Elimination Chamber was a PPV that the WWE announced on short notice and, despite what felt like a rushed concept/idea, the show oddly delivered. All of the results of Sunday’s event didn’t quite go how the Corpus Christi crowd had wanted, but still provided enough to keep the company’s recent momentum going.
For Heavy’s full Elimination chamber recap, results and highlights, read on here:
This week’s Monday Night RAW rolled through Shawn Michaels’ hometown of San Antonio, Texas, and the home of the Spurs at the AT&T Center. Here is what happened on this week’s Monday Night RAW:
Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins Will Have a Ladder Match at Money in the Bank
The Authority opened the show demanding that Dean Ambrose return the WWE World Heavyweight Championship belt that he “stole” from Seth Rollins last night at Elimination Chamber. Instead of Ambrose, they got Reigns who came down to the ring to belittle the Authority and say that his buddy demanded a Ladder Match for the WWEWHC at Money in the Bank.
Rollins lost his cool, complained that he didn’t need any of the Authority to defeat Ambrose and then accepted Ambrose’s challenge for another rematch at Payback before storming out of the ring to the backstage area.
Triple H then confronted Roman Reigns about his spot in the upcoming Money in the Bank Ladder match two weeks from now and said that his spot was in jeopardy and that in order to keep it he would have to defeat a Triple H hand-picked opponent.
That opponent… was King Barrett. Thanks to a reversal of a bullhammer elbow into a spear, Reigns pinned the King to keep his spot safe.
“You’re still in the #MITB Ladder Match…that is IF you can defeat @TheMarkHenry TONIGHT!” – @StephMcMahon #Raw http://t.co/uYTskxtbhL
That is… until the Authority announced that Reigns would face Mark Henry later in the night with the same match stipulations. In order for Reigns to keep his spot safe, he must defeat Henry.
Henry and Reigns battled in a much shorter match. Reigns hit a Superman Punch on the outside of the ring in front of the announcer’s table and barely beat a count of 10 back into the ring to defeat the World’s Strongest Man by count out.
Reigns’ reward? One more match tonight.
STILL TO COME: @WWERomanReigns is forced to compete for his #MITB spot one more time tonight vs. @WWEBrayWyatt! #Raw http://t.co/czHJXptf96
Against the New Face of Fear Bray Wyatt.
Later in the night Wyatt and Reigns fought in the main event and the Authority made it their business to be on the top of the ramp. Withh both men reeling, the Authority took it upon themselves to come down to the ring and look to cost Reigns the match. Reigns pushed Wyatt into Kane and then hit the spear for the 1-2-3.
After the match, Dean Ambrose came down for the save and him and Reigns cleaned house of Kane, J&J and Rollins. Ambrose threw the WWEWHC belt to Rollins, but then kicked Rollins in the gut and hit him with Dirty Deeds before scattering off with Reigns and the belt again through the crowd as RAW went off the air.
Big Show Returns & Targets the Big Guy
“You call yourself #TheBigGuy? You ain’t got nothin’ on #TheBigSHOW!” – @WWETheBigShow to @Ryback22 on #Raw http://t.co/20J34I4Ddv
Ryback was scheduled to defend his newly won Intercontinental Championship against The Miz until the Big Show came out and knocked out Miz with a KO punch. Ryback and Big Show stood nose to nose — or in Big Show’s case, nose to chin — before leaving the ring.
Kevin Owens Made Good On His Promise at Elimination Chamber
“Last night, not only did you take me to the limit, but you WON!” – @JohnCena to @FightOwensFight on #Raw… http://t.co/XNKLvXRAIp
Kevin Owens spoke to the WWE Universe and said that a real man doesn’t hide behind WWE marketing, catchphrases and promise things he actually can’t keep. A real man does what he says he’s going to do. Owens then mentioned that his young son Owen is a HUGE John Cena fan and asked his daddy if “John Cena was okay?” after the match.
Cena came down to the ring and, in usual Cena fashion, defended himself but said that his catchphrases weren’t catchphrases but an extension of himself and that “Never Give Up” has meaning to those it touches. Cena then pointed to a young child in the audience who was battling cancer and had a sign.
Owens and Cena then almost came to blows, but Owens ducked out of the ring and defiantly walked to the back.
