WWE Elimination Chamber 2012 2/19/2012

World Wrestling Entertainment presents Elimination Chamber
Date: 2/19/2012
From: Milwaukee, WI

Tonight, the WWE Championship and WWE World Heavyweight Championship are contested inside the ever dangerous Elimination Chamber. Who walks out with the gold? Also, Kane tries to end John Cena when they meet in an ambulance match.

Matches:
1.)WWE Champion CM Punk defeated Chris Jericho, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, R-Truth & Kofi Kingston in an Elimination Chamber match to retain the title.
2.)WWE Divas Champion Beth Phoenix defeated Tamina Snuka to retain the title
3.)WWE World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan defeated The Great Khali, WWE Intercontinental Champion Cody Rhodes, Santino Marella, Wade Barrett and the Big Show in an Elimination Chamber match to retain the title.
4.)WWE United States Champion Jack Swagger defeated Justin Gabriel to retain the title.
5.)John Cena defeated Kane in an Ambulance match

Angle Developments/Notes:
1.Okay, since I’ve fallen a little bit behind, I’m going to try and keep the detail on this not as indepth as past ones. I hope everyone still enjoys the recap, though.

2.We start off with the RAW Elimination Chamber, which actually surprises me. It’s obviously the stronger of the two chamber matches. Punk and Kofi were the first two into the match. They trade a series of pin falls but neither man is able to get a three count. Kofi displayed some great ability during his one one encounter with Punk. Dolph Ziggler is the third man entered into the match. He quickly went to work on Punk and slams the champ on the steel. Ziggler did some curl ups using the fence but delivered a leg drop on Punk moments later. Punk and Kofi attempted springboards off the top rope but Ziggler avoided them and they hit each other instead. The fourth entrant is R-Truth. Truth splashes Ziggler on the steel after hip tossing Ziggler over the top rope. Punk soon slams Truth and taunts Jericho as he sets up the elbow drop and hits it to pin R-Truth. Ziggler tries for a quick pin fall but Punk countered only for Kofi to hit Punk with the Trouble In Paradise but only gets a two count on Punk. Kofi hits a great springboard tornado DDT from off the fencing and on the steel on Ziggler. The Miz is the fifth entrant into the match. Miz sends Punk into the ring post and sends Kofi into the chamber pod. Miz backdrops Ziggler over the top onto the steel as well. Chris Jericho is the last entrant and he goes to work on Punk as soon as he enters. Jericho hits the Lionsault but Punk kicks out before three. Ziggler almost rolls Jericho up but is met with the Code Breaker! Jericho covers and pins Ziggler. Jericho gets away from Punk and traps himself in a pod. Punk opens the pod and continues to attack Jericho. Jericho rams Punk’s shoulder with the door several times. Kofi hit his leg sweep flip slam on Jericho onto the steel. Miz tried to steal a pin on Jericho but that didn’t work. Punk gets a near fall on Miz following a powerbomb. Kofi gets on top of a pod and hits a cross body on both Punk and Miz! Jericho enters and puts the Walls of Jericho on Kofi and he forces Kofi to submit by having his knee on his neck. Jericho keeps the hold on Kofi for a few more seconds. Jericho continues to attack Kofi well after the submission. Jericho tosses Kofi out and Punk kicks Jericho from behind sending Jericho out of the cage as well! The referees are checking on Jericho but they are saying he can’t continue. Jericho has been literally knocked out of the match. That leaves Punk and Miz in the match. This one is rather obvious as Punk finishes Miz off with the GTS a few minutes later to win the match. It was a good match, but nothing to brag about or anything. As I said before, it was clearly a Punk or Jericho winner outcome and that kind of hurt the suspense of the match, really.

3.We see footage of Santino Marella training for the Smackdown Elimination Chamber. We would see him a few times during the program doing Rocky stuff. They used Eugene’s former theme music for the segments, too.

