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WWE Elimination Chamber 2022 was the final premium live event before WrestleMania 38. The show, which took place in the Jeddah Superdome, had many twists and turns, some with massive implications for the Show of Shows.
Mystery partners were teased, challengers emerged, and a new Champion was crowned. History was made as 12 women competed, the most in the history of a Saudi Arabia premium live event.
Now that the event is in the books, it is time to look ahead to the Biggest Live Event in Sports Entertainment. Only three matches have been made official for the Showcase of Immortals so far, and with less than 45 days to the event, there is still much to be done.
All four World Championships are set to be contested but it is unclear what plans the company has for the Intercontinental and United States Championships. The Tag titles are also in a state of flux at the moment, with clear WrestleMania challengers yet to emerge.
All this, along with the swirling rumors involving Stone Cold Steve Austin and Cody Rhodes, promises an exciting path to the stupendous two-night extravaganza.
Here are five last-minute predictions for the Road to WrestleMania 38:
#5: The Miz enlists Logan Paul as his partner to face the Mysterios at WrestleMania 38
The Miz does not have a WrestleMania 38 opponent yet. The A-List Superstar lost his match at Elimination Chamber against Rey Mysterio. Later on, he claimed in a backstage interview that Mysterio and his son Dominik ganged up on him to effectively make a singles contest a 2-on-1 handicap match.
The Awesome One then teased a mystery partner for the following Monday Night RAW to help him even the odds against the father-son duo. He claimed that this mystery partner was a global superstar. Logan Paul is a worldwide YouTube sensation who often sides with heels when he appears in WWE, so he definitely fits the description. Being an athlete himself, and having a natural flair for turning crowds against him, Paul is a match made in heaven with the Miz.
#4: Rhea Ripley and Austin Theory get big matches at WrestleMania 38
At Elimination Chamber, Austin Theory and Rhea Ripley came just short of punching their tickets to WrestleMania 38. The two young superstars were eliminated last and second last in their respective matches after being prominently featured on TV recently.
The former RAW Women's Champion was the Iron Woman of the gauntlet match to decide the final Chamber entrant, lasting an impressive 44 minutes. Vince McMahon's protege, similarly, went one-on-one with Brock Lesnar, getting in a commendable amount of offense to prove he can hang with the best.
The company seems to have big plans for the two former NXT Superstars, so they are likely to be featured prominently at the Show of Shows. To keep their momentum going, Ripley could face a legend like Lita while Theory may contest for the United States Championship.
#3: Cody Rhodes doesn't show up on the Road to WrestleMania 38
Cody Rhodes is highly expected by the WWE Universe to be at WrestleMania 38. The 2-time Intercontinental Champion, who recently left AEW, is heavily rumored to be on his way back to his former promotion. Fans have already begun to fantasy-book the scenarios in which he could debut, with feuds against the likes of Seth Rollins among the most anticipated.
However, the company is likely to keep the American Nightmare until RAW after WrestleMania, should he sign. This would allow them to conclude the stories they have set up for the Show of Shows and give him some time off. This time could be used to develop content for his character and plan his reintroduction to the WWE Universe, using vignettes to build anticipation for his eventual return.
#2: Kevin Owens brings a legend (or two) out of retirement to defend the Lone Star state at WrestleMania 38
Kevin Owens lost the chance to punch a ticket to WrestleMania 38 when he failed to qualify for the WWE Title Elimination Chamber match. Ever since losing to Austin Theory, the Prize Fighter has sought a path to the Show of Shows. However, his story took a turn on the 14th February episode of RAW when he bashed the state of Texas, where the Showcase of Immortals is set to be held.
Going by the strong rumours of Owens potentially facing Stone Cold Steve Austin, the setup for that match is set to kick into high gear. This buildup could even involve more than one legend. Texan icons such as Shawn Michaels and newly announced Hall Of Fame inductee The Undertaker could fall victim to Owens in the coming weeks, defending the honour of the Lone Star state. This would build anticipation for Austin's return to make the match official finally.
#1: Roman Reigns wins it all at WrestleMania 38
At Elimination Chamber, the stakes for the WrestleMania 38 Men's main event were massively raised. Royal Rumble winner Brock Lesnar won the WWE Title, making his match at the Showcase of Immortals against Universal champion Roman Reigns a Winner-Take-All affair.
The feud between the Beast and the Tribal Chief has been a rollercoaster. It may not even be in its final form, with the addition of Seth Rollins to the match still a possibility.
However, the most likely outcome is Reigns winning both titles at the Showcase of Immortals. This would allow Lesnar to take some time off after a busy WrestleMania season, and enable the Needle Mover to create two new megastars when he eventually does lose each title.
