By Jared Silberkleit - Elimination Chamber was a great PPV for WWE and certainly a step up from the lackluster Royal Rumble. On the strength of the two Elimination Chamber matches this PPV overachieved and ended up being quite memorable. This PPV succeeded both in match quality (mostly) and advancing storylines heading into the biggest show of the year: Wrestlemania.

1.    Elimination Chamber for the WWE Championship: Sheamus(c) vs. John Cena vs. Triple H vs. Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase vs. Kofi Kingston

The show kicked off with a bang with the first of the two scheduled Elimination Chamber matches. This was a really strong opener, it was given time, and everyone was able to look really good in the match. Sheamus and Kingston started the match and both men went for kicks early on. Kofi connects with a cross body and a dropkick for near falls. Sheamus starts to take control with several strikes and a European uppercut. Kingston lands another kick but Sheamus responds with a big shoulder block. Sheamus tries to send Kofi over the top rope but Kofi lands on his feet and hits an enzuigiri followed up by a springboard cross body. Sheamus pounds away at Kofi and hits a uranage backbreaker before Triple H enters. Triple H goes right after Sheamus with punches and hits a high knee before connecting with a couple clotheslines. The fight moves to the steel floor where both men unsuccessfully try to send each other into the chain wall. Back in the ring, Kofi starts to make a comeback, hitting a flying cross body to Sheamus before connecting with punches in the corner. He then hits a slingshot Boom Drop over the top rope onto Triple H before Orton enters the match. Orton goes to work on everyone and pounds away at Sheamus. Orton then tosses Sheamus onto the steel where he rams him into the chain wall several times before doing the same to Triple H. Orton continues to pound away at the big men before Kofi hits a slingshot cross body. He tries for a springboard cross body but is met with a dropkick from Orton. Everyone unsuccessfully tries for their finishers and Orton backdrops Triple H and Kofi over the top rope. DiBiase is out next and forms and alliance with Orton. Legacy pounds away at Sheamus and Triple H before assaulting Kofi on the steel floor. Kofi’s head is slipped through a loose part of the chain wall while DiBiase applies a Boston Crab, choking Kofi against the chain. Cena enters last and immediately goes after Legacy, who were waiting at the opening of his pod. Cena hits his signatures back in the ring before hitting an Attitude Adjustment to DiBiase over the top rope onto the steel. Soon after, Cena has the STF on DiBiase but Orton breaks it up before hitting his backbreaker. Cody Rhodes comes down to ringside and tosses a steel pipe into the chamber, which is picked up by DiBiase. Cena has Orton in the AA position and DiBiase accidentally hits Orton with the pipe. Cena hits the AA to Orton but is then hit with the pipe. DiBiase covers Orton for the first elimination of the match. Ted stares down Orton as he exits but is quickly caught with the Trouble in Paradise from Kofi and is eliminated himself. Right after this, Sheamus hits a bicycle kick followed by a crucifix powerbomb to eliminate Kofi. Sheamus pounds away at Cena and has him set up for the crucifix powerbomb, but Triple H low blows Sheamus and then hits a Pedigree to eliminate the champ. Cena and Triple H sell their injuries for a bit before Cena suddenly puts the STF on Triple H. Triple H taps out just before reaching the ropes and Cena wins the title. Not the best Elimination Chamber match ever but still very good. Match Time: 30:24     Match Rating: 8/10

However, just as soon as the Chamber was raised Mr. McMahon comes down to ringside to inform Cena he will have to defend his title against Batista instantly.

2.    WWE Championship: John Cena(c) vs. Batista

Cena lands one punch but Batista responds quickly with a spear and Batista Bomb to win the championship. Good swerve that should lead to a pretty good title match between these two at Wrestlemania. Match Time: 0:33     Match Rating: N/A

