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WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 is less than two days away! The final significant roadblock on the tumultuous and exciting Road to WrestleMania promises to be an evening of top-tier storytelling and remarkable action.
Giving credit where it's due, WWE managed to engage the audience heading into The Chamber. However, we delve deep into the build of every scheduled match at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 in Montreal.
#5 Women's Elimination Chamber match to determine Bianca Belair's opponent at WrestleMania
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Charlotte Flair to return and wrestle a CURRENT CHAMPION?
Six women will step inside the career-altering structure to determine the challenger for Bianca Belair's RAW Women's Championship at The Show of Shows.
Considering the lack of depth in the women's division, it was understandable to include competitors from RAW and SmackDown. However, automatically inserting the final four runners-up of the Women's Rumble into the fray was a questionable creative decision.
The lack of qualifying matches hurt the build. Instead of two Fatal Four-Ways to determine the final two competitors, multiple one-on-one encounters could have been held to fill the field. Calling up NXT Superstars and past legends for a chance to compete in the match would have been an admirable move.
Furthermore, only Asuka seems like a strong contender for the RAW Women's Championship right now. The Empress of Tomorrow has been built as a monster since debuting a new look. As such, the outcome seems like a foregone conclusion. Adding top-tier superstars like Becky Lynch or Ronda Rousey would have elevated the field and provided more unpredictability.
Hence, overall, the build to the Women's Elimination Chamber match left much to be desired.
Grade: C+
#4 Men's Elimination Chamber match for the United States Championship
In contrast to the Women's Chamber match, every superstar, other than the champion himself, had to earn their spot. Furthermore, the field was exclusive only to RAW Superstars.
The competition here is exceptionally diverse. From the powerful Bronson Reed to the high-flying Montez Ford to the cunning Austin Theory, the Men's Chamber match has wrestlers with all sorts of wrestling styles. This would make the eventual match-up more intriguing and entertaining.
As for the qualifying matches, they were highlight-worthy. Seth Rollins worked a classic with Chad Gable. Angelo Dawkins took Damian Priest to the limit in an enjoyable match. Although some deserving stars were left out of the mix, it's nice to see under-utilized competitors like Ford and Johnny Gargano get a chance to compete for the US Title.
However, aside from Rollins, no one has targeted Theory. Four other men will be fighting for the same title, yet Rollins seems like the only one who wants to take the title away from A-Town Down at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023.
Considering the wealth of talent competing in the match, this one should be a must-see, and the outcome will be unpredictable.
Grade: B+
#3 Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023
This Mixed-Tag Team Match was a long time coming. The Judgment Day crossed The Grit Couple at Extreme Rules 2022, and fans were expecting The Hall of Fame couple to return for a revenge tour, which happened at the Royal Rumble 2023.
As far as the build is concerned, this was a masterpiece in storytelling. Edge has been determined to end The Judgment Day because he was responsible for its creation. Rhea Ripley was an X-factor that continuously proved to be a thorn in his path, but Beth Phoenix's inclusion neutralizes her to an extent.
The Glamazon has been built as a credible threat to The Eradicator. On the Rumble- Fallout edition of RAW, Phoenix Speared Ripley's soul out of her body. She also hit the Glam Slam on Dominik Mysterio, who hilariously called for "Mami" while up in the air.
The Judgment Day got the last laugh, however, when a returning Ripley executed a sneak attack on Phoenix.
The Grit Couple is determined to win big at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023, and The Judgment Day will cross all boundaries to do the same. As such, the outcome will be unpredictable.
Grade: A
#2 Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023
Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar III was surprisingly booked for WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 instead of WrestleMania Goes Hollywood. With each man tied at one victory apiece, this one was inevitable, but the creative team has done a remarkable job keeping us engaged.
They have been equally matched throughout their program. The Beast took a hiatus when Lashley left Lesnar in a heap at Crown Jewel last November. He returned at RAW is XXX to cost The All Mighty the US Title and invaded SmackDown the same week to deliver an F5 to him.
An angry Lashley quickly got a sweet measure of revenge when he eliminated Lesnar from the Rumble. The Conqueror returned two weeks later and challenged his foe to a one-on-one match. The All Mighty got a little arrogant and received two F5s. Once again, this week, the former US Champion got the better of Lesnar through his antics in the contract signing.
The only complaint with this rivalry is WWE's confused portrayal of Lashley. In the beginning, The All Mighty took the fight to his rival and never backed down. However, he has been behaving cowardly in recent weeks, trying to escape the rubber match at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023.
Grade: B+
#1 Roman Reigns (c) vs. Sami Zayn at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023
The Bloodline-Sami Zayn saga is cinema-worthy. The storytelling here is on another level, and the crowd has loved every piece WWE has offered. It will reach its climax at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023, but we should expect more twists and turns soon.
Where do we start? The heartbreaking climax of Royal Rumble 2023 saw The Bloodline implode as Sami Zayn broke The Tribal Chief's back with a heartfelt chair shot. Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa pounced upon Zayn, but an emotional Jey Uso walked out on The Bloodline.
The Right-Hand Man has distanced himself from his kin, but he showed up to defend his SmackDown Tag Team Championships at the last minute. Jey still isn't sure about his status within The Bloodline, but he seemed to have cordial ties with Zayn when they fist-bumped each other.
Cody Rhodes putting over Zayn on RAW was a nice twist. For the first time in over three years, the crowd seems to have turned on Reigns, who finally looks vulnerable. Their love for Zayn has turned them to resent The Tribal Chief.
With his soaring popularity, Sami Zayn may achieve the unthinkable at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023, where he upsets The Head of The Table.
Grade: A+
