Drew McIntyre to defend WWE title in Elimination Chamber match

Drew McIntyre’s next WWE Championship defense will take place inside the Elimination Chamber.

WWE has announced that McIntyre will defend his WWE Championship against Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, The Miz, and Sheamus in an Elimination Chamber match at this year’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. The PPV is taking place on Sunday, February 21.

Shane McMahon returned to Raw tonight to make the Elimination Chamber match announcement alongside on-screen authority figure Adam Pearce. It was said that McIntyre’s challengers were chosen because they’re all former WWE Champions.

The Miz also currently holds the Money in the Bank briefcase.

Styles defeated Hardy in a singles match on Raw tonight, targeting his leg and submitting him with the Calf Crusher. McIntyre is facing Orton in a non-title match later on tonight’s show.

McIntyre retained his WWE Championship by defeating Goldberg at the Royal Rumble on January 31. The next night on Raw, there was an angle where Sheamus turned against McIntyre and laid him out with a Brogue Kick.

There was a backstage segment on tonight’s Raw where McIntyre approached Shane McMahon as he was leaving the building. McIntyre said he would have liked a heads up and said he thought it was going to be him facing Sheamus one-on-one at Elimination Chamber, but Shane said there’s nothing bigger than McIntyre defending the title in an Elimination Chamber match. Shane said if McIntyre wants to prove his mettle, this is the place to do it.

Elimination Chamber on Sunday, February 21 and Fastlane on Sunday, March 21 are the last two remaining WWE PPVs before WrestleMania 37. WrestleMania 37 will be a two-night event taking place at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on Saturday, April 10 and Sunday, April 10.