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Csonka’s WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 Review
Image Credit: WWE
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Csonka’s WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 Review
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Kickoff Match: The Good Brothers defeated Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas @ 8:50 via pin [**]
– Raw Women’s Championship Women’s Elimination Chamber Match: Champion Alexa Bliss won @ 29:35 via pin [****]
– Raw Tag Team Championship Match: Champions The Bar defeated Titus O’Neil and Apollo @ 10:46 via pin [**¾]
– Asuka defeated Nia Jax @ 8:14 via pin [**¾]
– Matt Hardy defeated Bray Wyatt @ 10:07 via pin [*]
– Universal Championship #1 Contenders Men’s Elimination Chamber Match: Roman Reigns won @ 40:04 via pin [***]
The Good Brothers (Gallows & Anderson) vs. Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas: Axel & Anderson start us off. They work some basic back and forth, with Axel hitting a shoulder tackle. He follows with rights, but Anderson cuts him off with a leg lariat. Gallows tags in, hits a slam and follows with strikes. Anderson tags back in and some double team follow until Dallas tags in and cuts off Anderson. Axel back in but Anderson cuts him off, heads to the ropes but Dallas dumps him to the floor. Post break, and Dallas is working the heat on Anderson. Axel back in and they continue the heat, and Axel covers for 2. He follows with a dropkick, and lays the boots to Anderson. Dallas tags in, and they stomp away at Anderson in their corner. Anderson fights them both off, hits a suplex and then fights off Axel and tags in Gallows. Gallows runs wild, hitting a head kick, and follows with the running splash. Axel saves Dallas, it breaks down and Dallas covers Anderson for 2. Anderson hits the desperation spinebuster, Dallas sent to the floor, and the magic killer finishes Axel. The Good Brothers defeated Curtis Axel & Bo Dallas @ 8:50 via pin [**] This was a ok kickoff match. Axel & Dallas are completely useless in the ring at this point, and their best role is standing behind the Miz and looking silly. I just can’t get into anything they do in the ring. The crowd was into the Good Brothers, and it was nice to see them pickup a win, but this was really flat and had no fire at all.
– The Revival comment on the match, saying “that those kids have potential,” but that it wasn’t their brand of tag team wrestling.
Raw Women’s Championship Women’s Elimination Chamber Match: Bayley vs. Mandy Rose vs. Mickie James vs. Sonya Deville vs. Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss: Deville & Bayley will start us off. Deville works a takedown right away, and they quickly separate. Bayley with a trip, and then hits a bulldog. She then slams her to the buckles, but Deville fires back and returns the favor. Deville lays in strikes now, but Bayley climbs the chamber, Deville pulls her off and Bayley slams Deville into the chamber and covers for 2. Bayley follows with a knee drop, but misses the elbow. Bayley grounds the action, Bayley heads up top and Deville rolls out of the ring. Bayley hits the elbow drop to the chamber floor. Back in and the cover gets 2. #3 is Rose. Bayley cuts her off right away, and hits the stunner in the ropes on Rose & Deville. She works over both on the corner. She runs Deville into Rose and then misses a corner elbow. She sends them to he chamber floor, but Deville takes her down with a spear. Absolution works together and repeatedly slams Bayley to the chamber. Back in and Deville covers for 2. Rose then covers for 2. Deville follows with a running knee strike, and Rose off the ropes and takes down Bayley, covering for 2. They now work over Bayley along the chamber, and #4 is Banks. She’s all fired up and attacks Absolution, slamming Rose into a pod a few times and follows with rights. She now lays in rights to Deville and hits charging knee strikes. Back in and a running meteora on Deville gets 2. Banks cuts off Rose, and hits double corner knees on Deville for a near fall. Deville battles back, getting a roll up for 2. She then follows with kicks, but Bayley cuts her off. She and Banks slam Deville to the chamber a few times, and then to the floor. Back in the ring and Rose takes out Bayley. She tosses banks back in and hits a facebuster. Banks counters out of the implant buster and applies the banks statement as Bayley takes out Deville, Rose taps @ 13:58. #5 is James. She’s a house of fire right away, working over both Banks & Bayley. She then