WWE Elimination Chamber Match Review #11: 2010 – World Heavyweight Title (Smackdown)

The second Elimination Chamber at the first PPV with the EC name in 2010 featured the Smackdown roster in the main event. The Undertaker walked into the show as the World Heavyweight Champion although the expectation going in was that he would not leave as the champion.

The reason most of us assumed that The Undertaker would lose is because Edge won the Royal Rumble one month earlier, which would set up an obvious WrestleMania match with Chris Jericho. That’s because Jericho was talking trash about Edge while he missed most of 2010 with Torn Achilles injury that kept Edge out of action for about seven months.

As for The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels really wanted to face him at WrestleMania for the second year in a row to see if he could beat him. At the Royal Rumble, Michaels was determined to win because he knew if he did he would face Undertaker at WrestleMania, but unfortunately, he came up short. That meant that if Michaels wanted another shot at The Undertaker, he had to come up with something else to get the WrestleMania match.

I remember going into this match writing a preview where I predicted a Jericho win, but I had no idea how they would do it.

WWE Elimination Chamber
February 21, 2010
Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri

Rey Mysterio made his entrance and got a nice reaction like usual. He’s the first man to enter one of the Lexan pods. It’s John Morrison as the second man to enter a pod in the match with Cole noting that Morrison had a lingering ankle injury. There wasn’t much of a reaction for him. The announcers kept talking about the main event of WrestleMania even though the winner of this did not have the last match at WrestleMania. It’s just WWE saying “main event” because they try to tell people that matches that aren’t on last are still main events.

Chris Jericho was a heel that entered for his sixth Elimination Chamber match. Cole noted that St. Louis is where he won his first World Title. That was No Mercy 2001 when he beat The Rock for the WCW Title. I marked out for that.

The Undertaker was up next with the World Heavyweight Championship around his waist. When he entered, his jacket was on fire due to the pyrotechnics during his entrance, so he ended up walking quickly to the ring. On the WWE Network broadcast, that is edited out and we just see him walking to the ring. The good thing is that fire was out very quickly.

I remember the next day there were reports about how mad he was about it. Of course he was mad! It shouldn’t happen. Anyway, it could have been a lot worse, so I’m glad he was okay.

The two men that would start the match were up next. It was CM Punk along with Luke Gallows and Serena of the Straight Edge Society. Punk did a promo on the way to the ring saying he hopes the symbolism isn’t lost on the four superstars in the Chamber right now. Punk called them four extremely weak individuals that are locked in a prison of addiction like most of the fans. Punk said now they are locked in the Chamber with him. Punk said when they are licking the wounds caused by the Chamber and himself has caused him, don’t think of it as a failure, think of it as Punk saving them. Punk told Mysterio to think of it as him setting them free.

R-Truth was the last man in the match. He sure seems out of place in this match, but they needed a sixth guy to be in the match and he got a few pushes in his career. Truth was a face doing his “What’s Up” rap for the fans.

Elimination Chamber Match for the World Heavyweight Title: The Undertaker vs. Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk vs. R-Truth vs. John Morrison vs. Rey Mysterio

Pre-match notes: The faces were World Champion The Undertaker, Rey Mysterio, R-Truth and Morrison. Punk and Jericho were the heels.

The announcers were Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and Matt Striker.

Punk and Truth started the match. Punk with a jumping side kick on Truth followed by a back suplex. Truth hit a jumping side kick followed by a clothesline that sent Punk over the top rope onto the steel. Truth with a catapult that sent Punk into the cage. That used to lead to a blade job, but not in PG WWE. Truth whipped Punk into the pod. Truth went up top and hit a dive onto Punk. Truth whipped Punk into the cage two times in a row. Truth with a face first slam like The Stroke used by Jeff Jarrett. Truth missed a running forearm, Punk ducked out of the way and hit a roundhouse kick. Punk hit the Go To Sleep on Truth and pinned him 3:34 into this match.

R-Truth eliminated by CM Punk

Analysis: I told you Truth felt out of place in this match.

Punk grabbed the microphone and got in Undertaker’s face saying he’ll make him tap out like he did before. Punk talked trash to Morrison as well. Punk said straight edge means he’s better than us. Punk told people to put their hand on the screen to have CM Punk flow through you. The clock ticked down to zero.

