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Pro Wrestling fans often complain about how WWE constantly abuses the term 'historical' and 'revolution' and while it is true that WWE has absolutely buried the two words, there can be little doubt that the 2018 Elimination Chamber was indeed a historical event.
The 2018 Elimination Chamber featured the first ever Women's Elimination Chamber Match with Alexa Bliss defending her title against 5 competitors. A seven Man Elimination Chamber Match took place with a WrestleMania main event up for grabs, and then there was the WWE Contract signing of Ronda Rousey.
Despite the aforementioned, there was a sense of dread surrounding the PPV. It was the last RAW exclusive PPV and was an opportunity for WWE for course correction, but they barely made an effort and the event in Nevada fell flat.
Winner predictability, an indifferent crowd and lack of creativity contributed to an atrocious PPV.
Following is a list of ten things we can take away from the 2018 Elimination Chamber.
#10 The Tag Team Division is in Shambles
Just a few months ago, the tag team division was the best part of the show and looked the best it has in some time. Today, the tag titles were defended and nobody in the building cared.
Sheamus and Cesaro retained their championships against Titus Worldwide. On the pre-show, Gallows and Anderson defeated The Miztourage but we are at that stage where no amount of victories can make them viable challengers again.
WWE has a terrible habit of not creating enough stars, and with so many of them injured, the Tag Division is floundering like never before. WWE could surely do with an influx of tag teams, but it is unlikely to happen before WrestleMania and unfortunately rightly so.
It looks like we are heading towards a Sheamus and Cesaro vs Revival match at WrestleMania. How WWE manages to make it intriguing is anyone's guess.
#9 Sasha Banks is the new Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler recently signed a multi-million dollar contract with the WWE. Here is hoping that Sasha Banks signs an even bigger contract one day but as things stand and I hate to say this: Sasha Banks is a glorified jobber.
For years, Ziggler put up great matches and fans clamored for a push. It happened but it never quite took off. Ultimately, everyone cooled off. Same is the case with Banks, she puts on great matches but never gets the job done. She has never defended her championship, was the last eliminated at Royal Rumble and at the Elimination Chamber as well.
Good but not good enough.
There is no doubt that the WWE management rates Banks highly, but they have probably pushed her to the point of no return.
Fans have already started turning on Banks for a multitude of reasons. A heel turn and a match with Bayley at WrestleMania looms large but at this point, it may not be good enough.
#8 Woken Matt Hardy vs Bray Wyatt is not working
It seems like ages since Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt have been feuding and to say that nothing has progressed would be an understatement. The only thing one can remember from this feud is weird laughing.
Wyatt and Hardy, two Internet darlings battled each other at the Elimination Chamber, and the crowd chanted for Beach Balls. Tells you everything, doesn't it?
Hardy is considerably slower in the ring but this feud should have gone full out on insanity which hasn't happened yet. There is still life in the Woken character, and if WWE wants to utilize it, making Wyatt and Hardy a tag-team will not be a bad idea.
They have had teases of Wyatt and Hardy joining forces, it's time WWE pulls the trigger on it. It might breathe some life into the rather stale tag-team scenario as well.
#7 Nobody is ready for Asuka
Asuka faced Nia Jax in a match at the Elimination Chamber with a WrestleMania stipulation, and the crowd was red-hot for it. Nia Jax controlled the major part of the match but Asuka sneaked the victory with a roll-up pin. This infuriated Nia Jax to no end who put Asuka through a barricade in a vicious post-match beat down.
The match wasn't as good as their previous encounters but highlighted their strengths nicely going into the WrestleMania season. Asuka is likely to challenge Charlotte for the title which gives Jax a good talking point leading into WrestleMania and beyond.
The crowd is still into Asuka which should give WWE some sense of relief.
#6 Alexa Bliss is the best heel in the business
There is a lot of criticism surrounding Alexa Bliss. Some of it deservedly so, but at the Elimination Chamber, Bliss showed why she is rated so high by the management and everyone else.
Bliss held her own in the Chamber match and outsmarted both Bayley and Banks to win the title, but it was later on the mic that Bliss smashed the ball out of the park.
Renee Young interviewed Bliss and Bliss turned face and heel within a matter of seconds. Bliss has got charisma, appeal and an uncanny ability to get under people's skin.
'The Goddess' will reign for long.
#5 State of Limbo
Finn Balor and Seth Rollins contested the first ever Universal Title match. While Finn has not gotten his rematch till date, Seth's rumored WrestleMania opponents are out injured.
Balor was the Iron-Man in the Royal Rumble, the Balor Club has been reformed while Seth was the star of the gauntlet match and is the biggest babyface in the company right now.
Both of them shone in the Chamber match but were eventually used as fodder for Strowman and Reigns.
Both Balor and Rollins have no feud on their hand right now, and while a match between the two could blow the roof in New Orleans, do not be surprised if both of them compete for the Tag-Titles at WrestleMania.
#4 Killing the Golden Goose
Braun Strowman has been fantastically booked by the WWE so far, but the Elimination Chamber was a colossal screw-up. Strowman was hit with multiple finishers, had 4 main event performers trying to pin him, yet he managed to kick out. Strowman eliminated 5 superstars before being taken out by Roman Reigns.
It was tragicomic the way this match played out. Strowman could not kick out of one F-5 and here he was not being put down by multiple time champions. Words cannot begin to describe how terrible this stuff was.
Strowman will likely face Miz for the Intercontinental title at Mania, a match he would win. The biggest challenge for Strowman and WWE would be to keep him relevant from thereon. It's all good until you are the one that's being chased.
If the WWE Universe turns on Braun Strowman, blame this match.
#3 Perfection
Ronda Rousey put Triple H through a table thus laying the seeds for the rumored Mixed Match at WrestleMania 34. It was the best segment of the show and a treat to watch.
Rousey was overwhelmed by the occasion but HHH and Angle were fantastic and Stephanie as the scared wife was a treat to watch. The Pros really went all out to put over Ronda Rousey as the bad ass she is and it was a job well done.
Kurt and Ronda are both Olympic Gold medalists and it is something that can be used for greater effect in the long-term whichever way one wants.
#2 John Cena vs The Undertaker is happening... Probably
John Cena laid another turkey as he was eliminated from the Elimination Chamber match without doing much. On RAW Talk, he talked about doing something drastic to get to WrestleMania, the hints are pretty clear.
WWE has gone the HBK route with Cena, Desperate veteran trying to do something big at the last stages of his career. Cena will be a heel if this feud happens but the question remains the same: Would Cena turn heel or would it be a one-match thing?
The Undertaker gave John Cena some pep talk after his first match against Kurt Angle. Kurt Angle is the General Manager of RAW, John Cena vs The Undertaker in a Career vs Career match with Angle as the referee, the story writes itself.
#1 The Beast vs The Big Dog
Our long national nightmare is over. Roman Reigns will face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 34. Job well done, if only it were that easy.
Reigns won the Elimination Chamber and boos rained down. Brock Lesnar is expected to leave the company post-WrestleMania 34. This could very well be a Golderg vs Lesnar from 15 years back and it is the last thing WWE would want.
WWE should absolutely resist the temptation of making alterations to this match and adding another competitor. Reigns and Lesnar are the two Alpha-Males of the company, their match will be a Slobber knocker and is deserving of headlining WrestleMania.
As far as the boos are concerned, have Paul Heyman turn on Brock Lesnar.
