TJRWrestling WWE Elimination Chamber 2022 Preview
The second WWE Premium Live Event of the year is the Elimination Chamber with the WWE Title on the line in a Men’s Chamber match while the women also get a Chamber Match for a title shot at WrestleMania.
John: For the first time in WWE history, Elimination Chamber is taking place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The start time for the event is 12pm ET, 9 am PT this Saturday, February 19. It’s a unique start for a lot of us. It’s also a change for WWE’s Saudi shows because in the past they have usually taken place on a Thursday, so at least on a Saturday, it’s a weekend, which makes the start time a little less awkward.
Joining me for the preview are TJRWrestling writers Lance Augustine, Joel McIntyre, Alex Podgorski, Matthew Fowler and Kelly Dishnow. Here’s Alex with some opening thoughts:
Alex: I’m torn on how to feel about this show. On one hand, the last Saudi show, Crown Jewel 2021, was pretty good and had one of the best HIAC matches ever. On the other hand, there’s a much longer history of these Saudi events being booked as ‘glorified house shows’ with substandard storylines and worse payoffs. Of course, many fans like myself are right to be skeptical about this WWE show following the Royal Rumble. Personally, I went into that show with extremely high expectations and a sense of optimism, only to be rewarded with…that. So I guess I’m going into this event…guarded. I think the main events, the two Chamber matches, will definitely yield some interesting surprises. I just hope the undercard delivers as well; though recent history has taught me to keep a healthy skepticism when it comes to WWE’s PPVs…sorry, “Premium Live Events.”
(Note: All graphics are from WWE.)
Rey Mysterio vs. The Miz
Lance: The Miz went from being in a mixed tag match over the last couple of shows to being in a thrown-together match against Rey Mysterio. Mysterio hasn’t done much as of late, but I assume they want to get him back on TV for WrestleMania season. The Miz has lost the last couple of matches he has been in, so picking up a win against an established star would put him back on the right path. This may be a Mania rematch.
Winner: The Miz
Joel: I like both of these guys. I like that The Miz is being taken seriously as a singles guy again since his split from Morrison. I thought we were getting Rey and Dominik at WrestleMania but it appears as if they are going to hold off on that for now. I think this will be a good match. I was leaning toward The Miz but then I realized WWE 2K22 is coming out in about three weeks and with Rey as the cover star. So they will probably have him get the win to help promote that game.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Alex: These two have faced off before so both of them should pull of a competent match. That said, I’m not particularly invested in this feud. Miz is fresh off two straight losses to Edge while Rey has been involved in a story with his son Dominick. I can see Dominick being involved in the match in some way, perhaps some kind of interaction with Maryse that leads to his father losing the match. It’s uncertain if WWE’s going full steam ahead with a Mysterio vs. Dominick feud, but if they were to go in that direction, then a loss here would be a logical way to get that ball rolling.
Winner: The Miz
Matthew: These two guys have wrestled each other countless times for over ten years and know each other incredibly well. I expect these two to have another good and solid match with each other, with unfortunately the outcome having very little to no meaning. I will go with Mysterio winning here to make the Saudi fans happy, in a short but solid match.
Winner: Rey Mysterio
Kelly: This would have been a must-see match ten years ago, but here we have it. This has a very last-minute feel to it, similar to Mysterio’s Universal Title match against Roman Reigns awhile back. I’ll err on the side of 50/50 booking and give the win to Mysterio.
Winner – Rey Mysterio
John: I think when thinking about who needs the win more, the answer should be The Miz. After all, The Miz lost to Edge at Day 1 and then lost with Maryse against Edge/Beth Phoenix at Royal Rumble. Rey’s a talented veteran that has earned the admiration of the fans, but he’s mostly a tag team wrestler with sone Dominik right now. I think it’s fine if Rey loses this match while Miz could use a meaningful victory on a major like this. I’m going with Miz.
