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Elimination Chamber (2017)
View on Wikipedia| Elimination Chamber | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Promotional poster featuring John Cena inside of the Elimination Chamber structure | |||
| Promotion | WWE | ||
| Brand | SmackDown | ||
| Date | February 12, 2017 | ||
| City | Phoenix, Arizona | ||
| Venue | Talking Stick Resort Arena | ||
| Attendance | 11,000[1] | ||
| WWE event chronology | |||
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| Elimination Chamber chronology | |||
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The 2017 Elimination Chamber (known as No Escape in Germany) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was the seventh Elimination Chamber and took place on February 12, 2017, at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, held exclusively for wrestlers from the promotion's SmackDown brand division. It was the first Elimination Chamber event to be held since 2015 and was WWE's first pay-per-view to feature three women's matches on the main card. The event also saw the debut of a new Elimination Chamber structure that is the one now currently used in WWE.
Eight matches were contested at the event, including one on the Kickoff pre-show. In the main event, Bray Wyatt won the titular Elimination Chamber match to win the WWE Championship, the first singles championship of his career. In other prominent matches, Naomi defeated Alexa Bliss to win the SmackDown Women's Championship, marking her first championship in WWE, Randy Orton defeated Luke Harper, American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan) retained the SmackDown Tag Team Championship in a tag team turmoil match, and in the opening bout, Becky Lynch defeated Mickie James.
Production
[edit]Background
[edit]
Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling event first produced by WWE in 2010. The concept of the event is that one or two main event matches are contested inside the Elimination Chamber, either with championships or future opportunities at championships at stake.[2] The event had been held every year until 2016. That year, an Elimination Chamber event was not scheduled, however, on November 29, 2016, WWE reinstated the event for 2017, and announced that it would take place at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona.[3] After the 2015 event was held in May, on December 5, the 2017 event returned Elimination Chamber to its regular February slot and it took place on February 12. It was the seventh Elimination Chamber and was held exclusively for wrestlers from the SmackDown brand, following the reintroduction of the brand split in July 2016. The event aired on pay-per-view (PPV) worldwide and was available to livestream on the WWE Network. Tickets went on sale on December 16 through Ticketmaster.[4][5] The 2017 event also saw a redesign of the chamber structure, becoming square in design, instead of circular.[6]
In 2011 and since 2013, the show has been promoted as "No Escape" in Germany as it was feared that the name "Elimination Chamber" may remind people of the gas chambers used during the Holocaust.[7][8]
Storylines
[edit]The event comprised eight matches, including one on the Kickoff pre-show, that resulted from scripted storylines. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the SmackDown brand,[9][10] while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television show, SmackDown Live.[11]
On the January 17, 2017, episode of SmackDown, commissioner Shane McMahon scheduled an Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship as the main event of Elimination Chamber.[12] At the Royal Rumble on January 29, John Cena defeated AJ Styles to win the WWE Championship for a record thirteenth time, as well as tying Ric Flair's record of sixteen recognized world titles.[13] The following day, Styles was added to the Elimination Chamber match.[14][15] On the January 31 episode of SmackDown, McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan assured Styles that he would eventually get a one-on-one rematch, before revealing the other participants in the Elimination Chamber match: Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose, The Miz, Baron Corbin, and Bray Wyatt. Royal Rumble winner Randy Orton warned Cena that if he is still champion after Elimination Chamber, he will take the title from him at WrestleMania 33. Orton and Wyatt then faced Cena and Luke Harper, who had been at odds with Orton ever since they lost the tag team titles; Orton and Wyatt won the match when Orton pinned Cena. Later that night, Styles faced Ambrose with The Miz on commentary. Corbin came out during the match and joined on commentary, but eventually attacked Miz. Ambrose attacked both Corbin and Miz before re-entering the ring, allowing Styles to defeat him.[16] The following week, Ambrose, Corbin, Miz, and Styles had a fatal four-way match that Corbin won by pinning Styles. Later, Orton faced Cena. During the match, Harper came out and attacked Wyatt. Orton attempted an RKO on Harper but was surprised by Cena with an Attitude Adjustment and a win for Cena; Orton was scheduled to face Harper at Elimination Chamber.[17]
At Survivor Series on November 20, 2016, Nikki Bella was originally the captain of Team SmackDown's women's team, but before the match, she was attacked backstage and was unable to compete; Natalya, who was the team's coach, replaced Nikki in the match.[18] On the following SmackDown, Nikki accused Carmella of being the attacker, since the two had been feuding for the few months prior,[19] and the two faced each other at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 4 in a no disqualification match that Nikki won. After the match, Carmella claimed that Natalya was the attacker.[20] For the next couple of weeks, Natalya denied the accusation until the December 20 episode of SmackDown, where she admitted to being the attacker due to pent up jealousy of the Bella Twins, believing they had everything handed to them.[21] The two went back and forth at each other over the next few weeks and were involved in the six-woman tag team match at the Royal Rumble, where Nikki's team defeated Natalya's.[13] On the January 31 episode of SmackDown, Daniel Bryan scheduled a match between Nikki and Natalya at Elimination Chamber to settle their differences.[16] The following week, the two traded barbs with one another,[17] and afterwards on Talking Smack, Natalya attacked Nikki.[22]