lays out Deville, but Banks rolls her up for 2. James cuts off Bayley, and hits the flapjack on Banks. Deville cuts her off and slams her to the chamber several times but James counters back with a head scissors. James climbs, Banks cuts her off, and James kicks her away and climbs again. Bayley up with her, and James knocks her off. James on top of the pod and hits the Thesz press to eliminate Deville @ 19:40. Banks statement and Bayley to belly on James and she’s gone @ 18:03. Banks and Bayley take a break to wait on Bliss. Bliss tries to keep her pod closed, and then climbs the chamber and on top of her pod. She then climbs along the chamber wall, but gets trapped. She climbs down and the others follow. She climbs back up, running for her life. They all battle on top of a pod, Banks then tosses Bayley to the floor after attacking Bliss. Bayley attacks Banks and Bliss now attacks her and covers for 2. Bliss lays in strikes on Bayley, and chokes her out in the ropes. Bliss stomps on Bayley and covers for 2. Bayley now hits the Saito suplex, and lays in rights on Bliss. Banks then cuts her off and they brawl. Bayley gets her in the tree on WHOA and lays the boots to her. Bayley up top and Bliss cuts her off, follows Bayley up and hits the superplex. Banks pulls herself up top, and hits Bayley with a frog splash for a great near fall. Banks looks for the corner knees, and then slams Bayley to the corner. Bayley hits Bayley off the ropes, but Bliss rolls her up for the pin @ 25:45. Down to Bliss and Banks, Bliss goes for twisted Bliss, but eats knees. Banks now connects with knee strikes along the chamber, but misses and gets trapped in the chain, allowing Bliss to hit a back breaker. Bliss climbs the chamber, onto a pod and hits twisted Bliss off of the pod! But banks locks on the banks statement and they roll into the ring. Bliss escapes, but Banks cuts her off. Banks now climbs the ropes, but Bliss slams her into the pod and hits a draping DDT for the win. Champion Alexa Bliss won @ 29:35 via pin [****] This was a great match to kick off the PPV, it was laid out extremely well, and had the right mix of big spots, in ring action, and storytelling. This was a match where everything came together really well, it didn’t feel forced, and the ladies delivered big time as everyone got to shine.
– Bliss cuts a big babyface promo post match, and then awesomely heels it up, turning on the crowd after some great fake crying; great work by Bliss there.
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: Champions The Bar vs. Titus O’Neil and Apollo: The champions attack before the bell, but the challengers battle back and clear the ring. Apollo flies to the floor, wiping out the champions. Cesaro is selling his right leg, and the challengers work double teams, Apollo hits a top rope splash for 2. Sheamus cuts off Apollo on the floor, and then works him over. He and Cesaro work quick tags, isolating Apollo and Cesaro follows with uppercuts. The cover gets 2. More quick tags follow from the champions and they double team Apollo some more. Sheamus hits a knee drop, covering for 2. Sheamus grounds the action, but Apollo starts to fire back, but gets cut off as the champions continue to work quick tags. But Apollo keeps fighting and working for a tag. Cesaro cuts him off; Sheamus tags in and lays the boots to him. The champions follow with more double teams, but Apollo manages to send Cesaro to the floor. Sheamus tags back in, but Apollo fights for the tag, but Sheamus cuts him off and knocks Titus to the floor. Apollo counters white noise into a cradle for 2. Sheamus then posts himself, missing a charge. Apollo finally makes the tag and Titus runs wild on Cesaro and starts tossing him around. He takes out Sheamus, and hits a big boot on Cesaro for 2. Titus catches Cesaro off the ropes, but Cesaro slides out and tags in Sheamus. Sheamus up top and Titus catches him with clash of the Titus for 2. Apollo now hits a dive onto the champions for 2. Back in and he hits a high cross on Sheamus for 2. Sheamus then counters the standing moonsault with knees, Cesaro posts Titus, and then chop blocks Apollo. The double team white noise connects and the champions retain. Champions The Bar defeated Titus O’Neil and Apollo @ 10:46 via pin [**¾] The Bar were really great here, getting the most out of a team that despite some fluke wins on Raw, are a dead act. Apollo is really fun, but working such a long heat on a guy that just isn’t over isn’t always the best of plans. This was far from bad, and overall was pretty good an a little better than expected.