Winner: The Miz
Falls Count Anywhere Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss
Lance: These two have been going at it and it’s been forgettable for the most part. McIntyre should be in the main event picture, but it seems like his time might have past. Moss has been hit or miss since being brought up to the main roster. I would really hate for McIntyre to take a loss here, but it might happen. I am going to air on the side of caution though and go with a McIntyre win.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Joel: Drew McIntyre and Madcap Moss once again. It didn’t really click at Day 1 so hopefully it’s better here. I understand the need to pay off the injury angle and it looks like we are getting Corbin and McIntyre at WrestleMania. I’m just not interested. We are just waiting until Drew gets his match with Roman at this point. I do think Drew McIntyre gets the win and it’s on to WrestleMania.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Alex: Drew returned at the Royal Rumble and while his appearance was limited, he was once again a favorite to win for a brief moment until Lesnar came in. There’s still this intent in WWE to keep pushing him as a top star, and that will continue here. Moss simply has no chance of winning. That said, he’ll probably make life difficult in this match by using lots of weapons and the like to keep Drew at bay. He might get a fleeting glimmer of hope due to the likely interference of Happy Corbin. But that won’t be enough. Drew’s out for blood since Corbin and Moss tried to end his career. There’s simply no way a wrestler with that level of revenge will lose. By no means will this be a quick squash; but given the carnage Drew will inflict to send a message to Corbin, Moss will wish it was.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Matthew: Can this feud just end already? Last year McIntyre was on top of the WWE, and now just a little over a month before WrestleMania is wrestling Madcap Moss. McIntyre should get the win here and end this pointless feud fairly easily. Hopefully then there is still time to find him a meaningful opponent before WrestleMania (Cody Rhodes perhaps?).
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Kelly: This match doesn’t really need the Falls Count Anywhere stipulation to it. We all know that Moss has no real chance against McIntyre. I’m guessing this is going to set up McIntyre/Corbin for WrestleMania. McIntyre should win easily here.
Winner – Drew McIntyre
John: When they did this match at Day 1 on New Year’s Day it was fine and even a bit better than I thought since Moss held his own before Drew put him away. I don’t think there is anybody out there that was really clamoring for a rematch, yet here we are. Drew gets his revenge for the attack by Moss and Happy Corbin after that Day 1 win. Since it’s Falls Count Anywhere, I assume they have a creative finish planned like Drew slamming him off the stage onto some tables underneath. After that, Drew will probably beat Corbin at WrestleMania although I’d rather see Drew move on from this feud. It’s just not that interesting.
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Ronda Rousey & Naomi vs. Charlotte Flair & Sonya Deville
(Note: There is a stipulation announced on this Friday’s Smackdown – taped last week – that Ronda Rousey has to wrestle with one hand tied behind her back.)
Lance: Rousey made a big comeback at the Royal Rumble, but surprisingly, hasn’t been as impactful this time around. I know it’s only been a week or so, but they didn’t set her up for success in the Rumble and her promos have been a little shaky. I think Rousey is a true star and she will get back on track. Giving her a tag match here makes sense to give her some more ring time to shake off some rust. Her match against Charlotte Flair at Mania will be one to watch for me. With the stipulation, I can see the heels getting a cheap win here to set up the big title match.
Winners: Charlotte Flair & Sonya Deville
Joel: It seems as if they want to work off any ring rust Ronda may have before WrestleMania. Having her arm tied behind her back in her first match back is just weird to me, but it is what it is. I expect Naomi and Charlotte to probably carry the bulk of this match. Naomi will get her hands on Sonya Deville and hopefully this angle ends at Elimination Chamber. The arm tied behind her back either gives away the comeback and win or it gives them a built-in excuse as to why she loses. Seeing as it’s Ronda’s first match in nearly 2 years, I’m going with the first option.
Winners: Ronda Rousey and Naomi
Alex: This can play out in one of two ways. First, Rousey loses due to the stipulation and otherwise being unable to compete at her maximum potential. Some might doubt Rousey would lose her first match in several years, but it would make people believe that Charlotte – her WrestleMania opponent – actually had a chance of winning. The other possibility is that Rousey makes quick work of Charlotte while Naomi clobbers Deville to get revenge for the months-long anguish Deville has been causing her. Personally, I’m hoping for the former because Rousey winning now wouldn’t entice people to watch WrestleMania. After all, if she beats Charlotte here, what’s the point of having the big title match, especially if she wins while not competing at full strength?
Winners: Charlotte Flair & Sonya Deville
Matthew: I was more excited for this match before WWE decided to add the stupid stipulation on Smackdown this week. Completely hindering one of the wrestlers in the match from being able to wrestle, does not make for a better match in my eyes. Even with Rousey having one arm, however, I still expect her and Naomi to pick up the win. Naomi will get the win over Deville to get her revenge.
