The Road to WrestleMania has delivered on the whole in recent years, and with World Wrestling Entertainment’s creative direction now being steered more directly by Triple H, this year’s Elimination Chamber is set as must-see viewing for any graps fan.
Roman Reigns and The Bloodline‘s ongoing saga with Sami Zayn (and now, Cody Rhodes) might be one of the most captivating storylines on all of television, let alone sports entertainment. Now, Sami gets to go for the gold in front of his hometown Montreal crowd.
The twin bill of Eric Bischoff’s epic creations — the six-competitor Elimination Chamber cage matches — will still have plenty of stakes, though: The United States Championship and a spot in the WrestleMania 39 Raw Women’s Championship match are at stake.
Can you bet on Elimination Chamber or compete in contests for the WWE’s precursor to ‘Mania? Read on for my Elimination Chamber match predictions and tips for the picks pool at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Elimination Chamber DraftKings Pool Contest
Join the WWE DraftKings Bet Pool for a FREE chance to share a $10K Elimination Chamber prize. If you haven’t signed up for DraftKings Sportsbook yet, claim our exclusive offer:
After signing up with DK, you can navigate to their Sportsbook -> Pools section to enter the WWE Elimination Chamber picks pool to make your selections.
Check later in this WWE Elimination Chamber predictions article for our pool pick answers.
When will WWE Elimination Chamber take place?
The 2023 Elimination Chamber will take place on Saturday, Feb. 18. The kickoff show starts at 7 p.m. ET, with the main card starting at 8 p.m. ET.
Where is this year’s WWE Elimination Chamber?
In another international PLE, Elimination Chamber emanates from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada — with plenty of hometown intrigue for the main event.
Elimination Chamber Match Card
- WWE Undisputed Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs Sami Zayn
- Women’s Elimination Chamber: Raquel Rodríguez vs Nikki Kross vs Liv Morgan vs Asuka vs Natalya vs Carmella
- Winner faces Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39
- Men’s Elimination Chamber: Austin Theory (c) vs Seth Rollins vs Johnny Gargano vs Bronson Reed vs Damian Priest vs Montez Ford
- Winner will become United States Champion
- Singles Match: Brock Lesnar vs Bobby Lashley
- Mixed Tag Match: Edge & Beth Phoenix vs Finn Balor & Rhea Ripley
- PREDICTED MATCH: Becky Lynch, Lita, and TBD vs Damage CTL (Bayley, Dakota Kai, Io Sky)
The Reigns-Zayn battle for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship will likely main-event this card, pushing the two matches inside six sides of steel to the opener and undercard — as the last chapter of this epic poem did to both Royal Rumbles. Nothing else has the juice of this soap opera.
SmackDown’s Friday go-home show — also from the Bell Centre — still might put other chess pieces in place, so watch out for developments there.
Elimination Chamber Match Predictions
WWE Undisputed Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs Sami Zayn
Winner: Roman Reigns
Sami will pop his native Canada crowd by coming excruciatingly close to pinning Reigns. Think Drew McIntyre‘s near-falls at Clash of the Castle.
However, by some form of crookery (likely presumed ally Jey Uso turning on Sami in favor of Roman — or attacking both main-eventers), Roman will prevail after Solo Sikoa and/or Jimmy Uso interference, chair shots, and a spear.
The Usos’ legal troubles have been presumed to keep them out of traveling to Canada, but recent reports suggest they’ll likely participate in the premium live event.
Cody Rhodes might come out to help Zayn and/or Kevin Owens after a Reigns and Bloodline post-match “acknowledgement" with weapons, further cementing the heat leading up to their WrestleMania clash.
I truly hope Creative finds a way to install Zayn as a major influencer in the WM main-event scene. I’d be OK with Zayn and Owens taking the Undisputed Tag Team Championships from The Usos.
On the other hand, I’d be thrilled if Roman is forced to defend one title on each night and Zayn gets a chance to close out Night 2 by winning the Undisputed strap. (The night before, Cody would take the WWE belt, of course, to fulfill his destiny.)
Women’s Elimination Chamber Match (Raw Women’s Championship Spot at WrestleMania 39)
Winner: Asuka
I’m torn between the Empress of Tomorrow and the surging Raquel Rodríguez. Barring a swerve to avoid “obvious" booking, the final two should come down to one of these two powerful superstars.