Rey Mysterio is #3 with punches for Punk and a cross body block for a two count. Mysterio with a kick to the head for a two count. Mysterio with a boot to the face, he tripped up Punk and teased a 619, but Punk came back with a powerslam for two. Mysterio countered a GTS attempt into a hurricanrana into a two count. Punk caught Mysterio while they were out of the ring and sent Mysterio into the cage two times. Back in the ring, running knee by Punk and then Punk whipped head first into the empty pod for a two count. Mysterio knocked down Punk with kicks. Mysterio climbed to the top of a pod, Punk went after him and they were both standing on the top rope with Mysterio kicking him down to crotch him on the top. Mysterio hit a hurricanrana off the top that sent Punk onto the steel. Mysterio hit a splash off the top rope onto Punk to eliminate him. Punk lasted 9:50 in the match as the clock went down to zero.

CM Punk eliminated by Rey Mysterio

Analysis: Even though Punk was eliminated from this earlier than I had hoped, he got to shine a bit with the promo time he got.

Chris Jericho was #4 with the crowd booing him since Jericho was in his heel mode. Jericho had the advantage early on, but Mysterio came back with a 619. When Mysterio attacked outside the ring, Jericho tripped him up off the cage and slammed him back first onto the steel. Jericho hit a slingshot splash onto Mysterio for a two count. Jericho slapped on a headlock to work over Mysterio. Moonsault by Mysterio got a two count. Mysterio slapped on a dragon sleeper, which is a standing headlock and Jericho got out of it by sending Mysterio into the turnbuckle. Jericho slapped on the Walls of Jericho submission.

It’s John Morrison at #5 as he went after Jericho to break the submission. Morrison with a dropkick on Jericho, a kick on Mysterio and he tossed Jericho over the top rope onto the steel. With Mysterio going for a springboard attack, Morrison decked him with a kick to the head. Jericho worked over Morrison with kicks. Morrison took control, but when he got to the top rope, Mysterio shoved him into a pod. Mysterio went after Jericho and Jericho was waiting for him with a back body drop that sent Mysterio over the top onto the steel. Morrison came back with a leaping clothesline onto both guys. Morrison with a standing Shooting Star Press onto Mysterio got a two count in the ring. Mysterio set up Morrison for a 619, but Jericho was there to hit Mysterio with a backbreaker for two. Morrison hit a kick off the ropes that decked Jericho. Mysterio headscissors took down Morrison. Mysterio wanted a top rope hurricanrana, but Morrison held on, Mysterio hit the mat hard and Morrison hit the Starship Pain off the top to eliminate Mysterio.

Rey Mysterio eliminated by John Morrison

Analysis: Three eliminations before the last man entered was not common for a match like this. I always thought Starship Pain was a cool looking move, but not necessarily a great finish.

Jericho trapped Morrison into the Walls of Jericho as the clock counted down.

The Undertaker was ready to go as #6 in the match with the crowd going wild for him. Undertaker opened up on Jericho with punches, a corner clothesline, snake eyes, boot to the face and a leg drop for two. Taker also knocked Morrison out of the ring during all of that. Jericho and Morrison hit a double team suplex on Taker. Double clothesline by Jericho and Morrison sent Undertaker over the top rope onto steel outside the ring. Morrison rollup on Jericho got two. Jericho with a back body drop on Morrison. Jericho punched Taker with Taker no selling it, Jericho tried to go into a pod, but Taker beat him down with punches and kicks. Taker with a running splash on Morrison in the corner, snake eyes into the top turnbuckle, but Morrison came back with a springboard kick that knocked down Taker. Morrison up top with Starship Pain, but Taker got his knees up to block it. Jericho was free, Taker stared at him and Jericho went back to hide in a pod. Taker threw Morrison onto the steel outside the ring. Taker threw Morrison into the pod that Jericho was hiding in. Jericho drove Taker into the steel while Morrison climbed the cage and Jericho tossed Taker into a pod. Morrison jumped off the cage onto Jericho. Morrison with a running kick on Jericho for a two count. Undertaker grabbed Morrison and hit a Chokeslam onto the steel outside the ring. Taker put Morrison back in the ring and pinned him to eliminate him.

