What’s Next for the ‘PRINXE’ Following His Elimination Chamber Defeat?
The World Heavyweight Championship match between CM Punk and Finn Bálor at Elimination Chamber 2026 saw the ‘PRINXE’ once again challenge unsuccessfully for another world title. Despite being in a position that could see him rewriting the WrestleMania main event, Punk was able to once again put Bálor down for the three count. Now with an uncertain path on the road to WrestleMania, Bálor will have to find another way to make it on the main card in Las Vegas. WrestleMania season always includes many swerves and unpredictable moments, and Bálor will have to look for one to happen should he want to make it to WrestleMania. What options does Bálor have left with only a couple of weeks left before WWE presents its biggest show of the year?
One of the best scenarios that involves Bálor on the WrestleMania card is in a match against his Judgement Day partner, Dominik Mysterio. Throughout the past few months, tempers have flared within the faction, with claims that Mysterio isn’t able to win matches without receiving aid from his brethren. On the Raw before Elimination Chamber, Bálor told the group that he didn’t want any help from them during his world title match with Punk, while also telling Mysterio that he had to man up and to stop looking for the Judgement Day for help during his title defenses. This made Mysterio upset, but JD McDonagh made sure to calm everyone down. It’s been heavily rumored that someone might end up being kicked out of Judgement Day, and now that Bálor has lost yet another world title opportunity, his time with them might be coming to an end. Should Judgement Day turn on Bálor and kick him out of the clubhouse, it would give Bálor the perfect reason to go after Mysterio and his Intercontinental title. With Bálor now being cheered as a babyface once again, WWE should capitalize on this reaction and let Bálor fly solo once again.
Another route WWE could take with Bálor is to have him force his way into the World Heavyweight title picture, evolving the main event bout between Punk and Roman Reigns into a Triple Threat match. It’s not unusual to see the main event of WrestleMania being changed to another challenger pushing his way into the world title picture. In 2004, despite Chris Benoit already earning a world title match following his 2004 Royal Rumble victory, Shawn Michaels was added to the match due to his years-long feud with Triple H. Although Michaels fought valiantly, it was Benoit who got the upper hand and ended the night hoisting the World Heavyweight title. In 2014, a hostile crowd pushed for Daniel Bryan to be added to the WWE World Heavyweight title match between Randy Orton and Batista. The crowd got their wish, and Bryan was able to join the match and win the world title by the end of the night. Bálor is closing in on 10 years without winning a world title on the main roster, and if WWE believes that the fans might push for him to be added into the main event, then WWE might very well answer the calls and have Bálor be another threat to Punk’s world title reign.
The first two months of 2026 have proved that Bálor deserves a spot on the WrestleMania card. He is someone with a backstory that the fans can easily get behind, and his failures of capturing a world title will have the fans begging to see him succeed this year. His history with Judgement Day can serve as the basis for why he gets a match at WrestleMania, and if booked correctly, could see him become a high commodity throughout 2026. Bálor has earned the right to be displayed on The Grandest Stage of Them All, but what exactly will be his role heading towards Las Vegas?
