaves seeds for them to pick up later if they choose.
WWE legend Trish Stratus makes her return on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)4. Is Trish Stratus on your Mount Rushmore of women’s wrestling? Riggs: I’ve never thought about this, actually. She has to be.
When discussing the Mount Rushmore conversations in sports, people often select the top four GOATs. If you look at the actual Mount Rushmore, though, it’s not about that. It’s about impact and the importance of achievement. Yes, being a GOAT in whatever category helps, but Stratus was pivotal in bringing legitimacy to female wrestlers during the heyday of her WWE career. Her Lita main event match on “WWE Raw” alone answers this question – and with that said, Lita belongs on it too. Jackman: Yes, I?d say so. The word ?generational? gets thrown around a lot in WWE these days, but I think she has a legitimate case for being one of the most influential female wrestlers over the past 30 years. That said, I?m not a fan of the way this tag match has been thrust onto Saturday’s PLE card. I don?t doubt that Stratus sells tickets (although WWE really shouldn?t need help on that front, given that Cena was announced ages ago), but it just feels like an obvious case of a Hall of Famer being elevated to the big event for fame?s sake. We all know there?s been some grumblings recently from talent about the lack of direction for the women?s division. I try not to be overly idealistic about these things – WWE is a business and you?ll always have employees feeling under-appreciated – but this feels like a bit of a slap in the face, given the circumstances.
There?s no room on this PLE for Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky, or the insanely popular Chelsea Green, but there is space for a hastily assembled tag match involving a part-timer and a feud that’s already run its course? There?s something off about that. Sulla-Heffinger: Yes, but it?s not as much of a lock as it may initially seem. Stratus is iconic and arguably the defining figure of women?s professional wrestling from the 2000s, but the industry has changed so much over the past decade that she might fall off that proverbial mountain at some point in the not-so-near future. Getting Stratus back into the ring since the Women?s Evolution in WWE has been awesome and she?s shown she can certainly hang with the new crop of stars, but as I mentioned above, someone like Bianca Belair is reaching new heights every year and it?ll become an even more heated debate as time goes on. That’s nothing against Stratus – it’s just part of the groundwork she laid for this and future generations. Dansby: Trish Stratus is a legend, no doubt. But women’s wrestling extends far beyond WWE.
Mount Rushmore constantly evolves, but as of now, the four names carved in stone are: Mercedes Mon? (Sasha Banks), Bull Nakano, Asuka (Kana), and Aja Kong. Charlotte Flair gets an honorable mention.
The Rock just wants Cody Rhodes’ soul, you guys. (WWE/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)5. In the spirit of The Rock and Cody Rhodes, what’s one thing you would give up your soulfor? Sulla-Heffinger: A fiddle of gold. I kid, but I?ve written two other times since The Rock’s bizarre promo and haven?t mentioned ?The Devil Went Down to Georgia.? After so many years of protecting the business and kayfabe, The Undertaker, among others, has spent the past several years pulling back the curtain and sharing stories of his career and time on the road in WWE. As I scroll through social media and these clips pop up, I can?t help but wonder what it would be like to even be a fly on the wall in the late 1990s/early 2000s WWE locker room, or in a local watering hole with the Attitude Era roster – the “Dead Man” included. So, that?s my pick – give me a week of the full Attitude Era WWE experience, even as just an onlooker and not an active participant.
Riggs: There are some extremely serious ways to answer this question, and as much as I’d love to share them with our audience, I’ll spare you all and give you what you want (like Triple H did with Batista in their last match). I’ve seen a lot of fights in my lifetime. Honestly, too many. A lot of blood, broken bones, eyeball poking, groin kicking and hematomas. You name it. As bad and brutal as all those things are, they don’t compare to the opposite – and that’s nothing. Time is the most precious commodity in life, and to have it wasted can cause never-ending pain. I still feel it every single time I think about nights like July 7, 2018. I’d give my soul to get back the 15 minutes stolen from me by Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis. I’m going to throw up just thinking about the staring contest of the century.
Oh great. Thanks for the PTSD, Drake. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
(Josh Hedges via Getty Images)
Jackman: An excellent editor once told me that journalists shouldn?t fall into the trap of thinking the reader cares even the slightest about their personal lives. Having passed on that advice, I?ll use it as an excuse not to give a heartfelt answer on this one and instead stick to the domain of wrestling…
Like Anthony, I think I?d trade my soul for a chance to go to one of those classic Attitude-era WWF shows. It?s a cliched answer, I know, but I watched some back on the (late) WWE Network over the holidays and there?s something so wild and contagious about those crowds. Given that I hadn?t visited North America when I first watched them as a kid, I think they also played into my fascination with the States, which became this larger-than-life parallel universe in my head. It made me desperate to visit some day if I could. These days, I spend quite a bit of time over the pond, so I was surprised that, when I rewatched the old WWF shows, I had that same feeling of seeing this faraway place on screen. Maybe it was nostalgia, but it felt as magical, and yet as unknowable, as it ever did. Dansby: Personally? I’d prefer to keep my soul. But … three straight Yankees World Series championships– with at least one being a sweep of the Dodgers? That would be very tempting.Staff predictions Men’s Elimination Chamber: CM Punk (Jackman, Riggs), Seth Rollins (Sulla-Heffinger), no one – The Rock wins (Dansby) Women’s Elimination Chamber: Bianca Belair (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs), Roxanne Perez (Sulla-Heffinger) Unsanctioned Match: Sami Zayn (Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Kevin Owens (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs) Tiffany Stratton & Trish Stratus (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Nia Jax & Candice LeRae:Elimination Chamber 2025 predictions roundtable: Who punches their tickets to WrestleMania 41? The Road to WrestleMania 41 continues on Saturday with WWE’s Elimination Chamber 2025 premium live event taking place in Toronto. The four-match card features both the men?s and women?s Elimination Chamber matches (with WrestleMania title shots against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley on the line), an unsanctioned contest between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, and a women?s tag-team match that has WWE Women?s Champion Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus taking on Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. Oh, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes might fork over his kayfabe soul to ?The Final Boss? Dwayne Johnson at some point during the evening. Once the action concludes on Saturday, we?ll have a much better idea of what April’s WrestleMania 41 card looks like, but why should we wait? Uncrowned?s Horsemen are here (for the second time this week!) to answer five burning questions tied to the event and give our predictions. 1. Who should win the men’s Elimination Chamber? Drake Riggs: It should and will be CM Punk. Other options like Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre or John Cena all have logical stories attached to Cody Rhodes, however no star power nor storyline is as significant or potentially fruitful as Punk. I fully expect a Roman Reigns interference in this match to ruin Rollins’ night and lead the two toward a big WrestleMania 41 showdown. Picture this: Rollins has the match won once it comes down to him and Punk. He probably hits like 28 Curb Stomps outside the ring just for good measure. Then in comes the “Tribal Chief” to make good on the favor he owes Punk. What better way than to help Punk achieve his dream of main eventing WrestleMania 41?
If I can’t have the triple-threat match I fantasy-booked between those three, I’ll take this consolation, and I think it’s clearly more realistic. Either way, I don’t see how Reigns doesn’t appear on Saturday. Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: I had John Cena locked in as my pick – shoot, just read the WrestleMania check-in from earlier in the week – but, then Monday night happened. After that segment on ?WWE Raw,? it has to be Seth Rollins. There?s so much history between these two – good and bad – and could you imagine the beauty of The Rock being in Cody Rhodes? corner in Las Vegas, with the two beating down Rollins when Roman Reigns? music hits? The pop would be historic and serve as a hard reset for the rest of 2025, which should be a major goal at WrestleMania 41.
Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins compete for a shot at Cody Rhodes on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images)
(WWE via Getty Images)
Robert Jackman: I?m firmly in the CM Punk column here, although I?m working backward from the starting point that John Cena – who happens to be the betting favorite by some margin – should not be the winner.