Given that WWE overtly highlighted Asuka’s Royal Rumble return with her Japanese “killer clown" makeup and attitude, it would be deflating to go with a less relevant choice.
Rodríguez will have a strong run and still come up short. Even after this loss, she’ll remain a solid babyface who could wind up making a name for herself by eventually overtaking Asuka or whoever takes the SmackDown women’s belt.
That triumph might come closer to SummerSlam. Either way, a spotlight here on her brute strength — on the heels of a standout Royal Rumble run — will bolster her main-event case while she continues to blossom as a performer.
Men’s Elimination Chamber Match (United States Championship)
Winner: Austin Theory
This might be the most wide-open match on the card. The company can take several directions here:
- Theory retains to line up to face John Cena at WrestleMania (and to make up for being a crash-test dummy to Brock Lesnar in last year’s Chamber). Theory’s booking deserves a 180 after his bumbling events of last year.
- Damian Priest can add gold to The Judgment Day’s lot to make them more than Rhea Ripley‘s supporting cast.
- Seth Rollins could triumph to set up a social-friendly showdown with Logan Paul. (I think this match will happen in Los Angeles anyway, without gold at stake, after Paul eliminated Rollins at the Royal Rumble.)
- This could be a true coming-out party for Bronson Reed, who deserves another shot at holding a secondary workhorse belt. His NXT North American Championship run was … meh.
- Montez Ford is on the cusp of becoming a true singles star. (We saw flashes in his brief feud with Reigns.) Tension with Angelo Dawkins will surely play out in some form, regardless, though I think that twig will snap at ‘Mania itself.
- Johnny Gargano … OK, nah. I love the guy’s in-ring skills, but his character development lately has been subpar.
Barring a true swerve, Theory makes the most sense to set up the highest-profile WrestleMania matchup and propel the 25-year-old toward the next step of what could be a highly successful career.
Ford and Rollins will be in the final three, possibly with intentional/botched interference from Dawkins and Paul.
Brock Lesnar vs Bobby Lashley
Winner: Brock Lesnar
I’m going to run with a rumor I desperately want to happen. (Plus, I need to mark another babyface win.)
Lesnar will get one-up on this feud with Lashley to set up an Intercontinental Championship match at WM39 with Gunther.
Lashley, of course, could get this pin, and then Creative will give Lesnar his win back at ‘Mania.
Either way, I foresee The Hurt Business reuniting to help Lashley take out Lesnar either during or after the match, with Gunther possibly coming out to join the fun or help Lesnar.
Edge & Beth Phoenix vs Finn Balor & Rhea Ripley
Winners: Finn Balor & Rhea Ripley
I’m only betting this one because (a) The Judgment Day needs more quality wins as a stable, and (b) this might trickle into ‘Mania or set up the coveted Dominik Mysterio vs Rey Mysterio father-son battle.
Rhea also needs the boost before her huge matchup with Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania.
Predicted Match Addition: Becky Lynch, Lita, & Trish Stratus vs Damage CTL
Becky Lynch, Lita, & Trish Stratus Win
Of course, it’s Canada, so Trish Stratus return rumors look likely to pay off.
Damage CTL loses again — why not. I would’ve loved for this group to be built up more strongly, but here we are.
Elimination Chamber DraftKings Contest Picks
Luckily this DraftKings WWE contest for Elimination Chamber focuses on the highly anticipated main event between Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn.
Here’s my full list of Elimination Chamber DraftKings pool picks:
- Who Will Win? Roman Reigns over Sami Zayn
- How Will That Match End? Pinfall
- Will Sami Zayn hit an Avalanche Exploder Superplex on Reigns? Yes
- Will Jey Uso interfere in the match? Yes
- If Jey Uso interferes, who will he support? Both Roman and Sami
- Who, if anyone, will physically assist Sami in the Match? Kevin Owens (They don’t allow you to also pick Jey Uso.)
- Who, if anyone, will physically assist Roman in the match? Solo Sikoa (They don’t allow you to also pick Jimmy Uso.)
- Which objects will be used during or after the match? Both Handcuffs and Chair
- How many titles will Roman have at the end of Elimination Chamber? Two
