10 WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 Impulse Reactions
Chain Reactions.
Elimination Chamber 2018 is officially in the books, and as is par for the course with the 'Reality Era,' it was a show defined by big swings in quality, buoyed by a number of major talking points.
The revolutionaries of WWE's resurgent women's wrestling scene largely outdid their male counterparts. Their Chamber match was fantastic, with the company successfully weaving multiple storylines and boatloads of drama into its 30-minute runtime. Elsewhere, Nia Jax put forth the most impressive singles performance of her career against the undefeated Asuka, and as expected, Ronda Rousey's contract signing ended in chaos.
The men's Chamber largely delivered, though it was hampered by predictability. Fans knew Roman Reigns was going to win from the moment Shinsuke Nakamura pipped him to the Royal Rumble, but the action leading to his triumph was solid, with a certain 'Monster' reaffirming his status as WWE's most eye-catching performer.
This was Raw's last PPV stop on the road to WrestleMania 34. The April 8th card now looks a lot clearer, and although some fans will be left frustrated by WWE's booking choices, Elimination Chamber offered just as many reasons for excitement as dismay...
10. Earning History
It's easy to be cynical when WWE throw the word "historic" around. The company are completely transparent in their attempts at rewriting the record books, regardless of whether it makes sense or not, and have constantly hot-shotted these moments to the extent that they rarely resonate with any significance. Fortunately, the year so far suggests that WWE are getting better at this, particularly in the women's division.
The Royal Rumble was a complete success, and while the division's first Elimination Chamber wasn't quite on that level, it was a fantastic match regardless. Sonya Deville shined as a stiff, hard-hitting bully heel, and worked well with partner Mandy Rose. Mickie James was full of fire. Alexa Bliss' cat-and-mouse antics went over huge, as did her decisive finish. Bayley and Sasha Banks will grab the headlines, but each worked tremendously hard to ensure a bout worthy of its "first time ever" tagline, and they succeeded.
Contrast with Banks and Charlotte's 2016 Hell In A Cell match, which couldn't have felt more forced. The difference is stark. This was an awesome, violent scrap featuring some of the best women's wrestlers in the world, and a complete triumph for the reignited Revolution.