On the December 20, 2016, episode of SmackDown, Becky Lynch, disguised as newcomer La Luchadora, defeated SmackDown Women's Champion Alexa Bliss in a non-title match when she made the champion submit to the Dis-arm-her; after the match, Lynch unmasked herself.[21] Over the next few weeks, a villainous La Luchadora began to aid Bliss in matches against Lynch, including Bliss's successful title defense in a Steel Cage match in the main event of the January 17 episode, where La Luchadora was unmasked as the returning Mickie James.[12] The following week, James explained that she became forgotten due to the Women's Revolution; Lynch then came out, but was ambushed by Bliss and James.[23] Also, on the January 24 episode of SmackDown, Naomi was set to face Natalya, but the match was canceled after Nikki Bella attacked Natalya backstage. Naomi then made an open challenge. Bliss came out, not to accept the challenge, but to belittle Naomi.[23] All four women then competed in the six-woman tag team match at the Royal Rumble, where Lynch and Naomi's team defeated Bliss and James' team after Naomi pinned Bliss.[13] The four were then involved in a regular tag team match on the following episode of SmackDown, where Naomi again pinned Bliss.[16] Afterwards on Talking Smack, Bliss was scheduled to defend the SmackDown Women's Championship against Naomi at Elimination Chamber.[24] On February 7, a match between Lynch and James was scheduled for Elimination Chamber.[25] On that night's episode of SmackDown, the four women had a contract signing for their respective matches that ended in a brawl with Naomi and Lynch getting the upper hand.[17]
On the December 13, 2016, episode of SmackDown, a battle royal to determine the number one contenders for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship was won by The Hype Bros (Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley).[26] After the match, however, it was discovered that Ryder had injured his knee and required surgery.[27] In response, a championship fatal four-way tag team elimination match occurred on the December 27 episode between American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan), Heath Slater and Rhyno, The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso), and defending champions The Wyatt Family (represented by Luke Harper and Randy Orton), where American Alpha won by last eliminating Orton to become the new champions.[28] The Wyatt Family invoked their rematch clause for the January 10 episode, but American Alpha retained.[29] On the January 31 episode, American Alpha made an open challenge to any tag team on the SmackDown roster. The Usos came out, followed by The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor), The Vaudevillains (Aiden English and Simon Gotch), Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango), and Slater and Rhyno. A brawl ensued where American Alpha and Slater and Rhyno were the last standing.[16] Afterwards on Talking Smack, a championship tag team turmoil match between the six teams was scheduled for Elimination Chamber.[24]
On the December 27, 2016, episode of SmackDown, Dolph Ziggler was unsuccessful in winning the WWE Championship in a triple threat match against Baron Corbin and then-champion AJ Styles.[28] The following week, Ziggler lost to Corbin in a singles match. After the match, Corbin attempted to beat Ziggler with a chair, but Kalisto came to Ziggler's aid and Corbin backed down. Out of anger, Ziggler superkicked Kalisto, stating that he did not need Kalisto's or anyone's help. Backstage, Ziggler trashed the locker room. Apollo Crews tried talking to Ziggler, but Ziggler attacked Crews, turning heel.[30] On the January 10 episode, Kalisto defeated Ziggler. After the match, Ziggler took out his anger on Kalisto, beating him with a chair. Crews came to Kalisto's aid, but was also hit with the chair.[29] The following week, Ziggler appeared in the King's Court with Jerry Lawler to discuss his actions, which ended with Ziggler superkicking Lawler.[12] On the January 24 episode, Ziggler defeated Kalisto. After the match, he again tried to beat Kalisto with a chair, but was instead attacked by Crews.[23] Ziggler defeated Kalisto again the following week, and after the match, he tried removing Kalisto's mask, but Crews made the save.[16] Ziggler then faced Crews on the next episode, where Crews quickly won with a roll up pin. Ziggler then attacked Crews with a chair, but was saved by Kalisto. Backstage, Ziggler claimed that he could beat both Crews and Kalisto at the same time. Daniel Bryan then scheduled Ziggler to face the two in a handicap match at Elimination Chamber.[17]
After some run-ins and the two trading barbs at one another on social media, on February 10, a match between Mojo Rawley and Curt Hawkins was scheduled for the Elimination Chamber Kickoff pre-show.[31]
Event
[edit]| Role: | Name: |
|---|---|
| English commentators | Mauro Ranallo |
| John "Bradshaw" Layfield | |
| David Otunga | |
| Tom Phillips | |
| Spanish commentators | Carlos Cabrera |
| Marcelo Rodríguez | |
| German commentators | Tim Haber |
| Calvin Knie | |
| Ring announcer | Greg Hamilton |
| Referees | Danilo Anfibio |
| Jason Ayers | |
| John Cone | |
| Dan Engler | |
| Ryan Tran | |