Asuka vs. Nia Jax: Jax gets added to Asuka’s Women’s Title Match at WrestleMania if she wins. Asuka attacks with kicks and strikes to begin, but Jax cuts her off with a head butt. Asuka keeps firing away, but Jax tosses her across the ring. Jax charges and Asuka dumps her to the floor. Bliss watches on as Jax starts to overpower Asuka and hits a curb stomp to take control. The corner splash and elbow drop follows for 2. Asuka looks for a knee bar, but Jax powers her up and slam her to the buckles. Jax now works a torture rack, but Asuka escapes into a guillotine. But Jax counters out with a jackhammer. Asuka lays in kicks and hits a jawbreaker. More kicks follow, but Jax hits the Samoan drop. Jax misses the leg drop and Asuka hits a shining wizard for 2. Asuka follows with kicks and strikes, lighting up Jax and covering for 2. Asuka heads up top, gets cut off, and Jax follows her up. Asuka slides out but Jax cuts her off and looks for the banzai drop, which misses. Jax manages to cut her off with a shoulder block, and sort of misses the rolling splash (hitting the legs). Jax then posts herself, and Asuka locks on the arm bar, but Jax powers out and slams Asuka to the corner. Jax monologues, allowing Asuka to cradle her for the win. Asuka defeated Nia Jax @ 8:14 via pin [**¾] This was pretty good, there was no messing around, they worked to their strengths, it had a great sense of urgency and the right woman won. Following the post match, I’d expect a rematch on Raw, and if that’s the case, I’d have Asuka dominate and submit her quickly to get revenge and properly set her as the dominant contender.
– Post match Jax attacks, and tosses Asuka to the floor. Jax posts her, and then spears Asuka through the barricade.
– Bliss comments on the match, and is happy Jax beat down Asuka. No one is ready for Alexa.
Matt Hardy vs. Bray Wyatt: Wyatt appears in the ring and Matt sings the obsolete song. Wyatt runs around like an idiot trying to find him. Matt appears out of nowhere and attacks. He controls, laying in rights and Wyatt does his spider gimmick and Matt claps for him. Wyatt is confused. The DDT follows and Matt covers for 2. Wyatt battles back, and chokes out Matt in the ropes. The flatliner follows for 2. Wyatt grounds the action, slowing things down. The crowd is entertaining themselves, as they work to the apron. Wyatt hits an apron DDT and rolls back in. The crowd chants for beach balls through this scintillating action. Wyatt hits a lariat on the floor. Back in and Wyatt covers for 2. Wyatt maintains control until Matt cuts him off and hits a tornado DDT. Matt follows with rights, slams Wyatt to the corner, and hits a side effect, covering for 2. Matt to the ropes and hits an elbow, but Wyatt counters the twist of fate into a uranage and senton for 2. Wyatt follows with ground and pound, as we get Rusev day chants. Wyatt to the ropes, and misses the senton. Wyatt counters the twist of fate, and sister Abigail is countered, and Matt hits the twist of fate for the win. Matt Hardy defeated Bray Wyatt @ 10:07 via pin [*] This was not good in any way, easily the worst thing on the show, as the crowd didn’t care, instead cheering for beach balls & Rusev day. The work was also slow and extremely flat. This was a match that happened on this show. They really need to move on from this. I don’t even think a wacky Hardy compound match with all of the broken universe can save this feud.