3.    Intercontinental Championship: Drew McIntyre(c) vs. Kane

McIntyre debuted a new entrance theme that is even slower than his move set. This match was actually okay and told a decent story with McIntyre working Kane’s arm. Kane hits a few strikes early on and puts on a headlock that he holds for a while. McIntyre sidesteps Kane in the corner and lands some punches before Kane puts him down. McIntyre kicks at Kane’s knee and snaps his arm over the top rope. Kane lands a punch but McIntyre goes to work on the arm. Kane launches McIntyre over the top rope to break a wrist lock but McIntyre is at it with more holds. He puts on a chin lock and grabs Kane’s arm as well. Kane fights out before McIntyre attempts the double underhook DDT but Kane counters with a back body drop. He hits a big boot and running clothesline before McIntyre tries for a high risk move, but Kane hits another back body drop. Kane hits a diving clothesline but Mcintyre bails to the outside to escape the chokeslam. Kane slams McIntyre into the steps outside the ring before throwing him back into the ring. McIntyre tries to walk away up the ramp but Kane brings him back into the ring. Kane tries for the chokeslam but McIntyre hits a thumb to the eye before hitting the Future Shock DDT for the win. Okay title match but not awful. Match Time: 10:11     Match Rating: 5/10

4.    Maryse and Gail Kim vs. Michelle McCool and Layla

The scheduled Divas Championship match between Maryse and Kim was changed by Vickie Guerrero to a tag team match, pitting the rivals against Team Lay-Cool. Although Gail Kim worked the whole match this was very bad. Gail hits some arm drags to Layla and puts on an armbar, but Layla blocks a hip toss with a pin attempt. Maryse distracts the referee and McCool kicks Gail off the apron. McCool and Layla hit a double baseball slide but Kim kicks out of the pin attempt in the ring. McCool puts on a rear chin lock but Kim fights out and hits a bulldog. Kim tries to make a tag but Maryse pushes her in the face and McCool hits the Faith Breaker for the win. Weak Diva match. Match Time: 3:38     Match Rating: 2.5/10

After this William Regal came out for a promo to kill time. He talks about NXT and how everyone on the show and everyone in the arena could learn something from him. Edge hits the ring, calls Regal boring, and then announces he will be announcing who he will take on at Wrestlemania the next night on Raw. He then speared Regal to end the segment. Pointless.

5.    United States Championship: The Miz(c) vs. MVP

Just like at the Royal Rumble, this match was set up in a backstage segment. Both men came out to the ring with their respective tag team partners. MVP slaps Miz in the face before sending him into the corner to stomp at him. He hits a few knees and a belly to belly suplex before the fight leaves the ring. MVP slams him into the barricade but back in the ring Miz responds with an elbow and kicks MVP in the head. Miz fights out of a submission and hits a gutbuster before putting on a rear chin lock. MVP catches Miz with a small package for a near fall but Miz pounds away at MVP with stomps, kicks, and punches. Miz hits a big corner clothesline for a near fall before putting on a modified camel clutch. MVP hits an electric chair drop but Miz brings MVP to his knees and hits a DDT for a near fall. MVP fights out of the camel clutch again by backing Miz into the corner. Miz chokes MVP in the corner and hits a dropkick but MVP crotches him on the top rope. MVP tries for a superplex but Miz headbutts him to block it. MVP then hits a super belly to belly suplex and Miz looks to have busted his head open a little (Thankfully they waited until after the match to clean him up). MVP hits the Ballin’ elbow for a near fall. Big Show pulls Miz out of the ring and MVP hits a baseball slide to Big Show, who then gets into it with Mark Henry outside the ring, leading to Henry crashing through the barricade. Miz distracts the ref, Big Show lands the Knockout punch on MVP, and this one is over. Fun title match but a bit too long. Match Time: 13:02     Match Rating: 6/10

6.    Elimination Chamber for the World Heavyweight Championship: Undertaker(c) vs. Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio vs. CM Punk vs. John Morrison vs. R-Truth

