WWE Elimination Chamber is coming up on Sunday, February 25. It’s the last Monday Night Raw branded event before WrestleMania 34, which means the clock is ticking for the company’s biggest night of the year.
But there’s some work left to be done. The man that wins the Elimination Chamber Match will face Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship at Mania. The woman that wins the other chamber match will leave with the Raw Women’s Championship and will likely face either Asuka or Asuka and Nia Jax on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
It’s safe to say that the excitement is building for fans. However merely booking an action-packed card is not enough. There are several Superstars that truly need to deliver on February 25. These are the talents that must not only show up; they must show off.
Finn Balor’s name is at the top of the list. The Balor Club leader continues to find himself in the running for main event glory. But every time he gets close, he ultimately falls short. It’s happened so often that fans wonder if WWE really has a plan for him.
Is he just treading water until a proper feud can develop between him and The Miz for the WWE Intercontinental Championship? Or does the company actually have anything specific in mind for Balor after the Elimination Chamber?
Balor will be inside the chamber match and he will be ready to work. Fans know Balor impresses every time he steps through the ropes and this will be no exception. He will strike hard, he will strike often and fans will rally behind him.
This is the devotion that Balor inspires. He is a very likable Superstar, but he also has the respect of fans. If anyone can enter the Elimination Chamber and overcome the odds, it’s Balor. Balor must prove once again that he is a man that’s earned his spot. He must also prove that he’s earned much more. He will undoubtedly come through on both.
Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose are two other talents that must deliver on February 25. But this will not be easy. Neither Superstar has Balor’s track record of great performances and neither is necessarily on an upward trajectory. However that could change for both of them after the event is over.
Both women will step inside the chamber with four top main event Superstars. This is nothing new for Alexa Bliss, Sasha Banks, Mickie James and Bayley. This is exactly the type of situation that they’ve each encountered before in terms of high stakes title matches.
But the environment is something new for all of them. This is the first ever women’s Elimination Chamber Match. The four top Superstars will be out of their element in that regard, which means they will be on an even playing field versus Absolution.
Randomly attacking female Superstars every week does nothing to prove ability. This is Rose and Deville’s chance to truly make an impact and show everyone what they can do in a big money main event match.
Big money will show up when Ronda Rousey steps into the ring at Elimination Chamber to sign her WWE Raw contract. The former UFC Bantamweight champion is now a pro wrestler. But merely proclaiming a love for the business is not enough. Rousey must look the part.
Her debut at the Royal Rumble may have been shocking but it was awkward as well. Rousey smiled at Charlotte, Asuka and Bliss. Then she pointed to the WrestleMania sign. Then she smiled at the crowd and suddenly lost that smile when she pointed at the sign again. This wasn’t exactly a monumental first appearance and fans knew it.
Chances are her contract signing at Elimination Chamber will not go smoothly. These things rarely ever do. She will probably be interrupted during the spot and when she is, everything will go south. But in the unlikely event she does not have some sort of physical altercation in the ring; Rousey may indeed surprise the crowd nonetheless.
Many fans believe it will be Rousey versus Charlotte Flair at Mania. If it’s true, fans may witness Rousey declare her intention to instead sign with SmackDown Live. That would immediately pave the way for the dream match at WrestleMania.
Rousey will likely get booed on February 25. She’s an outsider and any time an outsider comes into WWE, fans typically do not respond well. But Rousey must win them over by proving she’s truly ready for this transition. That begins at the Elimination Chamber.
Can Elias transition from the mid-card to the main event? His fans believe so and they also believe he could steal the show inside the Elimination Chamber Match. Elias has yet to experience that turning point moment in which fans can look to as evidence of his rise.
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That moment could come inside the chamber. Elias must stand out and he must show that he deserves his booking. WWE needs him at his best and he must deliver on the promise that many fans feel he possesses. Elimination Chamber could very well be the night when Elias begins his walk to main event stardom.