Winner: Ronda Rousey and Naomi
Kelly: Hopefully, this is the blowoff match for the Naomi/Sonya feud. It took way too long to develop and never really gave us a reason for the feud. Rousey is just inserted here to get her feud with Flair going. The stipulation does not matter, Rousey makes Deville tap out.
Winners – Ronda Rousey and Naomi
John: I am like most people that might groan at the “arm tied behind the back” stipulation, but I get why WWE is doing it. That’s a way to have Rousey’s team lose due to her limitations in a match. It’s like when they have a heel attack a face before the match, weaken them, then have the face continue to wrestle and the face loses. In this case, since it’s a tag team match, they don’t have to book Rousey to take the pin. That’s what Naomi is for. I think Naomi is going to take the pin here with Charlotte beating her. It makes more sense for the story if the heels win here because it’s likely that the babyface Rousey is going to beat SD Women’s Champion Charlotte at WrestleMania.
Winners: Charlotte Flair & Sonya Deville
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championships: The Usos (c) vs. The Viking Raiders
Lance: The Usos have been a premier tag team in all of wrestling for the length of their career, but especially since joining forces with Roman Reigns. They feel like the real deal. The Viking Raiders haven’t been used as much, but I like them as a team and I am happy to see them getting a title shot here. The Usos will carry the titles into Mania, but I could see them dropping them there.
Winner(s) and STILL WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Usos
Joel: I haven’t minded the interactions between these two teams. It’s nice seeing the Viking Raiders getting some spotlight as I think they are a very underrated tag team. The Usos match up well, but I don’t see them losing the titles right now. Maybe at WrestleMania but not right now.
Winners/STILL Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Usos
Alex: I get the feeling that WWE wants to make the Usos the tag team versions of Roman Reigns, i.e. the most dominant force in their division. As I write this, this current 5th reign of the Usos’ is the longest in the history of the SmackDown tag titles. Personally, I’m a fan of long reigns because every challenge ends up more important. Because of that, I think the Usos will win and continue their dominant reign. But it won’t be easy. They’re at a disadvantage because their challengers are much bigger and have shown their own glimpses of dominance in the past. This’ll probably go around fifteen minutes and will end with the Usos winning by the skin of their teeth.
Winners and STILL WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The Usos
Matthew: The Viking Raiders are one of the more underutilized tag teams in all of professional wrestling. Both Erik and Ivar are extremely talented wrestlers and should be multi-time champions by now. With that said, they have little to no chance of winning this match. The Usos will continue their dominance here in what may end up being the best match of the night.
Winners: The Usos
Kelly: I remember a time when the Viking Raiders were taken seriously and were (are) legit badasses. Now, they are a watered-down shell of themselves. A tag title change would be nice here, but nobody not named The New Day or The Usos look credible in the tag team division. I’ll have The Usos retain here to give the tag division some time to build back up for a title change at WrestleMania.
Winners – The Usos
John: There isn’t a great storyline going into this match, but at least the Viking Raiders are in this match after winning a match to earn the title opportunity. They could have done more in the storyline to make people care although I have enough confidence in both teams to say that it’s going to be a very good match as long as they get more than ten minutes. If you give The Usos time to have a match, it’s always fun to watch. Picking The Usos to win here is the safe choice. They should win. I don’t know what’s planned for WrestleMania, but hopefully it’s something good.
Winners: The Usos
Women’s Elimination Chamber Match: Bianca Belair vs. Doudrop vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Nikki A.S.H. vs. Liv Morgan vs. Alexa Bliss
(Note: The winner will earn a Raw Women’s Title match at WrestleMania 38.)
Lance: I will never stop singing the praises of Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley. Both of them have star written all over them and it’s just up to the powers that be to make something happen with them. Bliss is another one to keep our eyes on. She has returned to tv with a reworked gimmick and it could be a way for them to push her a little before Mania. I think the match will be solid and has the potential to have some memorable spots. The cool part about this match is that I can see more than one woman coming out with the victory. There should be dominance from the likes of Ripley and Belair, with a surprising Liv Morgan almost coming away with the win. That’s how I would do it anyway. This should be entertaining.
