WWE Elimination Chamber 2020 came and went as fast as another dietary trend. On paper, many matches appeared good. But, execution-wise, many fell flat on their faces. Literally and figuratively. Instead of what probably will be perceived to be beating a dead horse, I’ll get right to it.
All I’ll say is, maybe the Philly crowd did something to personally piss off Vince McMahon?
Elimination Chamber 2020 pre-show’s bout featured The Viking Raiders defeated Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins. Two former tag team champions. That’s all I’ve got to say on this one, as the Philadelphia crowd wasn’t buying this. Neither did I. This was worthless.
Daniel Bryan defeated Drew Gulak. Good for Gulak to finally get some top notch ring time. It seems with the gradual end to 205 Live, wrestlers have progressed to various other shows. Gulak seems like a good fit, and possesses a similar technical wrestling prowess to Bryan. Avery entertaining a submission-based match, one scary spot where it has appeared Bryan attempts to flip over from a German, but wound up parked on his head and neck. Granted, the match focused on Gulak’s ability to wear down weakened areas, but this one was scary. In any case, a good match.
Andrade retains the United States Championship against Humberto Carrillo. I question booking here. These guys had a great, great match, but you can tell fans are starting to tire of seeing Carrillo challenge for mid-tier titles, only to come up short again and again. Unless WWE Creative is saving it for a WrestleMania moment, they need to put a title on Carrillo soon, I fear his novelty will wear off very quickly and an opportunity will be missed. Andrade will never fail at putting on a 5-star match. He can lose whenever, and his stock would continue to rise.
SmackDown Tag Team Championship Chamber Match: Miz and Morrison retain the championships
At first, I thought this would really be cool, but it felt more like a scrambled jigsaw puzzle after more bodies entered. Yes, we know Otis is over. Really over. Ziggler plays a great jerk. Miz and Morrison, still great together. Usos and New Day, always a positive. So many great teams, but I feel the format and pacing of the match led to some miscommunications. This should have been better, maybe… Ladder Match at Mania better?
Aleister Black defeated AJ Styles
This started off slow. Then really picked up, and then… seemed to slow it down again. Very odd pacing. My guess, they wanted to show off both wrestlers, and their abilities to adapt to one another by quickening the pace and slowing it down at will, but at times it felt off. The NQ stipulation was just something to add, most of the match was extended wrestling/brawling around ringside, with a table and chair added in, but didn’t contribute to the match result. Inevitably, Gallows and Anderson would interfere, but then, lights out, the gong sounds, and The Undertaker is choking both men. As AJ Styles attempt to attack from behind, the Deadman turns, caught him, and planted with a chokeslam. This allowed Black to force kick Style’s head 180 degrees with the Black Mass for the pinfall. Not the best finish, not a clean finish, but with a No DQ stipulation, there should not have been an expectation for one.
Was it just me, or did ‘Taker have some weird facial/shouting expressions going on?
The Street Profits retained the RAW Tag Team Championships against Seth Rollins and Buddy Murphy
I am starting to un-enjoy Murphy as a “Disciple” because, if you look and listen carefully, Murphy’s character is developing into someone who can’t do anything without Rollins’ say-so.
We have seen this before, I hope this does not result in a quick burial for Murphy. He’s super talented, I hope they don’t discard him this way. The Profits are mega-over with the live crowd. This was an enjoyable match, but per WWE standards, big matches always need “that little extra.” By extra, interference by AOP, then inevitably, a popcorn-munching Kevin Owens appears, he even throws some in the face of Rollins. Wow, dastardly. Must have caused permanent blindness. But, in the end, it was Murphy who was pinned. Rollins then yells “what’s wrong with you?” at Murphy, allowing Owens to plant the Monday Night Messiah with yet another Stunner.
Yes, we know this will be a Mania match.
At this point the live crowd is burned out, because these shows are TOO DAMN LONG.
It shows clear here, as Sami Zayn along with Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Braun Strowman in a 3-on-1 Handicap match to win the Intercontinental Championship. Now, not taking anything away from Zayn, good for him to win a title, but Braun looked bad coming out with a loss like this. Monsters don’t go down, and to hold the title for only weeks? Lame booking decision. I imagine, like many other setups throughout the night, this will culminate at WrestleMania. However, the crowd was largely dead for this, and sadly, was apparent for the next, and final match of the night…
Shayna Baszler wins the Women’s Elimination Chamber match to face Becky Lynch at WrestleMania.
Baszler tore through everyone. So here’s what this match did in a nutshell. Established Baszler as the female wrecking machine she is. Hypes up Lynch/Baszler. Asuka passing out instead of tapping at least saves some face. However, this also made the rest of the women involved in the match look horribly weak, it shows anyone not named Charlottle, Banks, Bayley, Lynch, Ripley, or Baszler have no chance of ever main eventing, ever.
The outcome was obvious, so… Was there really a point?
Elimination Chamber 2020 felt like a glorified “supercard” for an episode of Monday Night RAW with some matches having added stipulations. The Chamber matches didn’t feel necessary in these situations. A PPV like this should not have been thrown together as abruptly as it did. Perhaps this is a lesson to leave some breathing room between Royal Rumble and WrestleMania to properly build feuds.
Let’s see, by my math… WrestleMania will start at 9pm Saturday and end around 3am Monday morning.
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