Welcome to POST Wrestling’s coverage of the WWE’s Elimination Chamber card from the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.
Wai Ting and I will be live after the show with the Elimination Chamber POST Show. You can watch and call in if you are a Double Double, Iced Capp or Espresso member of the POST Wrestling Café. The free podcast version will be posted late tonight.
You can also interact throughout the night at the POST Wrestling Forum.
The kickoff show opened with the panel of Jonathan Coachman, Beth Phoenix, Booker T., and Sam Roberts. Roberts is playing strong heel after the reaction to the TakeOver panel last month.
The Bar and Heavy Machinery were interviewed on the panel to preview the SmackDown tag title match.
The Riott Squad were backstage and discussed their allegiance through their matching tattoos. Charlotte Flair approached them and told Riott to go out and make history and win the title in the same city Charlotte won her first title.
Alexa Bliss had a selfie promo picking Nia Jax and Tamina to win the tag titles.
Buddy Murphy vs. Akira Tozawa for the Cruiserweight title
Tozawa went for a suicide dive and was caught and hit with a brainbuster on the floor.
During the match, Kayla Braxton tried to interview Kofi Kingston outside of the New Day’s locker room. Big E. and Xavier Woods say he’s getting a massage and spoke on his behalf. Woods said people have been sleeping on Kingston his whole career and he is a living legend.
Murphy was seated on top and pressed Tozawa into the air and he came down with a Frankensteiner that looked so great. Murphy came back with a knee to the face and suplex for two-count.
Tozawa landed an inside-out lariat and bridging German for a two-count.
Tozawa leaped off the turnbuckle into a reverse ‘rana and then hit a suicide dive and jumping senton from the top onto the back of Murphy for a near fall. Tozawa countered Murphy’s Law for a roll up and then applied the Octopus submission, which Murphy broke out of to hit Murphy’s Law to win.
WINNER: Buddy Murphy at 13:21 to retain the Cruiserweight title
This was excellent and will probably be the second-best match of the night. Both guys worked super hard and this was just a tremendous start to the show.
Bayley & Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax & Tamina vs. Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan vs. The IIconics vs. Naomi & Carmella vs. Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose in the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE women’s tag titles
The opening match featured Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Renee Young, and Beth Phoenix on commentary.
Banks & Bayley started the match with Rose & Deville. Rose got her leg caught in the chained fence and was hit with a neck breaker by Bayley.
Banks had her arm driven into the pod and she remained there for a while.
Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan were the third team to enter. Morgan was dropped with a head kick and then Bayley fired up and had the audience behind her. There was a five-woman Tower of Doom spot with Bayley coming off the top turnbuckle.
The IIconics were the next team to enter the match. They took out everyone by double-teaming them. They went after Bayley and Banks returned to stop them. They dominated the match once they entered. Royce went for a flip onto Bayley and kicked her right in the head.
The fifth team in is Naomi & Carmella. They did a lot of tandem offense as they clearly came in with a lot of ideas for the team concept. There was a sequence of everyone laying each other with their big moves and all the women were down.
Naomi and Mandy Rose squared off, Naomi was taken down by Billie Kay with a sunset flip and Peyton Royce rolled on top with a jackknife cover to eliminate Naomi & Carmella.
Nia Jax & Tamina were the final team to enter. The IIconics hid from them inside the pod but were spotted and then forced the pod doors to open. Jax and Tamina rag dolled both back-and-forth into the cage. They hit them with double Samoan drops and eliminated The IIconics.
Logan & Morgan attacked Jax & Tamina with Logan assisting Morgan to land a Diamond Dust onto Tamina.
Morgan & Logan dove off the pods with a pair of high crosses to Tamina, Jax, Deville & Rose.
Tamina hit a splash off the top to both Logan & Morgan and pinned both for the elimination.
Nia Jax ran at Bayley, missed and crashed through the pod. Banks hit Tamina with Meteora, Bayley hit the elbow off the top and the four women jumped on top to pin Tamina. There was a huge reaction for the elimination.
