Elimination Chamber Prediction Record: Jeremy (5-0), Ricky (5-0), Tom (5-0), Josh (4-1), Brian (4-1), Rich (4-1), Caleb (4-1), James (4-1) Robb (3-2), Jordan (4-1), & Rance (1-4)
Overall Prediction Record: Brian (10-1), Rich (10-1), Ricky (9-2), Tom (9-2), Caleb (8-3), James (8-3), Josh (7-4), Jeremy (8-3), Robb (7-4), Rance (6-5), & Jordan (4-1).
Becky Lynch & Naomi vs. Natalya & Carmella
Jeremy: There is no build for this match whatsoever. I’m going to go with Becky & Naomi mainly because Carmella doesn’t get many wins. Pick: Becky Lynch & Naomi
Rich: I don’t know what to even write here. I’ll take Naomi and Becky. Pick: Becky Lynch & Naomi
James: The coin I flipped landed on Heads. Heads have (baby)faces. Pick: Becky Lynch & Naomi
Josh: Why’s this happening? Pick: Natalya & Carmella
Brian (Clive): Going with the “person wins on TV – same person loses at the upcoming PPV” formula here. Carmella and Natty to win. Pick: Natalya & Carmella
Ricky: No interest in this match and I have no analysis or basis behind my pick. Pick: Becky Lynch & Naomi
Caleb: With this card having almost no build and being an undercard affair, I fully expect the heels to win this. Pick: Natalya & Carmella
Rance: While this is a thrown together match, all four of these women (yes, including Natalya…) deserve more of a platform to show what they can do. I see this match as a showcase for Becky, who I believe is going to challenge Charlotte for the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. Pick: Becky Lynch & Naomi
Tom: I feel like I’ve seen this match a million times, and most of those times have ended with Natalya/Carmella winning after some tomfoolery…frankly, I don’t see that formula changing now. Carmella & Natalya win, probably not clean. Pick: Natalya & Carmella
Robb: This match feels haphazardly put together and really of little to no consequence. Carmella may be looking to cash in soon, so expect her to eat the pin. Pick: Becky Lynch & Naomi
Jordan: I think they are trying to make Carmella look strong right now because she has to cash in soon and they don’t want her looking weak before she becomes champion. Pick: Natalya & Carmella
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Rusev
Jeremy: Sorry Ru Ru, but it’s Nakamura Daaaaaaay! Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
Rich: Shinsuke Nakamura will have his first great PPV performance against a guy WWE is setting up for sabotage at every turn – Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
James: Nakamura needs a big final month while heading into Wrestlemania. I don’t like the idea of using Rusev as cannon fodder, but at least he could use this match to further showcase his versatility. Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
Josh: Nakamura’s “headlining” Mania. Duh. Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
Brian (Clive): A comedy match that will do neither man any good. Cheap pop match. Naka to win. Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
Ricky: Nakamura won the Rumble and why would anyone believe he’d lose here and lose any momentum heading into Mania. Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
Caleb: One of these two is challenging for the WWE Worlds Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania and the other is not. The Royal Rumble winner also wins here. Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
Rance: Rusev is in a precarious situation. He’s over and credible enough to have a match with the Royal Rumble winner, yet he’s not over or credible enough to get a sustained push. I believe the Rusev Day shtick has hurt him more than it’s helped him, because while it gets a TON of crowd involvement, it does nothing for him character wise. In fact, Aiden English is really the one garnering the heat. Anyway, this match ends the way Shinsuke matches normally do. Knee to the face. Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
Tom: I love Rusev but Nakamura needs to win here. You can’t have the rumble winner lose at the PPV before Mania. Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
Robb: Shinsuke is going to fail at ebbing off of the wave that is Rusev Day. The company is foolish to put them together, but expect a decent match.