As I?ve said before, Cena?s retirement tour is going to be a story of triumph against the odds, which means we need to see him stumble a few more times before he finally rises up to win his 17th world title. Without those hurdles on the way, the eventual victory won?t feel as important. Once you?ve crossed out Cena, the field is pretty open, given that almost everyone has a plausible storyline ready to go with Cody Rhodes. But it?s CM Punk who’s had the most electrifying appearances with ?The American Nightmare,? particularly that faceoff before the Rumble. It also ties into the current arc about how being champion has placed a strain on Rhodes’ friendships. Who better to further that angle than someone whose connections have run deep for almost a decade now? Kel Dansby: Logan Paul.
Just kidding. But for the first time in a long time, the Elimination Chamber feels wide open, with almost every competitor being a legitimate challenger for Cody Rhodes’ title. So, let?s get wild – no one wins. For the first time in history, the Elimination Chamber ends without a winner because Rhodes refuses to sell his soul to “The Final Boss.” In response, The Rock obliterates every competitor in the match, asserting himself as the rightful challenger for Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.
Bianca Belair, Naomi and Bayley make up one-half of the women’s field this year. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)2. Who should win the women’s Elimination Chamber? Sulla-Heffinger: I want it to be Bianca Belair, if only because she?s already in the discussion for the greatest women?s performer at WrestleMania in WWE history. That said, she still has some unfinished business with Jade Cargill?s attackers – a storyline I think we all want to be finished sooner rather than later.
So if it isn?t going to be Belair, let?s strap the rocket to Roxanne Perez and have her win this to challenge Rhea Ripley (or Iyo Sky) at WrestleMania 41. You could even have her pull double duty and wrestle Bayley at NXT Stand and Deliver on Saturday and then make her ?Mania debut the following night. I?d also be OK with Alexa Bliss coming out on top here, but Perez in my mind is a clearly better option. Dansby: The right challenger for Rhea Ripley?s title is already fighting for it next Monday – Iyo Sky. Because of that, this Chamber match feels almost irrelevant. The consensus pick is Bianca Belair, so let?s roll with that. A Belair win makes the WrestleMania 41 match a triple threat, keeping things fresh. This outcome also sets the stage for Naomi to enter a feud with the returning Jade Cargill, built around Naomi attacking her to claim her spot as tag champion. Riggs: Alexa Bliss or Roxanne Perez, and I don’t think it’s close. WWE has seriously botched its women’s storylines lately. Even when they did one right like Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan, it got dragged on for far too long without any new sprinkles being added to the cake. It should be Ripley defending her title against Iyo Sky – who should’ve won the Royal Rumble – at WrestleMania 41. Instead, that happens next Monday and Ripley will likely retain, leaving us scrounging for fresh storylines – which brings us to the two I mentioned.
Perez would be an obvious catapult into the title picture, similar to Ripley’s main roster arrival, and she’ll be there one day. She’s clearly already headed for a Bayley match, but there could be something enjoyable between her and “Mami.” The size and style difference alone between her and Ripley makes the match intriguing. It would be similar to Bliss, who carries the ex-champ accolades, the aura of a big return, and added edges to her character since she reigned over the women’s division. I mean, just go back and hear her pop at the Royal Rumble. This is it, man. That character clash is primed and ready to be epic. Jackman: I?m going to make the case for Bianca Belair here, although largely on the basis that I don?t see how WWE can resist the temptation to deliver one of its most cited dream matches in women?s wrestling history. If you?re not going to do Belair vs. Rhea Ripley now, then when are you? It?s true there?s been virtually zero attempt to lay the groundwork storyline-wise, but that goes for almost every competitor in Saturday’s six-women match. And I have a theory as to why that might be the case. There was some chatter a few weeks ago that Ripley vs. Liv Morgan was originally pencilled in for WrestleMania but got shunted forward to the Netflix premiere. Given that, perhaps the original plan was to have Ripley win the Chamber and thus earn her shot at ?The Showcase of the Immortals.?
By bringing everything forward, WWE was then left with a bit of a void as to what to do with this match. Admittedly, you?d think that after nearly two months, they might have addressed that problem. But I still think that theory makes sense.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are back at it once again. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) (Ronald Martinez via Getty Images)3. Explain Kevins Owens vs. Sami Zayn in terms of any other non-wrestling rivalry/feud. Will the unsanctioned match be the end of this chapter? Dansby: The only fitting comparison for the Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (Steen vs. Generico) rivalry? Peter Griffin vs. the Chicken from “Family Guy.” It?s always on sight when these two cross paths. At times, they might be allies. They might even unite for a greater cause. But in the end? Punches will be thrown.
This chapter should culminate at WrestleMania 41. Hell in a Cell, perhaps? Sulla-Heffinger: The 2000s reality TV junkie in me had a few frenemy situations run though my head: Kristin Cavallari and Lauren Conrad (“Laguna Beach”), Conrad and Heidi Montag (“The Hills”), Ronnie and The Situation (“Jersey Shore”), CT and Johnny Bananas (“The Challenge”), Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga (“The Real Housewives of New Jersey”), but ultimately I settled on Thor and Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two Asgardian brothers had about as tumultuous an on-screen relationship as Owens and Zayn and there?s undeniably some very entertaining aspects of the heel on both sides in KO and the God of Mischief himself. This being an unsanctioned match does feel very much like the close of the latest chapter between the two – and it?s happening in Canada, which is a cherry on top – but as we?ve learned over two decades of this feud and of Marvel movies, there?s almost always a post-credits scene. Riggs: I don’t remember where I said it, but an unsanctioned match in Canada feels like such a clear final landing zone for this rivalry. At least for now, because these two will be linked forever. Whether it’s during or after the match, Randy Orton will come back to attack Kevin Owens and set up their WrestleMania match, while Sami Zayn flounders off and … faces Karrion Kross? Maybe McIntyre again? I really have no clue. There’s been something brewing with Kross though, so I’d like to think that isn’t all for nothing.
As for a comparison to their feud, that’s a tricky question. I’ll go with Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington in MMA purely based on how they were best friends for so long and rose through the welterweight ranks together before embarking on a literal assault lawsuit, thanks to the downward spiral things took. Jackman: As a Brit, I’m going to say Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usborne from the absolute steller sitcom “Peep Show.” Like Owens and Zayn, they’re oddball best friends who have a history of getting into various scrapes and petty vendettas. (I’m aware that sounds like the most generic description of sitcom characters there is, but I’m trying my best to point out the parallels here!) The actors who play them, David Mitchell and Robert Webb, are also very close in real life and have a history of collaborating on lots of other projects, which reflects Owens’ and Zayn’s histories on the indies. As for the second question, I agree with Drake in that this feels like a curtain-closer rather than a rehearsal for something at WrestleMania 41. On this week’s Elimination Chamber media call, Zayn made an interesting comment about how this match feels like a ?Canadian WrestleMania,? given that it?s taking place in front of their home crowd. That plays into my feeling that we?ll get something that feels like an ending, even if it leaves seeds for them to pick up later if they choose.
WWE legend Trish Stratus makes her return on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)4. Is Trish Stratus on your Mount Rushmore of women’s wrestling? Riggs: I’ve never thought about this, actually. She has to be.
When discussing the Mount Rushmore conversations in sports, people often select the top four GOATs. If you look at the actual Mount Rushmore, though, it’s not about that. It’s about impact and the importance of achievement. Yes, being a GOAT in whatever category helps, but Stratus was pivotal in bringing legitimacy to female wrestlers during the heyday of her WWE career. Her Lita main event match on “WWE Raw” alone answers this question – and with that said, Lita belongs on it too. Jackman: Yes, I?d say so. The word ?generational? gets thrown around a lot in WWE these days, but I think she has a legitimate case for being one of the most influential female wrestlers over the past 30 years. That said, I?m not a fan of the way this tag match has been thrust onto Saturday’s PLE card. I don?t doubt that Stratus sells tickets (although WWE really shouldn?t need help on that front, given that Cena was announced ages ago), but it just feels like an obvious case of a Hall of Famer being elevated to the big event for fame?s sake. We all know there?s been some grumblings recently from talent about the lack of direction for the women?s division. I try not to be overly idealistic about these things – WWE is a business and you?ll always have employees feeling under-appreciated – but this feels like a bit of a slap in the face, given the circumstances.
