The core of the Elimination Chamber PPV lay in two matches. One featured two men who were once brothers, who provided us with the feud of the past year and who are, believe it or not, the future of this company, slowly transitioning into its present. This feud has main evented two PPVs already. But something that hurt this match up this time around were the unnecessary attention towards Justin Bieber and lack of a definitive focus on this raging feud between two brothers.
The other match was much more of a serious affair with a good all-around build up. Here was the new future of the company Kevin Owens going against a man who’s been the indisputable face of the company for more than 10 years. Owens was here to make a statement and what a bold one it was.
This night was more or less about two champions.
Actually, two champions each.
Face of WWE VS Face of NXT
In the Champion Vs Champion match, John Cena took a clean pinfall win from a guy other than Brock Lesnar. Cena wasn’t injured before the match, as healthy as ever he was. He did not lose because Owens cheated or had anyone interfere for him. Cena went down in a fight and Owens as poetic as he could be, as sarcastic as he could get, doled out Cena’s own medicine on quite a large platter.
Owens made a huge, mammoth statement –verbally and wrestling wise
This was the only match that had something serious to delve into. This was as Michael Cole succinctly put it, about pride. The pride of the 15 time Champion and the face of the company aginst the pride of the NXT Champion who’s been wrestling for 15 years.
Cena welcomed Kevin Owens to the Big League and Owens was unmoved by that gallant welcome. He was here to fight and show everybody what he’s all about. He fought and he conquered. It seemed like nothing could top this match. This match brought the dead crowd alive. This match was brilliant and beyond. This was the perfect debut and Owens played his character perfectly. He’s a fighter and we now know it.
On the other hand, Cena showed that nobody can put over a talent as spectacularly as he can.
The Two Men who Never Have a Bad Match Together
Ambrose and Rollins walked in for their second PPV main event together in less than a year. And it seemed like they could not top Cena Vs Owens. This match was shrouded with the predictable presence of The Authority. Ambrose and Rollins pulled out quite a few moves in innovative fashion. Ambrose’s leaps outside the ring were spectacular- something that brought forth the picture of a rebel, of this wild energy.
But it is in the last 10 minutes of the match that went haywire, both in a positive and negative way.
Ambrose, in quite some unbelievable fashion, pinned the Champion. He won the championship. You won’t be blamed if you did not know how to really react to this. Who expected this? The audience in the arena leapt in an overwhelming fashion. Ambrose couldn’t believe it, we couldn’t believe. It was too good to be true. And then your fears came true. He wasn’t the champion after all, not by traditional means. He won but he won by disqualification.
Just when you thought Ambrose and Rollins have had another memorable match, they screw it all up with the kind of finish that held Daniel Bryan back. The best part of all three former Shield members is how they look like those young men in your neighbourhood who’re bratty and always ready for a fight. It’s this youthful energy that made Ambrose looking at Rollins and nonchalantly taking the title away a bit fun. Also Reigns standing by his brother as this solid support was also fun.
Ambrose winning would have been quite shocking and that is what would have created something of a buzz. It would have been something that topped the Owens Vs Cena match.
But alas, it didn’t.
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