THIS THURSDAY on #SmackDown, @FightOwensFight hosts his own @WWENXT Championship Open Challenge! Who will answer?! http://t.co/xAtjsrXB6x
This Thursday night on Smackdown there will be an NXT Championship Open Challenge.
The Celtic Warrior Got Himself Disqualified Against The Viper
After hitting @RandyOrton with a #BrogueKick or two, @WWESheamus seems proud of himself… #Raw #OrtonvsSheamus http://t.co/TJZcJe5Ji3
Two of the participants in the Money in the Bank Ladder match squared off against each other on RAW when Randy Orton took on Sheamus. Randy Orton and Sheamus brawled to the outside of the ring and then Sheamus grabbed a chair and hit Orton after the count of six to intentionally get himself DQed. After his initial post-match attack, Sheamus continued to wail away on Orton including multiple Brogue Kicks.
‘Twin Magic’ Helped the Bellas Retain Nikki’s Divas Championship
TWIN MAGIC STRIKES AGAIN! The @BellaTwins pull a fast one on @RealPaigeWWE as #NikkiBella retains her title! http://t.co/FwhWIhkMZj
The Bellas were back to their old ways.
After Paige came to Nikki earlier in the night and interrupted her as she was having an interview with Byron Saxton, Nikki agreed to a Divas Championship. Now, it’s understandable why she agreed to it so easily. She had an ace in the hole — her sister under the ring.
In case you missed last night’s Elimination Chamber PPV, don’t scroll any further because there are spoilers ahead. Here is a preview of tonight’s RAW:
Fight Owens Fight
In perhaps one of the biggest upsets in WWE history, NXT Champion Kevin Owens and United States Champion John Cena put on an instant classic in a billed “Champion vs. Champion” match and the end result was Owens, not Cena, battling out of multiple near-fall opportunities and finally hitting a second “Lights Out” Powerbomb on Cena for the clean 1-2-3 victory in the 31-year-old’s debut match in WWE.
Owens is a powerhouse wrestler, but displayed his theatrical aerial moveset and deceptive athleticism in this match as well. Owens attemped an Asai Moonsault where Cena rolled out of the way. He also later hit a Senton Bomb from the top rope.
Cena hit every trademark maneuver in his arsenal, but in the end came up just short against a competitor who is new to the WWE Universe, but not so new to hardcore professional wrestling fanatics. Owens took pride in the decade-plus time he put into on the independent circuit before signing with WWE and his first match — on PPV nonetheless — will probably be the one everybody remembers the most.
Feed Me More: Intercontinental Championship Style
Yep, when it was all said and done, the “Big Guy” defeated five other superstars: Sheamus, King Barrett, Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth and Mark Henry (who replaced the injured Rusev) to capture his first singles championship in WWE.
After Sheamus eliminated Dolph Ziggler, he and Ryback fought as the final two participants in the match. Sheamus looked to use the chain of the Chamber to his advantage on the outside, but Ryback powerbomed Sheamus back into the ring and then hit the Shellshock on the Celtic Warrior for the deciding 1-2-3.
After the match ended, Daniel Bryan climbed into the ring and presented the IC Championship to Ryback who then grabbed the microphone and said a few, real, heartfelt words about Bryan’s personality, ability and how he has been an inspiration for not only the WWE Universe but guys in the back, specifically himself.
Dean Ambrose Won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship… & Then He Didn’t
Ambrose and Rollins provided their usual theatrics and sparred back and forth for 20 minutes, per usual. Fast forward to near the end: Seth Rollins pulled the original referee into a Dean Ambrose modified dropkick from the top rope, which knocked him out. A short time later, Ambrose hit Dirty Deeds on Rollins and a replacement referee ran down to the ring and counted a 1-2-3 for the win, crowning Ambrose as the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
That is… until the original referee reversed the decision to a disqualification, allowing Rollins to retain the WWEWHC.
After the match the Authority climbed into the ring to attack Ambrose before Roman Reigns came down to the ring — this time from the entrance ramp — and helped clean house for the save. Ambrose and Reigns left through the crowd with smiles on their faces, but not before Ambrose took the WWEWHC belt with him for fun. He then claimed that the beers he and Reigns would have later in the night would be “on the champ.”
