9. The Original Chamber (Survivor Series '02)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOJaJPwxrDM When Eric Bischoff announced plans for the original Elimination Chamber in the fall of 2002, it brought about the excitement of the unknown. What would it look like? How would it play out at match time? With a star-studded line-up, there was little doubt that they would pull it off. On the night of, few would have stated that they failed to do so. Yet, in a decade plus of reflection and numerous other versions of the gimmick, the original has lost much of its luster in the quality department. An early injury to Triple H stunted the progression of the early proceedings. Rob Van Dam connected with a Five Star Frog Splash from the top of one of the pods in one of the first "Wow" moments in the stipulation's history, but he inadvertently landed much of his weight on Triple H's throat. The Game spent the rest of the match gasping for breath and merely trying to get through it. Instead of being a ring general, he was reduced to having to be helped. Then, there was a malfunction in the pod opening sequence, interfering with the flow of the plan. Booker T, Kane, and Chris Jericho did their best to carry the way, but what should have been the best match in Survivor Series history fell a bit short, historically. Perhaps it was an omen when, earlier in the day, Shawn Michaels checked on the exciting new ring gear that a WWE seamstress had designed for him, only to find that it had turned out to be a dark brown color reminiscent of feces.
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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