There?s no room on this PLE for Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky, or the insanely popular Chelsea Green, but there is space for a hastily assembled tag match involving a part-timer and a feud that’s already run its course? There?s something off about that. Sulla-Heffinger: Yes, but it?s not as much of a lock as it may initially seem. Stratus is iconic and arguably the defining figure of women?s professional wrestling from the 2000s, but the industry has changed so much over the past decade that she might fall off that proverbial mountain at some point in the not-so-near future. Getting Stratus back into the ring since the Women?s Evolution in WWE has been awesome and she?s shown she can certainly hang with the new crop of stars, but as I mentioned above, someone like Bianca Belair is reaching new heights every year and it?ll become an even more heated debate as time goes on. That’s nothing against Stratus – it’s just part of the groundwork she laid for this and future generations. Dansby: Trish Stratus is a legend, no doubt. But women’s wrestling extends far beyond WWE.
Mount Rushmore constantly evolves, but as of now, the four names carved in stone are: Mercedes Mon? (Sasha Banks), Bull Nakano, Asuka (Kana), and Aja Kong. Charlotte Flair gets an honorable mention.
The Rock just wants Cody Rhodes’ soul, you guys. (WWE/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)5. In the spirit of The Rock and Cody Rhodes, what’s one thing you would give up your soulfor? Sulla-Heffinger: A fiddle of gold. I kid, but I?ve written two other times since The Rock’s bizarre promo and haven?t mentioned ?The Devil Went Down to Georgia.? After so many years of protecting the business and kayfabe, The Undertaker, among others, has spent the past several years pulling back the curtain and sharing stories of his career and time on the road in WWE. As I scroll through social media and these clips pop up, I can?t help but wonder what it would be like to even be a fly on the wall in the late 1990s/early 2000s WWE locker room, or in a local watering hole with the Attitude Era roster – the “Dead Man” included. So, that?s my pick – give me a week of the full Attitude Era WWE experience, even as just an onlooker and not an active participant.
Riggs: There are some extremely serious ways to answer this question, and as much as I’d love to share them with our audience, I’ll spare you all and give you what you want (like Triple H did with Batista in their last match). I’ve seen a lot of fights in my lifetime. Honestly, too many. A lot of blood, broken bones, eyeball poking, groin kicking and hematomas. You name it. As bad and brutal as all those things are, they don’t compare to the opposite – and that’s nothing. Time is the most precious commodity in life, and to have it wasted can cause never-ending pain. I still feel it every single time I think about nights like July 7, 2018. I’d give my soul to get back the 15 minutes stolen from me by Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis. I’m going to throw up just thinking about the staring contest of the century.
Oh great. Thanks for the PTSD, Drake. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
(Josh Hedges via Getty Images)
Jackman: An excellent editor once told me that journalists shouldn?t fall into the trap of thinking the reader cares even the slightest about their personal lives. Having passed on that advice, I?ll use it as an excuse not to give a heartfelt answer on this one and instead stick to the domain of wrestling…
Like Anthony, I think I?d trade my soul for a chance to go to one of those classic Attitude-era WWF shows. It?s a cliched answer, I know, but I watched some back on the (late) WWE Network over the holidays and there?s something so wild and contagious about those crowds. Given that I hadn?t visited North America when I first watched them as a kid, I think they also played into my fascination with the States, which became this larger-than-life parallel universe in my head. It made me desperate to visit some day if I could. These days, I spend quite a bit of time over the pond, so I was surprised that, when I rewatched the old WWF shows, I had that same feeling of seeing this faraway place on screen. Maybe it was nostalgia, but it felt as magical, and yet as unknowable, as it ever did. Dansby: Personally? I’d prefer to keep my soul. But … three straight Yankees World Series championships– with at least one being a sweep of the Dodgers? That would be very tempting.Staff predictions Men’s Elimination Chamber: CM Punk (Jackman, Riggs), Seth Rollins (Sulla-Heffinger), no one – The Rock wins (Dansby) Women’s Elimination Chamber: Bianca Belair (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs), Roxanne Perez (Sulla-Heffinger) Unsanctioned Match: Sami Zayn (Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Kevin Owens (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs) Tiffany Stratton & Trish Stratus (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Nia Jax & Candice LeRae:Elimination Chamber 2025 predictions roundtable: Who punches their tickets to WrestleMania 41? The Road to WrestleMania 41 continues on Saturday with WWE’s Elimination Chamber 2025 premium live event taking place in Toronto. The four-match card features both the men?s and women?s Elimination Chamber matches (with WrestleMania title shots against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley on the line), an unsanctioned contest between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, and a women?s tag-team match that has WWE Women?s Champion Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus taking on Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. Oh, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes might fork over his kayfabe soul to ?The Final Boss? Dwayne Johnson at some point during the evening. Once the action concludes on Saturday, we?ll have a much better idea of what April’s WrestleMania 41 card looks like, but why should we wait? Uncrowned?s Horsemen are here (for the second time this week!) to answer five burning questions tied to the event and give our predictions. 1. Who should win the men’s Elimination Chamber? Drake Riggs: It should and will be CM Punk. Other options like Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre or John Cena all have logical stories attached to Cody Rhodes, however no star power nor storyline is as significant or potentially fruitful as Punk. I fully expect a Roman Reigns interference in this match to ruin Rollins’ night and lead the two toward a big WrestleMania 41 showdown. Picture this: Rollins has the match won once it comes down to him and Punk. He probably hits like 28 Curb Stomps outside the ring just for good measure. Then in comes the “Tribal Chief” to make good on the favor he owes Punk. What better way than to help Punk achieve his dream of main eventing WrestleMania 41?
If I can’t have the triple-threat match I fantasy-booked between those three, I’ll take this consolation, and I think it’s clearly more realistic. Either way, I don’t see how Reigns doesn’t appear on Saturday. Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: I had John Cena locked in as my pick – shoot, just read the WrestleMania check-in from earlier in the week – but, then Monday night happened. After that segment on ?WWE Raw,? it has to be Seth Rollins. There?s so much history between these two – good and bad – and could you imagine the beauty of The Rock being in Cody Rhodes? corner in Las Vegas, with the two beating down Rollins when Roman Reigns? music hits? The pop would be historic and serve as a hard reset for the rest of 2025, which should be a major goal at WrestleMania 41.
Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins compete for a shot at Cody Rhodes on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images)
(WWE via Getty Images)
Robert Jackman: I?m firmly in the CM Punk column here, although I?m working backward from the starting point that John Cena – who happens to be the betting favorite by some margin – should not be the winner.
As I?ve said before, Cena?s retirement tour is going to be a story of triumph against the odds, which means we need to see him stumble a few more times before he finally rises up to win his 17th world title. Without those hurdles on the way, the eventual victory won?t feel as important. Once you?ve crossed out Cena, the field is pretty open, given that almost everyone has a plausible storyline ready to go with Cody Rhodes. But it?s CM Punk who’s had the most electrifying appearances with ?The American Nightmare,? particularly that faceoff before the Rumble. It also ties into the current arc about how being champion has placed a strain on Rhodes’ friendships. Who better to further that angle than someone whose connections have run deep for almost a decade now? Kel Dansby: Logan Paul.
Just kidding. But for the first time in a long time, the Elimination Chamber feels wide open, with almost every competitor being a legitimate challenger for Cody Rhodes’ title. So, let?s get wild – no one wins. For the first time in history, the Elimination Chamber ends without a winner because Rhodes refuses to sell his soul to “The Final Boss.” In response, The Rock obliterates every competitor in the match, asserting himself as the rightful challenger for Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.
Bianca Belair, Naomi and Bayley make up one-half of the women’s field this year. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)2. Who should win the women’s Elimination Chamber? Sulla-Heffinger: I want it to be Bianca Belair, if only because she?s already in the discussion for the greatest women?s performer at WrestleMania in WWE history. That said, she still has some unfinished business with Jade Cargill?s attackers – a storyline I think we all want to be finished sooner rather than later.
