| Elimination Chamber (2012) | |
| |
| Promotion | WWE |
|---|---|
| Date | February 19, 2012 |
| Venue | Bradley Center |
| City | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Attendance | 15,306 |
| Last Event | Royal Rumble |
| Next Event | WrestleMania XXVIII |
Elimination Chamber (2012) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event produced by WWE. The third event under the Elimination Chamber chronology, it took place on February 19, 2012 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Event summary[]
Raw Elimination Chamber Match[]
Chris Jericho didn't even have a chance to open his mouth this time. He was totally out cold.
On Sunday night, the very Superstar who Jericho ripped as a "wannabe," the man who he disrespected at every opportunity, was the only one who could lay claim to being the "Best in the World": WWE Champion CM Punk.
The Straight Edge Superstar knocked Jericho unconscious with a kick to the back of the head, and stood tall above four other fearsome contenders, to retain his title in the grueling Raw Elimination Chamber Match.
It was one of Punk's most physically taxing battles to overcome in his WWE career, not only because of the exhausting nature of the Elimination Chamber Match, but the emotional vendetta that he had to withstand in order to keep the championship around his waist.
For those unaware of the rules, the Elimination Chamber Match begins with two participants in a ring enclosed by the Chamber structure, while the remaining four are held within pods in each corner of the Chamber. The other four Superstars are randomly released from their pods into the contest at five-minute intervals. The objective is simple, but exceptionally tough: eliminate opponents via pinfall or submission, forcing each to leave the Chamber. The last man standing is the winner.
Jericho certainly had experience packed into his pod. Heading into this crucial duel, The Mental Mastermind participated in six Elimination Chamber Matches. Punk was no rookie himself, having entered the Chamber on three separate occasions.
Punk started off the match first against Kofi Kingston. Despite a couple of crafty acrobatic moves by Kingston, The Straight Edge Superstar dished out some punishing blows, sending Kingston into one of the pods headfirst and suplexing him on the hard steel floor of the Chamber.
Dolph Ziggler was the third to join the fray, and immediately went after the WWE Champion, striking him repeatedly and, of course, showing off by using the Chamber's chains to do pull-ups. The injection of Ziggler into the match added a new element of danger, as Punk and Kingston suffered a very painful mid-air collision while gunning for The Show-Off.
R-Truth, as reckless as ever, stormed out fourth and wasted no time with a flurry of wild punches and high-risk maneuvers. Truth didn't last long, though, being quickly eliminated by Punk after a top-rope elbow drop.
Stepping into the chaos fifth, The Miz went to work on Kingston and Ziggler, driving them both onto the steel floor of the Chamber. Then, right as Punk seemed to have The Miz ready to tap in the Anaconda Vise, Jericho's pod opened up and he tried to target Punk with two of his most devastating maneuvers: the Walls of Jericho and the Lionsault.
Jericho later proved why he is WWE's leader in Chamber eliminations when he landed a Codebreaker on Ziggler and ousted The Show-Off – his ninth all-time elimination. Shortly thereafter, he returned his fury to Punk by repeatedly slamming one of the pod doors on The Straight Edge Superstar. He then made Kingston submit with the Walls of Jericho and refused to let go of the hold, seemingly out to prove a point by inflicting more punishment.
Taking his eyes off Punk was a big mistake, however. Jericho was rendered unconscious by a vicious kick to the head from the WWE Champion and landed outside of the Chamber, physically unable to continue. As concerned officials attended to Jericho on the outside, Punk was left alone with The Miz on the inside as the final two competitors.
After Miz relentlessly taunted the champ, and then the Milwaukee crowd, Punk seized his moment to catch The Awesome One by surprise with a Go To Sleep and pinned The Miz, defying the odds and escaping the 30-plus minute war as the reigning WWE Champion.
It remains to be seen who will next challenge Punk in six weeks at WrestleMania XXVIII, but you can be sure Jericho will be out for his revenge. Once he comes to his senses, that is.
Beth Phoenix vs Tamina Snuka[]
Ding. Glam Slam. Ding. That's the shirt Divas Champion Beth Phoenix had on at Raw. But at Elimination Chamber, it was more like Ding. Take one heck of a fight from Tamina. Glam Slam. Ding.
Tamina, the second-generation Diva, daughter of WWE Hall of Famer “Superfly” Jimmy Snuka, channeled her father in every way imaginable to try and pull out a victory over The Glamazon. But in the end, Phoenix rose again – out of Tamina’s dangerous Superfly Splash from the top rope – to retain the butterfly-emblazoned title.
Two of WWE's most physically-imposing Divas took the action within the confines of the squared circle and outside to the ring floor. With brutal punches and feats of sheer strength, each Diva was determined to come out on top. Tamina even hit The Glamazon with the Samoan Drop, a painful move Phoenix wasn't expecting. As Tamina went up for the Superfly Splash, a quick-thinking Phoenix suplexed Tamina from the top rope.
But just when Tamina looked to have the Divas Championship within reach with a massive superkick-top rope Superfly Splash combination to The Glamazon, Phoenix kicked out of the landing and never looked back. One Glam Slam later and Phoenix retained.
For weeks, Beth Phoenix has been taunting the Divas Division on television, WWE.com and on Twitter, saying there “was no competition,” and she would be “Divas Champion forever.” (WATCH) Backing away from former friends like Natalya and taking matters into her own hands, the WWE Universe saw The Glamazon run roughshod over her opponents. That is, until Tamina Snuka elevated her game – and her place – in the Divas division.
From challenging – and beating – one of the most technically-sound Divas the WWE Universe has ever seen in Natalya, Tamina put The Glamazon on notice. And although the second-generation Diva was unable to net the butterfly in her first-ever Divas Championship Match, it certainly won’t be the last we see of Tamina Snuka.
What’s next for Divas Champion Beth Phoenix? Tune in to Raw SuperShow on USA Network at 9/8 CT for all the Elimination Chamber fallout.
Jack Swagger vs Justin Gabriel[]
Despite an extremely hard-fought effort by Justin Gabriel, United States Champion Jack Swagger successfully defended his title against the South African high-flyer in an impromptu showdown at Elimination Chamber.
Hot off his strong showing in the Elimination Chamber Wild Card Battle Royal two days earlier, Gabriel gave Swagger an intense challenge from the word go. But despite his turbo-charged attack, once his former World Heavyweight foe cinched in his dreaded ankle lock, the Cape Town competitor had no choice but to tap out.
The explosive surprise contest was created as the result of an altercation in the back during the monumental pay-per-view, in which Gabriel stood up to The All-American American and Vickie Guerrero on behalf of Hornswoggle. With earlier suggestions by Alberto Del Rio, Mark Henry and Christian that WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations and Interim Raw General Manager John Laurinaitis become the permanent GM of both Raw and SmackDown still ringing in his ears, the assertive Theodore Long wasted no time making the blockbuster encounter for the U.S. Title.
Following Jack Swagger’s conquest at Elimination Chamber, who will step up to become the next road block to the United States Champion on the Road to WrestleMania?
Results[]
- Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship: CM Punk (c) defeated Chris Jericho, Dolph Ziggler (with Vickie Guerrero), Kofi Kingston, The Miz and R-Truth
- Singles match for the WWE Divas Championship: Beth Phoenix (c) defeated Tamina Snuka
- Singles match for the WWE United States Championship: Jack Swagger (c) (with Vickie Guerrero) defeated Justin Gabriel (with Hornswoggle) by submission
Image gallery[]
