The Women’s Elimination Chamber match, crowning the first Tag Team Champions, will kick us off tonight.
Carmella and Naomi did Naomi’s usual entrance together.
There’s a fan sitting ringside dressed in full Consquistador attire. You gotta love it.
Sasha Banks and Bayley started out with Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose, who were being billed as Fire & Desire. They battled back and forth. Banks hit a bodypress to the outside on everyone. Just as Banks and Bayley gained control, The Riott Squad were released from their pod. They sent Banks into their pod, going after Banks’ shoulder.
The Squad faced off with Rose and Deville, then began brawling in the center of the ring. Liv Morgan dropped Deville with a hard right hand. Deville responded with a big kick to Carmelace and they both went down. Bayley returned to the scene, wiping everyone out with suplexes. The crowd in Houston loved it. No sign of Banks as they set up a Tower of Doom spot. Real entertaining stuff thus far.
The next team released from a pod are the IIconics. They tried to pin everyone but failed each time. The IIconics controlled the ring until Banks finally returned to save Bayley from a pinfall. The IIconics looked great as they worked over everyone.
Next out was Carmella and Naomi, so they are leaving Nia and Tamina for last to come out like monsters. Carmella hit a rana on Billie Kaye into the cage. Everyone battled. All sorts of big spots and near falls, way too much to recap. It ended up with everyone down and Naomi finally confronting Mandy in the middle of the ring. They battled. Naomi hit the Rear View on Mandy but was double-pinned by the IIonics and that was it for Naomi and Carmella. Five teams left.
Unfortunately for the IIconics, everyone surrounded them. They knew they were doomed so they tried to get everyone to align with them against Tamina and Nia, who were the last team released. Jax and Tamina destroyed everyone. The IIconics ran back into a pod and locked themselves in. Tamina and Nia forced themselves in, dragged them out by their hair and began flinging them into the cage. That was great! They killed the IIconics with double Samoan Drops and that was it for them, although the IIconics were great in their roles here.
The Riott Squad took out Nia and tried to pin Tamina but Nia broke it up. Deville and Mandy tried to take advantage but couldn’t score a pinfall. Banks and Bayley took control but once Nia and Tamina recovered to their feet, they wiped them out with clotheslines. The Riott Squad went to the top of a pod and hit stereo bodypresses down on everyone, which popped the live house. Nia chased Morgan to the top rope and hit her with a Samoan Drop off the ropes. Tamina hit the Superfly Splash on both Morgan and Logan, eliminating the Riott Squad. Then, there were three.
Nia charged Bayley, who sidestepped her, and Nia exploded into the pod, knocking her out. It looked spectacular as hell. Everyone focused on working on Tamina, four to one. They all dove on Tamina and scored the pin, eliminating the team.
It’s down to the same teams that started the Chamber. The crowd began chanting Yes! Great booking. Lots of near falls and saves at the last second. Rose climbed to the top of one of the pods. Banks and Bayley followed, putting them in the same scenario where Banks turned on Bayley last year.
Deville followed up but was kicked down by Bayley. Bayley came down but was driven into the pod’s support and was hurt. Banks checked on her but was attacked. Mandy smashed her bad shoulder into the post and then hit a Jay-Driller on Banks, who kicked up at the last second. Deville went to spear Banks but she moved and wiped out her own partner. Oops! Banks locked on the Bank Statement but the story was her injured shoulder made her too weak to lock it in. She used her foot to cinch the hold instead and Deville tapped!
Banks and Bayley win!
If there was a team who deserved the belts first, this was it. This was a hell of a story and hell of a match. There was a lot of talk this was going to close the PPV tonight and given the quality of the match and the ride they took the audience on, it deserved to do so. It was rough in a few moments but everyone really played their roles well. Deville and Rose had one of their best showings to date in the company.
Banks and Sasha were both crying as the crowd chanted for them after the match during an interview. Banks said that if the fans only knew how hard they fought to be here as champions. Banks said they were here for a purpose and said there would be more changes to come. If those changes bring more matches like this, bring it on.
