#8 John Cena vs. Sheamus vs. CM Punk vs. Randy Orton vs. John Morrison vs. R-Truth (Elimination Chamber 2011)
John Cena may have emerged from the 2011 Raw Elimination Chamber
Match with the opportunity to challenge for the WWE Title at
WrestleMania XXVII, but his triumph came at a price. Locked inside the
steel structure with then-King Sheamus, CM Punk, Randy Orton, John
Morrison and R-Truth, Cena rose above a brutal and potentially
career-altering battle.
With Sheamus and Morrison already engaged in combat, Orton entered
the fray like a man on fire. Cena entered the match fifth, yet before
his pod door could open, Sheamus rushed in and battered The Champ on the
inside. Cena weathered the storm and battled his way back into the
bout, but when the Viper struck with an RKO on the steel grate, things
looked bleak.
The highlight of the bout came
as both Sheamus and Morrison climbed to the top of an empty pod. The
Guru of Greatness, after dumping Sheamus to the mat, made his way to the
very center of the dome before launching himself onto The Celtic
Warrior for the three-count. Suffering a knee injury for his continued
risk-taking over the course of the match, Morrison would be eliminated
after a GTS, leaving Punk and Cena in the middle of the ring. An
Attitude Adjustment delivered on the unforgiving steel grate then
spelled the end for Punk, not to mention a WrestleMania main event for
John Cena. — ALEX GIANNINI
#7 The Undertaker vs. R-Truth vs. John Morrison vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Chris Jericho vs. CM Punk (Elimination Chamber 2010)
It seemed unfathomable that a Superstar would find a way to actually break into the
Elimination Chamber, mid-match, to influence the outcome of a bout.
Sure, outside parties had slipped weapons to their friends inside the
Chamber before, and Edge once stole Kofi Kingston’s spot in the match
before it began. But to actually sneak into the Chamber after the bell
rang? Inconceivable! Or, so we thought, until Shawn Michaels appeared
from beneath the steel grates to play Sweet Chin Music for The
Undertaker in 2010.
Before HBK emerged above ground with Ninja Turtle flair, there was
stellar Elimination Chamber action featuring a dynamic cross-section of
styles and presided over by the defending World Heavyweight Champion
Undertaker, who watched ominously from his pod until he was unleashed as
the final entrant. Once The Deadman joined the festivities, only two
combatants, John Morrison and Chris Jericho, remained. Ever the wily
veteran, Jericho avoided The Phenom like the plague, opting to seek
refuge inside a pod, before picking his spot and running The Undertaker
through the Lexan glass.
WWE’s Deadman recovered enough to chokeslam Jo-Mo onto the steel
floor and pin The Prince of Parkour, giving way to a thrilling exchange
where The Undertaker and Jericho each tried to lock in his signature
submission hold. The Undertaker eventually delivered a Last Ride, but
thanks to the intrusion by HBK, it didn’t matter. Jericho left the
Chamber the new World Heavyweight Champion. — JOHN CLAPP
