Elimination Chamber 2017

Elimination Chamber 2017 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event and WWE Network event produced by WWE for the SmackDown brand. It took place on February 12, 2017, at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. This was the seventh event under the Elimination Chamber chronology, and the first to be held since 2015, and the first to have three women's matches.
Eight matches were contested at the event, including one on the pre-show. In the main event, Bray Wyatt won the Elimination Chamber match to become the new WWE Champion.
==Background==
Elimination Chamber featured professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing feuds, plots, and storylines that played out on WWE's primary television programs. Wrestlers portrayed villains or heroes as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.
On the January 17, 2017 episode of SmackDown Live, commissioner Shane McMahon scheduled an Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship as the main event of Elimination Chamber. At the Royal Rumble on January 29, John Cena defeated AJ Styles to win the WWE Championship for a record thirteenth time, as well as tying Ric Flair's record of sixteen recognized world titles. The following day, Styles was added to the Elimination Chamber match. On the January 31 episode of SmackDown Live, McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan told Styles that he will eventually get a one-on-one rematch for the title, before revealing the other participants in the Elimination Chamber match: Bray Wyatt, Baron Corbin, The Miz, and Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose.
At Survivor Series, Nikki Bella was originally the captain of Team SmackDown's women's team, but before the match, she was attacked backstage and was unable to compete; Natalya, who was the team's coach, replaced Nikki in the match. On the following SmackDown, Nikki accused Carmella of being the attacker, since the two had been feuding for the few months prior, and the two faced each other at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs in a no disqualification match that Nikki won. After the match, Carmella revealed that Natalya was the attacker. For the next couple of weeks, Natalya denied the accusation until the December 20 episode, where she admitted to being the attacker due to pent up jealousy of the Bella Twins, believing they had everything handed to them. The two went back and forth at each other over the next few weeks and were involved in the six-woman tag team match at the Royal Rumble, where Nikki's team defeated Natalya's. On the January 31 episode of SmackDown Live, Daniel Bryan scheduled a match between Nikki and Natalya at Elimination Chamber.
On the January 24 episode of SmackDown Live, Naomi was set to face Natalya, but the match was canceled after Nikki Bella attacked Natalya backstage. Naomi then challenged SmackDown Women's Champion Alexa Bliss, but was denied the match by Bliss, who belittled Naomi. At the Royal Rumble, Naomi pinned Bliss in the six-woman tag team match, and then again pinned her in their tag team match on the January 31 episode of SmackDown. Afterwards on Talking Smack, Bliss was scheduled to defend the title against Naomi at Elimination Chamber.
On the December 13 episode of SmackDown Live, a battle royal to determine the number one contenders for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship was won by The Hype Bros. After the match, however, it was discovered that Zack Ryder had injured his knee and required surgery. In response, a championship four-way tag team elimination match occurred the following week between American Alpha, Heath Slater and Rhyno, The Usos, and defending champions The Wyatt Family (represented by Luke Harper and Randy Orton), where American Alpha won by last eliminating Orton to become the new champions. The Wyatt Family invoked their rematch clause for the January 10 episode, but American Alpha retained. On the January 31 episode, American Alpha made an open challenge to any tag team on the SmackDown roster. The Usos came out, followed by The Ascension, The Vaudevillians, Breezango (Fandango and Tyler Breeze), and Slater and Rhyno. A brawl ensued where American Alpha and Slater and Rhyno were the last standing. Afterwards on Talking Smack, a championship tag team turmoil match between the six teams was scheduled for Elimination Chamber.