4.The Divas Championship is on the line as the red hot Tamina Snuka looks to dethrone Beth Phoenix. Phoenix suggests that Tamina get out of her ring but she decides to stay in the ring. She calls Tamina a coconut head. Phoenix attempted a head butt, but Tamina is hurt by that and drops Phoenix. She attempts a big splash but is knocked to the floor by the champ. Phoenix is focusing her attack on Tamina’s back. Phoenix has a dragon sleeper on Tamina but isn’t able to get a submission out of her. Tamina fights back with a Samoan Drop! Tamina goes up top again but is cut off by Phoenix a second time. Phoenix hits a superplex to maintain control of the contest. Tamina splashes Phoenix and hits a superkick! Tamina looks for the big splash for a third time. Tamina hits the splash but Phoenix kicks out at two! Phoenix avoids a second splash by bailing to the floor. They return to the ring and Phoenix hits the Glam Slam to win the match. For a divas match, it wasn’t bad at all.

5.Johnny Ace and David Otunga come out as they are here for a major announcement. Alberto Del Rio makes his way out with a convertible and Ace is happy to see him. Rio says that Teddy Long plays favorites and holds grudges. He believes that Long is a piece of trash and they don’t need people like him in the WWE. Mark Henry makes his way out as well. Henry believes that Teddy Long is a bully. He claims that two weeks ago Teddy Long phyiscally assaulted him. Henry endorses Ace to be the Smackdown General Manger along as the General Manger for RAW. Here comes Christian which sees the crowd rise to their feet, briefly. Ace hugs Christian and Christian begins to say that he would be challenging for the championship tonight if it weren’t for Long. Christian says that Sheamus broke his ankle and Big Show tried to break his neck. Long forced him to compete and considers that to be a unsafe work environment. He wants Ace to be the General Manger for Smackdown. Otunga suggests taking a picture and they do. The fans are chanting for Triple H as the segment comes to an end.

6.Backstage, Josh Matthews interviews the Big Show. Show admits that his WrestleMania record is less than stellar. He has to go into the chamber with confidence and that’s all he can think about tonight. He is walking out tonight the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

7.The Smackdown Elimination Chamber is up next. Wade Barrett and the Big Show are the first two men to compete in the match. Show makes sure to threaten Bryan before the start of the match. Barrett absorbs a few strikes from Show and chop blocks his knee to allow himself to work on Show. Barrett rams Show into the steel a couple of times. It’s a rather dull start to the match. Cody Rhodes is next man to enter the match, though Show wanted Bryan to be the next man out. Show misses a splash and hits the steel. Rhodes is tossed off the top rope by Show and face first into the fencing. Barrett counters a choke slam and chop blocks Show’s knee. Show is double teamed by Barrett and Rhodes. This is really boring to me. Santino Marella is the next man out of the pod. Marella works on Barrett but stops when he meets Show. Show works on Marella in the corner and the fans begin to boo Show for doing that. The fans are heavily behind Santino. Show looks to choke slam both Barrett and Rhodes but they counter by suplexing Show on the steel! Rhodes takes Barrett out with a nice top rope moonsault for a near fall. Rhodes attacks Marella’s arm as if to prevent the Cobra from happening. The Great Khali if the fifth man to enter the match. Show spears Khali after he cleaned house and pins Khali quickly. It makes sense considering Khali can’t wrestle anyway. Show is really focused on Bryan and breaks through the top of the pod to get his hands on Bryan or is at least trying to. Show is breaking the chains because he can’t wait five minues. Show is kicking through the chains to actually enter the pod. Show has entered the pod and is clubbing away on Bryan! The champ has literally nowhere to go! Show sends Bryan through a pod and tosses the champ into the ring. Show drives Bryan down with a choke slam but Barrett boots Show in the face! Marella rolls Barrett up from behind for a near win! Rhodes hits the Disaster Kick on Show, twice! Show flips back into the ring! Rhodes plants Show with a DDT and Barrett hits a middle rope elbow drop to allow Rhodes to pin Show! Rhodes is incredibly happy about the pinfall. Marella with a surprise rollup and he pins Rhodes! Rhodes plants Marella with the Cross Rhodes! Barrett tried to pin Marella but only got a two count. Barrett uses his knees to beat down Marella. Bryan nearly pins Barrett and tries for the LeBelle Lock, but Barrett avoids it. Barrett crotches Bryan on the top rope and clotheslines Bryan down to the steel. Barrett ends up sending Bryan back first through a pod while he was sitting on the top rope. Marella prevents Wasteland from happening, I don’t know why. Marella avoids a top rope elbow drop and Bryan hits a diving head butt on Barrett. Marella steals the pin and covers Barrett. It’s down to Marella and Bryan! Bryan dropkicks Marella in the corner and works on Marella with several kicks. Bryan kicks Marella right in the head for a two count. Bryan misses a dropkick in the corner and Marella nearly pins him! Bryan hits a snap suplex but misses a top rope dive. Marella pulls the Cobra out and hits Bryan but isn’t able to put the champ away! Bryan recovers and locks in the LeBelle Lock! Marella is trapped in the middle of the ring but is trying to break the grip! Bryan is able to keep the hold in and forces Marella to tap out. After the match, Sheamus comes out and attacks Bryan. I’m taking that as if he will be coming after Bryan for the strap at Mania. Well, the beginning was lame but the ending sequence between Bryan and Marella was nicely done. It wasn’t as good as the RAW chamber, but it still slightly enjoyable, I thought.

