WWE Elimination Chamber 2015: Best and Worst Moments in Match's History

WWE Elimination Chamber 2015 is poised to make history as combatants battle for the WWE Intercontinental Championship and the WWE Tag Tag Championship inside that steel structure for the first time. It will be tough work, though, to top the match's biggest moments.

The unsettling cage's highlights are plentiful, images of violence and surprises still burned into fans' brains.

Triple H knows firsthand how dangerous that bout is. He has been at the wrong end of a good share of the carnage the Elimination Chamber has to offer. Edge, meanwhile, has created some lasting memories in Satan's Prison by way of cunning and timing.

The 18th and 19th Elimination Chamber matches have to compete with The Rated-R Superstar, Jeff Hardy's risk-taking and Goldberg's power in order to find their way onto future versions of the list.

The worst moments in the match's history are scarce. Injuries take up most of them. The Elimination Chamber match has mostly been a source of great thrills and drama in a unique environment.

The best of those are ranked here based on how iconic they became, their excitement factor and what they did to add to WWE's storylines.

The Chamber at Its Worst

• A Frog Splash crushes Triple H's throat—Survivor Series 2002
• ECW's Elimination Chamber match disappoints—December to Dismember
• Undertaker burned in pyrotechnics accident—Elimination Chamber 2010

Rob Van Dam's Five-Star Frog Splash in 2002 has the unique distinction of being a highlight and low point in the Elimination Chamber match's history. 

As thrilling as it was to see the high-flyer leave the top of a pod to land his signature move, it's hard to ignore the negative impact it had. Triple H writhed on the mat afterward as he had suffered a torn trachea.

In an interview with WWE (h/t Pro Wrestling Torch), The Game talked about how the move left his throat swollen and forced him to stay overnight in a hospital. Of the incident, Triple H said, "There's a fraction of an inch between safe and not safe, and we were on the wrong side of the fraction."

That sentiment holds true for Undertaker in 2010. Normally, pyrotechnics shoot around him as he enters with no incident. That night, though, before he entered the chamber, they burned him. He continued on regardless.

As one reader told ProWrestling.net, "Throughout the time in his pod, he was getting bottles of water brought over to him and kept on dumping them on his face and body."

The other misstep in the bout's timeline was more of the booking swing-and-miss variety. The only ECW Chamber match lacked spark. It felt forced and capped off one of the worst shows in company history.

At one point, a referee bungled a three-count for Hardcore Holly. 

Both the event and the match were such messes that the failure played a part in Paul Heyman's exit from WWE, as detailed by Matt Mackinder for Slam! Sports.

Honorable Mention Highlights

• Rob Van Dam hits Five-Star Frog Splash from top of pod—Survivor Series 2002
• Edge flings Rey Mysterio into pod—No Way Out 2009
• Kofi Kingston leaps from cage wall to deliver DDT—Elimination Chamber 2012 

Van Dam set the bar for risky moves in the Elimination Chamber early. In the first edition of that match, he leaped onto Triple H from the top of the pod. It was an exciting moment to kick off the bout's history.

The fact that it legitimately endangered Triple H's life forces it down the list, though. 

Edge's launching Mysterio into a Plexiglass pod is one of the more stunning moments the Elimination Chamber has seen. It's a blend of high-flying and brutality, a good use of the structure as a weapon. 

Mysterio didn't break through the pod, however, as was likely the plan. That tempers the thrill of the move some.

It's no surprise that Kingston emulated Spiderman once he had his chance inside the steel structure. Leaping on the cage wall and hitting a Tornado DDT onto the grating was an attention-grabbing spot. It's not as iconic as the chamber's absolute best, though.

Bigger stars created bigger moments in that same battlefield. 

7. Jeff Hardy Hits Swanton Bomb off Pod (No Way Out 2009)

Jeff Hardy took Rob Van Dam's lead and outdid him. The grace of Hardy's signature move juxtaposed the danger of his hitting it from off the top of a Plexiglass pod.

His crash landing onto Big Show remains one of the most memorable moments the Elimination Chamber match has seen. 

Had the Swanton Bomb led to a win for Hardy or had it ousted his longtime rival, this would be even more of a vital part of the history of this steel structure. John Morrison also managed to get higher before he did his soaring, pushing this moment down the list some.

6. John Morrison Drops from the Top of the Chamber (Elimination Chamber 2011)

Take Rob Van Dam's Five-Star Frog Splash and Jeff Hardy's dive onto Big Show, and add several feet. Those moves were plenty stunning, but John Morrison offered something even more exciting.

