WWE Elimination Chamber 2015: GSM's Pick, Preview and Potential for Each Match
On Sunday, WWE will present its sixth annual Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event, live from the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, at 8 p.m. ET.
Set to air exclusively on WWE Network, Elimination Chamber was announced a little less than three weeks ago on the May 11 edition of Raw. However, in that small window of time WWE has succeeded in making it a must-see show with what's been advertised.
Despite falling short of winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Payback, Dean Ambrose will receive another shot at the gold against Seth Rollins in the main event. Can Ambrose finally settle his score with Rollins or will The Architect reign supreme over his former friend once again?
In his pay-per-view debut, NXT champion Kevin Owens will square off against United States champion John Cena in a highly anticipated champion vs. champion match. Cena has gone unbeaten since capturing the star-spangled prize, but will Owens be the one to hand him his first defeat in nearly three months?
Not one but two Elimination Chamber matches will be held, in which the Intercontinental and WWE Tag Team Championships will be at stake. Who will survive Satan's Prison and walk away with the titles in tow?
Here, I will provide my personal preview and prediction as well as uncover the potential for every match on the advertised card.
Neville vs. Bo Dallas
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Preview
On the May 14 edition of SmackDown, Neville defeated Bo Dallas in one-on-one action. Out for vengeance, Dallas interrupted Neville's promo the subsequent week on Raw and noted there was still bad blood between the two stemming from the feud over the NXT Championship last year.
Following Neville's loss to King Barrett that same night, Dallas targeted the knee of The Man That Gravity Forgot and forced fans take notice. A match between the two was made official for Elimination Chamber on the May 25 Raw.
Prediction
While I realize some fans were disappointed Neville won't be a part of the Intercontinental Championship Elimination Chamber, all will be forgiven if he competes in the Money in the Bank ladder match next month. If not, then we riot. In all seriousness, this feud with Dallas is perfect for him right now.
Fast-tracking Neville to the Intercontinental title would hinder him more than it would help him, and Dallas can really benefit from working with someone he has history with. Although Neville is guaranteed victory here, I hope there is a long plan in place for The Inspirational One beyond this program.
Potential
I thoroughly enjoyed the string of matches these two had over the NXT Championship in 2013 and 2014, particularly the ladder match, and I'm certain this contest will be no exception. If they're given an ample amount of time, Dallas could turn some heads with his impressive in-ring ability.
Nikki Bella vs. Paige vs. Naomi (Divas Championship)
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Preview
Last month on Raw in England, Paige won a Battle Royal to become the new No. 1 contender to the Divas Championship. However, she had her title shot taken from her when she was blindsided by a vehement Naomi, who later went on to take her place in the title match at Extreme Rules.
One night removed from the Payback pay-per-view, Paige made her return and laid out both Naomi and Nikki Bella. The Divas champion would get her revenge against the Anti-Diva days later on SmackDown with it then being confirmed a Triple Threat match for the title would occur at Elimination Chamber.
Prediction
While I can certainly say that my interest in the Divas division has heightened thanks to the return of Paige, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in order to make the title picture compelling again. Everyone is playing their roles well, but the ladies aren't getting as much time as they should to establish their storylines.
Nikki has had a solid run as Divas champion since November, but it's time for her to pass the butterfly belt on to Naomi. Paige and Naomi are set to feud sooner rather than later and the feud would be better off with Paige in chase mode.
Potential
As noted, time is essential for the ladies of the main roster and I think with time that these three can deliver a very good matchup. Everyone has an equal chance of winning, which should make each of the near-falls down the stretch all the more suspenseful.
WWE Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match
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Preview
On May 12, it was announced by WWE.com that the WWE Tag Team Championship would be defended for the very first time inside the Elimination Chamber. With six teams vying for the gold, The New Day are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to successfully retaining their titles.
Prediction
The interactions between the six tandems have been nothing to write home about, but just the thought of a tag team Elimination Chamber match is enough to excite me. A match of this type has been a long time coming and I'm honestly surprised we haven't seen one before now.