It is down to Bayley & Banks vs. Rose & Deville.
Banks hit the backstabber into the Bayley-to-belly on Deville for a huge near fall as Rose saved.
Banks helped Bayley to the top of the pod to play off last year’s spot where she kicked Bayley down. They had Rose on the top with them. Bayley was driven off the pod and sent into the pod causing Banks to climb down and check on her. Rose sent Banks shoulder first into the pod and hit her double underhook driver for a big near fall.
Banks went for the Bank Statement onto Deville but applied a different version with the foot around the throat while torquing on the arm for the submission.
WINNERS: Sasha Banks & Bayley at 33:00 to become the WWE women’s tag titles
There were some scary spots throughout the match but it’s impossible to say this didn’t exceed expectations. The final fall between the two teams had high drama and the audience was behind every near fall. Bayley and Sasha Banks worked as a great babyface unit and have a natural feud with Tamina and Nia Jax coming out of the show.
They were interviewed in the ring, Banks said no one has any idea how hard they fought for these titles and fight for the women in the back.
Shane McMahon & The Miz vs. The Usos for the SmackDown tag titles
The Miz came out to dedicate this match to his Dad, daughter, and wife. Maryse came out with Miz and they announced they are having a second baby.
Shane went for the coast-to-coast dropkick early but was caught on the apron.
Shane was tagged in and attempted a Brogue kick and tornado DDT. The audience didn’t seem into his offense. Shane landed the coast-to-coast dropkick onto Jimmy Uso. Then, he climbed and hit to the other side onto Jey but was caught with a superkick in mid-air. Jey hit a splash from the top and Miz broke up the cover.
Miz cleared the announcer’s desk, both Usos were down on the floor after Jimmy dove onto Jey by mistake. Shane climbed to the top and hit Jey with an elbow through the desk.
Jimmy attempted a splash and landed on the Miz’s knees. Miz hit the Skull Crushing Finale but was rolled up with a crucifix by Jimmy for the win.
WINNERS: The Usos at 13:55 to win the SmackDown tag titles
The idea was that Miz let down his family after dedicating the match to them while Shane McMahon took himself out of the match with the elbow drop through the desk.
They relied on near falls at the end, which seems to be the formula now to make the audience is hot for the closing sequence.
The Miz helped Shane McMahon to the back.
Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush were interviewed by Dasha Fuentes, who asked if Rush was the weak link. She explained what a liability he is to Lashley. Rush said Lashley is the steak and he’s the sizzle. Dash reminded Rush that Balor pinned him two weeks ago.
Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush vs. Finn Balor for the Intercontinental title
Rush kept distracting Balor and grabbed his foot as he set up for a dive onto Lashley. Balor chased Rush and allowed Lashley to drive Balor into the barricade.
Lashley and Balor worked over the mid-section of Balor. Lashley hit the dominator and set up for the spear but Rush tagged himself in and missed with a splash from the top.
Balor cornered Rush and kept him away from the corner. Balor landed a tope con giro onto Lashley and Rush on the floor.
Balor hit the running dropkick and coup de grace onto Rush for the win.
WINNER: Finn Balor at 9:28 to win the Intercontinental title
The match wasn’t anything special, but the finish was big for the audience with the title change and seeing Balor win.
Lashley was upset after the match, he grabbed Rush but let him go as the crowd wanted to see him attack Rush. He lifted Rush and then slammed him down and walked alone to the back.
Charly interviewed Charlotte Flair in the ring. She ran down Becky Lynch for pandering to the fans. Charlotte knows she is the best in the entire WWE and is watching tonight’s match ringside.
Ronda Rousey vs. Ruby Riott for the Raw women’s title
Rousey was dressed as Sonya Blade, which she has done voice work for in the next Mortal Kombat game.
The audience began chanting for Becky Lynch.
Riott took some throws and retreated to the floor. She returned and was hit with Piper’s Pit and the arm breaker was applied for the quick win.