Jordan: Shinsuke needs to keep his momentum leading into WrestleMania. But isn’t it just like WWE to put one of the most over guys in the company in a position where it makes absolutely no sense for him to win. Pick: Shinsuke Nakamura
United States Champion Bobby Roode vs. Randy Orton
Jeremy: This has been a very weird rivalry. I’m expecting Jinder interference at some point. I’m going with Orton winning by disqualification. Pick: Randy Orton
Rich: This will be a slow, boring, rest hold riddled match. Completely unexciting on all levels. These guys are feuding over Jinder Mahal and a fake list we never saw more than one release of. This is a disaster. Pick Randy Orton
James: They’ve told us that Orton has never been US Champ before. I’m betting that on that changing. Pick: Randy Orton
Josh: Screwy finish. Jinder interferes, Roode gets disqualified and retains. Pick: Randy Orton
Brian (Clive): Bobby Roode with a loss but keeps the belt. Jinder will come down and attack Randy. DQ finish. Pick: No Contest
Ricky: Roode is in the midst of a mid-card title run that will eventually lead to the main event and perhaps a title run. I don’t see him losing the title just yet, but I don’t think this will be a clean finish, I expect some sort of involvement by Jinder. Pick: Bobby Roode
Caleb: I fully expect interference from Trashbag Mahal, a non-finish, and a title retention. Pick: No Contest
Rance: I just can’t find a reason to be interested in this match. And as much as most of you may hate it, it’s because the one heater in this feud, Jinder Mahal, isn’t in it. If Jinder was in this match, there would be more interest in my opinion because we’d have a heel we’d want to see beat, instead of two sides of the same coin in Orton and Roode. Still, Roode walks into WrestleMania still the champion. Pick: Bobby Roode
Tom: I think Roode wins this one but it’s not the last time we see Roode vs Orton in some capacity for the US Title. Pick: Bobby Roode
Robb: Another odd choice here; the company made Mahal a nucleus of this feud, just for him to not be included. Expect Roode to get a win over Orton to gain some credibility heading to Wrestlemania. Pick: Bobby Roode
Jordan: I think putting Orton over is a horrible decision if WWE isn’t going to push The Glorious One into the main event picture or at the very least turn him heel. No one likes a smiling babyface Roode. Pick: Randy Orton
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Ruby Riott
Jeremy: Ruby is a very good wrestler and I could see her being a future women’s champion. However, Fastlane will not be her night. The Queen will march into Wrestlemania to face Asuka. Pick: Charlotte
Rich: A feud where the champion hasn’t done multiple jobs on tv? What is this sorcery?! I’ve got Charlotte retaining for obvious reasons. Pick: Charlotte
James: Ruby Riott and “Da Squad’s” time on the main roster has been so ineffective that a title win here would be a true shocker. Pick: Charlotte
Josh: How would Ruby Riott winning be a positive for a Wrestlemania match? It wouldn’t, easy pick. Pick: Charlotte
Brian (Clive): Can’t see them upsetting plans so close to Mania. Charlotte for the W. Pick: Charlotte
Ricky: I like Ruby Riott, but Charlotte goes into Mania as champ and doesn’t lose the title just to regain it before Mania. If it is Charlotte vs. Asuka, then a Charlotte defeat here just to win it back would take a little shine off of that potential match for me. Pick: Charlotte
Caleb: As much as I like Ruby, I buy into the rumor that Charlotte is slated to face Asuka at WrestleMania, and expect a title retention here. Pick: Charlotte
Rance: I’m very tempted to predict that Carmella is going to cash in her Money in the Bank briefcase in this match, but being that this the year of women, and WrestleMania already has 3 marquee matches for women seemingly booked (Rousey and Steph, Asuka and Alexa, and Sasha and Bayley), I see no reason why they wouldn’t go with the clash of best friends on SmackDown too, with Charlotte walking in to WrestleMania to defend her championship against Becky Lynch. Pick: Charlotte
Tom: I like Ruby Riott, she’s a really good worker, but let’s not play around here. Charlotte’s the biggest female star in WWE not named Ronda Rousey. She’s gotta walk into Mania as champion. Pick: Charlotte
Robb: No real reason for Flair to lose here, especially considering that her and Asuka is the money match at Wrestlemania. A win by tap out or a Riott Squad DQ keeps the strap on Flair. Pick: Charlotte
Jordan: I can’t imagine WWE putting Riott over, at least not clean at this point. I think Flair goes over followed by a possible heel turn that’ll lead into a program with Becky Lynch. Pick: Charlotte
