WWE – The Captain's Speech

Clash in Italy (2026) Predictions

Clash in Italy is the first WWE premium live event to take place in Italy. The crowd is going to be electric for this one. It should be a great show.

There are five main event calibre matches on the card.

Let’s get to my predictions.

Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar

I know there were WrestleMania sequels between the Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, as well as The Rock and John Cena, but recency bias is telling me that Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar is the biggest rematch in the history of professional wrestling.

Just over a month ago, at WrestleMania 42, Oba Femi defeated Brock Lesnar, in what felt like a “passing of the torch” moment. After the match, Lesnar left his boots in the ring and walked up the ramp with his long-time manager, Paul Heyman. It appeared as though Lesnar’s career had come to an end.

However, a few weeks ago, Lesnar attacked Femi from behind on Monday Night RAW and Paul Heyman presented RAW General Manager Adam Pearce with a contract for the rematch. It didn’t take long for all parties to agree.

So, here we go again. Two behemoths in the same ring, one more time.

There is a world in which Femi wins again and Lesnar goes away…again. But, there is also a world in which Lesnar wins the match and evens the series at one apiece. That would set up a rubber match for…let’s say…SummerSlam in Minnesota.

Remember, Brock Lesnar attended the University of Minnesota. There have been rumblings that if his career is truly winding down, that Minnesota would be a good place for it to end. So, is that where a Femi/Lesnar trilogy concludes?

OR…is Lesnar facing someone else at SummerSlam? Is he facing the man who has sent Goldberg, AJ Styles, and John Cena into retirement? Gunther.

I don’t know. If Lesnar is going to be retired by Gunther, then he has to lose against Femi. Otherwise, there needs to be a trilogy.

IF there is a trilogy, and Femi sends Lesnar into retirement, that sets up a potential feud down the road between Femi and Gunther, as they are two men who have sent legends out the door.

I don’t know which way all of this is going to go. I’m just going to enjoy the show.

Prediction: Brock Lesnar Wins

Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Gunther
Undisputed WWE Championship

Gunther dealt with Seth Rollins at WrestleMania, which benefitted Paul Heyman and The Vision. As a result, Heyman owed Gunther a favour. The favour was securing this championship match with Cody Rhodes.

Gunther has been on a roll lately, defeating and retiring WWE legends. I don’t want to see him lose this match. He should remain unbeatable for a while.

As for Cody Rhodes, I’m ready to see him do something that doesn’t involve the championship, at least for a few months. Perhaps, that’s his feud with Sami Zayn? Hey, maybe Zayn will cost him his title in this match.

I’m just ready for a change when it comes to the Cody Rhodes character.

Prediction: Gunther Wins

Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Jade Cargill
WWE Women’s Championship

Rhea Ripley defeated Jade Cargill at WrestleMania 42 to become the new WWE Women’s Champion. I don’t think Cargill is going to win the title back, just one month later.

Prediction: Rhea Ripley Wins

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Sol Ruca
Intercontinental Championship

This is Sol Ruca’s biggest match since being called up to the main roster in April. Dare I say, I wouldn’t be surprised if she wins? The crowd in Italy is going to be bonkers. I can picture Sol winning her first championship in that setting to officially launch her career.

I think Becky Lynch (the real life person) relishes working with young talent and helping them get over. I believe she’s going to go out of her way to make Sol Ruca look like a star (not that she needs much help) in this match.

Prediction: Sol Ruca Wins

Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
Tribal Combat for the World Heavyweight Championship

A Tribal Combat match is basically a no disqualification match. Anything goes. The winner becomes Tribal Chief – the leader of the family – and the loser must fall in line and acknowledge them.

I am all for a swerve in professional wrestling. I would love this story to go down the road of Jacob Fatu being the new Tribal Chief, with Roman Reigns having to support him.

Do I think that happens? No. Probably not. This is Tribal Combat, which means we’re going to get a run-in from The Usos, who are firmly behind Roman Reigns. I don’t know if there’s anyone coming to Fatu’s aid, unless they surprise us with something.