On the December 20, 2016 episode of SmackDown, Becky Lynch, disguised as newcomer La Luchadora, defeated SmackDown Women's Champion Alexa Bliss in a non-title match when she made the champion submit to the Dis-arm-her; after the match, Lynch unmasked herself. Over the next few weeks, an unknown villainess dressed as La Luchadora began to aid Bliss in matches against Lynch, including Bliss's successful title defense in a steel cage match in the main event of the January 17 episode, where La Luchadora was unmasked as the returning Mickie James. The following week, James explained that she became forgotten due to the Women's Revolution; Lynch then came out, but was ambushed by Bliss and James. Also, on the January 24 episode of SmackDown, Naomi was set to face Natalya, but the match was canceled after Nikki Bella attacked Natalya backstage. Naomi then made an open challenge. Bliss came out, not to accept the challenge, but to belittle Naomi. All four women then competed in the six-woman tag team match at the Royal Rumble, where Lynch and Naomi's team defeated Bliss and James' team after Naomi pinned Bliss. The four were then involved in a regular tag team match on the following episode of SmackDown, where Naomi again pinned Bliss. Afterwards on Talking Smack, Bliss was scheduled to defend the SmackDown Women's Championship against Naomi at Elimination Chamber. On February 7, a match was scheduled between Lynch and James for Elimination Chamber. On that night's episode of SmackDown, the four women had a contract signing for their respective matches that ended in a brawl with Naomi and Lynch getting the upper hand.
On the December 13 episode of SmackDown, a battle royal to determine the number one contenders for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship was won by The Hype Bros. After the match, however, it was discovered that Zack Ryder had injured his knee and required surgery. In response, a championship four-way tag team elimination match occurred on the December 27 episode between American Alpha, Heath Slater and Rhyno, The Usos, and defending champions The Wyatt Family (represented by Luke Harper and Randy Orton), where American Alpha won by last eliminating Orton to become the new champions. The Wyatt Family invoked their rematch clause for the January 10 episode, but American Alpha retained. On the January 31 episode, American Alpha made an open challenge to any tag team on the SmackDown roster. The Usos came out, followed by The Ascension, The Vaudevillians, Breezango, and Slater and Rhyno. A brawl ensued where American Alpha and Slater and Rhyno were the last standing. Afterwards on Talking Smack, a championship tag team turmoil match between the six teams was scheduled for Elimination Chamber. The following week, American Alpha, Breezango, and Slater and Rhyno faced The Ascension, The Usos, and The Vaudevillians in a 12-man tag team match where Viktor of The Ascension scored the pinfall on Rhyno.
On the December 27, 2016 episode of SmackDown, Dolph Ziggler was unsuccessful in winning the WWE Championship in a triple threat match against Baron Corbin and then-champion AJ Styles. The following week, Ziggler lost to Corbin in a singles match. After the match, Corbin attempted to beat Ziggler with a chair, but Kalisto came to Ziggler's aid and Corbin backed down. Out of anger, Ziggler superkicked Kalisto, stating that he did not need Kalisto's or anyone's help. Backstage, Ziggler trashed the locker room. Apollo Crews tried talking to Ziggler, but Ziggler attacked Crews, turning heel. On the January 10 episode, Kalisto defeated Ziggler. After the match, Ziggler took out his anger on Kalisto, beating him with a chair. Crews came to Kalisto's aid, but was also hit with the chair. The following week, Ziggler appeared in the King's Court with Jerry Lawler to discuss his actions, which ended with Ziggler superkicking Lawler. On the January 24 episode, Ziggler defeated Kalisto. After the match, he again tried to beat Kalisto with a chair, but was instead attacked by Crews. Ziggler defeated Kalisto again the following week, and after the match, he tried removing Kalisto's mask, but Crews made the save. Ziggler then faced Crews on the next episode, where Crews quickly won with a roll up pin. Ziggler then attacked Crews with a chair, but was saved by Kalisto. Backstage, Ziggler claimed that he could beat both Crews and Kalisto at the same time. Daniel Bryan then scheduled Ziggler to face the two in a 2-on-1 handicap match at Elimination Chamber.
After some run-ins and the two trading barbs at one another on social media, on February 10, a match between Mojo Rawley and Curt Hawkins was scheduled for the Elimination Chamber pre-show.
