10 Best WWE Elimination Chamber Performers Of All Time
Who turns it on when the Chamber comes down?
Certain WWE Superstars are tied to particular stipulations over the course of history. The Royal Rumble match, for example, will be forever linked to names like Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, and Kane - wrestlers whose performances helped build the legacy of the match.
The same goes for Hell in a Cell, and the likes of Undertaker, Michaels (again), Mankind, and so on. When a stipulation becomes established over a number of years, we can't help but associate it with a particular set of names.
Elimination Chamber is - along with Money in the Bank - the youngest of WWE's more iconic stipulations. The first took place in 2002, and there have been 20 such matches since. There's been plenty of action for Superstars to establish themselves as Elimination Chamber pioneers, but not a lot of attention seems to have been paid to these wrestlers.
Well, I think that has to change! It's time to celebrate the 10 best performers in the history of the Elimination Chamber stipulation, from men who jump off high things, to men who do lots of eliminations. It's more nuanced than I've made it sound, I promise.
[Of course, the first-ever women's Elimination Chamber match takes place on February 25 - so in a decade or so, I'll come back and write a women's equivalent of this list. Unless I'm a prisoner of war or lose my arms or something.]
WWE
The Elimination Chamber seems tailor-made for John Morrison, so it may be a surprise to find out that Mr Nitro/Mundo/Impact/ has only competed in two such matches. It's a little like not inviting the cool kids to your party so that you and your friends remain the cool kids by default.
We've all done it, yeah?
Morrison's first Chamber appearance came in 2010 (the match where Michaels came up through the floor and screwed The Undertaker). The parkour specialist lasted until the final three, giving us a unique combination of Morrison, 'Taker, and Chris Jericho.
His most memorable Chamber moment, however, came the following year - where he only gave us maybe the coolest, most unique elimination in the history of the stipulation. Morrison eliminated poor Sheamus by scaling the Chamber wall and launching himself into a crossbody from the ceiling! If that doesn't get you on this list, I'm not sure what does.
WWE
Batista's a curious choice for this list, but I still feel he kinda deserves it for being such a remorseless bastard. The Animal has often been the anti-Christ of the Elimination Chamber, a destructive force who doesn't care much for its rules or conventions.
The fact that his most memorable Chamber moment didn't even come in an Elimination Chamber match speaks volumes, really.
That moment was, of course, his defeat of an exhausted Cena in 2010 - striding out with the blessing of Vince McMahon to wrench the WWE Championship away.
In terms of his actions in actual Chamber matches, Batista has competed once as a heel and once as a babyface. In 2005, before he was sick of Triple H's nonsense, he helped The Game defeat Evolution outcast Randy Orton (despite having already been eliminated from the match! Boo!)
In 2008, a now-babyface Batista had one of the best final-two showdowns in an Elimination Chamber match, battling with Undertaker for a shot at Edge's World Heavyweight Championship. He lost, but at least stopped flagrantly hating on the Chamber stipulation for one match. Thanks, Dave.
WWE
It should be no surprise to see Shawn Michaels on this list, given the fact that he's maybe the greatest wrestler of all time - but let's break down exactly what HBK got up to in Elimination Chamber matches.
In 2002 he won the original (and maybe most emotional) Chamber, just months after making his unthinkable comeback to the squared circle, and defeating arch-nemesis Triple H in the final two. That's a decent start...
In 2003 he opened the match with Chris Jericho, taking part in some very nice wrestling before both men were absolutely eviscerated by Goldberg.
In 2005 he was the special guest referee of the match and played a part in the elimination of Edge - who accidentally nailed HBK with a Spear, and didn't really seem very sorry about it.
Finally, in 2008, he gave Triple H his win back. This was probably the least memorable of Michaels' appearances, but his stint was typically great anyway. Obviously. It's Shawn Michaels.
WWE
The Undertaker's an interesting one because he seems absolutely tailor-made for this sort of match - whether starting in the ring and battling through to the end game, or watching menacingly from inside a pod.
It's therefore strange to think that The Deadman has only been in three Elimination Chamber bouts. He enjoyed a starring role in two matches I've heard people cite as their favourite Chambers - the previously mentioned showdown with Batista in 2008, and the (also previously mentioned) Shawn Michaels screwjob in 2010.
