Becky Lynch vs Mickie James
The match started out with both Superstars locked up with each other. Becky launched Mickie out of the ring and then kicked her off the ring apron when she tried to get back in the ring. Mickie James planted Lynch with a DDT back in the ring for a two count. Mickie then focused her attack on Lynch’s arm for the next few minutes and took a break or two to pose for the crowd. Mickie threw Becky into the ring post and connected with a Hurricanrana off of the second turnbuckle.
Becky Lynch batted back by connecting with a couple of Clotheslines and a kick to the face. Mickie hit a seated Senton off the top turnbuckle for a two count and the crowd started to chant “lets go Becky!”. Becky climbed to the top turnbuckle and hit a Dropkick for a two count. Mickie hit the Mick Kick but Becky was under the ropes. Mickie dragged Becky back to the middle of the ring and went for the pinfall but Becky kicked out at two. Becky then rolled up Mickie James for the pinfall victory.
Winner: Becky Lynch
Handicap Match: Apollo Crews & Kalisto vs Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler attacked Kalisto before the match. Ziggler then beatdown Crews for a few minutes. Kalisto limped his way back to the ring and Crews connected with a kick to the face. Crews then planted Ziggler with a Powerbomb for the victory. After the match, Ziggler attacked both Kalisto and Crews. Ziggler placed Crews’ ankle in the chair and stomped on it.
Winners: Apollo Crews & Kalisto
Reaction: The crowd chanted “thank you Ziggler!” after he attacked Apollo Crews. I’m guessing that is not the reaction the WWE was hoping for. I didn’t get this match at all. I figured that Ziggler would attack Kalisto before the match. I don’t get why he came back to the ring and Apollo Crews didn’t defeat Ziggler on his own. Instead, he needed Kalisto’s help and then still got his ass kicked after match. The crowd really didn’t care about the post-match attack and nobody was impressed that Crews and Kalisto won a Handicap match.
Tag Team Turmoil for the Smackdown Tag Team Championship: American Alpha vs The Usos vs Breezango vs Slater & Rhyno vs The Ascension vs The Vaudevillains
Slater & Rhyno started out the match with Breezango. Slater dominated Tyler Breeze early and then tagged in Rhyno as the crowd chanted “ECW!”. Rhyno controlled the match for the next few minutes but the momentum turned when Heath Slater got back in the match. Breeze and Fandango took turns stomping Slater in the corner. Fandango issued Slater a bunch of fashion tickets but got kicked in the face. Rhyno then knocked Breeze to the mat. Slater then tagged in Rhyno and he hit the Gore on Fandango and Breezango was eliminated.
Slater & Rhyno battled The Vaudevillians next. Simon and Aiden launched Rhyno into the barricade. Slater then hit a Crossbody onto The Vaudevillains. Back in the ring, The Vaudevillains beatdown Slater in the corner. Slater battled back and hit a DDT on Aiden English and The Vaudevillains were eliminated.
The Usos were next up to face Slater & Rhyno. Jimmy Uso beat the hell out of Slater for a minute as the crowd chanted “he’s got kids!”. Rhyno then entered the match but Jimmy Uso launched him into the turnbuckle. The Usos quickly eliminated Slater & Rhyno.
The Smackdown Tag Team Champions American Alpha were next to join the party. The Usos met them halfway up the entrance ramp and everyone traded punches. Chad Gable hit a Crossbody onto Jey Uso in the middle of the ring for a two count. Jimmy Uso entered the match and continued the assault on Gable. Jason Jordan finally got into the match and hit a Belly to Belly to Jey Uso. Gable tagged himself in and rolled up Jey Uso. After they were eliminated, The Usos attacked American Alpha.
The Ascension then came down to the ring as American Alpha tried to recover. The Ascension hit the Fall of Man on Jason Jordan but Gable broke up the pinfall. The Ascension beatdown Jordan in the corner. Jordan hit Viktor with a Belly to Belly Suplex. Jordan tagged in Gable and Konnor was knocked out of the ring. American Alpha then hit the Grand Amplitude and Jordan prevented Konnor from breaking up the pinfall.
Winners & Still Smackdown Tag Team Champions: American Alpha
Reaction: Breezango and The Vaudevillians remain complete jokes and The Ascension look worse than ever because they couldn’t capitalize on a beaten down American Alpha. Brilliant.