Most Eliminations:Bianca Belair
Final Two:Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan
Winner:Liv Morgan
Joel: This is a tough one. A week ago, I was 100 percent all in on Bianca Belair. Then Alexa Bliss was added on Raw. I’m still all in on Bianca but now it’s more like 65 percent. It would be weird so spend all of that time on those Alexa Bliss therapy segments just to have her lose her return match. So, it is very possible she wins here. However, the right call has always been Bianca. It has been her moment since SummerSlam when she lost the Women’s Title in 26 seconds. I’m still picking her. There is nobody else that should dethrone Becky Lynch besides Bianca Belair.
Most Eliminations: Rhea Ripley
Final Two: Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley
Winner: Bianca Belair
Alex: I’ll put my predictions for these wrestlers in point form:
Nikki A.S.H.: Bless her heart, but she has no chance. She’s a heel wearing a silly costume playing a bad gimmick. If she were a babyface, maybe they could paint her like the Hurricane from 2003: a tiny underdog with no chance of winning that fights on anyway. But since we’re meant to boo her, she’ll either be eliminated first or the quickest after exiting her pod.
Doudrop: Again, no chance. She just lost to Lynch a month ago and I doubt anyone’s really interested in a rematch so soon. That said, she’ll probably be the monster in this match that’ll be ganged up on. She’ll probably enter fifth and eliminate Nikki in seconds before throwing everyone else around for a few minutes until she’s triple/quadruple-teamed before being pinned.
Liv Morgan: Probably the dark horse pick. She has a loyal fan following and is good in the ring, but I just don’t see her facing off against Lynch. WWE have done little to convince people she has a chance of winning, so I can only see her winning by stealing a pin or being in the right place at the right time. That could still happen, but given the other three picks, it’s unlikely.
Alexa Bliss: Her winning depends on how her ‘character’ is presented going forward. Personally I have loathed her supernatural gimmick and everything associated with that ugly doll and would prefer she go back to being just ‘a wrestler’. If she brings up that character in the chamber, she’ll probably lose; whereas if she keeps it in check she actually has a chance of winning. Because who wants to see Becky Lynch, the biggest women’s wrestling star WWE has had in decades, not only stuck in cheesy melodrama with a doll-crazy Bray Wyatt knock-off, but also selling for that same character? No one. Face or heel, Lynch is a big star and selling for ‘supernatural Bliss’ would kill off whatever credibility she has left.
Rhea Ripley: A strong pick. She could win and move on to face Lynch, which has potential as a big WrestleMania match. That said, this is dependent on how her story with Nikki plays out. The two of them used to be women’s champions and I wouldn’t be surprised if Nikki cost her the title shot to get revenge and therefore setup a WrestleMania singles match.
Bianca Belair: my personal pick to win. Not only will she be the freshest woman in the match entering at the very end, but she has a personal reason to want to get her hands on Lynch. It was Lynch that humiliated her at SummerSlam 2021 and nearly sends her plummeting back to the midcard forever. It’s the most logical choice given that people would actually care about a Lynch vs. Belair WrestleMania feud more than any of the other options.
Most Eliminations: Ripley and Belair (two each, plus them working together to eliminate Doudrop).
Final Two: Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair
Winner: Bianca Belair
Matthew: This is the first of two Elimination Chamber Matches on this card, with the winner getting to challenge for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 38. Alexa Bliss was just entered into this match this past Monday on Raw, with this being her first time in the ring since September of last year. Bianca Belair will also get to enter the match last as well, after winning a gauntlet match on Raw. I fully expect the match to come down to those two, with Belair getting the win to go on and face Becky Lynch at Mania.
Most Eliminations: Rhea Ripley
Final Two: Alexa Bliss and Bianca Belair
Winner: Bianca Belair
Kelly: This match is the one I’m the most torn over. Half of this field has no chance and half of the field has a chance to win. Those with no chance are Nikki A.S.H., Doudrop, and Alexa Bliss. This match boils down to either Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, or Rhea Ripley. I would have written Ripley off before her amazing gauntlet performance on Raw this week. Ripley could be the darkhorse pick, but I think they might keep her out of the title picture until she gets on Smackdown and completes her singles title Grand Slam.
The way things were going for Morgan, I had her pegged to be either champion or the Rumble winner. I think they are going to keep her cooled off for the time being and save her moment for MITB later this summer. I’m thinking Belair picks up the win here and gets her win back from Lynch after what happened at SummerSlam last year. Perhaps Morgan dethrones Belair later in the summer with a MITB cash-in.