The mountain is just too high to climb for Fatu.

Prediction: Roman Reigns Wins

Backlash (2026) Predictions

It’s only been three weeks since WrestleMania 42, which means it’s time for some Backlash!

In addition to the five matches on the card tonight, John Cena is also expected to show up and make a huge announcement. I really hope it’s something big and has nothing to do with the new “Club WWE” initiative.

I don’t even know how to guess at what the announcement could be.

Perhaps something to do with NXT? Backlash will be in Tampa tonight, which is only a hop, skip, and a jump (or two) from the NXT Performance Centre in Orlando.

I really have no idea.

Let’s get to the matches.

Trick Williams (c) vs. Sami Zayn
United States Championship

This feud started out so simple.

Trick Williams is the new up-and-coming young talent on the scene who looks the part of a superstar, from the way he dresses, to the way he carries himself. Sami Zayn, on the other hand, while he is an established in-ring competitive, doesn’t look like a champion.

That’s the story. Easy to tell. Every could follow it.

And then the story veered off into Sami Zayn being called the Gingerbread Man. We got someone dressed up in a Gingerbread Man costume every week, until Sami “killed” it. They held a funeral for the Gingerbread Man last night on SmackDown, but Lil Yachty (Trick’s friend) was wearing the costume, jumped out of the casket, and attacked Sami from behind with a candy cane.

I assure you, that last sentence is 100% real.

This storyline feels like it’s straight out of 2003, if not earlier.

Personally, I don’t mind it. I enjoy fun stuff like this that is out of left field. Do I think it’s the best way they could’ve told the story of Trick vs. Sami? No. But it’s what we have.

With Sami slowly turning heel and falling out of favour with the fans, I think he’ll lose this match, which will push his character closer to the edge of fully leaning into a heel persona.

Prediction: Trick Williams Wins

Danhausen & Mystery Partner vs. The Miz & Kit Wilson

Everyone loves Danhausen. How could you not? He’s very nice, very evil.

The Miz and Kit Wilson have been perfect foils for him in his first feud in WWE.

The rumours on the internet are that Jelly Roll (yes, you read that correctly) will be Danhausen’s mystery partner. Before WrestleMania, the rumour was that Jelly Roll would be competing at Backlash alongside Cody Rhodes to take on Randy Orton and Pat McAfee.

That storyline was dropped, but I guess Jelly Roll is still available to wrestle at the show.

Would I prefer Danhausen’s partner be someone on the roster? Yes. In a perfect world, it would be Shiloh Hill from NXT. His character would mesh very well with Danhausen. But that won’t happen. Maybe in a couple of years.

Is there anyone else on the roster I can think of who could be his partner? No.

I understand why the WWE would get a celebrity involved in this match. It adds a bit of juice to the proceedings and takes it from being “a match you could see any week on SmackDown” to one that media outlets around the world will cover, just because Jelly Roll is involved. And that’s a win for Danhausen, The Miz, and Kit Wilson, as it gets more eyes on them.

Prediction: Danhausen & Mystery Partner Win

Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker

Just over one year ago, Seth Rollins brought Bron Breakker into his new faction, which was eventually called, The Vision. Bronson Reed was eventually added to the mix, too. In October, they both attacked Rollins and put him on the shelf for months, with injuries. As a result, Rollins had to vacate his World Heavyweight Championship.

In actuality, Rollins suffered a shoulder injury in a match with Cody Rhodes that would force him to be out for months. The attack by Breakker and Reed was the storyline they used to write him off.

The hope was that Rollins would be healthy in time for a WrestleMania match with Breakker. Well, he was. Except, Breakker suffered a hernia injury in February. At that point, there was no reason to rush Breakker back and accelerate a storyline that would be better off having a few weeks to build.

So, Rollins went on to face Gunther at WrestleMania. Breakker showed up during the match and attacked Rollins, costing him the win.

Which leads us to today.

