This Sunday (23rd February 2014), the WWE will host its fifth annual Elimination Chamber PPV live from the Target Centre in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and quite honestly, I feel like it is one of the company’s most anticipated events in months.
Standing over 16 feet tall, weighing over 10 short tonnes, and featuring 2 miles of chain, the Elimination Chamber is one of the most intimidating, demonic structures in the history of the WWE. Careers are borne and ended in this match, and for the last few years, it’s been the deciding factor when it comes to who goes on to main-event WrestleMania, and who won’t.
This year is no different, as the last man standing inside the structure will not only earn the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but will go on to defend that title against ‘The Animal’, Batista, in New Orleans on April 6th.
There has been a fantastic build-up for nearly every match on the card, and not many of them were thrown together at the last minute, so I think that has paid off tremendously. I’ll be genuinely surprised if it isn’t reflected in the PPV buys for the event.
Considering the WWE Network launches on Monday night, this will be the last time that the WWE will be focusing on PPV purchases for a show (for the US audience, at least), so I can see why they’d want to go all out in securing buys for this one. The only problem I have is that they don’t do it every month.
Seriously, this is the first time in a good while that a PPV has had an almost perfectly built card, which really is quite ridiculous for the biggest wrestling company in the world. Hopefully WWE picks up on this, and realises that thought-out storylines are the way to go for the future.
The deck is stacked for Sunday night. We will see former friends settle a score, two larger-than-life factions battle it out to see which is better, and six men put their lives on the line to earn a chance at immortality on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
All of this (and more) will be available to us in Ireland and in the UK for free on Sky Sports, so there’s literally no reason not to watch the show if you’re an avid fan. It’s bound to deliver, and I believe it will do its best to make up for the awful ending to the Royal Rumble last month. I’m not saying it will, but give it a chance. You never know how things are going to end up.
Right, now that the formalities are done and dusted, let’s get to the nitty-gritty of this article, shall we? Without further ado, here are my match-by-match analyses of every scheduled bout on the Elimination Chamber card!
Kick-off Match: Cody Rhodes and Goldust vs Curtis Axel and Ryback
Once again, the once magical team of Cody Rhodes and Goldust have been reduced to fighting on the pre-show. It was bad enough that they lost the belts in the Royal Rumble kick-off match, but now they’ve got nothing going for them at all and it sucks.
One thing I will say though, is how good the tag-team division in general has gotten recently.
You can clearly see it in matches like Cody Rhodes and Goldust’s amazing collision with the New Age Outlaws on Raw a few weeks ago. Cody leaped off the top of the cage in a tremendous moonsault, and showed us why he’s a future World Champion.
As for Cody’s partner, I know I’ve said it a thousand times, but Goldust continues to amaze me with his ability in the ring every week. He’s moving at a much faster rate than he’s ever done before, and pulling it off with style. Hopefully he sticks around for a good while longer.
As for their opponents, well, not many people are fans.
I’ve always expressed my fondness for Curtis Axel, but his partner makes it very hard to like him these days. To be fair, Ryback had a decent bout with Sheamus a couple of weeks ago on SmackDown, but I still don’t like the guy.
He’s stiff, boring, annoying and lacks the finesse that one should require to be a successful WWE Superstar. Sure, he looks like a million bucks, but that doesn’t make him a star in my books. And after the shit he pulled on Twitter a while ago, I think he should’ve been fired by now. Why he’s still there is a mystery to me.
Anyway, since this is just the pre-show, I wouldn’t expect much to come from it. Hopefully Cody Rhodes and Goldust can bag a win here to get the crowd fired up for a night of good ol’ fashioned wrasslin’!
Winners: Cody Rhodes and Goldust
Darren Young vs Titus O’Neil
I was wondering when these two would finally split up. It’s kind of sad, because I actually liked the Prime Time Players, but it’s probably for the best this way. They weren’t amounting to anything together, and it would’ve been a very long time before they won the Tag-Team Championships.
I think these guys could turn out pretty successful on their own. They’ve never gone solo on the main roster before (unless you count Darren Young’s weird post-Nexus phase), but so far they’ve been doing well.
Titus O’Neil is really charismatic. His interviews with the sweetheart that is Renee Young are entertaining, and his cocky, brash attitude is one that people will grow to hate (in a good way). Also, his physique and style in the ring make him unique, so expect him to make an impact during his singles run.
Darren Young’s aggression towards Titus has been very believable, but we won’t know about his future until this rivalry ends. Right now, I think people are only cheering him because he’s been betrayed by his best friend and want him to get revenge, so it’ll be more interesting to see what happens once this is done.
The build-up to this match has been exciting, and it’ll be the culmination of a very lengthy friendship, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it’ll turn out.
As for a winner, I find these matches hard to predict. Considering that WrestleMania is just around the corner, I don’t see this rivalry continuing after Sunday.
