Is Rhea Ripley destined for title gold at WrestleMania? | WWE Elimination Chamber Recap

Summary

WWE Now – Is Rhea Ripley Destined for Title Gold at WrestleMania? | Elimination Chamber 2026 Recap

Podcast: WWE Now (WWE x Fanatics Podcasts)
Date: March 1, 2026
Hosts: Sam Roberts and Megan Morant
Theme: Recap of the 2026 Elimination Chamber PLE, immediate fallout for WrestleMania, and interviews with Rhea Ripley & AJ Lee.

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers a high-energy, detailed recap of the WWE Elimination Chamber 2026. The hosts break down chaotic title scenes, shocking match results, and set the stage for WrestleMania 42. They dive deep into standout performances, particularly focusing on Rhea Ripley—now the challenger for Jade Cargill at WrestleMania—and AJ Lee, the surprise new Women's Intercontinental Champion. The episode features in-depth conversations with both stars, plus memorable moments like Danhausen's WWE debut and the brewing Punk vs. Roman storyline.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Men's Elimination Chamber: Randy Orton Shocks All

• Surprise Factor: Neither host predicted Randy Orton to win the Chamber (“That’s the most worrisome a viper can ever be.” – Megan, 02:17).
• Match Chaos & Interference:
  • Logan Paul’s heel antics (low blows, roll-ups) antagonize both hosts.
  • Masked men repeatedly invade the chamber; final masked man is revealed as Seth Rollins, who takes out Logan Paul with a stomp.
    • Memorable Moment: “There was something about the way he moved, where it was like, oh, this isn’t just a dude.” – Megan, 06:30
    • “It’s Seth Rollins!” – Both hosts, 07:11
  • Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton are left; Orton capitalizes with a sudden RKO to win.
• Commentary on Authority Figures:
  • Hosts criticize Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce for failing to secure the chamber (“Neither one ... know how to secure an Elimination Chamber. It’s like the Wonka Factory ... only here, everybody comes in.” – Megan, 10:27).
• Ongoing Feuds: Drew McIntyre’s constant interference in Cody’s matches sets up a SmackDown title match between Cody and Drew.
• Randy Orton’s Motivation: It was always about the championship, not Cody. (“It was always about the title.” – Megan, 14:15)

2. Women’s Elimination Chamber: Rhea Ripley’s Redemption

• Match Structure:
  • High praise for Kiana James (“...there was four contestants ... Kiana James was standing tall ... is the future bright for Kiana James?” – Megan’s Co-host, 39:25).
  • Raquel Rodriguez “stack eliminates” Asuka and Kiana.
  • Tiffany Stratton as ironwoman but is defeated in the end.
• Rhea Ripley’s Ascendancy:
  • Ripley wins after a daring cannonball leap from the top of the chamber (“...it’s a little psychotic. ... That’s what’s so dangerous about me sometimes.” – Rhea, 35:04)
  • The win positions her for the dream bout with Jade Cargill at WrestleMania.

🕑 Interview: Rhea Ripley (23:02–37:13)

• On her journey:
  • “I love when people forget because then they’re doubting me. And that’s what I thrive on.” (25:02)
  • “Just because I don’t hold a belt now doesn’t mean I’m not going to hold a belt after WrestleMania.”
• On fighting Jade Cargill:
  • “She can think she’s that bitch ... but she’s not. She’s still new here.” (26:37)
  • “I’m Rhea bloody Ripley, and I’m going to remind her exactly who the hell I am.”
• On women’s division evolution:
  • “Bianca and I used to say it ... You don’t have to leave, but you’re going to have to move over. ... Now the new generation’s here ... I invite it.” (31:34)
• Tag Team Dynamics with IYO SKY: Emotional reflection on their partnership and future.
  • “She’s kind of been the one to pull me out of that dark place where I didn’t trust anyone ... IO being a little ray of sunshine.” (28:31)
• On her Chamber leap:
  • “I don’t really like heights ... but I just know that I wanted to win.” (34:17)

3. AJ Lee: New Women’s Intercontinental Champion

🕑 Interview: AJ Lee (48:18–53:55)

• Return to Singles Gold:
  • “My goal was not to ... I don’t know if I had particular milestone goals. ... This is like, a really pleasant surprise.” (48:34)
  • “Man, these are some sprinkles on top of the sundae right now.”
• Reflecting on Her Legacy:
  • “You plant the seeds to make the world better, but you never get to stick around to appreciate what those seeds grow into ... now you’re a champion.” (50:30)
    • “It warms my heart ... But now I’ve got something. I think maybe a lot of them are going to try and come for it.” (51:04)
  • “I had my first singles match in over a decade. ... If I didn’t give it to [Becky Lynch], I was going to get my ass handed to me.” (52:13)
• Chicago Connection: Both AJ and CM Punk winning titles in their hometown; possible double title in the fridge moment.
  • “There’s some space for ... carbs and cookies and cake and maybe some old pizza. And then possibly the IC title if I’m not sleeping with it tonight.” (53:11)

4. Debuts and Viral Moments

• Danhausen’s WWE Debut:
  • After weeks of speculation (the “crate” mystery), Danhausen emerges with his signature weirdness, curses, and a jar of teeth.
    • “He curses people. ... Danhausen collects teeth.” – Megan, 64:17
  • Hosts are excited by his arrival; note the crowd is uncertain but intrigued.
• CM Punk’s Title Retention:
  • Epic Chicago entrance, introduced by Bulls’ Ray Clay, rocking Blackhawks gear.
    • “That music’s playing. He’s walking out. ... Epic.” – Megan’s Co-host, 67:37
  • Finn Balor fights honorably, shakes Punk’s hand post-match.
• Roman Reigns & CM Punk: Rising Tension
  • Punk throws up the “one,” taunting The Tribal Chief.
    • Roman’s tweet: “Not sure who looked more tired, the crowd or the champion. Enjoy this final month of relevancy.” (70:14)
  • The hosts hype the first Punk vs. Reigns confrontation on Monday Night Raw and the road ahead to WrestleMania.

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “That’s the most worrisome a viper can ever be.” – Megan, on Orton’s unpredictability (02:17)
• “Neither one of those GMs know how to secure an elimination chamber. ... It’s like the Wonka Factory.” – Megan, (10:27)
• “You know, she can think that she’s ... that bitch ... but she’s not. ... I’m Rhea bloody Ripley, and I’m going to remind her who the hell I am.” – Rhea Ripley (26:37)
• “I love when people forget because then they’re doubting me. And that’s what I thrive on.” – Rhea Ripley (25:02)
• “It feels good ... I invite (the next generation) because it means the women’s division is thriving.” – Rhea Ripley (31:34)
• “It’s Seth Rollins!” – Megan’s Co-host, as the masked man unmasks (07:11)
• “He curses people ... and he brings a jar of teeth.” – Megan, on Danhausen’s WWE debut (64:17)
• “There’s some space for ... carbs and cookies and maybe the IC title if I’m not sleeping with it tonight.” – AJ Lee, joking about her post-win celebration (53:11)
• “Not sure who looked more tired, the crowd or the champion. Enjoy this final month of relevancy.” – Roman Reigns’ tweet (70:14)

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Segment Timestamps

• [02:17] Orton’s Chamber win analysis / Logan Paul’s antics / Masked men reveal
• [10:27] Lobbying for better authority control (Aldis & Pearce), ongoing title feud chaos
• [23:02–37:13] Rhea Ripley interview: mental state, journey to singles, facing Jade, tag team with IYO
• [39:25–44:51] Women’s Chamber play-by-play; focus on Kiana James, Raquel, future directions
• [48:18–53:55] AJ Lee interview: title win reaction, legacy, seeds of evolution, Chicago homecoming
• [62:03–65:55] Danhausen’s debut: description, reactions, signature quirks
• [66:40–71:59] CM Punk title defense in Chicago; Roman Reigns’ Twitter shots & setup for feud

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Match Results and Aftermath

• Men’s Chamber: Randy Orton wins and moves to the main event of WrestleMania, but Drew McIntyre/Cody Rhodes drama may change the title picture on SmackDown.
• Women’s Chamber: Rhea Ripley clinches a title match with Jade Cargill at WrestleMania.
• Women’s Intercontinental Title: AJ Lee taps out Becky Lynch, shocking hosts and fans—her first singles championship in a decade.
• CM Punk retains World Heavyweight Championship in his hometown against Finn Balor.
• Danhausen debuts in unforgettable fashion, hinting at wild things to come.

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Tone & Style

High-energy, conversational, with plenty of banter, spontaneous reactions to surprises, and playful trash talk (especially about the “graphics team,” authority figures, and bias over title losses). The interviews with Rhea Ripley and AJ Lee mix introspection, pride, and healthy swagger, matching WWE’s trademark blend of spectacle and real emotion.

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Summary

This recap episode packs in the relentless chaos and drama of the Elimination Chamber, sharp analysis, and vital context leading to WrestleMania 42. With Randy Orton’s shocking win, Rhea Ripley and Jade Cargill poised for a generational clash, and AJ Lee’s triumphant return, fans are treated to major developments, personal insights, and the sense that everyone—champions, challengers, and audience alike—are on a wild, unpredictable ride to Vegas and WrestleMania. Add viral debuts and hot social media beefs (looking at you, Roman and Punk), and the excitement is palpable inside and outside the ring.

