WWE Elimination Chamber 2015 Results: Power Ranking Entire Match Card

Sunday night’s WWE Elimination Chamber special was set up to be something truly special.

With two title matches inside the formidable chamber, WWE Superstars had the chance to deliver a show that would have the WWE Universe talking for months.

Instead, fans received a mixed bag from those title tilts. In addition, two matches on the main event card were overshadowed by a kickoff-show throw-in.

The show was saved by two matches that exceeded expectations, but the remainder of the card was littered with uneven performances.

Click through to see where each match ranked.

7. Divas Championship Triple Threat Match

For months, the women of NXT have consistently outperformed their main-roster counterparts in the ring. Arguments can be made that WWE doesn’t give its Divas enough time, or that WWE Creative doesn’t know how to properly book the division.

The fact remains: The Divas division is a mess.

Sunday night was a chance to do something about it. Barring Tamina and Brie Bella from ringside was a sign that WWE Creative wanted to desperately highlight the quality of women’s wrestling on the main roster.

In short, Nikki Bella, Naomi and Paige didn’t answer the call.

This match was an all-around mess. The three women in the ring Sunday night worked together so poorly that you’d think they’d never set foot in a ring against one another.

During Sunday’s Divas match, Bleacher Report’s Dan Pecoraro tweeted that Nikki Bella, Naomi and Paige “just sent a message to NXT Ladies (that) big leagues very much capable of big matches.”

With all due respect to Dan, there was only one message to anyone watching: help wanted.

6. Neville vs. Bo Dallas

This match could have been so much more.

Back in their days at NXT, these two put on some great matches. Their NXT Championship Ladder Match from NXT: ArRIVAL was outstanding, as were their Lumberjack and Beat the Clock matches. The potential was there for a renewal of this rivalry on the main roster, which could have elevated both men.

Instead, fans were given a match that was slowed by poor storytelling and an uneven tempo.

Bo Dallas hasn’t been a world-beater since his call-up from NXT last year. Really, he hasn’t been a beater of any sort. He’s been a jobber to the likes of Zack Ryder, Damien Sandow, Jack Swagger and Sin Cara.

Neville, on the other hand, is The New Sensation. You could question whether putting him in a match against his former adversary was a wise move for his character, but clearly WWE thought these two could put together a good showing.

They were wrong.                                                                              

First, these two had to follow John Cena and Kevin Owens. Second, they were given a flimsy story of how Dallas was “helping” Neville achieve his stardom. Third, and potentially most surprising, they didn’t work well together in the ring.

This match totally fell flat. It was so bad that WWE hasn't even provided video clips of it on their YouTube channel. The clip above is from Monday's episode of Raw, which wasn't much better than their match on Sunday.

Even the Divas Triple Threat Match from Elimination Chamber got a small highlight package. 

Here’s hoping that Neville moves on from this and continues his ascent, while Dallas finally finds something the suits his heel persona.

5. Zack Ryder vs. Stardust

For being thrown together prior to the main event, these two put on an entertaining pre-show match.

Unlike the previous two matches on this list, Ryder and Stardust had good pacing and good in-ring chemistry.

There was still no story or buildup that could suck you into the match, but WWE was simply looking to fill time. At least Ryder is entertaining in the ring and performs a clean match.

This might sound like a broken record at this point, but Stardust is criminally underused. It looks as if he knows it, too. Sunday’s match felt forced at points, even if he got the pinfall victory.

In three of the last seven pay-per-views, Stardust has wrestled the pre-show match (Elimination Chamber, Payback and TLC). He would have probably been in the same situation at Extreme Rules but didn’t even participate in that event.

Fans aren’t asking for Stardust to headline WrestleMania 32, but WWE should at least properly showcase him someway, somehow.

4. WWE Intercontinental Championship Elimination Chamber Match

This was meant to cast a single competitor as the rightful heir to Daniel Bryan’s vacated championship. Unfortunately, the action in Sunday’s Elimination Chamber match for the intercontinental title left little to inspire.

Rusev’s absence through injury got this match started on the wrong foot (pun intended). Without him, WWE scrambled to find a suitable replacement. There were plenty of potential suitors for Rusev’s spot: Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, Big Show. Any of those guys would have created a buzz.