| Rod Zapata | |
| Backstage interviewers | Renee Young |
| Dasha Fuentes | |
| Pre-show panel | Renee Young |
| Booker T | |
| Sam Roberts | |
| Carmella | |
| Talking Smack panel | Renee Young |
| Daniel Bryan |
Pre-show
[edit]During the Elimination Chamber Kickoff pre-show, Mojo Rawley faced Curt Hawkins. Rawley performed a Tilt-A-Whirl Powerslam on Hawkins for the win.[32]
Preliminary matches
[edit]The actual pay-per-view opened with Becky Lynch facing Mickie James. James executed the Mick Kick on Lynch for a delayed near-fall. In the climax, James attempted a Mickie DDT but Lynch countered into a Schoolboy for the win.[33]
Next, Dolph Ziggler faced Apollo Crews and Kalisto in a Handicap match. Before the match, Ziggler attacked Kalisto. Mid-match, Kalisto recovered and returned to the ring. In the end, Kalisto performed a Spin Kick on Ziggler, which was followed by a Delayed Spin Out Powerbomb by Crews to win the match. After the match, Ziggler attacked both men and injured Crews' ankle with a chair.[33]
After that, American Alpha defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championship in a tag team turmoil match. Heath Slater and Rhyno and Breezango began the match. Breezango were eliminated after Rhyno performed a Gore on Fandango. The Vaudevillians entered the match next, but were quickly eliminated when Slater pinned Aiden English after a Smash Hit. The Usos came in next and eliminated Slater and Rhyno when Jimmy performed a Superkick on Slater. American Alpha, the reigning champions, entered next and eliminated The Usos when Gable pinned Jey with a Schoolboy. The Usos then attacked American Alpha before being escorted out by officials. The Ascension, the final team to enter the match, executed the Fall of Man on Jordan, but Gable broke up the pinfall. Gable and Jordan performed the Grand Amplitude on Viktor to retain the titles.[33]
In the fourth match, Nikki Bella fought Natalya. Natalya applied the Sharpshooter, but Nikki countered into The Fearless Lock, with Natalya touching the ring ropes. Natalya and Nikki fought outside of the ring, leading to a double countout. As Natalya was leaving the ring, Nikki attacked her once again until referees separated them. Later, during a backstage segment, Natalya attacked Nikki from behind. During the brawl, Nikki tipped over a make-up table, spilling the powder over herself and Maryse.[33]
In the fifth match, Randy Orton faced Luke Harper. In the climax, as Harper attempted a Discus Clothesline, Orton countered into an RKO to win the match.[33]
Next, Alexa Bliss defended the SmackDown Women's Championship against Naomi. As Bliss attempted Twisted Bliss, Naomi countered by raising her knees and executed a Split-Legged Moonsault to win the championship.[33]
Main event
[edit]In the main event, the WWE Championship was defended in the Elimination Chamber match. Defending champion John Cena and AJ Styles were the first two contestants. Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose entered next, followed by Bray Wyatt and Baron Corbin. As Miz was due to enter the chamber, he remained in his pod and distracted Corbin, who Ambrose eliminated with a roll-up. However, Corbin attacked Ambrose with a lariat to the back of the head, threw Dean through a pod and performed an End of Days on the Lunatic Fringe before leaving the chamber. Miz then quickly eliminated Ambrose, but was in turn eliminated thanks to Cena after an Attitude Adjustment. Styles and Wyatt attacked Cena before Wyatt attacked Styles. Styles and Cena both scored nearfalls against each other, after a Styles Clash and an Attitude Adjustment respectively. Wyatt then executed Sister Abigail on Cena, eliminating him and guaranteeing a new champion. After a while, as Styles attempted the Phenomenal Forearm, Wyatt caught Styles and executed Sister Abigail to win his first WWE Championship. Randy Orton emerged and the two had a brief staredown before Wyatt celebrated his victory in the ring.[33]
Aftermath
[edit]The following episode of SmackDown, John Cena invoked his rematch clause, but AJ Styles also demanded the one-on-one rematch he had been promised. A triple threat match for the WWE Championship occurred and Wyatt retained, despite being attacked by Luke Harper. Afterwards, Royal Rumble winner Randy Orton declared that he would not fight Wyatt for the title at WrestleMania 33 due to his devotion to Wyatt.[34] A 10-man battle royal happened the next week to find a new opponent for Wyatt. Styles, who did not get his promised one-one-one rematch, was the first confirmed entrant.[35] The battle royal ended in a draw after Harper and Styles eliminated each other simultaneously.[36] Styles defeated Harper the following week to become the number one contender, however, Orton betrayed Wyatt and reclaimed his right to face Wyatt at WrestleMania.[37] Due to this confusion, Orton faced Styles on the March 7 episode of SmackDown to determine the decisive number one contender.[38] Orton won the match, confirming that he would face Wyatt at WrestleMania.[39] The following week, an irate Styles attacked Shane McMahon backstage. He was subsequently fired by Daniel Bryan, however, Shane appeared at the end of the show and said he would face Styles in a match at WrestleMania.[40]
Also on the episode following the pay-per-view, Naomi revealed that she had sustained a knee injury during her match with Alexa Bliss, who allowed Naomi one week to heal for a rematch. Mickie James then defeated Becky Lynch in their rematch.[34] On the February 21 episode, Naomi was not cleared to defend her title within 30 days and was forced to vacate the SmackDown Women's Championship. Daniel Bryan then had Bliss face Lynch for the vacant title, which Bliss won.[36] On the March 7 episode, after claiming to be the greatest female wrestler on the SmackDown roster, Daniel Bryan scheduled Bliss to defend the title against all available female wrestlers on SmackDown's roster at WrestleMania 33. James then turned on Bliss after a subsequent tag team match, and James, Lynch, and Natalya were confirmed for the WrestleMania match.[39] Carmella then confirmed that she would be in the WrestleMania match,[41] and Naomi returned on the March 28 episode, confirming she would be in the match, making it a six-pack challenge at WrestleMania.[42]