==Match Preview==
Mojo Rawley vs. Curt Hawkins 	Preview
Mickie James vs. Becky Lynch 	Preview
Apollo Crews & Kalisto vs. Dolph Ziggler	Preview
Tag team turmoil match 	Preview
Nikki Bella vs. Natalya 	Preview
Randy Orton vs. Luke Harper 	Preview
Alexa Bliss vs. Naomi 	Preview
Elimination Chamber match 	Preview
==Results==
;
;
*Pre Show: Mojo Rawley defeated Curt Hawkins (7:59)
*Becky Lynch defeated Mickie James (11:34)
*Apollo Crews & Kalisto defeated Dolph Ziggler in a 2-on-1 handicap match (7:20)
*American Alpha (Chad Gable & Jason Jordan) (c) defeated The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso), The Ascension (Konnor & Viktor), The Vaudevillains (Aiden English & Simon Gotch), Breezango (Fandango & Tyler Breeze) and Heath Slater & Rhyno in a Tag Team Turmoil Match to retain the WWE Smackdown Tag Team Championship (21:05)
*Nikki Bella vs. Natalya ended in a double countout (13:15)
*Randy Orton defeated Luke Harper (17:13)
*Naomi defeated Alexa Bliss (c) to win the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship (8:18)
*Bray Wyatt defeated John Cena (c), AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, The Miz & Dean Ambrose in a Elimination Chamber match to win the WWE Championship (34:26)
==Tag Team Turmoil match==
Draw	Team 	Order	Eliminated by 	Eliminated move 	Time
1 	Heath Slater and Rhyno	3 	The Usos 	Jimmy pinned Slater after a superkick by Jey.	4:35
2 	Breezango 	1 	Heath Slater and Rhyno	Rhyno pinned Fandango after a Gore. 	6:44
3 	The Vaudevillains 	2 	Heath Slater and Rhyno	Slater pinned English after a Smash Hit. 	9:45
4 	The Usos 	4 	American Alpha 	Gable pinned Jey with a roll-up. 	15:21
5 	American Alpha (c) 	- 	Winners 	- 	21:05
6 	The Ascension 	5 	American Alpha 	Gable pinned Viktor after a Grand Amplitude. 	21:05
==Elimination Chamber match==
Eliminated	Wrestler 	Entered	Eliminated by	Method of elimination 	Time
1 	Baron Corbin 	5 	Dean Ambrose 	Schoolboy 	18:36
2 	Dean Ambrose 	3 	The Miz 	End of Days from Corbin	20:42
3 	The Miz 	6 	John Cena 	Attitude Adjustment 	22:29
4 	John Cena (c)	1 	Bray Wyatt 	Sister Abigail 	29:07
5 	AJ Styles 	2 	Bray Wyatt 	Sister Abigail 	34:26
 	Bray Wyatt 	4 	colspan="2" 	 	34:26
==Other on-screen talent==
;Commentators
*Mauro Ranallo
*John Bradshaw Layfield
*David Otunga
*Tom Phillips
*Marcelo Rodríguez - Spanish
*Carlos Cabrera - Spanish
*Calvin Knie - German
*Tim Haber - German
;Ring announcer
*Greg Hamilton
;Interviewers
*Dasha Fuentes
*Renee Young	
;Pre-show panel
*Renee Young
*Booker T
*Sam Roberts
*Carmella
*James Ellsworth
;Referees
*Ryan Tran
*Danilo Anfibio
*Rudy Charles
*Jason Ayers
*John Cone
*Rod Zapata
==See Also==
*List of WWE pay-per-view events
*World Wrestling Entertainment/Event history
*Elimination Chamber
*Event gallery
==DVD release==
* on DVD
==External links==
* Official Website
* Kickoff Show on WWE Network
* on WWE Network
* Talking Smack on WWE Network
* Kickoff Show at CAGEMATCH.net
* at CAGEMATCH.net
Category:World Wrestling Entertainment pay-per-view events
Category:2017 pay-per-view events
Category:Elimination Chamber PPV
Category:Events with Elimination Chamber matches
Category:Events with Handicap matches