WWE Elimination Chamber preview & predictions: Mami’s home

At a very early start time for those in North America, WWE presents Elimination Chamber this Saturday at Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia.

Some fans have expressed that the lineup feels slightly underwhelming for a stadium event, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t be a good show. I can understand fans in Australia feeling a little slighted at the number of stars who aren’t on the card, however.

In particular, Bronson Reed not having a match, even on the kickoff show, seems like an odd choice to make. I’m expecting him to do something unannounced, possibly a run-in. While he’s not a star on the level of Rhea Ripley, he should still be featured. If there really is nothing planned for him in Perth, it feels like a waste. 

I can also understand purchasing tickets to a WWE stadium show and expecting most of the biggest names to be there. There is nothing advertised for any current or former members of The Bloodline, WWE’s hottest angle in decades. There’s no Gunther, no Bayley nor IYO Sky, and just recently WWE revealed that due to a comical misunderstanding, R-Truth has traveled to Austria instead of Australia and likely won’t be on the show either. 

With that being said, I’m still expecting this to be a fun show. Elimination Chamber will be remembered for Ripley getting all the flowers she deserves from her home fans. That might be the only memorable thing to take place, but it’ll be enough. 

Below are betting odds and predictions for every match tomorrow.

WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley (-8000 to win) defends against Nia Jax

Ripley is a massive favorite, but she’s going to do so much more than just win.

I’m expecting Australia to go even bigger for her than Puerto Rico did for Zelina Vega at WrestleMania Backlash. It’ll be downright touching. She is already a star, but receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from 45,000 in attendance will only make her a bigger one.

Matches involving Jax aren’t exactly bell-to-bell classics, but that’s not what they will be going for here. This isn’t a chance for Ripley to put on a five-star match; it’s her chance to be seen as the conquering hero who defeats the unstoppable heel. She’ll get an opportunity to do some big, impressive power spots as fans give her a top babyface response. 

They’ve been keeping Jax strong for something big. She hasn’t lost a singles match on WWE programming since she returned and has defeated other protected wrestlers in the process, including Becky Lynch and Raquel Rodriguez. They’ve been saving Jax’s big loss for this very show.

Prediction: Ripley retains

Elimination Chamber match to determine WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins’ WrestleMania 40 challenger: Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley vs. LA Knight vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul

As of this writing, McIntyre is listed as a -2000 favorite, followed by Orton (+500), Knight (+700), Paul (+1400), Lashley (+2000) and Owens (+2000).

The plans for this match were thrown for quite a loop when CM Punk tore his triceps at the Royal Rumble. There’s still a chance the winner headlines night one of WrestleMania against Rollins, but it feels like a match involving The Rock, or perhaps Bayley vs. Sky or Lynch vs. Ripley would be bigger.

All signs on WWE programming point to McIntyre winning this and then facing Rollins at WrestleMania. And if it’s the case that the as-of-yet unsigned McIntyre takes a sabbatical after WrestleMania, there is always Damian Priest and the MITB briefcase lurking in the background to take the title off him before he goes.

This match is not just about who wins, though. Stories will play out with Knight, Lashley, Owens, Paul, and Orton that will lead to WrestleMania programs. Paul and Owens look like they are going to work together through WrestleMania, so expect storyline developments from them and also the start of something involving two or possibly all three of Orton, Knight, and Lashley.

Prediction: McIntyre

Elimination Chamber match to determine the WWE Women’s World Championship challenger for WrestleMania 40: Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi vs. Raquel Rodriguez

Lynch is a -2000 favorite followed by Belair +500, Rodriguez +600, Morgan +1400, Stratton +2500 and Naomi +2500.

Based on what we’ve seen on WWE programming, Lynch is the obvious choice to win. Lynch will probably show up a little later on as well after Ripley has defeated Jax, leading to a staredown between champion and challenger to build excitement for WrestleMania. Michael Cole will scream that the atmosphere is electric in there, or something similar. It’ll be fun and everyone will have a good time. 

There is an interesting dynamic here as it’s five babyfaces and just one heel. With Ripley and Bayley getting babyface reactions now too, WWE needs to turn some women heel soon. It could happen in this match.

We should find out more about non-title WrestleMania programs in the women’s divisions here as part of this. It feels like Belair is the most likely person to face Jade Cargill at WrestleMania as she’s the biggest star not in the title picture. That leaves Morgan, Rodriguez, Stratton, and Naomi who could start some angles on Saturday.

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Judgment Day (Damian Priest & Finn Balor) defend against New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate)

Judgment Day is listed as -2000 favorites to win and it seems likely that they will. 

This should be the best bell-to-bell match of the show, but there might be some storyline advancements as well concerning Judgment Day. 

It should be interesting to see where the faction goes in the next few months as some members are getting clear babyface reactions while others are not. Ripley is pretty much a babyface already and Priest is on his way. R-Truth is a babyface, of course, although his membership in the faction is disputed. Dominik, Balor, and JD McDonagh are clear heels. So, what happens? Who turns and who doesn’t turn? We might learn more in Perth. 

Prediction: Judgment Day retains

Kickoff show: WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) defend against Indi Hartwell & Candice LeRae

Betting odds for this match are not available, but Asuka and Sane retaining seems to be a safe bet.

Part of me wonders if Paul “Booker of the Year” Levesque would want to give Hartwell a fun moment in front of her home fans, but I don’t think he’s going to do it here. It feels important to keep the Bayley-less version of Damage CTRL strong and all of them having titles does just that. Fans will be given a chance to cheer for Hartwell, but ultimately Asuka and Sane are going to come out the winners. 

Prediction: The Kabuki Warriors retains