I think Bron Breakker should defeat Seth Rollins. To beat someone as decorated as Rollins would be a stepping stone in his career and allow him to move on to bigger things.

Prediction: Bron Breakker Wins

Iyo Sky vs. Asuka

I wish this match had been at WrestleMania. To me, and many others, Iyo Sky is the best wrestler in the world. Keeping her off the biggest show of the year felt wrong. Asuka is no slouch, either. She’s incredible.

I also wish Kairi Sane hadn’t been released from the company since then and no longer factors into the story…unless she makes one final appearance tonight to put a bow on things.

I’m hopeful.

Iyo and Asuka are going to create magic in the ring tonight, I’m sure of it.

As the story goes, Asuka was Iyo’s mentor, but felt betrayed by her when she became friends with Rhea Ripley. Kairi Sane felt obligated to stay by Asuka side, too afraid to turn her back on her mentor.

It felt like, eventually, Kairi was going to stand up for herself and turn on Asuka. If Kairi doesn’t return tonight – even for a one-time appearance – we won’t ever get the end to that story.

The feud between Iyo and Asuka should end tonight, though. I think Iyo will come out on top and move on to challenge Liv Morgan for the WWE Women’s World Championship.

Prediction: Iyo Sky Wins

Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jacob Fatu
World Heavyweight Championship

Jacob Fatu is stepping up and going after the World Heavyweight Championship, even though his cousin is champion. Fatu is not “falling in line” and living off the success of Roman Reigns; he wants to make his own success.

This match is bound to get messy, with involvement from The Usos, among others. As soon as they appear, I expect Royce Keys – an ally of Jacob Fatu – to come out and rid them from the ringside area.

After that clears up, I think there’s a chance Solo Sikoa comes out and has an impact on the finish of the match.

Lately, it feels like the Bloodline is slowly getting back together. Would Solo be part of it? I don’t know, but he’s been mentioning Roman Reigns a lot lately – it has to be leading to something, right?

Personally, I’d love to see Jacob Fatu win this match. No one is doubting his ability as a main event talent, but his win would be unexpected, which would make it great. I’d love to see a world where this story goes down a road in which Fatu is champion and Roman and his family members are scrambling to right the ship, so to speak.

That being said, Roman just won the championship a few weeks ago at WrestleMania and I have a really hard time believing he’s going to lose it any time soon. Given his history, I could see him being champion for an entire year, if not longer.

To get dethroned in less than a month would be a massive shock.

Which is exactly why I think it should happen. I just don’t think it will.

Prediction: Roman Reigns Wins

WrestleMania 42: Night 2 Predictions

I’ll save my thoughts on night one of WrestleMania for a full recap post, but the overwhelming feeling among fans was that it was a disappointment.

Perhaps, night two will be better. There are only six matches on the card, as opposed to seven matches last night, which means we may get an impromptu match at some point? Maybe? I hope?

There are a lot of superstars who I thought were deserving of a spot on the biggest show of the year, mainly Carmelo Hayes and Iyo Sky, who are not a part of it.

Hayes was a bright spot on SmackDown during his US Championship reign, whereas Iyo Sky is the best wrestler in the world…and it’s not just me saying it. Other people are saying it! (Apologies to Becky Lynch for stealing her verbiage).

Anyway, it’s a new day. We’ll see what WWE has in store for tonight.

Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar

This much-anticipated match will open the show.

Please don’t be a squash match. Please don’t be a squash match. Please don’t be a squash match.

After a lacklustre night one, this needs to be a real heavyweight fight and go for at least fifteen minutes. Oba Femi has had the upper hand in the lead up, but I’m not looking for a squash match. I don’t want Oba to beat Brock in a couple of minutes just so he’s established as the next dominant force in WWE.

Let them have a real match.

Oba Femi is fresh on the scene, but has thrown Brock Lesnar around like no one else ever has. I’ve also been really impressed with his promo work. He went toe to toe with Paul Heyman and came across as a giant star.

