CM Punk vs Finn Balor; Elimination Chamber qualifiers & other storylines to watch on WWE RAW (February 16, 2026)
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The build towards Elimination Chamber continues.
The February 16 episode of WWE Raw is poised to intensify the build towards the Elimination Chamber, before the go-home show next week. Live from the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee, the show will continue the qualifying matches for the two Chamber matches.
Rhea Ripley, Becky Lynch, CM Punk, Logan Paul, Oba Femi, and Stephanie Vaquer are listed as the featured superstars for the show. Additionally, following her return last week, AJ Lee is set to appear this Monday, ahead of her first singles clash against Becky.
Let us now take a look at the top four key storylines that fans need to watch on the February 16 episode of WWE Raw in Memphis.
4. Elimination Chamber Qualifiers
This Monday, Gunther, Je’Von Evans, and Dominik Mysterio will battle in the fourth qualifiers for the men’s Chamber match. On the other hand, in the women’s Qualifying match, Bayley will lock horns against Asuka and Nattie.
While the men’s Chamber match has some clarity over the favorite, the women’s Chamber match, as well as the World title picture for Mania, remains shrouded in mystery, especially since Liv Morgan, after winning the women’s Royal Rumble, has yet to announce her pick.
Also Read: WWE RAW Preview (February 16, 2026): Match card, start time & where to watch
3. CM Punk vs Finn Balor
During last week, a rematch between CM Punk and Finn Balor for the World Heavyweight title was set for the Elimination Chamber, after Balor hijacked the planned interview featuring Punk.
With his scheduled Mania title defense against Roman Reigns, Punk will now have to shift his focus to take on Balor in Chicago. With reports of Punk retaining, it would be interesting to see how the storyline and the match unfold.
2. Becky Lynch vs AJ Lee
Following her return last week and the announcement of her Elimination Chamber match against Becky Lynch for the Intercontinental Title, AJ Lee is scheduled to appear in Memphis. The appearance will also be after Lynch ambushed her later in the show, when Lee came to Maxxine Dupri’s rescue.
The meeting of the storyline between Dupri and Nattie into the ongoing one with Lee and Lynch has created intrigue among fans, who have been speculating on a tag team match and will have to tune in this Monday to find out more.
1. Masked man
The masked man from the Royal Rumble struck again last week, attacking Austin Theory during the main event, crushing his dream of qualifying for the Chamber match, and helping LA Knight in the process, who secured the third spot in the aforementioned match at the PLE.
It is unclear what the plan is for the masked man in the absence of Bron Breakker, especially since the masked man is anticipated to be revealed as Seth Rollins. However, the attack has once again spoiled the Vision’s plans, and it would be interesting to see how they respond and if Paul Heyman can get them out of this mess.
When and where will this week’s WWE Raw take place?
The February 16, 2026, edition of WWE Raw is set to take place at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee.
Will AJ Lee make an appearance on the show?
Yes, AJ Lee is confirmed for an appearance on the show.
Will Roman Reigns make his return as advertised?
There is no clarity on Reigns’ return after he was pulled from the advertisements for this week’s show, after being advertised earlier.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.