Pantoja’s WWE Elimination Chamber 2025 Review

WWE Elimination Chamber

March 1^st, 2025 | Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario

The crowd heavily booed the American national anthem but then the singer switched to the Canadian anthem. I’ve never seen a faster or more effective babyface turn in history.

Elimination Chamber: Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Naomi vs. Roxanne Perez

The winner gets the Women’s World Title shot at WrestleMania. Liv and Naomi started things. It needs to be talked about more but Liv is on a spectacular run as of late. Anyway, as soon as the bell rang, Jade Cargill’s music hit. She came out and Liv was scared but Jade beat the hell out of Naomi instead. Bianca was losing her mind in the pod. Jade kicked Naomi through the pod and then slammed the chamber door on her head before walking out to cheers. Medics took Naomi out of the match as Liv laughed at Bianca and bragged that she told the truth about not attacking Jade. Obviously, Bianca was next in and she immediately went over to Naomi, allowing Liv to attack from behind. They went back and forth after that until Roxanne entered the fray and she came in hot with a bunch of big offense, including leaping off Liv to give Bianca a rana. This section of the match was very good. Next in was Bayley and Roxanne went right after her. They kept up their rivalry and there was a segment here for Bayley and Bianca to go at it. Alexa entered last and was still being spooky Bliss. Roxanne cut off her hot run and then we started seeing temporary team-ups like Bayley and Bianca working together. Bayley sent Roxanne to the outside only to get caught with Oblivion from Liv for our first actual elimination. Liv and Bianca fought on a pod where Bianca gave her the loudest hair whip I can recall. It left a NASTY welt. Pop Rox got cut off, leaving her to take several moves capped by Twisted Bliss to eliminate her. Alexa hit Bianca with Sister Abigail but got rolled up by Liv and we were down to two. That made the outcome obvious because Liv/Rhea at Mania makes no sense. Bianca no sold some Liv offense and powered up for her own big moves. They traded counters and Bianca turned Oblivion into the KOD to win in 29:15. I thought a lot of that was a great chamber. It lacked drama late but it featured a great Jade angle and some really good action. [****]

Candice LeRae and Nia Jax vs. Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus

Trish looked incredible. Wade Barrett questioned why Trish would risk her body against Nia Jax and I love when a kayfabe comment can actually be a shoot. The faces started hot before Nia used her power to swing the momentum. They worked a short heat to get Trish something of a hot tag. After she did her thing, it was time for the heat segment on Trish with her selling Nia’s power game. Trish made the hot tag to Tiffany and the crowd was way into her. It helped all of her offense pop. WE got another tag to Trish for signature stuff like her super rana and a top rope Stratusfaction which I’ve never seen before. The finish was a bit weird as soon after the big Trish spot, there was an odd moment with Candice, then Tiffany ran to the wrong corner, then fixed it and went up for the win with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever in 11:40. That was good outside of the weird ending. [***]

Unsanctioned Match: Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn

I’ve seen these two fight so many times and they always manage to make the story interesting and engaging while giving us great matches. Possibly my favorite rivalry ever. They kept the lighting low for this which is too much. Just let it be unsanctioned in street clothes. They brawled from the opening bell, using weapons that included a hockey stick, which was used for a few cool spots. The first really big spot saw Sami hit a version of the Blue Thunder Bomb through a table before following it up with a second through a different table. Back at the ring, KO knocked Sami off the top and through two tables, keeping up the violent nature of it all. Sami was selling the injured neck for all of this. KO’s Brainbuster through a chair was an even bigger spot than the table bumps. I didn’t like when KO pulled the referee into Sami’s big boot and then went for a pin. Like, you made the choice, you can’t act mad when there’s no referee. The fisherman buster off the top trough the table led to KO shouting that this was all Sami’s fault, which then led to a Sami Helluva Kick. A barbed wire chair got brought into play and KO took it to the face after a drop toe hold. KO responded with a Popup Powerbomb, slamming Sami’s neck into the post while wrapped in a chair, and then an apron powerbomb. He went for a second and they seemed to slip, so Sami started fighting back before taking a second apron powerbomb. KO won with that in 27:36. These two don’t miss. A violent war fitting of the story and some insane bumps. I don’t any other feud in history can match this level of consistency. [****½]

KO went to continue the assault on exposed concrete but “Voices” hit as Randy Orton made his return to confront Owens. He hit Owens with the RKO and teased using a chair only to dump it and call for the Punt. Security stopped him and KO bailed, so Orton planted security members with the RKO.

Elimination Chamber: CM Punk vs. Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre vs. John Cena vs. Logan Paul vs. Seth Rollins

Damn, Dwayne is main eventing. Seth and Drew started this off and as they went at it, the most entertaining bits involved Punk. They beat each other up in front of his pod and Punk celebrated and cheered them off, given his distaste for both. Priest was in next and a lot of his stuff was focused on fighting with Drew. Logan Paul entered next (he spent his pod time writing on the glass including the word “HUMBLE”) and came in showing off his athleticism. This really got going when Cena entered next. The crowd reacted to all of his signature stuff in a huge way and it felt like the match truly gained life. Drew stopped Cena’s momentum with a Claymore only to get rolled up by Priest, eliminating him first. His obsessions keep hurting him. A pissed Drew hit the Claymore on Priest, opening the door for Logan to beat him with a frog splash. Punk entered after and beat up Logan for a bit. They then teased Cena and Punk reigniting things only for Seth to interrupt because Punk was “his” and he said for Cena to go film more movies. Punk took out Logan with a GTS, leaving it down to himself, Seth, and Cena. They had a big standoff leading to Cena and Punk doing a Hart Attack, taking Seth out for a bit so they could have their moment, which started with a hug and then saw them trade blows. Cena hit the AA after a bit but only got a near fall. Seth eventually hit Punk with the Curb Stomp, also only getting a near fall. Seth had Cena bested but went back after Punk again and it cost him, leading to Punk pinning him. We were down to Punk and Cena. Cena offered a handshake, allowing Punk to the hit the GTS for two. Cena then delivered the AA for another near fall. Overdoing the finisher kick outs. The camera didn’t clearly catch it but Seth hit Punk with another Curb Stomp. Cena capitalized, dragging Punk over in the STF and Punk passed out, giving Cena the win in 32:37. That was very good though as I said, I think they overdid the finisher kick outs and Seth and Drew’s eliminations were too similar. [****]

Cena’s celebration was cut off by Cody Rhodes coming out. They came face to face in the ring and shook hands until The Rock made his entrance, complete with Travis Scott (and “FE!N” played for a bit). Travis was actually in the ring with them even though it made no sense for him to be there other than so Rock could try to look cool. Rock wanted Cody to embrace him and give over his mind and soul. Cody said he gave his soul and everything to the ring and the fans. Then he told Rock, “go fuck yourself” and it wasn’t bleeped. Cena and Cody then hugged. Cena looked at Rock who did a throat cut signal at Cena. Cena hit Cody with a low blow, officially turning heel. Holy shit. Cena battered Cody with brass knuckles and then laid him out with the title. Travis and Cena held Cody in place as Rock wailed on him with the weight belt.  They left Cody in a pool of his own blood. Cena could’ve come back, played the hits, and we all would’ve loved it. Instead, he turns heel and does something totally different.

9.0

The final score: review Amazing

The 411

WWE is 2 for 2 on fantastic PLEs this year. This one featured four matches, three of which were great, and one of which was good. KO/Sami was special. And on top of that, we got three tremendous segments in Jade’s return, Orton’s return, and of course, the Cena heel turn.