WINNER: Ronda Rousey at 1:42 to retain the Raw women’s title
I had no issue with the length of the match and it’s building to the real match at WrestleMania with Rousey as the dominant champion.
Charlotte Flair walked into the ring and had a face-off with Rousey.
Becky Lynch came through the audience on crutches. She got into the ring as the audience chanted her name. Becky attacked Charlotte with her crutches while Rousey stood and watched. Rousey took one of the crutches and turned her back to Lynch, who attacked both with the crutch repeatedly. The reaction to Becky was enormous after the attack.
Rousey was cut on the side of her head from the crutch.
Baron Corbin vs. Braun Strowman in a No Disqualification match
Strowman broke the kendo stick over his knee. He chased after Corbin, who threw the desk chair at Strowman and he flung it out of the way. Strowman missed and ran into the steps.
Strowman fought back and brought out a table. He caught Corbin and powerslammed him through the table in the corner.
Drew McIntyre came out, Strowman had his back turned as Bobby Lashley appeared from behind and they attacked Strowman with chair shots. Strowman was hit with the Glasgow kiss and a spear. He was attacked with another chair shot from Corbin and McIntyre hit the Claymore kick.
They stacked two tables on each other and put Strowman through both with a triple powerbomb and Corbin pinned him.
WINNER: Baron Corbin at 10:48
Braun Strowman has no friends.
Lacey Evans walked out and then turned around and went to the back without saying anything.
The Miz and Shane McMahon were in the trainer’s room with Miz upset about the loss.
The entrances for the main event began at 9:30 pm.
Prior to the main event beginning, Bryan cut a promo about the audience being fickle and starting the Gauntlet match and this one, too. Erick Rowan was ejected.
Daniel Bryan vs. AJ Styles vs. Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Randy Orton in an Elimination Chamber match for the WWE title
Daniel Bryan and Samoa Joe started the match. Joe grabbed Bryan and put him into an STF, a crossface and Fujiwara armbar in succession. They lit each other up with chops.
Kofi Kingston was in the match third. Bryan ran away from Joe on top of one of the pods. Kingston scaled on top of the pod, attacked Bryan and Bryan scaled away on the cage. Kingston let go and landed onto Joe and Bryan with a trust fall.
The fourth entrant was AJ Styles. Bryan was climbing the fence as Styles did a springboard and knocked him off with a phenomenal forearm. Joe applied the Coquina clutch onto Kingston, he broke free as Styles hit Joe with the phenomenal forearm and Joe was eliminated first.
Jeff Hardy was in next. Styles was set up on the top turnbuckle and Hardy came off the pod with a Swanton to the back of Styles. Immediately after Hardy landed it, Bryan hit the Busaiku knee and pinned Hardy for the second elimination.
Randy Orton was the final entrant.
Styles attempted a phenomenal forearm, was stopped on the top rope by Orton, who proceeded to land an RKO and pinned Styles.
Orton hit a draping DDT onto Kingston, then caught Bryan with a powerslam. Orton was blocked by Kingston, who landed the Trouble in Paradise and eliminated Orton.
It is down to Bryan and Kington and the audience is rallying behind Kingston.
They traded body kicks and Bryan took out Kingston’s knee. Kingston ducked one of the kicks and hit S.O.S. for a two-count. The audience was at the edge of their seats for everything Kingston did and wanted him to win so badly.
Bryan stopped Kingston on the outside and sent Kingston crashing into the pod. Bryan landed the Busaiku knee and Kingston kicked out. Bryan stomped him repeatedly and went for another running knee, but Kingston attempted the Trouble in Paradise and Bryan countered with a cradle.
They fought on top of a pod, Kingston kicked him down to the mat and leaped off and missed with a splash. Bryan hit one final Busaiku knee and won the match.
WINNER: Daniel Bryan at 36:36 to retain the WWE title
The audience loved the final section with Bryan and Kingston and seemed legitimately disappointed that Kingston fell short.
Xavier Woods and Big E. came out as the audience chanted “Thank you, Kofi”.