Winning one of the most enjoyable Chamber matches ever (as well as being a part of one of the most memorable Chamber moments of all time) is enough to propel 'Taker to this position on the list, despite only making three appearances. His third, less-discussed foray into the structure came in 2009 - the match where Edge lost his title in about two minutes. The Deadman fought his way into the final two alongside Triple H, losing a showdown that both men probably thought was more epic than it actually came across. Still, they made up for it at WrestleMania XXVIII.
WWE
Randy Orton, as we all know, is a slippery, slippery snake. He's not actually the most devious Elimination Chamber participant - as we'll learn a little later - but he's certainly up there.
The Viper has been in six Chamber matches and has been entrusted with various roles - including brave babyface in 2005, despicable corporate heel in 2014, and Goldberg tackling-dummy in 2003. He is perhaps the most versatile man in Elimination Chamber history, even if he doesn't quite stack up with some of his peers in terms of memorable performances.
Just like in the Royal Rumble and at Survivor Series, Orton can always be called upon to deliver star power and crispness in an Elimination Chamber match. His sole victory is remembered as a deflating one, as it came at the expense of the rabidly popular Daniel Bryan - but I feel Randy deserves a high placing here for his numerous, varied performances over the years.
WWE
Cena has been in six Elimination Chamber matches and won three of them. This may seem like a bad thing, considering the 'SuperCena' criticism that has plagued John throughout his career - but his consistent strength has actually made him a crucial component of Chamber history, fulfilling a key role.
Simply put, when Cena is eliminated from an Elimination Chamber match, everybody loses their minds. It's a big deal.
The most memorable of these moments came in 2009, where Jericho, Mysterio, and Edge all realised that they'd be better off without Cena in the match, and decided to hit their finishers on him consecutively. It was almost like a piece of meta-narrative, where the Superstars realised what we, the audience, are always asking: 'Why don't they just team up to eliminate Cena?'
Even when Cena wins an Elimination Chamber, he rarely actually wins. In 2006, he battled and bled is way through a brutal Chamber match, only for Edge to cash in the first ever Money in the Bank contract. The same happened in 2010, only with Batista, and less of a concrete storyline reason.
Here's to John Cena, the Elimination Chamber's biggest loser. Despite having won three of them. Erm...
WWE
Rey's Elimination Chamber record is unspectacular at first glance; three appearances, no wins. That's the same as Wade Barrett, a man we never really associate with the Chamber. So why is Rey such a beloved part of the stipulation's history?
It's simple, really. Despite never being booked to win a Chamber match, Mysterio decides to just ball out of his mind when the event rolls around. He and Edge made the final two in both 2009 and 2011, and their incredible chemistry was on display both times. The dynamic was slightly different, with Edge an opportunistic heel in '09, and both men crowd favourites in '11 - but both showdowns delivered in spades.
In 2010, Rey took a slightly more backseat role but still wrestled well before being eliminated third by John Morrison.
For some reason, despite not being the most natural fit at first glance, the Chamber stipulation always worked perfectly for Mysterio's brand of high-paced offence. Despite never winning, he more than deserves this high a ranking.
WWE
Uh oh. Here we go, the final boss of Elimination Chamber matches. Triple H has won two-thirds of Chamber bouts he's competed in, winning four of six. If you put Triple H in an Elimination Chamber match, he has a 66% chance of winning. The stipulation billed as the most fearsome, difficult match type in WWE is essentially a playground for the King of Kings.
I'll say it; Triple H probably shouldn't have dominated Elimination Chamber matches to such a degree. If Cena had the Game's record, we'd still be complaining about it on Twitter in 2050 - or whatever Twitter has been replaced by.
In fairness, though, Triple H's dominance has meant that his losses feel huge. His defeat to Shawn Michaels in the first ever Chamber bout was possibly one of the purest outpourings of positivity in WWE history, while his loss to Cena in 2010 helped sell the champ's exhaustion (and the unfairness of the circumstances) during Batista's post-match challenge.
WWE
Edge is the best, and he rocks so hard you guys.
