Choke's WWE 2014 Elimination Chamber Predictions and Preview
Posted by: choke Feb 22, 2014 | 2041 views | 9 comments
It's the ultimate filler PPV! That's right, Elimination Chamber, the stopgap between the Rumble and Mania where you're almost guaranteed to not see any true surprises. Would it be naive of me to suggest that this year could be different? Could we actually see the WWE go away from the obvious results and throw a curveball into what is thought of as the official Mania card circulating the internet by say, having Daniel Bryan win the Chamber match? Or maybe having the Shield beat the Wyatts? Let's get the predictions underway...
Pre-show: Cody Rhodes and Golddust vs Rybaxel in a "There Will Be Commercials" stip match: The Rhodes Bros have had a disappointing season thus far. Starting off as the Tag Champs and after an incredible Survivor Series season, this season they lose the belts to the New Age Outlaws of all people and seemingly are out of the tag title hunt. The rumors have run rampant for months that they will set up a Cody vs Dust Mania match, but Goldust himself has said this is not happening. Do we believe the tweet? If not, you probably like Rybaxel to win to start the dissention. If you do believe it, it's hard to see the Rhodes Bros losing. I believe and therefore I'm going with Cody and Dust to win and move onto a bigger and better feud for Mania.
Alberto Del Rio vs Batista: You know who's winning, I know who's winning, let's not even discuss it. The thing I'm most excited for is whether or not Batista will get booed more than Del Rio. LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN, uh, Minnesota. Ugh, they probably like Batista there. No offense if any of my esteemed readers are from there
Jack Swagger vs Big E for the IC Title: Kind of a shame that the Real Americans never got any shine as the Tag Champs before their current singles run. While I'm all in on Cesaro and have been before he was even in the WWE, am I selfish to still want to see them get that run? Okay okay, I'll just take a Cesaro WWE title run instead I guess. right. So as has every IC and US title run from the last 2-3 years, Big Es run has been uninspired by no fault of his own. I think Swagger has a chance, but just dont think its time for Big E to drop the belt yet especially with his fairly recent interactions with some of the more main event players. I dont think the WWE is ready to give it up yet. Big E Retains
Darren Young vs Titus O'Neil in a "Grudge Match": Feels surreal to type that match out to be on a PPV. It certainly seems that they are trying to get Titus over as a major heel, which they need pretty desperately in the WWE. I'm a little surprised Darren hasnt gotten a bigger push after his coming out of the closet several months ago. I think this is a tough one to call, but I'd go with Titus
The Usos vs The New Age Outlaws for the Tag Titles: Probably the toughest match to call for me. I really didnt think the NAO were going to be around nearly as long as their current run has been, so I'm inclined to think the Usos will win it. Particularly because I still believe that Harper and Rowan will have the tags by the time Mania is over with (a win over the Shield should propel them to that point soon). The one thing that really throws it all out of whack though? The old school wrestling law that if you win/dominate in the weeks leading up to the PPV, you're probably SOL at the actual PPV, and vice versa. So what happened on Monday and Friday? The Usos BOTH won singles matches against the NAO. The opposite happens this Sunday. NAO retain (I'll gladly be wrong)
The Shield vs the Wyatt Family in a six-man tag Very interesting how the WWE has been hyping this as a co main event. Should be a hell of a match and even though I feel the result seems pretty obvious of the Wyatts winning especially if they finally are going to implode the Shield as everyone, includng myself, think. Plus with the Mania match supposedly being Bray vs Cena which makes a lot of sense since Wyatt interfered and cost Cena the title at the Rumble. Having him lose here would just make no sense unless they've scrapped that. The obvious outcome would be Ambrose doing something to fuck over Reigns or the team in general, but I'll go out on a limb and actually say its Rollins who does something that causes the group to dismantle. Either way, Wyatts win.
Elimination Chamber Match: Sheamus, Christian, Cesaro, Cena, Bryan and Orton for the WWE Title. Well you know the planned Mania match by now of Batista vs Orton. And you know that there's no chance in hell for Christian and Cesaro to win the title at this point right? Right. It looks like they're going to go with a Sheamus vs Christian program, or at least to me it does, and I think Christian plays a hand in eliminating Sheamus. Plus really, no one wants to see Sheamus with the title right now. So we're left with Cena, Bryan and Orton. Since all signs point to Cena vs Bray Wyatt for Mania, and that its only been sidetracked because of the Shield vs Wyatt story, I think Wyatt will have a hand in eliminating Cena. The final two: Bryan and Orton who are realistically the only ones who have a chance of winning. Orton makes a lot more sense going against Batista obviously, but maybe the WWE will pull the ultimate "okay, we'll give you guys what you want" curve and actually have Bryan win and then turn Batista heel? Or make it a 3-way Dance for Mania? Wishful thinking for most, but I dont think it happens. The Authority (Kane, HHH, A CORPORATE MINISTRY TAKER? jk) will screw Bryan out of this match, and the WWE gives us what none of us want, Orton vs Batista for the title in April. They know we'll keep watching either way.
Overall I think it looks like a relatively interesting PPV on paper. I think the tag belts can go either way, Swagger has a legit chance to win, I'm a little intrigued how well Titus and Young will do on the big stage, and there's a little bit of interesting possibility in the Chamber match. Do I think by the end of the show I'll be satisfied? Not really, but the way things have gone even having a little bit of hope for a good show is something, so let me cling to that please. Get my bottle of Jameson Gold ready for the show.