|Date: February 21, 2010
|Venue: Scottrade Center |City: St Louis, Missouri
|Attendance: 17,000 |Buys: 272,000
|Brands: Raw & Smackdown

|tweet me: @BastionBlogger

Welcome everybody to the first ever Elimination Chamber PPV review! The landscape has changed in the WWE as we head to Wrestlemania. ECW is no more and the brand is to be replaced with a new show in the form of NXT, a reality based show where WWE “Pro’s” train up NXT rookies. The likes of The Miz, William Regal, Matt Hardy, R-Truth, CM Punk, Chris Jericho and Christian will be training new names Wade Barrett, Michael Tarver, Darren Young, David Otunga, Daniel Bryan and others.

The Elimination Chamber name replaces No Way Out and was the winner of a fans poll. Elimination Chambers are the name of the game for tonight and will feature in two matches, one for the WWE Championship and one for the World Heavyweight Championship. Both matches required qualification to get in. In the WWE Championship Chamber match, John Cena qualified by beating Cody Rhodes, Triple H beat Jack Swagger, Randy Orton beat Shawn Michaels,Ted DiBiase beat Mark Henry and Kofi Kingston beat The Big Show, those five men meet Sheamus. For entry into the World Heavyweight Championship Elimination Chamber match John Morrison beat Drew McIntyre ad Kane in a triple threat match, R-Truth beat Mike Knox, Batista got himself counted out against CM Punk, Chris Jericho beat Matt Hardy and Rey Mysterio beat Dolph Ziggler to qualify against The Undertaker.

A few weeks ago Drew McIntyre went one on one with Kane and the two battled outside the ring to a double count-out. It was then announced that McIntyre would defend his Intercontinental Championship against Kane at Elimination Chamber. Since then Kane has defeated Drew in singles action, can he take the Intercontinental Championship tonight? Also tonight are the finals of the tournament to crown a new WWE Divas Champion following an injury to Melina. Maryse advanced to the final after beating Brie Bella and Eve Torres. Gail Kim will meet her in the final after recording victories over Jillian Hall and Alicia Fox. Tonight Maryse and Gail Kim go one on one with the winner taking the WWE Divas Championship. Neither have ever won a PPV match so the stakes could not be any higher.

In a dark match prior to the event Christian defeated Ezekiel Jackson.

The show kicks off with a video package selling the Elimination Chamber as a twisted turn on the road to Wrestlemania. Three of the four men headlining Wrestlemania will be in place after today with the two winners of the Elimination Chambers joining Edge.

Michael Cole welcomes us to St Louis and the Elimination Chamber lowers to the ring!

Sheamus (c) vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Triple H vs. Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase vs. John Cena – Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship

The show kicks off in a big way! The WWE Championship is on the line. Sheamus and Kofi Kingston are the two men to kick off the match. Sheamus immediately goes for the brogue kick but Kingston avoids it. Kofi hits a cross body for a one count and then hits a dropkick. Kofi starts the well match, laying into Sheamus but it isn’t long before the WWE Champion takes the advantage. Sheamus hits clubbing blows and knees but Kofi fights back with uppercuts. Sheamus hits a back elbow and then a shoulder charge. Sheamus attempts a hiptoss on Kofi to the outside but Kofi lands on his feet and hits a high cross body for a two count. Sheamus hits some right hands and the two men slug it out to the outside. Sheamus shoves Kofi into one of the pods as Triple H watches on from the inside. Back in the ring and Sheamus hits a backbreaker for a near fall.

Triple H enters the match. And they have a great shot of Triple H grinning from the inside of the pod. Triple H and Sheamus go nose to nose with one another and the two men then slug it out. Triple H hits a high knee and then a knee drop for a two count. Triple H then lays into Sheamus with right hands in the corner and gets another two count. Sheamus looks for a crucifix powerbomb but Triple H counters it and hits a DDT for a two count. Kofi then appears on the top rope and hits a cross body on Sheamus. Kofi then takes down both Triple H and sheamus with right hands and dropkicks. Kofi hits a big clothesline on Sheamus and then the boom drop on Triple H who is laying outside. Sheamus drops Kofi with a clothesline for a two count. Sheamus is undefeated in his three previous PPV matches.

