5 unforgettable WWE Elimination Chamber moments

There's a handful of match types in WWE that have become so iconic, they've gotten a PPV named after them. One of those PPVs is coming up on March 8, and that's the brutal Elimination Chamber match.

I was going to spend a couple of paragraphs explaining how the Chamber match works, but I decided this video probably does it better.

Anyhow, the first Elimination Chamber match took place at - appropriately - Survivor Series 2002, and was used in a number of high profile PPVs since then, and eventually getting its own event in 2010. Like any of WWE's signature match types, the Chamber has had its share of amazing moments over the years.

So, we're looking at five of those. A couple of rules, though. These five moments had to have happened during the match itself. We're going to make a slight exception for one of these entries, although I think you'll get our point when you read it. it doesn't necessarily have to be at an Elimination Chamber branded PPV - just something during one of the Elimination Chamber matches.

OK, let's get started.

Wait, first... an honorable mention.

Honorable Mention: Edge cashes in the first Money in the Bank briefcase - New Year's Revolution 2006

Like I said before, this list will only include moments that happened during an Elimination Chamber match itself. But, this moment is so iconic in WWE history that it had to at least be mentioned. Simply because it established a number of ideas that WWE ran with since then.

On top of launching Edge into main event status - and getting him the moniker of the "Ultimate Opportunist" - it also established the idea of the MITB contract being used at the most, well, opportune time. In fact, while there's been a number of times where briefcase holders have announced ahead of time when they want the match they've earned, the majority of cash-ins have happened without warning.

Edge winning his first world championship is a major historically important moment in WWE and while it didn't happen during an actual Elimination Chamber match, it was too relevant not to include.

Now, let's get to the meat and potatoes.

#5. Bray Wyatt wins the WWE Championship - Elimination Chamber 2017

The Elimination Chamber PPV, since its debut in 2010, has been important in determining at least one of the world championship matches to be held at each year's WrestleMania. Well, except for the 2015 event for some reason. But that's not really important right now.

In 2017, the current Universal Champion Bray Wyatt had been a featured player in WWE programming, for sure - it was just kind of hard to tell what they wanted to do with him. The multiple injuries didn't help, which obviously wasn't his fault. Up until this match, however, it looked like he was a brilliant performer who just wasn't going to get a chance to hit the main event, for whatever reason.

That all changed at Elimination Chamber 2017 when Wyatt defeated then-WWE Champion John Cena, as well as AJ Styles, The Miz, Dean Ambrose, and Baron Corbin to win his first world title. Despite being a heel, the crowd went absolutely bonkers at the win, respecting the performer who had created one of the most unique characters that WWE had seen in years.

But, that's not all. Randy Orton - who was then a follower of Wyatt's - had won the Royal Rumble a month earlier, but announced (as you can see above) that he refused to challenge him for his newly won title. It began weeks of one of the most interesting stories of the year - a story which, sadly, stumbled big time at their WrestleMania 33 match.

But, we're not talking follow-ups. We're talking Elimination Chamber moments, and Wyatt's victory to win the championship is one worth remembering.

#4. Shawn Michaels wins the World Heavyweight Championship - Survivor Series 2002

As we noted before, the very first Elimination Chamber match was held at Survivor Series in 2002 - and it's only right that one of the match's most memorable moments happened then.

That year saw Shawn Michaels return from a five-year retirement - brought on by both a serious back injury, as well as personal demons - to feud with his former D-Generation X partner Triple H. His first match back after this hiatus was at SummerSlam that year, in which he and Hunter threw hands in a street fight that saw Michaels win - and then attacked by his opponent with a sledgehammer afterward (I don't know if you knew this, but Triple H kind of has a thing for sledgehammers).

Their next major confrontation occurred at, as you probably guess, Survivor Series of that year. Triple H was the current World Heavyweight Champion (kind of a typical status for him at the time) and was defending that championship against Michaels, Rob Van Dam, Kane, Booker T, and Chris Jericho in what would be the very first Chamber match.

(Jump to 7:03 of the video above to see what we're talking about)

It was an amazing way to launch an amazing new match and an incredible moment in the career of the Heartbreak Kid.

#3. Goldberg spears Chris Jericho through the pod glass - SummerSlam 2003

Not every incredible Chamber moment involves a win.

In 2003, just one year after our previous entry, Triple H still had an iron-clad grip on the World Heavyweight Championship. This time around, however, he was having to protect his reign from former WCW Champion Goldberg - and fans were chomping at the bit to see "Da Man" gain his first major championship in WWE.