So if it isn?t going to be Belair, let?s strap the rocket to Roxanne Perez and have her win this to challenge Rhea Ripley (or Iyo Sky) at WrestleMania 41. You could even have her pull double duty and wrestle Bayley at NXT Stand and Deliver on Saturday and then make her ?Mania debut the following night. I?d also be OK with Alexa Bliss coming out on top here, but Perez in my mind is a clearly better option. Dansby: The right challenger for Rhea Ripley?s title is already fighting for it next Monday – Iyo Sky. Because of that, this Chamber match feels almost irrelevant. The consensus pick is Bianca Belair, so let?s roll with that. A Belair win makes the WrestleMania 41 match a triple threat, keeping things fresh. This outcome also sets the stage for Naomi to enter a feud with the returning Jade Cargill, built around Naomi attacking her to claim her spot as tag champion. Riggs: Alexa Bliss or Roxanne Perez, and I don’t think it’s close. WWE has seriously botched its women’s storylines lately. Even when they did one right like Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan, it got dragged on for far too long without any new sprinkles being added to the cake. It should be Ripley defending her title against Iyo Sky – who should’ve won the Royal Rumble – at WrestleMania 41. Instead, that happens next Monday and Ripley will likely retain, leaving us scrounging for fresh storylines – which brings us to the two I mentioned.
Perez would be an obvious catapult into the title picture, similar to Ripley’s main roster arrival, and she’ll be there one day. She’s clearly already headed for a Bayley match, but there could be something enjoyable between her and “Mami.” The size and style difference alone between her and Ripley makes the match intriguing. It would be similar to Bliss, who carries the ex-champ accolades, the aura of a big return, and added edges to her character since she reigned over the women’s division. I mean, just go back and hear her pop at the Royal Rumble. This is it, man. That character clash is primed and ready to be epic. Jackman: I?m going to make the case for Bianca Belair here, although largely on the basis that I don?t see how WWE can resist the temptation to deliver one of its most cited dream matches in women?s wrestling history. If you?re not going to do Belair vs. Rhea Ripley now, then when are you? It?s true there?s been virtually zero attempt to lay the groundwork storyline-wise, but that goes for almost every competitor in Saturday’s six-women match. And I have a theory as to why that might be the case. There was some chatter a few weeks ago that Ripley vs. Liv Morgan was originally pencilled in for WrestleMania but got shunted forward to the Netflix premiere. Given that, perhaps the original plan was to have Ripley win the Chamber and thus earn her shot at ?The Showcase of the Immortals.?
By bringing everything forward, WWE was then left with a bit of a void as to what to do with this match. Admittedly, you?d think that after nearly two months, they might have addressed that problem. But I still think that theory makes sense.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are back at it once again. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) (Ronald Martinez via Getty Images)3. Explain Kevins Owens vs. Sami Zayn in terms of any other non-wrestling rivalry/feud. Will the unsanctioned match be the end of this chapter? Dansby: The only fitting comparison for the Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (Steen vs. Generico) rivalry? Peter Griffin vs. the Chicken from “Family Guy.” It?s always on sight when these two cross paths. At times, they might be allies. They might even unite for a greater cause. But in the end? Punches will be thrown.
This chapter should culminate at WrestleMania 41. Hell in a Cell, perhaps? Sulla-Heffinger: The 2000s reality TV junkie in me had a few frenemy situations run though my head: Kristin Cavallari and Lauren Conrad (“Laguna Beach”), Conrad and Heidi Montag (“The Hills”), Ronnie and The Situation (“Jersey Shore”), CT and Johnny Bananas (“The Challenge”), Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga (“The Real Housewives of New Jersey”), but ultimately I settled on Thor and Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two Asgardian brothers had about as tumultuous an on-screen relationship as Owens and Zayn and there?s undeniably some very entertaining aspects of the heel on both sides in KO and the God of Mischief himself. This being an unsanctioned match does feel very much like the close of the latest chapter between the two – and it?s happening in Canada, which is a cherry on top – but as we?ve learned over two decades of this feud and of Marvel movies, there?s almost always a post-credits scene. Riggs: I don’t remember where I said it, but an unsanctioned match in Canada feels like such a clear final landing zone for this rivalry. At least for now, because these two will be linked forever. Whether it’s during or after the match, Randy Orton will come back to attack Kevin Owens and set up their WrestleMania match, while Sami Zayn flounders off and … faces Karrion Kross? Maybe McIntyre again? I really have no clue. There’s been something brewing with Kross though, so I’d like to think that isn’t all for nothing.
As for a comparison to their feud, that’s a tricky question. I’ll go with Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington in MMA purely based on how they were best friends for so long and rose through the welterweight ranks together before embarking on a literal assault lawsuit, thanks to the downward spiral things took. Jackman: As a Brit, I’m going to say Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usborne from the absolute steller sitcom “Peep Show.” Like Owens and Zayn, they’re oddball best friends who have a history of getting into various scrapes and petty vendettas. (I’m aware that sounds like the most generic description of sitcom characters there is, but I’m trying my best to point out the parallels here!) The actors who play them, David Mitchell and Robert Webb, are also very close in real life and have a history of collaborating on lots of other projects, which reflects Owens’ and Zayn’s histories on the indies. As for the second question, I agree with Drake in that this feels like a curtain-closer rather than a rehearsal for something at WrestleMania 41. On this week’s Elimination Chamber media call, Zayn made an interesting comment about how this match feels like a ?Canadian WrestleMania,? given that it?s taking place in front of their home crowd. That plays into my feeling that we?ll get something that feels like an ending, even if it leaves seeds for them to pick up later if they choose.
WWE legend Trish Stratus makes her return on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)4. Is Trish Stratus on your Mount Rushmore of women’s wrestling? Riggs: I’ve never thought about this, actually. She has to be.
When discussing the Mount Rushmore conversations in sports, people often select the top four GOATs. If you look at the actual Mount Rushmore, though, it’s not about that. It’s about impact and the importance of achievement. Yes, being a GOAT in whatever category helps, but Stratus was pivotal in bringing legitimacy to female wrestlers during the heyday of her WWE career. Her Lita main event match on “WWE Raw” alone answers this question – and with that said, Lita belongs on it too. Jackman: Yes, I?d say so. The word ?generational? gets thrown around a lot in WWE these days, but I think she has a legitimate case for being one of the most influential female wrestlers over the past 30 years. That said, I?m not a fan of the way this tag match has been thrust onto Saturday’s PLE card. I don?t doubt that Stratus sells tickets (although WWE really shouldn?t need help on that front, given that Cena was announced ages ago), but it just feels like an obvious case of a Hall of Famer being elevated to the big event for fame?s sake. We all know there?s been some grumblings recently from talent about the lack of direction for the women?s division. I try not to be overly idealistic about these things – WWE is a business and you?ll always have employees feeling under-appreciated – but this feels like a bit of a slap in the face, given the circumstances.
There?s no room on this PLE for Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky, or the insanely popular Chelsea Green, but there is space for a hastily assembled tag match involving a part-timer and a feud that’s already run its course? There?s something off about that. Sulla-Heffinger: Yes, but it?s not as much of a lock as it may initially seem. Stratus is iconic and arguably the defining figure of women?s professional wrestling from the 2000s, but the industry has changed so much over the past decade that she might fall off that proverbial mountain at some point in the not-so-near future. Getting Stratus back into the ring since the Women?s Evolution in WWE has been awesome and she?s shown she can certainly hang with the new crop of stars, but as I mentioned above, someone like Bianca Belair is reaching new heights every year and it?ll become an even more heated debate as time goes on. That’s nothing against Stratus – it’s just part of the groundwork she laid for this and future generations. Dansby: Trish Stratus is a legend, no doubt. But women’s wrestling extends far beyond WWE.
Mount Rushmore constantly evolves, but as of now, the four names carved in stone are: Mercedes Mon? (Sasha Banks), Bull Nakano, Asuka (Kana), and Aja Kong. Charlotte Flair gets an honorable mention.
The Rock just wants Cody Rhodes’ soul, you guys. (WWE/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)5. In the spirit of The Rock and Cody Rhodes, what’s one thing you would give up your soulfor? Sulla-Heffinger: A fiddle of gold. I kid, but I?ve written two other times since The Rock’s bizarre promo and haven?t mentioned ?The Devil Went Down to Georgia.? After so many years of protecting the business and kayfabe, The Undertaker, among others, has spent the past several years pulling back the curtain and sharing stories of his career and time on the road in WWE. As I scroll through social media and these clips pop up, I can?t help but wonder what it would be like to even be a fly on the wall in the late 1990s/early 2000s WWE locker room, or in a local watering hole with the Attitude Era roster – the “Dead Man” included. So, that?s my pick – give me a week of the full Attitude Era WWE experience, even as just an onlooker and not an active participant.