Transcript

[Megan]

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[Megan]

one most trusted app based on August 2025 proprietary survey. Over 500,000 new listings every month based on average new for sale and rental listings. July 2024 to June 2025 CM Punk retains the World Heavyweight Championship in Chicago. We have a new women's Intercontinental champion. Rhea Ripley is going to Wrestlemania. Randy Orton wins the chamber. We love that Danhausen, Rhea Ripley and AJ Lee are both going to be on the show. This is the Elimination Chamber recap on WWE now. WWE and Fanatics original production. Oh Megan, there it is. The sign blazing brighter than ever. Because we are on the road more so than we have ever been on the road to WrestleMania 42, the final ple before Wrestlemania is over. The table is set, championship matches announced, titles changed. The Elimination Chamber ple. Noteworthy, to say the least.

[Megan's Co-host]

Without a. Without a doubt. There were surprises. There were tickets punched to Wrestlemania. There was a crate uncrated.

[Megan]

But the biggest news of all, Randy Orton is going to Wrestlemania. This is one that people did not see coming when we did our elimination chamber preview. WWE now. Yep, neither one of us picked Randy. We didn't see it coming. And that's the. That's the. That's the most worrisome a viper can ever be.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah. Because you know what, what happens when he hits his finishing move? What's that Typically.

[Megan]

Out of nowhere, out of nowhere, Randy Orton does it. He wins that elimination chamber match. An elimination chamber match that was up in the air as recently as last night on smackdown with when J USO gets taken out still by somebody who. We don't know who they are, but that slot opens up. We see Jacob Fatu and Logan Paul Compete in the main event of Smackdown. Thanks to Drew McIntyre, it's Jacob Fatou that loses after getting hit with that title. And Logan Paul goes to the elimination chamber. Logan Paul, I mean, honestly, ruining the elimination chamber.

[Rhea Ripley]

Yeah.

[Megan's Co-host]

There was a few moments tonight where I legitimately thought Logan Paul is winning the elimination chamber.

[Megan]

And not happily.

[Megan's Co-host]

No. With each elimination that he picked up, I was. I was getting madder and madder and madder. And I think you felt the same.

[Megan]

Yeah. I mean, yeah. Dejected, almost.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah.

[Megan]

Like giving up hope. Logan Paul comes in. It was a beautiful thing. He got beat up by Trick Williams and Javon Evans and Cody Rhodes all at the same time. But first it was eliminating Javon Evans.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yes.

[Megan]

Then it was taking advantage. Oh. Then it was the low blow to La Knight.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yes.

[Megan]

And the roll up that took out La Knight. So right there you have two dark horses that people walked into this elimination chamber match wanting to see. They're the first two out.

[Megan's Co-host]

And I felt like Logan Paul ruined it for us because I was excited to see Javon Evans do some crazy things off the chamber. And Logan Paul got rid of him.

[Megan]

Well, yeah, we saw the one big splash off the chamber, but you're right. Before we could see more, Logan Paul did get rid of him. And then, of course, Trick Williams being a victim of that crossroads. But Logan Paul, for whatever reason, stealing the pin, which is the most bizarre thing that I've ever seen in an elimination chamber match.

[Megan's Co-host]

It doesn't matter how many pins you get.

[Megan]

No, no, it's not a scored event. You just have to score the last pin.

[Megan's Co-host]

That's so Logan Paul. Because it's annoying.

[Megan]

It's. Yes, it is. That's. That's. That's a great way to put it. That is a great way to put it. However, Logan Paul. Okay, so. Okay, okay, so Logan Paul taken out of that match, the last, like 3 to 5 of that of this match is absolutely insane. And I implore the wwe, Nick Aldis, Adam Pierce, whoever has to do it, figure out how to get that chambered door shut quicker. It's like the minute somebody exits the chamber, it becomes a free for all. I mean, massive amounts of people just flooding into the elimination chamber that weren't involved in the match. Right. Because we see Trick Williams get eliminated, much to the chagrin of many who were there to watch Trick whoop that Trick.

[Megan's Co-host]

I mean, did you hear the reaction Trick got when he entered the United Center?

[Megan]

No surprise. Whether it's Chicago, whether it's Louisville, whether it's wherever that dude goes. He's a star.

[Megan's Co-host]

And.

[Megan]

And, you know, not one of those stars that I go, gee golly, one day could. Main event WrestleMania. One day, meaning April 18th or 19th of this year.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah. Scrolling through my timeline today, and everybody's

[Megan]

like, you know, trick, right? You know what?

[Megan's Co-host]

Do it.

[Rhea Ripley]

Yeah.

[Megan]

Yep. It didn't happen. And. But then we see one of these masked men show up, right? And the masked man who I just watched on smackdown, a masked man get knocked out. And they unmasked him. And it was just that dude. You're like, oh, okay. I guess that's just that dude. And he gets taken out. And then another masked man shows up, security nabs him.

[Megan's Co-host]

It's just another dude.

[Megan]

It's just a dude. Like, I guess. I mean, the dude looked happy with himself, but just some dude. But while that dude was getting taken out, a third masked man enters the ring, which I would have to imagine they bought these things in bulk, these ski masks and these black hoodies.

[Megan's Co-host]

I mean, how many masked men have we seen in the last six months?

[Megan]

Baker's dozen.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah.

[Megan]

Yeah. So. But the final masked man, I would say, enters the cage, and there was something about the. The chamber. Enters the elimination chamber. And there was something about the way he moved, where it was like, oh, this isn't just a dude. You know what I mean? The way he carried himself. You were like, that's not another just random dude.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah, Particularly. Particularly the way he delivered the Stomp.

[Megan]

Right. Wow. Even the kick. But then you're 100% right. The stomp takes out Logan Paul. I believe it was Cody that went for the COVID One, two, three. Logan Paul's eliminated.

[Megan's Co-host]

It looked so good that there was part of me that goes, could it be? Please be.

[Megan]

I know.

[Megan's Co-host]

I hope it is.

[Megan]

I know.

[Megan's Co-host]

Oh, yes.

[Megan]

Yes.

[Megan's Co-host]

It's Seth Rollins.

[Megan]

And then he rips the mask off, and there he is. Seth Rollins. I mean, the sounds coming from the mouth of Paul Heyman. I mean, just a. Just a. Just emotional diarrhea. Yeah, I think exploding out of Paul Heyman.

[Megan's Co-host]

I mean, the United center is situated on the west side of Chicago. I think they could hear him all the way up in Evanston, Illinois.

[Megan]

Oh, yeah, for sure. Rosemont was getting it.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yes, for sure. I mean, his sounds were echoing. I'm calling them sounds because I don't know how else to describe them. What?

[Megan]

No. Like, everything was going according to plan.

[Megan's Co-host]

Someone needs to check in on Paul.

[Megan]

And by the way, you know what it is, too? It's. Cause Paul's back is up against the Wall because. Cause things are not going to plan for the Vision. You know what I mean? Braun Breaker out of the picture. Bronson Reed out of the picture. Logan Paul finally gets that moment to step up and listen. Say what you want about him, he looks strong in this match. He did step up. And it was like you. You realize that Logan Paul is this guy. Logan Paul's main event at pay per views of Floyd Mayweather. Okay, he knows how to main event a pay per view, but who's going to ruin it? But this masked man. And when the masked man took off his. It was the opposite of your reaction. You were very enthused. You were happy that it was Seth Rollins. Paul Heyman looked like he had seen a ghost. I mean, talk about the chickens coming home to roost. That's what Paul Heyman was going through. He had not planned on this being Seth Rollins at all. Which is ironic because at the Royal Rumble, Paul Heyman was the one guy going, that's Seth Rollins. That's Seth Rollins. And that's almost like that's the look on Paul Heyman's face when he realizes that Paul Heyman was right. And Seth Rollins just looking down. Now, Seth Rollins, I thought was in a very complicated place because while yes, he took out Logan Paul and I'm sure he was happy to cost the Vision this chance to Main Event WrestleMania with Drew McIntyre with the WWE Championship on the line, the reality is he just helped Cody Rhodes.

[Megan's Co-host]

I know. And I was just looking at the tension between Cody and Seth when they're looking back at each other and all of a sudden all these flashbacks are going through my head. I'm thinking of last year at the elimination Chamber when Seth Rollins stomped CM Punk. I'm thinking of when Seth Rollins was Cody Rhodes shield for Cody Rhodes to finish his story. And here he is again. He, here is Seth Rollins. And it looks like Cody Rhodes has the opportunity once again to win the elimination chamber.

[Megan]

Well, I mean, Seth Rollins couldn't have set the table more. But again, now Logan Paul has to leave. Now Seth Rollins is going to leave. And they don't. I mean, I don't know if they have to make the door smaller or if, if, if, you know, I don't know if. I don't know how they do this, but more people just flood in there because now Cody Rhodes is standing up and Drew McIntyre is able to get into this chamber and just. And he said he was going to do it. Yeah, you'd think they'd really be.

[Megan's Co-host]

Of course, I mean, Nick Aldis needs to be on this. You always get on Adam Pierce about how Pierce isn't doing a great job. I think you need to hold Nick Aldis a little bit more accountable, especially when we're talking about Drew McIntyre, because he's been doing whatever the hell he wants.