Ronda Rousey Signs Her Raw Contract: Kurt Angle arrives, contract in hand. Triple H then arrives with Stephanie. They play nice and shake hands with Angle. Stephanie takes over and puts over signing Rousey. Triple H says they search the earth for great athletes to sign, which is why they are signing Rousey. They haven’t signed someone like Rousey since they signed Angle. Triple H runs down Rousey’s accomplishments, and brings out Rousey. Stephanie welcomes Rousey, and Rousey stumbles a bit and puts over Angle. She then gets emotional as the fans chant for her. She then thanks her hero Roddy Piper, who was her inspiration. She wants to make him proud and earn the respect of the fans. She’s so extremely uncomfortable talking here. Triple H makes sure she knows what she’s signing, and Rousey says she doesn’t want to be treated any differently. Triple H says she will compete at WrestleMania, but not in a championship match. She thanks him.. Triple H & Angle argue off to the side, which catches Rousey’s attention. Rousey asks if Angle has something to say, and Angle puts over Triple H & Steph for bringing her in, because they wanted payback for Mania 31. Angle stirs the pot, and Triple H says this is all about Rousey. Rousey looks pissed now. Triple H says Angle is sick and tries to get him out of there. Stephanie kisses Rousey’s ass, and tries to make the deal official. Angle then says Stephanie called Rousey a has been. Rousey backs down Steph and Triple H arrives to separate them. Rousey shoves him away, but Rousey then slams Triple H through the table. Steph slaps her, and talks shit, and then runs away. Rousey signs the contract, and drops it on Triple H before leaving. So there we have it, Rousey & Angle vs. Triple H & Stephanie. 90% of this was horribly awkward, Rousey shouldn’t talk at all, she wasn’t comfortable at all and it showed. She needs a manager ASAP. She would have been better off saying nothing at all. But the Kurt Angle stuff played well, and so did the angle afterwards, with Rousey putting Triple H through the table and getting her badass bitch face on, and the crowd loved it. It was really rough, but will end up all over ESPN and the like tomorrow. Triple H sold the table bump really well and helped sell the angle big time. I also like that it played off of the previous Mania angle between Rousey, Triple H & Steph, and it made sense that Angle wanted revenge for Survivor Series.
– Elias sings us a tune prior to the match starting.
Universal Championship #1 Contenders Men’s Elimination Chamber Match: The Miz vs. John Cena vs. Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins vs. Finn Balor vs. Elias: Miz, Balor, and Rollins will start us off. Miz tries to make alliances early, but Balor & Rollins refuse. Balor & Rollins attack Miz, but Rollins then tries to roll up Balor for 2. Miz send to the floor, as Rollins grounds Balor. Rollins fires up, knocks Miz back to the floor allowing Balor to hit a dropkick. Miz back in and cut off immediately. Balor maintains control, and covers Rollins for 2. Rollins finally cuts off Balor, hitting a knee strike and covering for 2. They all go for roll ups, and Rollins hits a back breaker on Balor. Rollins hits a springboard clothesline on Miz, hits a suplex and rolls through, doing the deal with the falcon arrow for 2. Rollins and Miz work back and forth, and then Rollins hits the blockbuster on both, covering both for 2. #4 is Cena. He takes his time and talks shit with Rollins, they push and shove and Cena attacks, Rollins fights back, but Cena hits the proto bomb. Cena hits one on Miz, and looks for the shuffle, and connects to both. Balor cuts him off, rolling him up for 2. Sling blade follows on Miz, but Rollins cuts him off. Cena looks for a double AA, Rollins & Balor escape. Cena & Balor brawl on the floor, as do Miz & Rollins. Cena fires back with rights, pulls Balor up top and Rollins & Miz work up top in the opposite corner. Cena & Rollins hit superplexes, and all four are down. #5 is Reigns. He fires away with rights, taking control with ease. He goes face to face with Rollins, but Miz runs them together and DDTs Rollins for 2. Miz takes his time and then lays in IT kicks to all. Reigns cuts him off with a clothesline, but Balor attacks from behind. He tosses Rollins to the floor, and Reigns hits a clothesline for 2. Corner clotheslines follow on Balor. The single armed powerbomb follows, and