10 Things WWE Fans Need To Know About The Elimination Chamber PPV
2023 marks the thirteenth edition of the WWE Elimination Chamber PPV, making it a very long-running show at this point. Back in 2010, the event was introduced alongside several other gimmick PPVs around that time, filling up the calendar with shows like Hell in a Cell, TLC, and more.
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Over the years, the Elimination Chamber has offered some great matches, moments, and surprises, whilst also offering questionable booking choices and poor shows too. Either way, there are a lot of things to know about the PPV, from important storyline beats to facts and figures, to both good and bad moments too.
10 Replaced The No Way Out PPV
WWE made the decision in 2008 to host the Elimination Chamber PPV in between the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, making it a yearly tradition on the Road to WrestleMania. Initially, the match was hosted at the No Way Out PPV, but WWE changed this up in 2010.
The Elimination Chamber was brought in to replace the No Way Out slot, likely as a way to further advertise the gimmick match in a prominent light, rather than having the No Way Out name as front and center.
9 The Rock Competed At The Elimination Chamber PPV
Elimination Chamber can often be used as a way to further build to WrestleMania, but at other times, it can feel like a waste of time with little stakes or shake-ups. In 2013 though, one of the biggest stars of all time competed at the show.
The Rock defended his newly won WWE Championship against CM Punk at the 2013 event, which was quite a surprising move given The Rock’s star status. Competing on a “B-show” wasn’t an expectation when he was brought back to the company for a brief WWE Title stint.
8 First & Only 7-Person Elimination Chamber
Conventionally, the Elimination Chamber consists of six individuals - four starting in the pods and two starting in the ring. Of course, there have been tag team matches too, with the same concept.
However, the Elimination Chamber PPV in 2018 changed things up. For the first and only time, seven individuals were included inside the structure, which saw three superstars start the match instead of two. Roman Reigns outlasted a field of Braun Strowman, Elias, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe, John Cena, Seth Rollins, and The Miz.
7 The Start Of KofiMania
In 2019, WWE’s plans for Daniel Bryan’s WrestleMania opponent were up in the air, but at Elimination Chamber, what became known as “KofiMania” began. Kofi Kingston and Daniel Bryan went back and forth in the final stages of the WWE Title Elimination Chamber match, in an electric closing sequence.
This led to fans rallying behind Kingston in a huge way, resulting in his push to the main event scene and toward a match for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35.
6 John Cena Vs Kane Is The Only Non-Title Or Chamber Match To Main Event
Due to the PPV being named after the marquee match, most PPVs have been main evented by an Elimination Chamber bout. There has been the odd occasion where a World Title bout has closed the show too, such as The Rock vs CM Punk, Seth Rollins vs Dean Ambrose, and when The Miz cashed in his Money in the Bank contract.
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In the entire history of the PPV, there has been just one instance in which neither an Elimination Chamber nor World Title match closed the show, and that was in 2012. John Cena battled Kane in an Ambulance Match in arguably the worst main event in the PPV’s whole history.
5 The 2022 PPV Took Place In Saudi Arabia
When WWE’s partnership with Saudi Arabia began, multiple events were put out per year, and they were all original shows such as Crown Jewel and Super ShowDown. The Elimination Chamber PPV is the first (and to date only) already-existing PPV event to have taken place in Saudi Arabia.
In 2022, WWE brought the Elimination Chamber to Saudi Arabia in an event that saw WWE bring in the likes of Goldberg, Lita, and Brock Lesnar.
4 Elimination Chamber 2014 Was The Final PPV-Exclusive WWE Event
In 2014, WWE introduced the “WWE Network” streaming platform, with WrestleMania 30 being the first PPV to air on it. The show before it, Elimination Chamber, was ultimately the final ever WWE PPV to exclusively air on “traditional PPV”.
Of course, WWE’s major shows are still available on PPV, but after the 2014 Elimination Chamber event, WWE fans have had the option to instead watch through the Network.
3 2015 Was The Only Non-WrestleMania Season Event
As mentioned, the Elimination Chamber PPV has traditionally taken place on the Road to WrestleMania, but with the introduction of the Fastlane PPV in 2015, things were switched up.
Elimination Chamber was instead held in May, hosting the first-ever Tag Team Title and Intercontinental Title Elimination Chamber matches. Elsewhere, Kevin Owens defeated John Cena in his WWE debut, and Seth Rollins successfully held onto the WWE Title after battling Dean Ambrose.
2 First-Ever Women’s Tag Team Champions
In terms of truly “historic” moments, the Elimination Chamber PPV hasn’t held too many. However, in 2019 the event crowned the first-ever Women’s Tag Team Champions.
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Bayley and Sasha Banks outlasted five other teams inside the Elimination Chamber to win the gold in what felt like a major moment.
1 Rare Title Changes Inside The Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber PPV has hosted an astounding 21 Elimination Chamber matches since 2010, with 15 of those having a Championship on the line. Not counting the vacant IC Title and the first-ever Women’s Tag Champions, there have been just four title changes inside the cage at this event.
For a match that is promoted as one in which the champions have the odds stacked against them, this has become a very predictable match type, with the champion nearly always retaining. Two of those four changes came on the very first Elimination Chamber PPV too, meaning that years have gone by without any major title wins taking place.