No, okay, all bias aside (and I love Edge) the Rated-R Superstar is responsible for maybe the best Elimination Chamber storytelling of all time. In 2009, he entered the SmackDown Chamber to defend his WWE Championship - only to be shockingly rolled up by Jeff Hardy within minutes.
The Seattle crowd rightfully lost their minds, thanks to the guarantee of a new champion - but they probably didn't realise that there were more twists and turns to come. Later in the night, as Kofi Kingston made his entrance for the Raw Chamber match, he was jumped by Edge! The SmackDown roster member locked himself inside a pod, entered the match, and almost decapitated Rey Mysterio en route to the most shocking of victories. (Seriously, watch the spot where he boosts Rey into the side of a pod. It's sickening but brilliant.)
Edge's two other Elimination Chamber appearances were also very memorable. He successfully survived from no. 1 in 2011, defending his World Heavyweight Championship in a mammoth effort. He also played a nice cameo role in 2005, incurring the wrath of special guest referee Shawn Michaels, who Superkicked him into elimination.
While Triple H may have won the most Chamber matches, and our number one entrant may have eliminated the most opponents, Edge's leaner record provides a far more concentrated sense of brilliance.
WWE
Undisputedly, Chris Jericho is the man when it comes to Elimination Chamber matches - and he's only won one of them!
Y2J has featured in more of these bouts than anyone else, appearing in eight between 2002 and 2013. He's also eliminated more opponents than any other Superstar, knocking out 10 rivals over the years.
More importantly than that, though, is the fact that Jericho is always interested in telling a compelling story. More than any other entrant (except maybe Edge), he understands the psychological implications of the stipulation and uses them in both a logical and entertaining fashion.
From forming an allegiance to take out Cena in 2009, to being the first man to go through a pod in 2002, Y2J's participation in Chamber matches has always seemed fresh and innovative - a microcosm of his career, really.
Ironically, Jericho's only Chamber win wasn't really about him. In 2010 he battled (or weaselled) his way to a final showdown with The Undertaker - only for Shawn Michaels to rise up through the floor and cost 'Taker the title, provoking his wrath and securing a WrestleMania rematch. Not that Jericho was complaining, as he made the cover while looking up at HBK in sheer disbelief.
The same goes for Hell in a Cell, and the likes of Undertaker, Michaels (again), Mankind, and so on. When a stipulation becomes established over a number of years, we can't help but associate it with a particular set of names.
Elimination Chamber is - along with Money in the Bank - the youngest of WWE's more iconic stipulations. The first took place in 2002, and there have been 20 such matches since. There's been plenty of action for Superstars to establish themselves as Elimination Chamber pioneers, but not a lot of attention seems to have been paid to these wrestlers.
Well, I think that has to change! It's time to celebrate the 10 best performers in the history of the Elimination Chamber stipulation, from men who jump off high things, to men who do lots of eliminations. It's more nuanced than I've made it sound, I promise.
[Of course, the first-ever women's Elimination Chamber match takes place on February 25 - so in a decade or so, I'll come back and write a women's equivalent of this list. Unless I'm a prisoner of war or lose my arms or something.]
10. John Morrison
WWEThe Elimination Chamber seems tailor-made for John Morrison, so it may be a surprise to find out that Mr Nitro/Mundo/Impact/ has only competed in two such matches. It's a little like not inviting the cool kids to your party so that you and your friends remain the cool kids by default.
We've all done it, yeah?
Morrison's first Chamber appearance came in 2010 (the match where Michaels came up through the floor and screwed The Undertaker). The parkour specialist lasted until the final three, giving us a unique combination of Morrison, 'Taker, and Chris Jericho.
His most memorable Chamber moment, however, came the following year - where he only gave us maybe the coolest, most unique elimination in the history of the stipulation. Morrison eliminated poor Sheamus by scaling the Chamber wall and launching himself into a crossbody from the ceiling! If that doesn't get you on this list, I'm not sure what does.
9. Batista
WWEBatista's a curious choice for this list, but I still feel he kinda deserves it for being such a remorseless bastard. The Animal has often been the anti-Christ of the Elimination Chamber, a destructive force who doesn't care much for its rules or conventions.
The fact that his most memorable Chamber moment didn't even come in an Elimination Chamber match speaks volumes, really.
