The Ultimate Underdog, GOAT tag team - 7 stars not featured at Elimination Chamber who should get a WrestleMania 40 push
WrestleMania 40 is only a month away and the card will start to take shape in the next few weeks. The Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event in Perth, Australia had only five contests but still featured a lot of top stars.
Becky Lynch, Drew McIntyre, and Rhea Ripley cemented their spots at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. Even though they did not win, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Randy Orton, LA Knight, and Logan Paul will also likely be featured at The Show of Shows.
Many big names that competed at the Elimination Chamber PLE will be represented in Philadephia. The next seven names who weren't, however, deserve a push towards WrestleMania 40.
#7 Bronson Reed missed out on Elimination Chamber
When it was announced that the Elimination Chamber event would take place in Australia, it was a no-brainer to many that Bronson Reed would be a part of the show. After losing to Bobby Lashley in a qualifying match, however, it didn't come to pass.
Reed has previously challenged Gunther for the Intercontinental Title. It was a good, physical showcase between two of the biggest and strongest stars in WWE.
Since he missed out on a match in his homeland, WWE should give Reed a push leading up to WrestleMania 40. He could fight Gunther in singles action or a multi-person match. However it happens, Reed should be featured.
#6 Andrade returned to WWE at the 2024 Royal Rumble
Naomi returned to WWE in the women's Rumble match and instantly earned a spot in the women's Chamber match. Andrade also returned to the company in the Royal Rumble but is yet to do much more than feature in backstage segments.
He teased his return match on WWE RAW when he briefly spoke with Dominik Mysterio. To make his return feel special, Andrade should be included in a potential multi-person match for the Intercontinental Championship.
If not, he should be used in a featured singles bout or other capacity. Fans know he is a great in-ring technician, so sitting on the sidelines at the biggest time of the year would be a waste of bringing him back.
#5 Kofi Kingston and #4 Xavier Woods have engaged in group warfare
The New Day is one of the most decorated tag teams in wrestling history. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods now represent the faction after Big E's neck injury in 2022.
Kingston and Woods have recently been engaged in brawls with Imperium. They've also battled The Judgment Day and other teams gunning for a tag team title shot.
If there were two sets of tag team titles, then it would be an easy fix to have multiple teams vie for gold. The New Day has been left off the card a few times lately, so they should continue to be featured on the way to WrestleMania 40.
#3 Bron Breakker is the newest member of WWE SmackDown
WWE made a big deal out of Bron Breakker signing with SmackDown. He's currently an NXT Tag Team Champion with Baron Corbin. Despite that, he's joined the main roster.
Since he's been featured heavily across WWE lately, he should get a spot on the card for WrestleMania 40. The spot could be anywhere from a singles match to a tag team bout for the Undisputed Tag Team titles.
Featuring Breakker on SmackDown while holding an NXT title would also get more eyes on NXT for Stand & Deliver. Breakker is being primed for big things, so a spot at WrestleMania 40 so close to his debut would track.
#2 Shinsuke Nakamura reinvented his character in 2023
Shinsuke Nakamura has done masterful work as a heel over the last year. He's tormented Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, and more recently, Sami Zayn.
Despite the nuanced character work, The King of Strong Style has come out on the losing end of all of those feuds. He's looked formidable in sneak attacks but has fallen to the top faces on WWE RAW.
The landscape of WWE might shift following WrestleMania 40, so Nakamura should continue to be spotlighted before, during, and after the event.
#1 Sami Zayn deserves a big spot at WrestleMania 40
Sami Zayn is one of the best WWE stars of all time when it comes to eliciting an emotional response from the fans. It worked when he first debuted and continued during his smug heel turn.
His best work was with and against Kevin Owens and during The Bloodline saga. Through his work as an outsider turned group member, Zayn was able to portray one of the most sympathetic characters in WWE history.
Recently, he's been looking to rekindle that fire he stoked on the way to main-eventing Night One of WrestleMania 39. He lost a few matches but could be headed for the Intercontinental Title match.
Zayn has routinely mentioned being a champion, even if it is a difficult path. After the most recent RAW, Zayn's journey needs to continue on the way to WrestleMania 40.