Randy Orton enters the match. And he gets in extremely quickly, laying into Sheamus and then dropping Triple H with a clothesline. Orton hits Kingston with right hands and an uppercut. Randy hits a knee drop on Triple H and then a knee drop on Sheamus for a two count. Randy throws Sheamus out of the ring and then launches him into the side of the chamber. Orton then does the same to Triple H a few times! Kofi then dives off the top and takes down all three men! Back in the ring and Orton hits a dropkick on Kofi for a two count. Triple H then lays into Orton, hitting a facebuster but Orton catches him with a powerslam. Orton motions for an RKO on Triple H but Helmsley counters it! Triple H looks for a pedigree but Orton back body drops him out to the steel. Sheamus then throws Orton into the ringpost.

Ted DiBiase enters the match. And he goes right for Sheamus, Kofi and then Triple H. DiBiase hits a fistdrop on Triple H and then eyes up his Legacy mate Randy Orton. DiBiase off his hand and both he and Orton then double team Triple H. They then turn their attention to Sheamus before putting Kofi Kingston’s head through the chains. DiBiase then locks on a Boston crab as Orton stomps away on his back. Triple H and Randy Orton then slug it out but DiBiase joins in and helps Randy. Orton then hits a hangmans DDT on Triple H on the outside of the ring.

John Cena enters the match. Cena has DiBiase and Orton waiting for him but he lays into them quickly. Cena hits shoulder charges and a side suplex on Orton before dropping the five knuckle shuffle! Cena hits the throwback on DiBiase and then a top rope legdrop. Cena then looks for the attitude adjustment on DiBiase and hits it over the top rope and onto the steel. Orton then disposes of Cena but Cena gets back in the ring to lock the STFU on DiBiase! Randy Orton saves DiBiase and then motions for an RKO on Cena but Cody Rhodes shows up with a metal pipe! He drops it into the chamber where DiBiase picks it up! Ted hits Orton with the pipe and then Cena! DiBiase then pins Orton and gets the three! Randy Orton has been eliminated! 

Cody Rhodes can’t believe it from the outside and leaves! DiBiase and Orton stare each other down as Randy leaves. Sheamus lays into Kofi Kingston on the outside and then into the ring. Kofi then hits trouble in paradise on Ted DiBiase and that’s enough for the three! Ted DiBiase has been eliminated! Kofi gets up and Sheamus hits him with the brogue kick and then the crucifix powerbomb which gets a three count. Kofi Kingston has been eliminated. 

So we’re down to just Sheamus, John Cena and Triple H. Sheamus hits a running knee on Cena and then a backbreaker. Sheamus hits a powerslam on Cena for a near fall and then the WWE Champion ties Cena up in a tree of woe and hits him with shoulder charges and knees to the abdomen. Sheamus then looks doe a crucifix powerbomb on Cena but Triple H hits him with a low blow! Triple H then hits Sheamus with a pedigree and that’s enough for the three! Sheamus has been eliminated! So we’re down to just John Cena and Triple H, a new WWE Champion will be crowned! Cena locks on the STF and Triple H taps out! Cena wins the WWE Championship! He was the last man in and the survivor of the match. A good match and good way to kick off the show.

Rating: 7.25/10

Vince McMahon comes out as John Cena celebrates in the ring. McMahon then says that Cena is going to Wrestlemania as long as he can defend his title right now against this man…..Batista!

