Roman Reigns Dismisses CM Punk's Elimination Chamber Title Defense

The Tribal Chief calls out the champion's performance ahead of their WrestleMania showdown.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Following CM Punk's successful World Heavyweight Championship defense over Finn Balor at WWE Elimination Chamber, Roman Reigns took to social media to dismiss the champion's performance, saying he looked "more tired" than the crowd. Reigns, who won the 2026 Men's Royal Rumble, is set to challenge Punk for the title at WrestleMania 42 in a highly anticipated main event match.

Why it matters

The rivalry between Reigns and Punk has been building for months, with the two set to clash at the biggest event of the year. Reigns' dismissive comments about Punk's Elimination Chamber match add extra intrigue to their upcoming WrestleMania showdown, as the Tribal Chief appears to be trying to get under the champion's skin ahead of their title fight.

The details

In a 20-minute match at Elimination Chamber, Punk managed to retain his World Heavyweight Championship by defeating Finn Balor. However, Reigns was unimpressed, taking to social media to criticize Punk's performance, saying "Not sure who looked more tired — the crowd or the champion." Reigns also told Punk to "Enjoy this final month of relevancy," hinting that he plans to dethrone the champion at WrestleMania.

  • Punk defeated Balor at WWE Elimination Chamber on March 1, 2026.
  • Reigns made his comments on social media following Punk's title defense.
  • Reigns and Punk are set to main event WrestleMania 42 on April 18-19, 2026.

The players

Roman Reigns

The current WWE Universal Champion, also known as "The Tribal Chief," who won the 2026 Men's Royal Rumble and will challenge Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42.

CM Punk

The reigning WWE World Heavyweight Champion, a 47-year-old veteran who is set to defend his title against Reigns at WrestleMania 42.

Finn Balor

The Irish superstar who challenged Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Elimination Chamber, but was ultimately unsuccessful in his bid to dethrone the champion.

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What they’re saying

“Not sure who looked more tired — the crowd or the champion. Enjoy this final month of relevancy.”

— Roman Reigns (X)

What’s next

Reigns and Punk are set to go head-to-head at WrestleMania 42 on April 18-19, 2026, with the World Heavyweight Championship on the line.

The takeaway

The war of words between Reigns and Punk has intensified ahead of their highly anticipated WrestleMania showdown, with the Tribal Chief dismissing the champion's recent title defense and declaring that Punk's reign is nearing its end. Fans are eagerly awaiting the clash between these two titans at the biggest event of the year.