The sky is the limit for Oba. They could put a world championship on him tomorrow and have him hold it for 1,500 days and it would make sense. He’s that good, already.

Brock Lesnar doesn’t need this win.

Oba Femi is a star even if he loses, but a win over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania, this early in his career,

Prediction: Oba Femi Wins

Penta (c) vs. Rey Mysterio vs. JD McDonagh vs. Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Rusev
Ladder Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship

This match came together a bit too quickly. After a successful title defence, Penta announced that he would be defending the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania in a ladder match. Later that night, the participants were announced, as they had apparently won qualifying matches on Main Event.

A few weeks later, Rey Mysterio made a surprise return and announced that he will also be in the match.

Regardless of how it came together, this should be a lot of fun (ladder matches always are) and will probably end up being one of the best matches of the weekend.

Who’s going to win? I don’t know. They could put the title on any of the six men in this match and it would make sense.

I don’t think Penta will retain, just because a match this exciting and wide open normally ends with a new champion. Dragon Lee has been getting a larger reaction recently and will be bouncing around everywhere. Speaking of “bouncing”, Je’Von Evans is going to thrive in this environment and will surely have a WrestleMania Moment at his inaugural WrestleMania.

Rusev hasn’t been involved in too much since returning to WWE, so winning this match immediately puts him back in the spotlight.

JD McDonagh is a guy I think is in line for a major push. I would be happy if he wins this match.

If Rey Mysterio wins, the crowd would love it and it sets him up for rivalries with heels like, oh I don’t know…Gunther.

Prediction: JD McDonagh Wins

Sami Zayn (c) vs. Trick Williams
WWE United States Championship

For the last month or so, we’ve been seeing a double turn happen right before our eyes. Sami Zayn has gone from a lovable babyface to a guy the fans are tired of because he was coming across as whiny when constantly addressing why others have been World Champion and he hasn’t.

I love how slowly he’s turned heel. It’s been very subtle and he hasn’t necessarily done anything extremely villainous, but the turn is happening and I’m on board with it.

Trick Williams arrived on the main roster in January as a heel, but has quickly become a fan favourite. He oozes star power every time he’s on screen. His entrance is one of the best in the company, with the whole crowd chanting, “Whoop that Trick!”

By the end of this match, I expect the slow double turn to be fully complete. Sami Zayn is going to be booed out of the building and will probably employ heel tactics during the match. In turn, Trick Williams is going to come across as a sympathetic babyface.

Who wins? It’s a toss up.

Is it too soon for Trick Williams to hold a championship? He’s only been here for four months. Is it too soon for Sami Zayn to lose the championship? He only won the title from Carmelo Hayes less than a month ago.

By the way, it’s ridiculous that Carmelo Hayes isn’t involved in this match, or on the WrestleMania card.

If they want to solidify Sami as a heel, then he will win this match via nefarious means.

Prediction: Sami Zayn Wins

Jade Cargill (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
WWE Women’s Championship

After seeing how short the match was on night one between Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship, I am very afraid this match is going to be just as short – around eight minutes, or so. I hope I’m wrong.

Jade Cargill has a couple of new allies in B-Fab and Michin, who may play a part in this match. I think if they get involved, they’ll be ejected from ringside by the referee, or chased away by Rhea’s friend, Iyo Sky. I don’t think they’ll be involved in the finish, or cost Rhea the match.

Rhea Ripley has been elevating the tag team division with Iyo for the last year, but is now back in the singles picture. I think it’s time to put a world championship back on her shoulder.

Cargill has been champion since November, but her reign has felt underwhelming.

Prediction: Rhea Ripley Wins

Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio
Street Fight

Just over a month ago, Judgment Day finally turned on Finn Balor. We could see the fractions forming for a long time and the split finally happened.

If I’m honest, I’m ready for this to be over and for both guys to head in different directions. I hate to saw that because I’m a fan of both competitors. It just feels like all of this should’ve happened six months ago.

I think injuries to members of the Judgment Day is what stalled the split, or they were just waiting for WrestleMania season to come around. Either way, this match is a long time coming.