John Morrison eliminated by The Undertaker

Analysis: It was no surprise that Morrison would be pinned with the other two guys in the ring being bigger names. Morrison got plenty of offense in and looked competitive for most of the match.

Jericho took his time to lock up as fans chanted “Undertaker” for the big man. Taker with a running knee in the corner, but when he went for a kick, Jericho moved and Taker was crotched on the top rope. Jericho hit a superplex while he was standing on the middle rope, which was good for a two count. Taker caught Jericho in a Chokeslam position, but Jericho rolled through going for the Walls of Jericho and he slapped it on. Taker rolled onto his back and slapped on the Hell’s Gate submission. Jericho managed to get out of it before Taker could really lock it in. They battled back in the ring with Jericho hitting a Codebreaker. Slow cover by Jericho led to Taker kicking out at two. Jericho yelled at Taker to “stay down.” Jericho with the punches against the turnbuckle setting up the Last Ride Powerbomb by Taker that he did in most of his big matches in the later years of his career. Taker did the throat slash gesture to signal for the end, but as he did that, Shawn Michaels emerged from under one of the steel grates outside the ring and entered the ring in his street clothes. Taker turned around Michaels nailed him with a Sweet Chin Music superkick. Jericho had this stunned look on his face. Jericho crawled over to make the cover and the ref counted the three count to give Jericho the win while Michaels stood over Undertaker. It went 35:40.

The Undertaker eliminated by Chris Jericho

Winner and New World Heavyweight Champion: Chris Jericho

Analysis: ***1/2 The match was good although I would add that it was pretty average based on the high standards of Elimination Chamber matches. The ending was very memorable due to something happening that we had never seen before with Shawn Michaels coming in from under the ring to go after Undertaker. I give WWE a lot of credit for that because it’s a creative idea that nobody was expecting. What hurt the match is the quick eliminations of Truth and Punk, which made them non factors. As I said earlier, taking Punk out that earlier isn’t a decision I liked very much. Mysterio didn’t do that much especially compared to his role in other years.

Jericho held the World Title in the air with Striker saying, “Chris Jericho is going to WrestleMania.” He was and he wasn’t the main event because Undertaker and Michaels were, so what does it matter to win a title? Anyway, that’s just me asking questions that never get answered.

Analysis: It was Jericho’s sixth time as a World Champion in WWE. That’s how many he still has and I doubt he adds to that number.

Michaels stood over a fallen Undertaker with a serious look on his face as the show ended like that.

Analysis: That set up two WrestleMania 26 matches with Jericho defending the World Title against Royal Rumble winner Edge. Meanwhile, Undertaker and Michaels had a WrestleMania rematch where Undertaker granted Michaels the match only if Michaels put his career on the line, which led to Michaels losing his last match.

THREE RANDOM THOUGHTS

– I think when most people think about this match the two things that come to mind right away are when Undertaker’s jacket was on fire during his entrance and the ending with Shawn Michaels costing Undertaker to give Jericho the win. The rest of the match was average.

– You could tell that the announcers were trying hard to get Morrison more over with the crowd. The fans liked him and over the next year he got to be a bigger star, but he didn’t become a full time main eventer. Perhaps if he didn’t leave the company towards the end of 2011 (his contract was up, so he was not fired) he could have become a top guy at some point this decade. Morrison has done well for himself in Lucha Underground and now in Impact Wrestling, but I think a lot of fans want to see him back in a WWE ring.

– There was some unique booking in this match with two eliminations taking place before four of the guys entered the match. I didn’t like it that much especially in CM Punk’s case since his presence would have helped the match.

FACTS & OPINIONS

Wrestler that lasted the longest: Chris Jericho at 25:40.

Most Eliminations: Five guys had one each. Only wrestler with no eliminations was R-Truth.

Best Performers (3): Chris Jericho – He was great as a chickenshit heel that took advantage of the situation to win the match.

The Undertaker – Key to the match because he looked unbeatable until HBK’s cheap attack.

John Morrison – A good showing from him, but I wish he showed off his athleticism even more.

Most Memorable Moment: Shawn Michaels popping out from under the chamber to hit Undertaker with a Superkick and give Jericho the World Title.

Match Rating: ***1/2 out of five.

That’s all for me. Check out the full list of my WWE PPV Review archive right here. Thanks for reading.

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John Canton

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