5 potential winners of the 2018 Elimination Chamber

The Elimination Chamber always provides a unique multi-person match for fans to watch. It manages to take everything that the Hell in the Cell does, and adds a whole new level of violence to it. It really is a massive looking structure and gives WWE Superstars an opportunity to enthral the fans by being creative, while competing for an ultimate goal.

While in previous years, the Championship has been on the line, this year's event is interesting in that the winner will walk away with an opportunity to compete at WrestleMania for Brock Lesnar's Universal Championship.

While there are seven different competitors this year, there are five that appear to be possible legitimate challengers for the title. The reason for this is we don't anticipate The Miz and Lesnar having a Title vs Title match as part of the main event, which would thus eliminate the A-lister as a choice. Similarly, Elias doesn't seem like he is ready to main-event WrestleMania yet.

So, who stacks up as being above the rest, and the greatest threat to winning the match? Here are five potential winners for the 2018 Elimination Chamber.

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#5 John Cena

Cena is always one of the favourites when he is involved in a Championship match

Any time the former sixteen-time World Champion is involved in a Championship match he is automatically considered a threat. After he defeated Finn Balor to qualify for the Elimination Chamber match, there were many that were upset at the result. Whether fans want to see him succeed or fail, each one of them will, more than likely, have an opinion about Cena's involvement in the matchup.

His presence opens up the possibility he will end up winning. It is a tough contingent of talent involved, a group that Cena will have to rise above, if he is the choice to face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. He will push whomever he faces to the limit, and is likely to be one of the last men standing.

Many will recall he was in last year's Elimination Chamber as well, losing to the eventual champion, Bray Wyatt.

#4 Finn Balor

Will Balor finally get a shot at the Title he never lost?

The addition of Balor to the Elimination Chamber match appeared a certainty when he was initially cast in the second chance four-way against Bray Wyatt, Apollo Crews, and Matt Hardy. That certainly may have wavered when Seth Rollins was added to that match, but in the end, he was booked for the Chamber.

Balor has worked hard to regain the steam that was initially lost when he injured his shoulder over a year and a half ago, which robbed him of the chance to defend his Universal Title against the likes of Kevin Owens, Bray Wyatt, Seth Rollins, Chris Jericho and Roman Reigns. It was all but a certainty that he would receive an opportunity at the title once he returned, however, he has yet to compete for the Universal Championship. Instead, he has been involved in various feuds that showcased his versatility in the ring and ability to work with different talent.

It has been a long road that Balor has travelled in order to compete for the Championship, but here he is amongst the seven challengers for the Universal Championship. Paul Heyman once highly touted how good Balor was in a promo, and how he would be quite the challenger for Brock Lesnar. That feud might just come to fruition.

#3 Seth Rollins

A former WWE Champion, Rollins is once again in contention for the number one contender's spot

If anyone is a dark horse in this match, it is Seth Rollins. The injury to his tag team partner Jason Jordan looked like it could put Rollins on the sidelines, but instead, it has forced him to transition from competing for the Tag Team Championship, to being a bona fide threat for the Universal Championship. Rollins's opportunity came about when both he and Finn Balor pinned Bray Wyatt for the last spot in the match.

It was a controversial decision to include a seventh man into the match and is definitely unprecedented in its booking. Rollins might not necessarily walk away as the winner, and in some way, his chances may be affected by someone else, whether it's Jason Jordan costing him his chance, or being blindsided by someone that he believed was a friend. Could that be Roman Reigns?

Regardless, Rollins is someone to keep an eye on, as he is assured of giving a fantastic performance in any match he is a part of.

#2 Braun Strowman

Strowman is a serious threat to capture the number one contender's spot

Get these hands! That is the fear of those facing Braun Strowman in the Elimination Chamber. Strowman is without question the most talked about challenger in this match, someone fans want to see succeed. He has faced the biggest and the best and has come out looking more destructive than before he walked into those matches. For instance, in his recent triple threat match against Brock Lesnar and Kane, he was not successful in his attempt to capture the Championship, but that didn't mean he wasn't a threat, even after the match was over.

It was Kane and not Strowman who was pinned by Lesnar, and the Monster Among Men was the one left standing in the ring after the match was over. The Elimination Chamber simply provides another vehicle for Strowman to show just how destructive he can be. He is certainly someone the others should fear coming into the matchup.

#1 Roman Reigns

Reigns has worked hard on his way to earn an opportunity at the Universal Championship

With WrestleMania around the corner, it is the time that the Big Dog is talked about since he is a perennial threat to the Championship. While he didn't win the Royal Rumble, which would have given him an opportunity to challenge for a title, he is once again provided an opportunity to face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania. This isn't a new place for Reigns, as he is often thrust into the top position in the company.

After losing the Intercontinental belt, Reigns immediately announced his inclusion in this year's Royal Rumble. He had an impressive showing, being the final man eliminated from the matchup. Reigns walking away as the winner at the Chamber certainly doesn't hurt him, but fans may be mixed on the decision to have him become the Champion.

He has had tremendous encounters this past year with the likes of John Cena, Braun Strowman, and The Miz. However, this is WWE and Vince McMahon could pick a Superstar that is more universally accepted, at the last minute. Nothing is ever set in stone.

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