As WWE rolls ever forward toward Elimination Chamber: Chicago on February 28 and ultimately WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, tonight’s Monday Night RAW from the Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio promises to be a pivotal night on the red brand. Last week’s explosive finish — where Roman Reigns, after winning the 2026 Royal Rumble, chose to challenge WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk at WrestleMania — has set the tone for the next seven weeks of WWE storytelling. With Elimination Chamber qualifier matches set to begin in earnest on RAW following the first two qualifiers (Randy Orton for the men’s Chamber and Tiffany Stratton for the women’s from SmackDown), tonight represents the first real building block toward the Feb. 28 premium live event.

But looming over WWE’s road plans is a serious real-world development: rising star Bron Breakker has undergone surgery for a serious hernia injury, casting uncertainty over his WrestleMania trajectory — a report first credibly documented by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer and widely confirmed across multiple wrestling news outlets. 

Here is everything advertised for tonight’s show

• Jey Uso & Jimmy Uso (c) vs. Otis & Akira Tozawa (WWE World Tag Team Championship)

• Elimination Chamber Qualifying Matches

• Nattie vs. Maxxine Dupri

Road to Elimination Chamber & WrestleMania

Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk — A WrestleMania 42 Mega Main Event

The overarching narrative that frames tonight is the fallout from last week’s RAW where Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns confronted CM Punk and, after a heated exchange, officially selected Punk as his WrestleMania opponent for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. This choice effectively locks in the main event for April’s WrestleMania 42 as Reigns vs. Punk, with the Elimination Chamber event’s key stakes tied to other title implications. 

Reigns’ decision rewrote the early WrestleMania landscape: it cemented Punk in the top spot on the red brand’s marquee, stoked fuel on a long-burning rivalry filled with personal animosity and credibility arguments, and has pushed the rest of the roster into position battles over Chamber slots. The implications ripple across the card tonight and in weeks to come.

Elimination Chamber Qualifiers Begin Tonight

Elimination Chamber qualifying matches — both men’s and women’s — kick off in force on RAW tonight ahead of the Feb. 28 event in Chicago’s United Center, where qualifiers help determine the final entrants in both Chamber bouts. The first women’s qualifier was already secured on SmackDown by Tiffany Stratton, and Randy Orton clinched the first men’s spot. Tonight’s episode officially resumes these qualifier matches, although lineups have not yet been fully revealed. 

These qualifying bouts are crucial for wrestlers vying to secure a path not only to Elimination Chamber victories but ultimately to WrestleMania title matches, with the women’s Rumble winner Liv Morgan still deliberating her WrestleMania challenger and the men’s side feeding into contenders for the now disjoined world titles.

World Tag Team Championship: Usos vs. Alpha Academy

One of the most concrete announced matchups sees The Usos defending the WWE World Tag Team Titles against Alpha Academy (Otis & Akira Tozawa). Otis and Tozawa earned their shot by emerging victorious in a multi-team battle to determine No. 1 contenders, giving them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity against arguably the most decorated tag team in modern WWE history. A title defense tonight keeps the Usos relevant on the WrestleMania trail and strengthens the tag division’s competitive credibility. 

Nattie vs. Maxxine Dupri: Personal Stakes & Momentum

In a personal grudge match, Nattie collides with Maxxine Dupri, whose storyline centers on revenge against her former mentor and the emotional fallout of being betrayed and costing key opportunities. This singles contest is as much about personal pride and momentum as it is about winning momentum leading out of Elimination Chamber — particularly given Nattie’s positioning in the broader women’s division. 

Bron Breakker Injury: Serious Setback on Road to WrestleMania

Amid in-ring storylines, a real-world health development threatens a major WWE plan. Bron Breakker, a rising star and early WrestleMania contender, reportedly underwent surgery for a “serious hernia.” The initial report by Dave Meltzer via the Wrestling Observer Newsletter was confirmed by multiple wrestling journalism outlets, and while there is currently no official WWE return timeline, the severity and timing of the injury puts Breakker’s WrestleMania status into question. 

Reports from PWInsider and other sites also note that the hernia injury occurred on-camera during a RAW segment — where Breakker flipped over an announce desk in a fiery angle — and that the hernia necessitated immediate surgery, removing him from WWE travel and programming for an undetermined stretch. If his normal recovery timeline holds (commonly 4–6 weeks for hernia repair), there remains a chance he could return in time for WrestleMania 42, but the injury undeniably jeopardizes any plans WWE had to prominently position him in Chicago or Vegas. 

Given WWE’s evolving Juggernaut booking strategy — and external reporting suggesting creative uncertainty and internal criticism around WrestleMania planning — Breakker’s absence may lead to reshaping of key matches or elevation of different stars on the red brand’s marquee. 

Why Tonight Matters

Tonight’s RAW isn’t just another weekly show — it’s the first official chapter in the Elimination Chamber buildup, acting as the foundation for future qualifier matches and major WrestleMania positioning. With Roman Reigns having set main event WrestleMania stakes, and qualifiers determining crucial title match opportunities, every bout and segment on RAW tonight will reverberate through the next six weeks of WWE storytelling.

Expect emerging rivalries, continued tension between Reigns and Punk, advancing Elimination Chamber trajectories, and more episode-defining moments as the red brand charts its course to Chicago and then to Vegas.

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