Most Eliminations: Rhea Ripley
Final Two: Ripley/Belair
Winner: Bianca Belair
John: It’s all about Bianca Belair here. Her story going against Becky Lynch again is the easiest story to tell. I don’t think Doudrop, Nikki or Morgan have a chance to win even though Liv was mildly pushed earlier in the year. Alexa Bliss is a bit of a wildcard because WWE’s decision-makers may want to go with her as a quirky wrestler that can be a face or heel at any point. Rhea Ripley had an impressive showing in the Gauntlet Match on Raw by lasting over 40 minutes as a nice reminder of how good she is. I just think Belair is the better option. Becky took the title from Belair at SummerSlam, then they had rematches with Lynch cheating to keep her title and then Belair was out of the title picture for a few months. Now that Belair has that title shot possibility, they need to go with her to win. I think that’s what is going to happen.
Most Eliminations: Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley with two each.
Final Two: Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley.
Winner: Bianca Belair
Raw Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Lita
Lance: It’s nice to see Lita back in a big spot, but I thought they would have saved it for WrestleMania. They could still have her do something there so here’s to hoping. Lynch has been fantastic since coming back to the fold and, dare I say, has become the best women’s wrestler in the world. These two are pros and this match should be a fun one. I can’t see Lita dethroning Lynch, though, and with the winner of the chamber facing the champion, this seems like a one-and-done.
Winner and STILL Raw Women’s Champion: Becky Lynch
Joel: This match will surprise a lot of people. Lita still looks great. She’s in great shape. I think she will have a pretty good match with Becky Lynch. I don’t see her beating Becky. She was always going to hold the title until WrestleMania.
Winner/STILL Raw Women’s Champion: Becky Lynch
Alex: Lita has no chance of winning here. She isn’t Edge, who came back after a decade and wrestled multiple matches. She’s here for a handful of matches here and there, if that. Maybe she’s testing the waters to see how well her body’s holding up after not wrestling for many years. But let’s be realistic here: She’s only wrestling to put Lynch over and make Lynch look like an even bigger star. The only question is how long she lasts.
I want to see Lynch mop the floor with her and beat her clean in under two minutes. Lynch has no business having a competitive back-and-forth contest with someone that hasn’t wrestled on a full schedule in well over a decade. If Lynch has trouble with Lita here, why would anyone take her that seriously against whosoever wins the women’s chamber match?
Winner and STILL RAW Women’s Champion: Becky Lynch
Matthew: This match could easily headline one of the nights of WrestleMania, but instead will be done here instead. Lita is still in great shape even at age 46 and I do not expect much ring rust here. What I do expect is a great match between two of the greatest women to ever do it. When it is all said and done, I see Lynch winning here to set up a match with Bianca Belair at WrestleMania.
Winner: Becky Lynch
Kelly: It was such a great moment to see this match be the first women’s match featured on billboards in Saudi Arabia. They are both deserving of that honor. Lita might have one more run in her, but she’s not capturing the title here. It’ll be a really good match and Lita will make Lynch look great. Lynch beats Lita and rides a wave of momentum into WrestleMania to face the winner of the Chamber match.
Winner – Becky Lynch
John: It’s a nice way to do a dream match of sorts with a current top women’s star against one of the most successful women’s wrestlers in WWE history. I doubt anybody is going to really believe Lita is going to win, but I do think they will have a competitive match. I also hope that Lynch wins clean because she has a lot of cheap wins and I think that would hurt in a match like this. Lita has had a long time to prepare, she looks ready to go and Lynch always has good matches when she’s given a lot of time, so I think they’ll do well. Lynch should win clean. I think she will.
Winner: Becky Lynch
WWE Universal Championship: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Bill Goldberg
Lance: Goldberg has gotten so rich off of these types of shows. I have been going through old WCW shows and Goldberg was an absolute beast. That was in 1998 though, and this is 2022. Reigns is at the top of his game and will be going into WrestleMania with one of the strongest title reigns, we have seen in a while. This will be as competitive as you figure it will be, but I don’t see Goldberg coming out with the title. Would it shock me if he did? Not one bit, but Reigns retaining is the way to go.
