6. Triple H vs Shawn Michaels vs Chris Jericho vs Kane vs Rob Van Dam vs Booker T - Elimination Chamber Match For World Title (Survivor Series 2002)
Say what you will about some of the mistakes made in the first-ever Elimination Chamber match, which borrowed on the popular elements that had made Survivor Series Elimination matches a hit. The lasting memory of the match, outside of the sheer sight of the structure, has been Shawn Michaels completing his 2002 comeback story to become World Champion for the final time. HBKs athletic array of classic matches captivated imaginations in the New Generation, so when he returned after a four year hiatus and seemingly did not miss a beat, it was the realization of a dream scenario for some fans when he won the title. Triple Hs early injury, thanks to a misplaced knee from RVD, made it difficult for the match to achieve all that it could for its duration, but the climax that saw HBK make his return WWEs top venue, Madison Square Garden, was a brilliant series of moments that ended with Michaels connecting a super kick to HHHs jaw. The fact that he was wearing an ill-conceived pair of poop brown tights or that one of the pods opened too soon or that the match was rumored to start with the wrong pair of combatants could not change the fact that the PPV ended with Michaels holding the big gold belt on his shoulder as confetti rained down around him.
"The Doc" Chad Matthews has written wrestling columns for over a decade. A physician by trade, Matthews began writing about wrestling as a hobby, but it became a passion. After 30 years as a wrestling fan, "The Doc" gives an unmatched analytical perspective on pro wrestling in the modern era. He is a long-time columnist for Lordsofpain.net and hosts a weekly podcast on the LOP Radio Network called "The Doc Says." His first book - The WrestleMania Era: The Book of Sports Entertainment - ranks the Top 90 wrestlers from 1983 to present day, was originally published in December 2013, and is now in its third edition.
Matthews lives in North Carolina with his wife, two kids, and two dogs.
