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WWE Elimination Chamber 2019 was a fantastic show. It did not feature a lot of top superstars, but the undercard stepped up and proved how deep the current WWE roster is, in talent and skill. It proved that, if you give the audience what they want, they will be electric all throughout. There were a lot of important developments on the road to WrestleMania 35.
WWE showcased that Brock Lesnar is not necessary for a pay-per-view to take place. Even without the Universal, US and SmackDown Women's Championship, the show did not seem like a drag really. But then again, it was not a perfect show at all, quite honestly.
Here's an in-depth analysis of the good and the bad from Elimination Chamber 2019. Please share your thoughts and comments in the section below.
What did you think of the pay-per-view overall?
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#1 Best: The main event
As good as the main event was, it truly was the Kofi Kingston show. The crowd had a hotter reaction for him than they had for their other favourite - Becky Lynch at Elimination Chamber 2019. They all wanted him to win the whole thing. Kofi showed no signs of his age as he recreated the magical performance from the gauntlet match on SmackDown Live this past week.
It was great to see the crowd go back and forth as they ooh-ed and aah-ed every near fall. Each man played his part and the pool of talent in the ring was absolutely extraordinary. Jeff Hardy's Swanton, in particular, was a thing of beauty.
This was one of the best WWE main events I've seen in quite some time. So much better than the one from last year!
Do you think Kofi Kingston deserved to become WWE Champion at Elimination Chamber 2019?
#1 Worst: Eliminating Samoa Joe so early
It's hard to take certain decisions when so many talented souls are part of a match. But I find Samoa Joe's booking quite puzzling indeed. The commentary makes it sound like he's supposed to be an imposing individual but he's always booked like a chump. It'll be difficult to take him seriously if he keeps losing like this.
Compare him to someone like Braun Strowman or even someone like Drew McIntyre and you'll see that they appear like bigger stars because they win more than they lose. WWE has a Superstar in Joe who cuts a mean promo and is a genius in the ring. Why do they devalue him at every single opportunity they get?
In my opinion, Samoa Joe has not been booked right in the main roster at all. The closest WWE has come to booking him right was during his NXT run.
Joe needs a reboot after WrestleMania 35.
#2 Best: Sasha and Bayley get their moment
We all heard Beth Phoenix get emotional while she was on commentary after Sasha Banks and Bayley became the Tag Team Champions. So did Corey Graves, if Renee Young is to be believed. And anything that drives even Corey Graves to tears has to be a milestone, doesn't it?
I've interviewed Sasha Banks before and even accompanied my colleague Pratyay Ghosh when he interviewed her on another occasion. Sasha Banks is so passionate about the business and so cool to anyone who wants to talk wrestling with her, that it's impossible to not beam from one ear to another to see just how happy she is. I definitely felt that all of the women involved pulled their weight and the eventual match was very good indeed.
So who do you think their first challengers will be? Also, will the titles be on RAW alone or on both brands?
#2 Worst: Ruby Riott gets squashed
Ruby Riott did not defeat Ronda Rousey, to the surprise of nobody. What surprised us, however, is how comprehensively she was beaten by Rousey during the course of the match. She did not even really put up a fight before Rousey defeated her.
The fact of the matter is that Ronda Rousey will be gone soon after WrestleMania, so WWE will need to build new stars. Those who do not know how talented Ruby Riott is will probably think of her as little more than Enhancement Talent now. When the truth is that if Riott were given a chance to showcase her skill, she could be simply amazing, I feel.
Of course, everybody is talking about the beatdown that happened at the conclusion of the match thanks to Becky Lynch's surprise interference. Let's hope that all traces of Ruby Riott's 'burial' are eliminated from their minds.
#3 Best: New Intercontinental Champion
This was a long time coming and I'm glad that it finally happened. Finn Balor is your new, reigning and defending Intercontinental Champion of the world.
The best part about all of this is that he did not even have to pin Lashley to become the new title holder. He managed to do it in such a manner that sets up a new feud between Rush and Lashley, going forward.
Lashley has, of course, aligned himself with Corbin and McIntyre now. I really think that this is the best course of action for him because he does not have to show his rear end to the WWE Universe anymore.
Let's hope that I did not speak too soon because maybe Lashley still continues to show his posterior to the WWE Universe even after joining Baron Corbin's gang of goons. Who knows what Vince McMahon thinks qualifies as good TV?
#3 Worst: Forgetting about R-Truth
It gets me that R-Truth wins the big one and just disappears. The United States Championship has probably been the most poorly booked title in recent times and should probably just be retired already.
While the Cruiserweights got time to showcase their skills on the Kickoff show, R-Truth did not get a match at Elimination Chamber and neither did Asuka. Couldn't Truth have challenged either Rusev or Nakamura in an exhibition match just to remind people that the title still exists?
It is clear that WWE Creative does not have a storyline in place for R-Truth and are just biding their time until after Elimination Chamber to make something interesting happen. Will one of the contestants from the Elimination Chamber match be the one to challenge him next?
I would like to see Big E go after the United States Championship like Kofi Kingston is going after the WWE Title!
#4 Best/worst: Cruiserweights steal the show on the Kickoff
I am guilty of not watching 205 Live every single week. I've been told that it's probably the best wrestling show in all of WWE. But because I watch a lot of wrestling every week, I just don't get around to it.
Every time I watch the Cruiserweights in action, I am tempted to go and watch the show. Buddy Murphy and Tozawa put on a show for the ages during the Kickoff. And that's the only worst I can find with this match...that most people did not watch it because they skip the Kickoff usually.
This match deserved to be on the main show, instead of Lacey Evans coming down the ramp and disappearing shortly after. The Cruiserweight Division in WWE is so good that they deserve more spotlight upon them.
What was your personal favourite match of the night?