Also on the episode following the pay-per-view, Dean Ambrose, who had been looking for Baron Corbin, was brutally attacked and hospitalized by Corbin before his match with James Ellsworth.[34] The following week, Ambrose caused Corbin's elimination in the battle royal and Corbin attacked Ambrose with the End of Days.[36] Ambrose called out Corbin over the next couple of weeks, and Corbin challenged Ambrose to a match at WrestleMania 33 for the Intercontinental Championship, which Ambrose accepted.[41] Also in the mid-card, Dolph Ziggler claimed that he would eliminate the new generation of wrestlers.[34] During the number one contender's battle royal, Ziggler eliminated Kalisto, but was in turn eliminated by Apollo Crews. Ziggler took out his anger on Kalisto with a chair, which caused the distracted Crews to be eliminated.[36] Ziggler and Crews then had a chairs match on the February 28 episode that Ziggler won.[37] Crews, Kalisto, and Ziggler were confirmed for the 2017 André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, along with Mojo Rawley and Curt Hawkins, on the WrestleMania pre-show.[43]
After another backstage brawl, Daniel Bryan scheduled a Falls Count Anywhere match between Nikki Bella and Natalya for the February 21 episode.[34] That episode, Natalya defeated Nikki thanks to help from Maryse, who attacked Nikki.[36] The following week, Nikki's boyfriend John Cena was the guest on Miz TV due to The Miz eliminating Cena in the battle royal the previous week. After Cena insulted Miz, his wife Maryse slapped Cena, and Nikki came out and ran off Maryse along with Miz.[37] The following week, after Cena and Nikki defeated Ellsworth and Carmella, The Miz and Maryse attacked the two.[39] A match pitting Cena and Nikki against Miz and Maryse at WrestleMania was scheduled by Daniel Bryan since Bryan could not face Miz, who had been insulting Bryan for several months.[40]
Also on the episode following the pay-per-view, SmackDown Tag Team Champions American Alpha defeated The Ascension. After the match, The Usos issued a warning to American Alpha,[34] and continued their antagonizing the following week.[36] The Usos defeated American Alpha in a non-title match on the March 14 episode,[40] and subsequently defeated them for the titles the following week, becoming the first team to win both the Raw Tag Team Championship (then known as WWE Tag Team Championship when they held it) and SmackDown Tag Team Championship.[41] Although The Usos wanted to defend their titles at WrestleMania, they were scheduled for the 2017 André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, along with SmackDown's other tag teams, including American Alpha, Breezango, The Ascension, The Vaudevillains, and Heath Slater and Rhyno.[43]
While the 2017 event was held exclusively for SmackDown, the 2018 event was in turn held exclusively for Raw.[44]
Results
[edit]| No. | Results | Stipulations | Times[32][33] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1P | Mojo Rawley defeated Curt Hawkins by pinfall | Singles match[45] | 8:05 | ||||
| 2 | Becky Lynch defeated Mickie James by pinfall | Singles match[46] | 11:40 | ||||
| 3 | Apollo Crews and Kalisto defeated Dolph Ziggler by pinfall | Handicap match[47] | 7:20 | ||||
| 4 | American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan) (c) won by last eliminating The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor) | Tag team turmoil match for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship[48] | 21:10 | ||||
| 5 | Natalya vs. Nikki Bella ended in a double countout | Singles match[49] | 13:40 | ||||
| 6 | Randy Orton defeated Luke Harper by pinfall | Singles match[50] | 17:15 | ||||
| 7 | Naomi defeated Alexa Bliss (c) by pinfall | Singles match for the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship[51] | 8:20 | ||||
| 8 | Bray Wyatt defeated John Cena (c), AJ Styles, The Miz, Dean Ambrose, and Baron Corbin | Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship[52] | 34:20 | ||||
| |||||||
Tag Team Turmoil match
[edit]| Eliminated | Team | Entered | Eliminated by | Method | Time[33] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango) | 2 | Heath Slater and Rhyno | Pinfall | 4:30 |
| 2 | The Vaudevillains (Aiden English and Simon Gotch) | 3 | 6:45 | ||
| 3 | Heath Slater and Rhyno | 1 | The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) | 9:45 | |
| 4 | The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso) | 4 | American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan) | 15:20 | |
| 5 | The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor) | 6 | 21:10 | ||
| Winner | American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan) (c) | 5 | — | ||
Elimination Chamber match
[edit]| Eliminated | Wrestler | Entered | Eliminated by | Method | Time[33] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baron Corbin | 5 | Dean Ambrose | Pinfall | 18:50 |
| 2 | Dean Ambrose | 3 | The Miz | 20:35 | |
| 3 | The Miz | 6 | John Cena | 23:25 | |
| 4 | John Cena (c) | 1 | Bray Wyatt | 29:00 | |
| 5 | AJ Styles | 2 | 34:20 | ||
| Winner | Bray Wyatt | 4 | |||
References
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- ^ a b c Parks, Greg (February 28, 2017). "2/28 WWE Smackdown LIVE – Parks's Complete, Real-Time Report, including Luke Harper vs. A.J. Styles in a #1 contender's match, Mickie James vs. Becky Lynch in two-out-of-three falls". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved February 28, 2017.
