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On Sunday, February 25th, WWE holds its Elimination Chamber PPV, headlined by a Number One Contenders' Match, where the winner will face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Title at WrestleMania. For the first time ever, there will be seven competitors in an Elimination Chamber Match.
Since the match's inception at Survivor Serious 2002, there have always been exactly six. Due to Jason Jordan's injury, which left Seth Rollins with nothing to do, he was added to the match to make the historic seventh man.
So, with this unprecedented situation, who has the best chance to win? Who has the least? After the Gauntlet Match this past Monday, we have some ideas...
#7 Elias
WWE is obviously high on Elias. Working with main event talent on house shows, getting lengthy segments every week on RAW, and now, being included in a major match with major stars, his first ever PPV main event.
He even got a pin on Seth Rollins this past Monday in the Gauntlet Match.That being said, he has next to no chance of winning this match.
Clearly, the company has plans down the road for him as one of the top heels for RAW, but he's not there yet, and even when he does get there, it seems unlikely that a WrestleMania main event will ever be in his future.
Crazier things have happened, but don't expect Brock Lesnar to walk with Elias on April 8th.
#6 The Miz
The current Intercontinental Champion is entertaining as hell, and quite honestly, underrated. His matches always have consistent psychology, his promos are always smooth, and he's been a fixture of this company for a decade.
However, he's not viewed as a main event guy, neither by the fans nor the higher-ups. Even something big like a pin over Finn Balor on RAW was immediately overshadowed by getting pummeled by Braun Strowman.
Furthermore, WWE often doesn't have double champions, although there have been exceptions. Will he get his hand raised February 25th? Don't count on it.
#5 Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins has been on a bit of a roller coaster. The reunion of the Shield fell flatter than it should have due to Roman Reigns' illness; he had an awesome few matches with The Bar, only to have his tag partner, Dean Ambrose, go down with injury; he then got paired with Jason Jordan, and Jordan is now out with injury as well.
Then, this past Monday, he had one hell of a babyface performance, going over an hour against Roman Reigns and John Cena, eliminating both from the Gauntlet Match.
What's next for Rollins? We'll see. It felt kind of forced to throw Rollins in this match, so don't expect the Universal Title plans to include him. But, his addition will definitely improve the match, and will probably set up his 'Mania feud, just not with Lesnar.
#4 Finn Balor
Finn Balor and Brock Lesnar are the only two performers that have never lost a Universal Title match. Balor had to give up the title due to injury, and has yet to get a match for the belt. Winning back the strap at 'Mania would be a picture-perfect redemption story, and those two could tell an awesome story in the ring.
So why isn't Balor higher on the list? Because it looks like he's not higher on Vince McMahon's list. It was surprising enough that he won the belt at SummerSlam 2016, but upon his return, it seemed like a return to the status quo for WWE: a small wrestler that's super over with the fans is near the top of the card, but isn't champion.
Sadly, after this past RAW where he was a transition guy in the Gauntlet Match, it doesn't look like that will change anytime soon.
#3 John Cena
Super Cena has been less super as of late. With his retirement on the horizon, though not impending, he has been doing his part to put over other superstars, like Rollins this past Monday.
So then why is he so high on this list? He's definitely going to win a world title one more time before he retires. Ric Flair holds the record for most world championship wins at 16 (not really, but who's counting?) and last year, Cena tied him with his 16th world title championship.
Cena seems destined to break that sweet 16 number, so WWE can establish him in their own version of history as the greatest of all time.
Cena is not around all the time, and what better way to get that magical 17th reign at the Grandaddy of them all? However, there's a couple more Superstars higher on the priority list.
#2 Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman is only getting more and more valuable. He's had a solid booking for most of the last two years, and his performance to match it has put him over the moon. He's one of the few Superstars that is rated highly by both management and the fans. He has yet to hit his ceiling, and honestly, I'm not sure if he has one.
One day, Strowman will have a run with the Universal Title; one day, he will main event WrestleMania; but that day is not April 8th, 2018. Winning the Gauntlet Match on RAW only seemed to solidify that. It was a way for him to keep his status as a dominating performer, so when he's eliminated this upcoming Sunday, it won't look bad for him.
Strowman would be the most likely to win the Elimination Chamber Match, if it weren't for one Superstar.
#1 Roman Reigns
Yes, yes, I know, I know. But almost every report since last spring has indicated that Vince McMahon has been building towards Roman vs Lesnar at 'Mania, and RAW this week only seemed to confirm it.
Why was Vince McMahon willing to let his top guy lose on a roll-up in the opening round of the Gauntlet Match? Because his win this Sunday will erase WrestleMania 31, where the WWE Chairman wanted Reigns to go over Lesnar, and establish him as the top guy.
However, because of fan responses, he had Seth Rollins cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase to steal the title and the show. This year, though, it looks like fan responses be damned, Vince will do what Vince wants. Could something change? Absolutely. Plans are always fluid at Titan Towers.
But this seems like something Vince has been married to for a while. Fully expect Reigns to win the Elimination Chamber match, and the Universal Title from Lesnar on April 8th, 2018 at WrestleMania.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