Winner and STILL Universal Champion: Roman Reigns
Joel: A Match two years in the making I suppose. Goldberg’s last match with Bobby Lashley was probably the second-best match of his career after that Halloween Havoc 1998 match against Diamond Dallas Page. The only problem is the match with Lashley was No DQ. They could go anywhere. The match with Reigns is under regular rules which will limit what Goldberg can do. Therefore, I don’t expect this match to last 13 minutes or however long the match with Lashley lasted. I would be shocked if it goes over five minutes to be honest. Roman wins.
Winner/STILL Universal Champion: Roman Reigns
Alex: At first I thought that WWE brought Goldberg out for this match simply because it’s Saudi Arabia and that company loves booking old-timers. And while that’s certainly true, there’s another interesting reason for it: Goldberg is the only former Universal Champion that Reigns has not yet beaten. Every other champion – Balor, Owens, Lesnar, Rollins, Wyatt, and Strowman – have all lost to Reigns at one point or another. Only Goldberg remains. And even though he’s still pretty badass for a 55-year-old, he’ll meet the same fate. He’ll do a great job convincing people otherwise, though; I can see him spearing Reigns and hitting the Jackhammer within the first minute of the match. But Reigns will kick out of both and hit back with a big spear of his own, before making Goldberg submit.
Winner and STILL WWE Universal Champion: Roman Reigns
Matthew: Two years ago, Bill Goldberg shocked the world by defeating Bray Wyatt to capture the Universal Championship in Saudi Arabia. Could history possibly repeat itself here, and Goldberg actually upset Reigns? God, I hope not, but I honestly don’t think it is impossible. With Lesnar likely winning the Chamber Match, there is a scenario where Lesnar may cost Reigns the title here and then defends the WWE Championship against him at Mania. For my own sanity however, I will not pick this scenario, and instead will choose Reigns to pick up the win in a quick match.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Kelly: The WrestleMania main event two years later, only getting a Saudi payday instead. Roman smash.
Winner – Roman Reigns
John: I think this will be the shortest match on the show, which is often the case when Goldberg is wrestling. There will probably be multiple Spears by both men with Reigns it as a finisher while Goldberg uses it as a setup move for the Jackhammer. I think they’ll hit those big moves early, then Reigns will escape to the floor to avoid being pinned and drag it out a few minutes. In the end, Reigns should retain his title here. I don’t know how many more matches Goldberg is going to do after this, but if this is it then that’s fine with me. I really wouldn’t miss him. I’ll go with Reigns keeping his title after about seven minutes of action.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Men’s WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match: Bobby Lashley (c) vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Seth “Freakin” Rollins vs. Austin Theory vs. Riddle vs. AJ Styles
Lance: Lashley had a big moment at the Royal Rumble and pinned Brock Lesnar in the middle of the ring. That was a big win for him in a match that we had all waited to see. I think the rest of this chamber match is stacked with current and future stars. Riddle has been booked strong, and so has Austin Theory. Theory in particular has spent a lot of screen time with Vince McMahon and that can’t do anything but help your cause. Rollins and Styles are old veterans that should both be in the main event picture regularly, Lesnar is going to dominate most of the match, but I think this has the potential to be really good. There have been rumors that if Lesnar vs. Reigns happens at Mania, then it might be title vs. title. I think there is a lot of truth to those words.
Most Eliminations: Brock Lesnar
Final Two: Brock Lesnar & Bobby Lashley
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Joel: I am looking forward to this match. Ever since Brock Lesnar returned in 2012, I’ve wondered: “How would Brock Lesnar do in an Elimination Chamber?” Ten years later and we will finally have our answer. I think this is a good chance to showcase guys like Riddle and Austin Theory who aren’t as experienced in the main events as the other four guys. I think they’ll all have their high spots. I went back and forth all week trying to figure out who I thought would win. Seth Rollins is who I WANT to win. That’s who I THINK should win. However, that’s not who I think WILL win. I think we are headed for a Title for Title match at WrestleMania and because of that, I think Brock takes it. If you’re not having Brock Lesnar win, there’s absolutely zero reason to even put him in the match.
Most Eliminations: Bobby Lashley
Final Two: Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley
Winner/NEW WWE Champion: Brock Lesnar
Alex: Just like earlier, I’ll write things down point-form in order of least likely winner to most:
Riddle: I have never been a fan of Riddle’s and just don’t see what most others do. He just doesn’t scream ‘world champion’ to me no matter how good he might be. I can see him getting a brief moment to shine before finally having his big in-ring encounter with Lesnar that he has always wanted…at which point Lesnar will throw him through whichever empty pod he can find and tear him to shreds.
