WWE Elimination Chamber 2013 Review (2 down, 1 to go)

WWE Elimination Chamber took place on Sunday 17th February in New Orleans. Will the last PPV before Wrestlemania set the direction that it will be going? Let's take a (very belated) look.

The Pre-Show match is between Team Rhodes Scholars and Brodus Clay and Tensai. Rhodes Scholars work together to take down Tensai. However, a couple of minutes later Tensai manages to tag in Brodus. After a double headbutt then a double splash on Sandow, Brodus and Tensai win the match. The match was no more then four minutes long and it seemed fine.
Winners: Brodus Clay and Tensai
Predictions: 1for 1

The event starts with the World Heavyweight Championship match with Big Show challenging Alberto Del Rio. Show at the start of the match is very aggressive before Del Rio focuses his attack on Show's left knee. Other highlights of the match include Show hitting a Vader Bomb; Del Rio applying the Cross Armbreaker; 
and Show hitting a chokeslam for a 2 count. The end comes when Del Rio attempted to kick a bucket that Show had grabbed from Rodriguez into the side of his head with a running enziguiri. However, Del Rio slipped on the ropes and missed. So, they tried it again and it worked. Del Rio then applied the Cross Armbreaker and Show taps out. Except for the botched ending, it was an enjoyable match and I'm ok with Del Rio heading into Wrestlemania as Champion.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
Predictions: 2 for 2

The next match is The Miz challenging Antonio Cesaro for the United States Championship. Cesaro focuses on the taped up shoulder of the Miz during the match and he gets to apply a submission on the arm. Miz fights out of it and hits a back body drop. Miz focuses his attack on Cesaro's knee and tries to apply the Figure Four when Cesaro kicks him in the leg. This results in Miz kneeing Cesaro in the groin and Cesaro acts like he's been shot and points to his groin. The referee then disqualifies The Miz. Wait, what? That's your ending? Really? Anyway, Miz decides to purposely kicks Cesaro in the groin. I'm a big fan of both Miz and Cesaro so I was looking forward to this match. I thought it was ok although I didn't like the ending and I've seen better matches between the two
Winner: Antonio Cesaro
Predictions: 3 for 3

The next match is the only Elimination Chamber match which is between Jack Swagger, Kane, Mark Henry, Randy Orton, Daniel Bryan and Chris Jericho. Bryan and Jericho start the match and they exchange submission holds. Jack Swagger is the first one out of the pods and goes after Jericho. Kane is the next man to come out and he and Bryan work together. However, that doesn't last long when Bryan rolls up Kane for a 2 count. Bryan attempts to hug it out but Kane isn't interested so they get into it. A few minutes later, Orton comes out and then Mark Henry. Henry hits a World's Strongest Slam to Bryan to eliminate him then eliminates Kane when he attempted a top rope clothesline. Henry caught him and hit him with the World's Strongest Slam.

Jericho and Swagger work together on Henry and hit him with a double suplex onto the steel grating outside the ring. Henry is eventually eliminated after a codebreaker from Jericho followed by a RKO by Orton. Understandably, Henry doesn't take that well and hit the remaining wrestlers with World's Strongest Slams. Booker T, Theodore Long and a bunch of referees manage to get him out of there. After 30 minutes, Orton countered a Lionsault by Jericho then hit him with a RKO to eliminate him. Immediately afterwards, Swagger rolls up Orton to win the match.

I thought this was a good match and I was surprised that Swagger won the match. It looks like he could be a good opponent for Del Rio heading into Wrestlemania.
Winner: Jack Swagger
Predictions: 3 for 4

Next is The Shield taking on the team of John Cena, Ryback and Sheamus. During the match, Cena applies the STF on Reigns, but it was broke up by Ambrose. The Shield focuses on Cena with a lot of quick tags. Cena eventually gets the hot tag to Ryback who hit a backdrop on Reigns and Ambrose and a powerbomb on Rollins. Some of the action goes to the outside and Reigns hits Sheamus with a spear which sent him through the security barrier. The Shield start to focus their attack on Ryback but Cena arrives to prevent it and hits Ambrose with an Attitude Adjustment. Ryback is about to hit Rollins with the Shellshocked when he gets hit by a spear. Rollins lands on top of Ryback to pin him and get the victory. This was another good match with an amazing ending. I was surprised that The Shield won but I'm glad they did.
Winners: The Shield
Predictions: 3 for 5

Dolph Ziggler comes out with AJ Lee and Big E Langston and complains that he is not on the show. Booker T comes out and decides that because Ziggler is wasting time, he will have a match after all as he is facing Kofi Kingston.

Dolph Ziggler takes on Kofi Kingston for what seems like the billionth time in the last year is next. Some of the highlights of the match were Kingston hitting the Trouble in Paradise; and Kingston doing a dive to the outside taking out Langston. Ziggler eventually gets the win with a Zig Zag. Even though it was short, it was a good match. Ziggler and Kingston always seem to work well but it would be nice to not see them wrestle each other for a few months.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
Predictions: N/A

The penultimate match is for the Divas Championship as Kaitlyn is challenged by Tamina. Kaitlyn gets a couple of pin attempts with a roll up and a backslide. The action goes to the outside when Tamina throws Kaitlyn into the ring post. The end comes when Tamina takes decades going for the Superfly Splash and Kaitlyn moved out of the way. Kaitlyn then spears Tamina to get the win. The match was ok but they are never to get anymore than five minutes, which is a shame because, with a bit more time it could have been a good match.
Winner: Kaitlyn
Predictions: 4 for 6

The main event is for the WWE Championship as CM Punk gets his rematch against The Rock with the added stipulation that Punk will win the title if Rock is counted out or disqualified. Punk tries to get Rock disqualified early on by doing things like spitting in Rock's face. Punk starts to wear down Rock after he raked his eyes. After about ten minutes, the action goes to the outside and Punk bangs Rock's head into the English announce table. The action goes back into the ring and Punk countered a Rock Bottom into a roundhouse kick and then later on, Punk hit a Rock Bottom to Rock landing him on top of the Spanish announce table. Rock manages to get back in before the ten count. After a ref bump, Punk hit the GTS but there is no one to make the pin count. The doctor checks on Mike Choida and referee John Cone takes over. Rock hits a spinebuster then the People's Elbow but Punk kicks out at 2. Cone then twists his ankle and rolls out to the floor. Heyman holds Rock against the ropes and Punk attempts to hit him with the belt. Unfortunately, Rock moves and Punk hits Heyman. Rock then hits the Rock Bottom to get the win. I enjoyed this match but both of their matches had ended with way too many factors involved. It would have been nice to see a nice clean ending. Anyway, it looks like we are going to get Once Twice in a Lifetime with Cena and The Rock at Wrestlemania.
Winner: The Rock
Predictions: 5 for 7

I enjoyed the event. There were a lot of good matches such as the Chamber match. WWE have started 2013 with 2 good PPVs. The question is, can they continue that trend at Wrestlemania, especially as I found the last two Wrestlemanias quite disappointing.