WWE Elimination Chamber 2012: Predicting the Winners of Each Match

On Sunday February 19, 2012, WWE hosts the third annual Elimination Chamber in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Beth Phoenix takes on Tamina Snuka in a bout for the WWE Divas Championship. Kane and John Cena continue their two-month feud in an Ambulance Match. Daniel Bryan defends his World Heavyweight Title in an Elimination Chamber Match against Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Big Show, The Great Khali and Santino Marella.

The main event pits CM Punk against Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, The Miz, R-Truth and Kofi Kingston in yet another Elimination Chamber match with the WWE Championship on the line.

There may only be four matches on the card, but all of them are packed with significance and intrigue. Here's a prediction of how each will turn out.

WWE Divas Championship: Beth Phoneix (c) vs. Tamina Snuka

Since winning the WWE Divas Championship in October 2011, Phoenix has defended her title a half dozen times against the likes of Eve, Brie Bella, Kelly Kelly and others. At last month's Royal Rumble, Phoenix' four-woman team beat a team consisting of Kelly, Eve, Alicia Fox and Tamina Snuka.

This time, it's one-on-one.

Part of the Snuka bloodline, Tamina, daughter of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka, is the fan favorite in the match. Her Snuka style and recent use of the Superfly Splash helped her win over many fans. Now it's time for her to win the championship.

Winner: Tamina Snuka

Ambulance Match: John Cena vs. Kane

In no easy task, either Kane or Cena must defeat the other by punishing each other to the extent the loser needs an ambulance.

In recent weeks Kane has been tormenting Cena's friend Zack Ryder and Ryder's girlfriend Eve. On a recent edition of Raw, the world was stunned when Eve kissed Cena after he rescued her from a near kidnapping at the hand of Kane. Unfortunately, Ryder witnessed the whole thing.

Later, as Cena was apologizing to Ryder, Kane appeared and pushed Ryder in his wheelchair off of the WWE stage.

John Cena wants vengeance. Kane wants destruction. Who will get their wish?

The Ambulance Match favors Kane. He's a beast and nearly impossible to fully stop long enough to be sent off in an ambulance. John Cena is one of the few that have the capability to get close, though I'm foreseeing a twist in this one involving Ryder and/or Eve that keeps Kane on top.

Winner: Kane

Smackdown Elimination Chamber

The winner will be the one contender who can compete in this brutal style of match most effectively.

Let's start with the obvious: replacements Marella (for Randy Orton) and Great Khali (for Mark Henry) won't win. Replacements function as just that—secondary options. They don't win championships.

I have my doubts about Cody Rhodes winning. He outlasted many in the Royal Rumble and is a fantastic Intercontinental Champion where he should remain for the time being. He'll get his first shot with the big boys, but how often do guys of Rhodes' caliber win in their first chance? It would be a complete shock.

Big Show has the body to do it, but you have to believe the other five athletes would be wise to use their collective force against him early. Besides, his time has passed.

Daniel Bryan will win by default. He's much like Triple H used to be in the early 2000s: extremely talented but hated by many. We longed for him to lose, but he seemed to always persevere, even if he had to cheat to do so.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

Raw Elimination Chamber

This is another match you can easily look at and eliminate the non-contenders. That means Kingston, R-Truth and even The Miz.

This battle will play out between CM Punk and Jericho, with Ziggler producing some sort of headache in between.

We know Chris Jericho has the goods to be a champion. He's done it before. Now, in his return to Raw, he's a heel and apparently the "Best in the World."

So will it be the veteran returnee or the momentum gaining fan favorite? The question is, who looks better with the title going into Wrestlemania?

Jericho has an advantage entering the chamber last. I think the move favors him, and he'll sneak one out. It puts CM Punk in the position to build even more hype about regaining the championship before the March PPV.

Winner: Chris Jericho