WWE Elimination Chamber 2015: Preview and predictions

Kevin Owens vs John Cena – Champion vs Champion match (no title is being defended)

The match nobody thought we would see

To clear the confusion among many, this match is not for the United States Championship, it is just a singles match to see which man can come out on top.

It all started on the Raw after Payback, where Cena was having his regular US Open Challenge. It appeared to be accepted by NXT Champion Kevin Owens, who engaged in a war of words with The Champ, only to decline his challenge, and proceed to attack him with a Pop-up Powerbomb. He stood over Cena with the NXT Championship being held high, and his foot on the United States Championship.

It was later revealed on the Raw post-show that Owens had been granted a match with Cena at Elimination Chamber, and Owens was not shy to seem confident, even wearing Cena’s shirt to his match against Sami Zayn at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable. On this week’s Raw, after Cena defeating Zack Ryder in his US Open Challenge, Owens attacked him again, from behind, and repeated the same sequence of actions as the previous week.

This Sunday, Cena will take a step down. Kevin Owens will win, in a dominant fashion. Not as dominant as Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam, but dominant none-the-less. WWE wouldn’t allow their monstrous NXT Champion to lose in his first match on the main roster, and since it isn’t for the United States Championship, Cena will be allowed to take the fall. The match itself, though, will be entertaining throughout.

Winner: Kevin Owens

Sheamus vs King Barrett vs Rusev vs R-Truth vs Ryback vs Dolph Ziggler - Elimination Chamber match for vacant Intercontinental Championship

The possible show-stealer

A few weeks ago on Raw, Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan announced he had suffered another injury, and didn’t know how long it would take for him to return to the ring, or if he were the return to the ring. On that night he relinquished his title so that there could be a fighting champion every week, and WWE immediately announced that the new champion would be decided inside the Elimination Chamber.

While many thought that Neville would find his way into this match, that wasn’t the case, and WWE had made the right choice. Instead, WWE made the best possible candidates be a part of this match. King Barrett can continue to build on his momentum following his King Of The Ring victory, Dolph Ziggler will always be associated with the Intercontinental Championship, Sheamus will look to create more heel heat, and the other three competitors are being used to make the match more interesting.

WWE has been on a movement as of late to make the two secondary titles more relevant. The US Title has been a success. However, even strapping the title to Daniel Bryan, which would have been a success if he was healthy, wasn’t enough for the prestigious Intercontinental Championship. Expect the creative to look for the man who would be most successful in making the Intercontinental Championship important to win this.

And that is why this match is the most difficult to predict. Sheamus, Ziggler, Ryback or King Barrett all have good arguments. However, singling it down, it would likely be Sheamus, who is liked backstage, or King Barrett, because of his King Of The Ring momentum.

Winner: Sheamus or King Barrett

Dean Ambrose (likely to be with Roman Reigns) vs Seth Rollins ( c ) (with J&J Security) – WWE World Heavyweight Championship

Expect the unexpected

WWE took the best way to make Elimination Chamber a huge draw and they have made it amazing. In a short span of two weeks, Dean Ambrose has manipulated his way to a title match, got arrested, came back, and caused havoc in the Authority, with a little bit of help from Roman Reigns. Ambrose and Rollins have headlined an event before, last year’s Hell In A Cell, where they put together a great match, and they will put together another one this Sunday.

But this match won’t just be a face and a heel going head to head in classic fashion. Expect interference from The Authority, mostly from Kane, and also from Roman Reigns.

What makes this even more interesting is that Roman Reigns isn’t in any match at the event. Call this writer hopeful, but somebody will likely turn at Elimination Chamber. Reigns or Ambrose could turn heel, or indeed, against all odds, Rollins could turn babyface. Reigns could interfere and accidentally cost Ambrose the match, leading to an Ambrose heel turn, or indeed Roman could intentionally cost Ambrose the match and turn heel himself. Or The Authority could unintentionally make Rollins lose, causing him to turn babyface. The last scenario is a bit far-fetched, but the first two seem possible.

As for who will probably walk out with the championship, it would be Seth Rollins. With a feud against Brock Lesnar looming, WWE wouldn’t let the championship change hands just yet. Ambrose has a lot of time in his future to get his hands on the gold, and he has all the talent to do so, but at the end of Elimination Chamber, expect Seth Rollins’ music to be echoing in everyone’s ears.