WWE’s Elimination Chamber event is just around the corner, and fans are surely hoping that the company can deliver yet another big night of action. Elimination Chamber is the follow-up to the Royal Rumble, which may have ended curiously, but was a critical success overall.
That curiosity had everything to do with the Rumble match itself, which didn’t see many Superstar surprises. It also saw a Randy Orton win, which, much like his patented RKO, seemed to come from out of nowhere.
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Though some fans came away from the Royal Rumble a bit perplexed, no one could deny that the men and women involved put in maximum effort from start to finish. The same will hopefully be said of the SmackDown Live exclusive Elimination Chamber, which will feature many stars that made an impact at the Rumble.
Chief among them is former WWE champion AJ Styles, who will be competing inside the massive Chamber to regain his title. Styles had a career defining 2016 but ran into a man making history against John Cena at the Royal Rumble.
Styles has nothing to prove of course, as he is the top star of the Blue Brand, but that won’t stop him from bringing everything he has to the event. However, he will not be the only one, as many of WWE’s best and brightest will definitely be in top form.
That will be the case not only because the talents in question are fully capable of doing so, but because they need to deliver in a very big way.
#5 Naomi
Naomi is the next Superstar to get a chance at the top on SmackDown Live. The movement known as the women’s revolution has led the female talents to the point of full relevancy in WWE, which means it’s no longer a novelty to see one of them step up for a title shot.
Naomi is not the flavour of the month; she is the real deal. She’s athletic, she’s intense, and she’s very capable in the ring. She has come into her own over the past several weeks, as fans became connected to her as a main event star.
Much of that can be attributed to the SmackDown women’s champion Alexa Bliss, who has done an admirable job of getting over as a top heel on Tuesday nights. The more convincing Bliss is, the more believable Naomi is in her efforts to shut the champ down.
That’s exactly what Naomi will try to do at the Elimination Chamber when she steps into the ring with Bliss. Despite how much Bliss has impressed during her run as champ, this match is more about the challenger.
Naomi is under the bright lights and it’s time for her to shine. Whether or not the Championship will change hands is unknown, but what’s clear is that Naomi needs to look very good in her bid to become the best in the SmackDown women’s division.
#4 Luke Harper
Luke Harper has always been known as the heavy hitter of the Wyatt Family, but all of that’s changed now. The man that once stood by the side of Bray Wyatt has struck out on his own, and he has revenge on his mind at the Elimination Chamber.
In a bizarre twist, the babyface Randy Orton, under the direction of the heel Wyatt, edged Harper out of the family. Harper, who should technically now be a babyface himself, is booked to face the massively popular Orton at the Elimination Chamber event.
But while the story is confusing beyond belief at times, there’s no confusion surrounding Harper’s talent. Harper is perhaps the next breakout star in WWE. He’s got the size, he’s got the ability, and he’s got the talent to go very far on the company’s main event stage.
Harper has the “it” factor that separates him from many other guys on the WWE roster. He’s a throwback to the days of the punishing big men in the business, most notably Stan Hansen and Bruiser Brody. Harper can do much more than just throw guys around in the ring; he has the skills to evolve to the next level of his WWE career.
Harper is getting a taste of main event stardom at the Elimination Chamber, and he’s getting it against one of WWE’s all-time best. Orton will surely give Harper a great match, and Harper should definitely live up to his potential as one of WWE’s next great talents.
#3 Baron Corbin
Baron Corbin was mocked and ridiculed when he was part of NXT. Corbin was a tough sell as a top heel, mostly because of his awkwardness in the ring, and his reputation as a guy that just wasn’t comfortable in his own skin. Physically he should have been a star, but he just couldn’t seem to realise his full potential.
However since he arrived on the main roster and began to shine on SmackDown Live, the buzz on Corbin has dramatically changed. Thanks to his own growth as a talent, combined with some smart booking from WWE, Corbin is now a force to be reckoned with.
Every time his number has been called, Corbin has delivered. He went from low expectations from fans to being the next guy to get a main event shot. He’s definitely made the best of it, and now he has the chance to get over in the biggest moment of his professional career thus far.
Corbin is stepping into the Elimination Chamber against Dean Ambrose, Bray Wyatt, The Miz, AJ Styles, and WWE Champion John Cena. The best part about this match is that anything can happen, which means Corbin has an outside shot of winning the gold.
But even if he doesn’t, Corbin is definitely still on the right track. WWE has done a great job of spotlighting him as the next big thing, and Corbin has delivered on that booking. Now it’s time for him to do it again inside the Elimination Chamber.
#2 AJ Styles
AJ Styles is arguably the best overall worker in the industry today, and he solidified that reputation as a top guy in WWE. While many longtime fans thought that was perhaps impossible due to the company’s reluctance to spotlight previously established talent, no one can deny the facts now.
The fact is that Styles is an amazing talent that’s always been deserving of attention. The fact is that he’s earned his reputation through years of hard work, and through his path in Vince McMahon’s company. The fact is no one is more deserving of the main event stage, and that includes the Elimination Chamber.
However, Styles’ recent loss to John Cena at the Royal Rumble has surely caused many fans to question where the Phenomenal One will go from here. While a guy doesn’t necessarily need the world title to be at the top, Styles isn’t just any other guy.
He is one of the best that the business has ever seen, and he belongs among the elite in WWE. But the company’s penchant for dropping the ball in situations like this is not lost on the WWE faithful. Fans know that Styles could be one bad booking away from being in trouble, which means it could be all or nothing inside the Elimination Chamber.
Win or lose, Styles must shine once again. Styles has come too far and done too much to fade away now, and the road to WrestleMania is unclear for him at this time. His booking at the Elimination Chamber will directly affect his booking at WrestleMania 33, so he needs a great night inside the massive steel structure.
#1 Bray Wyatt
Bray Wyatt has always been a favourite among WWE fans, though he’s done everything in his power to make them hate him. Wyatt had huge potential to become the company’s top heel, and perhaps could have done precisely that at one time.
But that time has arguably passed. Wyatt is one of the most popular Superstars in WWE, and he’s borderline babyface now thanks to his association with Randy Orton. Orton’s alliance with Wyatt has caused the Eater of Worlds to shine brighter than ever before, and he’s done so while not causing his usual level of destruction.
Now Wyatt is one step away from becoming the top protagonist of SmackDown Live, and that step could include a victory inside the Elimination Chamber. If Wyatt goes over, he wins his first WWE Championship, and that Championship will be defended at WrestleMania 33 against Orton himself.
The storyline has potential to get over in a very big way, just as it has the potential to finally establish Wyatt as a main event star. Wyatt’s elite status has been teased in the past, but never fully realised on a full-time basis. All of that could change in the Elimination Chamber.
This could be the night when Bray Wyatt finally becomes the man that so many fans believe he can be. He’s one three-count away from greatness, and there may be no Superstar that’s more deserving.
Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Sportskeeda. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here
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