Riggs: There are some extremely serious ways to answer this question, and as much as I’d love to share them with our audience, I’ll spare you all and give you what you want (like Triple H did with Batista in their last match). I’ve seen a lot of fights in my lifetime. Honestly, too many. A lot of blood, broken bones, eyeball poking, groin kicking and hematomas. You name it. As bad and brutal as all those things are, they don’t compare to the opposite – and that’s nothing. Time is the most precious commodity in life, and to have it wasted can cause never-ending pain. I still feel it every single time I think about nights like July 7, 2018. I’d give my soul to get back the 15 minutes stolen from me by Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis. I’m going to throw up just thinking about the staring contest of the century.
Oh great. Thanks for the PTSD, Drake. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
(Josh Hedges via Getty Images)
Jackman: An excellent editor once told me that journalists shouldn?t fall into the trap of thinking the reader cares even the slightest about their personal lives. Having passed on that advice, I?ll use it as an excuse not to give a heartfelt answer on this one and instead stick to the domain of wrestling…
Like Anthony, I think I?d trade my soul for a chance to go to one of those classic Attitude-era WWF shows. It?s a cliched answer, I know, but I watched some back on the (late) WWE Network over the holidays and there?s something so wild and contagious about those crowds. Given that I hadn?t visited North America when I first watched them as a kid, I think they also played into my fascination with the States, which became this larger-than-life parallel universe in my head. It made me desperate to visit some day if I could. These days, I spend quite a bit of time over the pond, so I was surprised that, when I rewatched the old WWF shows, I had that same feeling of seeing this faraway place on screen. Maybe it was nostalgia, but it felt as magical, and yet as unknowable, as it ever did. Dansby: Personally? I’d prefer to keep my soul. But … three straight Yankees World Series championships– with at least one being a sweep of the Dodgers? That would be very tempting.Staff predictions Men’s Elimination Chamber: CM Punk (Jackman, Riggs), Seth Rollins (Sulla-Heffinger), no one – The Rock wins (Dansby) Women’s Elimination Chamber: Bianca Belair (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs), Roxanne Perez (Sulla-Heffinger) Unsanctioned Match: Sami Zayn (Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Kevin Owens (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs) Tiffany Stratton & Trish Stratus (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Nia Jax & Candice LeRae:Elimination Chamber 2025 predictions roundtable: Who punches their tickets to WrestleMania 41? The Road to WrestleMania 41 continues on Saturday with WWE’s Elimination Chamber 2025 premium live event taking place in Toronto. The four-match card features both the men?s and women?s Elimination Chamber matches (with WrestleMania title shots against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley on the line), an unsanctioned contest between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, and a women?s tag-team match that has WWE Women?s Champion Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus taking on Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. Oh, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes might fork over his kayfabe soul to ?The Final Boss? Dwayne Johnson at some point during the evening. Once the action concludes on Saturday, we?ll have a much better idea of what April’s WrestleMania 41 card looks like, but why should we wait? Uncrowned?s Horsemen are here (for the second time this week!) to answer five burning questions tied to the event and give our predictions. 1. Who should win the men’s Elimination Chamber? Drake Riggs: It should and will be CM Punk. Other options like Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre or John Cena all have logical stories attached to Cody Rhodes, however no star power nor storyline is as significant or potentially fruitful as Punk. I fully expect a Roman Reigns interference in this match to ruin Rollins’ night and lead the two toward a big WrestleMania 41 showdown. Picture this: Rollins has the match won once it comes down to him and Punk. He probably hits like 28 Curb Stomps outside the ring just for good measure. Then in comes the “Tribal Chief” to make good on the favor he owes Punk. What better way than to help Punk achieve his dream of main eventing WrestleMania 41?
If I can’t have the triple-threat match I fantasy-booked between those three, I’ll take this consolation, and I think it’s clearly more realistic. Either way, I don’t see how Reigns doesn’t appear on Saturday. Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: I had John Cena locked in as my pick – shoot, just read the WrestleMania check-in from earlier in the week – but, then Monday night happened. After that segment on ?WWE Raw,? it has to be Seth Rollins. There?s so much history between these two – good and bad – and could you imagine the beauty of The Rock being in Cody Rhodes? corner in Las Vegas, with the two beating down Rollins when Roman Reigns? music hits? The pop would be historic and serve as a hard reset for the rest of 2025, which should be a major goal at WrestleMania 41.
Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins compete for a shot at Cody Rhodes on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images)
(WWE via Getty Images)
Robert Jackman: I?m firmly in the CM Punk column here, although I?m working backward from the starting point that John Cena – who happens to be the betting favorite by some margin – should not be the winner.
As I?ve said before, Cena?s retirement tour is going to be a story of triumph against the odds, which means we need to see him stumble a few more times before he finally rises up to win his 17th world title. Without those hurdles on the way, the eventual victory won?t feel as important. Once you?ve crossed out Cena, the field is pretty open, given that almost everyone has a plausible storyline ready to go with Cody Rhodes. But it?s CM Punk who’s had the most electrifying appearances with ?The American Nightmare,? particularly that faceoff before the Rumble. It also ties into the current arc about how being champion has placed a strain on Rhodes’ friendships. Who better to further that angle than someone whose connections have run deep for almost a decade now? Kel Dansby: Logan Paul.
Just kidding. But for the first time in a long time, the Elimination Chamber feels wide open, with almost every competitor being a legitimate challenger for Cody Rhodes’ title. So, let?s get wild – no one wins. For the first time in history, the Elimination Chamber ends without a winner because Rhodes refuses to sell his soul to “The Final Boss.” In response, The Rock obliterates every competitor in the match, asserting himself as the rightful challenger for Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.
Bianca Belair, Naomi and Bayley make up one-half of the women’s field this year. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)2. Who should win the women’s Elimination Chamber? Sulla-Heffinger: I want it to be Bianca Belair, if only because she?s already in the discussion for the greatest women?s performer at WrestleMania in WWE history. That said, she still has some unfinished business with Jade Cargill?s attackers – a storyline I think we all want to be finished sooner rather than later.
So if it isn?t going to be Belair, let?s strap the rocket to Roxanne Perez and have her win this to challenge Rhea Ripley (or Iyo Sky) at WrestleMania 41. You could even have her pull double duty and wrestle Bayley at NXT Stand and Deliver on Saturday and then make her ?Mania debut the following night. I?d also be OK with Alexa Bliss coming out on top here, but Perez in my mind is a clearly better option. Dansby: The right challenger for Rhea Ripley?s title is already fighting for it next Monday – Iyo Sky. Because of that, this Chamber match feels almost irrelevant. The consensus pick is Bianca Belair, so let?s roll with that. A Belair win makes the WrestleMania 41 match a triple threat, keeping things fresh. This outcome also sets the stage for Naomi to enter a feud with the returning Jade Cargill, built around Naomi attacking her to claim her spot as tag champion. Riggs: Alexa Bliss or Roxanne Perez, and I don’t think it’s close. WWE has seriously botched its women’s storylines lately. Even when they did one right like Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan, it got dragged on for far too long without any new sprinkles being added to the cake. It should be Ripley defending her title against Iyo Sky – who should’ve won the Royal Rumble – at WrestleMania 41. Instead, that happens next Monday and Ripley will likely retain, leaving us scrounging for fresh storylines – which brings us to the two I mentioned.