That moment was, of course, his defeat of an exhausted Cena in 2010 - striding out with the blessing of Vince McMahon to wrench the WWE Championship away.
In terms of his actions in actual Chamber matches, Batista has competed once as a heel and once as a babyface. In 2005, before he was sick of Triple H's nonsense, he helped The Game defeat Evolution outcast Randy Orton (despite having already been eliminated from the match! Boo!)
In 2008, a now-babyface Batista had one of the best final-two showdowns in an Elimination Chamber match, battling with Undertaker for a shot at Edge's World Heavyweight Championship. He lost, but at least stopped flagrantly hating on the Chamber stipulation for one match. Thanks, Dave.
8. Shawn Michaels
WWEIt should be no surprise to see Shawn Michaels on this list, given the fact that he's maybe the greatest wrestler of all time - but let's break down exactly what HBK got up to in Elimination Chamber matches.
In 2002 he won the original (and maybe most emotional) Chamber, just months after making his unthinkable comeback to the squared circle, and defeating arch-nemesis Triple H in the final two. That's a decent start...
In 2003 he opened the match with Chris Jericho, taking part in some very nice wrestling before both men were absolutely eviscerated by Goldberg.
In 2005 he was the special guest referee of the match and played a part in the elimination of Edge - who accidentally nailed HBK with a Spear, and didn't really seem very sorry about it.
Finally, in 2008, he gave Triple H his win back. This was probably the least memorable of Michaels' appearances, but his stint was typically great anyway. Obviously. It's Shawn Michaels.
7. The Undertaker
WWEThe Undertaker's an interesting one because he seems absolutely tailor-made for this sort of match - whether starting in the ring and battling through to the end game, or watching menacingly from inside a pod.
It's therefore strange to think that The Deadman has only been in three Elimination Chamber bouts. He enjoyed a starring role in two matches I've heard people cite as their favourite Chambers - the previously mentioned showdown with Batista in 2008, and the (also previously mentioned) Shawn Michaels screwjob in 2010.
Winning one of the most enjoyable Chamber matches ever (as well as being a part of one of the most memorable Chamber moments of all time) is enough to propel 'Taker to this position on the list, despite only making three appearances. His third, less-discussed foray into the structure came in 2009 - the match where Edge lost his title in about two minutes. The Deadman fought his way into the final two alongside Triple H, losing a showdown that both men probably thought was more epic than it actually came across. Still, they made up for it at WrestleMania XXVIII.
6. Randy Orton
WWERandy Orton, as we all know, is a slippery, slippery snake. He's not actually the most devious Elimination Chamber participant - as we'll learn a little later - but he's certainly up there.
The Viper has been in six Chamber matches and has been entrusted with various roles - including brave babyface in 2005, despicable corporate heel in 2014, and Goldberg tackling-dummy in 2003. He is perhaps the most versatile man in Elimination Chamber history, even if he doesn't quite stack up with some of his peers in terms of memorable performances.
Just like in the Royal Rumble and at Survivor Series, Orton can always be called upon to deliver star power and crispness in an Elimination Chamber match. His sole victory is remembered as a deflating one, as it came at the expense of the rabidly popular Daniel Bryan - but I feel Randy deserves a high placing here for his numerous, varied performances over the years.
5. John Cena
WWECena has been in six Elimination Chamber matches and won three of them. This may seem like a bad thing, considering the 'SuperCena' criticism that has plagued John throughout his career - but his consistent strength has actually made him a crucial component of Chamber history, fulfilling a key role.
Simply put, when Cena is eliminated from an Elimination Chamber match, everybody loses their minds. It's a big deal.
The most memorable of these moments came in 2009, where Jericho, Mysterio, and Edge all realised that they'd be better off without Cena in the match, and decided to hit their finishers on him consecutively. It was almost like a piece of meta-narrative, where the Superstars realised what we, the audience, are always asking: 'Why don't they just team up to eliminate Cena?'
Even when Cena wins an Elimination Chamber, he rarely actually wins. In 2006, he battled and bled is way through a brutal Chamber match, only for Edge to cash in the first ever Money in the Bank contract. The same happened in 2010, only with Batista, and less of a concrete storyline reason.
Here's to John Cena, the Elimination Chamber's biggest loser. Despite having won three of them. Erm...
