WWE Elimination Chamber 2018: Was Nia Jax Snubbed?

2018 continues to be the year of history making for the Women’s Division in WWE with the announcement of the first Women’s Elimination Chamber.

The Elimination Chamber is more than just Hell in a Cell – Superstars are barricaded with steel all around them.  In addition to the glass chambers, it is the most extreme match all six women will be a part of.  There is no question that they are ready to prove that they can put on a show in the Chamber.  It’s all just one step closer to getting that headline match at WrestleMania.

For Raw General Manager Kurt Angle to announce that Nia Jax would not be in the Chamber – but instead facing Asuka at the PPV – fans are surprised that the Irresistible Force was excluded from the history making match.  However, it seems another chance to break Asuka’s undefeated streak is a consolation prize although with a guaranteed Championship match to boot.

The two women have battled each other several times dating as far back as NXT back in 2016.  Jax was unsuccessful every time she has faced Asuka in the ring, so this time it is like this match will be no different.  On the surface, once can deduce that Asuka didn’t have an opponent for the Elimination Chamber PPV as she is the Royal Rumble winner.

She needed someone to wrestle, which that is fair considering her momentum on the main roster continues to build.  Keep in mind too that Asuka and Jax have been involved in a small feud together recently as well.  Maybe it did kind of work out in that aspect.  Though Asuka’s availability comes at Jax’s expense perhaps this could be Jax’s crowning moment.

Jax impressed many fans last summer as she lasted almost 30 minutes in a first-ever Women’s Gauntlet match on Raw.  It was an incredible performance that ended on a great note as she and Sasha Banks fought tooth and nail to earn a Championship match at the Great Balls of Fire PPV.  The Irresistible Force is more than a name, Jax backs that up with her beauty, strength, and intimidating demeanor.  Jax is an dominant talent; for her to not have had a Championship reign yet is surprising.

With Asuka’s momentum rising, that includes having great matches on Raw the last two weeks with Banks and Bayley.  It was nice to see that there was concentration on the women, as they were able to produce very enjoyable matches with the time they had.  Some may think that Asuka’s streak is getting old, but the beauty of the undefeated streak is that Asuka has had to work hard to keep it.  Her matches with Ember Moon last summer is a clear example of that.

Photo courtesy of wwe.com

With all those facts, Jax has the chance to really put on an amazing match at the PPV despite being excluded off the Chamber match.  The potential is there to really make the moments count, especially with the Women’s Chamber being a focal point of the show.  I don’t really see Jax breaking Asuka’s streak unless the booking team has a wild hair and does something off-hand.  But, Jax has the chance to earn more respect working her best match with the Empress of Tomorrow.

Next: Smartly Venting About Ronda Rousey Can Lead to Bigger Things

There’s the idea that Asuka really hasn’t declared who she was facing at WrestleMania, which throws many off.  Then on top of whether she’s facing the Chamber winner or Charlotte Flair, there’s Ronda Rousey.

For right now, maybe Jax was snubbed out of the Chamber match.  However with Asuka’s building momentum that grows with every win, perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise for Jax to prove that she is deserving at her shot to be Raw Women’s Champion in due time.