Hello everyone, for the second week running, Team SLTD is back with predictions for this Sunday’s Elimination Chamber PPV. The Wrestling Brain & Mr. Mouthing Off are here to predict this weekends show. We have five matches to talk about, including two Chamber clashes so let’s not waste anymore time, and get into our first bout which is for the United States Championship.
Predicting Today
‘The Wrestling Brain’: TWB
‘Mouthing Off’: MO
Bobby Lashley (C) Vs Keith Lee Vs Riddle
Triple Threat Match for the US Championship
TWB: As I’ve mentioned in the past on the WrestleMania 37 related podcast, I can see Bobby Lashley dropping the US Title in this match without being pinned, which can protect him, but also move him into a big feud with Brock Lesnar.
With that in mind that leaves us with either Keith Lee or Matt Riddle to become the new US Champion, and I think I’m going to go with Keith Lee, who I hope will have a big 2021, and the best way to start this will be him holding the secondary title on the Raw brand.
Winner (and new United States Champion): Keith Lee
MO: Bobby Lashley has been protected for way too long and usually someone who is as protected as he is, is because there’s a bigger plan for them. What that is I have no idea, could it be a mania match with Brock Lesnar? Could it be something else? Or am I overthinking it because Vince McMahon is a body guy.
My guess, the latter. With that thought process in mind that brings us to Keith Lee. Keith Lee is amazing but doesn’t “look like a star” in the eyes of the guy who runs the show, that’s a crime. Then there’s Matt Riddle, all the charisma in the world, and one of the best all-round workers in WWE as a whole, yet he’s portrayed as a clueless pothead. Matt Riddle isn’t a clueless pothead, he’s an aware pothead.
There has literally been no story to this match, Matt Riddle, “earned” a title shot against Lashley and then got destroyed in the title match. Then got another shot and got destroyed again but won by DQ. Then after being away for a little, Keith Lee just decided he deserved an opportunity even though he hadn’t won anything on the main roster to make that claim.
Now, there are claims in reports that Keith Lee won’t even be there on Sunday. With all of that said, if Keith is there, Matt Riddle is winning only because Lashley doesn’t need this belt anymore and Riddle does and can beat Keith. If Keith is not there, Lashley will retain, because as stated earlier Lashley is being protected, for some reason.
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler (C) Vs Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks
Women’s Tag Team Championship
TWB: This match was only added on Smackdown, as the Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler defend their tag titles against Royal Rumble Winner Bianca Belair and her likely WrestleMania opponent Sasha Banks.
It seems, at last, the Women’s Tag Titles are actually getting some TV time on all 3 different brands, Nia and Shayna appeared on Raw, NXT and Smackdown this week, and it was announced on the Black and Gold brand that the Dusty Rhodes Classic winners Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez would face the Tag Champions on the 3rd March episode.
I can’t picture Sasha and Bianca as titleholders, it doesn’t make any sense and it doesn’t benefit anyone, I can though imagine, some miscommunication between the two, maybe Banks can backstab Belair which leads to Nia and Shayna to victory.
Winners (and still Women’s Tag Team Champions): Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler
MO: There’s one thing WWE is amazing at, booking themselves into a corner and they’ve done it again here. They put a singles champion and a contender into a situation where if they lose, it hurts both of them immensely.
Sasha and Bianca who are very likely facing each other at WrestleMania for the Smackdown Women’s Championship, get a tag title shot out of nowhere because of a man who they were teaming with (against three other women) pinned one of the tag champs. If that isn’t a face palm WWE booking to a tee I don’t what is. I am convinced that this match was supposed to be Lana and Naomi getting their shot (which they earned weeks before this match was even a thought), WWE looked at the card and said get Sasha on there somehow please, this is stupid. I’m saying it again, stop putting the singles champion in tag championship matches.
There are two ways this match can go, Sasha and Bianca win clean probably by pinning or submitting Shayna (also very annoying) or Sasha and Bianca win by DQ and this match is a complete waste of time. I’m going with the DQ, Sasha and Bianca need to focus on Mania, they don’t need the tag titles, this shoulda been Lana and Naomi’s match it aggravates me that it isn’t, and honestly, we all know the next champs should be the Dusty Classic winners and those titles should be on NXT.
Raw Women’s Championship, Asuka (c) vs. TBD
MO: So, this was supposed to be Lacey Evans, it isn’t anymore because she is pregnant for real. No reason to go into a tirade about that, so assuming this match is still taking place, there’s an unwritten rule usually, always over-deliver on a replacement.
With that said the only logical solution here is Rhea Ripley. Not only that, she needs to win. For some reason whenever Asuka is champion (on Raw or Smackdown) her booking becomes stale, or she takes a back seat to whatever Charlotte is doing. This has happened again, unfortunately, and Rhea Ripley was mishandled in NXT as champion and this is how you rectify that.
Now, this is all if it is Rhea whose in the match of course. For all I know it could just end up being Charlotte and that would just be frustrating. So I’m going with the idea that it is Rhea because nobody else would fill that over delivery of a replacement, and she’s winning and hopefully keeping the belt well passed Mania.
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Drew McIntyre (C) Vs Sheamus Vs AJ Styles Vs Randy Orton Vs Jeff Hardy Vs Kofi Kingston – WWE Championship Elimination Chamber
TWB: On paper with the talent involved this should be a good match, but I can’t say I’m too invested in it, Drew ought to retain but I just have a nagging doubt something could happen that causes him to drop the title. I can rule out Hardy and Kingston, neither of them right now are really championship material, although I do expect them to do something inventive considering the matchup.
