The Elimination Chamber was the last major stop on the road to WrestleMania and it left a mixed bag of results with the good heavily outweighing the mediocre. This also marks the end of the traditional PPV era as future shows will air on the WWE Network. I think it’s fitting that it went out with a good main event and great hope for the future.
Big E defeated Jack Swagger to retain the Intercontinental title: This started off ugly but got better as it progressed. The highlight came when Big E speared Swagger to the floor, while Swagger was on the apron. Swagger is good in his current role and Big E will only get better.
New Age Outlaws defeat The Usos to retain the Tag Team titles: I was concerned that the Usos’ rise in popularity would be dwarfed by the Outlaws established reputation. Much to my surprise, both teams were cheered equally. This not only made the match even better but it proved that Jimmy and Jey are ready for prime time.
Titus O’Neil defeated Darren Young: Both men tried their best but fans just didn’t care. It’s hard to produce that emotional element with a match involving former tag team partners when the team was never that popular to begin with.
The Wyatt Family over The Shield: This is one of the best matches I’ve seen in quite some time. Drama, action, suspense, great storytelling all around. The stare down between the two teams alone prompted a “This is awesome” chant which definitively stated this was the real main event. Seth Rollins was the MVP of this match with his jaw dropping aerial assault. Bray Wyatt deserves an Oscar for his facial reaction when Roman Reigns powered out of Sister Abigail. Overall, this match speaks volumes to how well pro wrestling can be done when you book people to look strong over a long period of time. Bravo to all six men who put on an extraordinary performance.
AJ Lee defeated Cameron to retain the Diva’s title: This was a slop fest from bell to bell and it should have been scrapped to give more time to six man tag.
Batista defeated Alberto Del Rio: Bootista is all you need to say. WWE is in trouble if they truly believe Batista will lead them to the promise land on April 6th. I’m sure Guardians of the Galaxy will be a great film but this isn’t the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Randy Orton retains the WWE World Heavyweight Title in the Elimination Chamber: Chamber matches never disappoint and this one was no different. Everyone played their part very well and you couldn’t have asked for more. Orton hiding in the pod, while the fans call him a p@$%#, only for Sheamus to Brogue Kick it open was just great television. Sheamus being eliminated first completely caught me off guard. Cesaro being in the final four was refreshing to see and was a nice little nod to how hard he’s worked over the past month. The Wyatt’s costing John Cena the match sets the stage for what will be an intriguing affair come WrestleMania. Orton got the win, with help from Kane and Daniel Bryan gets screwed, again.
Final Thoughts: Someone should buy Michael Cole a drink for the way he put over the finish to the main event on commentary. Cole gave a passionate speech that said enough is enough as the cameras zoomed in on fans who were heartbroken over the result. I know this will seem far-fetched but Cole’s speech tells me that Daniel Bryan will somehow become WWE champion at WrestleMania.
Ringside Logic 