15. The "Smackdown!/ECW" Chamber (No Way Out 2008)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxdyYXZPBeM Chambers are most compelling when there is star power. From the first one onward, that was part of the draw. When Eric Bischoff first publicly announced the concept on Raw in 2002, he made it clear that the gimmick borrowed from the aspects that made both the Royal Rumble and Survivor Series matches popular unpredictability of entrants and eliminations. One of the underlying themes was that it placed six major stars in one match with something significant at stake. Well, Undertaker and Batista were major stars in the Smackdown/ECW version in 2008, but MVP, Great Khali, Big Daddy V(iscera), and Finlay were not the caliber of supporting cast expected. Subsequently, while it was not a bad match, it was never worth a second viewing. The result was obvious and there was not enough talent to make up for the predictability of a gimmick that seemed to suggest unpredictability. Credit goes to the big names in the match, plus workhorses Finlay and MVP, for ensuring that it did wind up garnering a favorable rating from most critics.
Chad Matthews
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"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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