8 New Directions For WWE After Elimination Chamber 2026
4. Roman Reigns Dethroning CM Punk
If Elimination Chamber showed anything, it's that CM Punk's time on top is coming to an end. Physically, he looks close to being spent. Punk's skillset means he can work around his limitations, but he's one more serious injury away from having to hang up the boots. That's not to say he won't have an impact on WWE's product in 2026, but maybe not at the top of the card.
The face to face he had with Roman Reigns on Raw a while back was a good start, but the pair will need a lot more of that to up the ante before reaching Las Vegas. They’ve got roughly 7 weeks of TV to go, and it’s imperative that Reigns shows up a bit more than usual. This is WrestleMania season, for crying out loud.
It's looking more and more likely that Punk will be collateral for the ‘OTC’, and that this could be his final year as a full-timer who's scoring World Titles. Don't be sad when it's over, just be glad that it happened; Punk's return at Survivor Series 2023 and some of the work he's done opposite everyone from Drew McIntyre to Seth Rollins since then has been sparkling despite his injuries.
Another fab feud then match with Roman is surely in the pipeline come 'Mania 42, and it might well deliver some build that saves WWE's road to the big dance. Then, Reigns can take the belt and become the focal point of Raw for the rest of the year. Netflix execs will be delighted by the thought of that.
They're 'Tribal Chief' daft.