The 2026 Elimination Chamber PLE took place at United Center in Chicago on Saturday, Feb. 28. Randy Orton and Rhea Ripley won the men's and women's events, earning title matches at Wrestlemania 42.
The Chicago area has hosted a plethora of important WWE PLEs for four decades, beginning with the Wrestling Classic in 1985, a follow-up to the highly successful first WrestleMania.
Whether at the Allstate Arena (formerly Rosemont Horizon) or the United Center, Chicago crowds are known to deliver bursts of energy making for electric atmospheres.
Take a journey through Chicago WWE PLE history below:
WrestleMania 2 (1986)
The second WrestleMania was the only PLE to take place at three different venues - the Rosemont Horizon, Nassau Coliseum and the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena.
The Chicago version featured some memorable moments including the WWE vs. NFL Battle Royal. NFL representation included William "the Refrigerator" Perry, Jimbo Covert, Bill Fralic, Ernie Holmes, Russ Francis and Harvey Martin.
The match concluded when Andre the Giant eliminated Bret Hart for the win.
SummerSlam (1994)
The first WWE PLE to take place at the United Center was the seventh annual SummerSlam.
One of the most acclaimed matches of 1994 occurred inside a steel cage when brothers collided. Bret Hart battled his brother Owen in a classic that saw Bret claim victory and retain the WWE championship. It was a rematch of their famous bout at WrestleMania X earlier that year.
The show concluded in a unique way when The Undertaker clashed with... The Undertaker. That's right, two versions of The Undertaker squared off - the original led by Paul Bearer and the impostor managed by Ted DiBiase. The original was victorious.
WrestleMania 13 (1997)
WrestleMania returned to the Rosemont Horizon in 1997 and featured one of the most celebrated pro wrestling matches of all-time between Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin. The no disqualification submission match produced an iconic WrestleMania image. As Bret applied his patented sharpshooter, a bloodied Austin lifted himself up as the blood dripped down his face, flowing through his teeth and onto the mat. He passed out with Bret earning the victory, but Austin solidified himself as an unquestioned superstar.
The main event of the night belonged to The Undertaker. He challenged Sycho Sid for the WWE championship. The "no disqualification" stipulation allowed for interference by Bret Hart, but after a tombstone piledriver, it was The Undertaker holding the title high to close the show for the second time in his Hall of Fame career.
Backlash (2001)
Backlash was the first PLE to follow WrestleMania X-Seven and feature the newly turned heel version of Stone Cold Steve Austin. Austin, aligned with one of the most prominent heels of the Attitude Era Triple H, took on the Brothers of Destruction (The Undertaker and Kane). Austin, the WWE champion at the time and Triple H who held the Intercontinental championship prevailed in the match and added tag team gold to their collection.
However, the unforgettable moment of the night belonged to Shane McMahon. His Last Man Standing match with Big Show culminated with the highest of high risk maneuvers. As Big Show lay near the entrance ramp, McMahon ascended the stage set and delivered an approximate 50-foot elbow drop to win the match.
WrestleMania 22 (2006)
In 2006, WrestleMania took place at the now-named Allstate Arena and was highlighted by two of the greatest to ever step through the ropes, John Cena and Triple H.
The Chicago crowd made their presence felt in this one. Throughout the match, fans decided to cheer for the heel Triple H and boo the babyface John Cena. It made for an extraordinary environment.
Cena retained his WWE championship despite the crowd pulling for Triple H.
The show also featured a legendary hardcore match between Edge and Mic Foley along with Rey Mysterio becoming World Heavyweight champion for the first time in his career.
No Mercy (2007)
The tenth No Mercy PLE was a unique one and its distinctiveness surrounded the WWE championship. The title was defended three times in one night.
The show opened with Randy Orton being awarded the WWE championship due to John Cena's inability to defend it due to injury. Enter Triple H, who challenged the new champ and defeated Orton in the opening match to become champion.
Midway through the show, Triple H put the title on the line against Umaga. He retained it, but he wasn't done for the night.
The main event was a Triple H vs. Orton rematch. Orton won to become the WWE champion twice in one night.
Money in the Bank (2011)
The 2011 Money in the Bank PLE is one of the most renowned shows (PLE or otherwise) in WWE history. The show was built around hometown hero CM Punk's contract expiring even though he was challenging John Cena for the WWE championship. Punk promised to win the match and suggested taking the title elsewhere.
First, the entrance. The reaction Punk received from his hometown crowd was intoxicating.
Next, the match. Widely considered one of the matches of the year, CM Punk vs. John Cena delivered on every level. The show closed with a Punk win and him blowing a kiss to Vince McMahon as he exited through the crowd with the championship.
It was a time that came to be known as the "Summer of Punk."
Payback (2013)
As we near the 2026 Elimination Chamber PLE, Payback 2013 is notable.
CM Punk and AJ Lee will be featured in prominent championship matches at the Elimination Chamber - not only was Payback 2013 their last match at a WWE PLE in Chicago, but they both walked out with wins.
Punk ended his two-plus-month-long rivalry against Chris Jericho with a win and AJ Lee defeated Kaitlyn to win her first (of three) Divas championships.
Survivor Series (2019)
The 33rd Survivor Series boosted brand supremacy to a new level.
In addition to the Raw and SmackDown brands, this show brought NXT (WWE's developmental brand) into the fold.
Following Shayna Baszler's (NXT) main event win over Becky Lynch (Raw) and Bayley (SmackDown), NXT ended the night as the winningest brand (four matches out of seven).
Survivor Series (2023)
Four years later, the Survivor Series returned to the Allstate Arena and it was a night no pro wrestling fan would forget.
The main event was a WarGames match featuring the top names in the company (including a returning Randy Orton) and it didn't disappoint.
But it was the closing moments of the show that blew the roof off the building. After nearly 10 years away from the company, CM Punk returned to the WWE on front of his hometown crowd, a sight many doubted we'd ever see.
For more WWE updates, check out the ESPN hub page with event information, title history and more.