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So it’s possible, even likely, that I’m going to get all of these wrong.
1. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel(Pre-Show)
If The Miz and Finn Balor isn’t happening at Wrestlemania, as I have hoped for but the rumour mill disputes, this match makes precious little sense. That said, I suppose that’s why it’s on the pre-show.
Who’s the face team here? Aren’t they all heels?
Anyway, Gallows and Anderson win because by the look of things they at least have a storyline going forwards. Meanwhile, The Miztourage have had an awkward year but at least they’ve been on TV.
Winner: Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson
2. Men’s Elimination Chamber – Braun Strowman vs. Elias vs. Finn Balor vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins vs. The Miz vs. John Cena
Yes I’m putting the men’s chamber match here so that we don’t end the night with the standard anti-Reigns situation.
Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania has been the storyline for a whole year now and in that time we’ve seen how well it’s done in building up Braun Strowman (who is a big deal because anyone but Roman) and Samoa Joe (who is a big deal because anyone but Roman or Lesnar) so this is the culmination of what has been a very successful storyline.
Roman, having been a heel for over a year now, is all set to turn on Seth Rollins and make people realise that he’s a heel ready to go into mania. Cena is ready to go out early so that he can come out the next night on Raw, threaten to retire and thus begin his proposed Undertaker storyline.
There really is no one else in this match who will get a good match out of Lesnar. There’s no one else in this match with the prominence and name value to main event Wrestlemania, it has to be Roman Reigns.
Winner: Roman Reigns
Ladies and lads, I have a #Wrestlemania based announcement.
Starting the night after #WWEChamber I will be hosting a Wrestlemania predictions contest for any and all entrants. #WWE
The winner will be decided by most right winners and most right finishes.
Thread below for more:— Tom Colohue (@Colohue) February 23, 2018
Ladies and lads, I have a #Wrestlemania based announcement.
Starting the night after #WWEChamber I will be hosting a Wrestlemania predictions contest for any and all entrants. #WWE
The winner will be decided by most right winners and most right finishes.
Thread below for more:— Tom Colohue (@Colohue) February 23, 2018
3. Asuka vs. Nia Jax
This particular pay per view seems, on paper, shockingly transparent. Everyone is certain who will win both chamber matches and as they’re the actual talking point for both, what’s really the point in watching?
I think this one will be the shock result, but not the shock result people suspect might be the shock result.
Nia Jax is currently being build separately from the other women on the roster. That suggests that she’s getting into a mania match one way or another. What better way to do that than to have her pick up the win here by disqualification (possibly by Asuka refusing to relinquish a submission hold) and then having Asuka walk over to the blue brand.
I’ll say it. I think Nia Jax will claim victory over Asuka.
Winner: Nia Jax via DQ
4. Bray Wyatt vs. Matt Hardy
I was never a fan of the idea that Matt Hardy would go broken in WWE. If anyone is interested to know why, see Matt Hardy being broken in WWE. It’s just a big pointless. This feud has been going for almost four months already and in that time nothing has really happened.
A compound match at Wrestlemania seems to be where they’re headed, which is pre-show material if I’ve ever heard it. Really either result would be a good one if that’s the end result they want but I’ve got Bray Wyatt down to win here on the basis that WWE, recently, have been casually building up Wyatt’s win record in minor, seemingly unimportant ways.
Winner: Bray Wyatt
5. Sheamus & Cesaro vs. Titus O‘Neill & Apollo Crews (Raw Tag Team Championships)
After a lot of hard work, it’s great to see Titus Worldwide feature prominent on a pay-per-view.
Winner: The Bar
6. Women‘s Elimination Chamber – Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks vs. Sonya Deville vs. Mickie James vs. Bayley vs. Mandy Rose (Raw Women‘s Championship)
Realistically there are only two contenders here. Either Bliss retains or Banks wins, in which case Banks will probably lose it again the next night on Raw. Bliss has been the champion for all but one day since April so it would be cruel in the extreme to take it from her now.
The teams are set in three duos. Bayley vs. Banks seems likely to come out of this, though I suspect Bayley would be the ideal choice to swap with Naomi in the next shakeup so they’ll have to hurry up. That actually leaves only one contender.
As previously discussed, Nia Jax is en route to Wrestlemania no matter what happens. She has no story with Banks but she does have one with Bliss. The injury to Paige may have changed things but for me it seems like we’re going to see Jax take the belt from Bliss only to lose it to Rousey in the near future.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
I’ll see you for another live Twitter session during Elimination Chamber 2018.
CHECK OUT THE PREVIOUS COLUMN: WWE ROYAL RUMBLE PREDICTIONS – Tom Gets it Wrong: Lesnar vs. Strowman vs. Kane, Styles vs. Sami & KO, Women’s and Men’s Royal Rumble
I’ll say this: if they take the title off of Alexa tonight, this close to Mania, and leave her as an odd person out this year, I’m canceling my Network subscription tonight.