Wow, talk about an early match of the year candidate. Simply amazing match. During his entrance, some kind of pyro accident happened and Undertaker was caught on fire, which is why he rushed to the ring so quickly. Thankfully he was not injured. Punk cuts a great promo pre-match before starting the Chamber with R-Truth. Both guys land some quick offense before R-Truth clotheslines Punk over the top rope onto the steel. R-Truth catapulted Punk into the chain wall, sent him into a pod, then hit a diving senton off the top turnbuckle to a standing Punk. Truth then repeatedly rammed Punk into the chain wall before the fight returned to the ring. R-Truth missed the axe kick but got out of the Go to Sleep. R-Truth missed a spinning forearm and Punk landed a roundhouse kick before hitting the GTS to eliminate R-Truth. Punk cut a quick heel promo before Mysterio entered the match. Mysterio hits a springboard senton and slingshot cross body for a near fall before going for the 619, but Punk hits a powerslam. Rey counters the GTS with a hurricanrana before Punk rolls to the outside. Rey tries for another hurricanrana but Punk holds on and slams Mysterio head first into the chain wall. Back in the ring Punk hits a running high knee in the corner and sends Mysterio head first into a pod in the corner of the ring. Punk tries for a superplex but Mysterio fights him off and climbs to the top of a pod. Both guys fight at the top and end up on the top turnbuckle. Rey hits a hurricanrana, sending Punk to the steel floor, then hits a springboard splash back in the ring and Punk is gone. Jericho enters next and tries for an early Lionsault, but Mysterio moves and hits a 619. Jericho rolls to the outside and Mysterio tries for a springboard senton, but Jericho moves and Rey catches himself on the wall. Jericho pulls Rey’s feet out, sending him crashing to the steel floor before whipping him into the chain wall. Jericho hits a slingshot splash into the ring for a near fall before the men trade strikes. Mysterio fights out of a chin lock and hits an Asai moonsault. Rey tries for a hurricanrana but then puts on a modified dragon sleeper, and Jericho reaches the ropes before putting on the Walls of Jericho. Morrison is out next and causes Jericho to break the hold. Morrison tosses Jericho to the outside and hits a big kick to Rey. Morrison later goes to the top turnbuckle but Rey slams him back first into one of the pods, breaking some of the glass. Morrison hits a standing shooting star press to Rey for a near fall. Jericho hits a tilt a whirl backbreaker to Rey but eats some kicks from the babyfaces. Rey tries for a Frankensteiner but Morrison holds on to the ropes, and then hits Starship Pain to eliminate Mysterio. Undertaker is the final man out as Jericho gets Morrison in the Walls of Jericho. Taker goes right to work on Jericho and tries to double chokeslam Jericho and Morrison, but the two fight out and hit a double suplex before sending Taker out of the ring. Jericho backdrops Morrison onto the outside and slaps Taker, but that only fires him up. Jericho tries to hide in a pod but is trapped and Taker beats him down. Taker and Morrison go at it in the ring, with Morrison hitting a springboard enzuigiri but Taker gets his knees up to block Starship Pain. Jericho retreats to the pod again as Taker and Morrison fight on the steel. Taker tries for a Last Ride but Jericho intercepts him and Morrison grabs onto the wall. Taker comes at Jericho but ends up crashing through a pod. Morrison jumps off the cage onto Jericho and then hits a shining wizard back in the ring for a near fall. Once Taker is up, he grabs Morrison by the throat and chokeslams from the ring to the steel floor, and then covers him in the ring for the elimination. Taker lands a few punches on Jericho but ends up hung up on the top rope when he charges him in the corner. Jericho hits a superplex and then lands some punches and kicks on the Deadman. Taker goes for a chokeslam but Jericho counters with a Walls of Jericho attempt. Taker tries to reverse it into Hell’s Gate but Jericho is able to put on the Walls. Taker almost locks in Hell’s Gate again but Jericho escapes out of the ring. Taker tries for a Tombstone, Jericho counters and hits a Codebreaker, but Taker kicks out. Jericho lands some punches in the corner but Taker hits the Last Ride. Taker gets to his feet and signals for the Tombstone, but Shawn Michaels appears through a panel on the floor, gets in the ring, and superkicks Undertaker. Jericho gets the cover for the win and Shawn just stares at Taker as the PPV goes off the air. Excellent main event, the second best Elimination Chamber ever. This likely sets up two big matches for Wrestlemania: Jericho vs. Edge for the World title and Undertaker vs. Shawn in a rematch from last year. Match Time: 35:38     Match Rating: 9.5/10

Overall PPV Rating: 8.25/10

My name is Jared Silberkleit. I am from Orange, CT and am a huge fan of pro wrestling. I mostly follow WWE and TNA but I also watch the smaller promotions such as ROH and DGUSA. I have been a lifelong WWE fan and have become a TNA fan over the past few years. Aside from wrestling, I also really love baseball and football and follow many other sports such as hockey and MMA. I have written for www.sportsgrumblings.com for roughly over a year now.

Tagged with: Backbreaker, Boom, Clotheslines, Cross Body, Elimination Chamber, John Cena, Kofi Kingston, Punches, Royal Rumble, Several Times, Slingshot, Springboard, Steel Floor, Storylines, Strikes, Top Rope, Triple H, Uppercut, Wrestlemania, Wwe Championship

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