Top 5 moments in Elimination Chamber history

In 2002, WWE came up with a giant new match. One that would end up wowing the world with its brutality and innovation. The Elimination Chamber, debuting at Survivor Series 2002, was a hybrid of the Royal Rumble, Hell in a Cell and a bit of Survivor Series. It became the ultimate slaughterhouse for superstars aplenty. It slowly became a staple on some of the biggest pay-per-views WWE has to offer before it morphed into its own conceptual pay-per-view.

Since 2008, the Elimination Chamber has been the primary roadblock on the long pathway to WrestleMania. That means we have seen many memorable moments involving the Chamber, either before, during or after the match. The emotions ran high from time to time, as destruction prevailed at the expense of broken bodies and crushed dreams. The look of the menacing structure may have been altered, but the memories remain. Here are the five most memorable moments in Elimination Chamber history. But first, here are a few honourable mentions.

• Goldberg destroys everyone (2003)
• John Morrison jumps from the ceiling (2011)
• Bray Wyatt wins the WWE title (2017)

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#5 Undertaker and Batista go the distance (2008)

They started and finished the match.

When the Elimination Chamber match became a regular February thing, No Way Out played host to them. The two Chamber matches were for the number one contendership for the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships heading into WrestleMania 24. The Smackdown match also included a couple of ECW talent, like Big Daddy V and Finlay. It wasn't exactly the strongest cast for a match of it's kind. The Undertaker and Batista started the match and quite predictably, ended it as well.

The Great Khali and MVP made up the rest of the field, with the latter taking a giant bump from the top of a pod all the way to the mat. 'Taker and Batista both wrestled a blinder, as they had been doing over their incredible feud in the past year. In the end, it was the Deadman who outlasted the Animal, after an unbelievable counter from the outside into the ring. That was one of the coolest sequences in Elimination Chamber history and led to the incredible WrestleMania main event between the Undertaker and Edge.

#4 Shawn Michaels costs Undertaker the World title (2010)

Surreal moment.

Two years after winning an opportunity to face the World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania inside the Elimination Chamber, the Undertaker defended the big gold belt in another one of those. Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, John Morrison, R-Truth and CM Punk were all up to the task of making this a memorable Chamber match. However, the main underlying story was Shawn Michaels and his desperation to fight the Deadman at WrestleMania, one year after their classic showdown at the Grandest Stage of Them All.

Despite suffering severe burns during his entrance, the gutsy Deadman was part of the final two with Chris Jericho. He looked all set to win and continue his reasonably long reign, but then out came Michaels. He had been hiding under the ring and came out through the outside steel, before hitting 'Taker with the Sweet Chin Music. In the process, HBK cost 'Taker the world title and gifted it to his old enemy, Chris Jericho. It was a great moment that lead to one of the most storied matches in WrestleMania history.

#3 Edge does the double (2009)

What a night for Edge.

Edge headed into the 2009 No Way Out pay-per-view as Smackdown’s WWE Champion, set to defend it inside the devilish structure in the opening match of the show. He kicked it off against Jeff Hardy and within the first three minutes, he got caught in a small package and was eliminated! It was a complete shocker and the fans spent the remaining 40 minutes of the match knowing that a new WWE Champion would be crowned. It looked like the Rated R Superstar had an early end to what looked be his big night.

However, Edge would return later in the evening, attacking Kofi Kingston as he was entering the Chamber for the World Heavyweight Championship match. He took the then-upstarts place in the match and ended up winning the entire thing, pinning Rey Mysterio last. The champion heading in, John Cena was also eliminated in shockingly quick fashion when Edge, Mysterio and Chris Jericho teamed up to get rid of him. Edge stole a spot, the match, the title and ultimately, the night as he became the first and only man to compete in two Elimination Chamber matches in one show.

#2 Shawn Michaels wins the World title (2002)

The early stages of a fantastic comeback.

Shawn Michaels initially retired in 1998, following a terrible back injury and seemingly bowed out following his WrestleMania 14 main event against "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. However, we saw the comeback of all comebacks over four years later. Michaels faced Triple H in a brutal Unsanctioned match, one that was perfectly booked and executed. After that, the magic began. Shawn Michaels was one of five men who challenged for the Game's World Heavyweight Championship in the first ever Elimination Chamber match.

This remains possibly the greatest Chamber match of all time, with every superstar bringing it. Kane, Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Chris Jericho played an excellent supporting cast, but the main story was between the pair of former best friends. HBK finally overcame everything to beat Triple H and win the big gold belt, the last world title victory of his career. This was a spectacular moment, the greatest inside this structure, and one that was fitting as the headliner at Madison Square Garden. The emotions were running high for this one.

#1 Edge cashes in (2006)

One of the greatest cash-ins in history.

The greatest moment in Elimination Chamber history actually did not happen within the confines of the unforgiving steel structure. Instead, it happened after one such match. At the start of 2006, John Cena was dominating the Raw brand and defended his WWE Championship inside the Chamber. He started the match and ended up victorious but just as it looked like another day in the office for Cena, Mr McMahon came out and announced that Edge was cashing in his Money in the Bank contract. This was the first ever Money in the Bank cash-in, making this an even bigger deal than it already was.

Edge walked down to the ring with Lita and kicked Cena around, before eventually pinning him to win his first world title, the first of many. It was a crazy moment, a revolutionary one in terms of laying the blueprint for future cash-ins. This was the Ultimate Opportunist at his absolute best, the making of the Rated R Superstar. No cash-in would top this until WrestleMania 31, that's how good this was. It also perfectly sold the damage that the Elimination Chamber can do, even to the victor. There may never be another Chamber related moment as cool as this.