Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Vito 22
Another possible idea (not one I'd do, but just brainstorming) would be to have Miz or Ziggler win the WWE Title at the Chamber. Presumably, Jericho would get eliminated by Punk and Jericho would get some revenge before he leaves, setting up the title change and their WM match. Sheamus would then elect to challenge the Raw champion. Jericho/Punk is a big enough match that the WWE Title wouldn't be necessary per se.
I don't want this to happen, because again a 1 month title reign for either Miz or Ziggler would accomplish nothing. It'd also basically guarantee Orton is in the World Heavyweight Title match since there'd be no other faces left on the SmackDown side. But I wouldn't put it past WWE to throw a curveball like that, it's been a few years since the Rumble winner decided to challenge the other brand's champion.
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This is exactly what I see happening. At Elimination Chamber, I could see the last three guys in the RAW Chamber being Punk, Miz and Jericho. Punk hits the GTS on Jericho and eliminates him, which pisses off Jericho, who then nails Punk with a sneaky Codebreaker, allowing The Miz to get the pin and capture his second WWE Championship.
This sets up:
a) The Miz vs. Sheamus for the WWE Championship, which I think would give a lot of people backstage a boner. The Miz and Sheamus are both great at public appearances, and could hype a title match between each other like nobody's business. It won't be the most personal match on the WrestleMania card, and would simply be Sheamus calling The Miz as "horse's arse that talks too much" and The Miz claiming to be the champion the WWE needs to move forward, but with The Rock vs. John Cena confirmed, this is a pretty sizable WWE Title match that could further cement the main event status of both Miz and Sheamus.
b) CM Punk vs. Chris Jericho, which will be an amazing in-ring exhibition, but really doesn't need the WWE Title. Jericho understands that he doesn't need to be in the title picture anymore, and Punk is smart enough to understand that being a babyface and chasing after being screwed out of what is rightfully yours is not exactly bad for his momentum as a babyface. Punk vs. Jericho is at the stage where it could be seen as a "main event" without a title in there, and it seems to fit Jericho's failure at the Rumble. If he fails at Elimination Chamber, a bitter Jericho can look to show the world he still has it.
Meanwhile, I think that Randy Orton is a logical choice to challenge Daniel Bryan for the World Heavyweight Championship. There is money on Bryan constantly escaping with the World Heavyweight Title, and he can basically ensure the best match possible out of whoever dethrones him. That being said, I can't see the Orton/Barrett stuff being done. Yeah, Barrett could appear in Money in the Bank, or we might even get Wade vs. Orton for the WHC; but I think the best way to go is a Triple Threat between the guys. Yeah, they've done three Triple Threats for the WHC at Mania in the title's ten year history, but they could shake the match up a bit. They could have an elimination stipulation, which I think could actually be a nice way to have Bryan retain the title at Mania (I think his heel reign could really have legs, and could set up a more personal feud for the WHC).
My ideal booking would be for Orton to eliminate Barrett with an RKO, and then Barrett helps Bryan retain. Yeah, it'd be so similar to the Jericho/Punk/Miz stuff, but it makes sense, and would lead to Orton vs. Barrett in some sort of Extreme Rules Match at the next PPV (or perhaps another Falls Count Anywhere Match to play off that being the match that Barrett took out Orton in), while Bryan is all "YES! YES! YES! I'm the best!" before Big Show or someone challenges him. Or maybe a returning babyface Mark Henry? Or even a babyface Christian? Yeah, let's go with this:
* Daniel Bryan retains in the Elimination Chamber by being super-sneaky, despite everyone thinking he will lose.
* Sheamus beats some heel to build momentum for WrestleMania. Let's go with Drew McIntyre, who is still trying to prove he belongs on the SmackDown! roster. Hell, throw in Hunico and Jinder Mahal to make it a Gauntlet test for Sheamus, of sorts.
* The Miz wins the WWE Title in the main event due to Jericho taking out CM Punk after being eliminated.
* Sheamus chooses to face The Miz for the WWE Title. Both men go on talk shows to talk about how they're the new top dogs.
* Daniel Bryan is all "YES! YES! YES! I don't have an opponent!" so Theodore Long announces some sort of two-week tournament to decide who faces Bryan. Shenanigans ensure, and Orton and Barrett both end up as Bryan's opponents.
* At WrestleMania, Orton pins Wade Barrett to eliminate him from the Triple Threat Elimination Match. It's down to Bryan and Orton, so Bryan gets himself purposely disqualified. Theodore Long comes out and says "Hold on a minute, playa. This ain't goin' down at WrestleMania, ya feel me? We're going to continue this match... and it's going to be No Disqualification! Holla, holla, holla!" Bryan shits himself, but just as it looks like Orton is about to win, Wade Barrett takes him out with a steel chair shot to the back. Bryan then pins Orton and makes it through the biggest show of the year with his World Heavyweight Championship.
* Sheamus Brogue Kicks The Miz and becomes the WWE Champion at WrestleMania for the third time in his career (but his first reign as a babyface).
* At Extreme Rules, we get Sheamus defending the WWE Championship against The Miz in an Extreme Rules Match; Daniel Bryan defending the World Heavyweight Title against Christian in a Ladder Match; some sort of multi-man match featuring John Cena, Alberto Del Rio, Kane, R-Truth and other main eventers to decide a #1 Contender for the WWE Title; Randy Orton facing Wade Barrett in a Falls Count Anywhere Match; Mick Foley and Dolph Ziggler battling in a Hardcore Match with Ziggler's MITB briefcase on the line (Ziggler wins MITB at WrestleMania and is forced to put his title shot on the line against Foley); and Kharma killing Beth Phoenix in an Extreme Rules Match.
* Bryan retains his World Heavyweight Title against Christian and Sheamus remains the WWE Champion. Dolph Ziggler cashes in, however, having a career night defeating both Foley and Sheamus in one night to become the WWE Champion. Meanwhile, John Cena is the #1 Contender for the WWE Title. Over the Limit sees Orton get "one last shot" at the World Heavyweight Title, after he is drafted to RAW and Bryan thinks he doesn't need to defend against him anymore. Cena faces Ziggler, while Sheamus battles Jack Swagger to build momentum back to the WWE Title picture. Either Ziggler or Cena is drafted to SmackDown! (with Supershows it doesn't really matter if Cena is officially SmackDown! or not), and there's the hyped possibility of the WWE Title and World Heavyweight Title switching brands.