But for the better part of the last 12 years, there has been one institution of WWE PPV that most fans have looked forward to as one of the highlights of the year...that is, until the front office at Stamford, CT opted to do away with it for this year's docket.
The Elimination Chamber.
Now, whether the abandonment of the concept is permanent or more of a temporary trial run remains to be seen. However, for now, February's showcase has been removed and replaced with a PPV entitled "WWE Fast Lane" (unsure if this show will have a premise or if it's just another anonymous speed bump in the "Road To Wrestlemania").
In commemoration of the stipulation that produced some of the most brutal and subsequently entertaining matches of the last decade, I have gone backward through various eras and initiated the inevitable speculation...How would a match, specifically one of the Elimination Chamber's nature, unfold between six of the most iconic names of their respective generations?
To preface this entry, I'll submit for your consideration that each era in WWF/E has spanned roughly a five year period--beginning with the "Golden Era" as many know it at the advent of the Slam Heard 'Round The World at Wrestlemania III and going forward from there:
-Golden Era (Circa March 1987-September 1992)
*The second most-celebrated era in WWF/E, with a rich plethora of characters, mostly enjoyable (and sometimes questionable) gimmicks, spanning from Hogan slamming Andre to Bret Hart dethroning Ric Flair carrying the torch into...
-The New Generation Era (Circa September 1992-March 1997)
*An awkward time of uncertainty for WWF. Still facing a healthy dose of competition from WCW (and not looking all that favorable in the public eye), The Federation did the best they could with the resources they had and were able to survive thanks in large part to dedicated workers like Bret Hart Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker and later, Stone Cold Steve Austin, whose incredible in-ring performances carried them into a flourish with...
-The Attitude Era (Circa March 1997-April 2002)
*Most recognize the official conclusion of the Attitude Era as WM X-7 in April 2001 or WWE vs. