Elimination Chamber: February 18, 2019

So it was finally time for the next Pay-Per-View on the “road to WrestleMania”: ELIMINATION CHAMBER! This sounds so exciting and they really sold me on it so I’ve been on pins and needles for this whole event. First, Finn Balor has a match against two people so that is exciting times to showcase my favorite wrestler! Second, THERE IS A CHAMBER! Sounds so cool, almost like Harry Potter with a Chamber of Secrets. Yep I went there, connecting Harry Potter with wrestling. You are so very welcome for that!

Okay so to start out they had a “pre-match” that was with some sort of little guys that are wrestling. I missed this whole match because it was at 3pm and I had 4pm in my head for weeks now. Sorry guys, I’m assuming is was amazing and very exciting. They also had an older wrestler from Texas come out and talk but again, totally missed this whole thing so let’s just move on to the main events.

Women’s Elimination Chamber

So here is the thing – apparently there hasn’t been a belt thingy for women’s tag teams before. This is the first time and to get it you had to survive a chamber It seems a little sexist honestly, the men can just wrestle in a normal ring but for the ladies they gotta be locked all together in this little space with chains? Whatever WWE. I was a little upset about it but also like weirdly excited. I watched this whole match with my two little girls and we each picked our duo we are going for so it was very intense.

I feel like I need to explain the rules of the Elimination Chamber. They are actually different for this “tag team” match because there are two of them locked together and they don’t actually tag each other. Yeah I don’t know, I don’t really understand how you can win a tag team belt without tagging but again, whatever WWE. So there are four “chambers” or these little clear plastic rooms that the tag team is locked inside. You can see them because of the plastic walls and because they have really unflattering up-lighting. Two teams start in the middle and then randomly throughout the match one of the chambers opens and that team can now start wrestling. To get “out” one of the tag team members has to tap out or be pinned (3 count). They both get eliminated together, so the weakest link pretty much seals your fate. If you lose you leave the chamber (and like so dramatic too, the ref just sort of rolls you out and then you sit on the side all sad until you get your energy back and you slowly walk out). The last team standing wins! Hooray!

Okay so now we know the rules, here is what happened. Due to an earlier match where Sasha Banks kind of flaked on poor Bailey, they were one of the first teams to start in the ring which I guess is the worst place because you have to wrestle the longest. I say I guess because most of the time the teams kind of hide in a corner while other people wrestle and then jump back in, so in reality they all wrestle the same amount because a big portion of the match is just chilling out. So the other ladies in the match were Live Morgan & Sarah Logan (Riott Squad), the IIconics, Naomi & Carmella, Nia Jax & Tamina (mean Junior High Girls), and Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville. Okay so there was a lot that happened and if you want a play by play probably should check out WWE.com’s recap. For the purpose of this post and the fact that a whole heck of a lot happened, I’m just going to say WOW. 

These ladies are amazing, there no eliminations until everyone was in the ring and they used the entire chamber to climb and jump and smash each other. It was so great to see raw talent and sportsmanship on display for women! In the end, Baylee and Sasha took the prize but really everyone won here because it was a great and entertaining match. My girls loved watching it even though I had to constantly remind them this is not something we do to our friends, this is just them playing parts and not really hurting each other (okay so they didn’t buy that part, Bailey had a giant bruise on her shoulder and there was a bloody nose). This was a wonderful match and I hope for years to come we still talk about how all of these women broke down barriers. I say that because I watched a rerun of the women wrestlers from the early 2000s and they were wearing bras and panties and were having slap fights. I think 19 years later we have greatly improved how women are viewed in the industry! Women rock!

Usos vs Mac & Miz

I’m not going to spend a lot of time or energy on this particular tag team match. The fact that we even had to watch this was kind of an insult to me. The Usos have a lot of great talent and skill and the other two are just kind of flashy and annoying. I do want to spend time talking about the Usos and the recent arrest. I read people on social media freaking out about how they got to win this match even though one of the Uso boys/men were arrested. Give me a break. He was arrested for a non-violet and pretty bogus sounding infraction and the man served his time (and probably a fine). Get over yourselves, the man is a wrestler not a school teacher so whatever if he has a little run in with the law. Also, they should change their Uso Penitentiary saying. Probably bad timing. Okay so Usos won which wasn’t a surprise but a much-needed storyline change from the other two! Good job!