AJ Styles: Styles is one of my favorite wrestlers and is good at pretty much everything he does. And yet, all he’s going to do here is steal a win or act as a foil early on in the match. In fact, I see the shadow of Elimination Chamber 2010 coming up here. Styles will be close to winning, only for Omos to pull a Shawn Michaels and attack him before someone pins him. That’ll setup a ‘Mania match between Omos and Styles and will act as the conclusion to the story that began when they split in December.
Austin Theory: He might be Vince’s new pet project on-screen but he lacks one important thing: credibility. Wins and losses still matter to a lot of viewers, even if WWE themselves might not care. With that in mind, Theory has done little to convince anyone he could beat monsters like Lesnar or Lashley. The only way he’ll win is if WWE does a random swerve, but given that this is a title match and not a title opportunity match, even that is incredibly unlikely (though not completely impossible given the company we’re talking about here).
Seth Rollins: There’s a slim chance that he wins here. Rumor has it that WWE wants to do a title vs. title match between whoever wins this match and Roman Reigns. As such, Rollins and the following two wrestlers are all good candidates as winners. But Rollins has a storyline reason to want revenge. He had a good match against Reigns at the Rumble but it was tarnished by a historically stupid finish. If Rollins wins here, not only would he be the RAW champion, but he’d get his chance to avenge that humiliating loss and get one over on the most unstoppable wrestler WWE has had in years.
Brock Lesnar: Most people are putting him as their first pick because of the rumored title vs. title match at WrestleMania. Personally, I would rather see something else. Reigns vs. Lesnar has been done so many times before, including at two previous WrestleManias. Sadly, this isn’t Tanahashi vs. Okada in terms of match quality or excitement, so why go back to the same well again? Maybe this being the popular pick is the reason WrestleMania isn’t completely sold out yet. To that end, I’m making a bold prediction that Lesnar, the favorite, is the last man pinned by the champion.
Bobby Lashley: I would rather see Reigns vs. Lashley than Reigns vs. Lesnar again. This would be a fresh matchup since Reigns and Lashley have only faced each other in singles competition once before, and that was back on July 23rd, 2018. That was before Lashley became a main-eventer and before Reigns began having his career best matches. But to get to Reigns, Lashley will have to overcome everyone else. Lesnar will get the most eliminations, but Lashley will get the one that matters most: knocking Lesnar out and retaining his title.
Most Eliminations: Brock Lesnar with 3
Final Two: Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar
Winner: Bobby Lashley
Matthew: This Chamber match is absolutely stacked with talent, and should be a incredible match. In theory all six of these guys could win this match, and walk into Mania as champion. Saying that however, one man in this match sticks out to me as the favorite by far. I do not see Brock Lesnar losing two matches in a row, and do believe that Vince wants to do Champion vs. Champion at WrestleMania. Therefore I suspect Lesnar to be dominant in this match and pick up the win to once again become WWE World Champion.
Most Eliminations: Brock Lesnar
Final Two:Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar
Winner: Brock Lesnar
Kelly: Vince is likely so dead set on Brock/Roman at WrestleMania being title for title, so what’s the point of this match? Riddle and Theory should look really good in this match. I just feel bad for Bobby Lashley.
Most Eliminations: Bobby Lashley
Final Two: Lashley/Lesnar
Winner: Brock Lesnar (unfortunately)
John: I like the wrestlers chosen to be in the match because there are former champions, some rising stars and obviously the two big power guys with Lashley walking in as the WWE Champion while Lesnar is in his first Chamber match. As much as I like Riddle, it’s not going to be him and the same goes for Austin Theory although I think both guys will get chances to shine.
I’m going with Lesnar, but let’s remember that Lesnar doesn’t “need” to win this match. Lesnar is already challenging for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania. The reason Lesnar might win this is if WWE decides to do the Title vs. Title scenario, which has been rumored, but it doesn’t mean it’s a lock. There are plenty of other good options for the WWE Title like keeping it on Bobby Lashley or moving it over to an incredible performer like a Seth Rollins or AJ Styles, for example. At this point, I have no idea who Lashley, Rollins or Styles is matched up with at WrestleMania although I’d guess Styles is against Edge and that doesn’t need the WWE Title since it sells itself as a dream match. Rollins and Styles should carry most of the match while Lesnar and Lashley are kept in the chambers until the final two spots.
