Keeping Jade Cargill out the Elimination Chamber is the right call

Patience is a virtue in professional wrestling. In fact, it’s quite rare. That’s even more so the issue when tribalism is added to the equation. This time, it’s the debate around Jade Cargill’s brief time in WWE versus her stint in AEW. Recent rumors bubbled up that she was supposed to be a part of the Elimination Chamber, but those plans have apparently changed. This caused a scuttlebutt across the IWC, but the fact remains that WWE is taking its time to develop Cargill is a step in the right direction.

The Men’s and Women’s Elimination Chamber matches are taking shape, as the PLE inches closer on February 24. The women who lost their qualifying matches are set to take part in a “Last Chance” Battle Royal for the final spot. The rumor that began circulating was that Cargill was meant to take that final spot. But counter rumors started that the plan was scrapped, which led to tireless debates about Cargill’s progression in WWE’s training system.

Cargill’s official signing with WWE was announced on September 26. She was immediately put front and center, appearing on multiple shows, and heavily mentioned by the commentary team. However, WWE went radio silent on her as fans wondered when she would show up. That led to speculation about her training and development. Cargill made her debut at Royal Rumble, tossing Nia Jax over the top on her own. Even though she didn’t win, it was clear that everything worked in her favor as fans were in her corner every moment of the match.

For some making bad faith arguments, the idea is that Cargill isn’t developing fast enough and WWE will not get their investment out of her signing. This is perpetually the same group that criticized much of her run in AEW, making claims that she was too green to be in the place she was, holding the TBS Championship for 500+ days.

The truth is, WWE taking their time with Cargill remains the right move. WWE’s women’s division runs deep and the promotion is doing a fantastic job building it through ample time on television. When throwing in the depth building happening in WWE NXT, this group is stacked from top to bottom. When Cargill is released into this roster, fans are going to expect her to be pushed toward the top. Putting her into the Elimination Chamber now would be a waste of that momentum. It’s clear that Becky Lynch is the woman who is going to pick up the win, setting up the showcase battle with Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40. What would Cargill benefit from taking a loss to her in the Chamber at this point? What about the women that she’d squash along the way? The immediate pop of her being in the EC isn’t worth the long-term damage that would happen to the star the company is building. Again, the reaction to Cargill’s place in the Rumble shows that the company has made the right move to keep her off television until she’s 100 percent ready for their brand of sports entertainment.

Jade Cargill is going to be a mega star thanks to the strength of WWE’s platform. The company is taking the right pace with her, giving her the space to train and build her skills in the ways that the organization values most. Keeping her out of the Elimination Chamber is the right move for both Cargill and the entire women’s division.