Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s coverage of "SmackDown" on February 27, 2026, coming to you from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky!On the eve of the Elimination Chamber PLE, the participants of the Men's Chamber match will meet in the ring.Although Rhea Ripley will be competing in the Women's Chamber match, tonight she will focus on teaming up with IYO SKY to defend their tag titles against Lash Legend & Nia Jax.A few weeks ago, Solo Sikoa took possession of the lantern belonging to the Wyatt Sicks. Last week, Sikos was hit from behind. Sikoa will face Uncle Howdy one-on-one.Oba Femi has obliterated Kit Wilson twice, but The Miz offered to help him as the self-professed "Locker Room Leader". Femi rebuffed him and now they'll face off in the ring.Following an interaction last week backstage, Jordynne Grace will take on Candice LeRae.
Jey Uso was attacked backstage and loaded into an ambulance. Jacob Fatu yelled at Nick Aldis to find out who did it. Wrestlers and security are talking amongst themselves, trying to figure out what happened. Trick Williams approaches Aldis and says, " one man, four more to go." Je'Von Evans confronts Williams.Drew McIntyre emerges from a stairwell in the crowd and claims he had nothing to do with it, as funny as it is. He has to buy a suite to his own show and "all I want to do is shake up the competition." As champion, he does what he wants, when he wants. Aldis demands McIntrye go to his office because he's got 20 guys who want to rip him apart. Rhodes challenges McIntyre to fight right now. McIntyre said no because it doesn't benefit him. Rhodes said his "entire championship reign has been spent running like a little b****!" As Rhodes said he was going to beat him tomorrow, Orton's music hit.Orton said what happened to Uso sucks, but his only concern is winning the Chamber, beating McIntyre, and becoming 15-time World Champion. As Orton stood face to face with Rhodes, Williams came to the ring. He apologizes for interrupting, but he's the hottest thing going. He shouts out Bruno Mars for shouting him out. Tricky Willy brought his lemon pepper steppers, but he's interrupted by Evans. Evans said he heard him talking crazy, so let's get crazy. He's here to beat Orton as youngest World Champion in WWE history.LA Knight says there's a lot of empty talk and promises. He said they all belong to him and the title belongs to me. Trick cut him off to say his line. Knight asked if he said, "whoop that Trick?" and hit him and they battled to the back. Orton took Evans down with a cutter and stared Rhodes down before leaving.
Sikoa comes to ring, carrying the lantern. Howdy follows.Sikoa points at the lantern and yells something at Howdy before they lock up. Sikoa backs Howdy almost to the corner, when Howdy reverses and sends him into it. Sikoa shoved him and Howdy turned himself upside down in the corner. Sikoa put him in a side headlock and then exchanged blows. Howdy took him down with a shoulder tackle.Sikoa rolled to the outside and hit Howdy with an uppercut when Howdy followed. He hit the ringpost when Howdy moved. Howdy drove it into the ringpost several times before dumping him into the time keeper's area. He then slammed Sikoa into the announce table before putting him back in the ring. Sikoa sent Howdy into the ringpost and he rolled out and crumpled to the floor.After the break, Sikoa landed the Samoan Drop on Howdy. He dug his thumbs in Howdy's neck until Howdy got to his feet and bent Sikoa's thumb back. Howdy forced him into the corner and hit multiple forearms. Sikoa hit a spinning Sikoa Slam before going up top to deliver a splash, only for Howdy to kick out.Winner: Uncle HowdySikoa held his hand up before lowering it and lined up the Sister Abigail. He kissed him and yelled "yeah,yeah, yeah" and ate a Mandible Claw. Sikoa hit a Samoan Spike before hip checking him in the corner. Howdy connected with Sister Abigail for the win. As he was getting the lantern, Talla Tonga hit him with a big boot. He and the MFT left through the crowd with it. The Wyatts arrived, but it was too late.Backstage, Aldis told McIntyre to leave and stay out trouble. Paul Heyman arrived with what's left of The Vision. He wants Logan Paul to replace Bronson Reed. He tried to impress Aldis by flexing his bicep in his face. Aldis said it's convenient that Uso was taken out and he sees the three of them. Aldis said it's an interesting proposition and to let him make some calls.
