WWE Elimination Chamber 2017 Predictions

Posted by Peter W on February 10, 2017 in Wrestling | 1 Comment

Only two weeks removed from the Royal Rumble and seven weeks until Wrestlemania, WWE is presenting the Smackdown roster’s Elimination Chamber PPV. I’m not sure I like having just one brand represented in this PPV because I would like to see both brand’s titles decided in the structure. Then again, the Raw roster got Hell in a Cell, right? Let’s look at the card in the order I’d put the matches.

Nikki Bella vs. Natalya

Here’s a match that has gotten really personal. It’s all about Nattie’s jealousy and “going crazy” over opportunities she’s never been given against Nikki’s work ethic and supposedly getting everything she has through “hard work.” Whatever the case may be, there is a sense of realism in this. If Natayla looked like Nikki Bella and was involved with one of the biggest stars the company has ever had, I’m sure Natayla’s WWE career would definitely be different. I can’t see this Nikki winning this match because she won the last one they had a few weeks ago and unless this feud is going to end with Nikki moving onto something else, Natalya is picking up the win here.

Winner: Natalya

American Alpha (Champs) vs. The Vaudevillains vs. The Usos vs. The Ascension vs. Heath Slater & Rhyno vs. Breezango – WWE Tag Team Turmoil Match

In this match, two teams start out and when one is eliminated, another team enters. I see American Alpha lasting until the last team enters and I hope they win because WWE needs to showcase how awesome these two are – something they haven’t done since they’ve been on the main roster. Unfortunately, I don’t think they will win because they need a meaningful feud and losing the championship to another team and chasing the titles until Wrestlemania will do wonders for them.

Who will be the team to win? I think the Usos are an easy pick because I think they’re the strongest team to be in the ring with and the best team on the mic. Seeing how we have more than a month to go until Wrestlemania, it wouldn’t shock me if a different team won but the Usos end up winning the belts from the winners to set up American Alpha verses the Usos at Wrestlemania.

Winners: The Usos

Apollo Crews & Kalisto vs. Dolph Ziggler – 2 on 1 Handicap Match

Dolph Ziggler needs to win this and destroy both competitors after the match in order to further his heel turn. There’s no other way this will work for him. He’s already suffered enough losses and another one will do absolutely nothing for him. Kalisto doesn’t have much stock right now and WWE Creative has done nothing since Apollo Crew’s debut to make any of us care about him. One other thing: why is heel Dolph smiling in the picture above?

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Becky Lynch vs. Mickie James

Here’s another match that should be a sure lock with Mickie James picking up the win here. Mickie won’t be feuding with anyone else until she enters a program for the Smackdown women’s championship, which means that probably won’t happen until she turns face on Bliss or Bliss loses the title. This feud needs to go a few more weeks and Lynch winning won’t add any fuel to the rivalry. I’m excited for this match to see two excellent wrestlers tear down the house.

Winner: Mickie James

Luke Harper vs. Randy Orton

Besides Luke Harper winning the Intercontinental Championship for just under a month, he hasn’t been set up to be a threat or potential winner in any match. While he has done better in promos, there’s just no way he is beating the winner of the Royal Rumble right after Orton lost to Cena on Smackdown. I hope Harper does get some offense in to build on his intimidation factor, though. I’m just wondering if Bray Wyatt may get involved here or even if Eric Rowan will be back and join up as a tag team again. Maybe to battle Wyatt and Orton until Wyatt’s eventual turn on the Viper?

Winner: Randy Orton

Alexa Bliss (Champ) vs. Naomi

I think Naomi is going to work hard to prove she belongs at the top of the women’s division. This woman has worked very hard and has shown it since returning. She may need a little bit of work still in the promo department, but that’s a minor gripe. Alexa Bliss has fit into her heel persona much better than I anticipated and she has also gotten better in the ring.

The problem is these two have worked the best when they had someone like Becky Lynch or Natalya in the ring with them. These two aren’t technically as great as some of the other women on the roster, so this match is CRUCIAL for both of them to show that they both belong in the Women’s main event without the help of anyone else. I am anxious to watch this because I do hope they knock it out of the park. I just don’t see a title change yet for Alexa Bliss because if there would have been one, Mickie James would have debuted as a face and challenged her.

Winner: Alexa Bliss

John Cena (Champ) vs. AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose vs. The Miz vs. Bray Wyatt vs.
Baron Corbin – WWE Championship Match inside the Elimination Chamber

This should be a really intense and fun match to watch as all these guys will put on a show! I’m kinda miffed that Ambrose is in the match as I think he should be defending the Intercontinental Championship in a different match but right now he’s not feuding with anyone. But that’s another story.

There are so many ways this match could go. Like I said earlier, we have over seven weeks to go until Wrestlemania, so WWE has to keep things exciting until the their biggest show of the year – and that could mean even more title changes or people in and out of the main event picture.

Baron Corbin is the long shot here. He hasn’t held the IC championship, so there’s no way they’re putting the Heavyweight title on him. I can see him starting a feud with Ambrose by getting the pin on him during the match and working towards a one on one IC match with him.

Ambrose won’t win because he has another belt to defend.

The Miz COULD win and shock everyone like he has in the past. 2016 was one of the best years ever for The Miz and I COULD see WWE shocking everyone, putting the belt on The Miz, and having him square off against Orton or AJ Styles at Wrestlemania.

John Cena probably won’t retain because he doesn’t need the belt and they won’t be having Orton vs. Cena at Wrestlemania. They just won’t. The latest Smackdown ratings numbers are in at the time of writing this and they are actually down this week even with the match being promoted a whole week earlier. Rumour has it that Cena will be in a mixed tag match with Nikki Bella at Wrestlemania vs. The Miz and Maryse. Even if Cena does pull of the win here, he won’t have the belt for long.

AJ Styles is the person I want to win this thing and who, out of respect of everything he did for WWE and the Smackdown brand last year, should be getting a title match at Wrestlemania. In a recent interview, Styles was asked who he would love to work with that he hasn’t yet. He said his pick would be Orton and they would bring the house down. Could that be some wishful foreshadowing? I hope so because although I could care less about Orton being in the main event of Wrestlemania, it would be OK if AJ Styles was his opponent.

Bray Wyatt seems to be the person many are predicting to win the match. While I think Wyatt would be amazing as the champ, I’m not sure that Wyatt verses Orton would be the “main” event people are looking for. I’m sure the story where Orton finally turns on Wyatt (or vice-versa) will be great TV, but is it worthy enough for one of the top spots on the show? If Wyatt wins the championship, he should come out on top against Orton at Wrestlemania to propel his character to a new level (and THEN go on to face AJ Styles).

Who I want to win: AJ Styles  Who will probably win: Bray Wyatt

No matter what the outcomes of the matches above, the Smackdown brand is going to probably pull off a good PPV and create some hype for Wrestlemania season.