If Darren wins, then his revenge will be good closure for this feud, but I just get the feeling that Titus is going to pull this one out of the hat. Perhaps Young will get his vengeance on Raw or something, but for this Sunday, I think this one belongs to the ‘Real Deal’.
Winner: Titus O’Neil
Tag-Team Championships: The New Age Outlaws (c) vs The Usos
It’s been very interesting to have the New Age Outlaws back as the Tag-Team Champions.
They may not be in the best shape of their lives, but you can’t deny that they’re entertaining as hell. And I love how they can still pull off their pre-match promo and still manage to be heels. Like it was back in the day, they can have people chanting and cheering with them one minute, and booing them the next, which I think is pretty cool.
If you’re not a fan of the Outlaws, you can still appreciate the fact that the tag-team division has become a lot more intriguing on TV since they showed up.
A few weeks ago, we saw an epic Steel Cage Match between the Outlaws and Cody Rhodes and Goldust, where Cody got lucky and avoided a serious knee injury coming down from an awe-inspiring moonsault from the top of the cage. It really goes to show the talent there is in the division.
Speaking of talent, the Usos are quite possibly the most exciting team in the entire WWE!
They’ve been thrilling us with their in-ring ability for years, but it’s only in the last seven months or so that we’ve seen them get their much-deserved spotlight. Now they’re finally getting a chance at the Tag-Team Championships, and quite frankly, I really hope they win.
They would be the perfect duo to represent the division as Champions, and knocking off a legendary team like the New Age Outlaws would be the icing on the cake, but I’m just not sure if it’s going to happen.
Personally, I’d love this whole thing to lead to a Fatal Four Way Tag-Team Match for the championships at WrestleMania between the New Age Outlaws, the Usos, Cody Rhodes and Goldust, and Ryback and Curtis Axel. I don’t know if it’ll lead to that, but that’s how I’d book it anyway. It’d be a great place for the Usos to capture the gold, but there’s a chance that the Outlaws won’t even be around for WrestleMania, so it probably won’t go down that way.
What’s more likely is that the Outlaws are only transitional (and I use that term loosely) champions, so that the Usos didn’t have to face fellow babyfaces, Cody Rhodes and Goldust, for the belts.
I’d say that’s the most likely reason for bringing the Outlaws back for a sixth title run, which essentially means that the Usos will have their night at the Elimination Chamber. Expect Jimmy and Jey to capture the gold and finally kick-start their run as the most dominant team in the WWE.
Winners (and NEW Tag-Team Champions): The Usos
Intercontinental Championship: Big E (c) vs Jack Swagger
It’s clear to me that this match has only been thrown together as a way to give both Big E and Swagger a match at the PPV, but I don’t mind. It’s good for Jack Swagger to have something to do. With Cesaro appearing in the Chamber itself, it’d be pretty sad for Jack Swagger to get nothing for his efforts, so that’s why I’m happy he’s got this match.
Big E has been very impressive over the last year, and I consider him to be the rightful owner of the Intercontinental Championship right now. The only problem is that he’s barely featured anymore. The WWE has this really stupid idea that if you push someone as your #1 mid-carder and give them a belt, then you can leave them alone and the title will do the work for you.
Take Dean Ambrose for example. Luckily, Ambrose is a huge success due to The Shield, but as a United States Champion? Not so much. Sure, he’s held the title for about nine months, but he’s only defended it about ten times since he won it last May, which is just ridiculous.
Similarly, Big E has completely fallen off the map in 2014 thus far, and you can really blame the Intercontinental Title for that. I guess the curse is true…
Regardless, this will be a good way of getting these two guys on the PPV. I’m not saying the match will be spectacular, but both men are talented and are likely to deliver a solid match-up. I see Big E picking up the win with a Big Ending to continue his reign as champion.
Winner (and STILL Intercontinental Champion): Big E
The Wyatt Family vs The Shield
In case you missed it, I wrote an article about this rivalry that went up last Sunday, which you can read here. Basically, I feel like this has been one of the most crowd-pleasing, captivating feuds in recent years. Despite the fact that it’s been very short, I feel like the immense talent behind everyone involved has been extraordinary.
Bray Wyatt has been fantastic as always, delivering what I believe to be the best promo work in the WWE today. He makes you hang on his every word, and his agility and brutality in the ring match his character perfectly.
Erick Rowan and Luke Harper have played their parts to perfection, acting as the two intimidating behemoths behind the mastermind that is Bray Wyatt. The Wyatt Family are not a one-man band, and I firmly believe that Harper and Rowan will use their size to complement Bray’s eerie in-ring style on Sunday, as they usually do.
