WWE Elimination Chamber Review

Hello everyone. I will be doing live updates on tonight's WWE Elimination Chamber PPV. Be sure to refresh for updates!

After a nice hype video for the Chamber itself, we are told that the WWE Title Match will start the show. Interesting. Could Cena/Kane end the show? Or will Santino actually main event a PPV???

RAW Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Championship: Chris Jericho vs The Miz vs Dolph Ziggler vs R-Truth vs Kofi Kingston vs C.M. Punk (c)

Kofi and Punk started the match. Kofi locked in a head lock. They went back and forth on the ropes and then Kofi jumped over the top rope. The two then exchanged some near fall attempts. Kofi hit a high elbow on Punk. Kofi went for the Boom Drop but Punk caught him with a kick. Kofi countered a suplex attempt and dropped Punk on his knee. Punk countered a catapult attempt and catapulted Kofi into the BULLET PROOF LEXON GLASS. Punk then suplexed Kofi on the Chamber floor. Punk worked over Kofi in the ring. Time for another entrant and it was Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler grinded Punk's face against the steel. Ziggler did some crunches on the Chamber wall then hit a leg drop on Punk. Ziggler hit a splash on Kofi in the corner, but missed one on Punk. Kofi and Punk hit clotheslines and bodyslams on Dolph. Both men went for springboards on Dolph, but he ducked and they collided into each other. Nice spot.

R-Truth entered at four and went to work on Dolph Ziggler. He tossed Ziggler over the rope and onto the Chamber floor, then launched himself over the top. R-Truth hit a Scissors Kick but only got a two. Truth went to the top but slipped. Punk hit a high knee then a suplex from the top rope for two. Kofi missed Trouble in Paradise on Punk and was tossed to the outside. Punk hit the Macho Man Elbow on R-Truth and was eliminated.

***R-Truth eliminated***

Kofi hit Trouble in Paradise on Punk. Dolph went for the Sleeper on Kofi but Kofi tossed him to the outside. Punk kicked out at two. Kofi went to springboard Ziggler but he ducked and Kofi grabbed the cage. Kofi then hit a spinning DDT on Dolph onto the Chamber floor. Ouch. Miz entered and went to work on Kofi and Punk, tossing each man into a Chamber pod. Miz bodyslammed Kofi on the Chamber floor. Miz then launched Dolph onto the Chamber floor, and rolled him back in the ring for two. Miz put Kofi on the top rope. Kofi hit a kick on Miz, but Miz shoved him onto the Chamber floor. Miz and Punk went at it. Punk went for a GTS, but Miz countered into his half DDT for two. Punk fought back with a neckbreaker. Punk tossed Miz into the corner and charged but caught a boot. Miz then charged at Punk and got scoop slammed. Punk locked in the Anaconda Vice, but Jericho entered and Punk broke the hold.

Punk and Jericho stared each other down before going at it. Jericho got the better of Punk with some kicks. Punk countered out of the Walls of Jericho, Jericho countered the GTS into a running bulldog. Jericho hit a Lionsault for two. Ziggler went for a roll up on Jericho but only got two. Jericho then hit a Codebreaker on Ziggler, eliminating Dolph.

***Dolph Ziggler Eliminated***

Punk and Jericho went at it again, and Punk catapulted Jericho over the top onto the Chamber floor. Punk slammed Jericho's head into a Chamber Pod. Jericho crawled into a Pod for a timeout. Punk got in there, but Jericho was able to throw Punk in it and slammed the door into Punk's left shoulder. Jericho hit some kicks on Kofi, but Kofi hit a quick SOS on Jericho. Jericho rolled into the ring, and Miz snuck in a pin attempt but only for two. Miz went on the attack on Kofi in the corner. Miz went for the corner clothesline but caught Miz with his spinning kick. Kofi went to the top but Miz knocked him off. Miz went for a superplex but Punk stopped hit. Punk powerbombed Miz for a two. Kofi climbed to the top of a pod and hit a crossbody on Miz and Punk. Miz kicked out at two. Jericho snuck in and locked in the Walls of Jericho on Kofi. Kofi tapped out.

