It's that wonderful time of year where even the most jaded wrestling fan gets invested into the WWE and even their friends, who wonder why the big Samoan man is shouting before he leaps & punches someone, is into the product.
Yes my friends it's Wrestlemania season and the 2nd card on the road to Wrestlemania is the Smackdown oriented "Elimination Chamber", a match type that started out in 2004 as a brutal and violent way to settle multiple feuds wherein 7 men step into the structure and every 2 minutes one of their individual pods opens to allow them into the match, only way out is Pinfall or Submission, definitely not for the faint of heart!
So, if you're a betting man, you're undoubtedly wondering where the safe bets lie, what kind of surprises are in store & where to put your money for Sunday? Well don't worry, our man TJ has got you covered from the kick off to the main event, let's get started...
Mojo Rawley vs Curt Hawkins
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The NXT call up and "Hype Beast" Mojo Rawley has had mixed success on the main stage, but his reputation down at NXT and in his work ethic has definitely earned him some of the spotlight & a push in the mid card, expect to see him make some small steps forward in a very busy mid card.
There's no betting odds for this one, it's just a little intro thought piece for you smarks out there!
Dolph Ziggler vs. Kalisto and Apollo Crews
This is definitely a short match designed to get the crowd worked up, but I'm not sure it will achieve that. Since Ziggler turned heel and went back to being a more arrogant show off, he's shown signs of renewed vigour and a legitimate nasty streak when performing, though he lost to Crews in 90 seconds previously and the match itself makes zero sense. Booking-wise it's a difficult one; you can't have the two babyfaces lose when they have a clear advantage as it makes them look absolutely useless.
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Conversely, having Ziggler lose his first PPV as a heel would be damaging to his character in the long run. But it seems like this match was hastily put together and will largely get lost in the shuffle, so Ziggler is definitely the best bet.
The bookies currently have Crews & Kalisto at 1/20, whilst Ziggler is way out at 17/2.
American Alpha (C) vs. The Vaudevillains vs. The Usos vs. Breezango vs. Heath Slater & Rhyno
A tag team turmoil designed to help give the division some much needed spotlight, this should be a crowd pleaser for the short time it's on the air. To make the prediction however, we need to take a closer look at each team:
Slator & Rhyno, once the protagonists of a cinderella story tag team win/reign are now on the verge of a breakup, I expect it to continue/cost them tonight or potentially be the final nail in the coffin that carries their feud to the undercard of mania. If WWE is smart however, they'll hold them together for a big tag match with the rest of the division at Mania.
The Vaudevillains have not found much success since moving up to the main stage and their prowess on the NXT card has been largely overlooked by management, Gotch & English are two masterful workers and whether they're playing to the crowd or using nefarious tactics, they can get the job done. It's just a shame management don't see it that way and have relegated them to jobbers, expect them to lose here.
The Ascension were once the dominating force down at NXT, destroying anyone and everyone that came into their path, becoming the longest reigning Tag Team Champions the brand has ever seen. When they were called up, however, they became an overly gimmicked joke and the world has not forgotten that yet. While I and many others would like to see a return to their old form, it is not destined to be here.
Breezango are...something, let's just leave it at that. No chance of them winning tag team gold tonight or ever for that matter.
The Uso's have become a team to be feared since they turned heel. Shying away from their cringe-worthy and over the top happy personas during their first run, they have instead embraced apathy and vicious tactics to get what they want and it's worked wonders for them as performers. If you don't believe me, check them out in the Smackdown V Raw match at Survivor Series, they will be champs again and could very well take the titles from AA tonight, leading them to a grand victory at Mania, but i'm not convinced that's going to be the case given the booking on this card.
Finally, we have American Alpha, the olympic team that's always ready, willing & gable to get the crowd on their feet and put the match of their lives into anything they do. While they have had a largely forgotten run with the titles, the rest of the division is equally as stagnant and forgettable, so taking the titles off them for anyone but The Revival at this point is pointless, expect a fun, short and dominant win from AA.
American Alpha currently sit at 1/50 with their closest competitors to taking the belts The Uso's at 16/1.
Nikki Bella vs. Natalya
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This match most likely won't actually happen due to some serious nagging issues with Nikki's neck, so expect an injury angle to be ran mid-show and allow for a better build up to Mania. Should this match happen however, it's a lock for Nikki to pick up a short, safe win. Not much more to say about this one.
Nikki sits at 63/100 courtesy of Betfair.
