CM Punk is gearing up to defend his World Heavyweight Championship in his hometown of Chicago before his WrestleMania 42 headline bout against Royal Rumble victor Roman Reigns. Following Reigns’ victory over Punk on the January 19th WWE Raw in Belfast, Punk is now set to face Finn Balor at the upcoming Elimination Chamber event.
The match was confirmed during Monday’s episode of Raw. Initially, Punk was supposed to be interviewed by Michael Cole after his intense confrontation with Reigns, but Balor interrupted, demanding another title shot at a major live event. General Manager Adam Pearce intervened, explaining that the WrestleMania main event was already finalized and Balor wouldn’t get an immediate rematch.
Punk then made a surprise entrance, clearing the ring of Balor. Balor insisted he would only step into the ring with Punk if the title was on the line. Punk agreed to put his championship at stake either immediately or at Elimination Chamber. After a brief dispute with Pearce, the match was officially set for the February 28 show.
Following the announcement, Balor was removed by security, and Punk told Cole that he wasn’t taking any risks but instead demonstrating that he is a true fighting champion.
Fan Take: This announcement amps up the stakes for Elimination Chamber, giving WWE fans a thrilling prelude to WrestleMania 42. Punk’s willingness to defend his title on the road not only solidifies his champion status but also promises some memorable in-ring action that could shake up the championship landscape.