- ^ Burdick, Michael (February 28, 2017). "Breaking News: Randy Orton to battle AJ Styles Tuesday night to determine Bray Wyatt's No. 1 contender at WrestleMania". WWE. Archived from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
- ^ a b c Keller, Wade (March 7, 2017). "Keller's WWE SmackDown Report 3/7: Styles vs. Orton to earn WWE Title shot at WM33, Cena & Nikki vs. Ellsworth & Carmella". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
- ^ a b c Keller, Wade (March 14, 2017). "Keller's WWE SmackDown Report 3/14: Styles-Shane hype, Miz TV addresses Cena & Nikki, Orton addresses Bray Wyatt". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on March 15, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
- ^ a b c Keller, Wade (March 21, 2017). "Keller's WWE SmackDown Report 3/21: Shane reacts to Shane challenging him to a WrestleMania match, more hype for WrestleMania 33". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on March 22, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
- ^ Keller, Wade (March 28, 2017). "Keller's WWE SmackDown Report 3/28: Bray Wyatt vs. Luke Harper, Carmella vs. Lynch, Shane-Styles contract signing, more WM33 hype". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on March 30, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
- ^ a b Taylor, Scott (March 7, 2017). "2017 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal (Kickoff Match)". WWE. Archived from the original on March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
- ^ WWE.com Staff (February 2, 2018). "WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 tickets available now". WWE. Archived from the original on February 5, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2018.
- ^ Adkins, Greg (February 12, 2017). "Mojo Rawley def. Curt Hawkins". WWE. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ Melok, Bobby (February 12, 2017). "Becky Lynch def. Mickie James". WWE. Archived from the original on February 14, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ Adkins, Greg (February 12, 2017). "Kalisto & Apollo Crews def. Dolph Ziggler (2-on-1 Handicap Match)". WWE. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ Melok, Bobby (February 12, 2017). "SmackDown Tag Team Champions American Alpha win Tag Team Turmoil". WWE. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ Adkins, Greg (February 12, 2017). "Nikki Bella vs. Natalya ends in a Double Count-out". WWE. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ Melok, Bobby (February 12, 2017). "Randy Orton def. Luke Harper". WWE. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ Adkins, Greg (February 12, 2017). "Naomi def. Alexa Bliss (SmackDown Women's Championship)". WWE. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
- ^ Melok, Bobby (February 12, 2017). "Bray Wyatt def. John Cena, The Miz, Baron Corbin, AJ Styles and Dean Ambrose in a WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match". WWE. Archived from the original on February 13, 2017. Retrieved February 12, 2017.
External links
[edit]Elimination Chamber (2017)
View on GrokipediaProduction
Background
The Elimination Chamber event was positioned as the return of the signature pay-per-view format to WWE's SmackDown brand calendar, filling the February slot previously occupied by Fastlane in 2016.[4] On December 9, 2016, WWE officially announced the event via their website and social media channels, scheduling it as the brand's first major premium live event of the year following the July 2016 roster split that divided talent between Raw and SmackDown.[5] This marked a significant step in establishing separate event lineups for each brand, with Elimination Chamber serving as a key stop on the road to WrestleMania 33.[6] The event took place on February 12, 2017, at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, drawing an attendance of 11,000 fans.[7] Tickets went on sale immediately upon announcement through Ticketmaster, with promotional efforts linking directly to unresolved storylines from the January Royal Rumble, including the WWE Championship defenses.[5] Production was overseen by director Kevin Dunn, with the show broadcast live on WWE Network and traditional pay-per-view platforms.[8] A major highlight of the planning was the debut of a redesigned Elimination Chamber structure, shifting from the traditional circular design to a square-shaped enclosure for enhanced visibility through a higher ceiling and added space for aerial camera work, while incorporating exterior padding on the chain-link walls to improve wrestler safety during high-impact sequences.[9][10] This logistical overhaul aimed to modernize the iconic match type while maintaining its brutal essence, aligning with WWE's post-brand split emphasis on brand-specific spectacles.[11]Storylines
The buildup to the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match centered on John Cena's title reign, which began after he defeated AJ Styles on the February 7, 2017, episode of SmackDown Live to capture the championship from the newly crowned champion.[3] This victory stemmed from Styles' recent win over Dean Ambrose at the Royal Rumble on January 29, 2017, where Ambrose lost the title he had held entering the event, fueling Ambrose's determination to reclaim it.[12] Bray Wyatt, embracing his "Eater of Worlds" persona, had been targeting Cena throughout late 2016 and early 2017, positioning himself as a supernatural threat to Cena's legacy following Wyatt's own losses at the Royal Rumble.[13] Baron Corbin earned his spot through aggressive confrontations with Cena, including a loss to the champion on the January 10, 2017, SmackDown Live, while The Miz, the Intercontinental Champion, sought to elevate his status amid his ongoing feud with Ambrose.[14] Shane McMahon announced the Elimination Chamber match on the February 7 episode, placing Cena against these five challengers to determine the champion heading into WrestleMania season.