4 reasons why Roman Reigns is not in the Elimination Chamber match

The Men's Elimination Chamber is loaded with talent. The field contains the ideal mix of established WWE veterans with current stalwarts and rising stars.

John Cena will compete in his illustrious career's final chamber bout. CM Punk is determined to main-event WrestleMania for the first time, and winning the Men's Chamber is his safest bet.

Drew McIntyre also wants another Mania moment. Seth "Freakin" Rollins, in addition to winning the world title, also wants to spoil Punk's dreams. Meanwhile, Damian Priest and Logan Paul are the dark horses out to prove their mettle.

However, there is one glaring omission: Roman Reigns will not compete in the Men's Elimination Chamber match. The OTC needs to reclaim the world title, and entering the chamber would have made complete sense.

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#4. There were no plans for Roman Reigns to win the Men's Elimination Chamber

Despite an underwhelming and unsuccessful 2024, Roman Reigns is still one of the most protected and valuable assets on the main roster. Therefore, WWE is extra cautious with Reigns' booking.

Considering it his last chance, John Cena is expected to win the Men's Chamber and book a date with Cody Rhodes at The Show of Shows for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Hence, there are no plans for Reigns to win and reclaim the world title at Mania.

Therefore, if Reigns were a participant, he would have to take a pinfall or submission because there were no plans for a victory. The loss would have further derailed his momentum.

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#3. The OTC is selling his injuries

After CM Punk simultaneously eliminated Roman Reigns and Seth "Freakin" Rollins from the Men's Royal Rumble, Rollins took advantage of the chaos and unleashed a brutal assault on his former Shield brethren.

Reigns took two skull-shattering Stomps. Rollins first Stomped the OTC's skull at ringside, before engaging in a wild brawl with Punk. The Visionary wasn't finished as he returned to crush Reigns with another Stomp onto the steel steps.

The Wiseman, Paul Heyman, looked in horror as the OTC was obliterated. Reigns was stunned by the assault, and Michael Cole announced on the following RAW that he would be out indefinitely.

Hence, Reigns was kept out of the Elimination Chamber to sell Rollins' brutal assault and build heat for the eventual rivalry.

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#2. Reigns' presence might have over-shadowed other superstars like Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre

The 2025 Men's Royal Rumble received some criticism for the way some stars like Drew McIntyre were handled. McIntyre was one of the favorites to win the Rumble, but he failed to make an impact.

The Scottish Warrior scored no eliminations, and his never-ending hatred for Roman Reigns translated to no meaningful angle. Instead, McIntyre played second-fiddle to bigger stars in the match, like Reigns, John Cena, CM Punk, and Seth Rollins.

If Reigns participated in the Men's Elimination Chamber, the cycle would have been repeated. Many mainstream superstars like Logan Paul and John Cena will already be competing. Adding in another like Reigns would have taken the spotlight away from McIntyre and Damian Priest.

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#1. John Cena is already present as an absent part-timer

John Cena received a free pass into the Men's Elimination Chamber match. CM Punk took issue with the privilege that was granted to Cena as the remaining five participants had to earn their spot.

The 16-time World Champion was absent for the entire buildup to the Men's Chamber match. As a part-timer, Roman Reigns would have also had a lighter schedule if he had participated.

If he hadn't received a free pass and earned his spot, Reigns still wouldn't have been present regularly, relying on Paul Heyman to do the work. This would have further derailed the build.