Live Reactions – Elimination Chamber 2015 – First Ever Intercontinental Championship Chamber Match

The second Elimination Chamber match is coming up next.  Former Intercontinental Champion Daniel Bryan is at ringside to present the title to the new champion.  As noted, Rusev is out with a broken foot and we find out right away with the first entry who his replacement is as Mark Henry makes his way to the ring and is locked in a pod.  Sheamus comes out next, so he won’t be starting out the match either.  R-Truth is the third one to come out, so he’ll be in a pod as well.  Ryback is the last one to be locked in a pod, meaning Dolph Ziggler will start the match off against King Barrett.

A series of near falls between Barrett and Ziggler to start off the match.  Barrett slams Ziggler face first into the corner and delivers a Snap Suplex for a near fall.  Barrett works Ziggler over in the corner, punches to the kidneys and abdominals.  Barrett props Ziggler up, laying him out across the top turnbuckle and clubs him repeatedly over the back and then gets a running start and punts him in the gut.  Barrett with a Reverse Chinlock wear down / catch your breath hold.  Ziggler counters out with a Jawbreaker.  Outstanding Dropkick from Ziggler.  Follows it up with a Neckbreaker and a big Elbow Drop for a near fall.  The fight goes out of the ring where Barrett slams Ziggler into the side of Ryback’s pod and badmouths Ryback. Ryback responds that he will “Eat Your Ass Alive” to Barrett.  Barrett slams Ziggler into the chains and the countdown winds down and Barrett retreats to the middle of the ring to await the new entrant.

R-Truth’s pod opens and Barrett is there to ambush him and beat him down in the pod.  Barrett slams Truth up against the inside of the pod a few times.  Truth gets one kick in and Barrett beats him down again.  Barrett takes Truth out of the pod and slams him into the chains.  Barrett goes back after Ziggler.  Ziggler kicks him in the gut.  Barrett knocks Ziggler back down with a Big Boot.  Lawler calls Barrett Snuffleupagus Face.  Truth gets in a kick to Barrett’s nose and a Missile Dropkick for a near fall.  Truth with a Front Suplex, but Barrett lands on his knees instead of taking the move.  Truth follows up with an Axe Kick and Barrett rolls over to the corner.  Truth with a Flying Lariat into the corner and goes for something else, but Barrett counters into the Winds of Change for a near fall.  Barrett kicks Ziggler in the gut and then a kick to the jaw with Ziggler down on his knees.  Barrett makes the cover, but Ziggler kicks out.  Barrett throws ZIggler out over the top rope, but Ziggler hangs on to keep from crashing to the steel grate.  Barrett rams Ziggler into Henry’s pod and pod breaks.  Henry is standing in a broken pod and decides to enter the match early.  Henry takes the fight to Barrett and hits an Atomic Leg Drop and covers him, but Barrett kicks out.

Countdown winds down and Ryback enters and it seems like Henry is gonna be allowed to stay in, so that’s four fewer minutes that this match is going to go on waiting for the last entrant.  Ryback and Sheamus are gonna enter ahead of schedule as a result as well it seems.  Ryback is hitting anything that moves and follows Barrett into a corner with a Clothesline and then follows up with a Spinebuster.  Ryback is thrown out.  Barrett goes for the Winds of Change on Ziggler, but Ziggler counters into a Crucifix Pin Combination and Mark Henry stands by watching as Barrett gets the upper hand and covers Ziggler, but then breaks it up and beats down Barrett in the corner.  Barrett fires back with some Knee Strikes and then goes for the Bull Hammer, but Dolph cuts him off with a Superkick.  Ryback hoists Barrett up and drops him Snake Eyes on the corner and Barrett stumbles into the Lie Detector from Truth who pins Barrett for the three count and King Barrett is the first one eliminated.  The remaining four men square off as Sheamus waits in his pod.  Ryback and Ziggler fight in one corner while Truth and Henry fight in the opposite corner.  Ryback charges over and Splashes Henry and Truth in the corner.