[15] The SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tag Team Turmoil match arose from escalating chaos in the tag division following the Royal Rumble. American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan), who won the titles from Heath Slater and Rhyno at the Rumble, issued an open challenge on the January 31, 2017, SmackDown Live, which devolved into a massive brawl involving The Usos, Breezango, The Ascension, Hype Bros, and the champions themselves.[15] This disorder, building on post-Rumble tensions where multiple teams vied for contention, prompted General Manager Daniel Bryan to schedule the multi-team Turmoil format to crown definitive challengers and restore order to the division. The Usos, former champions displaced by American Alpha, intensified their pursuit through aggressive promos and physical altercations on subsequent episodes, highlighting the division's competitive depth. Randy Orton's alliance with the Wyatt Family fractured in early 2017, leading to his one-on-one match with Luke Harper. On the January 24, 2017, SmackDown Live, Bray Wyatt forced Orton and Harper to clash, with Orton victorious, but Wyatt then attacked Harper with a Sister Abigail, sowing distrust.[16] During the Royal Rumble on January 29, Harper betrayed Wyatt by attacking him, aiding Orton's eventual victory in the match and exposing internal Wyatt Family conflicts tied to Orton's opportunistic join in late 2016.[16] On the post-Rumble SmackDown, Harper partnered with John Cena against Orton and Wyatt, showing selective loyalty, before interfering in Orton's match against Cena the following week, culminating in Bryan booking their grudge match to settle the betrayal.[16] The SmackDown Women's Championship match between champion Alexa Bliss and Naomi developed from Bliss's heel turn and Naomi's "Feel the Glow" movement. Bliss, who captured the title from Becky Lynch at the Royal Rumble, faced repeated interferences but was pinned by Naomi in consecutive tag team matches at the Royal Rumble Kickoff on January 29, 2017, and on the January 31, 2017, episode of SmackDown Live, where Naomi teamed with Lynch against Bliss and her ally.[17] These victories, showcasing Naomi's resilience and fan support for her positive persona, led to her earning a title shot through direct confrontations and a contract signing on the February 7 episode, marked by brawls emphasizing Bliss's underhanded tactics.[3] Other matches stemmed from personal and crossover tensions across January 2017 SmackDown Live episodes. Becky Lynch's bout with Mickie James originated from James's return as the masked La Luchadora, who aided Bliss during Lynch's title pursuits before betraying Lynch in a Steel Cage match on January 17, turning their mentorship angle sour and leading to a grudge match.[18] Nikki Bella versus Natalya arose from Total Divas crossover drama, with the two exchanging heated promos and physical exchanges starting in mid-January, prompting Bryan to book the singles clash after they brawled on the February 7 episode.[19] The handicap match pitting Apollo Crews and Kalisto against Dolph Ziggler built from Ziggler's betrayal of Kalisto on January 10, followed by attacks on both Crews—whose debut push was highlighted—and Kalisto, escalating into a multi-man stipulation to address the assaults.[20] On the pre-show, Mojo Rawley's clash with Curt Hawkins highlighted Hawkins's self-proclaimed 0-1 streak gimmick, which mocked Rawley's high-energy persona and Gronk friendship via social media taunts and backstage altercations since December 2016.[21]Event
Pre-show
The Elimination Chamber Kickoff pre-show aired live on the WWE Network for 30 minutes, beginning at 4:00 p.m. MST from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, serving as an energetic lead-in to the main pay-per-view card.[22] The segment was hosted by Renee Young alongside analysts Booker T and Sam Roberts, with SmackDown Women's Champion Alexa Bliss's protégée Carmella joining as a guest panelist to provide insights and hype the evening's action.[23] Brief video packages recapped key ongoing storylines, including tensions in the tag team division and the buildup to the women's title match, while the Phoenix crowd—estimated at over 13,000 for the full event—displayed enthusiastic energy with cheers and chants audible throughout the broadcast.[24] The sole match on the pre-show featured Mojo Rawley against Curt Hawkins, a quick singles bout designed to spotlight Hawkins' ongoing losing streak gimmick, where he infamously tracked his winless record on social media as "0-?" following each defeat, a portrayal that originated from his return to WWE earlier in the year. Hawkins, seeking to extend his technical edge and mock Rawley's high-energy "hype man" persona tied to his real-life friendship with NFL star Rob Gronkowski, started aggressively by taking the action outside the ring and targeting Rawley's midsection.[25][26] Rawley, channeling his explosive athleticism without his usual tag partner Zack Ryder due to injury, rallied with heavy strikes and a running forearm before securing the victory by countering Hawkins into a Tilt-a-Whirl Powerslam for the pinfall at 7:56.[24] The rapid, crowd-pleasing finish amplified Rawley's upbeat character while extending Hawkins' streak to 0-20, drawing lively reactions from the local audience as a lighthearted contrast to the high-stakes Elimination Chamber matches ahead.[23]Preliminary matches
