Hiya!

Well, color me surprised! Just a few weeks ago, I complained about how Netflix still hadn’t made WWE programming available in the Philippines. It turns out I was happily incorrect! Netflix, just this year, started making all WWE programming available in the Philippines! That’s RAW, Smackdown, NXT and, most importantly, all of their pay-per-view events! I can’t really confirm it this also means the WWE will show their biggest show, Wrestlemania, on Netflix as well but I don’t see why not!

That’s another story for another time, however. What I do have to talk about today is part of the road to Wrestlemania. Specifically, we have to go check out Elimination Chamber, the WWE’s last pay-per-view event before their biggest pay-per-view event. This is also the show where they pretty much finalize the main draws of Wrestlemania as the winners of their respective Elimination Chamber matches will get a title shot at the top prize for their divisions as The Showcase of the Immortals. So, let’s go see what happened!

The first match of the night was the Women’s Elimination Chamber match with the winner going on to face the Smackdown Women’s Champion, Jade Cargill, at Wrestlemania for the title. This featured Alexa Bliss, Asuka, Kiana James, Raquel Rodriguez, Rhea Ripley and Tiffany Stratton getting in the Elimination Chamber to do just that. Some of the notable highlights include Tiffany Straton grazing one of the pods while attempting her handspring back elbow to Kiana James, Alexa Bliss doing her Twisted Bliss from the top of one of the pods to the pool of competitors on the floor, Raquel Rodriguez slamming Kiana James through the (breakable) panel of one of the pods, Raquel pinning both Asuka and Kiana James at the same time to eliminate them both and Ripley hitting a cannonball on Rodriquez from top of one of the pods while Raquel was setting up Straton for a top rope back suplex.

The final two competitors were Rhea Ripley and Tiffany Stratton. Stratton got out of Ripley’s Razor’s Edge and countered that to her signature cartwheel to alabama slam for a 2-count. Rhea rolled out of a swanton attempt by Tiffany and then the Eradicator took down Statton with a big kick. Ripley then hit a reverse electric chair on Statton for another 2-count. Tiffany dodged a spear from Rhea, sending the Eradicator into the steel post and downing her. Statton hits the swanton for a 2-count as well. Tiffany then hit a rolling fireman’s carry to set up for her Prettiest Moonsault Ever finisher but Rhea recovered and shoved Stratton into the pod wall. Ripley then hit her Riptide finisher on Stratton to get the 3-count and punch her ticket to Wrestlemania!

This was a really good match. Although there weren’t really any big crazy spots, the action throughout was consistent and entertaining. I also to have to hand it to the booking as the final 3 competitors, Rhea Ripley, Tiffany Stratton and Raquel Rodriguez, all made some logical sense when it came to facing Jade Cargill at Wrestlemania. Speaking of Raquel Rodriguez, she had a phenomenal performance here and I hope she does get a big push in the future. Rhea Ripley winning is also smart as she is a big draw. My only concern is if she can really pull out a good performance from Jade Cargill at Wrestlemania. Hopefully, she’s “ring general” enough to do just that.

The next match saw Becky Lynch defending her Women’s Intercontinental Championship against AJ Lee. Despite my extreme love for AJ Lee, I have to be honest and I haven’t been liking her return to WWE in-ring competition. Simply put, it looks like she lost a step. Her moves aren’t as crisp and her mic work, while still pretty good, doesn’t seem to have the same bite. Still, I did hope this was going to be her redemption match. There were some cool moments, such as AJ Lee performing a hammerlock while doing a bridge, Lynch avoiding a Black Widow and turning it into a guillotine elbow and Big Time Becks connecting with a superplex and then floating over to an armbar. However, these cool moments did feel few and far between.

They did make up for the just okay action with the finish. During the match, Becky Lynch took off the protective padding on one of the top turnbuckles. As Jessika Carr, the referee for the match and someone Becky Lynch has had issues with, tried to put on the padding back, Becky shoved AJ into Jessika Carr, stunning the official momentarily. This led to the referee being a bit slow to count Lynch rolling up Lee, leading to a 2-count. Becky then tried to kick AJ in the face but Lee ducked. Instead, Becky kicked Jessika Carr and knocking her out. Lee did lock in her Black Widow on Lynch but, as the referee was downed, she didn’t see Becky tap out.

Lynch took this opportunity to batter Lee around the ring. AJ tried to rally but Becky blocked a tornado DDT and then hitting a DDT of her own onto a steel chair. Lynch covers Lee but the referee only counted to 2 before AJ kicked out. Big Time Becks then tried to slam AJ’s face into the exposed turnbuckle but Jessika Carr prevented her from doing so. While Lynch complained to the official, AJ Lee tried to rally. Lynch then tried to hit a splash on Lee but AJ dodged, sending Becky face first into the exposed turnbuckle! Lee then locked her Black Widow submission to get the tap out victory and become the NEW Women’s Intercontinental Champion!

