The RAW Women’s Championship picture for WrestleMania came into focus tonight in the Elimination Chamber. Six women competed inside the chain-linked 16-foot tall structure. In the end, Shayna Baszler punched her ticket to face Becky Lynch in Tampa, Fla. to no surprise to literally anyone.
The match started with Natalya and Ruby Riott as the two competitors going toe to toe. The other four, Shayna Baszler, Liv Morgan, Asuka, and Sarah Logan all locked in their respective pods. The only two women that have participated in this type of match up is Morgan and Logan. They went for the inaugural Women’s Tag Team Championship last year as members of The Riott Squad. That match was won by the Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection.
Riott starts off fast with the offense. She tries to take out Nattie fast but is unable to get a three count. Riott perhaps takes too much time to taunt Morgan in her pod and Natalya gains momentum. She uses the chamber to her advantage before placing Riott in a Sharpshooter right at Morgan’s pod. Riott counters and is able to toss Natalya bouncing of Morgan’s pod.
These two continue to use the chamber itself as a weapon until the next woman enters. That woman is Sarah Logan. Logan comes in with a huge burst of energy and drop kicks Nattie who falls between Morgan’s pod and the ring post. Riott goes to get away from Logan by climbing up the chamber and those two find themselves perched on the top of Morgan’s pod.
Nattie gets back in the fray and as Riott is hanging on the side of the chamber, she removes her and hits a powerbomb. Logan follows it up with a crossbody off the top of the pod onto both competitors.
Shayna Baszler is out next. All three women were already laid out in the ring. This didn’t stop Baszler from destroying them. After a quick hit to Nattie, she puts Logan in the Kirifuda Clutch…Logan taps and is eliminated. Next is Riott. Locked in the Kirifuda Clutch, she taps out. Riott is eliminated.
Nattie is laying in an empty pod and Baszler uses the pod to her advantage. She uses the door to smash her over and over again. The Kirifuda Clutch is applied to Nattie and she taps out. So yes, we are doing it this way.
Baszler is laying in wait — alone in the ring.
As Baszler waits, she exchanges words with Asuka who is still in her pod.
Morgan is next in. She does all she can to ward off Baszler. The Queen of Spades seems to not be phased as she throws Morgan head first into the pod. Morgan somehow is still going. Baszler knocks her down in the ring, Morgan refuses to give up. If Baszler locks in the Kirifuda Clutch, this will be over I’m sure.
Baszler has Morgan in the clutch on top of the turnbuckle as she stares at Asuka. Morgan “passes out” and is eliminated.
Baszler, alone, waits for Asuka.
Asuka comes out and gets Baszler down with a hip attack, but that doesn’t phase her for too long. Asuka tries to get Baszler in the Asuka lock and does, but Baszler rolls out from the ring to cause the break. She is then slammed against the chamber and her injured wrist is the focal point using the ropes. Baszler finally gets Asuka into the Kirifuda Clutch and Asuka “passes out.”
My Thoughts:
There was no doubt Baszler was going to win this. That was written on the walls from moment one. With that being said, this match could have been amazing – but it wasn’t. They are just going to continue to allow Baszler to dominate in any type of match that has multiple competitors. She did the same thing in the Royal Rumble and in the NXT Battle Royal.
The thing of it is, this could have been booked way better and still had her win in the end. She could have been the last one to enter, allowing the rest of the women to actually put on a match. Instead, we received the Brock Lesnar treatment.
This was a wasted Elimination Chamber. For me personally, not because Baszler won, but the matter they did it. This could have been the SmackDown women, but there we have it.
We could have reached the same results (Shayna vs Becky at Mania) without this match even having to happen.
What do you think of this match? Leave your comments in the section below.
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