The preliminary matches at Elimination Chamber (2017), held on February 12, 2017, at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, opened the main card with a series of competitive bouts designed to build momentum toward the event's signature contests. Commentary was provided by Mauro Ranallo, John Bradshaw Layfield, and David Otunga, who highlighted the ongoing feuds and athletic displays throughout the night.[27][2] The card kicked off with Becky Lynch facing Mickie James in a singles match stemming from James's interference in Lynch's title pursuits. James, leveraging her veteran experience, targeted Lynch's arm early to neutralize her signature Dis-arm-her submission hold, executing a series of hurricanranas and Mick Kicks that drew strong crowd reactions for the six-time champion's resilience. Lynch countered with technical prowess, including a diving forearm to the floor, but James nearly secured victory with a tornado DDT attempt. In the end, Lynch reversed James's roll-up into one of her own for the pinfall victory after 11:34, showcasing her adaptability and earning applause from the Phoenix audience for the back-and-forth action.[28][3][29][30] Next, Dolph Ziggler competed in a 2-on-1 handicap match against Apollo Crews and Kalisto, a stipulation arising from Ziggler's recent betrayal of his former allies. Ziggler ambushed Kalisto during his entrance, limiting his involvement and forcing Crews to shoulder most of the offense, which highlighted Ziggler's cunning heel tactics and drew boos from the crowd. Crews displayed impressive athleticism with enzuigiris and a standing moonsault, while Ziggler resiliently kicked out of multiple near-falls, including after a Salida del Sol from the recovering Kalisto. Crews ultimately pinned Ziggler following the standing moonsault after 7:20, but Ziggler retaliated post-match with a chair-assisted attack on both opponents' legs, intensifying their rivalry and leaving the audience buzzing with anticipation for repercussions.[31][3][29][32] The feud between Nikki Bella and Natalya escalated into a chaotic singles match, fueled by Natalya's jealousy over Bella's opportunities and her pre-Survivor Series assault on the Total Divas star. Natalya taunted Bella by mocking John Cena's "You Can't See Me" gesture and targeting her mother in the front row, prompting aggressive counters like attempted Rack Attacks from Bella. The bout spilled outside with brawling around the ring, including figure-four leglock attempts thwarted by Bella's resilience, leading to a double countout after approximately 13 minutes as both refused to break, frustrating the crowd but underscoring the personal intensity. Post-match, Bella speared Natalya on the ramp, signaling no resolution to their animosity.[33][3][29] A video vignette hyped the high-stakes Tag Team Turmoil match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, where champions American Alpha defended against five teams: Breezango, The Vaudevillains, The Ascension, The Usos, and Heath Slater & Rhyno. The match began with Breezango facing Slater & Rhyno, who eliminated them via Gore on Fandango. Slater & Rhyno then eliminated The Vaudevillains with a double-team spinebuster on Gotch. The Ascension entered next and were eliminated by The Usos via superkicks. The Usos then ousted Slater & Rhyno with a superkick on Slater. American Alpha entered last, trading high-impact suplexes with The Usos before Jason Jordan speared Jimmy Uso and Chad Gable applied an ankle lock on Jey for the submission victory after a total of 16:59, retaining the titles amid cheers for the champions' amateur wrestling background and seamless teamwork. The extended format allowed for dynamic transitions between teams, maintaining crowd engagement through escalating intensity.[34][3][35][29][36] Randy Orton then clashed with Luke Harper in a singles match rooted in their Wyatt Family history and recent betrayals. Harper controlled the early going with a discus lariat and tope suicida that sent Orton crashing into the commentary team, eliciting gasps from the Phoenix fans for the high-risk maneuver. Orton retaliated by slamming Harper through the announce desk and striking his signature poses to rally the crowd. After Harper's near-fall with a sit-out powerbomb, Orton countered a second discus lariat into an RKO for the pinfall win after 17:14, solidifying his "Viper" persona and drawing a roar of approval.[37][3][29] The women's title defense closed the preliminary segment, with champion Alexa Bliss defending against Naomi in a match built on Naomi's underdog pursuit and Bliss's condescending heel persona. Bliss relied on taunts and underhanded eye rakes, but Naomi countered with Rear View kicks and resilient comebacks that had the crowd chanting in support. After dodging Bliss's Twisted Bliss, Naomi connected with a split-legged moonsault from the top rope for the pinfall, winning the SmackDown Women's Championship—her first in WWE—after 8:19 and sparking an emotional celebration as fans chanted "You deserve it!" in recognition of her perseverance. Otunga on commentary noted the hometown significance for Naomi ahead of WrestleMania in Orlando.[38][3][29][13]Main event
The main event of Elimination Chamber (2017) was the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship, featuring defending champion John Cena against AJ Styles, Bray Wyatt (accompanied by Luke Harper), Dean Ambrose, Baron Corbin, and The Miz.[39] The match utilized a newly designed square-shaped Elimination Chamber structure, consisting of steel chain walls and Lexan glass pods for added safety and visibility, with two participants starting in the ring and the remaining four sealed in pods that opened at five-minute intervals.[2] John Cena and AJ Styles began the contest in the ring at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona, where the crowd's energy built quickly with dueling chants amid the intense atmosphere.[40] At the first interval, Dean Ambrose entered, followed by Bray Wyatt at the next, then Baron Corbin, and finally The Miz. Corbin was the first eliminated by Ambrose via roll-up. Ambrose was then eliminated by The Miz following an attack by Corbin. Cena eliminated Miz with an Attitude Adjustment. The final three were Cena, Styles, and Wyatt, with Wyatt eliminating Cena via Sister Abigail after interference from Harper. Wyatt then pinned Styles with another Sister Abigail to win the WWE Championship after 34:26.[3][40][29] In the immediate aftermath, Harper attacked Randy Orton, who had appeared to confront Wyatt, escalating the Wyatt Family's internal dynamics.[1]Aftermath