John Cena (c) vs. Batista – WWE Championship match

Well this is a shocker! Cena hasn’t got to his feet yet! This is a second PPV match between these two men, Batista beat John Cena at Summerslam 2008. Cena manages a right on Batista but Batista hits him with a spear and then a Batista bomb! Batista hooks the leg and wins the match! Batista is the new WWE Champion!

Rating: N/A

We’re shown a clip from Raw with Bret Hart getting hit by a car on Raw.

Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Kane – Intercontinental Championship match

This is a first time PPV meeting between these two men. McIntyre has fought four PPV matches and his only loss came in the 2010 Royal Rumble match. McIntyre uses his speed in the early going to take the advantage with right hands but Kane drops Drew with an uppercut of his own. Kane hits a snapmare and a low dropkick for a one count. Kane then hits a headlock takedown which Drew gets out of but Kane takes him right back down. Kane has been Intercontinental Champion before. Kane hits a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. McIntyre avoids a shoulder charge in the corner and hits a couple of clotheslines but he can’t take Kane down. Kane hits a clothesline of his own and then back body drops McIntyre out to the apron. Drew drops Kane on the top rope an then hits him with right hands.

McIntyre hits a codebreaker type move to Kane’s arm and then applies an armbar. Nobody has lost as many PPV matches as Kane. He manages to tip McIntyre out of the ring and Drew doesn’t land well. Back in the ring and McIntyre hits a sort-arm DDT and then goes back to the armbar. McIntyre hits a running big boot and then looks for the future-shock DDT but Kane counters it with a back body drop. Kane then hits a big boot and a clothesline before hitting the Intercontinental Champion with a big uppercut for a near fall. Kane hits a sidewalk slam for a two count and then heads to the top and hits a big clothesline. Kane motions for a chokeslam but McIntyre escapes it and rolls out to the apron. Kane smashes McIntyre into the ringpost and then big boots him off the apron. Kane then lays into McIntyre on the outside, before rolling him back into the ring. McIntyre rolls back out of the ring and heads up the entrance ramp but Kane comes after him.

Kane smashes Drew into the barricade and then the ring apron. Kane rolls Drew back into the ring and chokes his opponent and as the referee looks to break up the choke, Drew pokes Kane in the eye. McIntyre then hits the future-shock DDT and that’s all she wrote! McIntyre retains the Intercontinental Championship tonight! A slow paced match which but not terrible. Just a little boring.

Rating: 4.5/10

Gail Kim is backstage where Maryse walks up to her and talks to her in French. Maryse translates it into English but Gail Kim can speak French and knows that she was trash-talking her.

Gail Kim vs. Maryse – Finals of the Divas tournament to decide a new Divas Champion

This is a first time PPV meeting between these two divas and neither girl have ever won a PPV match, Gail has wrestled 6 PPV matches and Maryse has wrestled 5. Before the bell is rung Vickie Guerrero walks out. Vickie isn’t happy about what the Raw divas have been saying about the Smackdown divas. So she is postponing this divas match and making it a tag team match against Smackdown’s top two divas.

Gail Kim & Maryse vs. Michelle McCool & Layla

Well this is the tag team match that nobody wanted. Layla and Gail Kim start the match and Gail hits a couple of arm drags. Gail then hits a kick and some forearms before Layla counters an arm drag before laying in some kicks. Gail avoids a splash in the corner and rolls Layla up for a two count. I like Layla, I think she;’s great. Very entertaining. Gail hits a cross body in the corner and the heads to the top but Michelle McCool kicks Gail Kim down to the outside. Layla tags in Michelle and both girls double baseball slide Gail Kim. No help from Maryse. Michelle gets a one count in the ring and then applies a camel clutch which is a move that Maryse usually uses. Michelle then hits knee drops but Gail Kim fires back with a clothesline. Gail looks to make a tag but Maryse pie-faces her (which is probably a legal tag). Michelle then hits the facebreaker and that’s it! Michelle McCool and Layla win the match. Gail Kim and Maryse continue to job on pay per view. After the match Maryse hits Gail with a DDT.

Rating: 3.5/10

Josh Mathews is backstage and sells the new programme replacing ECW, NXT. Mathews then introduces one of the pros on the new show, The Miz. The Miz is a duel champion and says that he is the perfect pro. He then calls Daniel Bryan a nerd and says that if he listens then he will make Daniel Bryan a star. MVP then shows up and tells The Miz that because he and Mark Henry beat The Miz and The Big Show on Raw it means that MVP gets another shot at the United States Championship and that match is tonight.

William Regal makes his way to the ring. He plugs the new NXT programme that he will be a pro on. Edge then interrupts because he’s bored of listening to Regal. Edge then announces that on Raw tomorrow he will make the decision of which champion he chooses to face at Wrestlemania. Edge then spears Regal and leaves.

The Miz (c) vs. M.V.P. – United States Championship match

This is a second PPV match between these two men, Miz beat MVP at the Royal Rumble last month. Miz is joined by his co-holder of the tag team championships, The Big Show. MVP is joined by Mark Henry. Miz gets in MVP’s face and MVP replies with a slap before laying in some right hands and boots. MVP hits knees and then a powerslam before hitting a kneedrop for a one count. Miz rolls to the outside and MVP follows, smashes Miz into the barricade and then rolls the US Champion back into the ring. Miz tries to capitalise with a baseball slide but MVP sidesteps it and knocks him down with clothesline. Back in the ring and Miz takes the advantage. MVP gets back into it with a flying forearm for a two count. MVP then applies an armbar which Miz gets out of. Miz hits a modified codebreaker and doesn’t look like he connected but it gets him a two count.

Miz applies a chinlock which MVP gets out of and the two men exchange pinfalls. Miz regains the advantage, hitting MVP with right hands and then a clothesline for a two count. MVP fires back with right hands but Miz hits him with a low DDT for a two count. Miz applies a chinlock which MVP gets out of but Miz hit a boot and then a clothesline in the corner. Miz then goes to the top but MVP dives up with him and hits Miz with a belly to belly throw for a near fall. The Miz is bleeding from the head and MVP hits him with a flapjack and a facebuster. MVP hits a ballin’ elbow drop and Miz gets his foot on the bottom rope. Big Show then drags Miz out of the ring. Mark Henry goes round and throws Big Show into the ringpost and then looks for a big splash but Big Show sidesteps and Henry goes crashing through the barricade. In the ring Miz avoids a running boot in the corner and as the referee sees to The Miz his partner The Big Show lays MVP out with a big right hand. Miz covers MVP and gets the three! A pretty boring match I’m afraid. Miz retains the United States Championship.

Rating: 4/10

The Undertaker (c) vs. CM Punk vs. R-Truth vs. John Morrison vs. Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio – Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship

CM Punk and R-Truth are the two men to start this match. I’m surprised this match has gone on last considering all the controversy with the previous Elimination Chamber match. During The Undertakers entrance he was set on fire due to the pyro. Undertaker threw his jacket off and jogged quicker to the ring than usual, he was not happy. CM Punk talked his usual straight-edge routine in the ring until he was interrupted by R-Truth. This is a first PPV main event for the likes of R-Truth and John Morrison. Truth knocks down Punk early but Punk replies with a dropkick. CM Punk then hits a side suplex for a one count. R-Truth shows some great agility and then hits a dropkick for a two count before clotheslining CM Punk out of the ring. Truth slingshots Punk into the side of the chamber and then throws him into the pod that Rey Mysterio stands in. Truth hits a plancha and continues to lay into Punk. Back in the ring and Truth hits an inverted side Russian leg sweep but misses with a corkscrew elbow. Punk then hits a big kick and a go to sleep which gets the three! R-Truth has been eliminated. 

