After years spent carving out his spot in WWE, Sami Zayn competed in the most significant match of his pro wrestling career Saturday night in his hometown of Montreal against undisputed WWE universal champion Roman Reigns.

The emotionally fueled contest headlined an Elimination Chamber pay-per-view that served as a key stop on The Road to WrestleMania 39.

Did Zayn do the unthinkable and knock off Reigns to cash his ticket to The Showcase of the Immortals, or did The Tribal Chief ruin the challenger's dream and ensure his historic run lived to see another day?

Find out with this recap of a show that also featured two Elimination Chamber matches and the return to the squared circle of Edge and Beth Phoenix.

Match Card

• Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns (c)
• Men's Elimination Chamber match for United States Championship: Seth Rollins vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Montez Ford vs. Bronson Reed vs. Damian Priest vs. Austin Theory (c)
• Women's Elimination Chamber match for a Shot at the Raw Women's Championship: Asuka vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Liv Morgan vs. Natalya vs. Nikki Cross vs. Carmella
• Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley
• Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Bálor and Rhea Ripley

Women's Elimination Chamber Match for Shot at Raw Women's Championship

Asuka is headed to WrestleMania 39 to challenge Bianca Belair for the Raw Women's Championship after outlasting five other competitors in the women's edition of the Elimination Chamber match.

The face-painted fan favorite survived the cunning resourcefulness of Carmella, the extreme Liv Morgan, the physically dominant Raquel Rodriguez, home-nation hero Natalya and the frenetic energy of Nikki Cross to earn her place at The Showcase of the Immortal and a date with The EST of WWE after missing last year's showpiece.

This was a smartly laid-out match that played to the strengths of the talent involved while properly highlighting the key figures involved. Morgan bumped all over, coming across as a fighter all the way until she passed out while in the clutches of Asuka and Natalya. Rodriguez powered through the opposition, and Carmella outsmarted everyone.

Asuka, though, was unstoppable from the moment she exploded out of her pod and will now return to a stage where some of her greatest disappointments have occurred. She lost her first match in WWE at WrestleMania, dropped tag team gold and gave Rhea Ripley her first win on the grand stage two years ago.

This is a shot at redemption for The Empress of Tomorrow against a woman who has quickly established herself as Ms. WrestleMania. A win completes one of Triple H's great reclamation projects. A loss may strengthen Belair's legacy but begs the question: What was the point of the relaunch of The Empress?

That the outcome of that match is not readily apparent makes it one of the more intriguing on what is shaping up to be an extraordinary card.

Result

Asuka defeated Carmella, Rodriguez, Morgan, Natalya and Cross

Grade

B

Top Moments

• There was a big home pop for Nattie.
• Cross played up that she was afraid of the containment of the pod. She is so good and in command of her character.
• Rodriguez exploded into the match to a surprising pop from a Montreal crowd that was red-hot for everyone at the top of this show.
• Cross jumped off the top of Carmella's pod, wiping out the opposition.
• Rodriguez capitalized on a fallen Cross to score the first elimination of the match. Cross eliminated.
• Morgan delivered a sunset flip powerbomb off of Asuka's pod to Raquel Rodriguez, who stood on the middle rope. Carmella failed to take advantage of the spot, netting only a two-count.
• Natalya and Asuka applied stereo submissions on Morgan until she passed out, eliminating the former SmackDown women's champion. Morgan eliminated.
• Carmella and Asuka worked together to double-pin Rodriguez and eliminate their biggest threat to victory. Rodriguez eliminated.
• Natalya had Asuka in the sharpshooter, but Carmella nails her with a superkick to score the pinfall. Natalya eliminated.
• Asuka tapped Carmella out for the win. Carmella eliminated.

Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley

The rivalry between Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley wrote its latest chapter Saturday night in a hotly anticipated grudge match, all while the dark cloud of Bray Wyatt hung overhead, with a WrestleMania date against him awaiting the victor.

A short battle of explosive heavyweights did not end with one of their signature finishers, though. There were plenty of those, but it was a desperate low blow by The Beast Incarnate that led to a disqualification finish.

