6. The "Edge Turns WWE into World Heavyweight Gold" Chamber (No Way Out '09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siFT6mS_WbY For much of its modern existence, the February PPV in the WWE no matter its name was an afterthought placeholder to earn a little bit of extra PPV revenue between Royal Rumble and WrestleMania. That was definitely not the case, however, in 2009. It was as if the WWE higher ups woke up one morning in late January 2009 and discovered that which had been so obvious for so long: that fewer people were caring about the February PPV because the WWE rarely offered anything of consequence at the February PPV. Sure, there were some great matches and a noteworthy debut or two, but pro wrestling is as its best when something important is at stake. The Elimination Chamber was a step in the right direction (well, depending on your point-of-view) in 2008, but the results could be seen from a mile away. 2009 changed the expectation. Edge lost the WWE title in the opening match, but took out Kofi Kingston before the main-event could begin, ultimately sealing his reputation as an "Opportunist" by winning the World Heavyweight Championship from John Cena in a match also featuring Rey Mysterio, Chris Jericho, Mike Knox, and Kane. Edge and Mysterio nearly stole the show in a thrilling final few minutes, but this Chamber match may always be overshadowed by the one that preceded it earlier on the card. It was an exciting night in '09, as the title change to start the show and the title change to end the show were fascinating to watch and upped future fan interest in the February PPV.
Chad Matthews
Contributor
"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.
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