Natalya vs Nikki Bella
Natalya controlled the first few minutes of the match. The action spilled outside the ring and Nikki hit a Clothesline off of the ring apron. Natalya tried to call a timeout and then shoved Nikki into the ring post. Natalya then mocked John Cena’s “you can’t see me” hand motion and taunted the crowd. Natalya applied a Chinlock on Nikki for a bit. Eventually, Nikki battled out of the hold but Natalya knocked her to the mat and continued to mock her. Nikki’s family was in attendance and Natalya mocked them as well.
Nikki applied the STF but Natalya got to the bottom rope to break the hold. Natalya hit a Superplex on Nikki off of the top turnbuckle. Natalya applied the Sharpshooter but Nikki reversed it into another STF. Natalya once again reached the bottom rope to break the hold. The action spilled outside the ring and both Superstars were counted out. Natalya attacked Nikki Bella after the match. Natalya was attempting to leave but Nikki Bella ran after her and tackled her on the entrance ramp. Natalya then sprinted away as Nikki Bella stood tall.
Reaction: This was an okay match. The finish absolutely sucked but clearly this feud is not over.
Randy Orton vs Luke Harper
Harper controlled the match early. Orton knocked Harper out of the ring and posed on the turnbuckle. Orton then slammed Harper onto the announce table but the table didn’t break. Orton controlled the next several minutes of the match. Harper finally battled back and connected with a Senton and a boot to the face. Harper launched Orton out of the ring and followed it up with a Suicide Dive. Back in the ring, Orton connected with a Superplex. The crowd chanted “this is awesome” after the move. Harper hit two Superkicks in a row but Orton still kicked out at two. Harper planted Orton with a Powerbomb but once again Orton kicked out at two. Harper went for a Clothesline but Orton countered it into the RKO for the pinfall victory.
Winner: Randy Orton
Reaction: When the crowd started chanting “this is awesome!” after the Superplex I was very surprised. I certainly didn’t think it was an awesome match at the time. It did pick up towards the end and wound up being a solid match. It wasn’t “awesome” or an “instant classic” by any means but that is just my opinion. I think the rest of the show was so boring up until this match and people wound up overrating it.
Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Alexa Bliss (c) vs Naomi
Alexa dominated the match early. Naomi fought back and connected with the Rear View. Bliss kicked out and then connected with a DDT. Naomi kicked out at two and Bliss threw a tantrum in the ring. Alexa Bliss rolled up Naomi and used the ropes for leverage but the referee caught it. Alexa went for the Twisted Bliss but Naomi got her knees up. Naomi then hit the split-legged Moonsault for the pinfall victory.
Winner & New Smackdown Women’s Champion: Naomi
Reaction: The crowd chanted “you deserve it!” as Naomi was presented with the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Naomi certainly does deserve it my opinion, I just don’t get why this happened now. Alexa Bliss was doing great with the belt. I would have rather seen this at Wrestlemania with some more build up to it. Instead, we have a new Smackdown Women’s Champion and at this rate we will have another new champion in a month. Naomi has been back on TV for a few weeks and is already Smackdown Women’s Champion. What does that mean when Eva Marie makes her return? Will she become Smackdown Women’s Champion? I’m joking. Well, at least I hope so.
Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Championship: John Cena (c) vs Baron Corbin vs Bray Wyatt vs Dean Ambrose vs The Miz vs AJ Styles
Styles and Cena started off the match. Cena and Styles traded punches as the crowd went wild. Cena connected with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb for a two count. Cena went for the Five Knuckle Shuffle but the countdown started before he could pull off the move. Dean Ambrose was released from his pod and immediately launched Cena into the steel chamber. Ambrose then launched Styles into the chamber and Clotheslined him back into the ring. Ambrose slammed Styles onto the steel surrounding the ring and the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”.
Ambrose then climbed on top of his pod and hit an Elbow Drop on Cena. Back in the ring, Cena hit a double German Suplex on Ambrose and Styles. AJ hit the Pele Kick on Cena and Ambrose hit the Lunatic Lariat on Styles. Bray Wyatt was next to enter the match and he immediately leveled Ambrose and Cena. Wyatt charged at Styles but AJ ducked and Wyatt fell out of the ring. Wyatt then launched Styles into the chamber. Wyatt was hung up on the second rope and Styles hit him with a Leg Drop.
