WWE Elimination Chamber 2015: Match Card, Potential Spoilers, Predictions, More

WWE Elimination Chamber 2015 is the company's latest attempt to turn the curious into subscribers.

To close out a month packed with programming, WWE has brought back a gimmick match powered by rattling steel, broken plexiglass and breathtaking leaps. To entice folks to start dishing out cash for the WWE Network, the company is leaning on the violence born from that specialty bout and its emerging stars.

Dean Ambrose will get his first one-on-one WWE title match. Kevin Owens will make his debut on the main roster. Rusev, Kalisto and Naomi all have a chance to walk out of Corpus Christi, Texas, carrying gold over their shoulders.

Can WWE deliver a memorable product despite this being the third pay-per-view in five weeks? That's not even counting NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable and WWE's impromptu resurrection of the King of the Ring tournament in late April.

The talent is there to counteract the limited time for building up the show. Like Payback, though, it's likely to be a event built around hard work in the ring rather than the culmination of storylines. 

News, Potential Spoilers

The Intercontinental Championship Elimination Chamber match could either feature a limping monster or a replacement challenger.

After his match with Ryback during the SmackDown taping on Tuesday, Rusev left hurt. F4WOnline reports that Rusev suffered an ankle injury. The report notes: "He needed medical help after finishing his match and was helped out during what was likely a commercial break for the show." 

SEScoops shared a photo that's going around the Internet of Rusev in a wheelchair, holding crutches:

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc), there is talk that Bray Wyatt may be Rusev's replacement if Rusev can't go on Sunday.

Even if Wyatt joins the fun, there's a good chance that Sheamus will walk out of the chamber with the IC title in hand. He was the first man out when the Authority booked this match. He owns recent wins against fellow challengers Ryback and Dolph Ziggler.

Beyond that, there is backstage chatter that WWE plans to crown him. Mike Johnson writes for PWInisder: "There's a ton of talk that Sheamus ends up with the Intercontinental title."

That doesn't mean it's certain the Celtic Warrior will win on Sunday, but it's not smart to bet against him at this point. 

Credit: WWE.com

A potential feud may affect how the WWE World Heavyweight Championship bout plays out. Seth Rollins' issues with the Authority refuse to go away. Tension and strife roll on.

Perhaps that's because WWE wants Rollins to eventually collide with Triple H. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc) reports that the company is discussing having a feud between those two. WWE could plant more seeds to that potential showdown at Elimination Chamber.

Match Card

• Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match
• Neville vs. Bo Dallas
• Intercontinental Championship Elimination Chamber Match
• Nikki Bella vs. Paige vs. Naomi (Divas Championship)
• John Cena vs. Kevin Owens
• Dean Ambrose vs. Seth Rollins (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

Quick Predictions

• The New Day retain the tag team titles.
• Neville over Dallas.
• Sheamus wins the IC title.
• Naomi over Nikki and Paige.
• Owens over Cena.
• Rollins over Ambrose.

Tag Titles Stay with New Day

Sunday is WWE's chance to showcase the New Day as heels. By cheating their way to victory and surviving the gauntlet, the champs will look more like they belong atop the division.

WWE hasn't focused on one particular challenger. Instead, the teams have all crowded the stage as of late, as they did on Monday's Raw in a 10-on-3 Handicap match.

That points to the company not being ready to crown another duo. It's still the New Day's time.

Neville Beats Dallas, Just Like He Did at NXT

In NXT, Bo Dallas was the man Neville was trying to knock off the mountain. Now that both men are on the main roster, their positions on the hierarchy are much different.

Dallas is a low-level midcarder struggling for airtime. Neville, meanwhile, has faced top talent and been portrayed as a rising sensation.

Expect him to counteract his losses to King Barrett by stomping on the irritant that is Dallas. 

Sheamus Takes Home Gold

If WWE wants to restore the IC title's prestige, it's going to look for a new face to become champion. Barrett and Ziggler have both been IC champ recently. Having them win doesn't feel like a forward move. The same goes for choosing R-Truth, a perennial midcarder.

Ryback, Rusev and Sheamus are the remaining viable options.

Rusev may be hurt, as discussed earlier. Sheamus brings the title name power that Ryback can't. As a former world champ and main eventer, the Celtic Warrior can act as a replacement for Daniel Bryan as a top star taking on the mid-level championship.

Naomi's Turn on Top

Everything has been pointing toward Naomi winning her first Divas title. She's been the focus of the women's division for weeks as she has become more aggressive, more vocal and aligned herself with Tamina Snuka.

Paige was the champion relatively recently, so WWE isn't likely to go in that direction again. As for Nikki, she's held the title for almost 200 days now. That's past the usual point at which champions give up their straps.

Naomi would offer a bit of new blood as champ. She's undergoing the most engaging piece of character development in the division, which is usually a precursor to a title reign.

Regardless of whether Tamina assists her, the safe bet is that Naomi wins in Texas.

The Newcomer Makes a Statement

Bleacher Report's Big Nasty believes that Cena needs to win this match:

This smells like a coming out party for Owens, though. At NXT, officials have had Owens shoot up the ladder. He was NXT champ just two months after his debut. Not long after that, he was on Raw standing over a fallen Cena, mocking him with his own signature hand gesture.

WWE doesn't do that for just anyone. It's clear WWE brass is behind the brawler. Having him knock off Cena in his first WWE match would be a much bigger story than having him fall short.

Look for WWE to go for the better story. Owens' undefeated streak continues outside the confines of NXT.

Rollins Retains

Keep betting on Rollins retaining until SummerSlam. A money match awaits him there against Brock Lesnar. As fun as an Ambrose title reign would be, it doesn't make as much sense as allowing the Beast Incarnate to tear apart the man who stole his title.

Rollins is nailing his role as the irksome, self-serving heel champion. There's no reason to veer from that now. 

WWE can soften the blow of an Ambrose defeat by having Kane or J&J Security play a hand in it. And history has seen Ambrose fail to get full revenge on his former ally, even going back to their days in Florida Championship Wrestling.

Even more certain than Rollins' win is that this match will be tremendous. Each time out, these rivals flourish against each other. Expect more of the same magic from them, outshining the rest of the card—even without the Elimination Chamber to aid them.