SmackDown’s Elimination Chamber go home match doesn’t have any stakes

WWE gave the six men competing in Raw’s Elimination Chamber match this Sunday a reason to wrestle on the last episode before the Elimination Chamber PPV. Sheamus earned the right to enter the WWE title match last by winning a Gauntlet match last night (Feb. 15).

It’s no surprise the six wrestlers in SmackDown’s Feb. 21 Elimination Chamber match will wrestle this Friday on that brand’s go home show. But it’s interesting they’re just going with a “good guys fight the bad guys” trios affair instead of giving them something to fight over.

There’s always “momentum” or “bragging rights”. Strategically speaking, everyone should be trying to stay healthy - or trying to put as much wear and tear as possible on everyone else. But they’ve got two hours to fill. They can’t have six of their top guys sit out a week.

So they’ll battle it out on Fri., Feb. 19, knowing that two days later one of them has a Universal title match with Roman Reigns to look forward to after their Elimination Chamber match.