Elimination Chamber (2019)

the logo for Elimination Chamber (2019)

**Elimination Chamber (2019)** (also known as **No Escape (2019)** in Germany) was a professional wrestling pay per view produced by War Hawks Entertainment Inc. for their SmackDown brand. It took place Sunday, February 24, 2019 from the Mobile Civic Center in Mobile AL. It was the fourth and final SmackDown exclusive pay per view of season 3. As well as the first event in the WHEI Elimination Chamber chronology and the sixteenth pay per view of season 3 overall.

## Storylines

The card consisted of matches that resulted from scripted storylines that play out on WHEI's SmackDown brand. Storylines played out on the War Hawks' weekly show on Twitch Friday Night SmackDown Live. Wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters as they built tension that lead to a match or series of matches heading into the event.

Before the Royal Rumble, SmackDown General Manager Ironman announced that 3 Elimination Chamber matches would take place at the event. He also announced that, depending on the outcome of said Rumble, as well as the battle royal equivalent for the women, the matches would either be for theWHEI Championship and SmackDown Women's Championship, A shot at the title at WrestleMania, or a combination of the two. The third Chamber match, however, would be for the Hardcore Championship.

One of the primary feuds heading into the event involved the Men's Elimination Chamber Match. With 6 Superstars all vying for a shot at the WHEI Championship at WrestleMania. At the Royal Rumble, Raw's Drew McIntyre won the Royal Rumble Match by last eliminating Bobby Roode. He would then go on to challenge the Universal Champion at WrestleMania. As this left the WHEI Champion without a challenger, Ironman announced that the men's chamber match would be to determine who would challenge him at WrestleMania. The next week, Ironman announced the chamber's participants as The Undertaker, Sami Zayn, Kenny Omega, Batista, War Hawks member Devin, and Bobby Roode. He also announced that due to being in the final 2 of the Royal Rumble, Roode would enter the chamber last.

Another primary feud heading into the event involved the Women's Elimination Chamber Match for the WHEI SmackDown Women's Championship. At the Royal Rumble, Mandy Rose defeated her Absolution teammate and leader Paige to win the title. The following SmackDown, the three celebrated in the ring and stated that since Lynch won the battle royal, she could take a month off from having to defend her championship. Ironman came out and quickly corrected her. Stating that if Lynch had to compete at the event, so would Rose, and to ensure no antics from Absolution would take place, she would defend it inside the Elimination Chamber. The next episode of SmackDown after that, her challengers were announced as Nikki Cross, Kaitlyn, Alexa Bliss, Carmella, and Angelina Love.

A secondary feud heading into the event was between Cody Rhodes and Scott Hall with the two feuding over the WHEI United States Championship. At TLC: Tables, Ladders, & Chairs, Hall was defeated by Apollo Crews, however after the match, Hall and his tag team partner Kevin Nash attacked Crews, thus turning heel in the process. After the Royal Rumble, Hall came out to challenge Cody for the US Title, Cody and the Young Bucks took exception to the Outsider's antics, saying they used to look up to them, but now they just pitied them because they were trying to relive the glory days. With that being said, Cody accepted the challenge.

Another feud heading into the event was between The War Hawks SmackDown Division (Will and Heath) and The New Day (Big E & Kofi Kingston) with the two teams feuding over the WHEI SmackDown Tag Team Championship. At TLC Will and Heath defeated Enzo and Cass to retain the championship in a tables match. The following episode of SmackDown, Big E and Kingston came out to challenge them for the titles at Elimination Chamber. The two gladly accepted stating that if they beat the longest reigning tag team champions of all time that would mark them as one of the greatest teams of all time. New Day challenged them to prove it. This lead to a 3 on 2 beat down by the 3 members of the War Hawks SmackDown Division on E and Kingston as Woods was not there at the time.

Another feud heading into the event involved the WHEI Hardcore Championship being defended inside the Elimination Chamber for the first time. With Hangman Page defending Kevin Nash, Killian Dane, Big Cass, Dolph Ziggler, and Xavier Woods. After the Royal Rumble, when Ironman announced that for the first time ever the Hardcore Championship would be defended inside the chamber, champion Page came out and stated he was excited to be defending the championship in such a historic occasion, but stated that if Ironman put himself in the chamber, he would run through him again like he did at Halloween Havoc. Ironman assured Page he had nothing to worry about, stating that if he wanted his title back he could take it at any time and there would be nothing Page could do about it. After a brief but tense staredown, Ironman announced the other participants in the match.