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The New Day
Jeremy: This will be an awesome match, however, I believe we won’t see a finish. I’m expecting The Bludgeon Brothers to come out towards the end of the match and attack both teams causing a no contest. Pick: No Contest
Rich: The Best WWE Tag Team Rivalry of all time, yes come fight me, will resume with another great chapter. I’m all in on The Usos but I think The New Day pulls it off with a slight modification of character to set up a match at Mania that could include The Bludgeon Bros. Pick: New Day
James: The New Day could use another heel run and this would be a great time for it. Pick: New Day
Josh: Don’t take the titles off The Usos a month out from Wrestlemania. Please! This should be the match of the night. Pick: Usos
Brian (Clive): Match of the night will take place here. Usos to retain. Pick: Usos
Ricky: Usos are the best tag team in the company and they’ll finally get on the main card at Mania which is why I don’t think they’ll lose the titles. There may be some sort of Bludgeon Brothers interference leading to a potential triple threat match at Mania. Pick: Usos
Caleb: Every time we do these I take one “risk” as I call it. Every time The Usos face New Day, we get new champions. As such, I’m picking the challengers to win and become FIVE TIME FIVE TIME FIVE TIME FIVE TIME FIVE TIME WWE Tag Team Champions. Pick: New Day
Rance: These two had quite possibly the feud of the year last year, and despite both teams not supposed to be facing each other anymore, they’ve found themselves pitted against each other once again. The Usos, who are without a doubt the best tag team on the planet, and the New Day have absolutely classic matches every time. However, the looming threat in the Bludgeon Brothers will end this match prematurely, leading to a triple threat of some sorts at WrestleMania, where The Usos (and Luke Harper too) finally get their WrestleMania match. Pick: No Contest
Tom: the Usos really deserve to win here and walk into WrestleMania as champs, and I think they’re gonna do just that. Pick: Usos
Robb: The real main event, this match is going to be the cap of the best feud seen onTV in years. Or is it? I felt that the Hell in the Cell match was the true end of New Day/Usos, so, expect the Bludgeon Brothers to crash this party. Pick: No Contest
Jordan: I believe the Usos are going to retain BUT I can see this program stretching out to WrestleMania or beyond. Pick: Usos
WWE Champion AJ Styles vs. John Cena vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler (Six-Pack Challenge Match)
Jeremy: If AJ Styles doesn’t win this match I will probably throw my TV out of the window. Pick: AJ Styles
Rich: I hate everything about how this match came together. It would have been fine as a 3 way. AJ Styles will get back all the losses he’s taken. Pick: AJ Styles
James: Bait-and-switching a Styles vs Nakamura match at Wrestlemania with something else sounds like a great way to spoil the last bit of goodwill that the hardcore fans have left for WM34. Pick: AJ Styles
Josh: Should be good even if the build sucks. We all know who’s going over though. Pick: AJ Styles
Brian (Clive): Never Underestimate The Power of Corbin™. Joke. AJ for the win. Pick: AJ Styles
Ricky: Fuck you Cena, why the hell are you in this match?! Anyway, all roads surely lead to AJ vs. Nakamura so I don’t see any other winner. The real intrigue for me is what will happen between Sami and KO. Pick: AJ Styles
Caleb: I’d love to pick the guy with the most red hair in the match, but I’m more likely to successfully court Carmella than Sami Zayn is to win here. On a serious note, since Nakamura won the Royal Rumble I knew where the WWE Worlds Heavyweight Championship would end up at WrestleMania. The Phenomenal One wins here. Pick: AJ Styles
Rance: This match is a misnomer. It has been built to make the fans think that anybody can win, especially John Cena. However, there has been nor will be no other person who should and will win this match other than AJ Styles. He’s the biggest and best star on SmackDown, and he’s been headed for a collision course with Shinsuke Nakamura since their showdown at Money in the Bank. Hopefully, this match will give us some WrestleMania clarity for the forgotten four – Owens, Zayn, Ziggler, and Corbin. Pick: AJ Styles
Tom: Styles vs Nakamura is so close. As stupid as WWE is (and they are stupid), I don’t think they mess that up. Styles gets the win. Pick: AJ Styles
Robb: AJ Styles or riot. Pick: AJ Styles
Jordan: AJ needs to go over to continue his road to WrestleMania, which will end with a 1 on 1 match with Shinsuke. Pick: AJ Styles