Perez would be an obvious catapult into the title picture, similar to Ripley’s main roster arrival, and she’ll be there one day. She’s clearly already headed for a Bayley match, but there could be something enjoyable between her and “Mami.” The size and style difference alone between her and Ripley makes the match intriguing. It would be similar to Bliss, who carries the ex-champ accolades, the aura of a big return, and added edges to her character since she reigned over the women’s division. I mean, just go back and hear her pop at the Royal Rumble. This is it, man. That character clash is primed and ready to be epic. Jackman: I?m going to make the case for Bianca Belair here, although largely on the basis that I don?t see how WWE can resist the temptation to deliver one of its most cited dream matches in women?s wrestling history. If you?re not going to do Belair vs. Rhea Ripley now, then when are you? It?s true there?s been virtually zero attempt to lay the groundwork storyline-wise, but that goes for almost every competitor in Saturday’s six-women match. And I have a theory as to why that might be the case. There was some chatter a few weeks ago that Ripley vs. Liv Morgan was originally pencilled in for WrestleMania but got shunted forward to the Netflix premiere. Given that, perhaps the original plan was to have Ripley win the Chamber and thus earn her shot at ?The Showcase of the Immortals.?
By bringing everything forward, WWE was then left with a bit of a void as to what to do with this match. Admittedly, you?d think that after nearly two months, they might have addressed that problem. But I still think that theory makes sense.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are back at it once again. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) (Ronald Martinez via Getty Images)3. Explain Kevins Owens vs. Sami Zayn in terms of any other non-wrestling rivalry/feud. Will the unsanctioned match be the end of this chapter? Dansby: The only fitting comparison for the Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (Steen vs. Generico) rivalry? Peter Griffin vs. the Chicken from “Family Guy.” It?s always on sight when these two cross paths. At times, they might be allies. They might even unite for a greater cause. But in the end? Punches will be thrown.
This chapter should culminate at WrestleMania 41. Hell in a Cell, perhaps? Sulla-Heffinger: The 2000s reality TV junkie in me had a few frenemy situations run though my head: Kristin Cavallari and Lauren Conrad (“Laguna Beach”), Conrad and Heidi Montag (“The Hills”), Ronnie and The Situation (“Jersey Shore”), CT and Johnny Bananas (“The Challenge”), Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga (“The Real Housewives of New Jersey”), but ultimately I settled on Thor and Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two Asgardian brothers had about as tumultuous an on-screen relationship as Owens and Zayn and there?s undeniably some very entertaining aspects of the heel on both sides in KO and the God of Mischief himself. This being an unsanctioned match does feel very much like the close of the latest chapter between the two – and it?s happening in Canada, which is a cherry on top – but as we?ve learned over two decades of this feud and of Marvel movies, there?s almost always a post-credits scene. Riggs: I don’t remember where I said it, but an unsanctioned match in Canada feels like such a clear final landing zone for this rivalry. At least for now, because these two will be linked forever. Whether it’s during or after the match, Randy Orton will come back to attack Kevin Owens and set up their WrestleMania match, while Sami Zayn flounders off and … faces Karrion Kross? Maybe McIntyre again? I really have no clue. There’s been something brewing with Kross though, so I’d like to think that isn’t all for nothing.
As for a comparison to their feud, that’s a tricky question. I’ll go with Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington in MMA purely based on how they were best friends for so long and rose through the welterweight ranks together before embarking on a literal assault lawsuit, thanks to the downward spiral things took. Jackman: As a Brit, I’m going to say Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usborne from the absolute steller sitcom “Peep Show.” Like Owens and Zayn, they’re oddball best friends who have a history of getting into various scrapes and petty vendettas. (I’m aware that sounds like the most generic description of sitcom characters there is, but I’m trying my best to point out the parallels here!) The actors who play them, David Mitchell and Robert Webb, are also very close in real life and have a history of collaborating on lots of other projects, which reflects Owens’ and Zayn’s histories on the indies. As for the second question, I agree with Drake in that this feels like a curtain-closer rather than a rehearsal for something at WrestleMania 41. On this week’s Elimination Chamber media call, Zayn made an interesting comment about how this match feels like a ?Canadian WrestleMania,? given that it?s taking place in front of their home crowd. That plays into my feeling that we?ll get something that feels like an ending, even if it leaves seeds for them to pick up later if they choose.
WWE legend Trish Stratus makes her return on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)4. Is Trish Stratus on your Mount Rushmore of women’s wrestling? Riggs: I’ve never thought about this, actually. She has to be.
When discussing the Mount Rushmore conversations in sports, people often select the top four GOATs. If you look at the actual Mount Rushmore, though, it’s not about that. It’s about impact and the importance of achievement. Yes, being a GOAT in whatever category helps, but Stratus was pivotal in bringing legitimacy to female wrestlers during the heyday of her WWE career. Her Lita main event match on “WWE Raw” alone answers this question – and with that said, Lita belongs on it too. Jackman: Yes, I?d say so. The word ?generational? gets thrown around a lot in WWE these days, but I think she has a legitimate case for being one of the most influential female wrestlers over the past 30 years. That said, I?m not a fan of the way this tag match has been thrust onto Saturday’s PLE card. I don?t doubt that Stratus sells tickets (although WWE really shouldn?t need help on that front, given that Cena was announced ages ago), but it just feels like an obvious case of a Hall of Famer being elevated to the big event for fame?s sake. We all know there?s been some grumblings recently from talent about the lack of direction for the women?s division. I try not to be overly idealistic about these things – WWE is a business and you?ll always have employees feeling under-appreciated – but this feels like a bit of a slap in the face, given the circumstances.
There?s no room on this PLE for Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky, or the insanely popular Chelsea Green, but there is space for a hastily assembled tag match involving a part-timer and a feud that’s already run its course? There?s something off about that. Sulla-Heffinger: Yes, but it?s not as much of a lock as it may initially seem. Stratus is iconic and arguably the defining figure of women?s professional wrestling from the 2000s, but the industry has changed so much over the past decade that she might fall off that proverbial mountain at some point in the not-so-near future. Getting Stratus back into the ring since the Women?s Evolution in WWE has been awesome and she?s shown she can certainly hang with the new crop of stars, but as I mentioned above, someone like Bianca Belair is reaching new heights every year and it?ll become an even more heated debate as time goes on. That’s nothing against Stratus – it’s just part of the groundwork she laid for this and future generations. Dansby: Trish Stratus is a legend, no doubt. But women’s wrestling extends far beyond WWE.
Mount Rushmore constantly evolves, but as of now, the four names carved in stone are: Mercedes Mon? (Sasha Banks), Bull Nakano, Asuka (Kana), and Aja Kong. Charlotte Flair gets an honorable mention.
The Rock just wants Cody Rhodes’ soul, you guys. (WWE/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)5. In the spirit of The Rock and Cody Rhodes, what’s one thing you would give up your soulfor? Sulla-Heffinger: A fiddle of gold. I kid, but I?ve written two other times since The Rock’s bizarre promo and haven?t mentioned ?The Devil Went Down to Georgia.? After so many years of protecting the business and kayfabe, The Undertaker, among others, has spent the past several years pulling back the curtain and sharing stories of his career and time on the road in WWE. As I scroll through social media and these clips pop up, I can?t help but wonder what it would be like to even be a fly on the wall in the late 1990s/early 2000s WWE locker room, or in a local watering hole with the Attitude Era roster – the “Dead Man” included. So, that?s my pick – give me a week of the full Attitude Era WWE experience, even as just an onlooker and not an active participant.
Riggs: There are some extremely serious ways to answer this question, and as much as I’d love to share them with our audience, I’ll spare you all and give you what you want (like Triple H did with Batista in their last match). I’ve seen a lot of fights in my lifetime. Honestly, too many. A lot of blood, broken bones, eyeball poking, groin kicking and hematomas. You name it. As bad and brutal as all those things are, they don’t compare to the opposite – and that’s nothing. Time is the most precious commodity in life, and to have it wasted can cause never-ending pain. I still feel it every single time I think about nights like July 7, 2018. I’d give my soul to get back the 15 minutes stolen from me by Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis. I’m going to throw up just thinking about the staring contest of the century.