Countdown winds down and Sheamus is supposed to be released, but his pod is stuck and won’t open.  Ziggler and Ryback watch and wait for Sheamus until Truth rolls up Ryback for a near fall.  Ziggler then rolls up Truth.  Ryback rolls up Ziggler, nobody gets pinned.  Now they triple team Henry and Sheamus is still in his pod.  Superkick and a Spinebuster on Henry and then Ryback Clotheslines Ziggler.  Ryback hits Truth with the Shellshock and pins him for the three count.  Ryback with a Hesitation Suplex on Dolph.  Long one.  Really long one.  Has time to stop and talk to Sheamus.  Then finally drops him.  Ryback sets up for the Meat Hook Clothesline as Ziggler stumbles up, but Ryback runs into a Superkick.  Henry, Ziggler and Ryabck down for a breather.  Sheamus still unable to exit his pod.  Sheamus unjams the pod, which he had jammed in there to keep himself locked in his pod, revealing why the pod wouldn’t open, but the announce team thinks he used it to pick the lock somehow.  Sheamus slams Ziggler through one of the sides of the pod.  Sheamus dumps Ryback out to the steel floor.  Bodyslam on Sheamus from Henry, but Sheamus kicks out of the pin attempt.  Sheamus knocks Henry out with the Brogue Kick and covers him for the three count.

Sheamus, Ziggler and Ryback are the last three left and Sheamus is the only one standing.  He works Ryback over and slams him into the chain wall a few times.  Now he puts Dolph back into the ring.  Sheamus pummels Dolph and hits a Short-arm Clothesline.  Shoves Ziggler around with his boot a few times and now Dolph fires back.  Sheamus with a Suplex Toss on Ziggler and covers him, but Ziggler kicks out for a near fall.  Another Suplex Toss, but it’s countered into a rollup for a near fall.  Back Body Drop countered into another pin by Ziggler for a near fall.  Ziggler goes for a Snap DDT, but Sheamus blocks it.  Ziggler bounces back and hits it on the second try and covers him for a near fall.  Ryback now back in and goes for a Powerbomb on Ziggler, but Ziggler slips free down the back and hits a Superkick.  Ziggler ducks a Brogue and hits the Fameasser, but Sheamus no sells it and comes right back up and hits the Brogue Kick and covers Dolph for the three count.

Sheamus and Ryback are the final two left in this match.  Sheamus with a Running Knee to the gut.  Follows up with a Running Powerslam that he only runs about half a step for and covers him for a near fall.  Sheamus slaps Ryback around and yells a bit, then points out to Daniel Bryan and the title.  Ryback back up, knocks Sheamus down with a series of Shoulder Blocks and a Slam.  Ryback with a Running Powerslam on Sheamus and he at least took a step and a half on his.  Ryback calling for the Meat Hook.  Sheamus drops down and rolls out of the ring.  Sheamus does something with his pod and cross necklace again.  It’s jammed back in the door, locking the pod.  Must have something to do with the finish of the match.  White Noise on the steel floor of the chamber.  Back in the ring, Sheamus covers Ryback for a near fall.  12 Beats of the Bourin countered as Ryback pulls Sheamus over him into a Hip Toss on the steel.  Sheamus with a Rolling Bodyslam.  Goes for the Brogue Kick, but Ryback drops down and catches him and Powerbombs him into the side of the cage and then Powerbomb throws him back into the ring.  Ryback back in with the Shellshock and covers Sheamus for the three count.

Ryback is the NEW Intercontinental Champion.  I was thinking the more Sheamus played around with that necklace, he was going to use it in the finish to win the title, but Ryback comes away with his first championship in WWE.  Daniel Bryan now comes into the ring as the Chamber is lifted up and Bryan congratulates “The Ryback” and presents him with the title, giving him the rub from a guy that’s more over than he is.  Ryback thanks him and calls him an inspiration and accepts the title.  The two lead the crowd in Feed Me More Chants together before Bryan exits and gives Ryback his moment to celebrate alone.