WWE Elimination Chamber 2011 Thoughts and Predictions

*CONTAINS SMACKDOWN SPOILERS*

Personally, I would have preferred this PPV to stay with the title of No Way Out. Instead of an event based around one type of match, they could have used all the cage styles at their disposal. This would also allow WWE to retire one of the October PPVs making for a much more manageable 12 PPV schedule.

Either way, I agree with Raw not having the WWE Championship in an Elimination Chamber match. It works better as a match to send one of six top stars to WrestleMania than it does to win a belt. It's kind of stupid to think someone can win a match of such a high status and lose it in a singles match at WrestleMania.

Last year's event looked like this:

WWE Championship Elimination Chamber: John Cena Def. Sheamus(c), Triple H, Randy Orton, Ted DiBiase and Kofi Kingston

WWE Championship: Batista Def. John Cena(c)

Intercontinental Championship: Drew McIntyre(c) Def. Kane

Lay-Cool Def. Maryse and Gail Kim

United States Championship: The Miz(c) Def. MVP

World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber: Chris Jericho Def. The Undertaker(c), John Morrison, R-Truth, CM Punk and Rey Mysterio

WWE Championship: The Miz(c) Vs. Jerry "The King" Lawler

Jerry "The King" Lawler is our No. 1 Contender ladies and gentlemen. For this very reason I am going to list this match first. I don't know really what to think about this match because I know its not going to be a match of the year candidate or a five-star spectacle and yet shouldn't every match at a PPV at least try and be appealing?

This match could so easily ruin the career of The Miz if played out the wrong way. As far as I see it he will be criticized anyway. If he wins clean, dirty or even loses in any capacity in the end he has fought a 61-Year-Old commentator who has been semi-retired for the past decade or so.

I guess this match is to build up Jerry Lawler at WrestleMania as opposed to the WWE Champion but once again is a World title match at a PPV required for such a feat? I'm sure there were plenty of other ways to do this without risking the buy-rate of the PPV. No disrespect to Jerry Lawler, the man deserved to be WWE Champion once-upon-a-time but not now or from any point onwards.

With a dirty win Miz will retain the championship. Most likely an interference from Michale Cole or Alex Riley will happen. This reminds me, Alex Riley has kept mentioning for the past two weeks that "he will not allow Miz to lose to King". Doesn't that sound like a liability to your championship match. Surely he should get banned from ringside.

Winner and Still Champion: The Miz

Kofi Kingston Vs. Alberto Del Rio

I imagine this match is to give Alberto Del Rio something to do in-between now and his big match at WrestleMania. As far as I can tell this is a non-title contest as it would be pointless to place the belt on a guy who doesn't need it.

I wouldn't want to place a bet on whose going to win this one because in reality it's going to hold very little weight. Del Rio has already dominated Kingston over the past couple of weeks and Kingston won't get a push out of beating Del Rio because he will no doubt be placed in the Money in the Bank match once again.

Still with a gun to my head I'll say Del Rio wins again.

Winner: Alberto Del Rio

Raw Elimination Chamber

From one uber-predictable match to the next. Raw's Elimination Chamber is to determine the No. 1 Contender to the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. I believe that non-title Chamber matches are the way forward because, as I have mentioned, it seems rather silly that someone can beat five other guys in one of the hardest WWE matches of all-time, yet go on to lose in a singles match only a month later because WrestleMania demands it.

So, lets measure up the participants and see who has a chance of winning.

CM Punk 

The leader of New Nexus has recently stopped feuding with John Cena because... why did he stop? He was determined to rid WWE of Cena and then after the Rumble he just stopped. The focus all of a sudden was placed on Randy Orton as Nexus' main target.

Either way, in this type of match, if your feuding with a guy who is not the champion and just so happens to be in the same ring, likelihood says you are going to have a singles match with them next month. In this case CM Punk Vs. Randy Orton at WrestleMania.

King Sheamus

Remember when WWE actually cared about Sheamus? Now it seems they don't really know what to do with him. With Miz as champion they can't very well have him face off against another heel. After winning King of the Ring he hasn't done much other than exist on the Raw roster. Orton easily defeated him last Monday showing that WWE doesn't even care to paint him as a credible threat anymore.

Randy Orton

See my description for CM Punk

R-Truth

Moving on...

John Morrison 

There's An outside chance he may well be in for a WWE Championship match at Mania. He put on a good show during his last shot so a Mania match wouldn't be out of the question. Unfortunately for poor John, The Miz will have to wait and he will be placed in the Money in the Bank match next month.

John Cena

I don't think there is any way the top face of the WWE won't be fighting for the championship at WrestleMania. Besides, so much has been done since January to link Cena and Miz together in a match that it seems ridiculous to back out now. Also, with The Rock promising to Layeth the smacketh down on Miz or Cena there's a likely set up there for a WrestleMania moment.

Winner: John Cena

World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber

Ok, so lets move on to the other more important EC match. After the revelation that Dolph Ziggler was fired on the last SmackDown I think the open spot could be an interesting one. Still with Alberto Del Rio set to face the World Champion at Wrestlemania it will almost definitely be a face walking out with the belt.

First off, I just want to say how pointless it was to put the belt on Ziggler only to have him lose it minutes later. He is now the shortest reigning World Heavyweight Champion of all time.

Breaking up what could have been a decent length run for Edge was idiotic since he is now an 11-time World Champion in 6 years. Seriously, Teddy Long could have just not recognised Vickie Guerrero's actions and taken it from there.

Anyway, who could be his possible replacement? Currently I am sitting on the idea that Ziggler will somehow get back into this match with a bit of grovelling and a condition. Then again let's list some possible names to who it could be.

Christian 

This would be my favorite choice if it were to happen. The man deserves his shot and while I'm not his biggest fan and feel he is slightly overrated by Internet fans, I could totally buy Christian Vs. Alberto Del Rio or a Triple Threat involving Edge. Christian was put on the injured list by Del Rio, the match at Mania would hold some weight above the usual title match. With the likelihood that Miz vs. Cena with some involvement from The Rock will headline the event, a less expected match could sell well.

The Undertaker

I know he is expect to return the next day but would you really be surprised to see him return straight into a World title match? It wouldn't be the first time. What a way to sell Alberto Del Rio as well, a possible contender to try end The Streak.

Sting

I'm rather reluctant to type this one because I truly don't believe he will make an appearance in WWE at all. Still, if the consistent rumours hold any truth, maybe Sting becoming a World Champion on his first day might get some people interested.

All in all, as long as the mystery participant doesn't revert back to Dolph Ziggler, I feel that whoever it is will walk out as World Champion. If it is Ziggler then Edge will retain.

Winner: Mystery Participant

Few Matches Announced...

I have to say that the four matches are not convincing me to part with my cash (then again, I get to watch it for free on Sky Sports 1). For the most part they seem predictable and nothing I could just find out the results of and be none the sadder.

There will be a couple of unannounced matches which, once again, I find really annoying. It's all well and good to those that are already watching but those matches could buy WWE some viewers.

Either way I hope we all enjoy the PPV at the very least.