The February 14, 2017, episode of SmackDown Live served as the primary fallout from Elimination Chamber, advancing several key storylines toward WrestleMania 33.[41] Newly crowned WWE Champion Bray Wyatt opened the show with a promo celebrating his victory, joined by Luke Harper and Randy Orton. John Cena interrupted to demand a rematch, but AJ Styles also entered the fray, claiming he was robbed. General Manager Daniel Bryan booked an immediate triple threat match for the WWE Championship: Wyatt defeated Cena and Styles via pinfall after hitting Sister Abigail on Styles.[41] This set up ongoing tensions among the three, with Wyatt retaining the title until WrestleMania 33, where he faced Orton in a betrayal storyline culmination.[42] American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan) defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championship against The Ascension, winning via pinfall with Grand Amplitude. Their reign continued briefly before losing the titles to The Usos on the March 21 episode of SmackDown.[41] Naomi, the new SmackDown Women's Champion, addressed the crowd about her victory over Alexa Bliss but revealed a knee injury sustained in the match. Bliss mocked her, leading to a confrontation and establishing their rivalry, which persisted until Naomi's title loss to Bliss on the April 4 episode following WrestleMania 33. Becky Lynch faced Mickie James in a rematch, where James won via pinfall with the Mick Kick after a distraction, intensifying their feud.[41] Dean Ambrose cut a promo on his Elimination Chamber performance, but Baron Corbin attacked him from behind with an End of Days, solidifying their personal animosity and leading to multiple matches, including at WrestleMania 33 where Corbin won. The Nikki Bella–Natalya feud continued with a backstage brawl after their double countout at Elimination Chamber, culminating in a hair vs. hair match at WrestleMania where Bella defeated Natalya.[41][42] Orton met privately with Wyatt, pledging loyalty to the Wyatt Family while subtly hinting at future discord, which paid off at WrestleMania 33 when Orton turned on Wyatt to win the WWE Championship.[42]Reception
Elimination Chamber (2017) received generally positive reviews, with particular praise for the main event Elimination Chamber match. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter rated the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match 4.5 stars out of 5, the highest of the night, while the Randy Orton vs. Luke Harper match received 3.75 stars. Other matches received lower ratings, ranging from 1.25 stars for Apollo Crews and Kalisto vs. Dolph Ziggler to 3.25 stars for Becky Lynch vs. Mickie James.[43] TJR Wrestling awarded the event an overall rating of 8 out of 10, highlighting the main event's role in elevating Bray Wyatt and the strong performances in the women's matches and Orton vs. Harper bout, though criticizing some undercard matches as forgettable.[44] In contrast, 411MANIA described the show as below average compared to SmackDown's usual quality, noting a lackluster crowd and inconsistent booking, despite calling the main event fantastic.[45] The event drew an attendance of 11,000 at the Talking Stick Resort Arena. On IMDb, it holds a user rating of 6.9 out of 10 based on 344 votes.[8]Results
Tag Team Turmoil match
The Tag Team Turmoil match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship featured six teams in a gauntlet-style elimination format, where two teams began the bout and a new team entered upon each elimination by pinfall or submission, continuing until only one team remained to challenge the defending champions, American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan), who entered last as the sixth team. No tags were required among members of the same team during the turmoil phase, allowing for free-form action among all active competitors in the ring. The participants were American Alpha (c), The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso), Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango), The Vaudevillains (Aiden English and Simon Gotch), Heath Slater and Rhyno, and The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor).[34][46] The match lasted 21 minutes and 10 seconds overall.[46]| Entry Order | Entering Team | Eliminated Team | Eliminated By | Finishing Move | Time Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (Starting) | Heath Slater and Rhyno | - | - | - | - |
| 1 (Starting) | Breezango | Breezango | Heath Slater and Rhyno | Gore (by Rhyno to Fandango) | 4:30 |
| 2 | The Vaudevillains | The Vaudevillains | Heath Slater and Rhyno | Implant DDT (by Slater to Aiden English) | 6:45 |
| 3 | The Usos | Heath Slater and Rhyno | The Usos | Double superkick (to Slater) | 9:45 |
| 4 | American Alpha (c) | The Usos | American Alpha | Grand Amplitude (by Gable to Jey Uso) | 15:20 |
| 5 | The Ascension | The Ascension | American Alpha | Grand Amplitude (to Konnor) | 21:10 |
Elimination Chamber match
The Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship followed the standard format for the stipulation, with two participants starting in the ring and the other four enclosed in bulletproof glass pods attached to the steel structure surrounding the ring. New entrants joined the match at five-minute intervals, and eliminations could only occur via pinfall or submission inside the ring itself, with the sole survivor claiming the title.[39] John Cena and AJ Styles began the match in the ring, while Dean Ambrose, The Miz, Baron Corbin, and Bray Wyatt occupied the pods. The entry order was Dean Ambrose first, followed by Bray Wyatt, Baron Corbin, and The Miz.[47] The eliminations unfolded in this order:| # | Eliminated | Eliminated by | Finishing method |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baron Corbin | Dean Ambrose | Roll-up pinfall[39] |
| 2 | Dean Ambrose | The Miz | Pinfall (following End of Days by Corbin)[3] |
| 3 | The Miz | John Cena | Attitude Adjustment[39] |
| 4 | John Cena | Bray Wyatt | Sister Abigail (following interference by Luke Harper)[48] |
| 5 | AJ Styles | Bray Wyatt | Sister Abigail[48] |