Becky Lynch vs. Mickie James
What promises to be a fun, competitive affair between one of the four horsewoman & faces of the women's revolution now in Becky Lynch against a woman who helped mould that divisions legitimacy a decade earlier in Mickie James, this is one of those matches that you know is going to do well given Mickie's success against Asuka not too long ago at TakeOver: Toronto (which if you haven't already seen, is on the WWE Network. Not to mention her history with the company as a 5 time women's champion & the only woman in wrestling history to hold the WWE Women's, WWE Divas and TNA Knockouts Championships respectively).
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That being said, Becky Lynch has put in the work to carry the women's division on SmackDown and is no laughing matter, but given the story they're trying to tell here & Mickie's recent signing, I don't expect her to overcome the physical prowess and athleticism Mickie possesses.
Mickie James currently sits at an interesting 5/2.
Alexa Bliss vs. Naomi
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And so we come to the main women's match on a card that should give us some strong ideas as to what they'll be doing with the title come Mania. Alexa Bliss at just 25 years old has proven her worth in the ring and come a long, long way as a performer. For them to be investing so much time in her and put the belt on her shoulders over one of the four horsewoman in Becky Lynch & a women's division mainstay in Nikki Bella shows a lot of promise for the young Ohio native.
Naomi has already shown the world what she can do over the past few years and is a remarkably gifted athlete who gained significant prominence with Team B.A.D during their 2015/2016 run. Now that she's back to singles competition, she's shown that she still very much has what it takes to win with her recent pitfall victories over Bliss. That being said, it makes no sense for the company to invest so much time into Bliss for her to drop the title to her first challenger.
Naomi will provide a stern test for Bliss, but she will overcome and go onto bigger things at the grandest stage of them all.
Alexa Bliss is 11/4 at Betfair, with Naomi 2/9.
Luke Harper vs. Randy Orton
A fun tune-up match for Orton before he goes to mania and a great way to continue a continuing story between Orton & The Wyatt family, this should prove to be an enjoyable if predictable co-main event on the SmackDown card.
Harper in his very first babyface role is out seeking revenge against his former Wyatt family brother Orton, who he says has always been a viper. Orton in something of an anti-hero role has something to prove on his way to the grandest stage against our next predicted winner, so don't expect The Viper to lose here as he preps for a marquee match.
Orton sits at 1/10 whilst Harper is way out at 5/1.
John Cena (C) vs. Bray Wyatt, AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Dean Ambrose & The Mix in an Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship
This is the ideal kind of match to build some intrigue, settle/start some feuds and bring some much needed violence to the card.
Baron Corbin has been the other monster heel that WWE has so desperately needed and after his destruction on NXT, he's definitely risen to the occasion. But is he ready for title contention? Not quite, the Lunatic Fringe in the chamber with him should cause him enough problems to cost him a chance at the belt, but give him some very interesting options for Mania whilst making his presence very much known.
Ambrose very similarly will be too embroiled in his issues with The Miz and vice versa to capitalise on the opportunity, but after his incredible 2016, The Miz is going to be determined to prove lightning strikes twice and focus to seize the opportunity.
AJ Styles is a man to watch in his inaugural visit to the devil's playground, after having the best and one could say "phenomenal" 2016 of any wrestler, he could shock the world again here against his longtime adversary and current champ John Cena, who has also been on a tear as of late, putting together arguably the best string of wins in his career, the last being a WWE calibre MOTY candidate (sorry guys, it didn't beat Omega V Okada), both of these men are at the top of their game now and have equal chances of heading to Mania with the belt around their shoulders.
There is however, one man they're going to need to keep an eye on throughout the match; The Eater Of Worlds, Bray Wyatt.
After 3 years of riveting, cryptic and captivating promos promptly followed by being buried at every Mania and one of the worst win/loss ratios on PPV of any main event performer, it seems management has finally recognised the talent they have with Bray and the inconsistency with his booking, aiming to give him the push he so rightly deserves and make him into the credible threat he should be.
For the sake of the story with Orton, this is also the outcome that makes the most sense. While a Miz win would be interesting and AJ main eventing would have fans worldwide marking out, Cena V Orton simply isn't something people want to see for the 600th time after their incredibly lengthy feud over the past 10 years.
Orton V Wyatt is the right match to book and the story to tell at the granddaddy of them all.
Be ready to watch Wyatt hone in on the biggest win of his career this Sunday in a match filled with high spots and a lot of violence.
Wyatt is already 1/25 to win this one, with his closest rival John Cena all the way out at 10/1.
Words By: TJ Lever
TJ Lever is a freelance journalist who spends his days watching big men pummel each other.