Fatu comes back and lays out the reasons why he thinks it's McIntyre. He wants to take Uso's spot in the Chamber match. He says he'll solve the McIntyre problem at WrestleMania. Aldis said he'll take it under consideration and has to make some calls.Stratton comes to the ring first. Alba Fyre wheels Chelsea Greene to commentary. Asuka follows, accompanied by Kairi Sane. Asuka addresses the crowd and says since she'll be in the Chamber, Sane is taking her place tonight. As soon as the bell rang, Sane took Stratton down. Stratton goes over the top rope onto Sane. Stratton does two cartwheels, but Sane took her down with a headscissors. Stratton hip checked Sane against the ropes. Sane rolls out and Stratton landed a crossbody. Stratton argued with Asuka and Sane hit her in the back of the head before sending Stratton into the ringpost.After the break, Stratton took Sane down with a clothesline before landing a cartwheel Alabama Slam. Stratton followed with a rolling senton before ascending to the top rope. Sane knocked her down and they battled before Sane landed a double stomp. Sane hit a running elbow in the corner before going up top. Stratton dodged Sane and hit another Alabama Slam and a dropkick. They battle on the apron. Sane reversed a DDT and they both crashed to the floor. Sane put Stratton in the ring and took her down from the top rope. Sane ascended on the opposite side of the ring, but Stratton shoved her down and into Fyre. Stratton and Green argue. Sane dove on Green with Green landing in her wheelchair. Stratton landed a senton and Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win.Winner: Tiffany StrattonAldis finds TheVision in the locker room, instead of his office where he told them to wait. After speaking with Adam Pearce, they decided Paul will get a spot in the Chamber if he can defeat Fatu.
The Miz came to the ring first. Femi followed.Miz tried to get the ref to wait and when he rang the bell, Miz rolled out of the ring and grabbed a mic. He said they didn't need to have a match because no one wanted to see it. Miz said he's feeling the John Cena sized hole in the locker room. Miz said he went after Undertaker and HHH. He wants to take Femi under his wing. "Let me be your Undertaker." Femi said, "you look like a dead man to me." Miz continued to try to talk him out of the match. Femi said he doesn't need to Miz to get them to chant his name before asking the crowd if he should join The Miz and become the Awesome Rulers. Miz tried to walk away and Femi grabbed his wrist and Miz slapped him. Femi hit him with a clothesline. Miz escaped to the apron and pulled Femi's neck over the rope before going up top. Femi hit him in the gut in the midair before hitting him with an elbow. Miz tried a Skull Crushing Finale, but Femi tossed him and landed Fall From Grace for the win.Winner: Oba Femi
Backstage, Carmelo Hayes asked Ilja Dragunov why he isn't in his gear. Dragunov said he's not worthy of a title shot. Hayes told him if he doesn't take this shot, someone else will. Hayes heads to the ring.Matt Cardona answered the challenge.They shake hands and lock up. Cardona gets a pinfall and covers him for two. Hayes flipped him over and pinned his shoulders to the mat briefly. Cardona took him down with a shoulder tackle and again with a dropkick. He pulls Hayes up into a side headlock. Hayes leap frogged him and took him down with a dropkick. Cardona with a neckbreaker. Hayes dumped him to the apron. Cardona pulled the rope down to send Hayes to the apron. Hayes elbowed him in the face, sending Cardona to the floor. Hayes went for a flying elbow, but Cardona moved and Hayes landed on the side of the announce table.After the break, Cardona delivered a boot to Hayes' face in the corner. He grabbed his legs to make him hit his face on the middle turnbuckle. Cardona tossed him across the ropes and hit him with an uppercut, sending him to the floor. He did a baseball side and nailed Hayes in the face. He put Hayes back in the ring, but he pulled Cardona over the middle rope before connecting with a springboard leg drop. Hayes kipped up and landed a few blows on Cardona before taking him down with a springboard. Cardona with another big boot. Hayes connected with La Mistica.Cardona kicked him in the gut. Hayes reversed out of it twice before Cardona landed a double hook powerbomb. Hayes and Cardona battled up top before Cardona landed a hurricanrana and went for a Ruff Ryder. Hayes took him down and pinned him for two. Hayes ascended, but Hayes moved. Cardona landed Ruff Ryder, but Hayes kicked out at 2.5. Hayes rolled him up and Cardona did the same. Hayes hit First 48 for the win.Winner (and still): Carmelo Hayes
LeRae came out first, accompanied by a sad Johnny Gargano. Grace followed.Gargano is lying across the announce desk. Grace immediately sent LeRae to the mat as soon as the bell rang. She continued to take her down and sent her to the corner. LeRae hit her with a back elbow and threw her into the turnbuckle. LeRae with a step up enzuiguri. They exchanged blows. LeRae put her in a rear naked chokehold until Grace got to her feet. They exchanged roll up attempts. LeRae landed a jawbreaker.LeRae went up top and Grace hit her in the face and joined her. Grace with a stalling vertical suplex and a slam before covering her. Grace pulled LeRae up by her hair, but LeRae fought out. LeRae kicked Grace in the face when she noticed Gargano sitting up at the announce table. LeRae suplexed Grace. Gargano starts to leave and LeRae asked what he was doing. Grace hit her with a pump handle suplex for the win.Winner: Jordynne Grace