8.Backstage, Hornswoggle is eating cheese. Justin Gabriel and Jack Swagger end up coming into the picture. Hornswoggle makes some jokes about cheese and Swagger gets in his face. Gabriel protects Hornswoggle. Teddy Long comes over and insults Vickie Guerrero. We get our filler match as it will be Jack Swagger vs. Justin Gabriel. Swagger tells Long that Johnny Ace should be running both shows. Long refutes that saying he should be running both shows. The match with Gabriel is now a title match, too!

9.Alright, so I’m not going to really bother with the filler match. Late in the match, Swagger tosses Gabriel’s leg into the ring post and locks in the anklelock to earn the submission victory.

10.I’m pretty sure there has been three videos promoting Cena vs. Rock, which isn’t needed.

11.The ambulance match is the main event for the pay per view. It makes sense considering this is probably the top feud going right now. They quickly go to the floor where Kane works on Cena with severa strikes but Cena fights back with right hands of his own. Cena calls for the ambulance to come out but is kicked in the face by Kane. Kane yanks the stretcher out of the ambulance and looks to toss Cena into the ambulance but Cena nails Kane with the backboard. Cena tosses Kane shoulder first into the ring steps to stop the momentum change. They are back in the ring where Kane big boots Cena and hammers away on him with right hands. Kane drives Cena down to the mat with a big side slam. Kane leaps off the top rope but Cena dropkicks Kane in midair. Cena hits a twirling side slam and the fans begin to boo him. Cena hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Kane rakes Cena’s eyes and covers Cena’s face with his glove. Kane has caused Cena to be knocked out. Kane has grabbed a wheelchair from under the ring, which has to be a first time occurrence and proves how ridiculous wrestling can be. Cena tries to escape the wheelcahir but Kane begins to suffocate Cena again. Cena breaks free and works on Kane. Cena rams the wheelchair into Kane’s face as they are over by the ambulance now. In a lame spot, Cena wheels Kane into a table that had two televisions on it. Kane whacks Cena with a metal piece of equipment. Kane hits Cena with a laptop as well. Cena whacks Kane over the back with a steel chair. They are back over at ringside where Cena has set up the ring steps next to the announcers table. Cena has Kane on his shoulders and walks up the steps. Kane breaks free and choke slams Cena off the steps through the Spanish announce table! Cena fights his way away from the ambulance and slams a door into Kane’s head several times. Cena is climbing to the top of the ambulance and Kane follows him up there. Kane goes for a choke slam but Cena breaks free and hits the Attitude Adjusment off the top of the ambulance and down ontot the floor. We didn’t see where Kane landed, though. Cena puts Kane in the ambulance and wins the match. It was a fine brawl, but it seemed like it went on for far too long to me.

Final Thoughts:
I thought it was an enjoyable pay per view. It wasn’t great by any means but the matches were entertaining for the most part. The RAW Elmination Chamber was a good start to the program and the feel I got from the Smackdown Elimination Chamber with Marella playing the underdog role was done nicely. I’m figuring the Divas match we saw here will be one of the better ones we have seen all year. Tamina really showed me she is capable of putting together a nice match. I hope she continues to be able to showcase her talents. Anyway, I’m going to give the show a mild thumbs up.

Thanks for reading.