At SummerSlam in 2003, Triple H didn't just have to contend with Goldberg. He also had to defend his title in the Chamber against Chris Jericho, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton, and Kevin Nash.

It was Jericho - a man who has had some weird history with Goldberg over the course of both their careers - that was at the receiving end of this particular moment. But, what a moment.

Throughout this and the Chamber match the previous year, the announce team had been playing up that the glass surrounding the Chamber pods were quote-unquote "unbreakable." Now, it was pretty obvious to anyone with a fully functioning brain and eyes that this "glass" was clearly plastic, but, we're wrestling fans - and there's nothing wrong with just letting the Willing Suspension of Disbelief do its thing.

So, when Goldberg speared Jericho through that "glass", it became one of the most iconic spots in the history of not just this match type, but also of WWE's Ruthless Aggression era in general.

Whether or not Goldberg should have won that match or not (*cough*heshouldhave*cough*) is a discussion for another time. But, this was a moment that more than deserves its place on this list.

#2. Shawn Michaels attacks The Undertaker - Elimination Chamber 2010

What's amazing about this particular moment isn't just because it came out of nowhere, but because it moved forward two amazing stories leading into WrestleMania XXVI.

At WrestleMania XXV, Shawn Michaels lost to The Undertaker in what's considered one of the greatest matches of all time. Michaels, however, felt he still had something to prove, and continually challenged the Dead Man to a WrestleMania rematch the next year. This was a request the then-World Heavyweight Champion would continue to deny.

So, that next year, Michaels was determined to win the Royal Rumble and force 'Taker into a match at the Show of Shows. Unfortunately, Michaels found himself eliminated from that match. So, he could only think of one solution.

He cost Undertaker the Elimination Chamber match - as well as the Championship - when he snuck into the cage, hit the Dead Mean with a Superkick, and allowed Jericho to take the title from him. It also led to a WrestleMania rematch against the two icons - and possibly the greatest match of all time.

In another story - and also at that year's Royal Rumble - Edge had returned from a serious ACL injury, and way sooner than anyone had expected. While the Rated-R Superstar had been recuperating, Jericho - who had been tag champions with Edge before his injury - had spent that time insulting his former partner. Big time. Edge's surprise return saw him actually win that year's Rumble - but not before eliminating his former partner from the match.

Jericho winning the Chamber match (and the title) - thanks to Michaels' attack - led to Edge vs Jericho at that same year's WrestleMania.

But, what we'll always remember, is Michaels standing over a prone 'Taker, staring at him as a confused but cognizant Jerico pinned him, with a glare that said, "you asked for this." It probably could have been the greatest Elimination Chamber moment of all time. In fact, I bet a lot of you fine people would have that opinion. And that's fine.

But, to me - the guy actually writing this thing - there's just one better one.

#1. Edge sneaks his way into the Raw match and wins the World Heavyweight Championship - No Way Out 2009

Kofi had to take a beating for Edge to make history

You remember in the Honorable Mention part earlier, where I mentioned how that was the moment that Edge, arguably, earned the nickname "The Ultimate Opportunist?" Of course you do - it was, like six pages ago and this feature isn't that long. Well, it was at No Way Out in 2009 that the Rated-R Superstar really hammered the point home.

Earlier in the night, Edge was defending his WWE Championship in a Chamber match - and found himself the first person eliminated. Unable to handle losing his beloved title - part of Edge's character at the time was his obsession with being a world champion - he started to concoct a plan. A plan he launched during the World Heavyweight Championship match later that night.

The match, as originally booked, had the then-Champion John Cena defending his title against Kofi Kingston, Rey Mysterio, Kane, Chris Jericho, and Kane. However, before Kingston could come to the ring and enter his pod, Edge attacked him - removing him from the match and taking his place.

How this was allowed to happen was explained on Raw the next night and it pretty much irrelevant to the story now.

Edge would eventually pin Cena to eliminate him from the match, resulting in one of the greatest facial expressions in WWE history.

Edge would go on to win the match after pinning Rey Mysterio following a spear. Edge would go on to be the first WWE Superstar to lose the WWE Championship and win the World Heavyweight Championship on the very same night.

Is it the greatest night in Elimination Chamber history? Eh... that's debatable. Is it the most memorable? I sure think so.

But, what about you fine folks? What are your favorite Elimination Chamber memories? Share them below in the comments and enjoy the PPV in March!