WWE Elimination Chamber 2018

[DMJ]

Sometimes I feel like I'm watching a totally different show than some of you - or my hearing is just way off when it comes to reading crowd reactions. Anyway, full review up on my blog but some thoughts..

 

- I don't think the main event was as great as the best multi-mans we saw last year (SummerSlam, for example), but I also don't think they shit the bed. The crowd was dead for the first part, but I thought they had them buzzing once Cena came in. I understand the criticism of the overly-choreographed sequences, but when they're generally well done (as I found them to be), they're the best things these matches can deliver now that, in terms of big risky violent high spots, the EC is in the same position as the Hell in a Cell as no longer delivering on blood and carnage.

 

- Cena disappeared at Survivor Series but I've found him to be subtly great recently, including at the Rumble and here. I once wrote a lengthy column, I think it was maybe 2006, pleading for Triple H to show some vulnerability as that sort of character development would've made him so much more tolerable (to me, at least). Now Cena is doing something similar - the one-time Fraternity King/Life of the Party who is now wondering if maybe he's hung around too long and is no longer "top bro." Its great.

 

- Thought that the Rousey segment started shaky, but ended really strong (like most people). My hope, though, is that as we get to closer to Mania, the crowds don't try to reverse the roles and cheer Triple H (as they were doing at the start of the segment). I'm not one to usually tell fans how they should "play along" in the audience, but I don't get why fans would be angry about Rousey coming in. She's not the one booking the SD brand's women into oblivion. She hasn't ended Asuka's streak (yet). She's not even "taking a spot" anymore than the Helmsleys and McMahons have done for the past 10 years, basically just fighting each other or another part-time/HoFer every year in some sort of novelty match (see Vince/Bret, HHH/Lesnar, HHH/Sting, Shane/Taker, etc.). People would be happier with Maria Menounos?

 

- Thought commentary was woeful the whole night. It seems like Cole and Graves are as curious as the rest of us as to why Jonathan Coachman has been brought back - they clearly don't want him there (and I can't blame them).

 

- The Bar vs. Titus Worldwide is the type of match that makes you say, "The talent level in the WWE is so high, its almost impossible for any match to be considered anything worse than average in 2018." It wasn't a great match or anything, but compared to the kind of shit we got in 95'? Or during the Attitude Era? It was fine.

 

Then you get Wyatt/Hardy and it reminds you that it is possible to see a WWE match that is worse than average in 2018. The commentary during this match was especially hilarious (as they scrambled to hide what was clear crowd disinterest).

[sek69]

No one has ever had more people want them to fail than Rousey. Even after she drew TV numbers for Strikeforce and PPV numbers for UFC, people were always trying to "yeah, but" her. Part of it for sure is how she seems to rub everyone the wrong way, but it's still something to see.

 

Having her come in and state from the start she's a fan and she's always wanted to do this was smart, it dulls the potential fan backlash of her being another Brock coming in to do the rasslin for money. Her being moved to tears at the PPV may have been the first time she's ever allowed herself to display any emotion other than "kill, destroy", and wrestling fans always latch on to what is real (or at least believeable).

[goc]

Can't believe how many people in this thread are mad that we are going to get a rematch of one of the best WrestleMania matches of all time between Roman and Brock AND with an actual finish this time.

[SteveJRogers]

Can't believe how many people in this thread are mad that we are going to get a rematch of one of the best WrestleMania matches of all time between Roman and Brock AND with an actual finish this time.

Carmella makes history with a cash-in!

 

[Zoo Enthusiast]

Sometimes I feel like I'm watching a totally different show than some of you - or my hearing is just way off when it comes to reading crowd reactions. Anyway, full review up on my blog but some thoughts..

 

- I don't think the main event was as great as the best multi-mans we saw last year (SummerSlam, for example), but I also don't think they shit the bed. The crowd was dead for the first part, but I thought they had them buzzing once Cena came in. I understand the criticism of the overly-choreographed sequences, but when they're generally well done (as I found them to be), they're the best things these matches can deliver now that, in terms of big risky violent high spots, the EC is in the same position as the Hell in a Cell as no longer delivering on blood and carnage.

 

- Cena disappeared at Survivor Series but I've found him to be subtly great recently, including at the Rumble and here. I once wrote a lengthy column, I think it was maybe 2006, pleading for Triple H to show some vulnerability as that sort of character development would've made him so much more tolerable (to me, at least). Now Cena is doing something similar - the one-time Fraternity King/Life of the Party who is now wondering if maybe he's hung around too long and is no longer "top bro." Its great.

 

- Thought that the Rousey segment started shaky, but ended really strong (like most people). My hope, though, is that as we get to closer to Mania, the crowds don't try to reverse the roles and cheer Triple H (as they were doing at the start of the segment). I'm not one to usually tell fans how they should "play along" in the audience, but I don't get why fans would be angry about Rousey coming in. She's not the one booking the SD brand's women into oblivion. She hasn't ended Asuka's streak (yet). She's not even "taking a spot" anymore than the Helmsleys and McMahons have done for the past 10 years, basically just fighting each other or another part-time/HoFer every year in some sort of novelty match (see Vince/Bret, HHH/Lesnar, HHH/Sting, Shane/Taker, etc.). People would be happier with Maria Menounos?

 

- Thought commentary was woeful the whole night. It seems like Cole and Graves are as curious as the rest of us as to why Jonathan Coachman has been brought back - they clearly don't want him there (and I can't blame them).

 

- The Bar vs. Titus Worldwide is the type of match that makes you say, "The talent level in the WWE is so high, its almost impossible for any match to be considered anything worse than average in 2018." It wasn't a great match or anything, but compared to the kind of shit we got in 95'? Or during the Attitude Era? It was fine.

 

Then you get Wyatt/Hardy and it reminds you that it is possible to see a WWE match that is worse than average in 2018. The commentary during this match was especially hilarious (as they scrambled to hide what was clear crowd disinterest).

I agree with most of this. I thought this was a really good show, especially storyline-wise. The only thing I didn’t like was the Bray match. As far as commentary, I think I have successfully managed to mostly tune it out because it seems like I have much less of a problem with it than most do.

[ZThomas]

I just Rewatched most of EC because I wasn't fully paying attention to the show but my personal favorite match was Da Bar vs Titus and Apollo. To me the Biggest difference in the two EC matches was in the women's EC they were trying to win through the entire match, that really hurt the Men's Chamber match because it's obvious that they were all buying time for Braun. The Mens match wasn't as bad as people make it seem but it wasn't impressive enough. The women's EC had layers even though it wasn't crip at parts. I even liked the Mizterouge vs Gallows and Anderson.