[Megan]

Well, I mean both, right? What brand does Seth Rollins wrestle for?

[Megan's Co-host]

Raw.

[Megan]

Neither one of those general managers know how to secure an elimination chamber. The whole purpose of the elimination chamber is that those six guys are the only ones in there. Nobody can get in. It's like the Wonka Factory. Nobody ever goes in and nobody ever comes out. Except here. Everybody comes in.

[Megan's Co-host]

I would just like Nick Aldis to keep a better eye, particularly on Drew McIntyre.

[Megan]

Well, I don't know if you had seen the beginning of the post show. I'll tell you about it in a second because he also feels that pressure, I think, on him because Drew gets in, he hits Cody in the back of the head with the title. He's beating up Cody Rhodes right now. Randy Orton's in there. Randy fights Drew McIntyre off, and I'm sitting there going, randy, what are you doing?

[Megan's Co-host]

Why are you helping Cody again?

[Megan]

Let it happen. Like, if you look at this chain of events, the reason that Drew McIntyre is the WWE Champion, he would tell you he was going to get out of the cage regardless. However, the circumstance being what the circumstance was if Jacob Fatu was going to interfere in that match. Jacob Fatu went in and started beating up Drew McIntyre. If Cody had walked out of the cage, he would have gotten the WWE Championship. He would have still been champion today. Cody did not walk out of the cage. He, he interfered and he got Jacob Fatu away from Drew McIntyre. Now, the physicalities on the other end gave Drew McIntyre a chance to escape. As if we hadn't learned from this, we, we go to the Elimination chamber qualifier. Drew McIntyre gets involved. He beats up Jacob Fatu. Like Jacob pointed out, on smackdown, he Claymore Jacob, he Claymore Cody, he didn't Claymore Sami Zayn, but Sami Zayn got involved and it created the distraction that Cody Rhodes needed to hit crossroads. Boom. One, two, three. Now I'm watching this chamber match and Randy is getting involved in business that isn't his. And I'm going, what are you doing, Randy? Now, I did recall that a week ago, Drew McIntyre cost Randy Orton that match with Alistair Black. And I'm sure that doesn't sit well with Randy Orton, but I, I, and I maybe I shouldn't have been concerned, right? Because after he beats up Drew McIntyre, Randy is a 3D chess player. I think he might have done this on purpose. He's beating up Drew McIntyre. But it's just some shots. It's not. You didn't RKO him. No, he didn't go crazy. He just got him off of Cody.

[Megan's Co-host]

Just warming up a little bit.

[Megan]

That's it. Just enough for Cody to hit Drew with Crossroads, which once again, history repeats itself, Provides Randy Orton all that Randy Orton needs to be waiting for. Cody and take his good friend Cody and gently cup his head into his arms and slam him to the ground with an RKO. 1, 2, 3. A situation that I think not a lot of people saw coming. Randy Orton takes advantage of it as he should have. And Randy Orton wins the elimination chamber match.

[Megan's Co-host]

Now, last night on smackdown there was a lot of tension between all six competitors that were in the elimination chamber.

[Megan]

Well, we saw the tension before we even knew it was all six. Right?

[Megan's Co-host]

That's right. Right before it was all. Yes, it was between the five because Logan Paul wasn't in the match yet. Jey USO had just gotten taken out.

[Megan]

But to your point, there's always tension with Logan Paul.

[Megan's Co-host]

That's right. But anyways, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, they exchanged really a tense stare down in a lot of ways. And it brought me back to all of the many, many months that we saw Randy Orton eyeing that title, eyeing that championship on Cody Rhodes and when Cody Rhodes lost the title, I was wondering, is this about Cody or is this about the title? And I think our answer was given to us tonight.

[Megan]

It was always about the title.

[Megan's Co-host]

That Randy Orton, you know, he was able to get the job done.

[Megan]

Yes, he was able to get the job done and pull the trigger. Take one step closer to being the 15 time champion. Now I want to tell you about Nick Aldis but the other thing that I want to tell you about is that pais how you know about pace?

[Megan's Co-host]

No, I don't.

[Megan]

Let me tell you about this. From title belts to smacktacular shorts, WWE Merchant Fanatics is 30% off deals when you use pays, which is a fast, easy online checkout that is offered by banks and credit unions. With pays, your actual card numbers aren't shared with merchants. So you can snag your fanatic swag with added security. Use pays with code pays perks. That's P A Z E P E R k s for 30% off at Fanatics until March 31, 2026. Terms [e-mail] pays promo. So when we start this post show, Randy Orton is you Know, he's out there with the fans, kissing babies, slapping hands because you know, he did his job.

[Megan's Co-host]

He's going to WrestleMania.

[Megan]

He's feeling good about himself.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah.

[Megan]

And he should in the right spot. The championship match. But backstage, Nick Aldis is losing his mind. Nick Aldis blowing a gasket. Nick aldis and Drew McIntyre and Drew sitting there going, like I told you I was going to do this. Nick Aldis has said, this is exactly what I told you not to do, not to do. But from Drew's perspective, it's almost like he's the champ. You know what I mean? He's the guy who's running the show. Did you, you didn't get a chance to see it?

[Megan's Co-host]

No, I didn't.

[Megan]

I think we have it.

[Megan's Co-host]

Okay.

[Megan]

You know what I mean? If we could, if we could share it with you guys. Look at this, look at this. He comes in looking for Drew. Oh, he's fuming, fuming, fuming. I love Drew. What do you mean? What I do? What do you mean? I mean, I would.

[Megan's Co-host]

Well, they're holding Nick Aldis back.

[Megan]

Yeah. I mean it looks like, like if others didn't allow, if I didn't know that Randy Orton was going to wrestlemania to fight Drew McIntyre. I think Nick Aldis was going to wrestlemania to fight Drew Mcintyre. I mean, Nick Aldis has been pushed to the brink.

[Megan's Co-host]

I mean, in Drew's defense, he, he did tell him that he was going to do it.

[Megan]

And in Nick Aldis, that's my truth

[Megan's Co-host]

telling champion right there.

[Megan]

In Nick Aldis's defense, he specifically told him, don't do that, don't do it.

[Megan's Co-host]

And said, I'm not listening.

[Megan]

Well, guess what, guess who said, now we have to. Now we're in a Cody Rhodes measuring contest, to use, you know, terms. Okay. Now we have to figure out who's in charge of the show.

[Megan's Co-host]

And I think Drew won tonight.

[Megan]

He did. Are they playing fafo?

[Megan's Co-host]

I don't know. They are. It's Drew one, Nick Aldis nil.

[Megan]

Drew's got a lot of points in the fafo.

[Megan's Co-host]

Sounds like it.

[Megan]

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Paul Heymon's still not doing well with that. With, by the way. Yes. So it'll be, I mean it's going to be really interesting.

[Megan's Co-host]

Can find a way to come back. That would be. That be unbelievable.

[Megan]

Yeah, I think so. Is that, is that official? Control room. Did, did that just get announced? Okay, it was just announced on the post show. This is crazy. I love that it's all happening. Friday on SmackDown. Cody Rhodes versus Drew McIntyre for the WWE Championship this Friday. I guess it's this Friday on smackdown. Which, I mean, I. That doesn't seem. Look, I guess if it's Randy Orton, what difference does it make to him?

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah.

[Megan]

So we may go to WrestleMania. That's why we don't have a graphic. We don't have a graphic of Drew and Randy. Right. We don't have a graphic. So it's not. Yeah, yeah. Because we don't have. We. I saw the graphic for Ria and Jade. We do not have a graphic for Cody.

[Megan's Co-host]

And I saw the Cody the Punk Roman graphic.

[Megan]

Well, that's beneficial. Yeah. But we don't have a graphic for Drew and Randy, which means it's not official. Official. So Drew, this whole mission, it wasn't necessarily just about making Cody's life difficult. Drew's whole thing was, Cody, you can't have a championship match.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah. Why does he get a rematch?

[Megan]

He should.

[Megan's Co-host]

Because there was no rematch clause.

[Megan]

Well, he probably got. I would imagine. I didn't watch the post show. I was doing this show. But I would imagine it's because Drew McIntyre has interfered in every opportunity that

[Megan's Co-host]

Cody Rice has had because Drew's not following the rules. So why does.

[Megan]

Well, because Drew literally eliminated Cody Rhodes from the Royal Rumble. Drew wasn't in the match. Drew was responsible for Cody Rhodes getting eliminated from the elimination Chamber. Drew wasn't in that match either. So it's like it's. It's one thing to say you don't get a rematch, it's another thing to manipulate the results in every match. So it's almost like you're getting to a point where as champion, you're picking and choosing who your opponents are. Cause you're just interfering in every qualifier.

[Megan's Co-host]

It's.

[Megan]

Yeah, right. So I would imagine that that has to be the thinking that goes in. Because, look, if I'm Paul Heyman, I'm going to try to step up to the plate and see if I can get something for Logan.

[Megan's Co-host]

Paul.

[Megan]

Because there was interference there, too, but it wasn't interference from Drew McIntyre. That, I think, is the egregious thing here. That. And this isn't the first time that Drew interfered in the Royal Rumble match. Drew interfered?

