Elimination Chamber 2018 Card & News
WWE and Monday Night Raw present Elimination Chamber on February 25, 2018 live from Las Vegas, Nevada. It will air on pay per view and on the WWE Network at 8:00 PM EST/7:00 PM CST. This is the card thus far:
Men’s Elimination Chamber and #1 Contender for Universal Title Match
Braun Strowman vs. Elias vs. John Cena vs. The Miz vs. Roman Reigns vs. Finn Balor or Matt Hardy or Apollo Crews or Bray Wyatt
Inaugural Women’s Elimination Chamber WWE Raw Women’s Title Match
Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley vs. Mandy Rose vs. Sonya Deville vs. Mickie James
Asuka vs. Nia Jax
Jason Jordan will likely miss WrestleMania 34 according to PWInsider. Jason was suffering from neck or back issues and his being sent home by Kurt Angle on Raw was to mask the ailment or ailments. He’s been pulled from house shows and and television tapings until he recovers. Jason underwent surgery and WWE released a statement that confirmed that he had surgery, as well as the diagnosis:
“He had an injury to a disc in his neck which resulted in significant pain that was refractory to all conservative measures,” WWE Medical Director Dr. Joseph Maroon said. “It was decided to do a minimally invasive operation to decompress the nerve, to allow it to heal. The procedure Jordan underwent is called a minimally invasive posterior cervical microdiscectomy. It is not known just how long Jordan will be out of action.” With Jason out, it seems that Seth Rollins will be out of play for the Elimination Chamber since it was supposed to be the foundation for a match between the two at WrestleMania, according to Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Fastlane 2018 card
The main event for SmackDown’s PPV, Fastlane, will be held March 11, 2018 in Columbus, Ohio and will air on pay per view and on the WWE Network at 8:00 PM EST/7:00 PM CST. This is the card thus far:
Fatal Four Way SmackDown Championship Match
AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and the winner of a match between Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler.
It’s speculated that Bobby Roode and Randy Orton will square off for the United States Title.
Kenny Omega coming to WWE!?
Kenny Omega may be coming to WWE next year. According to Dave Meltzer, The Cleaner is most likely going to remain in NJPW for the rest of 2018 but he could come to the WWE after his deal ends. Dave did wisely echo the concern that he may not fit in with WWE and may be better off in NJPW.
Where’s Kane?
Kane has been written off of WWE Television for the near future. It’s unclear if it’s part of the storyline from the events of the Royal Rumble or if Kane (Glen Jacobs) is taking time off for his mayoral campaign in Tennessee.
Luke Harper’s movie debut
Luke Harper will his big screen debut in the action horror movie Mohawk next month. The movie centers around a young female Mohawk who’s on the run from a band of soldiers after someone from her tribe set their camp on fire.
Ronda Rousey contract news
Triple H confirmed that the final details are still being hashed out contractually with Ronda Rousey. Ronda debuted at the conclusion of The Royal Rumble after months of speculation. Her status in MMA and UFC is still unknown, especially since she said she was leaving the door open for a return. It’s possible that Ronda’s seven-year deal may be similar to Brock Lesnar’s contract in that she may be able to fight in the octagon at times.
Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey 3 in WWE!? Paige VanZant coming to WWE?
Former UFC & StrikeForce Women’s Bantamweight Champion, Miesha Tate, said she is open to joining the WWE during a SiriusXM interview. Her rivalry in and out the ring with Ronda Rousey is well documented and she addressed it with the following statement: “That’s one thing I’ve always had in my favor is that I’ve always been able to be the bigger person, like get over it. I’m never going to like Ronda but I don’t hate her. I don’t have to be unprofessional. I could sit in the same room with her. I could put it aside, I can be professional so I know I could get the job done, but I wouldn’t want to have to hang out with Ronda and work on choreography and act like we don’t like each other cause that’s not the case.” There hasn’t been any talk but it’s certainly on the radar. Such a move would be further down the road given that Miesha is expecting a daughter. The idea has also crossed the mind of UFC star Paige VanZant, which she indicated in an interview with TMZ Sports last month regarding post career plan possibilities.
Samoa Joe returning early?
According to Dave Meltzer, Samoa Joe is said to be making excellent progress towards recovering from the foot injury that caused him to miss the Royal Rumble. Joe hasn’t wrestled since New Year’s Day on Raw and was expected to out anywhere from 6-10 weeks. Assuming things go as planned, The Destroyer will return in 4 1/2 weeks instead.
John Cena to author children’s book
John Cena took to Twitter to announce that he will author his first children’s book. The title is Elbow Grease. The book is slated to hit shelves in October and will be published by Random House.
Tye Dillinger is not to be cheered?
Tye Dillinger has been MIA since the Royal Rumble and according to Dave Meltzer, the reason is said to be due to the company not liking the crowd chanting “10” because it’s annoying. Here’s Dave’s take: “Dillinger is just a guy on the brand that works prelims and they put him at number 10 and it makes for a cute minute for people to chant 10, which they don’t even want people to chant anyway. That’s why they keep him off TV so much because they don’t want people chanting 10. So the whole thing is completely stupid.”
Brock Lesnar vs. Mark Hunt 2?
Brock Lesnar’s contract expires after WrestleMania 34 and he’s expected to return to UFC at some point this year. Clauses in his contract could keep him for as long as August. Brock was called out by Jon Jones after his win over Daniel Cormier, which was overturned due to his testing positive for banned substances. Jon was and still is indefinitely suspended. Brock was suspended for steroids and stripped of his victory over Mark Hunt at UFC 200. Hunt, who filed a lawsuit against UFC over the matter, blasted Dana White and Brock in a prefight interview for Saturday’s UFC 221. “He shouldn’t be fighting, he’s just a cheater,” Hunt told Submission Radio. “It just goes to show the credibility when a guy like Brock Lesnar’s coming back, so it’s all about money. You don’t really care about the fighters at all. We’re setting a bad example. It’s pathetic, that’s all I can say. He’s a bum.” Brock’s plans figure into how to reintroduce the re-signed Bobby Lashley. Lashley and Brock are expected to feud after WrestleMania.
Tyler Bate in the doghouse?
Tyler Bate and WWE Management may be at odds according to Dave Meltzer. The possible contention, which has seen him lose four straight matches, is said to stem from him not being able to perform on a tour with the main roster due to other commitments made in the indy circuit.
Impact Knockout coming to WWE?
According to a report from Squared Circle Sirens, former Impact Wrestling Knockout, MJ Jenkins has been invited to this week’s WWE Performance Center tryout.
Latin American NXT Tournament?
According to a report from Planeta Wrestling, WWE is planning a Latin American Tournament this summer that would air exclusively on the WWE Network. William Regal quickly took to Twitter to dispute the report but that’s not to say that plans wouldn’t change. The same report also said that Rey Mysterio will return to the WWE and will have a role in the tournament.
NXT Takeover: New Orleans to be Johnny Gargano’s farewell?
NXT Takeover: New Orleans is slated to see Johnny Gargano square off against Tommaso Ciampa according to Dave Meltzer. Ciampa stunned everyone by attacking Gargano after the classic title match at NXT Takeover: Philadelphia. The match is said to be the sendoff for Johnny as he’s expected to be headed to the main roster. The match is planned to be unsanctioned.
Where’s Lars Sullivan?
Lars Sullivan has been absent from NXT due to a knee injury and an undisclosed “health issue” according to an official report. He’s expected to return by next week at the latest
