Educated Guess – WWE Elimination Chamber

Wait—wasn't I just here two weeks ago? Yeah, I could have sworn I've already done an "Educated Guess" for the month of May? Oh that's right! The WWE has gifted us with THREE Network Specials [AKA Pay-Per-Views] over the course of a six-week span. This weekend is the Elimination Chamber, which is the first-ever full-length main roster event exclusive to the WWE Network. King of the Ring was only an hour long, and aside from the quarterly NXT specials, we don't get much in the way of LIVE in-ring action that isn't also available through your local cable providers. The �Chamber will go off the air a mere hour before the "Free Month of May" concludes, and will feature the first ever tag team Elimination Chamber match as well as the main roster debut of Kevin Owens. It can be assumed that WWE is planning something to keep the cheapskates hooked through June, but what ever could it be? My name is Mark Adam Haggerty and I refuse to make predictions. Instead I collect all the knowledge I can acquire and present you with my monthly—or weekly at this point—"Educated Guess."

Adrian Neville vs. Bo Dallas
Is there any doubt as to what might be the opening bout on the card? I think not. The only question is whether or not the WWE is going to drop the ball on Adrian Neville, by affording Bo Dallas a victory. I can see both sides of the coin, but choose to argue in favor of "The Man That Gravity Forgot." Adrian lost the King of the Ring tournament in the finals and failed to defeat John Cena for the United States Championship two weeks later on Raw. If Adrian Neville is to become a player on the WWE main roster, he needs to be handled with care until more athletes of his ilk arrive, otherwise he could be just another seat filler, a la Kaval or Evan Bourne.
Educated Guess: Adrian Neville

Triple Threat Match for the WWE Divas Championship
Nikki Bella (c) vs. Naomi vs. Paige
For the first time in many months, I've halfway curious about the WWE Diva's championship. The women down in NXT have done a fine job of stealing the spotlight in recent months, but that's no slight against the current crop of women on the main roster. Nikki Bella has been improving by leaps and bounds as of late, and so has Naomi, who has been a top performer since she was first given the chance to prove herself. Those two WWE Divas will go head-to-head-to-head in a triple threat match with the former NXT Women's Champion Paige. The three-way dance formula is perfect if the idea is to strip Nikki of the title without hurting her credibility on the cusp of a possible NXT invasion. But I don't think it's time for Nikki to lose the title. Say what you will about the Bella's, but they've maintained their grip on the purple butterfly belt since the summer. Why build such an impressive streak if you're going to drop the title to Paige, a former Diva's champion, or Naomi, who quite frankly, isn't in the same league as Paige or the incoming crop of talent. I think it'd be smart to leave the title around Nikki's waist until someone like Charlotte or Sasha Banks is promoted to the main roster. I think Nikki should be the symbolic end of the "Diva Era," and affixing the strap to someone like Naomi would be pointless.
Educated Guess: Nikki Bella

John Cena vs. Kevin Owens
I wasn't really sold on an Elimination Chamber event in the smack-dab center of the Spring until this match was announced on Raw two weeks ago. Granted, that might have been the same night the event was announced. It doesn't matter! This is a true dream match that fantasy bookers and wrestling nerds across the world have been discussing since Kevin Owens became a force to be reckoned with in both Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. The way in which Owens' has dealt with the United States champion over the past two weeks has been utterly remarkable, and I really can't wait to see how this match unfolds. Up until now, most of Owens' opponents have been smaller than him, save for NXT announcer Alex Riley. This will be Kevin Owens' greatest challenge since debuting for the WWE, without a doubt. I don't think there will be a winner, and if there is, he'll have his hand raised as a result of a disqualification. I think one of two things will happen; Kevin might lose the will to compete all together. As he's said time and again, he fights for a prize, but the US Title isn't his prize. Kevin Owens might lose interest in fighting John Cena, and could introduce a steel chair to the match, the same as he's done with Sami Zayn. On the other hand, Kevin Owens has quite a few enemies in the WWE. Think about this for a second: in addition to John Cena, Kevin Owens is currently feuding with Sami Zayn, Finn Balor [by proxy of the NXT title], Samoa Joe, and potentially even William Regal. There is no shortage of angry individuals who might interrupt this match, and I for one am hoping to see Samoa Joe.
Educated Guess: No Contest

Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship
The New Day (c) vs. Kidd and Cesaro vs. Los Matadores vs. Lucha Dragons vs. Prime Time Players vs. The Ascension
It's the first-ever Tag Team Elimination Chamber Match! Well, outside of a video game that is. We wondered how this match would happen and whether we would get three, four, five, or six teams. We got six! Which means four teams will be crammed into those Plexiglas pods, as they wait for their number to be called. I think the inclusion of Los Matadores, the Lucha Dragons, and the Ascension was a mere formality. I expect a few high spots from each team, especially the Lucha Dragons, but when it comes right down to it, this is a three-team program. The Primetime Players are becoming a very interesting part of what's already been a breakout success between the New Day and the "Best Team Ever." I expect this to come down to the two warring teams, and I strongly believe we'll see Kidd and Cesaro walk away as new-two-time tag team champion.
Educated Guess: Kidd and Cesaro

Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Sheamus vs. Ryback vs. Rusev vs. R Truth vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. King Barrett
I have to say—I really don't care. I know it sounds callous; the intercontinental championship is being featured in an Elimination Chamber match, and I should be excited. The WWE is finally treating its longtime number two title with the same respect that NJPW gives its belt by the same name. But when it really comes down to it, I don't care about three of the combatants, and I don't want to see the other three with the intercontinental championship. Dolph Ziggler could retire tomorrow for all I care, I really don't enjoy his work. I'm sure his program with Rusev and Lana will take center stage as far as the "Show Off" is concerned, so as much as I might like to see Rusev with the white IC belt, I'm assuming they'll continue their feud without any kind of gold involved. Then there's King Barrett and Sheamus, whom I enjoy very much, but I don't want them to be Intercontinental Champion! I want Sheamus in the main event, and I think King Barrett's monarchy is the perfect foil to John Cena's US title reign. Then there's the Big Guy—don't care about the Big Guy. I also assume, since we don't see Bray Wyatt anywhere on the card, that we might get a surprise run in from the "Eater of Worlds," which would in turn eliminate Ryback. So who's left? Who haven't I mentioned? Oh yeah! R Truth—whose gimmick is that he's a rapper who's afraid of Spiders. Okay—here's why that's funny to me. About ten years ago there was an underground rapper who made headlines when he smoked PCP and proceeded to "eat his girlfriends breasts off of her body." In addition, he claimed to have seen and felt spiders all over his arms and legs during the experience. So maybe R Truth's gimmick is that he's on PCP.
Educated Guess: Sheamus

WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
Dean Ambrose is without a doubt a future WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Without question! I don't think however, that Dean Ambrose is winning his first world title on an impromptu �Network special that was only booked so as to trick dumb cheapskates into signing up passed the "Free Month of May." That being said, I expect this to be the match of the night if Kevin Owens and John Cena fail to deliver. Although they will. And who cares? Cena and Owens are newly-christened enemies who are sure to have a match that ends under precarious circumstances. Dean and Seth have a longstanding rivalry stemming from an ultimate betrayal suffered more than one year ago. I'm sure Seth is going to "cheat to win," as was the mantra of the late great Eddie Guerrero, but that doesn't mean the preceding 20-minutes or so won't be an enjoyable thrill-ride. These guys always deliver, and if you don't agree, then watch some of their previous pay-per-view battles available on the WWE Network. Oh but if you watch Hell in a Cell, turn it off before the ghost shows up. No question who's winning, but I look forward to the journey from beginning to end nonetheless.
Educated Guess: Seth Rollins

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