The last PPV before WrestleMania is upon us in the form of WWE Elimination Chamber 2013. What happens at the Chamber could shake up the entire Road to WrestleMania 29 (or not), and that is something I’d personally love to see. Let’s take look at the final card, along with my own predictions and thoughts for this Sunday’s proceedings:
CB’s Slant: Elimination Chamber PPV Preview, Predictions and Snapshot Thoughts
Brodus Clay & Tensai vs. Team Rhodes Scholars (Pre-Show)
CB’s Slant: This YouTube pre-show match between a newly formed tag team and a recently dissolved tag team that is being slotted here for one night only has feel-good-ending-to-encourage-last-minute-buys written all over it. This will be quick, and there will be dancing.
Winners: Brodus Clay & Tensai
Divas Championship: Kaitlyn (c) vs. Tamina Snuka
CB’s Slant: There has to be a Jimmy Superfly Snuka crossover here at some point, right? Along that train of thought, I have a feeling Tamina takes the title and challenges Trish at WrestleMania, with Superfly in Tamina’s corner and, I don’t know, someone like Edge in Trish’s corner. Hey, it’s better than Snooki.
Winner and NEW Divas Champion: Tamina Snuka
United States Championship: Antonio Cesaro (c)
vs. The Miz
CB’s Slant: God Miz has sucked lately. His face turn is NOT working and his Figure Four is even worse-looking than what a WWE action figure could do. Cesaro hopefully retains and moves on to someone — anyone — else.
Winner: Antonio Cesaro
World Heavyweight Championship: Alberto Del Rio (c)
vs. Big Show
CB’s Slant: Unlike Miz, I love everything about Del Rio’s face turn. He’s just been amazing in the ring (including against Dolph Ziggler this week on WWE Main Event) and Big Show has been a good antagonist for Del Rio to bring his baby face character to life. Del Rio retains and then things become a little murkier afterwards on the Road to WrestleMania. Hell, Dolph Ziggler could cash in on Sunday too, but instead of predicting that like I did for the Rumble, I’ll just wait and see what happens.
Winner: Alberto Del Rio
Elimination Chamber Match to determine the No. 1 contender for the World Heavyweight Championship:
Kane vs. Daniel Bryan vs. Mark Henry vs. Jack Swagger vs. Chris Jericho vs. Randy Orton
CB’s Slant: Of the six participants in this Elimination Chamber match, I think three of them have a good chance of winning while the other three will merely serve as fodder. I don’t see Kane or Daniel Bryan winning at all since they are in the middle of their own side story, nor do I think Randy Orton will be on the right side here because of whatever personal issues he’s having at the moment. On the other hand, the returning trio of Jack Swagger, Mark Henry and Chris Jericho would all make sense from a storyline standpoint. If Ziggler cashes in on Del Rio, I think Jericho wins no matter what. However, if Del Rio retains and Dolph doesn’t cash in, then Henry and Swagger have a legitimate chance of winning. Swagger’s new “real American” extremist character would play the perfect antagonist to Del Rio, while Henry could be the next “big” hurdle that awaits Alberto after surviving his feud with Show. Jericho could still win too, which would likely lead to a Triple Threat match at Mania between Y2J, Del Rio and Ziggler. I’m going to stick to my gut feeling and say…
Winner: Chris Jericho
John Cena, Ryback & Sheamus vs. The Shield
CB’s Slant: There is no way the Super Friends all lose in one fell swoop, unless of course they turn John Cena heel and have him become The Shield’s leader! Keep dreaming…
Winners: John Cena, Ryback and Sheamus
WWE Championship: The Rock (c) vs. CM Punk (If Rock is counted out or disqualified, Punk wins the WWE Title)
CB’s Slant: You guys know the WrestleMania 29 main event is 95% set in stone, right? At the same time, if Taker can’t go at Mania Vince just gave Rock the out he needs to lose the belt to Punk without actually getting pinned or tapping out that would also (conveniently) set up a Rock-Punk-Cena Triple Threat. That being said, I think Taker will give it a go against Punk, so as a result…
Winner: The Rock
That’s all from me — CB