***Kofi Kingston Eliminated***

Jericho worked over Kofi still after being eliminated. Jericho tossed Kofi out of the Chamber, but then ate a Punk kick and he fell out of the Chamber, even knocking out a cameraman. The referees and medics tended to Jericho and the cameraman. Jericho played knocked out and as did the cameraman. Miz then jumped Punk from behind and threw him into the Chamber wall. Punk hit a kick on Miz and kicked out. Punk went for a springboard clothesline off the top, but Miz caught him and hit a Skull Crushing Finale, but only for two. Convincing nearfall. Miz mounted Punk in the corner with punches. Punk ducked a charge and Miz went right into the pod. Punk hit the GTS on Miz for the three and win.

WINNER: C.M. Punk in 32 minutes to retain the WWE Title
Match Analysis: ***1/2
There were some fun spots in that match. Nothing spectacular but good spots. Dolph was a bumping machine in the Chamber. Kofi had some nice spots including the spinning DDT. Miz had a very convincing nearfall with the SCF. R-Truth amounted to nothing. The Jericho angle was obviously used to give him the claim that he was never beaten in the match and deserves a Title shot. A bit over booked but it makes some sense. They don't want Punk pinning Jericho or vice versa heading into Mania. There was some good wrestling and cool spots. Slightly above average Chamber match.

They recapped Santino winning the Battle Royal on Smackdown, then showed him backstage training. He broke some eggs and drank them, then threw up.

They showed John Cena training at a gym with a bunch of WWE Developmental talents. Some dude benched 575 pounds. MAIN EVENTER!!!

Divas Championship: Beth Phoenix (c) vs Tamina
Beth invited Tamina to get out of her ring, but Tamina refused and hit a boob slap and then DDT. Tamina hit a headbutt and went to the outside for a splash, but Beth knocked her off the apron. Beth pummeled Tamina outside with punches. Back in the ring Beth locked in a headlock. Beth slammed Tamina onto the mat and applied another head lock. Tamina fought out with a backdrop. Tamina went for the splash again but Beth knocked her off the apron. Beth hit a superplex from the top. The two exchanged punches before Tamina got the advantage with some chops. A splash in the corner and kick knocked down Beth. Tamian hit the Superfly Splash but only got a two. Beth countered Tamina and threw her into the corner, then hit a GlamSlam for the win.

WINNER: Beth Phoenix to retain the Divas Title
Match Analysis: *1/2
Better than average Divas match, becuase these Divas can actually work a match. Still a placeholder for Beth/Kharma.

Be A Star Promo.

More Santino training. He hit the Cobra on a piece of meat.

Josh Matthews wanted to talk to Jericho, but he was still being looked at by the doctors.

John Laurinaitis came out and said that Teddy Long should be held to the same scrutiny as he was. Suddenly, Alberto del Rio came out. ADR said Teddy Long holds grudges and plays favorites. ADR said that he thinks John Laurinatis should be permanent GM of RAW and Smackdown. Mark Henry's music played. Henry said two weeks ago Teddy Long assulted him and he was wrongly suspended for it. He said he has never seen John Laurinaitis be a bully or throw his power around. He also gave Laurinaitis a vote of confidence to be GM of RAW and Smackdown! Christian's music hit and he came out. Christian said he should have been fighting for the World Title tonight, and unlike Randy Orton who is faking a concussion, he had real injuries. Christian gave Laurinaitis his vote of confidence. Everyone posed for a picture to end the segment. A bit disappointing, but it set up some returns and created a new storyline. The picture was funny.

Santino training: He ran up the stairs in slow motion and did the trumpet.

Smackdown Elimination Chamber Match for the World Heavyweight Championship: The Great Khali vs Cody Rhodes vs Santino vs Daniel Bryan (c) vs Wade Barrett vs Big Show

Wade Barrett and Big Show started. Show hit some slaps on Barrett. More punches from Show. Barrett countered with a kick then took out his knee. Barrett then slammed Show into the Chamber steel. Back in the ring, Barrett worked over Show's leg. Show kicked out of a leg hold and suplexed Barrett back into the ring. Show hit a headbutt on Barrett then tossed him over the rope. Next in was Cody Rhodes. Show hit a slap on Cody right in front of Bryan. Cody tried to throw Show into the ropes, but Show backdropped him over. Show launched Cody into the Chamber wall. In the ring Show went for a chokeslam on Barrett but Barrett countered out and went back to Show's leg. Show tossed Barrett into the ropes, but Barrett ducked and took out Show with the help of Cody. Barrett then tossed Cody over the rope and launched Cody into the Chamber wall three times. Barrett hit a couple kicks on Show, and this allowed Cody to regain the advantage on Barrett.