[Megan's Co-host]

Saturday night's main event.

[Megan]

In the Saturday night's main event match. Yeah, but. Yes, yes. I mean, it wasn't a qualifier per se, but he was involved. But he was. He did interfere in the Elimination Chamber qualifier.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yep.

[Megan]

He interfered in the second elimination qualifier with Jacob Fatou last night, and now he's interfered in the elimination chamber match. So that. So I think that that would be where Nick Aldis and honestly, if Nick Aldis doesn't do something, he looks like a bump on a log.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah. At some point, this clause, you just.

[Megan]

What's not even a rematch at this point. It's just like this guy deserves the match because you keep interfering in his matches. You know what I mean? This isn't, this isn't. We're giving him a rematch because he used to be champion. This is. We're giving him a match because you won't let him win matches anymore. You are interfering and going back to Saturday's main event. You're making sure he doesn't win any of his matches.

[Megan's Co-host]

And at some point there's no choice. Right?

[Megan]

You got. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like, it's never going to happen because you keep interfering. Even though I tell you, like, he, he was like, you're not on the show. And Drew's like, well, I'm going to hang out in this luxury box. He go, okay, you can hang out in the luxury box. He just came right down and interfered in the match. You know what I mean? Like, so I would imagine that that is where. That's where Nick Aldis and Cody wants to fight him.

[Megan's Co-host]

I mean, we saw Cody coming out of fight him at the beginning of Smackdown last night.

[Megan]

He's been coming down to smackdown every single week on Could I Please. Everybody wants to fight Drew McIntyre. Jacob wants to fight Drew McIntyre. Cody wants to fight Drew McIntyre. The only one who gets to fight Drew McIntyre is Randy Orton. Well, and now that Nick Aldis has stepped forward and said that on smackdown. So I mean, that's so crazy that the Drew's title reign might not actually make it to WrestleMania. You would think, I mean, one of the. And I guess that wouldn't be unprecedented, but you, you kind of feel like once this ple is over, that's the last ple before WrestleMania. We're kind of set in stone. We're on the road.

[Megan's Co-host]

I mean, you and I sat down to record the preview podcast and we were talking about how we'd probably leave here Saturday night with four graphics of what WrestleMania would look like.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Megan's Co-host]

And we'd feel pretty good about it.

[Megan]

We got three graphics, right? We have, we have Roman Punk. Roman Punk.

[Megan's Co-host]

Ria Jade.

[Megan]

Ria Jade.

[Megan's Co-host]

Do. Have we seen a live Stephanie?

[Megan]

Well, we saw the breaking news graphic. Yeah, that counts enough. So there's three, but we don't have

[Megan's Co-host]

the fourth round of the fourth, and

[Megan]

we're definitely not getting It. They're not going to do a graphic if, like, because.

[Megan's Co-host]

Think of the champion, Right.

[Megan]

Because in. In five days, there's another championship match. So, like, the graphics team is not going to. They're going to go like, well, wait five days. We're making two graphics. We just wait five days and then make a graphic after that. Because otherwise, you know, and it's like, okay, I get that.

[Megan's Co-host]

Well, graphics are a big deal, you know.

[Megan]

Yeah. They're not paid by the hour, you know, so it's like, we're not going to make, you know, infinity graphics. Tell us what the match is, then we'll make the graphics.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah.

[Megan]

You know, and that's why these graphics are so important. That's why I base everything on the graphics, man. Well, there's utter chaos, obviously, coming into the men's elimination chamber match. Nick Aldis is trying to keep everything together. I think we're a little bit more cut and dry with the women's division on smackdown.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yes.

[Megan]

We have a challenger for Jade Cargill's title. Her name is Rhea Ripley, and she joins us on the WWE now elimination chamber recap. Welcome to wwe. Now, fresh off of the elimination chamber, the winner of the 2026 Women's Elimination Chamber match, the woman who is going to WrestleMania to compete for the WWE Women's Championship, Ria Bloody Ripley. Ria, how are you?

[Rhea Ripley]

I'm alive. I'm alive. There's that. I'm feeling great. I really am. Like, as much as my body is not feeling the best right now, mentally, I am feeling awesome. Obviously, going into the match, I was a little bit everywhere because of what happened on smackdown last night with me and Iyo losing our tag team championships. But I feel on top of the world right now. I feel like I did her proud. I feel like I won that one for Iyo, and I just punched my golden ticket to WrestleMania against Jade Cargill, someone who I've never stepped in the ring with. So we'll see how that goes.

[Megan]

Well, have you thought about that as well? I mean, I think that a year ago, or maybe a little more than a year ago, the last time you held a singles women's championship, there was no question about who was on top of the division. You are all of a sudden, you've spent several months as part of a tag team, and that tag team division has been building and building and building, but literally, over the course of 24 hours, I think everybody just woke up and remembered, oh, yeah. Rhea Ripley is the singles wrestler that stood on top of this division. And, and, and a lot of people forgot. Is there, is there a part of you that is ready to return to that type of business?

[Rhea Ripley]

I love when people forget because then they're doubting me. And that's what I thrive on. That's what I've always thrived on. Obviously, I'm still so sad about IO and I losing. Like, I, I was really looking forward to defending our women's tag team championships at WrestleMania. But that doesn't mean that I'm not ready to go into the singles action either. Like, I've always been ready. I've always stayed ready. That's the whole point of being a champion. And just because I don't hold a belt now doesn't mean that I'm not going to hold a belt after WrestleMania.

[Megan]

It's really interesting, your relationship with WrestleMania, I think, because, I mean, last year it was a matter of you trying to win your title back, that you had, had just lost like a month or month and a half before WrestleMania. But in WrestleMania is prior, you can really kind of track your career by WrestleMania. I feel like at WrestleMania 40, it was like, is Rhea Ripley that big match wrestler that can win a match against Becky Lynch? Before that, it's. Is she even ready for WrestleMania? Before that? It's like, it, it, it has always felt to me like a testing ground for you. And in the last several years, you keep passing those tests and passing those tests and passing those tests to the point that I think that you're. You're beyond being tested. Have you thought about. I mean, I know it's only been minutes, but have you thought about what it's gonna feel like going into WrestleMania, not as somebody who is being tested, but as somebody who has graduated to the point that maybe you are the test?

[Rhea Ripley]

I like the way you put that. I do like the way you put that, because Maria bloody Ripley, yes, I am the best. So I think that seeing the two names, Rhea Ripley and Jade Cargill next to each other, that's a big match feel, that's something that people get excited for. But the thing that Jade doesn't realize, and she hasn't really been taking into consideration the last few weeks when she's been coming up and talking crap and just staring me down, is that I am who I am. And yeah, it's going to be a challenge for me because she's new. I've never stepped in the ring with her before. She's obviously strong, she's intimidating, but I don't get intimidated. I really don't. And I don't know if that's smart or stupidity by my part, but I don't really get intimidated by a lot. So I'm going into WrestleMania and she can think that she's, excuse my French, but the top bitch all she wants, and she's that bitch, and she's all that, but, like, she's not. She's still new here, and just because she holds the title doesn't mean that she's walking in any better than I am, because I'm real bloody Ripley, and I'm going to remind her exactly who the hell I am over these past few weeks and over the next few weeks and over WrestleMania weekend, when I put boots to asses and I kick her.

[Megan's Co-host]

But, Ria, I think we're all so excited to see you back in singles action. I mean, the reaction from the audience just when you make your entrance is completely undeniable. But what you and IO sky formed as Rio was really special. So special, in fact, that you sit down with us just minutes after punching your ticket to WrestleMania and you say, I feel like I won that match for IYO tonight. So what is the future for Rio and what's your relationship with IYO sky moving forward?

[Rhea Ripley]

There's always been respect between IO and I. No matter what we're doing and moving forward, the respect will still be there. Obviously, I want to be there for her through whatever she's going through and whatever comes. And I know that she's got my back with everything that's going to be coming in my direction as well with smackdown and. And Jade. But I also. I can't. I can't read the future. Obviously, the tag team stuff might have to be put on hold for a little bit, but whatever she's doing, I'm still going to be there for her, and vice versa. I don't know. It's. It's kind of sad to think about because I feel like EO's kind of been in my life here in the WWE over the past, like, what, year and a half, we've been pretty much inseparable. Whether we've been facing each other or we've been tagging together just, like, growing that bond. I've seen her family betray her. She's seen my family betray me. And we've been there and we've helped each other through everything. And she's kind of been the one to pull me out of that dark place where I don't. I didn't trust anyone. Like, I didn't think that friends were real. I didn't think that I could form a bond with anyone and trust anyone. And then there's IO being a little ray of sunshine that you just can't help but to love. And, yeah, it's gonna be weird. It's gonna be very, very weird. I can't tell exactly what's gonna happen, but if she ever needs me, I'm gonna be there, and vice versa. I know she's got my back through thick and thin.