This was a pretty good match. Like I said, nothing much happened but the ending was just a whole lot of fun. It was convoluted and crazy and just a blast to watch! I also do like how they’re continuing the weird feud Becky Lynch has with Jessika Carr and I bet she can use this to get a rematch either before or during Wrestlemania. I’m a little on the fence with giving the title to AJ Lee, especially this close to Wrestlemania. I would’ve preferred if Becky Lynch defended the belt against AJ Lee then but, as Elimination Chamber is in Chicago, AJ Lee’s “adopted” hometown, I can see why they pulled the trigger.

The next match had CM Punk defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Finn Balor. This, to me, had the potential to be the match of the night as both CM Punk and Finn Balor can pull off really fantastic matches. There was some smart storytelling, with Balor targeting Punk’s midsection when he noticed the Second City Savior grasp his stomach after landing awkwardly early in the match. Some of the highlights include Balor blocking a superplex and then tried hitting his Coup De Grace only for Punk to hit his running knee and bulldoog combo, Finn hitting a reverse DDT and then his Coup De Grace finisher for a 2 count, Punk hitting his GTS finisher but couldn’t pin his opponent as Balor slid to the outside and Balor hitting a shotgun dropkick to Punk, sending him through the ring barricade.

The finish was anticlimactic, sadly, Balor then hit another shotgun dropkick, which sent Punk flying back into the corner hard. Finn then climbed to the top rope to hit his Coup De Grace finisher again but Punk somehow locked in a sharpshooter as Balor landed! Finn did manage to reach the rope to break the hold. Punk then repeatedly kicked Balor in the head, leading Finn to have a glazed look on his face. Punk then hit his GTS finisher to get the pinfall victory and retain his WWE World Heavyweight Championship. After the match, Balor extended his hand to Punk and Punk shook it. AJ Lee then joined her husband in the ring to celebrate their respective championships.

The in-ring action was pretty good overall but I am very disappointed with the finish. It was simply lacking any drama as Punk just locked in a sharpshooter, kicked Balor in the head a few times before hitting his finisher to get the win. It feels like it was missing a beat, like a mini-comeback for Balor before that final GTS. Still, it was fun until we did get to that lame ending.

The final match of the night had Cody Rhodes, Je’Von Evans, Trick Williams, Logan Paul, LA Knight and Randy Orton compete in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match. The winner gets to face Drew McIntyre for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Wrestlemania. Lots of entertaining moments here. Je’Von Evans started the fun stuff with all the creative flipping and dipping at the start against Cody Rhodes and Trick Williams. There were also things like Trick hitting a double Bookend simultaneously to Cody and Je’Von, Logan Paul getting ganged up on a couple of times and even being sent through one of the (breakable) pod walls, LA Knight hitting his BFT finisher on Evans on the top of one of the pods, Knight hitting a burning hammer to Rhodes, Knight slipping off the top rope when he attempted to do his LA Knight Yeah top rope elbow to recover just enough to do a regular elbow drop and Logan Paul eliminating Je’Von Evans, Trick Williams and LA Knight and even stealing the pinfall from Rhodes when he didn’t need to.

The no-so big surprise came near the end of the match. Another masked man tried to interfere by stupidly trying to climb the Elimination Chamber walls from the outside. Security got his out quickly but it turns out this guy was also another no-name person. This distraction, however, allowed the real masked man to enter the Elimination Chamber through the open doors and deliver a curb stomp to Logan Paul, allowing Cody Rhodes to pin the Maverick and eliminate him. The masked man then removed his facial covering to reveal it was Seth Rollins all along to no one’s surprise!

The finish came after Seth Rollins screwed over Logan Paul and it was down to Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. However, Drew McIntyre decided to make his presence felt as he also entered the Elimination Chamber and went after Cody Rhodes. Drew went for his Claymore finisher but Cody sidestepped it and started wailing punches on the Scottish Warrior. McIntyre retaliated with a Glassgow Kiss headbutt to stop Rhodes’ rally. Orton then decided to step in and hit his RKO finisher on McIntyre to stop the assault. Cody then followed that up with his Cross Rhodes finisher on Drew, taking him out. However, The Viper decided this was the time to strike and hit his RKO finisher on Cody as well to get the pinfall victory and earn the right to face off against Drew McIntrye for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Wrestlemania!

I really enjoyed this match. From the start to the finish, it felt like there was always something I needed to see and, if I looked away, I might miss something. The action was pretty top notch all throughout. I am a little bummed LA Knight was taken out so unceremoniously but it does work as he’s feuding with Logan Paul at the moment. I’m a little on the fence with the reveal that Seth Rollins was the masked man as everyone and their mother knew who it was. Then again, no one else would really make sense so making it not Seth Rollins would have been a dumb move as well. The mini-match at the end, while extremely short, felt earned, especially with Drew McIntyre sticking his nose in the match. Overall, a really good match to close a good show.

Although I can’t really say this was an incredibly memorable Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, I will say I loved watching it. There wasn’t really a weak match in the bunch but, at the same time, I also can’t say there was anything in it that I would say is going to stick in my mind in the long run. That’s partially because, besides AJ Lee winning the title so close to Wrestlemania, there weren’t any big surprises. Everything that happened makes sense at this time but, in the future, I don’t think I’ll have any nostalgic moments about this show. Still, this was great while it lasted.

Byee!

What did you think of this year’s WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view? Let me know in the comments section below!