Next in was Santino. He went to work on Barrett early. Big Show came in and stopped him with some punches. but Cody caught him by surprise and went back to the knees. Show tossed Barrett and Rhodes over the ropes, but both men caught him and hit a double suplex on the Chamber floor. Cody and Barrett tried to drag Show into the ring, so Cody jumped Barrett then hit a moonsault on Barrett. Cody then went to work on Santino, tossing him into the Chamber steel. Fifth in was Great Khali. He took out everyone to no response. Khali and Big Show stared each other down, and Show speared Khali and got the three count.

***Great Khali Eliminated***

Big Show then stared down Bryan. He reached into Bryan's Chamber and tried to grab him. Show ripped the chains off the top of Bryan's pod and got in there and went to work on Bryan. The pod opened and Bryan escaped with a poke to the eye, but Show caught him and launched Bryan through the pod BULLET PROOF LEXON GLASS!!! Show tossed Bryan into the ring and hit some clotheslines then a chokeslam on Bryan. Barrett then caught Show with a boot and then a boot to the outside. Santino went for a roll up on Barrett and got a two count. Barrett clotheslined Santino to the outside. Cody hit two disaster kicks on Show, Barrett hit an elbow then show hit a DDT to eliminate Big Show.

***Big Show Eliminated***

Santino then rolled up Cody Rhodes for a pinfall elimination.

***Cody Rhodes Eliminated***

Cody hit the Cross Rhodes on Santino after being eliminated. Barrett went for a pin but only got a two. Barrett put Santino in the Chamber wall and hit a kick to the head. Bryan and Barrett did some offensive exchanges. Bryan started hitting some kicks on Barrett. Barrett countered and hit a kick to the outside. Barrett then launched Bryan into the Chamber steel, then slammed his head into the Pod and pushed the door against his neck before slamming the door on it. Barrett only got a two. Santino tried to comeback but was punched down. Barrett went for Wasteland but Santino got out. Barrett slammed Santino into the Chamber wall while hitting kidney punches. Bryan hit a flying knee on Barrett then was slammed into two Chamber pods. Barrett shoved Bryan off the ropes and pushed him into a pod, breaking it.

Barrett went for a top rope Wasteland but Santino broke it up. Santino went for a superplex but Barrett tossed him off. Barrett missed an elbow, then Bryan hit a headbutt. Santino made the pin, eliminating Barrett.

*Wade Barrett Eliminated***

Bryan looked at Santino and laughed. Bryan hit a dropkick on Santino in the corner then some kicks. After multiple kicks Santino kicked out at two. Bryan charged at Santino in the corner and missed. Santino went for a roll up but got a two. Bryan hit a kick and missed the top rope head butt. Santino hit the Cobra but got a two. Bryan then grabbed Santino's arm and locked in the Labell Lock. Santino tried to escape but couldn't. Santino tapped.

WINNER: Daniel Bryan to retain the World Heavyweight Championship
Match Analysis: ***
The match was very slow in the beginning and didn't pick up until Bryan entered the match. It was nice to see Cody Rhodes eliminate Big Show. I have a big problem with Santino pinning Barrett and Rhodes, but I will admit that Santino got a very good crowd reaction to his pins, and no one else would have gotten the crowd behind him like that. OK match, but just an average match by Elimination Chamber standards.

Sheamus came out and took out Bryan after the match, making his intentions for his Title match at Wrestlemania known.

Hornswoggle was backstage eating cheese. Natalya was there. Horny asked her to cut the cheese then she farted. Justin Gabriel came in, then Jack Swagger walked by. He called Vickie cottage cheese. Teddy Long came in and made Swagger/Gabriel for the US Title.