[Megan]

When you look at who was in that chamber match tonight and you look at what the women's division looks like right now and how strong and how deep this division is, I think one of the reasons is that you have people in that chamber match that were on the main roster before you, like Alexa Bliss. You have people that were came up around the same time as you, and you have people that have come up since you've kind of established yourself on the main roster as the top person, like a Keanu James. You were in the ring with Lash legend last night, and she got. She got a pin over you. What is it like for you right now? Who I feel like within the last year and a half, like you were just saying, is when I think that you fully established that you're the top Superstar in the division, and then an entirely new generation came right under you and said, nope, it's our time now. Just as you kind of sink your teeth into it and go, I did it. You have no time on top before this next division, this next generation comes in and goes, we're here for the top spot. For you to now already be in that position where you're an established Superstar and you could say Jade Cargill, too, that is defending that spot that you had to work to get. How does it feel?

[Rhea Ripley]

Honestly, it might be weird, but it feels good. It feels really good. I always love a challenge. That's why I'm here in the wwe. I challenge myself every step of the way, and I made it here, so why not invite some more challenges? I'm always here for a battle. I'm always here for the brutality. I'm here for a fair fight, but a real fight. You know, And Bianca and I used to say it when we were coming up, I might have stolen it from her, but, you know, I'm going to claim it as well. You don't have to leave, but you're going to have to move over. And I remember us saying that to the four Horsewomen, and now we're in that spot because we did take over. They might have moved over A little bit, but we've kind of taken over and now the new generation's here and they're knocking at the door and they're scratching it and pushing it and punching it open. And I invite it. I invite it because it means that the women's division is thriving. It means that we get bigger matches, more intense matches, and I get to pull out a little bit different moveset here and there, especially with someone like Lash Schlegend. Normally, I'm the bigger person in the ring and it's very, very rare for me to be the smaller person. But with her, she's so incredibly strong. Like, she's. I don't think people give her enough credit because she is an insanely strong woman. Like, last night she put my leg over her head, picked me up to the point that I couldn't even touch the floor with my hands. And I felt like a defenseless little animal. So there's that. But at the same time, I invite that challenge. I thrive in the chaos of people doubting me and I just, I love it. Like, I really do love it. So what do I do? I sit up, I start punching her in the head and I go for a sunset flip, you know, like, it's just what we do. So I'm glad that the newbies are knocking because I'm here to defend my spot at the top and remind everyone exactly who Rhea Ripley is.

[Megan]

I mean, speaking of new move sets tonight, you standing on top of that chamber, I mean, that was like a game changing moment for sure. And like just kind of swantoning into Raquel, that's on the top turnbuckle. It's one thing to envision that before you're going out there and to think like, okay, yeah, that may be something that I do tonight. When you're standing on top of that chamber, which is, I think higher above the top rope than people realize, and I'm sure from your perspective, it was. And you go, you have that here goes nothing moment. What was that like

[Rhea Ripley]

coming from someone who doesn't really like heights and is scared of that falling feeling? I don't know what was going through my mind at that time, but I just know that I wanted to win. So who better but Raquel to flip onto? Because I know that she's not going to want to budge, so it might help me a little bit with the falling situation, but at the end of the day, I'm also going to land on her. So I get a bit of a cushion. So I don't know. It's it's really scary standing on top of the pods. Like, it's. It's literally so much higher than people think, especially when you're standing, because then you're even higher because you're Your height as well, on top of that. So to do something like a cannonball, man, I wasn't really thinking. I was just thinking about winning. And that's what's so dangerous about me. Sometimes.

[Megan]

That is. It's a little psychotic. Speaking of psychotic, actually, that's a good. That's a great transition.

[Megan's Co-host]

I know where you're going with this.

[Megan]

Is there. You know, WrestleMania is now where we're going. And. And there is something about you. You've become one of those superstars that the minute the first note of the music hits, the minute your presence is felt, there's just an instant change in the room. And it's clear that this is. This is what we've paid a ticket to see. And part of that is the. Is the esthetic, is the visual that you provide. And I'm thinking about War Games. I'm thinking about all the amazing looks. Is there any thought of reaching out to Damen Leone and bringing Art the Clown in for a WrestleMania cameo? I mean, it would make my life.

[Rhea Ripley]

It would make my life, too. I would absolutely love that.

[Megan]

Oh, man.

[Rhea Ripley]

Now you got me thinking.

[Megan's Co-host]

It's hard.

[Rhea Ripley]

I was so prepared to communicate with IO and plan a together outfit for us. Now I have free range for myself, and it's like, now I get to be creative on my own and make it something for me. So maybe having Art the Clown there would be really cool. Like, I would love that. Don't tempt me with a good time.

[Reba]

Like, I would like my little serial

[Rhea Ripley]

killer clown to get me revved up, to go out there and be the little serial killer that I want to be.

[Megan]

That's awesome. That's awesome. Well, Ria, congratulations. I'm. I'm so excited to see you go back into WrestleMania, go back into a championship match, get one of those Ria bloody Ripley moments. And, I mean, you're a hundred percent right. And it's something Megan and I have been talking about as we were speculating as to who could win Elimination chamber. Rhea Ripley and Jade Cargill on a poster together. I mean, that is what a giant wrestling match looks like. It is. It's. It's spectacle. That is what a spectacle is. And I'm. I. I can't wait to see it. So congrats.

[Rhea Ripley]

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Megan]

Well, huge thanks to Rhea Ripley. I mean, minutes after winning the elimination Chamber.

[Megan's Co-host]

So awesome.

[Megan]

Sitting down with us here on the Elimination Chamber recap on WWE now. And I've got to tell you, it's a big time. You can celebrate Ria Ripley's Elimination Chamber victory with this official winner's tea, the Ria Ripley. Look at that with the purple on top. The Ria Ripley Elimination Chamber winner's tea is available now on WWE Shop and Fanatics. It looks amazing, by the way. You can also get as much as Nick Aldis is trying to figure everything out. The Randy Orton Elimination Chamber victory T shirt. You can celebrate the. The victory with the official winners T shirt. Look at that. With the Viper and everything on it.

[Megan's Co-host]

So cool.

[Megan]

Available now at WWE Shop and Fanatics. And of course, what a night in Chicago. You can keep the hometown energy going with the exclusive CM Punk Chicago Blackhawks collection, including the signature series Spinner Championship title. Two icons, one city Shop. Now, before it's gone at WWE Shop and Fanatics. That is one cool title. Now, we were just talking to Rhea Ripley about this women's elimination chamber match about the Swanton she pulled, whatever that was. She called it a cannonball. I. It was just. I'm going to throw my body at you.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yes.

[Megan]

Off this chamber. Great chamber match for the women. I thought Keanu James looked incredible.

[Megan's Co-host]

Oh, what a match for Keanu James.

[Megan]

Yes.

[Megan's Co-host]

Starting off with. With Tiffany Stratton. And there was one point where there were. There was four contestants in the elimination chamber and Kiana James was standing tall and there was just three bodies scattered beside her. And they were all bodies of former champions in Tiffany Stratton, in Alexa Bliss, and in Asuka. And I thought, wow, is the future bright for Kiana James?

[Megan]

Yes, absolutely. You wonder what the future's going to be like for the Kabuki warriors. For Alexa Bliss, for Charlotte. Alexa Bliss eliminated first. I guess Charlotte can stop eating ice cream. She doesn't have to worry about Alexa Bliss going to Wrestlemania.

[Megan's Co-host]

She did seem a little worried. She said she was fine.

[Megan]

She said she was okay.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah. But as Wade Barrett told us, when a woman says they're fine, they're never fine.

[Megan]

I assure you, they are not. Which has been my experience, too, but I will sign. Oh, boy. Alexa Bliss got misted and eliminated first from the elimination chamber, which I thought was a surprise. I thought Raquel Rodriguez was a real standout in this match. A Tahana bomb stacking up. Oscar on top of Kiana James after Kiana got smashed through a chamber.

[Megan's Co-host]

How about that?

[Megan]

Stack elimination to pin them both at the same time.

[Megan's Co-host]

I was like, is this WrestleMania 37?

[Megan]

Whoa, whoa.

[Megan's Co-host]

Come on.

[Megan]

We're not going to start comparing people to the tribal chief. Okay, all right. Okay. I mean, like, let's.

[Megan's Co-host]

That's my big sexy over there.

[Megan]

No, no, no. She's big sexy for sure. We love Raquel. We love Rael. But let's not start comparing people to tribal chief. Okay? These are things we can.

[Megan's Co-host]

I haven't seen a stack since then, and I got all kinds of excited.

[Megan]

Okay, what's an exciting thing? But we. We don't. Okay, that's a different thing.

[Megan's Co-host]

Okay, okay.

[Megan]

That's a totally different thing. And by the way, Roman Reigns had his own statements to make about. We're going to get to this show. We will get to that. We will absolutely get to that. However, it was not after the. After. After Ria's leap off the. Off the chamber, that was kind of all she wrote for Raquel. And then you ended up with Tiffany Stratton being the iron woman of this match, starting the match and ending the match. But her match was ended in a way that she didn't want it to go. Rhea Ripley wins this thing. And I thought. And I thought it was interesting hearing the discussion with Rhea that even going into this chamber match, it seemed like Rhea Ripley still looked at herself as a tag team wrestler. They lost the tag team championships. Her Neo sky last night on smackdown to Lash Legend and Nia Jax, the irresistible forces looking at Rhea Ripley as she points at that WrestleMania sign. And I was telling you this before, I was saying it on the WWE now podcast. I've seen it everywhere. It just feels right. Yes, it just feels right that Ria Ripley would be in a singles championship match at WrestleMania. And I love Rio, I love the tag team. But when you look at this graphic, which, as I said, is gospel. Jade Cargill and Ria Ripley is a spectacle. It's an attraction. It's. I mean, it's just big.