Finn Balor is going to be wrestling in his “Demon” persona for the first time in three years. I don’t think they’re bringing the gimmick back just for him to lose.

About two hours before the show, Raw General Manager Adam Pierce informed Dominik that the match is now a Street Fight. I’m glad. This match needed a stipulation.

Prediction: Finn Balor Wins

CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns
World Heavyweight Championship

These two have a long history, datingback to 2012, when CM Punk brought Roman Reigns to the main roster as a member of The Shield.

The build for this match over the last couple of months hasn’t been smooth. It felt like they had to recalibrate a few times. At one point, the main talking point was Reigns calling Punk old.

In the end, both men acknowledged they are envious of the other.

There is a world in which CM Punk turns heel, somehow, and ends up retaining his championship.

I think the more likely scenario is Roman Reigns wins. The stars – and his Samoan bloodline – have been aligning recently.

Prediction: Roman Reigns Wins

NXT Stand & Deliver (2026) Predictions

Tonight is the biggest night of the year for NXT – WWE’s developmental brand – as Stand & Deliver takes place from St. Louis, Missouri.

Normally, this event takes places on WrestleMania weekend, but it was moved this year because there’s just too much stuff going on around WrestleMania. It’s best that the NXT talent have a night for themselves and aren’t an afterthought.

I like this decision.

Last year, Stand & Deliver started at 1:00 p.m. on the Saturday, just six hours before WrestleMania. It was too much and the focus was not on NXT.

I’m excited for this show! For some talent, it may be their final time in an NXT ring, or the final time headlining an NXT show, as the main roster may come calling their name post-WrestleMania. For others, it’s an opportunity to make a name for themselves, and show that they can carry the brand into the future.

Below are the six matches and my predictions. Enjoy.

NXT Women’s Championship
Jacy Jayne (c) vs. Lola Vice vs. Kendal Grey

I can tell you right now, this is going to be my favourite match of the show.

The growth of Jacy Jayne over the last year has been phenomenal. She went from defeating Stephanie Vaquer for the NXT Women’s Championship, in front of a crowd that sat in stunned silence, to now being a two-time championship and primed for a call-up to the main roster.

She doesn’t have anything left to do in NXT, except to be apart of her faction – Fatal Influence – and its eventual implosion. However, there hasn’t really been any dissension in the ranks, as Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid have been supportive of her. Does that change tonight? It’s wrestling. Never say never.

I think Henley is deserving of a call-up to the main roster, while Reid still has some runway left with NXT. The sky is the limit for her and I expect her to be a main player on NXT after Stand & Deliver.

The NXT Women’s Championship has eluded Lola Vice, thus far. She is more than deserving of it, but like Jayne, I think her immediate future is on the main roster. Her MMA background shines through in every moment and adds realism to her matches.

Kendal Grey is the present and future of the wrestling business. Not just women’s wrestling – all of it.

Grey debuted in 2024 and has skyrocketed to the top in a very short matter of time. She comes from an amateur wrestling background and it shows. She’s a natural. Everything she does in the ring looks clean, purposeful, impactful, and real.

She recently vacated her Evolve Women’s Championship, a title she held for 147 days. I think she could become NXT Women’s Champion tonight and hold the title even longer. It wouldn’t surprise me if she wins tonight and holds the championship for an entire year…or at least until Wren Sinclair turns on her.

The word is out. Kendal Grey is must-see television right now. Could they push her to the main roster right now? Absolutely. Would a healthy reign as NXT Women’s Champion be best for her personal development? Yes. Let her be the face of NXT and be the one that everyone is chasing. She will bring out the best in her opponents, and in doing so, will help develop the next wave of talent.

By the time Grey gets to the main roster, she will have a long resume to prove her legitimacy.