United States Championship: Jack Swagger (c) vs Justin Gabriel
Swagger took Gabriel down to the mat early then worked over Gabriel in the orner. Gabriel went for a kick but Swagger countered. Swagger hit a Swagger bomb then some elbows to the gut. Gabriel fought out of a head lock and hit a neckbreaker for two. Gabriel hit a spinning kick then a crossbody for two. Swagger went to the outside then Gabriel hit a spinning dive to the outside. Swagger caught Gabriel's leg and slammed it into the post, then applied the ankle lock in the ring. Gabriel tapped.

WINNER: Jack Swagger to retain the United States Championship
Match Analysis: *1/2
Maybe if the WWE actually built to this match and made us care we would care about the match.

Ambulance Match: Kane vs John Cena
The two exchanged punches before going to the outside. Cena slammed Kane on the barricade. Cena wanted the ambulance open, but Kane grabed him and got the upper hand. Kane threw the stretcher into Cena. Cena grabbed the back board off the stretcher and hit Kane with it. Cena then threw Kane into the ring steps. Cena rolled Kane in the ring, but Kane caught Cena with an uppercut. Kane caught Cena with a boot and hit some punches on Cena. Cena tried fighting back but Kane caught him with a sideslam. Kane went to the top for a clothesline, but Cena caught him mid air with a drop kick to the knee.

Cena went into CENA MODE!!!! Shoulder tackle, scoop slam, five knuckle shuffle. Cena went for the AA, but Kane countered with his suffication hold. Cena was knocked out. Kane dragged him to the outside and pulled a wheelchair out from under the ring. Cena tried getting out by Kane locked in the suffication hold again. Cena eventually fought out of it and threw Kane into the ambulance. Cena then slammed the wheelchair into Kane. Cena put Kane into the wheelchair and threw him into a table. Kane caught Cena with a couple of laptops, but Cena no sold and went right back to Kane with a steel chair. They fought through the crowd, then Cena tossed Kane over the barricade back to ringside. Cena hit Kane with a microphone and then asked Booker if he was in his Fav Five.

Cena began dismantling the Spanish announce table and hit Kane with a monitor to the head, then the steel steps. Cena hit Kane with the steps again. Cena lifted Kane up the assembled steps and went for an AA through the announce table, but Kane countered with a chokeslam through the table. Kane got the stretcher and put Cena on it and tried putting him in the ambulance. Kane put him in and closed one door, but Cena went into SUPER CENA MODE and fought out like nothing had happened to him. Cena went to the top of the ambulance and Kane followed. Cena hit the Attitude Adjustment off the ambulance into what was likely a paded area to the left. Cena put Kane in the ambulance as it drove off. Cena celebrated in the ring like he had just won a two minute squash match.

WINNER: John Cena
Match Analysis: **
It is probably because I never was invested in the feud, but that match did nothing for me. The end spot was big, but the end of the PPV just felt like a let down. I have a big problem with Cena essentially no selling the match after, just jogging around the ring like nothing happened. I understand a Cena win was needed heading into Mania, but that didn't do it. Anti climactic ending to the show.

OVERALL
I thought the show was slightly above average until the main event. When your PPV is called ELIMINATION CHAMBER, and you don't have a Chamber match main event, then you are booking it wrong. But John Cena is above everything: Title and Chamber matches. The RAW Chamber match had good action from the get go and a finish that continues the Jericho/Punk saga. It may have been a bit over-booked for my liking, but I get that the WWE didn't want to give away any Punk/Jericho interaction and not have one go over the other.

While the action wasn't as great in the Smackdown match, it did tell a surprisingly deccent story with Santino. While I have problems with ihm pinning Cody and Wade, he was the wrestler that the fans got behind the most. Even more than the Big Show. It was a solid story but by no means should it result in a push for Santino. Barrett had a standout performance in the match.

Cena/Kane was very mediocre and I did not enjoy it at all. Cena's no selling after the match is becoming a joke. I know it was needed to have him head into Mania, but at least sell after the match damn it.

The main event actually dragged the show down a point for me. The Chamber matches didn't stand out compared to other Chamber matches but still had good action. I'm giving the show a 5. Nothing great, but nothing bad. So lets meet in the middle. I didn't care for anything outside the Chamber matches. Still better than the Royal Rumble though.

Live RAW Review tomorrow. Working on my next NFL Off-Season Preview.

Until Next Time,
Justin C
Follow Me On Twitter @JCWonka