Enraged, Lesnar attacked Lashley and referee Chad Patton, leaving both men lying following F-5s onto the commentary table.

The Beast wreaking havoc and leaving carnage in his wake was an interesting follow-up to the finish we got here. Here was a guy in so much trouble in the grasp of Lashley's Hurt Lock that he had to rely on a low blow, yet he was booked moments later to look like a furious and unstoppable badass.

If Triple H and Co. wanted to get us to Lashley vs. Wyatt without having Lesnar eat a pin or submit, maybe don't book the guy whose desperation lost him the match to then look like a dominant monster seconds later.

Looking toward the future, the question now becomes what does The Beast do at WrestleMania 39 because his prospects appear somewhat limited.

Perhaps Triple H revisits that Lesnar-Gunther staredown from the Royal Rumble?

Result

Lashley defeated Lesnar via disqualification

Grade

C+

Top Moments

• Lesnar attacked from the opening bell with an overhead suplex.
• Each competitor traded finishers, as is to be expected in a Lesnar match.
• "It's not about style points," commentator Corey Graves stated as the battle of heavyweights went on.
• After the match, Lesnar took his frustration out on referee Patton.

Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Bálor and Rhea Ripley

Edge and Beth Phoenix settled their rivalry with The Judgment Day Saturday night, defeating women's Rumble winner Rhea Ripley and Finn Bálor in an energetic mixed tag team match.

The heart of the bout doubled as a preview of a Phoenix vs. Ripley bout, with the women doing the majority of the heavy lifting. Edge and Bálor received the tags that ignited the home stretch, which featured some key spots involving Dominik Mysterio.

Despite repeated attempts by the despicable heel to influence the outcome, Phoenix wiped Ripley out with a Glam Slam on the floor and then joined her husband moments later for a Shatter Machine for the pinfall victory on Bálor.

Originally, it felt as though we were heading for a showdown between Bálor and Edge at WrestleMania. Instead, the finish here would suggest that is now off the table.

Phoenix vs. Ripley feels like a match WWE can revisit at any point but unless there is some follow-up Monday night that rehabilitates Bálor's momentum and presents him as a threat to Edge, it would appear they are heading in separate directions following the definitive finish.

Result

Edge and Phoenix defeated Bálor and Ripley

Grade

B

Top Moments

• Edge, like Natalya earlier in the show, got the home-country pop from the Montreal fans.
• Ripley and Phoenix's initial showdown felt like a big match, something expertly built to by the creative team.
• The derogatory chants toward Mysterio were relentless and proof of how well his character has gotten over as a heel with audiences.
• Phoenix delivered a huge superplex to Ripley.
• Edge and Phoenix delivered dueling Edgecators to Ripley and Bálor to a big reaction.
• Ripley used brass knuckles on Edge, but Phoenix broke up a pinfall attempt.
• Phoenix delivered a Glam Slam to Ripley on the floor, taking her out of the equation.
• The Grit Couple used the Shatter Machine to finish Bálor, an ode to friends and impending All Elite Wrestling free agents, Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler of FTR.

Men's Elimination Chamber Match for United States Championship

Austin Theory followed up his 2022 runner-up performance inside the Elimination Chamber by successfully defending his United States Championship inside the structure this year.

It was not without controversy, though.

Late in the match, social media megastar Logan Paul took advantage of an open door to enter the structure and deliver a buckshot lariat to Rollins, followed by a stomp. Theory took advantage, delivering A-Town Down for the successful title defense.

Beyond the obvious setup for Rollins vs. Paul at WrestleMania and another sneaky victory for top Raw heel Theory, this was an extraordinary match that instantly ranked among the best of its kind.

Bronson Reed shook off iffy crowd reactions and benefited from being booked like an unstoppable force. He was dominant, physical and looked like the beast that he was in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Impact Wrestling during his time away.

Damian Priest shined, Johnny Gargano looked like the guy we all know him to be, and Montez Ford shattered any and all expectations.

