WWE Elimination Chamber 2012: The Upside/Downside to All 6 Smackdown Competitors

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The SmackDown elimination Chamber has one show left before the six men step into the several-ton structure to battle it out over Daniel Bryan's world title.

Cody Rhodes, Big Show, Khali, Wade Barrett and Randy Orton are set to challenge for the title in what is sure to be an interesting match, to say the least.

Big Show and Bryan have obvious tension heading into the match, Orton and Barrett have been feuding for quite sometime and Khali and Rhodes both want to get their hands on some gold—well, more gold in the case of IC champion Cody Rhodes.

Here, I will take a look at the upsides and downsides of each competitor and rank their chances in the chamber.

Khali

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UPSIDE

Khali is an international superstar who has been in films, TV shows and a World Champion in WWE. His recognition in India is a major selling point for his character.

DOWNSIDE

Khali is slow and clumsy in the ring, to a point which his size can't make up for. His time in WWE has seen him have several big-name feuds with the likes of Big Show, Batista and Undertaker, but it is time to hang up the boots.

CHANCES IN THE CHAMBER

I see Khali as having virtually no chance of walking out as champion heading into WrestleMania simply because he is not back full time and WWE probably does not feel he is a main event star.

Cody Rhodes

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UPSIDE

Cody Rhodes is one of WWE's brightest up-and-coming stars. Since he re-debuted the classic IC title, he has really come into his own as a heel on SmackDown.

He used his mask to put himself over but since removing it, he has proven he doesn't need a strange gimmick to be interesting. Declaring he will be a duel champion is also an interesting addition to the character he has developed.

DOWNSIDE

Some people feel Rhodes isn't marketable and his merchandise has never really moved well, but that's not always an indication of how fans feel.

His current persona is getting somewhat stale, as he has been doing the same thing week in and week out for a few months now.

CHANCES IN THE CHAMBER

While Rhodes being a duel champion heading into 'Mania would be a cool thing to see, I doubt WWE will put one of the main events on his shoulders. I see him having a good IC title match with someone at 'Mania and having a good showing at the Chamber, but leaving as only the IC champion.

Wade Barrett

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UPSIDE

Wade Barrett has picked up his game over the last year and proved he is ready to main event SmackDown. His feud with Randy Orton has only solidified that feeling.

His in-ring ability and skills on the mic are both well above average, and the crowd reacts well to him. His best quality is his ability to make you really dislike him.

DOWNSIDE

Barrett has a relatively low-key gimmick in that he does not draw a lot of attention to himself with flashy attire or crazy moves, so he has to rely on his pure technique to get him over.

CHANCES IN THE CHAMBER

While Barrett winning would be a welcome change to the title scene, I think WWE will most likely have him in the Money in the Bank match, and possibly even win it, come WrestleMania.

Randy Orton

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UPSIDE

There is not a whole lot I need to say about Orton to make you understand why he has the position he has in WWE. He is skilled in just about every way you could demand of a wrestler.

Over his decade-long run in WWE he has done everything there is to do, and that means that he is at a point where he can start to step aside for long periods and let others feud over the title while he helps put others over.

DOWNSIDE

Orton is someone who is uber-popular, but I have always felt he operated much better as a heel than as a baby face. He is a great god guy, but he was an incredible bad guy.

CHANCES IN THE CHAMBER

If Orton had been pursuing the title before being thrown into this match, then I would think he would have a better chance, but since it seems like he and Barrett were thrown in to round out the match to six, he is unlikely to walk out as champion. However, if WWE wanted a surefire star for WrestleMania, then Orton would be the guy to use.

Big Show

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UPSIDE

In my opinion, there is no better big man wrestler than Big Show. He has jumped form the top rope and taken moves no other guy his size would have considered in the history of the business.

His natural charisma and legacy in the business make him a natural draw for fans, and his run with both WCW and WWE has seen him have a lot of success as both a heel and a face.

DOWNSIDE

Due to his size and speed, it makes it hard for Show to ever have a 5-star match. He is also not able to do many spots other wrestlers would like because they can't lift him.

CHANCES IN THE CHAMBER

After seeing how WWE teased the possible match between Sheamus and Big Show at WrestleMania, I think he has a pretty good chance of finally winning a title someone can't steal away a few minutes later.

Daniel Bryan

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UPSIDE

Daniel Bryan is one of the best mat technicians in the world. His ability to have a great match with just about anybody is what helped him rise to the top of WWE.

Since turning heel, he has made believers out of a lot of doubters, including myself, who thought he couldn't pull off a good heel role.

DOWNSIDE

His size is a factor in almost any match, and it makes it hard for him to appear like he has a chance in a match where five other guys all nearly double his size and weight.

CHANCES IN THE CHAMBER

I think Bryan has a really good chance of walking out of the Chamber as champion because WWE may want to have him and Sheamus face off in what would undoubtedly be a better match than Show vs. Sheamus