The next pay-per-view (PPV) on the WWE schedule is less than a week away, and SmackDown has added several matches to the card for their next brand-specific event - Sun., Feb. 12’s Elimination Chamber.
In the past, blue brand shows have at times gone into a PPV weekend with as few a five bouts announced. They’re taking a different tack for this one, as there are now seven matches set for SmackDown’s last major stop on the Road to WrestleMania 33. And that’s with both men’s singles belts tied up in the main event, and (as of this writing) none of the seven designated for the pre-show.
Here’s what’s on the docket for the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona:
- Bray Wyatt vs. The Miz vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin vs. AJ Styles vs. John Cena (c) in an Elimination Chamber match for the WWE World title
- Alexa Bliss vs. Naomi for the Women’s title
- American Alpha (c) vs. The Usos vs. Breezango vs. The Ascension vs. The Vaudevillains vs. Heath Slater & Rhyno in a tag turmoil match for the SmackDown tag team championship
- Nikki Bella vs. Natalya
- Randy Orton vs. Luke Harper
- Becky Lynch vs. Mickie James
- Dolph Ziggler vs. Apollo Crews & Kalisto in a two-on-one handicap match
Coming out of this, we should have a much clearer picture of SmackDown’s side of the Mania card - including who Rumble winner Randy Orton will challenge for the World title. It’s also noteworthy for the quantity of women’s matches - especially after all six women featured on this show were in one pre-show match at last month’s Royal Rumble.
What do you think of the card? What matches are you most excited about?