This was a very NXT-ish Chamber match, with the steady build to big spots and everyone involved having the chance to shine rather than being set dressing for the one or two guys who actually matter.

This was great, gave us a taste of a big WrestleMania match and strengthened the Raw brand through expert booking.

Result

Theory defeated Rollins, Ford, Priest, Gargano and Reed to retain his title

Grade

A+

Top Moments

• Reed powered up Rollins and Gargano for a fallaway slam/Samoan drop combo.
• Ford springboarded into a dropkick on Gargano, who took Reed over with a poisonrana in a scary spot.
• Ford dangled from the ceiling of the structure before dropping into a dive that wiped all of his opponents out.
• Gargano delivered Final Beat, Rollins added a stomp, and Ford delivered a frog splash to send Reed packing. Reed eliminated.
• Gargano delivered a hurricanrana to Rollins, off a pod and onto Theory, Priest and Ford below. 
• Priest delivered the Razor's Edge to Gargano to eliminate him. Gargano eliminated.
• Ford put Priest out with a blockbuster. Priest eliminated.
• Ford tried a frog splash but Theory got his knees up. Rollins delivered a stomp. Theory pinned him to the dismay of the audience. Ford eliminated.
• An injury angle led to the chamber door being left open so Paul could hit the ring, lay Rollins out and set up the finish.

Undisputed WWE Universal Championship: Sami Zayn vs. Roman Reigns

Professional wrestling perfection.

With emotions so incredibly high and expectations through the roof, it would have been easy for WWE to fumble the bag and present a main event that failed Sami Zayn, Roman Reigns, the fans and everyone else who has been involved with the best storyline the company has presented in decades.

Instead, Triple H and his creative team oversaw a match that was simply perfect.

It was a dramatic masterpiece.

Reigns is the master of the near-fall, shooting his shoulder off the mat at the last possible second to maximize the reaction. With the crowd as hot as it was, it only enhanced it.

Then there was the appearance by Jimmy Uso, who blindly helped Reigns and nearly cost Zayn before the resilient challenger kicked out at two.

By the time Jey Uso arrived and refused to hit Zayn with a chair but also would not blast his cousin, the Montreal fans had had all they could handle. An errant kick from Zayn to The Right Hand Man and a spear from Reigns ended the championship aspirations of the hometown hero, but the night was not completely lost.

Kevin Owens appeared, laid out Jimmy and left Reigns for one last Helluva Kick from Zayn, who stood tall in the center of the ring to close out the show.

There will be some who take exception to the fact that Zayn lost, but it was fairly obvious that WWE has planned for Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for WrestleMania 39 and has no intention of changing it. And nor should it.

The story has always been about Zayn and Jey, who started as rivals before developing a friendship that is now in question after the events of the past month.

Their story will define what they do at The Show of Shows, but it will still be eagerly anticipated.

On a night when the weight of the world was on the shoulders of Reigns and Zayn, they delivered an instant classic that will be on many year-end award lists 10 months from now and recapped in "best of" lists for years to come.

That isn't recency talking, nor is it bias to brand or performer. It was pro wrestling excellence, and everyone involved should be extremely proud of what they have accomplished.

Result

Reigns defeated Zayn to retain

Grade

A+

Top Moments

• The emotion accompanying Zayn's entrance was palpable and aided even more so by the presence of his wife at ringside for the momentous contest.
• Reigns taunted Zayn's family, telling his wife: "I just wanted us to work together." 
• Zayn rocked Reigns with a Superman Punch of his own, then followed with the Helluva Kick for one of the closest near-falls you will see. Reigns' last-second kickout is set for GOAT territory after this one.
• Jey appeared and refused to use a steel chair on Zayn, but he ate an errant kick for his troubles.
• The fans' silence after the match reflected their expectations of a Reigns victory but was still telling of just how much they wanted their hero to emerge with the title.
• Owens stepped aside, allowing Zayn to deliver one last strike to Reigns. KO did not stick around, though, conveying the idea of unrepaired issues between the two.