Rhea Ripley secured her spot at WrestleMania 42 by winning the women’s Elimination Chamber match on March 1, 2026. Her triumph in Las Vegas means she will challenge Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship at the event held inside Allegiant Stadium. Ripley’s dominant performance established her as the clear frontrunner in the WrestleMania title pursuit.
Entering the match second to last, Ripley immediately made an impact with aggressive offense targeting Kiana James and Tiffany Stratton, followed by an intense exchange with Alexa Bliss. The crowd responded enthusiastically to Ripley’s presence and moves throughout the contest, marking her as the standout competitor.
Early Eliminations and Key Moments in the Chamber
The first elimination came when Alexa Bliss attempted her signature Sister Abigail on Kiana James but was interrupted by Asuka, who delivered green mist to Bliss’ face. Taking advantage, James rolled Bliss up for the quick pinfall and exit from the match.
THE MIST!Alexa Bliss is the first woman eliminated! pic.twitter.com/xKKiBNn5hs— WWE (@WWE) March 1, 2026
Following Bliss’ departure, both Asuka and Kiana James were eliminated soon after. The arrival of Raquel Rodriguez as the final entrant changed the dynamics drastically. Rodriguez demonstrated her power by delivering spinebuster slams to both Asuka and James, securing a double elimination in one sequence.
Ripley then delivered a decisive spear from the top of a chamber pod to Rodriguez, resulting in Rodriguez’s elimination and narrowing the match to a final showdown between Ripley and Tiffany Stratton.
Decisive Finish Sets the Stage for WrestleMania
In the closing moments, Stratton executed a Swanton Bomb from the top rope and attempted to pin Ripley, who kicked out with determination. The match concluded when Ripley countered Stratton’s top-rope assault by pushing her into a chamber pod. Ripley then pulled Stratton back into the ring, delivered her signature Riptide finisher, and secured the pinfall to win the match.
RHEA RIPLEY IS HEADED TO WRESTLEMANIA 🏌️♀️@RheaRipley_WWE pic.twitter.com/nk4jywxsuk— WWE (@WWE) March 1, 2026
Women’s Championship Picture Clarified Ahead of WrestleMania 42
With Ripley’s victory, WrestleMania 42’s women’s championship matches are fully determined. Earlier this week, Liv Morgan chose to challenge Stephanie Vaquer for the WWE Women’s World Championship on the grand stage after winning the women’s Royal Rumble. Morgan’s decision to face Vaquer instead of defending champion Jade Cargill completes the lineup for the event scheduled to air live on ESPN in the U.S. and Netflix internationally on April 18 and 19.
Context on Other Major WrestleMania Matches
Alongside the women’s title bouts, the men’s championship storyline is also taking shape. Roman Reigns earned his championship opportunity by winning the men’s Royal Rumble and has opted to challenge either Finn Balor or CM Punk for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, depending on the outcome of the Elimination Chamber match. Punk and Balor’s ongoing rivalry added intensity to the build-up, with Balor attacking Punk, which set their title defense match for the Elimination Chamber event.
Rhea Ripley’s win places her at the center of one of WrestleMania 42’s key matches, elevating anticipation for a high-stakes confrontation with Jade Cargill that could define the future of the WWE Women’s Championship.
THE MIST!
Alexa Bliss is the first woman eliminated! pic.twitter.com/xKKiBNn5hs
— WWE (@WWE) March 1, 2026
RHEA RIPLEY IS HEADED TO WRESTLEMANIA 🙌@RheaRipley_WWE pic.twitter.com/nk4jywxsuk
— WWE (@WWE) March 1, 2026
