Views From The Turnbuckle: Elimination Chamber Review, Reactions, Ratings And More

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WWE may have built up Elimination Chamber in a few weeks, but the results of the show made it look like WWE had spent months planning the event. Wrestlemania 31 was very good in part because it was Wrestlemania, but this was one of the best B show PPVs that WWE has had in ages.

Kevin Owens vs John Cena: ****1/2

Obviously WWE management has a lot of faith in Kevin Owens, and tonight he rewarded them by being flawless tonight in his performance. Cena's reputation and his personality was the driving force behind the intrigue of this match, but inside the match itself, Owens was dominant and showed why he is a main event talent for WWE right now. Owens wrestled circles around Cena, pulling off a bunch of unpredictable moves, climaxing in the Package Powerbomb that made all independent wrestling fans hold their breath for a split second. While Cena kicked out at two and shouted his next spot so the entire arena could hear, Owens was working his ass off to have one of the best matches of both men's career.

But this match doesn't work without John Cena, so he deserves just as much credit. WWE has inadvertently turned Cena into the greatest monster heel of this generation. Cena loses so infrequently and he almost never gets pinned cleanly, that when it actually happens, the victory for the man who pinned him is monumental for their career. Daniel Bryan did it at Summerslam and that launched his career into the stratosphere. Owens is not as over as Bryan was when he defeated Cena, but there is no reason why Owens cannot be a full-blown main event wrestler in WWE from now on.

When CM Punk left WWE didn't just lose one of their biggest stars, they lost Cena's one true equal. Randy Orton never quite got there and Daniel Bryan can never stay healthy. Owens represents an anti-hero for the fans to rally behind, someone that can stand up to Cena in the ring and match him on the microphone, with the ability to call Cena out on his inadequacies and not back down from a fight. By having Owens defeat Cena cleanly tonight, WWE has shown a commitment to creating a great rival for Cena, not just someone for Cena to feud with and eventually conquer, but someone that can battle on-and-off for the next five years.

Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins: ****

Okay, I complained in my preview that the match was too predictable, that it was obvious that Ambrose had no chance at winning and WWE is just biding their time until they can get Reigns and Rollins together to go one-on-one. Well, WWE didn't quite throw us a curveball, that still looks like the plan but it was definitely a slider that dipped low in the zone. A vintage Dusty finish was something that nobody saw coming, and since this was a good match that I wouldn't mind seeing again, I'm okay with it, even though I know that if I was a fan in the audience I would have been pissed when they reversed the decision.

The match is really all about Seth Rollins. In the ring, he is the best wrestler in the world. His selling is so good, his agility so impressive, his offense so clean, watching him work is like seeing Kate Upton jog down a beach, it is just perfect. The icing on the cake was Rollins' reaction to finding out he was getting the title back; he looked like every Patriots fan after the Malcom Butler interception.

Intercontinental Championship Elimination Chamber Match: ***1/2

Not a bad match by any means, but after watching the Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber match with the chamber filled with a ton of guys and guys falling off the structure left and right, it was harder to get excited about this match, with mostly slower, plodding wrestlers. It was still fun and an above average match, but I would have rather seen this match go on first instead of the tag team match.

Ryback winning was a nice surprise for me. Ryback struggled when WWE pushed him too fast during the early stages of his WWE career post-Nexus, but since then he has worked hard to improve in the ring, and has he fills out his persona over the years, he has shown that he can be charismatic on the mic and get the crowd behind him. He is a perfect traditional candidate for the Intercontinental Championship and now if he can get some good feuds in, WWE could realistically build him into a legit main eventer through the IC Championship. The title gives him a tangible thing to hold that guarantees that he will at least force WWE to book him into matches on PPVs consistently.

Tag Team Championship Elimination Chamber Match: ****

What you expected was what you got, the match was chaotic, fast-paced and fun. The guys in the Intercontinental Championship match had more of a straight wrestling match, the tag team match was more of a true chamber match, with the participants using the structure to their full advantage. Kalisto was particularly impressive, taking some hard bumps and showing some freakish upper-body strength.

The match was booked pretty strongly, and every tag team, even The Ascension got some good moments and this match really helped build a stronger, more defined tag team division. The Prime Time Players lasting until the very end was a surprise, but they are a decent face team that the crowd can get behind against the reprehensible New Day, who are just getting better and better with each passing day. I don't know why, but just seeing the three guys in the pod together was humorous and they continue to impress in the ring.

Bo Dallas vs Neville: **

A match that belonged on the pre-show but somehow snuck its way onto the main show. WWE did these guys a disservice by having them on immediately after the Owens/Cena match, which meant that these guys had a very small chance at really getting the crowd excited. It took up time and it got Neville a win at a "special event" which is something, I guess.

Paige vs Naomi and Nikki Bella: *3/4

There was some good energy in this match, but they went for some moves and spots that were a little too risky for them. Naomi probably should not be going for any Reverseranas, although Paige did a great job selling it for her, and there were a lot of loud conversations going on in the ring from the workers. If they had kept things nice and simple and had the same energy level, they would have been fine.

Usually WWE PPVs have a few highs mixed in with a lot of mediocre stuff, but WWE booking came out firing on all cylinders for the most part, and result was a very entertaining show that should have fans excited about watching the product week in and week out.

You can follow Jesse Collings on Twitter @JesseCollings