The Elimination Chamber involves Toronto on 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 centered on the lads 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.
And every carries an attention-grabbing storyline into the fold. Cena is seeking to set to all-time document for many world titles at 17 earlier than he retires from in-ring competitors. CM Punk remains to be making an attempt to safe his first WrestleMania primary occasion in his storied profession. McIntyre has been on a warpath for months as he hunted the Bloodline and now turns his consideration to the world title.Â
With Saturday’s males’s Elimination Chamber match having such main implications — and loaded with such huge stars — we polled a number of members of the CBS Sports activities crew to rank the only option for who strikes on to face Rhodes at WrestleMania.Â
Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston say Huge E’s neck damage stunted The New Day: ‘We must always have developed’ years in the past
Shakiel Mahjouri
1. CM Punk
Why he is a sensible choice to win:Â How might you watch the confrontation and never assume Punk difficult Rhodes is the way in which to go? That very same intense stage of interplay would simply carry WWE programming by way of to WrestleMania. Punk is chasing the WrestleMania primary occasion that has eluded him all through his legendary profession and Rhodes is just not solely an excellent 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’ll have Punk as soon as once more battling the corporate within the spirit of the vitality he introduced in his well-known “pipebomb” promo.
Why he isn’t a sensible choice:Â Punk profitable is all upside however you 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 adequate purpose to not have Punk win on Saturday, however we’re digging for causes he’s a nasty alternative and that is about all there may be. — Brent Brookhouse
2. John Cena
Why he is a sensible choice to win: WrestleMania is the mecca {of professional} wrestling occasions. Its grandeur and nostalgia usher in lapsed and informal followers yearly. There may be worth in catering to a wider viewers. To that finish, excluding Rhodes vs. The Rock, there isn’t a match with wider enchantment than Rhodes vs. Cena. Cena has expanded his Hollywood footprint impressively since “The Marine” days. He is a respectable 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 change into 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 sensible choice: There is not something explicitly fallacious with a face vs. face feud, however it’s more durable to execute and barely as emotionally gripping. Cena’s world title win looks as if an eventuality, however having him dethrone Rhodes is difficult to consider. WWE has gone to nice lengths to guard Rhodes as champion. Rhodes should lose the title in the future, however it needs to be achieved to determine one other new star or develop an engrossing plot. To not give Cena a sentimental win. Rhodes vs. Cena is a blockbuster match, however it does not really feel dramatic or compelling except WWE subverts expectations. — Shakiel Mahjouri
3. Drew McIntyre
Why he is a sensible choice to win: McIntyre and Punk’s rivalry was arguably one of the best feud in professional wrestling final yr. McIntyre’s incapability to maintain a world title reign fuels his rage. It is a murals, however the man deserves a victory on par together with his high quality character work. McIntyre and Rhodes have numerous supply materials to attract from. They’d 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 individuals to pin Rhodes since “The American Nightmare” returned to WWE in 2022. That is sufficient to make McIntyre a reside underdog towards the champ at WrestleMania.
Why he isn’t a sensible choice: McIntyre is a reputable primary eventer who can beat anybody, however he will not be the favourite towards 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 recent and it is thrilling. Whereas McIntyre may 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 sensible choice to win:Â 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 yr’s WrestleMania. Past that historical past, the matches between Rhodes and Rollins have at all times been incredible. In-ring chemistry and a deep properly of previous points to attract on is definitely the stuff WrestleMania primary occasions are product of.
Why he isn’t a sensible choice: There is no such thing as a actual sense of momentum for Rollins. He misplaced to Punk after a yr 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 sensible choice to win and go on to face Rhodes at WrestleMania, merely that he isn’t pretty much as good of a alternative as the lads we have ranked above him. — Brookhouse
5. Logan Paul
Why he is a sensible choice to win: Mainstream crossovers are woven into the material of WrestleMania. Paul is arguably essentially the most completed and acclaimed celeb 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 towards final babyface Rhodes.
Why he isn’t a sensible choice: Paul is an uninspired alternative, 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 achieved one of the best 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 sensible choice to win:Â Priest profitable on this stacked Elimination Chamber could be a shock properly past the extent of Jey Uso profitable the Royal Rumble. There’s at all times worth in maintaining followers on their toes and what would ship an enormous message that these these followers should 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 sensible choice:Â That the largest purpose Priest could be a sensible choice to win is “it might shock individuals” appears to be sufficient of a suggestion as to why he could be a nasty alternative. Priest made good out of a title reign that obtained off to a really flat begin however has sputtered since shedding the title, particularly as he is been much less ceaselessly interacting with Rhea Ripley. No momentum, no significant historical past with Rhodes and seemingly no one wanting him to win? Priest is the worst option to win the Elimination Chamber. — Brookhouse