Seth Rollins Confirms Status For WWE Elimination Chamber 2026

Tomorrow night, WWE will take over the United Center in Chicago for the 2026 Elimination Chamber premium live event, which has two Chamber matches and two title bouts on its card. Not on the advertised lineup is former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, who has stood on the sidelines for months due to a shoulder injury. According to Rollins himself, that will remain the case through Elimination Chamber weekend.

"No, I will not be able to do anything this weekend [at WWE Elimination Chamber], but we're getting close [to a return]," Rollins told "ESPN First Take." "I mean, look, I can move it around. It's not in a sling anymore. It's feeling good. It was in October is when I got surgery, so, you look at the timeline, we're getting close. We're getting close. We're not all the way there, but we're getting close, guys."

Rollins sustained his shoulder injury during a champion vs. champion bout against Cody Rhodes at WWE Crown Jewel in October. Following that, "The Visionary" revealed that doctors initially expected him to be out of action for about six months, which meant his potential in-ring return would materialize around April 2026. Earlier this month, reports indicated that WWE anticipated Rollins to be medically cleared in time for WrestleMania 42 on April 18 and 19, with additional plans positioning him in a grand stage match against Bron Breakker.

Due to Breakker later undergoing hernia surgery, that match is currently up in the air. Meanwhile, Rollins' long-time rival CM Punk will be in action at Elimination Chamber as he defends the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Finn Balor.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "ESPN First Take" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.