Instead, WWE's choice was Mark Henry, who was as effective as R-Truth. Which is to say, he was not effective at all.

From the onset, the pace was glacial. King Barrett, also on the list of the most criminally underutilized Superstars, did his best to make the match interesting early on. For whatever reason, Barrett’s effectiveness withered early in the match, and he essentially jobbed to Truth.

Without Rusev, Dolph Ziggler was left without a dance partner in this match. Instead of shining, he was given the task of taking everyone’s biggest bumps. He was well-suited to the task but was never really a factor.

Sheamus and Ryback carried a match that should have been so much more.

A program between these two could have been made into something special, but it doesn’t appear that it will happen: WWE announced on Sunday that Sheamus will compete in the Money in the Bank ladder match next month, leaving Ryback without a true opponent.

With no direction and no notable opponent, it looks as though Ryback’s title reign will amount to little more than an afterthought for the foreseeable future.

3. WWE Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match

The premise of the tag team Elimination Chamber match was a convoluted idea to begin with, but one that was intriguing. If it worked, it could have been magical.

Unfortunately, it didn’t work.

Los Matadores were ineffective and have proven to be no more than fodder for the teams in the upper part of the division. The Lucha Dragons were engulfed by the moment, missing their marks and serving as easy targets.

Tyson Kidd and Cesaro, who were holding up this division for months until The New Day found its footing, were neutered in this match. It doesn’t look promising for The Brass Ring Club moving forward, as WWE could use the pair to put over Erick Rowan and Luke Harper as the latter two climb the tag team ranks.

But for every dark spot, there was a little light that shined through.

The Ascension was finally shown to be a strong tag team. While it was eliminated in odd fashion, after having rolled through two teams and giving everyone in the chamber a beatdown, it might have finally found an advocate at WWE Creative.

The Prime Time Players were made to look like the No. 1 contenders to The New Day’s titles. Titus O’Neil and Darren Young will likely get the chance to face the tag champions on equal footing at this month’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view.

And, of course, The New Day continues to be the cream of the tag team division. These three guys continue to excel as heels, finding new ways to push their act to greatness. It’s going to take a great team to remove the titles from their waists.

2. WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match

If this was any other pay-per-view, all anyone would be talking about is Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose.

Even with a fuzzy ending that will undoubtedly lead to a rematch at Money in the Bank, these two put on a spectacular match.

Since WWE stopped having Ambrose act like a cartoon character, he’s been unstoppable. He’s pinned Rollins twice in the last month despite interference from The Authority.

He’s no longer a fringe star searching for the spotlight, but rather a certified main eventer who won’t be dropping from that level anytime soon.

Rollins, as always, was spectacular. As I wrote in my superstar gradings from Elimination Chamber, Rollins’ speed, power and athleticism is unmatched on the main roster. His character is so well-developed.

There are minor things to gripe about with this match. Yes, the finish was underhanded. Yes, it would be great to see Rollins in a match without interference by The Authority. Yes, it seems WWE is clinging to its former Shield members like Linus to his blanket.

But when you’ve got something good, you roll with it. Rollins, Ambrose and Roman Reigns are finally coming into their own as individual performers. We can’t imagine them not being part of The Shield, so let’s not pretend that the group never existed.

Just enjoy the ride, everyone. It doesn’t seem like it’s going to end anytime soon. As long as we continue to get matches like this, let’s hope it continues.

1. John Cena vs. Kevin Owens (Champion vs. Champion Match)

What more can be said about this match, really?

John Cena took the clean pin from Kevin Owens and in the process created a main-roster superstar.

Owens brought the fight to Cena, allowing the United States champion to hit his biggest moves and continue to look strong moving forward.

Is this the same WWE Creative that booked the majority of matches on this card? Or did COO Triple H lure Vince McMahon and the entire writing staff into a backstage dressing room with promises of wine and cheese, lock the door for 20 minutes and tell the two participants to go give ’em hell out there?

However it happened, it was perfect.                                           

The only fear moving forward is that all of that hard work will end up being for naught. We’ve already been promised the rematch at Money in the Bank on June 14, a move that is eerily reminiscent of the mistake WWE Creative made by booking four straight Cena-Rusev matches.

I wish the fans were allowed to relish this match for a while longer, because I don’t know what these men can do two weeks from now that will top Sunday night.