Roundtable: Elimination Chamber 2019

How do you feel about WWE resurrecting Tag Team Titles for the women?

Juan Bautista: The division is in a much better state than it would have been in if the titles were brought back for WWE Evolution. Bayley and Sasha Banks are a more established team, the IIconics feel more relevant as far booking is concerned and the rest of the pack are actually teams – not just random pairs clustered together. There’s still improvement to be made, buts it’s a solid start.

Steven Jackson: It’s a great idea. The women’s division in WWE has been on fire for several years and it is only logical for the women’s division to have tag team belts. It will really freshen up things, too, and help more wrestlers shine.

John Corrigan: I can’t even keep track of who the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Champions are. But with so many women on the main roster, it certainly makes sense and hopefully will spare us from lame angles like Mandy Rose trying to seduce Jimmy Uso just to piss off his wife. As soon as Jimmy stayed loyal, that storyline lost all believability!

Sam Gladen: I like that they’ve brought the titles back and hope it continues to lend legitimacy to the women’s division. The division is a little thin to only be on the two “main shows,” though. The possibility of it being defended on NXT and NXT UK makes it a much more exciting prospect.

Troy Taroff: I guess it’s a cool and needed concept. Getting more women to be involved is always a good thing. It works out that we aren’t getting TWO women’s tag titles (one for each show) because I honestly don’t know if I can hear an IIconics promo every week when they wouldn’t eventually become SmackDown champs.

David Gibb: I’m into it! Frankly, the depth of division commands it. Now let’s get rid of one of those sets of men’s belts…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeFvIK9bp9A

Which duo wins the Women’s Tag Team Championship?

Bautista: It’s a little bit of a fun guessing game to see what direction WWE booking will go in. If they want to make the Four Horsewomen rivalry a reality, then Sasha and Bayley win. After a year of being unfortunately irrelevant, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce can win, too. If you want to cement the Riott Squad as a threat, they should also win. But I really want to see Peyton and Billie win.

Jackson: I’m not a huge viewer of main roster WWE, but I’d really like to see Ilconics get the win and make Australia proud!

Corrigan: They really want us to believe Nia Jax and Tamina are going to demolish everyone, but I’m hoping Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan pull out the win.

Gladen: The Riott Squad makes the most sense as the first champions.

Taroff: The smart bet would be Sasha and Bayley. They’ve had the longest-running “arc” per se, with their on and off-again friendship. But don’t count out Sonya and Mandy as a dark horse team.

Gibb: Part of me thinks that the inaugural champions should be a “true team” like the IIconics, but the best way to make these belts mean something right off the bat is to put them on Bayley and Sasha Banks, the biggest stars and best main event wrestlers.

Has the Elimination Chamber concept run its course?

Bautista: No. But at its current rate, it’s the Elimination Chamber needing a match – not a match needing to be held inside the chamber. The booking needs to head back in the direction of the top five wrestlers chasing after gold. That’s what made the early days of the Elimination Chamber fun.

Jackson: The Elimination Chamber is still an amazing gimmick match and continues to put over lots of stars in WWE. But because WWE is now PG, the violent spectacle of the match has been watered down considerably, making it a lot less “special” to watch. In short, yes, the match has run its course, but that’s due to the attitude of the company changing.

Corrigan: Absolutely. Aside from the first two, most of these matches blend together to me. Remember Bray Wyatt won the title? I think?

Gladen: I don’t think the Elimination Chamber has run its course any more than the Royal Rumble, Hell in a Cell or Money In The Bank. It gets stale at times, sure, but it still has the opportunity to be the most brutal of the four main gimmick PPVs.

Taroff: I don’t think it has run its course – it just has to be executed better. Throwing in random superstars to perform in the match just to give them something to do doesn’t really give anyone any reason to watch (the WWE Championship match). Motivation and actually earning your way into the chamber makes much more sense. The meaningless flashing, rainbow lights and fewer superstars slamming their chamber pods also dials down the excitement factor.

Gibb: The Elimination Chamber hasn’t just run its course; it’s done permanent, irreparable damage to the Royal Rumble and cheapened the classic Road to WrestleMania.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxImt4wEVdE

What do you think about Shane McMahon’s alliance with The Miz?

Bautista: As long as it ends with The Miz just using Shane to get to the title or some personal greed, I don’t mind. It also needs to get Shane off our TV screens for a while.

Jackson: I couldn’t care less (this answer alludes to that great viral tweet “how to make a friend in 4 words”).

Corrigan: I like it. The Miz is so damn entertaining that he makes Shane O’Mac interesting.

Gladen: The alliance is convenient for both of them, but the second it is no longer putting Shane in the best light, he’ll move on. He is a McMahon after all.

Taroff: If the only reason for this is to give Miz something to do and eventually feud with Shane at WrestleMania (also FYI, Shane McMahon “wrestling” has completely lost its luster for me), then let them drop the titles fast and end this thing because Miz deserves MUCH better.

Gibb: It involves Shane McMahon, so that means I love it and I’m excited to chant “Holy sh-t” when he jumps off of something stupid. (Oh, by the way, I was being sarcastic.)

Who wins the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match?

Bautista: Most likely Daniel Bryan survives. I don’t see Daniel losing until Mania. Unless WWE finally decides to pull the trigger on Samoa Joe.

Jackson: I’m really hoping either Daniel Bryan retains the belt for WrestleMania or Mustafa Ali does the unthinkable and wins the WWE title! But please, please, please not Randy Orton!

Corrigan: I’d love for Kofi Kingston to shock the world and make Chad Gelfand’s dream come true. But we’re not getting a new WWE Champion…just a victorious New Daniel Bryan.

Gladen: The Elimination Chamber is the perfect way to continue to build the casual dominance of Samoa Joe. He is being pushed the way creative thought they were pushing Roman in 2014. He is ruthless and hardnosed and while not being able to run through the whole roster, he is willing to sacrifice his body to outlast you. Elimination Chamber is his playground and he is ready to break in his new toys.

Taroff: Daniel Bryan for the sole reason that WWE wouldn’t invest in a hemp belt for him if this was a short term reign.

Gibb: Daniel Bryan. They just made the belt, for goodness’ sake!