Another feud heading into the event was between Braun Strowman and Daniel Bryan. With the two feuding over the WHEI Championship. When Ironman announced that the chamber match would be to determine the challenger for the title at WrestleMania, new champion Strowman came out and demanded competition at the event, Ironman told him that while he was the champion, his road to WrestleMania was not guaranteed, and would also be defending his championship at the event. When asked who, he stated that Bryan would be invoking his rematch clause at the event. Later, Ironman would make the match a No Holds Barred Match as a way to punish Strowman for attempting to double dip by entering the Royal Rumble after winning the WHEI Championship, stating this wasn't LWL, you can't just get title shot after title shot because you whine and complain all the time. A not so subtle dig at LWL World Heavyweight Champion Xerios.

The final feud heading into the event was between Becky Lynch and AJ Lee, with the two feuding over Lynch's WrestleMania championship match. At the Royal Rumble, Lynch earned the right to face the women's world champion of her choosing by last eliminating Lee. Lee took exception to this, stating that Lynch didn't earn the shot and instead attacked her from behind. Lynch offered to put her title opportunity on the line against Lee at Elimination Chamber, which Lee accepted.

## Event

### Preliminary Matches

The show opened with an Elimination Chamber Match for the WHEI Hardcore Championship with Hangman Page defending against Kevin Nash, Killian Dane, Big Cass, Dolph Ziggler and Xavier Woods. Dolph Ziggler and Kevin Nash started the match. The next entrant was Big Cass, followed by Killian Dane. Woods was the next entrant out of a pod followed finally by the Champion Page. Ziggler was the first person eliminated following an East River Crossing by Cass. The next person eliminated was Woods by Dane following DDT by Cass, then Nash by the champion following a Big Boot by Cass. Next to be eliminated was Dane following an East River Crossing by Cass. In the end Page hit a Downward Spiral on Cass to win the match and retain the title.

After that was a match for the WHEI SmackDown Tag Team Championship with the War Hawks SmackDown Division (Will & Heath) (w/ Ironman) defending against the New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods). In the end after a great back and forth match between both teams in which both teams hit their respective tag team finishers, Big E hit Heath with a Big Ending to win the match and the championship for his team.

Next was a match between Becky Lynch and AJ Lee with Lynch's WrestleMania Championship match on the line. In the end despite a valiant effort by Becky, AJ locked in the Black Widow and forced her to tap out to win the match and the right to challenge for the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania.

Following that was the Elimination Chamber Match for the WHEI SmackDown Women's Championship with Mandy Rose defending against Nikki Cross, Kaitlyn, Alexa Bliss, Carmella, and Angelina Love. AJ Lee was at ringside for the match to scout her competition for WrestleMania. Nikki Cross and Angelina Love started the match. Carmella was the first person released from a pod, followed by the Champion Rose. Next out of the pod was Kaitlyn, followed finally by Alexa Bliss. Cross was the first person eliminated following a BlissDT by Alexa. Next was Angelina Love following a Spear by Kaitlyn, then Carmella following a BlissDT by Bliss. The next person eliminated was Bliss herself following an Angel's Wings by the Champion. In the end Kaitlyn hit a Spear on Rose to win the match and the championship. After the match the two former ChickBusters shook hands and pointed at the WrestleMania sign.

Then was the match for the WHEI United States Championship with Cody Rhodes defending against Scott Hall. After a brief but exciting match, Hall hit a chokeslam followed by an Outsiders Edge and pin Rhodes to win the match and the title.

The penultimate match was the No Holds Barred Match for the WHEI Championship between champion Braun Strowman and Daniel Bryan. Strowman wasted no time and squashed Bryan in less than a minute, hitting a Running Powerslam to win the match and retain the championship, securing his spot at WrestleMania

### Main event

The main event was the Elimination Chamber Match for a WHEI Championship Match at WrestleMania between The Undertaker, Sami Zayn, Kenny Omega, Batista, War Hawks member Devin, and Bobby Roode. Due to being the runner up in the Royal Rumble Match Roode would enter the match last. Devin and Kenny Omega started the match. Batista entered the match third after exiting a pod, followed soon after by Undertaker. Next person to enter the match was Sami Zayn followed by Roode. Devin was the first person eliminated following a Batista Bomb by Batista. Soon after Undertaker was eliminated in the same fashion. The next person eliminated was Bobby Roode who was forced to submit to the Koji Clutch by Sami Zayn. next was Batista following a One Winged Angel by Omega. In the end, Zayn countered an Irish Whip by Omega and hit a Helluva Kick to win the match and the right to face Strowman at WrestleMania for the Championship.