The Elimination Chamber involves Toronto this Saturday. One man and one lady will punch their tickets to a world championship match at WrestleMania by surviving the problem of 5 others throughout the Chamber.
Whereas the ladies’s lineup guarantees loads of motion that includes proficient performers, a lot of the construct to the occasion has targeted on the boys and undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes. The star-studded males’s lineup options John Cena, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul and Damian Priest.
All however Paul have held world championships, and a number of other rank among the many legends of the trade.
With Saturday’s males’s Elimination Chamber match having such main implications — and loaded with such large stars — we polled a number of members of the CBS Sports activities crew to rank your best option for who strikes on to face Rhodes at WrestleMania.
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Shakiel Mahjouri
1. CM Punk
Why he is a good selection to win: How may you watch the confrontation and never suppose Punk difficult Rhodes is the way in which to go? That very same intense stage of interplay would simply carry WWE programming by to WrestleMania. Punk is chasing the WrestleMania primary occasion that has eluded him all through his legendary profession and Rhodes shouldn’t be solely a superb foil, however one who’s at the moment debating successfully promoting his soul to be not solely the undisputed WWE champion, however The Rock’s private company champion. Ought to Rhodes take The Rock up on his provide, you’d have Punk as soon as once more battling the corporate within the spirit of the power he introduced in his well-known “pipebomb” promo.
Why he isn’t a good selection: Punk successful is all upside however you possibly can additionally argue he has so many ongoing points with others that you simply’d successfully be hitting pause on his storylines tied to males like Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre. That is not a ok cause to not have Punk win on Saturday, however we’re digging for causes he’s a foul selection and that is about all there may be. — Brent Brookhouse
2. John Cena
Why he is a good selection to win: WrestleMania is the mecca {of professional} wrestling occasions. Its grandeur and nostalgia usher in lapsed and informal followers yearly. There’s worth in catering to a wider viewers. To that finish, excluding Rhodes vs. The Rock, there isn’t any match with wider attraction than Rhodes vs. Cena. Cena has expanded his Hollywood footprint impressively since “The Marine” days. He is a authentic film star who has appeared in main blockbusters. He is additionally the beneficiary of a year-long storyline: a retirement farewell tour and a time-restrained pursuit to turn out to be WWE’s solely acknowledged 17-time world champion. Rhodes vs. Cena is a dream match between two of WWE’s most memorable heroes.
Why he isn’t a good selection: There is not something explicitly fallacious with a face vs. face feud, but it surely’s tougher to execute and infrequently as emotionally gripping. Cena’s world title win looks as if an eventuality, however having him dethrone Rhodes is tough to consider. WWE has gone to nice lengths to guard Rhodes as champion. Rhodes should lose the title in the future, but it surely ought to be completed to ascertain one other new star or develop an engrossing plot. To not give Cena a sentimental win. Rhodes vs. Cena is a blockbuster match, but it surely does not really feel dramatic or compelling except WWE subverts expectations. — Shakiel Mahjouri
3. Drew McIntyre
Why he is a good selection to win: McIntyre and Punk’s rivalry was arguably the most effective feud in professional wrestling final 12 months. McIntyre’s incapability to maintain a world title reign fuels his rage. It is a murals, however the man deserves a victory on par along with his high quality character work. McIntyre and Rhodes have plenty of supply materials to attract from. That they had had a quick WWE tag crew title run as The Dashing Ones in 2010. Each superstars subsequently left the WWE, returned with renewed imaginative and prescient and gained world titles. McIntyre can also be considered one of 4 folks to pin Rhodes since “The American Nightmare” returned to WWE in 2022. That is sufficient to make McIntyre a dwell underdog in opposition to the champ at WrestleMania.
Why he isn’t a good selection: McIntyre is a reputable primary eventer who can beat anybody, however he will not be the favourite in opposition to WWE’s cornerstone acts. Punk and Cena are extra alluring headliners who profit from having by no means wrestled this iteration of Rhodes. It is contemporary and it is thrilling. Whereas McIntyre might be trusted to place collectively a terrific WrestleMania program, a match with Rhodes is not the shiny new toy that another choices are. — Mahjouri
4. Seth Rollins
Why he is a good selection to win: Rollins and Rhodes have a deep historical past to dig into, one which conjures pictures of Rhodes’ triumphant return to WWE to reply Rollins’ problem at WrestleMania 38 or the deep purple bruising when Rhodes defeated Rollins inside Hell in a Cell with a extreme pectoral tear. Rollins additionally helped Rhodes win the championship finally 12 months’s WrestleMania. Past that historical past, the matches between Rhodes and Rollins have all the time been unbelievable. In-ring chemistry and a deep properly of previous points to attract on is definitely the stuff WrestleMania primary occasions are fabricated from.
Why he isn’t a good selection: There is no such thing as a actual sense of momentum for Rollins. He misplaced to Punk after a 12 months of constructing to that match and his confrontation with Rhodes was good, however not Punk vs. Rhodes ranges of fine. It is not that Rollins is not a good selection to win and go on to face Rhodes at WrestleMania, merely that he isn’t nearly as good of a selection as the boys we have ranked above him. — Brookhouse
5. Logan Paul
Why he is a good selection to win: Mainstream crossovers are woven into the material of WrestleMania. Paul is arguably probably the most achieved and acclaimed superstar to lace up wrestling boots. To that finish, Rhodes vs. Paul at WrestleMania is on-brand. Paul is legitimately athletic and competent inside a WWE ring. He can work an excellent match with Rhodes’ supervision. The social media influencer can also be considered one of WWE’s most detested heels. He’d obtain deafening boos working in opposition to final babyface Rhodes.
Why he isn’t a good selection: Paul is an uninspired selection, pure and easy. Most different superstars within the Elimination Chamber have a historical past with Rhodes that may enrich their feuds. Rhodes vs. Paul may be very formulaic and an apparent money seize. It is boring. Paul has headlined WWE pay-per-views earlier than, however closing out WrestleMania is a step too far. Think about the morale hit if Paul gained over McIntyre, who has completed the most effective work of his profession in recent times, and Rollins, WWE’s most dependable hand even when injured. — Mahjouri
6. Damian Priest
Why he is a good selection to win: Priest successful on this stacked Elimination Chamber could be a shock properly past the extent of Jey Uso successful the Royal Rumble. There’s all the time worth in protecting followers on their toes and what would ship an enormous message that these these followers have to be prepared for something than Priest vs. Rhodes and Uso vs. Gunther as the 2 males’s world title matches at WrestleMania.
Why he isn’t a good selection: That the largest cause Priest could be a good selection to win is “it might shock folks” appears to be sufficient of a suggestion as to why he could be a foul selection. Priest made good out of a title reign that received off to a really flat begin however has sputtered since dropping the title, particularly as he is been much less incessantly interacting with Rhea Ripley. No momentum, no significant historical past with Rhodes and seemingly no person wanting him to win? Priest is the worst option to win the Elimination Chamber. — Brookhouse