WWE Elimination Chamber
Introduction
WWE, a professional wrestling promotion with its headquarters in Connecticut, produces the WWE Elimination Chamber event. It can only be accessed via pay-per-view (PPV), Peacock, and the WWE Network livestreaming platforms. The annual February PPV, No Way Out, was replaced by the event when it was founded in 2010.
Event Concept
The idea behind the event is to have one or two main event bouts, either with championships or future potential to win championships, contested within the Elimination Chamber. Before the creation of the event bearing the same name in 2010, the Elimination Chamber match itself was developed in 2002 and competed in a number of other WWE pay-per-views.
WWE Network Impact
Since the WWE Network launched the following day, all PPV events have aired on both PPV and livestreamed on the WWE Network, making the 2014 event noteworthy as WWE’s last event to air entirely via traditional PPV channels. Fastlane took up the February date of the tournament the following year, and the 2015 Elimination Chamber took place in May.
Evolution and Changes
The first-ever tag team Elimination Chamber bout took place at that year’s event. The event was cancelled in 2016, but it was rescheduled in 2017 with a new look for the Chamber. Also, the event was moved back to the February PPV time slot. The inaugural women’s version of the match, which was once reserved for male wrestlers, was showcased at the 2018 event.
Brand Split
Before the initial brand split ended in August 2011, wrestlers from the Raw and SmackDown brands fought in the events held in 2010 and 2011 to correspond with the brand expansion. With the resumption of the brand split in the middle of 2016, only SmackDown wrestlers were allowed to compete in the 2017 event. The 2018 event was then Raw-exclusive and the last Raw-branded pay-per-view of the second brand split, as WWE discontinued hosting brand-exclusive pay-per-views after WrestleMania 34.
