WWE Elimination Chamber 2015: Preview and predictions

Elimination Chamber is a network special

The WWE is set to bring out its annual Elimination Chamber event this Sunday, except this year, it takes place exclusively on the WWE Network (excluding countries which do not have access to the Network, where it will be aired on television). In order to encourage as many new subscribers as possible to the Network, WWE has filled the card from top to bottom with great matches. This article will look at these matches, preview them, and predict what will happen in each of them.

Bo Dallas vs Neville

This is a match that has carried on a feud between the two all the way from NXT last year, and the main roster creative doesn’t seem hesitant to allow this story to develop more either. It started on the Raw after Payback, in which Dallas attacked Neville’s injured knee, in what is seemingly an act of revenge for losing his NXT Championship to him at NXT Takeover: Arrival last year.

This quickly picked up over the short, two-week build-up, and this appears to be the first of many matches, which is beneficial for both me. As for who will win this match, since it is round one, and traditionally round one will go to the heel, Bo Dallas will likely pick up victory, perhaps taking advantage of Neville’s injured knee.

Winner: Bo Dallas

Paige vs Naomi (with Tamina) vs Nikki Bella ( c ) (with Brie Bella) – WWE Divas’ Championship

The story for this match started back in the build-up for Extreme Rules. When Raw was in the UK, Paige won a battle royal to determine the number one contender for Nikki’s Divas’ Championship, last eliminating Naomi. In a quick heel turn, Naomi proceeded to take out Paige, leaving her ‘injured’ for her match at Extreme Rules, a spot which Naomi gladly filled. Nikki retained her championship at Extreme Rules, to face Naomi and Tamina in a tag team match, with her sister Brie, at Payback, a match in which she was pinned, which, in wrestling rules, gives you a championship opportunity. The following night on Raw, Paige returned to save Nikki from an assault by Naomi and Tamina, only to later attack Nikki, causing a rivalry between all three women, leading to this match.

The winner would appear to be Nikki Bella, who will likely not lose the title until SummerSlam. The classic triple threat cliche may be used here, in which one competitor hits another with their finisher, only for the third to push them away and pick up the pinfall victory.

Winner: Nikki Bella

The Prime Time Players vs Cesaro and Tyson Kidd (with Natalya) vs Los Matadores (with El Torito) vs The Lucha Dragons vs The Ascension vs The New Day ( c ) – Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Tag Team Championship

This is the first six-team tag match in the Elimination Chamber. Two teams will start, with the other four locked in the four pods, and at regular intervals, one team will be added into the mix. If one member of the team is pinned, the team is eliminated.

There was no real build-up to this match other than ever team trying to clear house, which seems appropriate when you have twelve men in one match. A lot of the times, The New Day, The Lucha Dragons and The Prime Time Players have come out on top in the brawls, and Cesaro and Tyson Kidd have looked strong too.

There are numerous candidates suited to win this match. The New Day could retain and continue their great run on top, Cesaro and Tyson Kidd could win back the championship and keep their momentum going, The Lucha Dragons can surprise everyone and start an energy-filled run, or the Prime Time Players, who seem to be fan favourites going into this, could run away with the gold.

On this occasion, however, the right decision would be to allow The New Day to keep going as a dominant team, winning in some sort of heel fashion (perhaps with the third member of the team entering the chamber in some way). The tag team division is hotter than it has been for a long time, and a lot of this is because of The New Day, so they should remain on top.

Winners: The New Day

Kevin Owens vs John Cena – Champion vs Champion match (no title is being defended)

To clear the confusion among many, this match is not for the United States Championship, it is just a singles match to see which man can come out on top.

It all started on the Raw after Payback, where Cena was having his regular US Open Challenge. It appeared to be accepted by NXT Champion Kevin Owens, who engaged in a war of words with The Champ, only to decline his challenge, and proceed to attack him with a Pop-up Powerbomb. He stood over Cena with the NXT Championship being held high, and his foot on the United States Championship.

It was later revealed on the Raw post-show that Owens had been granted a match with Cena at Elimination Chamber, and Owens was not shy to seem confident, even wearing Cena’s shirt to his match against Sami Zayn at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable. On this week’s Raw, after Cena defeating Zack Ryder in his US Open Challenge, Owens attacked him again, from behind, and repeated the same sequence of actions as the previous week.

This Sunday, Cena will take a step down. Kevin Owens will win, in a dominant fashion. Not as dominant as Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam, but dominant none-the-less. WWE wouldn’t allow their monstrous NXT Champion to lose in his first match on the main roster, and since it isn’t for the United States Championship, Cena will be allowed to take the fall. The match itself, though, will be entertaining throughout.

Winner: Kevin Owens

Sheamus vs King Barrett vs Rusev vs R-Truth vs Ryback vs Dolph Ziggler - Elimination Chamber match for vacant Intercontinental Championship

A few weeks ago on Raw, Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan announced he had suffered another injury, and didn’t know how long it would take for him to return to the ring, or if he were the return to the ring. On that night he relinquished his title so that there could be a fighting champion every week, and WWE immediately announced that the new champion would be decided inside the Elimination Chamber.

While many thought that Neville would find his way into this match, that wasn’t the case, and WWE had made the right choice. Instead, WWE made the best possible candidates be a part of this match. King Barrett can continue to build on his momentum following his King Of The Ring victory, Dolph Ziggler will always be associated with the Intercontinental Championship, Sheamus will look to create more heel heat, and the other three competitors are being used to make the match more interesting.

WWE has been on a movement as of late to make the two secondary titles more relevant. The US Title has been a success. However, even strapping the title to Daniel Bryan, which would have been a success if he was healthy, wasn’t enough for the prestigious Intercontinental Championship. Expect the creative to look for the man who would be most successful in making the Intercontinental Championship important to win this.

And that is why this match is the most difficult to predict. Sheamus, Ziggler, Ryback or King Barrett all have good arguments. However, singling it down, it would likely be Sheamus, who is liked backstage, or King Barrett, because of his King Of The Ring momentum.

Winner: Sheamus or King Barrett

Dean Ambrose (likely to be with Roman Reigns) vs Seth Rollins ( c ) (with J&J Security) – WWE World Heavyweight Championship

WWE took the best way to make Elimination Chamber a huge draw and they have made it amazing. In a short span of two weeks, Dean Ambrose has manipulated his way to a title match, got arrested, came back, and caused havoc in the Authority, with a little bit of help from Roman Reigns. Ambrose and Rollins have headlined an event before, last year’s Hell In A Cell, where they put together a great match, and they will put together another one this Sunday.

But this match won’t just be a face and a heel going head to head in classic fashion. Expect interference from The Authority, mostly from Kane, and also from Roman Reigns.

What makes this even more interesting is that Roman Reigns isn’t in any match at the event. Call this writer hopeful, but somebody will likely turn at Elimination Chamber. Reigns or Ambrose could turn heel, or indeed, against all odds, Rollins could turn babyface. Reigns could interfere and accidentally cost Ambrose the match, leading to an Ambrose heel turn, or indeed Roman could intentionally cost Ambrose the match and turn heel himself. Or The Authority could unintentionally make Rollins lose, causing him to turn babyface. The last scenario is a bit far-fetched, but the first two seem possible.

As for who will probably walk out with the championship, it would be Seth Rollins. With a feud against Brock Lesnar looming, WWE wouldn’t let the championship change hands just yet. Ambrose has a lot of time in his future to get his hands on the gold, and he has all the talent to do so, but at the end of Elimination Chamber, expect Seth Rollins’ music to be echoing in everyone’s ears.