Sunday, January 8th, 2006
Pepsi Arena
Albany, New York
Follow me on Twitter: @WorkTheNetwork2
As is often the case, the WWE production team nails the intro to the show by putting over the Elimination Chamber. Kudos also goes to the team who designed the set for the show.
Intercontinental Championship Match
Edge vs. Ric Flair
I guess this match is for the title? Edge attacks Flair as he is putting down his title and goes right on the attack. Edge uses a Lita distraction to hit a clothesline outside the ring. You can tell Edge is excited to be out here tonight working with Flair. Well, that and possibly another reason. The action once again goes outside the ring and Edge leaps off the apron, but is greeted with a chop from Flair. Flair then crotches Edge on the barricade outside the ring. Flair goes to the top rope and Flair is able to fight off both Edge and Lita, allowing him to actually hit an overhead chop off the top. Flair goes for the Figure Four, but Lita gets up on the apron. Edge comes from behind, but Flair sends him flying over the top rope. He throws Lita in and puts her in the Figure Four after some gyrations. In comes Edge and nails Flair in the head with the Money In The Bank briefcase. Flair is busted open and the bell is ringing for the disqualification. That match was actually quite a lot of fun. It was on the shorter side, allowing Flair to keep up a brisker pace.
Match Rating: *** (out of 5)
Todd Grisham is with Kurt Angle and Daivari. Angle says a bunch of controversial statements like he would like to make Jesus tap out. His point is that no matter what he says, the fans still cheer him because he's the best wrestler.
They go back to Flair who is still trying to get out of the ring.
WWE Women's Championship Match
Trish Stratus vs. Mickie James
Although there were some flaws to the story, it was so nice to have a well built women's match during this era. They have a miscue with a Mick-canrana into a powerbomb and Trish rolls out of the ring. That could have been dangerous. Mickie opens the ropes for Trish to come back in. Things start getting heated with some big forearms. Mickie gets some boots to the face and after some counters to their big moves, Trish hits a big kick to the head. Trish misses with a leaping kick through the ropes and lands hard on the mat. Mickie gets her hands on the belt and thinks about using it before giving it back to Lilian Garcia. Back in the ring, Trish hits a Lou Thesz Press and a series of right hands. Trish hits the Stratusphere and a spinebuster for a 2 count. Trish seems to be having issues with holding Mickie up when they go again, this time with Mickie hitting a Stratusfaction. Trish is able to kick out and hits the Mick Kick for the victory. The majority of the match was very entertaining, but the two miscues were a little distracting. Either way, they worked hard and had a good story to work with.
Match Rating: **1/2
Maria interviewst herself backstage until Gregory Helms walks in and says he's going to send Jerry Lawler to the hospital. Then Shelton Benjamin walks in with his mom telling him that everything is going to change.
Edge then tells Lita to deal with WWE Instant Access because he has bigger things on his mind.
Jerry Lawler vs. Gregory Helms
Helms tries to show off his new aggressive streak, but Lawler keeps getting the best of him to start. Lawler even throws in a Hurricane pose for good measure. Helms is able to gain control and works on Lawler for awhile. After blocking Lawler's counter, he clotheslines Lawler over the top rope and sends him into the ring post. Helms joins the announce team like the Rock. Back in the ring, Helms hits a missile dropkick, but Lawler avoids a charge in the corner. The strap is down and the fists start coming from Lawler. With such a light backstory coming in, the crowd is not really into this until Lawler goes for the piledriver. Helms counters it, but then Lawler crotches Hurricane on the top rope. Lawler then hits a flying fist and gets the victory. There's no better way to get over a character than to have him lose to a 57 year old.
Match Rating: **
Mickie and Trish are now in the Instant Access area and Mickie is putting the moves on Trish.
Back to Shelton's mom and she is checking out catering and isn't impressed. In walks Viscera and you can imagine. This is all a bad dream.
Big Show vs. Triple H
Show is of course wearing the huge cast on his right arm and Triple H is hesitant about getting in there with him. Big Show gets the early advantage and sends Triple H to the turnbuckle and over and out. Big Show drives Triple H into the post, but Triple H ducks a right hand and Show's injured hand hits the ring post. Triple H brings Show back in the ring and slams his cast into the post again. Triple H now is able to rip off the cast and drives his knee into Show's exposed hand. Triple H works the hand every way imaginable, but eats a forearm when he comes off the second rope. Show starts making his comeback, but is heavily selling the hand. Show signals for the chokeslam, but he can't get Triple H up and Show accidentally hits the referee with a fist to the face. Out comes the sledgehammer, but Show blocks it and then breaks the sledgehammer in half. Show then hits a big kick to the face. Show throws Triple H into the ring steps, but Show gets hit with a low blow. Triple H then takes a chair and smashes it on Show's hand. Show hits a desperate spear and both men are down outside the ring. Triple H hits Show with the sledgehammer and hits the Pedigree for the slow count victory. This was a smartly worked match with an easy story for the performers to tell. It added up to one of the better Big Show singles matches in some time.
Match Rating: ***1/4
Chris Masters is working out and in walks Carlito. Carlito points out that they are the only two in the match that have not been the WWE Champion. He says that if they work together, then one of them will be first time WWE Champs.