4. Rey Mysterio
WWERey's Elimination Chamber record is unspectacular at first glance; three appearances, no wins. That's the same as Wade Barrett, a man we never really associate with the Chamber. So why is Rey such a beloved part of the stipulation's history?
It's simple, really. Despite never being booked to win a Chamber match, Mysterio decides to just ball out of his mind when the event rolls around. He and Edge made the final two in both 2009 and 2011, and their incredible chemistry was on display both times. The dynamic was slightly different, with Edge an opportunistic heel in '09, and both men crowd favourites in '11 - but both showdowns delivered in spades.
In 2010, Rey took a slightly more backseat role but still wrestled well before being eliminated third by John Morrison.
For some reason, despite not being the most natural fit at first glance, the Chamber stipulation always worked perfectly for Mysterio's brand of high-paced offence. Despite never winning, he more than deserves this high a ranking.
3. Triple H
WWEUh oh. Here we go, the final boss of Elimination Chamber matches. Triple H has won two-thirds of Chamber bouts he's competed in, winning four of six. If you put Triple H in an Elimination Chamber match, he has a 66% chance of winning. The stipulation billed as the most fearsome, difficult match type in WWE is essentially a playground for the King of Kings.
I'll say it; Triple H probably shouldn't have dominated Elimination Chamber matches to such a degree. If Cena had the Game's record, we'd still be complaining about it on Twitter in 2050 - or whatever Twitter has been replaced by.
In fairness, though, Triple H's dominance has meant that his losses feel huge. His defeat to Shawn Michaels in the first ever Chamber bout was possibly one of the purest outpourings of positivity in WWE history, while his loss to Cena in 2010 helped sell the champ's exhaustion (and the unfairness of the circumstances) during Batista's post-match challenge.
2. Edge
WWEEdge is the best, and he rocks so hard you guys.
No, okay, all bias aside (and I love Edge) the Rated-R Superstar is responsible for maybe the best Elimination Chamber storytelling of all time. In 2009, he entered the SmackDown Chamber to defend his WWE Championship - only to be shockingly rolled up by Jeff Hardy within minutes.
The Seattle crowd rightfully lost their minds, thanks to the guarantee of a new champion - but they probably didn't realise that there were more twists and turns to come. Later in the night, as Kofi Kingston made his entrance for the Raw Chamber match, he was jumped by Edge! The SmackDown roster member locked himself inside a pod, entered the match, and almost decapitated Rey Mysterio en route to the most shocking of victories. (Seriously, watch the spot where he boosts Rey into the side of a pod. It's sickening but brilliant.)
Edge's two other Elimination Chamber appearances were also very memorable. He successfully survived from no. 1 in 2011, defending his World Heavyweight Championship in a mammoth effort. He also played a nice cameo role in 2005, incurring the wrath of special guest referee Shawn Michaels, who Superkicked him into elimination.
While Triple H may have won the most Chamber matches, and our number one entrant may have eliminated the most opponents, Edge's leaner record provides a far more concentrated sense of brilliance.
1. Chris Jericho
WWEUndisputedly, Chris Jericho is the man when it comes to Elimination Chamber matches - and he's only won one of them!
Y2J has featured in more of these bouts than anyone else, appearing in eight between 2002 and 2013. He's also eliminated more opponents than any other Superstar, knocking out 10 rivals over the years.
More importantly than that, though, is the fact that Jericho is always interested in telling a compelling story. More than any other entrant (except maybe Edge), he understands the psychological implications of the stipulation and uses them in both a logical and entertaining fashion.
From forming an allegiance to take out Cena in 2009, to being the first man to go through a pod in 2002, Y2J's participation in Chamber matches has always seemed fresh and innovative - a microcosm of his career, really.
Ironically, Jericho's only Chamber win wasn't really about him. In 2010 he battled (or weaselled) his way to a final showdown with The Undertaker - only for Shawn Michaels to rise up through the floor and cost 'Taker the title, provoking his wrath and securing a WrestleMania rematch. Not that Jericho was complaining, as he made the cover while looking up at HBK in sheer disbelief.
Written by Jack King
jack.king@cultaholic.com Twitter: @JackTheJobber