With Sheamus standing below him, Morrison dropped from the top of the chamber. 

The danger and newness of the attack make it a highly memorable one. Until Adrian Neville hits Red Arrow from the same height, it will be hard to surpass this as a flying display inside the Elimination Chamber.

The moments that rank higher here aren't necessarily more exciting, but they created more lasting images thanks to being a vital part of a story. 

5. Edge Steals Kofi Kingston's Spot (No Way Out 2009)

Edge gained notoriety for being willing to risk his health for the sake of entertainment. This time out, he didn't need to take any risks to grab hold of the crowd.

After losing the WWE title earlier in the night, The Ultimate Opportunist lived up to his nickname by making sure he got a second chance at gold. He clubbed Kofi Kingston as the babyface looked to enter the chamber.

A series of chair shots assured that Kingston could not compete and that Edge would take his place. The Rated-R Superstar made the most of the thievery, winning the world title half an hour later.

The surprise factor made this a thriller of a moment. It played up Edge's character, gave fans something they never saw before and became something fans will talk about whenever someone brings up Elimination Chamber history.

Another groundbreaking move from Edge tops this one, as it's more iconic and more often pops up in discussions of the past.

4. Edge Cashes In (New Year's Revolution 2006)

Once John Cena survived the Elimination Chamber match in 2006, he found himself in a bonus battle. 

With briefcase in hand, Edge appeared on the entrance ramp, ready to pounce on a bloody, weakened foe. Edge then became the first wrestler to cash in his Money in the Bank contract.

That bit of history featured Cena kicking out of a spear before finally falling to the eventual WWE champ. And with that victory, Edge and Cena delivered something fans had yet to see: an add-on to the main event and a moment that would be hard to forget.

What hurts it here, though, is that it occurred once officials had lifted the Elimination Chamber. It serves as the epilogue of the chamber bout, whereas the top moments above it were more directly connected to the structure and the match's history.

3. Shawn Michaels Attacks Undertaker (Elimination Chamber 2010)

The man who won the first Elimination Chamber provided the most stunning moment of a match he wasn't even in.

Shawn Michaels hid under the ring as the bout went on. He was obsessed with getting another crack at Undertaker's WrestleMania undefeated streak. That obsession drove him into the darkness, waiting for Undertaker to be near victory before pouncing.

Chris Jericho's world title reign looked to be over as Undertaker went on the attack. The Deadman, like the fans, didn't expect Michaels to pop up out of the steel grating and deliver a match-altering superkick.

The blow to the jaw not only reminded folks just how chaotic and unpredictable an Elimination Chamber match can be, but it furthered a marquee story. This attack fueled a feud that was one of the best fans have seen in years.

2. Santino Marella Nearly Pulls Off the Upset (Elimination Chamber 2012)

The Elimination Chamber's greatest underdog story saw a comedy midcarder nearly take home the World Heavyweight Championship.

Santino Marella eliminated Cody Rhodes and Wade Barrett before almost ousting Daniel Bryan as well. When the funnyman had the champ on the ropes, fans roared, anticipating that they would see the impossible unfold in front of them. The near-win is a testament to the power of suspense.

WWE used that to perfection in 2012.

Just entering was a victory for Marella. He replaced Randy Orton and was immediately seen as filler, not a contender. He was the Cinderella team sneaking into the playoffs with no shot to advance.

Turning expectations on their head was a smart move and made for one of Elimination Chamber's peaks, with no damaged pods or rattling steel needed.

1. Goldberg Goes on a Rampage (SummerSlam 2003)

Despite being in just one version of the match, Goldberg will forever be associated with the Elimination Chamber.

The gimmick played to his strengths and amplified his powerful presence. He bounced in the pod, waiting for his chance to tear his rival Triple H apart—not to mention, just generally wreck havoc. It felt like we were watching an enraged tiger yanking at the chain around his neck.

When Goldberg finally entered, his assault on everyone from Chris Jericho to Triple H was more captivating than Santino Marella's near-upset and more of an iconic part of Elimination Chamber history than Shawn Michael's superkicking Undertaker.

When one thinks of the carnage that can occur in Satan's Prison, the image of Goldberg crushing Triple H while he stood in his pod comes to mind quickly. And Goldberg spearing Jericho through a pod is still one of the chamber's best highlights.

The fact that Jericho and Goldberg had so many issues in the past only added to its power.

WWE played Goldberg's entrance just right. He was made to look like a beast despite not winning. The Elimination Chamber accentuated his aura; he made sure we didn't forget the damage he did.