[Megan's Co-host]

I mean, you think about when Jade Cargill signed with WWE before she even had a match. You see all these different appearances of Jade Cargill. She was down at nxt, she was walking around backstage at raw. She was walking around backstage at smackdown. She was sitting ringside. All of these different interactions that she had, and one of them throughout all of them, you're thinking, oh, I'd love to see Jade Cargill with this person. I'd love to see Jade Cargill with that person. Rhea Ripley and Jade Cargill is a dream match.

[Megan]

It's a what if it was a what if.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah.

[Megan]

And now we're going to find out what if. April 18th or 19th in Las Vegas at WrestleMania. It's a massive match for Jade Cargill. And it's really interesting because she carries herself like she's so above it all, like she's such a superstar. But this is by far the biggest match in Jade Cargill's career.

[Megan's Co-host]

She says she's that.

[Megan]

I know what she says.

[Megan's Co-host]

All right.

[Megan]

And. And for Rhea Ripley, I think we touched on it with her and I think it's probably hard. Like within a 24 hour period, you lose the tag team championship, you win the elimination chamber, you're just trying to get back down to earth. But the reality is that like a lot of other WrestleMania matches for Rhea Ripley either, it's last year where it was really not about Rhea Ripley. It was about iyo. Every year before that has been about Rhea Ripley arriving, arriving on different levels. And that goes all the way to WrestleMania 40, when some would argue that she already was. I mean, she already was the eradicator. She already was Rhea Ripley. But having Becky lynch as that challenge was that kind of last piece of the puzzle for Rhea Ripley. And I don't think that there's been a time that she's walked into WrestleMania like this in a position where she's not coming in to prove herself in any way, shape or form. She's coming in to go. Okay, I spent some time in the tag division, but I just need to remind you guys who I am. You guys seem to have forgotten. You know, a lot of people got very confident in my absence in the singles division. So now it's time to remind you guys who I am.

[Megan's Co-host]

And this is where I belong. And I haven't gotten anywhere.

[Megan]

And it's going to be really interesting because however that match goes, if, if, I mean, I would argue if Jade Cargill beats Rhea Ripley, if Rhea Ripley beats Jade Cargill, if I'm last legend.

[Megan's Co-host]

Oh, she pinned her.

[Megan]

I'm sitting there going, the night before chamber, I pinned Rhea Ripley. Whether I'm a tag team, I'm a tag team champion right now. I'd like to be singles champion as well. I mean, there's a lot of people that are going to be in line for that title. But I can't wait. I can't wait to see what Rhea Ripley and Jade Cargill looks like at WrestleMania.

[Megan's Co-host]

And I mean, you, you heard from Rhea Ripley talking about just the different size of these women on in the division now and going in there with someone Like Lash Legend and how she can do different moves because she's used to being the bigger person. Well, I kept thinking about what is it going to look like when she's in there with Jade Cargill.

[Megan]

That's exactly right. Talk about size, right?

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah.

[Megan]

Yes, yes, absolutely. Listen, that was one of the big moments at Elimination Chamber, as was Randy Orton winning. There were a ton of them. And, you know, captures milestone moments and. And. And viral moments from the biggest events. That, of course, is Tops now. They always do it, you know, before every ple. Tops puts out the. The poster cards. And they did it again for Elimination chamber, the elimination 2026 poster card featuring CM Punk and AJ Lee. Collectors who buy the base card, they will have the chance to receive rainbow foil short prints and even gold super short print, limited to 26 copies. If you're watching on YouTube, there's the gold 1 out of 26 short print that you can get. The card is only available until Monday, March 2nd at 3pm Eastern. So make sure that you get it now. As always, make sure that you're following at Topps on social and sign up for notifications on tops.com so you don't miss the big moment cards coming out of Elimination Chamber. And of course, tune in to WWE now on Tuesday for more card info and graphics. And I gotta tell you, I would be shocked if AJ Lee doesn't have a card or a CM Punk AJ Lee celebration card. We're just talking about Becky Lynch. Big moment for her tonight. Not in a positive way, in any way, shape or form. Becky lynch lost the Intercontinental Championship.

[Megan's Co-host]

And who was the referee?

[Megan]

We'll get there. However.

[Megan's Co-host]

Excuse me. Just excuse me. No, that was for real. I really.

[Megan]

Nobody thinks you were faking it.

[Megan's Co-host]

I wasn't.

[Megan]

I mean, I was just about to throw to an interview. You could have saved yourself the embarrassment.

[Megan's Co-host]

Oh, my gosh. I didn't know where you were going.

[Megan]

And I was about to throw it.

[Megan's Co-host]

If Sam gets any sense that I need to cough, he's gonna continue talking.

[Megan]

Yeah, no, no, no. I was just about to throw. So I'm gonna throw it now. Now that we've seen that. Now that we've seen that. Listen, you know what AJ Lee did right after winning the Intercontinental? AJ Lee. Here's what her schedule was. AJ Lee won the Intercontinental Championship. Then she watched CM Punk retain the World Heavyweight Championship. Then she came right to wwe. Now to break it down with us, welcome to wwe. Now, the new women's Intercontinental Champion, AJ Lee. There it is. There's the title aj, not a set. You have side plates already. Oh, they were ready.

[AJ Lee]

They believed in me.

[Megan]

I mean, listen, me saying that sentence out loud a year ago is not a sentence I thought I would be saying, is it? I mean, you living this reality. Would you have pictured this a year ago?

[AJ Lee]

No, I honestly wouldn't have pictured it a few months ago. My goal was not to. I. I don't know if I had particular, like, milestone goals. I think I was just so excited to come back to this world when it felt really healthy and really safe and really fun and just, like, have a blast and have the time of my life. And I think the really fun part was not having those goals and not being like, I have to do this. I did all the things I wanted to do, and I didn't think I was going to keep adding to the list of accomplishments. And so this is, like, a really pleasant surprise, and I'm very grateful. And, man, these are some sprinkles. And on top of the Sunday right

[Megan]

now, I mean, you know better than anybody what wrestling does to people, especially someone like you, who has loved wrestling as long as you have, and I know that very well and has. Has fought for. To. To achieve the things that you achieved in WWE and obviously continue to achieve. Wrestling has a way of, whether you intend for it or not, sucking you back in. Like, once you. I just put a foot in, I just put a little bit in, and now all of a sudden, you're engulfed again. Are you starting to. Are you starting to feel that a little bit?

[AJ Lee]

I mean, kind of, but I keep being very kind to myself and to my heart and just saying I'm not expecting anything. I'm not gonna plan too far ahead. I'm just going to, like, give every moment my best. And maybe every moment is my last moment, but I'm going to try and make it count. Man, I kind of thought it was just going to come in. We were going to have this fun tag match, and I was going to defend my husband's honor. And I just been having so much fun. Yeah, I keep coming back. We'll see what happens. But this has been so such a blast and just really cool. Really, like, healing in a lot of ways, too.

[Megan's Co-host]

Well, aj, you said something very interesting on the Countdown show with Michael Cole in that sit down interview. And you were talking about the word evolution and how a lot of times you plant the seeds to make the world better, but you never get to stick around to appreciate what those seeds grow into. And now you're actually getting the Rare chance. You planted the seeds in the women's division. Now you're back, the women's division looks entirely different. And you're a champion. So what does it feel like to see all of these seeds grown and you're a part of it?

[AJ Lee]

Surreal, because honestly, you do just hope you know people, everything's better for people who come after you. And you're so. It warms my heart to have seen what they've accomplished, and I feel so lucky to be able to be just in their locker room. But now I've got something. I think maybe a lot of them are going to try and come for it. So I've been, you know, just praising them. They're all so wonderful and so talented. I've been saying I want to get in the ring with them. Might have to now.

[Megan]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. A lot of. A lot of new doors have all of a sudden been open. Like you said, you come back for the tag match. And when you're in a tag match, you know, as physical as it gets and as big a deal as it is, you're looking over there, CM Punk is over there. Seth Rollins is over here. Like there's other things going on. When you go into the War Games match, you have teammates in the War Games match. You had your first singles match tonight in over a decade. How did it feel once you. Once you got into it and you looked around the ring and you realized it was back to. As back to A.J. lee business?

[AJ Lee]

Oh, man, it was a little scary. I'm not gonna lie. It was really great to have the best in the world in the tag and have the best tag teams in the world, another tag and just feel like that support. But I was aw on my own and Becky is no slouch, so I just knew I was going to, you know, if I didn't give it to her, I was going to get my ass handed to me. So it was a little scary. I'm really happy it happened here because what I needed was a little extra support, and Chicago gave me that. So I'm really grateful to Chicago for all of my title wins. Have been here for most of them.

[Megan]

Yeah, I mean, it's a. It's an amazing thing. And your. Your. Your husband was also able to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in Chicago. I remember distinctly CM Punk winning a championship in Chicago and that title going in the fridge. Is there any possibility that tonight we get two championships inside the refrigerator?