On The Shield’s side, as usual, each man has impressed us during this rivalry. Anyone else would be scared shitless of the Wyatt Family, but Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns have stood their ground, even forcing the fierce Bray Wyatt to retreat from the ring on more than one occasion, to wait for their epic clash at Elimination Chamber.
There’s noticeable dissension within The Shield, as Ambrose and Reigns have butted heads over who the most dominant member of the faction is.
Seth Rollins has done an excellent job at trying to keep the peace, and so far he’s succeeded in doing so. Despite this obvious void, they’ve come together as one to stand up to their enemy, and this modern-day dream match will spark utter chaos as the bout ensues in Minneapolis.
As I said in the article mentioned above, I see a brawl occurring towards the end of the match, with Roman Reigns accidentally nailing Dean Ambrose with a spear at the start of it. As punches and kicks are thrown, it will all come down to Reigns and Wyatt, culminating in an emphatic spear from Roman in order to put the big man to rest. But as he covers Wyatt, Reigns is attacked by his own partner, Dean Ambrose, and grounded with a headlock driver to give the Wyatt Family the win, simultaneously disbanding The Shield once and for all.
This will not only give the Wyatt Family momentum heading into WrestleMania in April, but will set things in motion for a triple-threat match on the Grandest Stage of Them All, where Dean Ambrose puts his United States Championship on the line against Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. I like the sound of that!
Winners: The Wyatt Family
Batista vs Alberto Del Rio
I think this match is way more important than some people are making it out to be. A lot of us are holding a very deep resentment towards Batista due to the events that took place at the Royal Rumble, so we tend to either overlook the things he does, or criticise them. However, I’m trying to get over it, so that I can look at this match without wanting to rip my eyes out.
This will be Batista’s first opportunity to prove himself before he goes on to face whoever the WWE World Heavyweight Champion is at WrestleMania. This bout is huge for him, and despite the fact it’s already taken place at several house shows recently, it will really give us an idea of what to expect from Batista’s current run with the WWE.
His Royal Rumble performance failed to show us the upside to his return and we’ve only seen him in short segments since then, which means that for the first time this Sunday, we’ll finally get to see if ‘The Animal’ can stand the test of time and believably wrestle a full-length match.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, I think Alberto Del Rio has come out of this rivalry looking not only like the underdog, but the babyface of the match.
For several weeks, Del Rio has been wrestling very physical, fast-paced matches, and after winning those bouts, he’s had to deal with attacks from Batista. The man put Del Rio through the announce table for Christ’s sake! And the next week, while Berty was in no condition to compete (due to the neck brace he’s been forced to wear), Batista goes ahead and shoves him backstage on Raw.
The character of Batista is a very complex one right now. We understand his resentment for Del Rio’s harsh words about him before his return, and of course for the crowd’s reaction when he won the Rumble, but right now, he’s not gearing up for a jaw-dropping face/heel match at WrestleMania.
At this rate, both men are going to be booed out of the arena in New Orleans, and I worry that his rumoured match against Randy Orton will be a telling story for how the 30th anniversary of WrestleMania turns out. Of course, it’s only one match out of about seven or eight, but the WWE World Heavyweight Championship is supposed to be the be all and end all of WWE.
If the person holding that Championship doesn’t reflect the talent of the company, then I believe there’s something very wrong going on. I may be looking into it too much, but this bout at Elimination Chamber will most likely show us the extent to which Batista can compete after four years away from a WWE PPV.
Like I said, it will be a very big moment for Batista, and I can’t shake the feeling that he could blow it. I guess we won’t know until Sunday, but for now, I’m expecting a very slow, stiff match, with Batista picking up the win thanks to his signature powerbomb.
Winner: Batista
Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Randy Orton (c) vs John Cena vs Sheamus vs Daniel Bryan vs Cesaro vs Christian
I’m really looking forward to this match. The outcome might be predictable to some people, but like I (and many before me) have said in the past, it doesn’t matter who wins, as long as the match is great.
Unfortunately, that phrase might not be true here, considering the winner will be moving on to defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Batista at WrestleMania, but we should still appreciate the match and all of the talent involved.
On paper, this is one of the most star-studded Chamber matches in WWE history, and considering the names involved, expect some incredible spots. Let’s talk about each participant, shall we?
As with any match, I think people are going to be incredibly pissed off if John Cena wins. Firstly, it would be Cena’s fifteenth Championship reign, and secondly, it would mean he’d be facing Batista at WrestleMania again. It didn’t go down well the first time, so I don’t see it happening again.
Besides, John Cena has been rumoured to face several different people. For example, Bray Wyatt and The Undertaker have all been talked about, but I’d say the former is more likely.
Wyatt cost Cena the Championship at the Royal Rumble, so they have unfinished business. To be honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if Cena was in the final two before the same thing happens again, with Wyatt appearing in the ring and taking Cena out, setting up their WrestleMania clash.