then the Samoan drop on Cena gets 2. A sitout powerbomb to Miz gets 2. #6 is Braun. Get these hands son. He slams Rollins to he chamber and attacks everyone. Miz runs, as Braun just kicks everyone’s ass. Rollins & Rollins attack together, but Braun suplexes them both. He tosses Balor into Reigns. Miz climbs the chamber on top of a pod, but Braun follows and catches him. Brain repeatedly slams Miz into the chamber and tosses him off onto the pile of bodies in the ring. Braun stares down Elias, and then attacks Miz. And then Reigns. Rollins attacks, but he gets those hands and is tossed to the floor. Braun powerslams Miz and eliminates him @ 20:05. Elias is in now. As the other four attack Braun. They agree to work together, and Reigns calls for a Shield bomb, and they hit it and dog pile on Braun, but he kicks out at 2. Cena hits an AA, but Braun kicks out at 1. Spear by Reigns, but Braun kicks out. Black out by Rollins, and the double stomp by Balor follows. It breaks down as the alliance is over, as Braun is down on the floor. Elias in and covers Rollins for 2. Balor for 2. Reigns for 2. He clotheslines Balor and works over Reigns and Cena. Elias up top and hits the elbow drop on Rollins for 2. The sitout powerbomb on Reigns gets 2. Braun is back and misses a charge, posting himself. Elias tries to power him up, fails, powerslam by Braun & Elias is done @ 25:45. Braun picks up Reigns, but he escapes the powerslam and Rollins & Balor attack. Cena & Reigns join in but Braun catches him and powerslam him and Cena is done @ 27:15. My god, will poor John miss WrestleMania? There’s always the Andre battle royal. Braun continues his path of destruction, but Balor starts fighting back, and hits the shotgun dropkick. Balor up top, the double stomp connects, but Braun kicks out. Rollins & Balor brawl, they trade enziguris, and Balor hits 1916 for a near fall. Sling blade to reigns, and the shotgun dropkick follows, The double stomp follows, but Braun hits the powerslam and eliminated Balor @ 30:35. Down to Rollins, Braun, and Reigns. Reigns & Rollins get to their feet, and agree to work together. They attack and take control, double teaming Braun. They slam him into the chamber a few rimes, but Rollins attacks Reigns and hits a superkick, misses the stomp, but hits the buckle bomb, but Reigns rebounds out with the superman punch. Braun is back up, grabs Rollins but Rollins climbs away and up the chamber. Braun follows, Reigns is up and attacks Braun with a Samoan drop on the flooring. Rollins is in top of a pod, and Braun rolls back in, high fly flow to Braun, but he kicks out at 2. Rollins & Reigns look for the powerbomb, but Braun fights out and dropkicks Reigns. Rollins hits superkicks, but Braun cuts him off with a powerslam and elimination @ 36:30. We’re down to Reigns vs. Braun. They trade strikes and they work to the floor, and Reigns escapes a powerslam. Reigns then dives over the ropes onto Braun, Braun charges and crashes through a pod as Reigns sidesteps him. The superman punch follows, and back in, Reigns hits another. Reigns backs off, and the spear is countered, Reigns escapes the powerslam and hits another superman punch. The spear follows. Reigns hits another spear and wins. Roman Reigns won @ 40:04 via pin [***] Roman Reigns is WWE’s guy, and they held serve here, having him win. They let Braun run wild and eliminate everyone in an effort to keep him hot and not hurt him. But that was really ultimately done to make Reigns look like the man in pinning him. Reigns is the chosen one by WWE, he puts on some good matches, but to me, he doesn’t feel like the star they think he is. Braun continues to feel like the more organically grown star. He’s over, he feels like a larger than life star, and the crowd reacts to him like one. I really fear that by the time they pull the trigger on Braun that it will be too late. I don’t dislike Reigns at all, but I also don’t get the company’s obsession with him either. I guess they feel that after all of this time and effort put into him, they have to stay the course and continue on. For the most part, I felt that outside of Braun killing folks that the match was good, but extremely flat and predictable. I easily enjoyed the women’s match much more.
– Post match, Braun lays out Reigns with a pair of powerslams in the ring. He then throws Reigns through a pod.
– End Scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
