Credit: WWE.com

Updated 2021 WWE Elimination Chamber Match Card Predictions

Erik Beaston

Less than two weeks from the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, and the card is conspicuously empty. Not a single match has been announced or even hinted at as WWE continues its much-hyped Road to WrestleMania.

We know from years past there will be two of the PPV's namesake matches, and the undercard will feature some of the more prominent midcard competitors waging war over titles or personal vendettas.

With championship contenders to be determined, this year's Elimination Chamber has the potential to carry more importance than usual.

In preparation for the extravaganza, here's a look at a few of the matches you can expect come February 21.

Women's Elimination Chamber Match

Bianca Belair's victory in the women's Royal Rumble match, and subsequent interaction with Sasha Banks on Friday's SmackDown, effectively confirmed she will challenge The Boss at WrestleMania, leaving WWE to determine who faces Asuka for the Raw women's title.

That will be determined by the women's Elimination Chamber match.

Charlotte Flair, Lacey Evans, Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, and Alexa Bliss seem safe bets given their recent booking trends. The sixth and final competitor should be the runner-up in this year's Rumble, former NXT women's champion Rhea Ripley.

If not Ripley, a wild card like Mandy Rose or Nikki Cross would be a fine and fun addition.

Men's Elimination Chamber Match

Edge has yet to make his choice of champion to face but with the seeds planted for a match with Roman Reigns for the universal title, it would appear Drew McIntyre needs a challenger for the WWE Championship.

We saw Sheamus blast his best friend with a Brogue Kick, effectively jump-starting that program, but The Celtic Warrior will still likely have to earn his way to WrestleMania.

Expect him, Keith Lee, AJ Styles, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, and maybe someone like John Morrison to fill out the field.

A collection of talent like that would make for one of the most interesting Elimination Chamber matches in recent history, especially if WWE can resist the urge to overbook it.

It will probably result in Sheamus cashing his ticket to The Showcase of the Immortals and a hard-hitting battle with his bestie, which would be both the logical and expected outcome.

United States Championship Match: Riddle vs. Bobby Lashley

Riddle has found himself in the crosshairs of The Hurt Business more than a few times in recent months. He has felt the wrath of Bobby Lashley a few times and also knocked off Cedric Alexander, MVP and Shelton Benjamin to earn a United States Championship Match against the All Mighty that has never really happened.

He was attacked and trapped in the Hurt Lock last Monday on Raw and then left in a heap, with his championship aspirations unrealized. That should be the emphasis for one last match between The Original Bro and the titleholder.

What ensues will be a physical battle between two legitimate grapplers. The question becomes whether WWE wants to crown Riddle at Elimination Chamber or try to hold off until WrestleMania.

With so much time between the two events and the storyline unlikely to stretch out any further, the February 21 show feels like the appropriate time to make the switch—if that is the intention in the first place.

SmackDown Women's Championship Match: Sasha Banks vs. Carmella and Reginald

Sasha Banks has repeatedly gotten the best of Carmella and her sommelier, Reginald. She has retained the SmackDown Women's Championship despite their best efforts to steal it from her, with the latest triumph coming at the Royal Rumble.

We have even seen The Boss defeat Reginald in an intergender match.

With Carmella interrupting the back-and-forth between Banks and women's Rumble winner Bianca Belair on Friday, it appears The Princess of Staten Island isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

At Elimination Chamber, Banks will have the opportunity to exorcise Carmella and Reginald from her life and cash her ticket to WrestleMania when she defends against them both in a 2-on-1 Handicap match for the title.

It makes sense, it's just gimmicky enough to attract attention and prevents the company from running the same Banks-Carmella one-on-one match for a third PPV in a row.

   

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