I don’t like the way they randomly had Christian act as the heel against Daniel Bryan on Raw. I felt like it was a very sloppy way to get fan support for Bryan, because Christian really didn’t need to turn.
It’s been said that Captain Charisma won’t be renewing his contract when it expires in a few months, and I’d prefer him to ride out his last moments in the WWE as a face. I think it’d be nicer for him to be cheered from now until then.
Either way, Christian has no chance of winning on Sunday. I don’t even know if they’ll give him a spot on the WrestleMania card, but hopefully I’m wrong. Even so, he’s unlikely to get “One More Match” after this, which completely eliminates him from winning this one.
Sheamus is a tricky one, because I really can’t predict who he’s going to face at WrestleMania.
Some people have been saying Undertaker, but I just don’t see that happening. Even though returning and immediately getting pushed seems to be the flavour of the month in WWE, Sheamus has just come back and doesn’t really deserve a main-event spot at WrestleMania. I can see him in one at a later stage in his career, just not now. Maybe next year, fella.
I’m thrilled with how they’ve been booking Cesaro lately. Vince McMahon has finally realised the star that he’s got in that man, which probably means there’s a huge push somewhere down the line for the Swiss sensation.
He’s beaten Randy Orton (the Champion!!!) and had a fantastic match with John Cena this week, and I see huge things in Cesaro’s future. I really am happy for him, because (like many of you) I’ve been a huge fan of his since he showed up in the WWE.
Obviously, Cesaro’s not at the stage in his career where he’s going to be main-eventing WrestleMania, but I do think he’ll put up a tremendous effort in the Chamber match, maybe even delivering one of those very European Uppercuts from the top of a Chamber pod!
Daniel Bryan is clearly everyone’s favourite going into this match. I think giving him the win would be one of the most surprising (and amazing) things to happen in the WWE in years. Bryan is probably getting set to face Triple H at ‘Mania, so unfortunately, we can cross Bryan off our list of potential winners.
I was thinking that Kane could interfere in the same way Shawn Michaels did in 2010, but if Bray Wyatt does that too, then it’d be a bit too much. You don’t want the Chamber looking too vulnerable. So maybe Kane just provides the distraction on the outside for Bryan to get rolled into a pin.
Randy Orton is the clear winner here. He’s had many run-ins with Batista lately, and it all seems to be rushing towards their clash at WrestleMania. I don’t think anybody wants this match to happen, but we’re going to get it, which is all that matters to WWE.
The only way I see Randy Orton losing is if Brock Lesnar actually surprises us by taking Christian’s spot in the Chamber and wins the Championship. I’d rather see him face Batista, even though neither of them are full-timers. I just think Batista/Lesnar would be more appealing, but it’s probably not going to happen. Right now, Randy Orton looks like the only man with a chance this Sunday.
Winner (and STILL WWE World Heavyweight Champion): Randy Orton
I just want to touch on something for a second before I finish up here. I won’t go on about it for too long, because we’ll just get upset, but I feel like I need to say something.
I just want to pay my respects to Nelson Frazier Jr, better known by his WWE monikers – Mabel, Viscera or Big Daddy V.
He passed away from a heart attack this week and since then, wrestlers and fans alike have been posting memories, responses and eulogies for a man who I consider to be one of the most under-rated big men in the history of professional wrestling.
I look up to Nelson as one of the biggest guys to make it to the WWE, and actually be successful. Throughout his career, he earned some rather impressive accolades, most notably winning the King of the Ring tournament in 1995.
While he never got to the point of being a full-time main-event guy with the WWE Championship over his shoulder, I personally consider him to be somewhat of an inspiration for future ‘big guy’ wrestlers, giving them the courage to go out and try to achieve their dreams.
I’ll never forget Nelson Frazier Jr, and with that, I’d like to send my thoughts and well-wishes out to his family and friends at this difficult time. Thanks, Big Vis!
That wraps this article up, folks! I plan on watching Elimination Chamber on Monday evening, but if you’re watching it live, I hope you enjoy it! It’s a very important PPV for the WWE and it’ll undoubtedly shape a portion of the WrestleMania card. It’s of paramount importance to make the last stretch on the Road to WrestleMania relatively smooth and bump-free.
If you happened to enjoy this article, go ahead and leave a like on Facebook, tweet and retweet the links and feel free to comment below. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated by us at SLTD Wrestling, so go ahead and let us know your thoughts! On top of that, be sure to check out recent articles by everyone else on the site here, and sign up for SLTD’s Predictions League this weekend, to be in with a chance at some prizes after WrestleMania!
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Thanks for reading!
Self-Professed Conversational Wizard.
Admin, Editor and Writer for SLTD Wrestling.
Creator of 'Under the Spotlight'.
Studying Computing in Games Development.
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