WWE Elimination Chamber 2017: Greatest Title Matches in PPV's History
For the first time in nearly two years, WWE will bring back its Elimination Chamber pay-per-view on Feb. 12, which will see the stars of SmackDown battle it out on the Road to WrestleMania 33.
Before its abrupt removal from the pay-per-view lineup in 2015, the event previously served as the precursor to The Show of Shows.
This year's installment will be no different, and in the past, Elimination Chamber has hosted many memorable matches that set the stage for 'Mania. Of course, it has also been the home of Satan's Prison itself, the Elimination Chamber match.
Per the rules of the bout, six Superstars enter the demonic structure, and only one walks away as champion. It remains one of WWE's most physically taxing and unpredictable matches each year.
Although the Elimination Chamber itself is typically the most anticipated attraction on the card, the rest of the show has also been known to feature exciting undercard classics.
As of this writing, nearly the entire card for Elimination Chamber 2017 has been confirmed, and it's shaping up to be a promising pay-per-view thus far. But will any of the advertised matches come close to topping these five fantastic bouts from its illustrious history?
The Rock vs. CM Punk (2013)
1 of 5
CM Punk's record-setting 434-day reign as WWE champion will not be soon forgotten by fans, as it saw the self-proclaimed best wrestler in the world topple everyone who stepped up to challenge him.
The sole Superstar he was unable to defeat, however, was The Rock, who beat him for the belt at Royal Rumble 2013.
Although their match was entertaining, it was evident that they were capable of producing an infinitely better bout. They would have their chance to do so when Punk invoked his championship rematch clause at the subsequent month's Elimination Chamber.
The No Disqualification stipulation definitely worked to their benefit, as well as adding to the speculation that Punk could regain the gold ahead of WrestleMania 29. Paul Heyman was in his corner that night as well, so Punk certainly had the odds in his favor.
Rock and Punk worked drastically different styles, with Punk being more of a technical wrestler, while The Great One was known for being a brawler. Despite that, they found a fun in-ring chemistry together that made for a compelling main event matchup.
Punk appeared to be on the verge of victory on several occasions, but in the end, it was Rocky who had his hand raised. With his title reign still intact, he prepared to do battle with John Cena for the second straight year at WrestleMania.
Seth Rollins vs. Dean Ambrose (2015)
2 of 5
Unlike The Rock and CM Punk, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose had plenty of history both as allies and as opponents by the time they collided for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of 2015's Elimination Chamber.
Rollins had been on a roll as champ throughout the spring of 2015, setting back challenges from Roman Reigns and Randy Orton. And at Elimination Chamber, he was set to rekindle his rivalry with Ambrose after the series of stellar matches the previous fall.
This time around, however, a much richer prize would be on the line in the form of the WWE title, and both men were anxious to walk away with the gold in their grasp. Furthermore, Rollins ensured The Authority he could win on his own, and thus the promise of no interference made this match all the more exciting.
Ambrose didn't have much experience competing at an elite level up to this point, but he didn't feel out of place whatsoever. He and Rollins put together a tremendous match, filled with suspenseful near-falls and close calls that had fans on the edge of their seats the entire time.
The crowd came unglued as Ambrose appeared to have won the WWE Championship, but it was announced shortly thereafter that Rollins was disqualified for inadvertently hitting a referee. Regardless, it was an awesome outing and yet another incredible chapter in the ongoing saga between the two former Shield members.
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber Match (2014)
3 of 5
The Road to WrestleMania 30 was an interesting one, considering the surging popularity of Daniel Bryan and the abrupt departure of CM Punk. Nothing was set in stone for The Show of Shows, but Elimination Chamber would offer a clearer picture of what the epic event would have in store.
In the weeks preceding the pay-per-view, five athletes earned entry into the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship: John Cena, Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, Christian and Cesaro. Defending champion Randy Orton lost to each of them heading into the event, so he was already at a distinct disadvantage.
Bryan and Cesaro started the bout, pushing each other to their absolute limits before the next combatant entered the fray. Once everyone was released from their pods, chaos ensued, and there was no telling what would happen between the six Superstars.
Sheamus was the first to go at the hands of Christian, and Captain Charisma soon followed suit along with Cesaro. Excitement was in the air once it came down to Orton, Cena and Bryan, because quite honestly, any one of those three could have realistically walked out as the champ.
The interference from The Wyatt Family and Kane was a bit of a bummer, as was the sight of Orton retaining his title, but there is little doubt that the match itself delivered. Few fans were expecting an exceptional Elimination Chamber when the show started, but after it was over, they knew they had witnessed one of the greatest Chamber matches of all time.
World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber Match (2010)
4 of 5
In 2010, Elimination Chamber replaced No Way Out as WWE's signature February pay-per-view, but the theme of the show remained the same. Two Elimination Chamber matches would be held: one for the WWE Championship and the other for the World Heavyweight Championship.
As has usually been the case with dual-branded pay-per-views (see: Money in the Bank), SmackDown outshines Raw almost every time, and this particular pay-per-view was no different. The WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match that started the show was solid, albeit unspectacular.
Meanwhile, the World Heavyweight Championship match headlined the event, and rightfully so. From The Undertaker to Chris Jericho to CM Punk to Rey Mysterio, it was stacked with star power, and the in-ring action was exhilarating from start to finish.
What made the bout so special was the abundance of stories that were told throughout. Seeds were planted for the future feud between Punk and Mysterio, John Morrison had a strong showing for himself and the ending took everyone by complete surprise.
Before Undertaker could close in on retaining his title, Shawn Michaels emerged from underneath the ring, blindsiding The Deadman and costing him the championship. The visual of Michaels standing over Undertaker's carcass while Jericho celebrated his title win was a wonderful way of going off the air and building intrigue for the Road to WrestleMania.
World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber Match (2011)
5 of 5
The inaugural Elimination Chamber pay-per-view set the bar relatively high for excellent Elimination Chamber matches, but the next year's installment somehow managed to top it.
Once again, SmackDown's Chamber match was superior to Raw's, largely because there was a championship on the line, while Raw's was merely meant to crown a new No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship.
Due to being "fired" two days earlier on SmackDown, Dolph Ziggler was removed from the match and replaced with Big Show, which was an interesting twist if only for his history with Wade Barrett at the time. Those two immediately went at it and settled their differences by battering each other into the bulletproof pods.
Meanwhile, Drew Galloway lasted longer than anyone could have expected and had an impressive outing. Kane was also right at home in wreaking havoc against anyone who dared to oppose him, but he was ultimately eliminated by Edge.
The two remaining competitors were the defending champion Edge and Rey Mysterio, the same men who opened the match. They had since come full circle and were willing to do whatever it took to reign supreme with the prestigious prize in their possession.
Granted, the outcome of this matchup was never truly in doubt, though Mysterio had fans second-guessing themselves when he powered out of Edge's patented Spear. But he was unable to endure a second Spear, and that was enough for Edge to reign supreme still the world heavyweight champion.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a Digital Journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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