I think we’ll see the return of The Fiend and he’ll take out Randy Orton, which sets up a Firefly Funhouse Match between the two at Wrestlemania. Sheamus should be facing Drew in a one on one match at this PPV, rather than having to face him and 4 other guys. I’m still holding out for a bout between the two at Wrestlemania.
AJ Styles is my wildcard pick here, mainly based on the role that Omos could play in the match, I wouldn’t be shocked if somehow he gets into the chamber and tries to help Styles become champion. But I’m going to stick with my heart and say Drew McIntyre retains, however, post-match we see The Miz cash in and become the new WWE Champion.
Winner (and New WWE Champion following successful MITB Cash-In): The Miz
MO: It’s very clear to me, nobody other then Drew McIntyre is winning this match. This match was just thrown together and Kofi Kingston was the only person who earned their way in. Everyone else had zero momentum and didn’t deserve a title shot at all. That seems to be the norm in WWE though, losers get title shots and we have no reason to care. Jeff Hardy lost to Jaxon Ryker clean recently and that helps nobody. Orton shouldn’t be in the match because he had four Championship matches from August to October. AJ has some momentum but lost at his TLC match for the title in December. Sheamus is technically feuding with the champion but his only win in months was last Monday in the gauntlet to determine who enters the chamber last. The only person I could possibly see winning to continue the feud but they’ll probably continue it anyway through to Mania and Sheamus will get three shots at the title and lose every time. So Drew retains here.
Cesaro Vs Daniel Bryan Vs Jey Uso Vs Kevin Owens Vs King Corbin Vs Sami Zayn – Elimination Chamber
(Winner Faces Roman Reigns for Universal Championship)
TWB: I’m pretty sour on King Corbin, personally I hope he’s eliminated first, just so I can enjoy the match a bit more. As fun as it would be seeing Sami Zayn Vs Roman Reigns, there’s not much sense for it, I can see Sami getting eliminated next following Corbin, leaving it to be Uso, Bryan, KO and Cesaro.
We’ve seen Uso Vs Reigns on a few occasions now, and realistically until Jey perhaps shows some face tendencies, we don’t need to see that match again. One final duel between Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns would be fantastic, and it feels like their rivalry deserves another battle, but personally I’d prefer something different, to more than likely, close the PPV.
Daniel Bryan Vs Roman Reigns is a main event worthy match, and the story of Bryan being the ironman in the Chamber and then instantly going on to face Roman does sound incredibly enticing, however I think there’s someone else who should have that opportunity. And that man is Cesaro.
Since the turn of the year, it seems like The Swiss Superman has been receiving a bit of a push, and I’m fully behind that, he’s been one of the most underutilized wrestlers in the past decade, and if anyone deserves a title run it’s him. I can picture Cesaro being the first entrant and perhaps he can eliminate all 5 of his opponents, as soon as the chamber lifts, Roman’s music hits and we have our next match.
Winner – Cesaro
MO: I expect this to be a hell of a match and I’m excited to see what everyone in this match can do inside the chamber as anyone could really win it. There’s two people I don’t want to see win it, those two are Baron Corbin, and Kevin Owens. Plain and simple Kevin Owens has had three opportunities and he failed all three times, I don’t need to see him face Roman a fourth time. As for Baron Corbin, I think I speak for everyone when I say this, I never want to see Baron Corbin face Roman Reigns ever again, and I don’t mean in a couple years forget like they never faced before, I mean never ever again.
As for the others, Daniel Bryan, Cesaro, and Sami Zayn would all be fresh interesting matches. Jey Uso, I wouldn’t hate because I feel it would be straight up story driven match like the previous ones they had. It could also be Jey laying down for Roman to not even break a sweat. With all that said, I’m picking Cesaro. I think it would be very fitting to give Cesaro the title shot he deserves for all his hard work over the years, and as I mentioned it would a fresh match.
The Wrestling Brain’s Pick
Roman Reigns (C) Vs Cesaro
Universal Championship Match
Roman will of course be arrogant and cocky, and think that Cesaro will be easy pickings. He will instantly Spear his opponent, but Cesaro kicks out. The two will have a 10 minute match which is basically big move after big move, at one point Cesaro connects with the Neutraliser, Reigns manages to survive by a skin of his teeth.
Roman obviously retains, but he has to put up a bigger fight than he originally thought, as Reigns walks back up the entrance ramp he is met by a Spear from Edge which confirms the Wrestlemania 37 Main Event, between The Tribal Chief and The Rated R Superstar.
Winner (and still Universal Champion): Roman Reigns.
Mouthing Off’s Pick
Roman Reigns (C) Vs Cesaro
Universal Championship Match
So going off my earlier prediction, Cesaro would be getting this shot. I fully expect that this should be the match that closes the show and the earlier chamber match should be the opener, however it is very possible that since Roman is practically in charge that he’d try to get the title match to take place directly after the chamber match.
If it’s booked the first way I expect this to be a very good competitive match between Cesaro and Roman, with Roman winning clean or Roman winning with shenanigans probably from a Seth Rollins interference. It’s also possible that Seth attacks Cesaro right before the title match and Cesaro still tries to go out and Roman destroys him. All of these are possible but no matter who it is Roman will retain and probably go on to face Edge at Mania.
So, there are our Elimination Chamber Predictions, as ever feel free to follow all of our Twitter handles and @sltdwrestling, and we hope you all enjoy the show.
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