Elimination Chamber 2020
(also known as No Escape (2020) in Germany[2]) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view and WWE Network event produced by WWE for their Raw and SmackDown brands. It took place on March 8, 2020 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[3] It was the tenth event under the Elimination Chamber chronology.
Eight matches were contested at the event, including one on the Kickoff pre-show. In the main event, NXT's Shayna Baszler won Raw's women's Elimination Chamber match to become the number one contender against Becky Lynch for the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36. On the undercard, Daniel Bryan defeated Drew Gulak by technical submission, Aleister Black defeated AJ Styles in a no disqualification match, and The Miz and John Morrison retained the SmackDown Tag Team Championship in SmackDown's tag team Elimination Chamber match.
Production
Background
Elimination Chamber is a gimmick pay-per-view first produced by WWE in 2010. It has been produced every year since except in 2016, and is generally held in February; the 2020 event was the second to not occur in February, but the first to be done in March. The concept of the show is that one or two main event matches are contested inside the Elimination Chamber, either with championships or future opportunities at championships at stake.[4] 2020 was the tenth event under the Elimination Chamber chronology and featured wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands.[3]
Since 2011, 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.[2][5]
Storylines
The show comprised eight matches, including one on the Kickoff pre-show. The matches resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the Raw and SmackDown brands,[6][7] while storylines were produced on WWE's weekly television shows, Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.[8]
On February 17, a Raw-branded women's Elimination Chamber match was scheduled for the event to determine the number one contender against Becky Lynch for the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36.[9] Announced for the match were Natalya, Liv Morgan, Asuka, Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, and NXT's Shayna Baszler, who reignited her feud with Lynch from Survivor Series by ambushing her on the previous week's episode of Raw.[10][9]
On the January 31 episode of SmackDown, Braun Strowman defeated Shinsuke Nakamura (with Sami Zayn and Cesaro in his corner) to win the Intercontinental Championship.[11] On the February 28 episode, a contract signing for a title match at Elimination Chamber was held. Tired of hearing Zayn's rants, Strowman signed the contract, stating that regardless of who else signed it, he knew he would basically be facing all three at the event. Zayn seized the opportunity and he, Nakamura, and Cesaro all signed the contract, making it a 3-on-1 handicap match for Strowman's Intercontinental Championship at the event.[12]
At Super ShowDown, The Miz and John Morrison defeated The New Day (Big E and Kofi Kingston) to capture the SmackDown Tag Team Championship.[13] The following night on SmackDown, it was announced that Miz and Morrison would defend the title in a tag team Elimination Chamber match at the event. The challengers announced for the match were The New Day (Big E and Kingston), The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso), Heavy Machinery (Otis and Tucker), Lucha House Party (Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik), and Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode.[12] The following week, Ziggler and Roode won a tag team gauntlet match to enter the Elimination Chamber last.[14]
At Super ShowDown, Seth Rollins and Murphy retained the Raw Tag Team Championship against The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford).[13] On the following Raw, The Street Profits were given one final opportunity where they defeated Rollins and Murphy to win the title. Later backstage, Rollins and Murphy challenged The Street Profits to a rematch for the title at Elimination Chamber, which was made official.[15]
On the February 24 episode of Raw, The O.C. (AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson) attacked Aleister Black backstage.[16] Black then challenged Styles to a match for the following week, however, Styles said that Black would have to defeat Gallows and Anderson before he could face Styles. Black defeated both Gallows and Anderson in separate matches, after which, Styles faced and defeated Black. A no disqualification rematch between Black and Styles was then scheduled for Elimination Chamber.[15]