Prediction: Kendal Grey Wins

NXT North American Championship
Myles Borne (c) vs. Johnny Gargano

Johnny Gargano is coming back home to NXT, from SmackDown, where he was affectionately known as “Johnny Wrestling” and “Johnny Takeover”. For weeks, he had been appearing on SmackDown and doing nothing more than laying the prone position, uninspired to do anything.

His wife, Candace LeRae, tried everything to help him, but nothing helped…until she entered him in a gauntlet eliminator match, where the winner would become the number one contender for the NXT North American Championship – a title Gargano has held three times.

I think this matchup is smart, from a booking perspective. Myles Borne has the potential to be a player on the main roster one day, but the men’s division in NXT doesn’t have many established names right now. Having Borne go against an NXT legend like Gargano will not only give Borne “the rub” but it’s an opportunity for him to show that he can hang with main roster talent.

I don’t foresee Gargano going back to NXT full-time, nor do I think it would be wise to take the title off of Borne so quickly.

Prediction: Myles Borne Wins

NXT Tag Team Championship
The Vanity Project (Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes) (c) vs. Los Americanos (Bravo & Rayo)

I like The Vanity Project. The trio of Brad Baylor, Ricky Smokes, and Jackson Drake all have big futures in the WWE. This is merely the beginning.

Maybe I’m the only one, but the Los Americanos gimmick hasn’t won me over yet. Bravo and Rayo are normally on the main roster on RAW, but are booked on the NXT’s biggest show of the year for what I assume are the same reasons as Johnny Gargano being here. They have young talent who they want to match up against seasoned veterans, to see how they perform.

Would I have preferred if an NXT tag team like Hank & Tank had the spot instead? Yes.

Prediction: The Vanity Project Wins

NXT Women’s North American Championship
Tatum Paxley (c) vs. Blake Monroe

A few years ago, I remember WWE veteran Natalya was asked about who impressed her in NXT. The only thing I remember from her response was along the lines of, “Tatum is really good.” I believe she made these comments before Tatum Paxley had changed to her goth persona (if not, it was very early on in that character’s life), where she played with dolls who looked like her opponents. At that time, Tatum wasn’t really on anyone’s radar, but I always remember Natalya saying she was really good.

Over the last year or two, Tatum has proven she is really good. Her character connects with the NXT audience in a way not many do. She is unique and can back everything up with her in-ring work.

Blake Monroe’s “glamorous” persona is the antithesis of Tatum Paxley, which makes this feud fun. Monroe had her first, and only, North American Championship title reign cut short last December when the referee counted to three, even though Monroe was not scheduled to lose to Thea Hail. Monroe didn’t get her shoulder up in time; the referee counted the pin, as they are taught to do in situations like that.

Since then, the title has gone to Izzi Dame and now Tatum Paxley. However, Blake Monroe has stolen the championship from Tatum and will be walking into Stand & Deliver with it in her possession.

I don’t know which way this match goes.

Do they make the booking decision to put the title back on Blake Monroe, who probably would’ve held the championship for the last four months, had she not accidentally lost the title?

Or do they keep the train moving and keep it with Tatum Paxley?

The fact that Monroe is in possession of a “stolen” championship tells me that Tatum will probably win this match. I can already see the end of the match when she’s reunited with her championship.

From a story perspective, where’s the pay off in Monroe arriving with the stolen title and then legitimately winning it? That’s too much good fortune for a heel.

Prediction: Tatum Paxley Wins

Singles Match
Sol Ruca vs. Zaria

This is the classic wrestling feud, where two friends have become bitter enemies because one person (Sol Ruca) was getting all the opportunities and finding success, while the other (Zaria) watched in the shadows and became a cheerleading sidekick, who ultimately got tired of playing second fiddle and decided to do something about it.

I think Zaria needs to win this, otherwise, what was the point in her turning on her friend? If she thought she was better than Sol, but then loses to her, where does that leave her?

I’m predicting that a babyface (good guy) wins the two championship matches tonight, so a win here by Zaria – who is a heel – would set her up nicely to make a run at one of those championships.

From a booking perspective, Sol Ruca has had so much success in NXT; she doesn’t need this win to further pad her resume.