CM Punk gets on the microphone and berates The Undertaker and John Morrison. Rey Mysterio enters the match. Mysterio hits a springboard plancha and a springboard cross body for a two count. Rey hits a kick to the side of the head for a near fall and then sets up for the 619 but Punk hits a powerslam for a two count. Punk sets up for a go to sleep but Rey counters it with as hurricanrana for a two count. Punk swings Mysterio into the chainlink and pins him for a two count. He then throws Mysterio head first into one of the pods for another near fall. Punk pops Rey on the top rope and looks for a superplex but Mysterio fights him off and then climbs up on top of the pod. Punk follows him up and sets Mysterio up for a go to sleep off the top rope but Mysterio counters that and crotches CM Punk on the top rope. Mysterio then hits a top rope hurricanrana down to the steel outside the ring. Rey rolls Punk back into the ring and hits him with a splash which is enough for the three! CM Punk has been eliminated. 

Chris Jericho enters the match. Mysterio monkey flips Jericho across the ring but Jericho hits him with a clothesline for a two count. Jericho hits a flapjack and looks for a lionsault but Rey drop toe holds him onto the middle rope and follows it up with a 619! Rey then dives over to the chainlink but Jericho pulls him face first down into the steel. Back in the ring and Jericho hits a splash for a two count. Jericho applies a chinlock which Rey manages to counter but Jericho then locks on the walls of Jericho!

John Morrison enters the match. Morrison goes right after Chris Jericho, hitting him with a dropkick and then hitting Rey with one too. Morrison disposes of Jericho and then hits Rey with a big kick. Jericho rolls Morrison up for a one count and Morrison then heads to the top but Mysterio throws John off the top and Morrison crashes into a pod. Jericho back drops Rey out of the ring and the two men go at it until Morrison dives over the top rope into both men. In the ring and Morrison hits a standing shooting star press on Rey Mysterio for a two count. Rey hurricanrana’s Morrison on to the middle rope and looks to hit a 619 but Jericho hits Rey with a backbreaker! Morrison hits a flying Chuck kick on Morrison and Rey then hits John with a hurricanrana. Rey then looks for a hurricanrana off the top but Morrison holds on and then hits Mysterio with starship pain! Rey Mysterio is eliminated from the match. Jericho applies the walls of Jericho to John Morrison.

The Undertaker enters the match. The door gets stuck but Undertaker gets in and goes right after Chris Jericho. Undertaker hits a splash on Jericho and then snake-eyes before dropping him with a big boot. Undertaker disposes of Morrison and then hits Jericho with a legdrop for a two count. Undertaker motions for a chokeslam and wraps his hands around both mens throats. Jericho and Morrison hit a double suplex on Undertaker and then double clothesline him out of the ring. Morrison then rolls up Jericho for a two count. Jericho back drops Morrison onto the steel and then tries to hide inside a pod from The Undertaker but Undertaker unloads lefts and rights. Back in the ring and Undertaker hits John Morrison with a couple of clotheslines and then snake eyes. But Morrison hits Undertaker with a flying Chuck kick from nowhere! Morrison sells an injured ankle but heads to the top and looks for starship pain but Undertaker gets his knees up.

Chris Jericho leaves the pod but Undertaker sees him and Jericho retreats back into the pod. Undertaker throws Morrison into the side of the pod that Jericho is hiding in. Undertaker then tries for a last ride on Morrison but Jericho saves him! Jericho throws Undertaker into one of the pods and Morrison then dives off the side of the chamber into Jericho. Morrison hits a running knee on Jericho for a two count. Undertaker chokeslams Morrison onto the steel grate and then pins Morrison for the three! John Morrison has been eliminated. 