Oh great. Thanks for the PTSD, Drake. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
(Josh Hedges via Getty Images)
Jackman: An excellent editor once told me that journalists shouldn?t fall into the trap of thinking the reader cares even the slightest about their personal lives. Having passed on that advice, I?ll use it as an excuse not to give a heartfelt answer on this one and instead stick to the domain of wrestling…
Like Anthony, I think I?d trade my soul for a chance to go to one of those classic Attitude-era WWF shows. It?s a cliched answer, I know, but I watched some back on the (late) WWE Network over the holidays and there?s something so wild and contagious about those crowds. Given that I hadn?t visited North America when I first watched them as a kid, I think they also played into my fascination with the States, which became this larger-than-life parallel universe in my head. It made me desperate to visit some day if I could. These days, I spend quite a bit of time over the pond, so I was surprised that, when I rewatched the old WWF shows, I had that same feeling of seeing this faraway place on screen. Maybe it was nostalgia, but it felt as magical, and yet as unknowable, as it ever did. Dansby: Personally? I’d prefer to keep my soul. But … three straight Yankees World Series championships– with at least one being a sweep of the Dodgers? That would be very tempting.Staff predictions Men’s Elimination Chamber: CM Punk (Jackman, Riggs), Seth Rollins (Sulla-Heffinger), no one – The Rock wins (Dansby) Women’s Elimination Chamber: Bianca Belair (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs), Roxanne Perez (Sulla-Heffinger) Unsanctioned Match: Sami Zayn (Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Kevin Owens (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs) Tiffany Stratton & Trish Stratus (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Nia Jax & Candice LeRae:Elimination Chamber 2025 predictions roundtable: Who punches their tickets to WrestleMania 41? The Road to WrestleMania 41 continues on Saturday with WWE’s Elimination Chamber 2025 premium live event taking place in Toronto. The four-match card features both the men?s and women?s Elimination Chamber matches (with WrestleMania title shots against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley on the line), an unsanctioned contest between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, and a women?s tag-team match that has WWE Women?s Champion Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus taking on Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. Oh, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes might fork over his kayfabe soul to ?The Final Boss? Dwayne Johnson at some point during the evening. Once the action concludes on Saturday, we?ll have a much better idea of what April’s WrestleMania 41 card looks like, but why should we wait? Uncrowned?s Horsemen are here (for the second time this week!) to answer five burning questions tied to the event and give our predictions. 1. Who should win the men’s Elimination Chamber? Drake Riggs: It should and will be CM Punk. Other options like Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre or John Cena all have logical stories attached to Cody Rhodes, however no star power nor storyline is as significant or potentially fruitful as Punk. I fully expect a Roman Reigns interference in this match to ruin Rollins’ night and lead the two toward a big WrestleMania 41 showdown. Picture this: Rollins has the match won once it comes down to him and Punk. He probably hits like 28 Curb Stomps outside the ring just for good measure. Then in comes the “Tribal Chief” to make good on the favor he owes Punk. What better way than to help Punk achieve his dream of main eventing WrestleMania 41?
If I can’t have the triple-threat match I fantasy-booked between those three, I’ll take this consolation, and I think it’s clearly more realistic. Either way, I don’t see how Reigns doesn’t appear on Saturday. Anthony Sulla-Heffinger: I had John Cena locked in as my pick – shoot, just read the WrestleMania check-in from earlier in the week – but, then Monday night happened. After that segment on ?WWE Raw,? it has to be Seth Rollins. There?s so much history between these two – good and bad – and could you imagine the beauty of The Rock being in Cody Rhodes? corner in Las Vegas, with the two beating down Rollins when Roman Reigns? music hits? The pop would be historic and serve as a hard reset for the rest of 2025, which should be a major goal at WrestleMania 41.
Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins compete for a shot at Cody Rhodes on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images)
(WWE via Getty Images)
Robert Jackman: I?m firmly in the CM Punk column here, although I?m working backward from the starting point that John Cena – who happens to be the betting favorite by some margin – should not be the winner.
As I?ve said before, Cena?s retirement tour is going to be a story of triumph against the odds, which means we need to see him stumble a few more times before he finally rises up to win his 17th world title. Without those hurdles on the way, the eventual victory won?t feel as important. Once you?ve crossed out Cena, the field is pretty open, given that almost everyone has a plausible storyline ready to go with Cody Rhodes. But it?s CM Punk who’s had the most electrifying appearances with ?The American Nightmare,? particularly that faceoff before the Rumble. It also ties into the current arc about how being champion has placed a strain on Rhodes’ friendships. Who better to further that angle than someone whose connections have run deep for almost a decade now? Kel Dansby: Logan Paul.
Just kidding. But for the first time in a long time, the Elimination Chamber feels wide open, with almost every competitor being a legitimate challenger for Cody Rhodes’ title. So, let?s get wild – no one wins. For the first time in history, the Elimination Chamber ends without a winner because Rhodes refuses to sell his soul to “The Final Boss.” In response, The Rock obliterates every competitor in the match, asserting himself as the rightful challenger for Rhodes at WrestleMania 41.
Bianca Belair, Naomi and Bayley make up one-half of the women’s field this year. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)2. Who should win the women’s Elimination Chamber? Sulla-Heffinger: I want it to be Bianca Belair, if only because she?s already in the discussion for the greatest women?s performer at WrestleMania in WWE history. That said, she still has some unfinished business with Jade Cargill?s attackers – a storyline I think we all want to be finished sooner rather than later.
So if it isn?t going to be Belair, let?s strap the rocket to Roxanne Perez and have her win this to challenge Rhea Ripley (or Iyo Sky) at WrestleMania 41. You could even have her pull double duty and wrestle Bayley at NXT Stand and Deliver on Saturday and then make her ?Mania debut the following night. I?d also be OK with Alexa Bliss coming out on top here, but Perez in my mind is a clearly better option. Dansby: The right challenger for Rhea Ripley?s title is already fighting for it next Monday – Iyo Sky. Because of that, this Chamber match feels almost irrelevant. The consensus pick is Bianca Belair, so let?s roll with that. A Belair win makes the WrestleMania 41 match a triple threat, keeping things fresh. This outcome also sets the stage for Naomi to enter a feud with the returning Jade Cargill, built around Naomi attacking her to claim her spot as tag champion. Riggs: Alexa Bliss or Roxanne Perez, and I don’t think it’s close. WWE has seriously botched its women’s storylines lately. Even when they did one right like Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan, it got dragged on for far too long without any new sprinkles being added to the cake. It should be Ripley defending her title against Iyo Sky – who should’ve won the Royal Rumble – at WrestleMania 41. Instead, that happens next Monday and Ripley will likely retain, leaving us scrounging for fresh storylines – which brings us to the two I mentioned.
Perez would be an obvious catapult into the title picture, similar to Ripley’s main roster arrival, and she’ll be there one day. She’s clearly already headed for a Bayley match, but there could be something enjoyable between her and “Mami.” The size and style difference alone between her and Ripley makes the match intriguing. It would be similar to Bliss, who carries the ex-champ accolades, the aura of a big return, and added edges to her character since she reigned over the women’s division. I mean, just go back and hear her pop at the Royal Rumble. This is it, man. That character clash is primed and ready to be epic. Jackman: I?m going to make the case for Bianca Belair here, although largely on the basis that I don?t see how WWE can resist the temptation to deliver one of its most cited dream matches in women?s wrestling history. If you?re not going to do Belair vs. Rhea Ripley now, then when are you? It?s true there?s been virtually zero attempt to lay the groundwork storyline-wise, but that goes for almost every competitor in Saturday’s six-women match. And I have a theory as to why that might be the case. There was some chatter a few weeks ago that Ripley vs. Liv Morgan was originally pencilled in for WrestleMania but got shunted forward to the Netflix premiere. Given that, perhaps the original plan was to have Ripley win the Chamber and thus earn her shot at ?The Showcase of the Immortals.?
By bringing everything forward, WWE was then left with a bit of a void as to what to do with this match. Admittedly, you?d think that after nearly two months, they might have addressed that problem. But I still think that theory makes sense.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are back at it once again. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) (Ronald Martinez via Getty Images)3. Explain Kevins Owens vs. Sami Zayn in terms of any other non-wrestling rivalry/feud. Will the unsanctioned match be the end of this chapter? Dansby: The only fitting comparison for the Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn (Steen vs. Generico) rivalry? Peter Griffin vs. the Chicken from “Family Guy.” It?s always on sight when these two cross paths. At times, they might be allies. They might even unite for a greater cause. But in the end? Punches will be thrown.