Styles climbed up the chamber and Cena followed him. Styles and Cena traded punches but Styles got the upper hand and knocked him down to the steel floor. Styles and Ambrose battled on top of one of the pods. Ambrose knocked Styles down and went for an Elbow Drop on Wyatt but Bray caught him with a right hand. Bray launched Styles off the top turnbuckle and Ambrose planted Bray with a Powerbomb at the same time. Baron Corbin then entered the match and battled with Dean Ambrose.
Corbin planted Ambrose with a Clothesline and threw him out of the ring. Corbin smashed Ambrose’s head into the steel a couple of times. Back in the ring, Corbin planted Ambrose with a Deep Six. Corbin launched Wyatt into a pod and then connected with a boot to his face. Styles landed several punches on Corbin but Baron hit an End of Days on Styles. Cena then came back into the ring and applied an STF to Corbin but Baron powered out of it. Corbin then hit an End of Days on Cena. Ambrose Clotheslined Corbin out of the ring and slung him into the steel chamber several times. Corbin fought back and launched him into the steel and one of the pods.
The Miz took his time getting out of his pod as Corbin was waiting for him. Ambrose rolled up Corbin and he was eliminated. Corbin then attacked Dean Ambrose and threw him through one of the pods. The Miz looked on in fear as he still had not exited the pod. Corbin hit Ambrose several times as he was pressed up against the steel. Corbin then planted Ambrose with an End of Days and finally exited the ring.
The Miz finally exited the pod and pinned Dean Ambrose to eliminate him. The Miz celebrated and pointed to the Wrestlemania sign. The Miz then did the “Yes!” chant and hit several Yes Kicks onto Cena and Bray Wyatt. Styles got back into the ring but The Miz hit him with several kicks in the corner. Cena, Styles and Wyatt were all leaning against a turnbuckle. The Miz hit a corner Dropkick onto all three of them. The Miz climbed to the top turnbuckle but Bray dragged him down. Miz then hit a Skull Crushing Finale on Bray onto the steel. The Miz went for a Crossbody but Cena caught him and hit an Attitude Adjustment. Cena then pinned The Miz to eliminate him.
Styles and Bray Wyatt then attacked Cena from behind. Bray held up Cena and AJ punched him. Styles then gloated and Wyatt punched him in the face. Bray went for a Senton but Cena moved out of the way. Cena then planted Styles and Wyatt. Cena hit a Ten Knuckle Shuffle onto both Wyatt and Cena. Cena hit an Attitude Adjustment onto Wyatt and went for one on AJ but Styles reversed into a Styles Clash for a two count. Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Cena ducked and hit an Attitude Adjustment but AJ kicked out at two.
Cena climbed on top of a pod outside the ring and pointed to the Wrestlemania sign. Cena then hit a Crossbody on both Styles and Wyatt. Cena went for an Attitude Adjustment on Cena but Wyatt countered it into a Sister Abigail. Wyatt then pinned John Cena to eliminate him and the crowd erupted. It was now down to AJ Styles and Bray Wyatt.
Bray beatdown Styles with several forearms to the back of AJ’s head. AJ hit a Dropkick to the knees of Wyatt and then hit a forearm to Bray’s head. Styles went for a pin but Bray kicked out at two. Bray connected with a massive Clothesline for a two count. Styles connected with a Pele Kick and followed it up with a knee to the head of Wyatt. Styles hit a springboard 450 Splash for a two count. Styles went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Bray caught him and planted him with the Sister Abigail for the victory. After the match, Randy Orton stared at Bray Wyatt from the entrance ramp.
Winner & New WWE Champion: Bray Wyatt
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/830991085455290369
Reaction: The Elimination Chamber match saved this PPV from being completely forgettable. I thought the match was excellent. Bray Wyatt won the match fairly. He pinned John Cena and AJ Styles clean. There was no outside interference, instead Wyatt simply dominated. I’ve said for a long time that Bray Wyatt was the most underutilized Superstar on the WWE roster. I’m very happy that there were no shenanigans involved in this match. Bray Wyatt won the match and held up the WWE Championship to close out the show. That was a moment that Bray Wyatt has deserved for a very long time.
What did you think of this year’s Elimination Chamber PPV? Let us know in the comments below.