Prediction: Zaria Wins

NXT Championship
Joe Hendry (c) vs. Ethan Page vs. Ricky Saints vs. Tony D’Angelo

Ethan Page and Ricky Saints are on the same side…or are they? While they may be friends, they both want the same thing – the NXT Championship – and that doesn’t sit well with either of them.

I could see Saints and Page getting to a point in this match where they become so preoccupied with one another that they let the opportunity of winning the title slip away.

As for reigning champion, Joe Hendry, I think the main roster is calling his name. He doesn’t have much left to do in NXT, except be a veteran who can act as a stopgap until younger talent develop into main event players.

I think Tony D’Angelo needs to win this match. He’s been in NXT for many years and went through a different gimmick as a mafia boss, only to come out the other side as…something different. He’s had a lot of momentum since returning. Why not let it continue?

D’Angelo has the most to gain from winning the championship.

Prediction: Tony D’Angelo Wins

Elimination Chamber (2026) Predictions

The 16th Elimination Chamber event takes place tonight, live from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. It’s the final major Premium Live Event before WrestleMania 42 in April.

Let’s get to my predictions.

Women’s Elimination Chamber Match
Rhea Ripley vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Kiana James vs. Asuka vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Raquel

The winner of this match will face Jade Cargill at WrestleMania 42 for the WWE Women’s Championship.

Rhea Ripley (along with her partner, Iyo Sky) just lost the tag team championships last night to Nia Jax and Lash Legend (The Irresistible Forces) which, in theory, could free her up to chase after a single’s championship again. I don’t know if that’s the likeliest outcome right now. I could see her and Iyo remaining a tag team at least through WrestleMania.

The only caveat is…Rhea Ripley is one of the biggest stars in the company and WWE likes to have their biggest stars in the biggest matches at WrestleMania. If Rhea wins this match, where does that leave her partner, Iyo Sky? Well, maybe a match with Giulia for the United States Championship.

Tiffany Stratton’s championship reign was ended by Jade Cargill back on November 1. I can’t see them returning to this feud so quickly. It also doesn’t feel like Stratton’s character has a ton of momentum right now. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like she’s due for a change – a heel turn would great.

Kiana James went from being just a valet for Giulia, to being a legitimate threat in the ring. She has improved so much. She was good when she was in NXT, but hadn’t really been given time to shine in the ring on the main roster, until now. She’s not going to win this match, but being included with this group of elite superstars is a win for her. I hope Kiana has a strong showing and even picks up an elimination.

Asuka is always a threat. Her character work over the last year has been top notch. However, I think her place at this year’s WrestleMania will be in a tag team match with Kairi Sane.

Alexa Bliss is in the Chamber, while her tag team partner, Charlotte Flair is not. I think Bliss will be involved in a tag team match at WrestleMania. They’ve been spending so much time building up the women’s tag team division this year, that it truly feels a big multi-team match is upon us.

Raquel is my pick to win this match. Her Judgment Day buddy, Liv Morgan, chose to face Stephanie Vaquer at WrestleMania for the Women’s World Champion, instead of Jade Cargill. However, Liv and Raquel did have a few interactions with Cargill. I think that was meant to slowly set up Raquel vs. Jade at WrestleMania. My theory is one of Liv or Raquel will win a championship at WrestleMania (not both) and the other will be jealous, which will spark a rivalry and ultimately end the Judgment Day.

Prediction: Raquel Wins

Women’s Intercontinental Championship
Becky Lynch (c) vs. AJ Lee

This match has been months in the making and will be taking place in front of AJ Lee’s home crowd. AJ already has two wins over Becky – mixed tag team match and women’s WarGames match – but this is the first time they’ll face each other one-on-one.

It feels like AJ will win and the feud will continue, with a rematch coming at WrestleMania. Becky has been getting more and more frantic lately, as AJ really gets under her skin. Becky doesn’t need a title to stay in desperation mode.