On the Royal Rumble Kickoff pre-show, Andrade (accompanied by Zelina Vega) retained the United States Championship against Humberto Carrillo.[17] Carrillo then won a rematch on the following Raw by disqualification due to Vega's interference. Following the match, Carrillo performed a Hammerlock DDT on Andrade onto the exposed concrete, just as Andrade had previously done to Carrillo back in December.[18] With Andrade absent over the next month,[19] Vega brought up her new associate, Angel Garza from NXT, Carrillo's real life cousin. The two then feuded where Garza defeated Carrillo at Super ShowDown.[13] On the March 2 episode of Raw, Carrillo teamed with Rey Mysterio to face Andrade and Garza, where Carrillo pinned Andrade. This earned Carrillo another United States Championship match against Andrade at Elimination Chamber.[15]
Backstage during the February 21 episode of SmackDown, Daniel Bryan was approached by Drew Gulak, who claimed to know all of Bryan's weaknesses.[20] On the March 6 episode, Bryan challenged Gulak to a match at Elimination Chamber, which was later made official for the event.[14]
Event
Pre-show
During the Elimination Chamber Kickoff pre-show, The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar) faced Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder. The end saw The Viking Raiders perform the Viking Experience on Ryder, and Ivar pinned him to win the match.[21]
Preliminary matches
The actual pay-per-view opened with Daniel Bryan facing Drew Gulak. In the end, Bryan applied the Yes Lock on Gulak, who passed out, to win the match.[1]
Next, Andrade (accompanied by Zelina Vega) defended the United States Championship against Humberto Carrillo. During the match, Vega removed the floor padding exposing the concrete and Andrade attempted to perform a Hammerlock DDT on Carrillo onto the concrete, however, Carrillo countered and performed a suplex on Andrade. In the end, after exchanging roll-ups, Andrade pinned Carrillo, whilst holding his tights, to retain the title.[1]
After that, The Miz and John Morrison defended the SmackDown Tag Team Championship in a tag team Elimination Chamber match. The challengers were The New Day (Big E and Kofi Kingston), Lucha House Party (Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik), The Usos (Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso), Heavy Machinery (Otis and Tucker), and Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode. The Usos and The New Day started the match. Heavy Machinery performed the Compactor on Dorado to eliminate Lucha House Party. After Ziggler & Roode entered last, due to them winning the gauntlet match on the previous episode of SmackDown, they began to target Heavy Machinery, specifically Otis. Otis attempted to perform a clothesline on Ziggler, who was inside a pod, however Ziggler avoided Otis, who obilerated the pod and ended up outside the chamber. Roode performed a Glorious DDT on Tucker to eliminate Heavy Machinery. Big E performed a Big Ending on Roode and the Usos performed double splashes on both Ziggler and Roode to eliminate them. The Usos performed a splash on Kingston to eliminate The New Day. In the climax, after exchanging roll-ups, Miz and Morrison pinned Jimmy, with Morrison pinning Jimmy with a roll-up and Miz's legs on the rope to retain the title.[1]
In the fourth match, Aleister Black faced AJ Styles (accompanied by Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson). In the closing moments, as Black attempted a Black Mass on Styles, Anderson and Gallows interfered, though Black fought them off. The three would eventually ambush Black. Anderson and Gallows held Black in position for Styles to perform a Styles Clash, however, The Undertaker appeared and performed a Chokeslam on Styles, who attempted a Styles Clash. In the end, Black performed a Black Mass on Styles to win the match.[1]
Next, The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) defended the Raw Tag Team Championship against Seth Rollins and Murphy (accompanied by Akam and Rezar). In the end, Kevin Owens appeared in the crowd and walked ringside eating popcorn, distracting Rollins which allowed The Street Profits to momentarily take out Rollins. Ford then performed a Splash on Murphy to retain the title. Following the match, Owens performed a Stunner in Rollins.[1]
In the penultimate match, Braun Strowman defended the WWE intercontinental Championship against Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro in a 3-on-1 handicap match. During the match, Nakamura and Cesaro would momentarily subdue Strowman for a while allowing Zayn to tag himself in and attack Strowman, however, every time Strowman rose to his feet, Zayn retreated. In the closing moments, Nakamura and Cesaro held Strowman in place allowing Zayn to perform a Helluva Kick on Strowman to win the title. Since Zayn pinned Strowman, he won the Intercontinental Championship, which would become his first title won on the main roster and his first title won in 5 years.[1]
Main event
In the main event, Shayna Baszler, Liv Morgan, Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, Natalya and Asuka complete in the Elimination Chamber match where the winner will face Becky Lynxh for the Raw Women's Championship at WrestleMania 36. In the end, Baszler would dominate and eliminate all opponents to win the match thus earning the opportunity to face Lynch
ليست هناك تعليقات:
إرسال تعليق