[AJ Lee]

You know, I mean, we didn't. We haven't gone food shopping in a minute.

[Megan's Co-host]

You know, it's been a crazy week,

[AJ Lee]

so it is pretty empty. There's some space for lots of carbs and cookies and cake and maybe some old pizza. And then possibly the IC title if I'm not sleeping with it tonight.

[Megan]

I love it. Well, A.J. lee, thank you so much for joining us here on WWE Now. And really, I mean, as a former WWE Divas Champion, congratulations on not only being here to see the women's division in such a prosperous place that there is a Women's Intercontinental title, but now being the Women's Intercontinental Champion.

[AJ Lee]

I mean, who would have thought? Look at us.

[Megan]

Look at us. Not me. Thank you, aj. Thanks to AJ Lee for making the time after winning the Intercontinental Championship at the Elimination Chamber. Making some time to share that moment with us. Are you okay?

[Megan's Co-host]

I'm fine.

[Megan]

Wow. You're about to be a lot better than fine. Because the number one sports fan festival, Fanatics Fest, returns to the Javits center in New York City from July 16th through the 19th. 2026 Fanatics has just announced the return of Fanatics Games. Bringing back its high stakes cross sport competitors from everyday fans that go head to head with some of the biggest name in sports. The 2026 Fanatics Games introduces an expanded format, a $2 million total prize pool and new nationwide qualifying opportunities for fans to compete alongside elite athletes. The inaugural winner, Tom Brady. Yes, that Tom Brady, as well as last year's runner up, UFC fighter Justin Gaethje and reigning fan champion Matt Denish will all be back. Additional athletes joining Brady and Gaethje for a shot at the title include WWE Superstars Rhea Ripley Live Morgan, Cody Rhodes and Jay Uso. Head to Fanatics Fest.com to apply to compete or grab your tickets to Fanatics Fest. You don't want to miss out.

[Megan's Co-host]

We played a big role in that last year.

[Megan]

Huge role. We were judging superstar entrances. That was one of the great games within Fanatics Festival and we did a fabulous job judging. Speaking of doing a fabulous job, AJ Lee soundly beating Becky lynch to win the Intercontinental Championship tonight. Huge night for AJ Lee. So you could congratulate her.

[Megan's Co-host]

I just wonder how she feels about using an exposed turnbuckle to win her first championship back in wwe.

[Megan]

Who exposed it?

[Megan's Co-host]

Becky lynch exposed it.

[Megan]

Who ran into it?

[Megan's Co-host]

Becky lynch ran into it.

[Megan]

Who attempted to hit AJ Lee's head into it?

[Megan's Co-host]

Becky did.

[Megan]

Cool, cool, cool. And so then after she did hit her head on the turnbuckle that she exposed, she found herself for the second time in the match in the Black Widow submission and as she had done twice before. Not tonight. She did do it earlier tonight. But as she had done in the tag team match at Wrestle Palooza, as she had done in the War Games match, Becky lynch taps out to that Black Widow. She knows now once she gets in that thing, she ain't getting out.

[Megan's Co-host]

I don't. I don't even know how Corrupt Car got this assignment. I don't know how this continues to happen.

[Megan]

I mean, she's a standard official.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yeah, but there's clearly a bias and there's some issues.

[Megan]

Well, they let you podcast and you have a bias so bad you could barely swallow.

[Megan's Co-host]

I'm just having. Having a hard time with the fact that Becky lynch is no longer the Women's Intercontinental Champion.

[Megan]

Apparently you're having a physical reaction to it. I am. Can't believe what happened. I know it's hard to say. Say it with me, AJ Lee. Just say it. Say AJ Lee.

[Megan's Co-host]

AJ Lee is. Is my. I'm not saying that.

[Megan]

Our.

[Megan's Co-host]

The. How about the.

[Megan]

The. The new New Women's.

[Megan's Co-host]

Women's.

[Megan]

Let me see if she starts coughing. Guys, make sure the water's ready. Intercontinental.

[Megan's Co-host]

Intercontinental.

[Megan]

Now say Champion. She said it. She said, way to go, Megan. And you got it all out. You are a pro.

[Megan's Co-host]

Tried to get me to say my. She's not mine.

[Megan]

Well, she's the.

[Megan's Co-host]

She is the.

[Megan]

She's the. And she's mine for now. She's mine. She's the. Holding that title up. Who would have thought? Remember you said on the podcast she could not do this. She clearly did do it. AJ Lee, the women's intercontinental champion, after over 10 years gone from singles competition, she's back and she is now a champion headed in to WrestleMania season. Look at that.

[Megan's Co-host]

Why do they got a close up on me? Look.

[Megan]

Look at that.

[Megan's Co-host]

Aj. It's just that two happy winners. Becky is always. She's my forever Intercontinental Champion forever.

[Megan]

She doesn't have a title.

[Megan's Co-host]

Well, she'll get it back from.

[Megan]

I mean, I don't know.

[Megan's Co-host]

I think this is terrible. There's. There's corruption going on in the control room right now. That my single shot.

[Megan]

Are you accusing Corrupt Casey? Corrupt Casey, not Corrupt Casey.

[Megan's Co-host]

Zooming in on my face right now to get my reaction because. Because this, this is actually harassment in the workplace.

[Megan]

You think so?

[Megan's Co-host]

And Becky said that she's going to get her big lawyers. The big rhino is coming after.

[Megan]

Mm hmm.

[Megan's Co-host]

Coming after the WWE and coming after Corrupt Car. Oh, there's her.

[Megan]

Yeah.

[Megan's Co-host]

Like this is Corrupt Casey coming after me right now. Zooming in on my face. Casey, everybody who's watching on YouTube, she's just there.

[Megan]

He's just there to document it.

[Megan's Co-host]

Documenting my misery.

[Megan]

Look at that, look at that, look at that. Now a nice slow zoom out. This is, you know what, the cinema. Cinema right there. That's what they call it. That's what the kids are all calling it, cinema. I mean, you gotta admit, AJ Lee won that match fair and square.

[Megan's Co-host]

Well, I do have to admit she had a lot less ring rust than I anticipated her having.

[Megan]

That's right.

[Megan's Co-host]

I mean, to come in, in all seriousness, into a match with someone as accomplished as Becky lynch, whether she is crashing out, as you say or not, what she's accomplished in this business is completely undeniable. To come in not being a part of this division, 10 years removed from having a singles match in a sold out United center in Chicago and to win the Intercontinental Championship, a title that didn't exist in AJ's era, that's remarkable.

[Megan]

That's right.

[Megan's Co-host]

It's really remarkable.

[Megan]

And it is a state. It really does showcase what AJ Lee was able to do and the foundation that was laid.

[Megan's Co-host]

I'm not happy about it, but it's remarkable.

[Megan]

You looked happy in the closeup.

[Megan's Co-host]

I'm fine.

[Megan]

Okay, okay. Well, I'll tell you, it's fine. WWE Slam. WWE Slam by Tops is offering fans the exclusive chance to collect all the nonstop high stakes action of one of WWE's most dangerous matches. Celebrate the chaos with the WWE Elimination Chamber box set out now. Plus daily releases of Elimination Chamber no Escape Cards featuring Randy Horton, Tiffany Stratton, L.A. knight, Rhea Ripley and more. WWE Slam by Tops is your go to destination to build the ultimate Elimination Chamber digital collection. Download WWE Slam now in the app store and Google Play. And I will tell you, for me, a highlight of the night was a moment that it did sound to me like a lot of WWE fans didn't quite know what to make of it. But I, you know, we were talking, we were, we were, we were, we were texting with the crew all day today talking about guests. I said, you know, I'd love to speak to this guest. I'd love to speak to this guest. I said, what if we could get whoever's in the crate to be on the show? And you know what they said to me? No human being could survive in a crate for two weeks. Sam, that's ridiculous. You fool. You ignorant fool. How could a human being live in the crate for two weeks? What are you, an idiot? I said, I don't think I'm an idiot. I don't think that that was at all necessary. But I suppose I see your point. I feel like somebody could, but maybe, maybe they couldn't. However, could you? I believe that I could. I believe if you gave me a Big Gulp in a bucket, I could survive two weeks in that crate, no problem.

[Megan's Co-host]

You're built different.

[Megan]

I am built different. What I. What. What I loved is that these guys, because they didn't believe they got their comeuppance. Not only was there a man in that crate, but there were about half dozen. There were a dozen, maybe a baker's. There were about 15 people in that crate.

[Megan's Co-host]

And there was a coffin.

[Megan]

There was a coffin and 12 to 15 people inside that crate for the last two weeks just waiting to dance, you see, Nick Aldis. And there was so much speculation as to what and who might be in this crate and what this could mean for the future of WWE and the ramifications that this crate could have. And does Johnny Gargano even know what he was laying down on top of on Smackdown? And then they open this crate, Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce together, and there was. You're right, there was a coffin inside the crate. And then the coffin opens and about a dozen dancing, spooky, face painted girls come out just doing like almost like 1950s Munsters type dance. And then I'm hearing this voice, and he's laughing and he's talking about being very evil. And I go, oh, my God, I know that voice. Tell me it's happening. Tell me it's happening. And then, boom. Danhausen appears for all of us to see. Danhausen makes his impact in the WWE at the elimination Chamber. Ple. There's Danhausen. Tron Graphics. He comes out, he's got Danhausen tights on and a Danhausen cape.

