Gauntlet Match, Elimination Chamber and the Best Match Gimmicks in WWE History

The February 19 episode of Raw opened with a gauntlet match unlike anything we have seen before on WWE television or on a pay-per-view.

The seven-man bout took up most of the first two hours of the show, surpassing every other match in WWE history in terms of length, including Royal Rumbles, which regularly last over an hour.

Not only did the entire match go longer than expected, but Seth Rollins delivered a history-making performance by lasting 65 minutes before being eliminated by Elias.

Stipulation matches are one of the things WWE can use to make a feud more interesting while playing to the strengths of those involved.

Read on for the best stipulations used throughout WWE's long history.

Steel Cage/Hell in a Cell

The classic steel cage match is one of the oldest and most popular stipulations in wrestling history, because it takes a standard contest and ups the level of intensity.

Two or more Superstars are trapped inside of a cage with walls at least 10 feet in height, and the only way they can win is to beat their opponent in the middle of the ring, escape through the door or climb over the top.

This kind of bout can be traced back to the early days of pro wrestling, when it was more of a carnival act than a national attraction.

Just about every big name from the past 30 years has been in numerous cage matches, and there is no sign of WWE doing away with the format anytime soon. In fact, a second type of cage was introduced in 1997 when The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels had the first Hell in a Cell match.

WWE's own cage has gone through many changes over the years. Many will remember it being made of thick metal bars with no give whatsoever when they were kids, but it has returned to more of a chainlink style in the last couple of decades.

Believe it or not, this is a safer cage for the wrestlers to use, because it has a lot of flexibility when they are thrown into it, unlike the old cage, which was unforgiving in that regard. 

HIAC matches are a little different because the cage surrounds the entire ringside area and has a roof, but it's the same basic principle. 

Royal Rumble/Battle Royal

The Royal Rumble is the most famous Battle Royal in wrestling, but WWE also has another yearly tradition called the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Putting 20 or more Superstars in the same ring can be chaotic, but that is what makes these bouts so much fun for the fans.

Seeing people get thrown out of the ring is entertaining, and so is seeing Superstars such as Kofi Kingston come up with innovative ways to save themselves from being eliminated.

The New Day member has become known for his yearly feats of athleticism at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view, and fans have come to expect something new from him every time.

Careers have been made at the Rumble. Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio and countless others have made history with their record-setting performances. 

Shinsuke Nakamura winning this year's Rumble was a welcome change from recent years when the company used the match to put over established stars such as Randy Orton, Triple H and Batista.

Elimination Chamber

The upcoming Elimination Chamber pay-per-view is still classified as one of the company's smaller events, but it is one of the most anticipated by the WWE Universe because of the titular match.

We usually see six people locked inside the modified cage at the beginning of the bout, but this year will include seven Superstars in the men's match while also giving the women's division its first chance to shine with the stipulation.

The first time we saw one of these contests was in 2002. WWE loaded the match with Triple H, Kane, Shawn Michaels, Rob Van Dam, Kane and Booker T.

All six men were top stars at the time, and that made the match more important. Whether there is a title on the line or not, the stakes always feel high for the people in the ring during an Elimination Chamber bout.

Gauntlet/Tag Team Turmoil

Gauntlet matches don't always seem fair because the person who enters the ring last has a significant advantage over everyone else, but that is the same with Chamber and Rumble bouts.

This allows for people such as Rollins to shine while not actually winning in the end. By defeating several Superstars before someone finally took him down, The Kingslayer looked better than he has in over a year.

When pairs are involved, WWE calls it a tag team turmoil match, but it's the exact same concept, and it has been used many times to help give multiple duos a chance to win gold when they might not have been considered for a standard title shot based on their previous booking.

Gauntlet matches have never stood out among the other big stipulations, but Rollins' gutsy performance on Raw may have changed the way people look at them.

Ladder/TLC

Two of the most beloved stipulations of all time are the ladder match and its more dangerous cousin, the Tables, Ladders & Chairs match.

The idea of putting a title or another object of significance above the ring so someone has to climb a ladder to claim it has been around for a long time, but the concept took off when Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon fought for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 10.

From that point forward, every ladder match was looked at as a big deal. However, it took on a new life when Edge, Christian and The Hardy Boyz got involved.

Nobody wants to see these people get hurt in real life, but it's hard to resist watching as Jeff Hardy climbs to the top of a ladder just so he can put his opponent through a table with a Swanton Bomb.

Ladder and TLC matches are also something of a physical metaphor. Two phrases used a lot in pro wrestling are "Grabbing the brass ring" and "Climbing to the top of the mountain."

These phrases both refer to someone reaching their full potential. Having a person literally climb up a ladder to get the thing they desire most is the perfect representation. 

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Each Stipulation has its own appeal. Which specialty match from WWE's long history is your favorite?