Shelton Benjamin vs. Viscera
Benjamin cuts a promo before and says that no one talks to his mom like that. He demands an apology, but his mom says that she doesn't need an apology and calls out Viscera. In case you are wondering, the mom angle is just as bad in 2020 as it was in 2006. Viscera embarrasses Shelton early on, but once they get back in the ring, Shelton takes out Viscera's legs. He follows up with a knee lift and then a top rope clothesline. It still makes me mad that Shelton was never really able to get over. Shelton goes for a figure four, but Viscera kicks him out of the ring. Viscera hits the Samoan drop. All the while, Shelton's mom is screaming "Do I need to get my belt?". Viscera hits an elbow drop and gets a 2 count. Viscera hits a spinning side slam and the arena is absolutely silent. Viscera does the Visagra to the disgust of Shelton's mom. Shelton fights back and gets him on the rope. His mom hits him with the purse in the head and Shelton hits a spin kick for the victory. Shelton, on behalf of all of us, we're sorry.
Match Rating: *1/4
Vince McMahon wishes Shawn Michaels luck and reminds him that no one has ever entered first in the Elimination Chamber and won. Michaels reminds Vince that no one ever entered the Royal Rumble first and won, that no one has ever competed in a ladder match and Hell In A Cell match. Vince laughs at him and tells him that if he won tonight, it would be the first time that Hell froze over.
Bra And Panties Gauntlet Match
Maria vs. Candice Michelle vs. Torrie Wilson vs. Victoria vs. Ashley
My recap will be super exciting here. Candice rips off Maria's top, but then Maria makes the heroic comeback and rips off both the tops and bottoms off of Candice. If the women are so embarrassed by getting stripped, why don't they wear less revealing undergarments? Torrie tries to do some wrestling, hitting a springboard handspring elbow. Jack Doan gets involved in a fun spot and it leads to Torrie being eliminated. Victoria makes quick work of Maria. Mae Young and Moolah come out next. Mae starts stripping and everyone just watches her do it. Victoria attacks her from behind and then Moolah grabs her by the hair. Mae starts stripping Victoria down. So this show aired back when I used to go to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch all of the pay-per-views. None of my friends were able to go to this show, so I was able to talk my girlfriend into attending and watching her first ever wrestling show. She somehow still ended up marrying me after this. Ashley comes in and quickly strips Victoria. This was as awful as my recap was.
Match Rating: 0 Stars
Shelton is backstage bragging about his win at Instant Access.
Elimination Chamber Match For The WWE Championship
Kane vs. Chris Masters vs. Carlito vs. Kurt Angle vs. John Cena vs. Shawn Michaels
Having Cena start off this year was a smart move. The field of six this year was noticeably lesser than last year's. They actually start off a little slower than you would expect and never really get much going. Carlito comes in and hits a somersault dive over the top and onto Michaels. I did not expect Carlito to be the one who brought some life to the match. Angle is the fourth man in and delivers suplexes all around. Angle throws Michaels into one of the cells and he is all bloody. Angle is able to put the Ankle Lock on Carlito, but his pep talk with Masters works out. Masters is the next man in and he makes the save. Masters goes for the Master Lock on Angle, but Angle counters and puts him in the Ankle Lock. Angle decides to go to Cena now and has him locked in. Michaels comes and hits Angle with Sweet Chin Music out of nowhere and eliminates Angle. Nearly 15 years later, that decision still surprised me. Masters and Carlito continue their partnership and in comes Kane. Kane hits chokeslams on Michaels and Cena, but when he goes for Carlito, Masters attacks from behind. They hit a double DDT on Kane, but he sits up. Masters hits the military press on Carlito onto Kane and they eliminate him? That too surprised me. I remember where this match is going, but I completely forgot that Kane only lasted a few minutes. Michaels makes his comeback and hits a top rope elbow drop on Cena. Michaels hits Sweet Chin Music on Cena, but for some reason they don't let him pin Cena. They double team Michaels and he is eliminated. They keep the double team going and Masters locks in the Master Lock on a bloody Cena. Carlito hits a low blow on Masters and eliminates him. Cena returns the favor and escapes with the victory. Before we get on to what is next, this was actually quite a bit better than I remembered it being. The outcome was obvious, but with what happens next, it made it all worth it.
Match Rating: ***3/4
As soon as the match is over, Vince McMahon's music hits and tells the crowd to not go anywhere. He raises the cage and lets everyone know that Edge is cashing in his Money In The Bank contract.
WWE Championship Match
John Cena vs. Edge
Cena is struggling to get to his feet and the bell rings. Edge goes right after Cena with blows to the head, but Cena kicks out of the pin attempts. Edge hits the Spear and again Cena kicks out. Edge hits another Spear and we have a new WWE Champion. This is obviously one of the most historic moments of my lifetime for WWE and it definitely got people talking. I didn't agree where they went with it, but you couldn't have ended a pay-per-view much better than that.
Match Rating: *
What looked to be a throwaway show, ended up being pretty entertaining. Obviously a lot of that was due to the surprise ending, but the Elimination Chamber definitely delivered here as well. Big Show had one of his better singles matches and the opener was fun. There were some really low spots, but not enough to really spoil it.
Overall Rating: 71%
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