Since Lesnar got screwed out of the WWE Title against Lashley, it should be Lesnar and Lashley as the final two in the match. Lesnar will finish off Lashley at that point and the show can end with Lesnar winning the WWE Title again. If WWE decides to throw in twist then I can see something happen like Roman Reigns getting into the cage (while the door is open to let a losing wrestler out) and going after Lesnar to cost him the match. I don’t see Lesnar losing clean if he does lose. I’m going with Brock to win, but if WWE decides to go in another direction then that’s fine with me because I like the other options.
Most Eliminations: Brock Lesnar with 3.
Final Two:Bobby Lashley and Brock Lesnar.
Winner: Brock Lesnar
BONUS TOPICS!
The Match I’m Looking Forward To The Most
Lance: Men’s Elimination Chamber
Joel: Men’s Elimination Chamber
Alex: Men’s Elimination Chamber
Matthew: Men’s Elimination Chamber
Kelly: Women’s Elimination Chamber
John: Men’s Elimination Chamber
The Match I Care About The Least
Lance: Miz vs. Rey Mysterio
Joel: Drew McIntyre vs Madcap Moss
Alex: Miz vs. Rey Mysterio
Matthew: The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio
Kelly: Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg
John: Drew McIntyre vs Madcap Moss
Longest Match
Lance: Men’s Chamber Match
Joel: Men’s Chamber Match
Alex: Women’s Elimination Chamber (~30 minutes)
Matthew: Men’s Chamber Match
Kelly: Men’s Chamber Match
John: Men’s Chamber Match
Shortest Match
Lance: Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg
Joel: Roman Reigns vs Goldberg
Alex: Lynch vs. Lita (2-minute squash match)
Matthew: Roman Reigns vs. Goldberg
Kelly: Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss
John: Roman Reigns vs Goldberg
Excitement Level on a Scale of 1-10 (1 being low, 10 being high)
Lance: I am at about a 6.5. Venue aside, some of these matches feel thrown together and have boom or bust potential.
Joel: 7 – I don’t think the build to this show is as good as the build to Crown Jewel last October. I do think the match quality will still be there. The two chamber matches have me the most intrigued because there are a few interesting and realistic options for each match. This is the final Premium Live Event before WrestleMania 38 so that card should start to take shape next week. Hopefully, it’s a good show.
Alex: 4.5 – I’m not expecting any in-ring classics from this show. The undercard is largely predictable, with the only surprises coming from the two EC matches. Though considering where this show’s taking place, I wouldn’t expect much in the way of carnage or exceptional brutality. If you’re going into this show expecting something special or truly hardcore, I’m afraid you’re going to get something sanitized and underwhelming instead.
Matthew: 5 – I honestly wish this show did not exist, as I would prefer the last PPV before WrestleMania to be The Royal Rumble. Saying that, I do think this should be a pretty good show with an excellent main event. Lita and Lynch, and the tag title match should all be very good as well. One thing though is hampering my excitement level from being higher, and that is the fear that Goldberg might actually win!
Kelly: 5 – I’ve always liked the Chamber matches, but this is a rather ho hum PLE this year. Par for the course with the Saudi shows. I’m surprised Mansoor is not on the card.
John: 7 – I think the match quality will be good enough to make it an above-average show for sure, but I don’t know if there will be any major happenings other than Lesnar winning the WWE Title. Unfortunately, it feels like a predictable card in some cases. It’s cool that they have three women’s matches on the card. That shows that they have made progress since the first WWE Saudi shows with no women. Anyway, I do understand why there’s skepticism. I just think it will end up being a pretty good show overall.
In Closing
John: I’ll be back with a review of WWE Elimination Chamber on TJRWrestling.net on Saturday, so check that out live or any time after it’s over.
You can also tweet me @johnreport, Joel is @GiftedMoney, Kelly is @ciscowebwiz76, Matthew is @fowlerwrestlin1, Alex is not on twitter and Lance is @Collectiveheel with any comments as well.
If you want to send an email, send it to me at mrjohncanton@gmail.com as well. Thanks for reading.