[Megan's Co-host]

The song was amazing.

[Megan]

He's got his own Dan Housen song. I mean, this is a guy who. Who just as he appears here, this isn't some concoction that was created, okay? Just as he appears here. He was a staple of the independent wrestling scene. He has been wrestling everywhere for, I mean, five years or more as Danhausen. And he goes, and you know what he does? This is something that you may not be ready for, Megan. And I think a lot of people in the WWE aren't ready for, and a lot of WWE fans aren't ready for. You know what he does?

[Megan's Co-host]

What?

[Megan]

He curses people. He curses people. And we've never had a superstar in the WWE that can curse people. But Danhausen curses people and I said. I said, will Danhausen have all the accoutrements that I know Danhausen to have if he were to get to the wwe? And you know how I know he does? Because he put a jar of teeth on Michael Cole's desk. And that's. Danhausen collects teeth, you know, and he would bring his. He brings his jar of teeth with him to the ring. They're human teeth that he keeps in a jar. And he'll sometimes. He'll sometimes. He'll sometimes pour them in a wrestler in an opponent's mouth and then kick him and the teeth go flying. I mean, he's got all kinds of very evil tricks up his sleeve, this Danhausen. Now, I think that the WWE audience, that maybe. Maybe they weren't exposed to enough Danhausen coming into this thing, didn't quite know what to make of it. They didn't know how to react to this insane thing that was. They don't. They don't even know how this applies to professional wrestling.

[Megan's Co-host]

Maybe they just don't want to get cursed.

[Megan]

And maybe. Maybe they don't want to get cursed. But there's been. I mean, for years now, wherever this guy goes, you know what people do, they love that Danhausen. And I am very much anticipating the mark that Danhausen makes on the wwe. I cannot believe that we saw that pop out of the crate tonight at the Elimination Chamber. What did you make of Danhausen? You're not as familiar. Yes.

[Megan's Co-host]

An absolute spectacle, right? And the way that Danhausen just arrived.

[Megan]

Yes, yes.

[Megan's Co-host]

All of the entourage disappeared right before our eyes.

[Megan]

Lights go out, he's gone. And Michael Cole goes. I don't know what that was. I think he spoke for a lot of people who didn't know, but they will. I believe that everybody will. Now, what we do know, and this is the beauty of professional wrestling. We can have very, very serious. We can have very, very bizarre. We can have a lot. We can have everything. It's a. It's a buffet. And we got very, very poo poo platter. That's right. That's right. And. But it became very real tonight. We got CM Punk versus Finn Balor in Chicago for the World Heavyweight Championship. Of course, CM Punk coming out to the. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. It was awesome.

[Megan's Co-host]

What an entrance. And then Ray Clay, yes.

[Megan]

The PA announcer for the Chicago Bulls, the 90s Chicago Bulls, announcing CM Punk in the United Center.

[Megan's Co-host]

And that's when it really dawned upon me, you know, like, growing up in Chicago, I think of all the Chicago legends, right? Like people who could show up in Chicago and never have to. To buy a beer, if you will, would never have to, you know, pay for a meal. And I think CM Punk, especially after watching that interest night before this, for sure. But I felt like tonight was really special. Right.

[Megan]

Well, what was nice for CM Punk is he never had to buy a beer in Chicago.

[Megan's Co-host]

Well, he's straight edge. But a meal, whatever. But a meal.

[Megan]

You know what I mean? Of course. It's a turn of phrase.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yes, exactly. CM Punk's on. On that list.

[Megan]

Oh, 100%. He's. I mean.

[Megan's Co-host]

I mean, that music's playing. He's walking out. Ray Clay, this guy.

[Megan]

Epic.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yes.

[Megan]

And he's wearing Blackhawk Skier, too.

[Megan's Co-host]

The socks that looked like exactly like

[Megan]

the hockey socks on his kick pads. Really, really cool. Just really, really cool stuff. I loved it all. Great match with Finn Balor. Finn Balor even had this moment where he looked to the entryway to consider whether or not he was going to call the judgment day. Michael Cole said on commentary that J.D. mcDonough and Dominic Mysterio were both in the house.

[Megan's Co-host]

Were you a little bummed you didn't get to see Dominic?

[Megan]

I would have loved to have seen Dominic. I thought it was honorable the way Finn Balor hand handled himself, but I would have loved, I always love. I mean, the idea that I would have been able to see Danhausen and Dominic Mysterio on the same show. Dream for you, Dream for me. We did not. Because Finn Balor went the honorable way. And that was good to see, too. Finn Balor losing the match fair and square and shaking hands with CM Punk. After it was all over.

[Megan's Co-host]

Finn Balor did get the better of CM Punk on one coup de gr.

[Megan]

Yes.

[Megan's Co-host]

Next coup de grace.

[Megan]

Kicked out.

[Megan's Co-host]

He kicked out the next coup de grunk. Was able to get the leg up

[Megan]

and then get him into the sharpshooter.

[Megan's Co-host]

Yes.

[Megan]

That was a crazy counter, which for

[Megan's Co-host]

a second, Michael Cole's. Is he putting him in a sharpshooter, right?

[Megan]

Well, because you have to then lift your. Like you have to. Usually you start the sharpshooter in a standing position. To start in a laying down position, you then have to lift your opponent's like, the back half of their body. With you, it's a whole other thing. But Punk pulled it off. Yeah, he did, and it was awesome. Big win for CM Punk. Great to see him celebrating with AJ Lee. Great to see them in the ring together, both champions. I like the handshake. I do wonder how the Judgment Day is going to feel about Finn Balor coming off of that.

[Megan's Co-host]

What did you think about CM Punk putting the one up?

[Megan]

Wow. Okay, now we're taking shots. I. I got excited Cause we're taking shots. I thought it was disrespectful. I didn't love it. I don't know why AJ Lee has to put her one up too. That's a little disrespectful as well. But I said, okay, all right, CM Punk. And, and, and I mean, the idea that he would come off of an epic confrontation like that and have the presence of mind to be like, I know exactly what's next. I'm ready for it. CM Punk putting the one up. I said, that's a little. A little far, isn't it, CM Punk? And then I went on Twitter and I said, huh, I guess CM Punk didn't go too far after all.

[Megan's Co-host]

Well, it's funny because I opened up Twitter and I see this tweet, and I said, oh, no, that has to be a fake account that didn't go out. So then I actually search Roman Reigns. Pull it up. Sure enough, this is indeed the tweet that Roman Reigns himself tweeted.

[Megan]

Yeah, Roman Reigns was watching the elimination chamber at home, watching CM Punk and Finn Balor.

[Megan's Co-host]

And by the way, I'd love to see a setup.

[Megan]

Oh, I'm sure it's amazing. Many different monitors, full on surround sound. It's probably great. I would love to see the Roman Reigns tweet. I don't wanna paraphrase this at all. Okay, this is tough. This is tough. Utter savagery on the Internet, Roman Reigns tweeted. Not sure who looked more tired, the crowd or the champion. Enjoy this final month of relevancy. Every word of that is biting. I mean, all of it. The idea that, like, it's one thing to say you look tired, it's another thing to say the audience looked unenthused by your performance in your hometown. In your hometown. And still a third to claim this is going to be it for your relevancy. I mean, if this is where we're starting on Twitter while the match is happening. And the realization sank into me immediately, which is on Monday Night Raw. This Monday, Roman Reigns is there.

[Megan's Co-host]

He's back.

[Megan]

We've gotten the Roman Punk confrontation. That first one, which fueled me for two weeks, that's all I was thinking about. At least all I was thinking about. I'm choosing you because I hate you. I've always hated you. And I go, this I want to see this right now.

[Megan's Co-host]

Oh, when he was talking about back at War Games, walking up the ramp, something that I didn't even notice.

[Megan]

It wasn't on television. How could you notice it?

[Megan's Co-host]

Going back to look at the pictures of it going back to see. Oh, my gosh, that did tick him off.

[Megan]

Everything's up here. Everything's up here. He's talking about podcasts from a decade ago. Everything is here.

[Megan's Co-host]

Punk. The nerve to just go up there and throw the one up.

[Megan]

Well, Punk is not a guy who's sitting there going like, oh, gee golly, maybe I disrespected Roman Reigns. This is who CM Punk is. I don't know how many people need to do history on CM Punk, but CM Punk is the type of guy that if you push him or you give him a reason to have a chip on his shoulder, he's as dangerous as he could possibly be. I mean, CM Punk is the perfect guy to be in this scenario. Cause he's not going to be in. Especially at this state in his career. He's not going to be intimidated or back down an ounce. I mean, this is going to be two alpha animals just attacking each other for the next, what is it, six weeks? Five weeks? Six weeks?

[Megan's Co-host]

Six, seven.

[Megan]

Could be six. Seven. Until WrestleMania. I can't wait. I can't wait to see what happens on Monday Night Raw following Elimination Chamber. Of course, we will be here to recap it on WWE now. So make sure you're subscribed across all audio platforms. Make sure you're leaving comments and hitting like on YouTube, and we'll see you late night Monday after Raw for more WWE now.