WWE Elimination Chamber 2018: Best Moments from Buildup to PPV Event

It was unknown how WWE would follow up on January's remarkable Royal Rumble event, but the build to Elimination Chamber 2018 has been nothing short of stellar.

As it stands, the card for the show will not feature too many matchups, but what is on tap is sure to be spectacular. A solid lineup is imperative in getting viewers excited for the event, but a strong buildup is equally important, and WWE has done a delightful job of that over the last month.

From two Elimination Chamber matches to the return of Ronda Rousey, it will be a newsworthy night in Las Vegas this Sunday to say the least. Moreover, with the Road to WrestleMania 34 in full swing, several of the scheduled matches for the show will have major implications for the April 8 showpiece.

Raw has experienced a resurgence of sorts in recent weeks with all eyes on Elimination Chamber and no time for filler. WWE has effectively filled their three hours of television time every Monday night en route to the pending pay-per-view, and as a result, fans are excited for what's in store on the show.

Whether the company can maintain that momentum in the weeks ahead remains to be seen, but if Elimination Chamber can manage to meet or even exceed the expectations of viewers, it will be a positive sign for the future of the brand.

Before Raw's final major pit stop on the Road to WrestleMania, we will take a look back at the most memorable moments that have occurred on the rocky buildup to Elimination Chamber 2018.

Ronda Rousey Rocks the Royal Rumble: Royal Rumble, Jan. 28

Given her documented love for the business, Ronda Rousey in a WWE ring has been inevitable for years, and the timing couldn't have been any better for her anticipated arrival than the 2018 Royal Rumble event.

The pay-per-view was headlined by the inaugural women's Royal Rumble match, which featured stars from the past and present battling it out for a title match at WrestleMania 34. Asuka ultimately emerged victorious and confronted Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss afterward, but the epic evening didn't end there.

Before Asuka could choose which champ she wanted to face at The Show of Shows, her victory celebration was interrupted by Rousey and the raucous reaction she received from the fans in Philadelphia.

Although she merely pointed at the WrestleMania sign and brushed shoulders with the women wrestlers, it was enough to generate a buzz from the wrestling world and get everyone talking.

Rousey has been conspicuous by her absence on Raw in recent weeks, but she is due back at Elimination Chamber this Sunday. There, she will "officially" sign her WWE contract and become a member of the Raw roster.

With a women's Elimination Chamber match being held later that same night, will she make her presence felt by challenging the Raw Women's champion at WrestleMania, or will she find another way to leave her mark?

John Cena and Finn Balor Battle for 1st Time Ever: Raw, Jan. 29

Between the updated graphics, the all-new theme song and the return of Jonathon Coachman to commentary, Raw received quite the makeover one night removed from the Royal Rumble.

WWE put its best foot forward with the Jan. 29 edition of the show by giving fans a first-ever main event between John Cena and Finn Balor. To make the stakes even higher, the winner would earn entry into the men's Elimination Chamber match at the upcoming pay-per-view.

Cena and Balor have largely been kept apart over the years, but the former eliminating the latter from the 2018 Royal Rumble match motivated the Irishman to seek revenge against the 16-time world champion. Plus, considering neither has had a clear direction in recent months, this contest could have gone either way.

Their lack of history as opponents didn't prove to be an issue whatsoever as they produced an excellent main event that saw Balor emerge looking like a bigger star than he did before. After all, it was only after an Attitude Adjustment from the top rope that he was forced to succumb to defeat.

Of course, Balor eventually found his way into the Chamber thanks to a Second Chance Fatal 5-Way two weeks later.

Expect to see Cena and Balor rekindle their rivalry again down the road—possibly as soon as Sunday.

Elias Upsets John Cena: Raw, Feb. 5

One week after they successfully secured their spot in the men's Elimination Chamber, a Triple Threat match was held on the Feb. 5 edition of Raw between John Cena, Braun Strowman and Elias to determine who would enter Satan's Prison last.

Cena and Elias have been at odds for months, yet they found themselves on the same side of the squared circle at various points throughout this bout in order to combat the much larger Strowman. Thus, it turned it in a 2-on-1 Handicap match early on before Cena and Elias shifted their focus to each other.

While Cena and Strowman are no strangers to the spotlight, Elias has only recently mixed it up with the top-tier talent of Raw. Despite that, he didn't look out of place in the main event, and his strong showing allowed him to prove his worth as a rookie on the rise.

After The Monster Among Men was taken out at ringside, Elias capitalized on a downed Cena by pinning him for the three count. It was undoubtedly the biggest win of The Drifter's career to date, earning him the opportunity to enter last in the Elimination Chamber match.

Elias wasn't allowed to celebrate for long, however; he was soon laid out by a furious Strowman as the crowd roared on in approval.

Best Friends Collide: Raw, Feb. 12

Sasha Banks and Bayley have clashed countless times in the past in singles competition, so what made their most recent outing so much more special? A shot at becoming Raw Women's champion in the first-ever women's Elimination Chamber match.

To make matters even more tense, both women were coming off losses to Asuka on Raw. They were aiming to prove to each other they deserved to walk out of Las Vegas with the belt back around their waist, starting with an important victory on the Feb. 12 edition of Raw.

Bayley had the support of her hometown crowd in San Jose, California, while Banks was driven by her shortcomings at the Royal Rumble and against Asuka. In putting their friendship aside for one night, they went all out and contested an exciting encounter.

Throughout the bout, The Boss seemingly resisted the urge to resort to dirty tactics in order to emerge victorious. As a result, Bayley was the better woman on the night by beating her best friend with a Bayley-to-Belly Suplex off the top rope.

Before the two could embrace in a hug afterward, they were ambushed by Nia Jax, who has her sights set on ending Asuka's undefeated streak at Elimination Chamber.

Going the Distance: Raw, Feb. 19

By the Feb. 19 edition of Raw, fans had virtually seen it all from the Superstars that are set to compete in the men's Elimination Chamber match this Sunday.

However, WWE went the extra mile in devoting a full two hours to promoting the blockbuster bout on Monday night through an insane Gauntlet match.

Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins kicked off the festivities with an awesome back-and-forth battle, only for The Kingslayer to defeat his Shield teammate in clean fashion.

Rollins rolled on in his clash with Cena and shocked the world by handing him a rare loss as well, lasting over an hour in the Gauntlet in the process.

Although he was eventually eliminated by Elias, Rollins got fans talking more than anyone else with the performance he had. Finn Balor also fared well in the remainder of the matchup, but Braun Strowman reigned supreme over them all by beating Miz to be deemed the victor.

It isn't often WWE spends so much time on one match on an average episode of Raw, but it was a breath of fresh air and did its duty in building anticipation for what we might see in the Elimination Chamber. Despite nothing being at stake, everyone involved ended the night with more momentum than they had before.

The road to Raw's final stop before WrestleMania 34 has been both exhilarating and unpredictable, but nothing came close to being as effective in selling viewers on the Chamber event than this history-making Gauntlet matchup.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is an Endicott College alumnus and aspiring journalist. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling, and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.