Finn Balor plans to be the "party pooper" at WWE Elimination Chamber 2026 by beating CM Punk in his hometown. Balor aims to fix his legacy and secure a WrestleMania date with Roman Reigns.
WWE Elimination Chamber: Finn Balor Promises to ‘Rewrite the Narrative’ Against CM Punk in Chicago Showdown (Image Source: X)
WWE Superstar Finn Balor plans to reclaim his top status by challenging CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship this Saturday, February 28, 2026, at the Elimination Chamber PPV. During his appearance on ESPN's SportsCenter, Balor explained that his game plan was to "be the party pooper" by handing Punk his first defeat in his hometown of Chicago.
This bout is a significant rematch after their last meeting in Belfast, where Punk took the win. For Balor, this is more than just a title; it's about "getting rid of the stain" on his career that has remained since his 2016 Universal Title injury, and finally, locking down a WrestleMania main event against Roman Reigns.
Finn Balor opened up about the huge mental burden he has had on him ever since he became the first Universal Champion a whole 10 years ago. He mentioned that the injury he got when winning that title made a "stain" on his career progress that he is still struggling to come back from. While a lot of wrestlers talk about "finishing the story, " Balor was very clear that he wants to "rewrite the narrative".
If WWE needed a feud between now and WrestleMania, Finn Balor vs CM Punk is a great choice.
Balor deserves more anyway and Punk potentially losing his main event spot is an easy sell.
Punk’s also very good at making all his feuds feel really important.
pic.twitter.com/IFFXafdl5K— Simon Miller (@SimonMiller316) February 10, 2026
Balor recognised that his strictness, which was brought into him during his training days in Japan and England, might have been his "Achilles heel" in WWE after all. He confessed to being the senior who "doesn't rock the boat" or "ask questions" most of the time, but he also pointed out that in today's WWE ", the squeaky wheel gets the grease".
Taking on CM Punk in a hostile Chicago crowd, Balor is hinting that he is going to be a more aggressive, self-serving character who will fight for his legacy, which is finally being fixed.
The stakes for Saturday's confrontation at the Elimination Chamber could hardly be higher. It has been made clear that the performance in this match will be the one that Roman Reigns faces at WrestleMania for the World Heavyweight Championship. Balor sees this as a double opportunity for redemption.
One For The Road pic.twitter.com/0sk3jYrNWl
— Finn Bálor (@FinnBalor) February 25, 2026
Balor remembered his last meeting with the "Tribal Chief", a time when he virtually had Reigns defeated, but a "malfunction with the top rope" helped Roman to retain the title. "
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