Also, AJ’s husband, CM Punk has a championship match tonight. I can already envision a photo of both of them holding their respective titles.

Prediction: AJ Lee Wins

World Heavyweight Championship
CM Punk (c) vs. Finn Balor

The WrestleMania 42 main event has already been set. It’s CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship. However, Balor has a chance to throw a wrench in those plans.

Do I love when wrenches are thrown in WWE storylines? Yes. Absolutely. But that’s not going to happen here.

Punk and Balor faced off in Ireland (Balor’s home country) and now they’re squaring off in Punk’s hometown to complete the home-and-home series. It’s been good to see Balor back in the title picture and actively going after opportunities. I just don’t see a world in which WWE strays away from Punk vs. Reigns at WrestleMania.

I think Balor’s WrestleMania opponent will ultimately be Dominik Mysterio, but that’s a story for another day.

Prediction: CM Punk Wins

Men’s Elimination Chamber Match
Randy Orton vs. LA Knight vs. Cody Rhodes vs. Logan Paul vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Trick Williams

The winner of this match will face Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

However, regardless of who wins, it feels like we’re headed toward a multi-person match for the championship at WrestleMania. Too many guys are interconnected at this point and Drew is only fuelling the fire by attacking a bunch of them.

Randy Orton is chasing his 15th world championship. Honestly, he could win this match.

LA Knight feels a bit out of the loop when it comes to the championship. Maybe they’ve kept him under the radar on purpose? I’m not sure. I don’t see him winning this match.

Cody Rhodes is on the verge of people getting annoyed with him, I think. My gut tells me the fans are going to turn on him in this match. They’ll still sing his song as he makes his way to the ring, but this match is very babyface heavy. They have to boo someone. I think Rhodes gets the brunt of it. If WWE wants to turn him heel, they’ll have him win the match. Fans would hate it because we don’t want to see Cody vs. Drew again.

Logan Paul is in this match after winning a last-minute qualifying match against Jacob Fatu last night. The match was thrown together after Jey Uso was taken out backstage. Uso qualified for the Chamber on Monday, which wasn’t the original plan. Bronson Reed was scheduled to win the triple threat match, but he tore his bicep and could not finish the match. Paul is in this match because, I’d imagine, the WWE needs a representative from The Vision in the Chamber, so they can play out the “masked man” storyline. Ultimately, I think the real masked man is Seth Rollins and we’ll see him return tonight to screw over Logan Paul.

Je’Von Evans is 21-years-old and one of the most athletic WWE superstars in history. He’s in this match to “get the rub” from the veterans while also showing off his incredible abilities. The Chamber is his playground tonight.

Trick Williams is also new to the main roster and, despite being a heel, is a fan favourite. He has so much charisma. I don’t think he can be a heel for much longer. The fans aren’t going to accept it. If the championship match at WrestleMania is going to have multiple men in it, then Trick Williams might as well win this match and secure his spot. Then it would be easy to loop in Sami Zayn, Jacob Fatu, Randy Orton, and Cody Rhodes.

I really don’t know who is going to win this match. I’m going to rule out LA Knight, Logan Paul, and Je’Von Evans. Cody Rhodes is a tricky one because I truly believe the fans will boo him out of the building if that happens. If Randy Orton wins, the fans will go home happy. If Trick Williams wins, everyone will be ecstatic. Not only do fans like him, but it would be a sign that WWE is willing to do something different.

For that reason…

Prediction: Trick Williams Wins

Before I go, there is also the matter of, “Who is in the crate?” to deal with. For the last couple of weeks, a large crate has appeared on RAW and SmackDown that says, “Do not open until 02/28/26.

I am assuming it is a “who” and not a “what” in the crate.

It could be Seth Rollins, but if he returns, I expect him to be the masked man, so this doesn’t fit.

My out of the box thought is it’s Karrion Kross. His contract expired last year and he was not brought back, but he did have a “tick tock” mantra. That sorta fits with this? I don’t know.

Prediction: Karrion Kross is in the crate