CM Punk Retains World Heavyweight Title Over Finn Balor At WWE Elimination Chamber

CM Punk's WrestleMania main event dreams as World Heavyweight Champion remain intact after his victory over Finn Balor at Elimination Chamber in Chicago on Saturday. Punk now moves on to face Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns at the "Showcase of the Immortals" in Las Vegas.

The men went back-and-forth to start off the match in Punk's hometown and Punk got Balor into the corner for the crowd to count his punches until Balor slipped between Punk's legs and tried to gain control of the match. Balor got Punk set up in the ropes and hit him with hard punches to the gut, taking him down.

The champion hit a suicide dive to Balor on the outside, driving him lower back-first into the commentary desk. He hit a flying clothesline to his challenger in the ring, but Balor kicked out. Balor easily slipped out of Punk's GTS attempt not once, but twice.

Punk rolled out of the way of the Coupe de Grace and Punk hit a running knee to Balor in the corner and followed it up with the elbow drop. He looked for a sharpshooter, but Balor fought it off. Punk locked in the Anaconda Vice, but Balor rolled through.

Balor connected with the Coupe de Grace, but Punk got his shoulder up. He hit the GTS, but Balor slid out of the ring off the momentum of the move. On the outside, Balor sent Punk through the ring barricade, but couldn't keep the champion down. 

Punk got his foot up during yet another Coupe de Grace attempt and turned it into a Sharpshooter. After Balor broke the hold, Punk hit the GTS for the win. He celebrated with his wife, the new Women's Intercontinental Champion AJ Lee, after the match.