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Okay, so I understand why the match is happening. Becky Lynch doesn't officially have a challenger for the RAW Women's Championship at WrestleMania, yet and you need a marquee women's chamber match at Elimination Chamber. So, WWE set up a No. 1 Contender's match.
That said - we all know Shayna Baszler is winning. From the moment The Queen of Spades attacked, and subsequently bit The Man on RAW, we all knew the WrestleMania match effectively had been made. A victory at Elimination Chamber for Baszler only makes it official.
Now, I'm still looking forward to it; there's a lot of talent in this match. There's a fair number of wrestlers looking to make a name for themselves and move up in the rankings. I'm intrigued by what could go down between the three former Riott Squad members, in particular. Plus, let's not discredit what a strong performance inside the Chamber, albeit in a losing effort, can do for a Superstar. Look of what Kofi Kingston did last year.
All that aside, this may, in fact, be the most predictable Elimination Chamber match in company history. Predictable is fine, as long as it's done the right way. If WWE is going to tip their hand as to who is winning weeks in advance, they might as well take a fun route to get to the result. That's why I think Becky Lynch should actually show up in Philadelphia and help Baszler seal her WrestleMania title opportunity.
"I'll be rootin' for ya..."
The Man said so herself on RAW, she wants Shayna to win. She wants The Queen of Spades at WrestleMania. In terms of booking, want to see Lynch take that money she dropped in the ring this past Monday and put it where her mouth is. If she really wants a fight with Shayna Baszler in Tampa Bay, she should be aggressive and make it happen.
Sure, Lynch could stroll down ringside and watch the match play out, hoping she gets the outcome she desires. Baszler could then run roughshod through the rest of the RAW locker room and secure her No. 1 Contender status. Some kind of confrontation between Champion and challenger could take place afterwards, and then we're on the home straight to WrestleMania after from there.
While I believe that would play out okay, I don't think it plays into Lynch's style. I would prefer to see another angle, similar to what we saw in the 2010 Men's Elimination Chamber match. Shawn Michaels wanted the Undertaker and WrestleMania. So he did what he needed to do to make that happen.
This year, The Man should be the one waiting underneath the ring for the opportune moment to strike.
The Finish
As I said before, there are many interesting components to this match-up. Becky's recent rivalry with Asuka, the budding rivalry between The Kabuki Warriors and Natalya, and Natalya taking to social media to remind Becky Lynch that she is not to be over looked in this match.
Then there's the aforementioned old Riott Squad cohorts of Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan. As much as it pains me to say it, because I'm a huge fan, I fear Logan is probably only in this match to be the first eliminated. I've seen nothing else in her booking recently that makes me think otherwise.
Logic dictates that Riott and Morgan will find away to knock each other out of contention, thus continuing their program with one another. Asuka could then take out Natalya (to continue that rivalry) setting up a final showdown between The Empress of Tomorrow and The Queen of Spades. Enter Lynch.
The Man could hit the ring just as it looks like Baszler is closing in on the victory and Lynch could take her out with a chair - much to the surprise of Asuka. However, instead of The Man allowing the Woman's Tag Team Champion to take advantage, Lynch takes out Asuka with a Man-Handle Slam - throws Baszler on top for the cover; 1, 2 , 3!
Why I like it
There is no way Becky Lynch is waiting until WrestleMania to get her hands on Shayna Baszler - or at least it wouldn't make sense for her to.. after all, Baszler took a chunk out of her neck for crying out loud. If someone did that to me, you better believe I'd be looking to get some payback as quickly as possible.
It makes all the sense in the world for Lynch to strike when Baszler is at her most vulnerable, and the least prepared. It also makes sense for Lynch to turn around and take out Asuka in the process. After all, she doesn't want another match with Asuka; she wants The Queen of Spades.
By the way - I love the idea of The Man choosing her opponent. Why? The symmetry of it is perfect. Remember, is was right around this time last year that Lynch was fighting Charlotte for the opportunity to get back into the main event match at WrestleMania 35. Ronda Rousey hit the ring and forced a DQ in favor of Lynch, setting up a triple threat match.
Rousey wanted Lynch in the match and eventually she regretted what she had wished for. The Man went on to win at WrestleMania 35, capturing the RAW and SmackDown Women's titles in the process. What if this year history repeats itself?
It may not look like it on the surface, but Lynch has become Ronda Rousey. Over the last year, she's become the face of the company. She's defeated all challengers. She's become the the longest reigning RAW Women's Champion in company history. Her confidence has never been higher. Wouldn't it be appropriate if her confidence led to her own undoing a year later?
I'm not entirely sold that Baszler is winning any match with Lynch WrestleMania, but I think it would be a great way to tell the story if she does. Regardless, the build up to this match should be gruesome, in all the best ways possible.
What do you think? Should Lynch get involved at Elimination Chamber or stay on the sidelines? Hit me up on Twitter and let me know.
