2 Rising WWE Stars Punch Tickets To The Elimination Chamber

The first Elimination Chamber qualifying match of the night featured Kiana James, Charlotte Flair, and Nia Jax. James took her share of punishment from both former WWE Women’s Champions, but continued to show a great deal of resiliency. After not receiving much of a pop during her entrance, the crowd really started getting behind her, especially after she delivered a Samoan Drop to Jax.

It felt as though the matchup would come down to Flair and Jax, as James was down at ringside. Flair reversed a second rope Samoan Drop attempt from Jax with a powerbomb and locked in a figure eight submission. James was able to take advantage by sliding back into the ring under Flair, securing an unexpected pinfall.

It was not a perfect night for James, as she was involved in a botched kick-out attempt, but it was a solid showing overall. She is getting better with each outing, which makes sense based on the statement she made following the win.

Wanna know what I was doing ringside all these months? I was studying, calculating my next move.

The momentum she built at the WWE Royal Rumble has now turned into an opportunity at the Chamber.

Trick Williams: Let’s Talk About It

The second Elimination Chamber qualifying match featured Trick Williams against his former friend and current United States Champion, Carmelo Hayes, along with the former World Heavyweight Champion, Damian Priest. Williams briefly tried to revive the Trick Melo Gang team and take out Priest to begin the match, but Priest shut that idea down with a double clothesline.

Williams gained momentum over Hayes after some back-and-forth action and had him set up for a Superplex. Priest, who had been out after being thrown on the announce table, re-entered the ring and countered the attempt by Williams with a Razor’s Edge. Williams kicked out of the ensuing pin attempt by Priest, who would then be hit by a Nothing But Net from Hayes. Hayes went for the pin on Priest, but Williams would break up the near fall, leaving all three men down in the middle of the ring.

The match concluded after two Trick Shots from Williams to Priest. The first shot sent Hayes flying over the top rope, as Priest had him up for the Razor’s Edge. Williams then delivered the second one to a staggered Priest and punched his ticket to Chicago for the chamber match.

The chants of “Whoop That Trick” reigned over the Fort Lauderdale crowd, which has become a common occurrence for whatever WWE arena he steps into. The star power is clearly there, and Williams is not afraid to talk about it either.

End Of My WWE Rant

Both decisions in the chamber qualifying matches were probably the correct ones. James was shocking to me at first, but the more I thought about it, the more sense it made. The match already has Tiffany Stratton, Rhea Ripley, Alexa Bliss, and Asuka, all former champions. The Chamber is usually a spot where WWE showcases at least one up-and-coming star, and James was the only one who fit that bill.

On the men’s side, Williams was the obvious choice. There is just too much momentum and potential to have kept him out of the Elimination Chamber. Williams now joins a field that features two former WWE champs, Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes, a competitor who’s looking to break through fully in L.A. Knight, and another young rising star, Je’Von Evans.

There is now one more spot to fill in both chamber matches. Iyo Sky, Raquel Rodriguez, and Kairi Sane will battle on the women’s side, while Bronson Reed, Jey Uso, and “The Original” El Grande Americano are in action for the men. The matches will take place this coming Monday on Raw from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.