The Ascension and Los Matadores have virtually no chance of winning, but I could see a scenario where either The Lucha Dragons or The Prime Time Players come out victorious. The story being told going into the match has been that there's no way The New Day will retain, which usually indicates they'll win, but I'll go ahead and say Cesaro and Tyson Kidd regain the gold after all the times they've been cost the championships in the last month.
Potential
This match has the potential of being a total train wreck but in a good way. Each of the combatants are excellent athletes, so I'm sure we're in for something special when it comes to this match, especially with it being the first of its kind.
Intercontinental Championship Elimination Chamber Match
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Preview
At WrestleMania 31, Daniel Bryan realized a dream when he captured his first Intercontinental Championship. However, after suffering a severe injury, he was forced to take an indefinite leave of absence, leaving the title vacant in the process.
Shortly thereafter, it was announced that an Elimination Chamber match would be held at the event of the same name to determine a new champion. Which of these six competitors will emerge victorious as the new holder of the prestigious prize?
Prediction
The array of talent in this match is random to an extent, but I'm still looking forward to it, nevertheless. R-Truth clearly has no chance of winning and the strap was a curse around Barrett's waist, so he shouldn't win it, either.
Among the remaining competitors is Sheamus, who is likeliest to leave with the title in his grasp and will probably enter a program with Ryback in time for the summer. As of this writing, the injured Rusev is still scheduled to compete on Sunday, but if it's revealed he has to be replaced, Bray Wyatt is a strong candidate to take his place.
Potential
Even with the involvement of R-Truth, this should be one exciting contest given the list of combatants. It'll also be nice to see the Intercontinental title showcased in a match that's usually only reserved for the world championships.
John Cena vs. Kevin Owens
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Preview
Since capturing the United States Championship at WrestleMania 31, John Cena has been defending the title against all-comers each week on Raw. On the May 18 episode, his open challenge was shockingly accepted by one Kevin Owens.
Owens, who had no desire to take the title from Cena, made an immediate impact by laying out Cena with authority before stomping his foot on the star-spangled prize. His goal isn't to add more championship gold to his waist; he's determined to make a name for himself in WWE right out of the gate by targeting the top dog.
Prediction
Of all the matches on the card, this one is hardest to predict a winner for. In all honesty, it could very well go either way, and while I wouldn't be overly frustrated with a Cena victory, it would make much more sense to have Owens score the major win instead.
With it being recently reported by Wrestling Observer that Owens is now an official member of the main roster, there is no excuse as to why Owens shouldn't come out on top. Besides, the U.S. title isn't on the line, so Cena could still lose and keep the U.S. Open going, regardless.
Potential
While the outcome of this match may be unpredictable, what isn't uncertain is that their feud will be far from over despite what happens Sunday. Thus, there's a chance they don't go all-out in this match, but it will be good enough to leave fans wanting more.
Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
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Preview
It was almost exactly a year ago that Seth Rollins turned on his Shield cohorts before joining The Authority, and since then Dean Ambrose has stopped at nothing in exacting his revenge. They met several times on pay-per-view in the latter half of 2014, but their feud never had a proper conclusion.
Ambrose, who was unsuccessful in winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at Payback, was granted one last opportunity at the gold when he threatened to put Rollins out of commission the next night on Raw. Never having beaten his former friend on the grand stage before, The Lunatic Fringe will have something to prove in his outing against Rollins come Elimination Chamber.
Prediction
Some may say that the predictability of this match will hinder their enjoyment of it, but the outcome may not be as obvious as it seems to be. There's always the possibility WWE puts the belt on Ambrose for two weeks only to give it back to Rollins at Money in the Bank, but I can't say I'm in favor of that happening.
Personally, I think it would be wiser to have Rollins hold the strap for the long term without having his reign interrupted so it will mean more when he goes up against Brock Lesnar (presumably) at SummerSlam or sooner. Whether Roman Reigns plays a factor in the finish remains to be seen, however.
Potential
What I loved most about their feud last year was how all of their in-ring encounters delivered. This will be the first singles match they've had on pay-per-view that won't carry a stipulation, and if their match on the May 4 edition of Raw was any indication, then this should be a stellar contest.
Read more prediction pieces for past WWE pay-per-views here.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website at Next Era Wrestling and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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