Orton's out, so I've altered my pick to Daniel Bryan.
"It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone." --- Bart Giamatti, on baseball
Jericho wins title, looks evil Bryan retains via silly Dusty Finish, says "yes!" lots John Cena beats Kane with help from Ryder, who "didn't do it for you, bro!" Tamina gets a couple of hope spots, gets beat
John Cena vs. Kane
(Ambulance Match) Kane. I think Cena has to go into WM with something to prove to himself and the fans. Kane needs to go into Mania with some momentum, and a potential Ryder Mania victory over him means more if Kane faces him as a victorious bully.
RAW Elimination Chamber
(AS OF NOW: Champion Punk vs. Miz vs. Truth vs. Ziggler vs. Jericho vs. Kofi)
If Cena loses, a Punk victory might be the only face win on the card. But I say he LOSES and chases the new champ to WrestleMania with the help of GM Laurinaitis (now a face to give greater contrast to heel Hunter). And that new champ? Ziggler.
SmackDown Elimination Chamber
(AS OF NOW: Champion Bryan vs. IC Champ Rhodes vs. Big Show vs. Khali vs. Barrett vs. Marella)
I believe in gimmick overload, a point in which a character has so many fridge magnets attached to them that a title gets lost. Bryan is right there. He has AJ, the evil vegan schtick, a beef with Big Show, a weasel attitude, and a long-standing grudge with Michael Cole. He doesn't need the belt to get over, and someone else can carry that belt with novelty into Mania. Plus, I think the WWE wants to have two new champs to boost ratings going into the big PPV. So I'll say Show, to avenge that whole half-minute reign.
Divas Champion Beth Phoenix vs. Tamina Snuka Beth in a walk.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
So you think they're going to drop all the matches they've seemingly been planning for the last couple of months and go in all-new directions six weeks before WrestleMania? That's...interesting.
Originally posted by Amos CochranSo you think they're going to drop all the matches they've seemingly been planning for the last couple of months and go in all-new directions six weeks before WrestleMania? That's...interesting.
I think Jericho and Punk both get that title shot against Ziggler in a triple threat. First they won't trust Ziggler to carry it himself. Second, Jericho and Punk both get to play the arrogant pursuant for the belt, and they will get the dominant mic time, again overshadowing Ziggler. It's not much different than Jericho/Stephanie/Hunter/that dog.
Bryan/Show still happens, but Show gets to carry that belt into the big PPV, and Cole gets to remind him for a month that he "can't win" Mania matches. Show battles history; Bryan battles the perception that he can't beat Show in a fair match. He grows desperate as the event nears, and AJ turns on him at Mania for the loss.
And Sheamus? Stick him in the match for a second triple-threat title match. Sheamus can win, giving Show another WM loss for Cole to cackle about.
This is such the fantasy booking, but I think the WWE is rattled by ratings and injuries.
(edited by Matt Tracker on 15.2.12 0832) "To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Originally posted by Amos CochranWhere does Shaq go?
Are they really doing that? Cole's commentary on Friday suggested that Show's Mania matches against athletes was series of jokes.
If he loses to Shaq, he proves Cole right and looks like more of a piker. If he beats Shaq, than a pro wrestler beats a retired basketball player with a bad back. It's a lousy situation.
Bring Shaq in to clobber Drew McIntyre or Swagger.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Alright, I've sat on the sidelines long enough. I want in on the predictions!
Raw Elimination Chamber: Jericho wins, to set up Punk chasing him at Wrestlemania.
Smackdown Elimination Chamber: Daniel Bryan wins, retaining his title and becoming Sheamus' pick to challenge. Orton might yet find his way into that match to make it a three-way.
John Cena vs. Kane: Cena wins, and brutalizes Kane more than people would expect, revealing a new killer instinct (but not a heel turn) as he prepares to face the Rock.
Beth Phoenix vs. Tamina: Beth wins without a doubt, though Tamina will put up a fight. It's all just preparation for Kharma, of course.
Bonus Unannounced Match - Funkasaurus vs. Somebody: The writers remember that Brodus Clay exists, and he crushes.. I don't know, Jack Swagger in a non-title match? If Ryder is going to gun for Kane at Wrestlemania, Swagger needs something to do. Whoever he fights, Clay wins.
Do we get credit for predicting unannounced matches?
Do we get credit for predicting unannounced matches?
Good question, and one I've gone back-and-forth on. Here's the deal for now: If you guess the exact match, I'll give you credit for it. If you simply guess "if Sheamus has a match, he wins," I won't. That also means if there's a stip involved, you have to guess the stip too so if Cena vs. Kane was unannounced but you guessed it, you'd also have to guess that it's an Ambulance Match to get credit. But, of course, you can feel free to throw guesses out there just for fun in the thread, even though it may not count.
The same happens if there's a late add or someone new to a match - if the match that takes place is different from the one announced ahead of time (whether a stip is added or a wrestler replaces another last-minute), I throw that match out.
@gregmparks - live Tweeting of Raw and Impact, wrestling thoughts and other slices of life.
- Jericho wins so CM Punk can win it back at WM. It's stupid to flip the title like that, but the Elimination Chamber is between RR and WM for a reason.
- Bryan wins so he can lose in a great match at WM. He's a heel who can WORK, so he's going to make Sheamus or somebody else look great on the big stage.
- Cena wins and something else happens to further the fans-turning-on-Cena-even-more-because-of-Ryder-and-Eve angle. Cena's going to be booed at WM no matter what, and I've got to think that this whole Rock angle was booked with an endgame in mind. The only one big enough to warrant the year long "build" would be a Cena turn. Probably wishful thinking, but I'll say that it would get me watching regularly again instead of catching clips on Youtube.
- I don't pay much attention to the female storylines and have no idea who Tamina or Kharma are, but if people think Beth Phoenix is going to face Kharma at WM then she's going to win here.
(edited by samoflange on 15.2.12 1232) Lloyd: When I met Mary, I got that old fashioned romantic feeling, where I'd do anything to bone her. Harry: That's a special feeling.
Originally posted by Matt Tracker SmackDown Elimination Chamber (AS OF NOW: Champion Bryan vs. IC Champ Rhodes vs. Big Show vs. Khali vs. Barrett vs. Marella) I believe in gimmick overload, a point in which a character has so many fridge magnets attached to them that a title gets lost. Bryan is right there. He has AJ, the evil vegan schtick, a beef with Big Show
Was this order intentional, or just luck? Because it was highly amusing to read it in that order.
Just for the record, Banquo wasn't the king, Duncan was. Banquo was Macbeth's closest friend and fellow thane, and was prophecized to begat a line of kings (though he himself would never be one).