Triple H and the Undertaker booked their place in the big bouts at Wrestlemania in No Way Out.
TRIPLE H AND THE UNDERTAKER HEAD TO MANIA
Triple H will challenge WWE champion Randy Orton, and The Undertaker will face world heavyweight champion Edge at the main events of Wrestlemania XXIV after 'The Game' and 'The Phenom' both won their brand's Elimination Chamber matches at No Way Out.
Triple H was the last surviving warrior in a typically hellacious main event in Las Vegas. Having been the penultimate Superstar to enter the match Triple H had to go through all of the other five Raw Superstars to be victorious. When 'The Game' entered only Jeff Hardy remained locked in his cell.
John 'Bradshaw' Layfield was the first combatant to be eliminated after he received a Codebreaker from Chris Jericho. The irate JBL was supposed to leave the chamber immediately but instead gave a parting gift of smashing everyone in the ring with a steel chair. With four Superstars lying lifeless, a fresh Jeff Hardy then joined the battle.
At times, Umaga dominated the chamber so it was not surprising it took a Michaels Superkick, a Jericho Codebreaker, a Pedigree from Triple H and a Swanton Bomb from the top of a cell from the exuberant Hardy to eliminate the Samoan Bulldozer.
Y2J got the pin but that was the last thing he would do as Michaels Superkicked Jericho out of the bout. Seconds later friends became foes as Triple H eliminated Michaels with a Pedigree.
This left a one-on-one encounter between Triple H and Jeff Hardy. Hardy had won their last encounter at Armageddon but Triple H was not going to allow lightning to strike twice.
Somehow Hardy was able to kick out of a Pedigree 'The Game' delivered when the Intercontinental champion had missed his Swanton Bomb assault. The chair JBL had used earlier then came into play. 'The King of Kings' looked to Pedigree Hardy's face into it but he stopped the attempt with a low-blow. Hardy then planned to execute a Twist of Fate but Triple H blocked it. This gave 'The Game' the opportunity to dispatch the Pedigree onto the lying steel chair and win his third Elimination Chamber match.
Earlier in the night it became clear who would face the winner of Raw's Elimination Chamber match as the WWE champion at Wrestlemania XXIV. John Cena's hopes of regaining the WWE Championship and headlining the granddaddy of them all were crushed by a cheating Randy Orton.
Orton began dominating the match in the early going in his typically methodical manner. As the match wore on Orton thought he had an opportunity to finish Cena when he lined up an RKO. Wise to Orton's plan Cena countered the attempt with a suplex and snapped in the STFU. With the move locked in the centre of the ring it appeared Orton would tap but somehow he found the energy to reach the ropes and roll to the outside.
At this point Orton claimed to the referee his knee was too injured for him to continue and that he should be counted out. Cena realised Orton was feigning injury and as he approached 'The Legend Killer' he received a boot to the mid-section and an RKO on the floor mats for his troubles.
Orton rolled himself back into the ring hoping Cena would be counted out. It seemed to be the end for Cena but he garnered enough strength to roll in the ring at the count of 9, much to the dismay of Randy Orton. A furious WWE Champion slapped referee Mike Chioda right in the face who had no choice but to disqualify the champion. As a title can't change hands via a disqualification Orton kept hold of his belt. Cena's opportunity to become WWE champion had been stolen and the Royal Rumble winner took out his frustration on the wily champion by attacking him with an FU followed by an STFU.
Smackdown's Wrestlemania XXIV Main Event will be headlined by The Undertaker after he won his brand's Elimination Chamber match. 'The Phenom' will look to make his Wrestlemania record 16-0 at the Citrus Bowl in Florida.
In a gruelling affair The Undertaker finally dispatched Batista with a Tombstone Piledriver after countering 'The Animal's' attempts of ramming 'The Deadman' into the steel.
It was an incredible effort by both Superstars as they were the first two combatants to begin the contest. Big Daddy V was the first Superstar to be unleashed from one of the pods but his participation didn't last long. Batista eliminated Big Daddy V after the Undertaker used a DDT on the steel floor. Moments later The Great Khali entered the match. But in recent weeks the Undertaker has introduced a new submission move to his repertoire and inside the Elimination Chamber The Great Khali became the latest victim to submit to it.
As the Undertaker and Batista continued to battle, Finlay followed later by MVP then completed the set of barbarians in the match. Four shortly became three when Finlay pinned MVP after the Undertaker tossed the United States champion from the top of one of the cells with one hand.
Despite Finlay's ally Hornswoggle passing him his trusty shillelagh the Irishman's dream of headlining Wrestlemania ended when The Undertaker chokeslammed him over the top rope onto the unforgiving steel.
So the remaining two competitors were the pair who had began all of the carnage. The Undertaker and Batista resumed where they had begun albeit now battered, bruised and bloody. 'The Phenom' and 'The Animal' fought each other at last year's Wrestlemania main event but this year only one of them would have the spot. And after a Tombstone Piledriver The Undertaker began his journey to Florida.
Edge will head to Orlando as the world heavyweight champion and as The Undertaker's opponent after he successfully defended his title against Rey Mysterio. The ultimate opportunist Edge always had the advantage as the former champion Rey Mysterio bravely entered the match with a torn right bicep. Despite a 619 from the masked Superstar his inability to use his right arm meant he could not capitalise on the situation. By the time he could muster some energy to springboard off the second rope he was met by a Spear from Edge and a consequent 1-2-3.
With Mysterio battered and defeated, The Big Show made a surprise return to the WWE. The 7-foot monster announced it would only be a matter of time until he would once again be a world champion.
With Mysterio struggling to leave the Thomas & Mack Center- The Big Show believed Mysterio was stealing his limelight. Frustrated, The Big Show grabbed Mysterio right in front of his friend Floyd Mayweather, who was enjoying the WWE action at ringside. The new slim line Big Show prepared to Chokeslam Mysterio and began to goad the Boxing Champion. But before The Big Show could complete the slam Mayweather hurtled into the ring to defend his friend.
As The Big Show and Mayweather stood up toe-to-toe, The Big Show towered over arguably the World's best pound-for-pound boxer and then mocked his size by going down to his knees. Mayweather didn't take the insult lightly and introduced the former ECW Champion to a barrage of his lightning fast punches and then quickly sped out of the building. The Big Show, bleeding from his nose and mouth, began to chase Mayweather until Shane McMahon stopped and calmed down the behemoth.
The dream lives on for the legendary Ric Flair. The 16-time champion weathered an early storm to play a winning hand in Las Vegas against Mr Kennedy. Superstars across the world have submitted to Flair's figure-four leg-lock for over four decades and Mr Kennedy became the latest victim. Mr McMahon has declared the next time The Nature Boy loses he must hang up his boots but after defeating Mr Kennedy Flair vowed he would never retire!
The night in Las Vegas began as Chavo Guerrero retained his ECW Championship against former champion CM Punk using his Frog Splash from the top rope.
With Championships decided and number one contenders confirmed the Road to Wrestlemania XXIV really begins now.
