WWE Elimination Chamber 2012 – One Shot Reactions
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Will Pruett (Twitter - @itswilltime):
Show Grade: B-
- The best match of the night was the first match of the night. The Raw Elimination Chamber delivered all of the action and all of the drama that we have come to expect from Elimination Chamber matches.
- The worst had to be the extra-boring Ambulance Match that felt like it went about three hours. The drama in the match was all off. John Cena and Kane failed to capture the crowd or tell a good story. The gimmick didn't excite me, nor did the match in execution.
- While the Smackdown Chamber started off slow, it really picked up around the end. While it did not have the star power or the athleticism featured in the Raw match, it did have an exciting second half. With a few memorable spots and a great Santino and Daniel Bryan sequence, it definitely was not the flop I predicted.
- The rest of the undercard was alright. Everything had a little more time than it really needed simply because they had to fill it.
- Looking forward to WrestleMania, this show will not be remembered as anything great. It was a step on the road, but not an important one. I'm more satisfied with this one than I was with the Royal Rumble, but only slightly.
Replay Verdict: I am a sucker for the Chamber concept, so I definitely recommend watching for those matches. However, I just cannot get exited about the rest of the show. If you have to see them now, order the replay. If you don't, wait for the DVD (or single match purchase on iTunes).
Ryan Kester (Twitter - @TheRyanKester):
Show Grade: C
- Kofi Kingston deserves a push post-WrestleMania. He showed off his impressive offense in the Raw chamber match, and he had the crowd hot on more thna one occassion. WWE is leaving money on the table by not pushing him.
- The Smackdown chamber was dull right up until the ending series. Santino Marella and Daniel Bryan absolutely set the Milwaukee crowd on fire.
- It's interesting to see Sheamus break out the Emerald Driver on Daniel Bryan. Sheamus could certainly use an updated finisher, and it's a nice way to pay homage to Finlay.
- John Cena did not embrace the hate, and I am left wondering what the past two months were supposed to accomplish. If the idea was to take as much heat off of Cena as physically possible heading into WrestleMania, then WWE was absolutely successful.
Replay Verdict: For me, Elimination Chamber is a must-buy PPV. The matches are almost always a highlight of the year for me and it helps to set up WrestleMania. However, outside of the chamber matches, the action was really dull, and if you don't consider chamber matches to be as entertaining as I do, then this show is absolutely skippable.
Jake Barnett (Twitter - @barnettjake):
Show Grade: C
- The opening match set a pace that the rest of the show couldn't keep up with. It was a great match and a spectacle at the same time, and I think it captured what makes Elimination Chamber an exciting structure. Chris Jericho's exit felt a little sloppy for such a calculating heel, but what the hell do I know.
- The divas match was given more time and better pacing than other divas matches, and as a result ended up being the best match out of the division in quite some time. They need to flesh out Tamina's character before she can really be thrown up as a contender again, but it really was a great effort from both women tonight.
- The Smackdown Chamber was definitely a more somber affair. The positives coming out of it are that Daniel Bryan shined brightest out of anyone in the ring, and his series with Santino ignited the live crowd. The Big Show was the only other guy to get a major reaction, and really only when he was attacking Bryan.
- I don't want to pick on any segment individually, but there were far too many backstage segements, promos, and video packages for a PPV. The people paying live ticket prices and PPV costs deserve to have enough show to not to have 6 implied bathroom breaks.
- The best thing I can say about John Cena vs. Kane is that it is over. It definitely played down to expectations and delivered a match full of the usual shortcuts you expect in brawling gimmick matches. Cena overcomes the odds, the witch is dead, and all the kids are happy. Hopefully he can overcome this feud and deliver something electrifying for WrestleMania with The Rock.
Replay Verdict: Not worth paying for unless you really love Santino and the cobra, or are such and Ed Wood fan that you had to tune in for the conclusion of John Cena vs. Kane.