Finn Balor vs Bobby Lashely & Lio Rush

Okay so this was really what I was watching for – my boy Finn actually winning a title! This match was totally unfair because it was a “handicap” match which means it was two against one. Of course, that Lio guy and Bobby only count as half people because I don’t think their characters are well enough developed to warrant a full person. It doesn’t really matter, they foreshadowed in the pre-match interview that they were going to have a fight or disagreement so we already knew Finn was going to win. They don’t really do “surprises” all that well in the WWE. So anyway, Finn was there and fabulous looking as normal and he did a ton of amazing moves including his signature kick bombs and Flying Irishman (I don’t think that it the real term, but when he flies out of the ring and lands on people it is super cool and he is Irish, so there you go). It was a nice little clinic for his skill and will provide a lot of great highlights to show later but it wasn’t really that impressive a match because they made it mostly about Bobby and Lio not getting along. Oh well, I’ll take it, Finn has a cute little belt and it is white so he can wear whatever he wants and it will look fab! Yay Finn!

Rhonda Rousey vs Ruby Riott

I’m not even going to spend a lot of time on the actual match here. It was a throw away match because Rhonda wouldn’t have lost this if her storyline is to continue so you knew the real reason for the match was for what happens afterward. So Rhonda did change up her look from a preppy school girl to what looked like a SWAT team member with a weird utility vest and black pants. It actually looked pretty good and I’m glad she didn’t have braids in her hair. New look is a win so good job Ronny! Charlotte Flair came out to “watch” the match which lasted all of like two minutes and then we all waited for Becky to show up which she did, then she beat up the other two with her crutches and like for real wailed on them! Like there was blood and welts. They probably should not do that again before WrestleMania because you want them to look at top shape…just saying that might be the last Becky tantrum for a while. So basically, winner of the match was Becky Lynch even though she wasn’t actually in the match.

Braun Stroman vs. Baron Corbin

Okay I totally didn’t even know this match was going to be happening at this Pay-Per-View so when it started I got up and left the room to do laundry. I kind of suck but I’m so over this weird mean guy fight. Like leave the big guy alone and just be good people already! So I missed a lot of it but it was a no-disqualification match so that also means it was going to be super brutal and I just can’t deal with that. At some point Corbin had his meanie friends come out (Glasgow guy Macintyre and Bobby Lashely – ps why is this guy a thing, he bugs me). They ended up smashing Braun through two tables and it was pretty brutal and scary and my daughter started screaming and ran from the room. So good job guys I guess? I think Corbin won but I don’t think there are winners when you are jerks, so the win goes to no one, you are all bad people.

Men’s Elimination Chamber

Hooray we finally made it! My daughter is a huge Daniel Brian fan so she was very excited about this, she has been running around the house screaming “Yes! Yes! Yes!” for a week now. He is a local boy in Washington and he is also kind of an awesome actor so I just really enjoy him and I hope that he always wins because it is fun! Daniel has been very upset about having to start out first (if you remember from the lady’s match first sucks) and they wouldn’t let his big friend hangout so I felt bad for him.

Here are the rules for Elimination Chamber (non-tag team): You have four chambers that again are clear so you can mean mug each other and you also get to have some really bad up lighting so you look scary and also it shows everything on your body. Two guys start out in the middle and randomly the chambers open and let people out to join the fight. You get out the same way as the ladies, tap out or pin, and the last man standing wins!

Everyone really wanted Kofi Kingston to win which is sweet but the story line was written way before Kofi had entered the match so if you are at all familiar to the WWE they have this story already locked up months ago. Sorry Kofi. He lasted a really long time and did really great moves (per usual) and you always have the crazy Somoa Joe take part which I was hoping he wouldn’t win because he is just mean. So the other folks in the match were Randy Orton (won the last place spot so has an advantage), Jeff Hardy, and AJ Styles. Oh and Daniel Bryan in case you forgot!

I want to give a little time to Jeff Hardy here. The man is a legend apparently. I’ve watched a few of his earlier matches and the dude was great! I worry every match he has though because I don’t know how his body can still function after he does these crazy dives into people. I was expecting a large move like jumping off of one of the walls or whatever and he didn’t disappoint. He did in fact jump and then got out which I think was good because I worry about him! Stay safe, Jeff!

So everyone was really great in this match and I was very intensely screaming at the TV trying to get poor Daniel to actually fight like I know he can (man is amazing!). Eventually it was down to Kofi and Daniel and then Daniel did come to life and did his normal amazing moves, mostly he does these create kicks and slaps and submission holds. He won on a tap out which is very Daniel Bryan because he has amazing submission moves. He is a great wrestler and to be honest I’m so glad that his story continues and the gets to have that weird hemp belt. Way to go, Daniel! The Planet’s Champion wins!