We’re down to just The Undertaker and Chris Jericho. Undertaker knocks down Jericho with right hands but Jericho avoids a running boot. Jericho looks to hit a superplex and hits it for a near fall. Jericho hits a knee drop and some right hands. Undertaker grabs Jericho by the throat and looks for a chokeslam but Jericho counters it and looks for the walls of Jericho which he locks on! Undertaker manages to counter it and looks to lock on hell’s gate but Jericho crawls through the ropes to break the hold. Undertaker looks for a tombstone but Jericho slips down and hits the codebreaker! Jericho hooks the leg but Undertaker kicks out. Undertaker hits the last ride and both men are down. Undertaker is first up and motions for a tombstone but one of the steel grate’s are removed in the background and out comes Shawn Michaels! Michaels hits sweet chin music on Undertaker and Jericho pins Undertaker for the three! Chris Jericho wins the World Heavyweight Championship after Shawn Michaels cost Undertaker the match!

Rating: 7/10

And that was the first ever Elimination Chamber PPV. It was a fairly average to poor mid-card sandwiched by two good Elimination Chamber matches. The first one was good fun, I like it when there are lots of guys in the ring at the same time, it makes for a lot more chaos. The first elimination actually occurred after everybody had entered. Randy Orton was the first man eliminated, partly due to Cody Rhodes but mostly due to Ted DiBiase. Legacy will explode soon, it has been bubbling for a while and this could be the final straw for Randy Orton. DiBiase and Kofi Kingston were then eliminated leaving WWE Champion Sheamus with Triple H and John Cena. Triple H would eliminate Sheamus meaning a new champion would be crowned and that champion turned out to be John Cena. But the story wouldn’t end there as Vince McMahon would send down Batista to beat Cena for the WWE title! Completely unexpected but I actually really liked it. Batista is such a great heel and I think this may just lead to a match between the two at Wrestlemania.

Drew McIntyre then beat Kane to retain the Intercontinental Championship. This was ok, pretty average, a little boring. I’m not totally sold on McIntyre to be honest so him against another opponent that I’m not into isn’t going to make me want to watch. Drew won, which was the right result, hopefully this is the end of this feud. Gail Kim was then scheduled to face off against Maryse but out come Lay-Cool and it turned into a tag team match that nobody wanted to see. Honestly, what was the point of this? Except to see Michelle McCool pushed even more. She’s good so I don’t mind her as champion but this was an unnecessary way to shoe-horn her onto this pay per view. Speaking of which, next up was an impromptu match between The Miz and MVP. Miz won with a lot of help from The Big Show which makes me think this may lead to a tag team match at Wrestlemania with MVP and Mark Henry against Show-Miz. We’ll see. Not a great mid-card on this show.

Back on track though with another Elimination Chamber match. I preferred the first Chamber match as eliminations felt more rushed in this one, despite it going 5 minutes longer than the opener. CM Punk and R-Truth kicked things off and R-Truth was eliminated after 3 and a half minutes. Rey Mysterio entered and eliminated CM Punk before Chris Jericho could enter. John Morrison entered and Rey Mysterio was eliminated. This just left John Morrison and Chris Jericho in the match as The Undertaker entered. Morrison was then eliminated leaving The Undertaker and Chris Jericho. Morrison was a good highlight reel in this match and arguably the star of the match but I really enjoyed Chris Jericho’s work. A fantastic chicken-shit heel. Shawn Michaels would then appeal from under the grating and hit sweet chin music on The Undertaker, essentially giving the title to Chris Jericho. I think this’ll set up a match between former tag team champions Chris Jericho and Edge at Wrestlemania. Overall I enjoyed both Elimination Chamber matches but the midcard between them were pretty poor.

Overall Rating: 52.5/100 (ranked joint 192nd out of 249)

Match Of The Night: The WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match
Worst Match Of The Night: Lay-Cool vs. Gail Kim & Maryse
Surprise Of The Night: Batista beats John Cena for the WWE Championship
Worst Booking Of The Night: Adding Lay-Cool to the Divas match
Superstar Of The Night: Batista/Chris Jericho
Elimination Chamber 2010 Will Be Remembered For: Shawn Michaels costing The Undertaker the World Heavyweight Championship