This chapter should culminate at WrestleMania 41. Hell in a Cell, perhaps? Sulla-Heffinger: The 2000s reality TV junkie in me had a few frenemy situations run though my head: Kristin Cavallari and Lauren Conrad (“Laguna Beach”), Conrad and Heidi Montag (“The Hills”), Ronnie and The Situation (“Jersey Shore”), CT and Johnny Bananas (“The Challenge”), Teresa Giudice and Melissa Gorga (“The Real Housewives of New Jersey”), but ultimately I settled on Thor and Loki from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The two Asgardian brothers had about as tumultuous an on-screen relationship as Owens and Zayn and there?s undeniably some very entertaining aspects of the heel on both sides in KO and the God of Mischief himself. This being an unsanctioned match does feel very much like the close of the latest chapter between the two – and it?s happening in Canada, which is a cherry on top – but as we?ve learned over two decades of this feud and of Marvel movies, there?s almost always a post-credits scene. Riggs: I don’t remember where I said it, but an unsanctioned match in Canada feels like such a clear final landing zone for this rivalry. At least for now, because these two will be linked forever. Whether it’s during or after the match, Randy Orton will come back to attack Kevin Owens and set up their WrestleMania match, while Sami Zayn flounders off and … faces Karrion Kross? Maybe McIntyre again? I really have no clue. There’s been something brewing with Kross though, so I’d like to think that isn’t all for nothing.
As for a comparison to their feud, that’s a tricky question. I’ll go with Jorge Masvidal and Colby Covington in MMA purely based on how they were best friends for so long and rose through the welterweight ranks together before embarking on a literal assault lawsuit, thanks to the downward spiral things took. Jackman: As a Brit, I’m going to say Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usborne from the absolute steller sitcom “Peep Show.” Like Owens and Zayn, they’re oddball best friends who have a history of getting into various scrapes and petty vendettas. (I’m aware that sounds like the most generic description of sitcom characters there is, but I’m trying my best to point out the parallels here!) The actors who play them, David Mitchell and Robert Webb, are also very close in real life and have a history of collaborating on lots of other projects, which reflects Owens’ and Zayn’s histories on the indies. As for the second question, I agree with Drake in that this feels like a curtain-closer rather than a rehearsal for something at WrestleMania 41. On this week’s Elimination Chamber media call, Zayn made an interesting comment about how this match feels like a ?Canadian WrestleMania,? given that it?s taking place in front of their home crowd. That plays into my feeling that we?ll get something that feels like an ending, even if it leaves seeds for them to pick up later if they choose.
WWE legend Trish Stratus makes her return on Saturday. (WWE/Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)4. Is Trish Stratus on your Mount Rushmore of women’s wrestling? Riggs: I’ve never thought about this, actually. She has to be.
When discussing the Mount Rushmore conversations in sports, people often select the top four GOATs. If you look at the actual Mount Rushmore, though, it’s not about that. It’s about impact and the importance of achievement. Yes, being a GOAT in whatever category helps, but Stratus was pivotal in bringing legitimacy to female wrestlers during the heyday of her WWE career. Her Lita main event match on “WWE Raw” alone answers this question – and with that said, Lita belongs on it too. Jackman: Yes, I?d say so. The word ?generational? gets thrown around a lot in WWE these days, but I think she has a legitimate case for being one of the most influential female wrestlers over the past 30 years. That said, I?m not a fan of the way this tag match has been thrust onto Saturday’s PLE card. I don?t doubt that Stratus sells tickets (although WWE really shouldn?t need help on that front, given that Cena was announced ages ago), but it just feels like an obvious case of a Hall of Famer being elevated to the big event for fame?s sake. We all know there?s been some grumblings recently from talent about the lack of direction for the women?s division. I try not to be overly idealistic about these things – WWE is a business and you?ll always have employees feeling under-appreciated – but this feels like a bit of a slap in the face, given the circumstances.
There?s no room on this PLE for Rhea Ripley vs. Iyo Sky, or the insanely popular Chelsea Green, but there is space for a hastily assembled tag match involving a part-timer and a feud that’s already run its course? There?s something off about that. Sulla-Heffinger: Yes, but it?s not as much of a lock as it may initially seem. Stratus is iconic and arguably the defining figure of women?s professional wrestling from the 2000s, but the industry has changed so much over the past decade that she might fall off that proverbial mountain at some point in the not-so-near future. Getting Stratus back into the ring since the Women?s Evolution in WWE has been awesome and she?s shown she can certainly hang with the new crop of stars, but as I mentioned above, someone like Bianca Belair is reaching new heights every year and it?ll become an even more heated debate as time goes on. That’s nothing against Stratus – it’s just part of the groundwork she laid for this and future generations. Dansby: Trish Stratus is a legend, no doubt. But women’s wrestling extends far beyond WWE.
Mount Rushmore constantly evolves, but as of now, the four names carved in stone are: Mercedes Mon? (Sasha Banks), Bull Nakano, Asuka (Kana), and Aja Kong. Charlotte Flair gets an honorable mention.
The Rock just wants Cody Rhodes’ soul, you guys. (WWE/WWE via Getty Images) (WWE via Getty Images)5. In the spirit of The Rock and Cody Rhodes, what’s one thing you would give up your soulfor? Sulla-Heffinger: A fiddle of gold. I kid, but I?ve written two other times since The Rock’s bizarre promo and haven?t mentioned ?The Devil Went Down to Georgia.? After so many years of protecting the business and kayfabe, The Undertaker, among others, has spent the past several years pulling back the curtain and sharing stories of his career and time on the road in WWE. As I scroll through social media and these clips pop up, I can?t help but wonder what it would be like to even be a fly on the wall in the late 1990s/early 2000s WWE locker room, or in a local watering hole with the Attitude Era roster – the “Dead Man” included. So, that?s my pick – give me a week of the full Attitude Era WWE experience, even as just an onlooker and not an active participant.
Riggs: There are some extremely serious ways to answer this question, and as much as I’d love to share them with our audience, I’ll spare you all and give you what you want (like Triple H did with Batista in their last match). I’ve seen a lot of fights in my lifetime. Honestly, too many. A lot of blood, broken bones, eyeball poking, groin kicking and hematomas. You name it. As bad and brutal as all those things are, they don’t compare to the opposite – and that’s nothing. Time is the most precious commodity in life, and to have it wasted can cause never-ending pain. I still feel it every single time I think about nights like July 7, 2018. I’d give my soul to get back the 15 minutes stolen from me by Francis Ngannou and Derrick Lewis. I’m going to throw up just thinking about the staring contest of the century.
Oh great. Thanks for the PTSD, Drake. (Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
(Josh Hedges via Getty Images)
Jackman: An excellent editor once told me that journalists shouldn?t fall into the trap of thinking the reader cares even the slightest about their personal lives. Having passed on that advice, I?ll use it as an excuse not to give a heartfelt answer on this one and instead stick to the domain of wrestling…
Like Anthony, I think I?d trade my soul for a chance to go to one of those classic Attitude-era WWF shows. It?s a cliched answer, I know, but I watched some back on the (late) WWE Network over the holidays and there?s something so wild and contagious about those crowds. Given that I hadn?t visited North America when I first watched them as a kid, I think they also played into my fascination with the States, which became this larger-than-life parallel universe in my head. It made me desperate to visit some day if I could. These days, I spend quite a bit of time over the pond, so I was surprised that, when I rewatched the old WWF shows, I had that same feeling of seeing this faraway place on screen. Maybe it was nostalgia, but it felt as magical, and yet as unknowable, as it ever did. Dansby: Personally? I’d prefer to keep my soul. But … three straight Yankees World Series championships– with at least one being a sweep of the Dodgers? That would be very tempting.Staff predictions Men’s Elimination Chamber: CM Punk (Jackman, Riggs), Seth Rollins (Sulla-Heffinger), no one – The Rock wins (Dansby) Women’s Elimination Chamber: Bianca Belair (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs), Roxanne Perez (Sulla-Heffinger) Unsanctioned Match: Sami Zayn (Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Kevin Owens (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs) Tiffany Stratton & Trish Stratus (Dansby, Jackman, Riggs, Sulla-Heffinger) vs. Nia Jax & Candice LeRae: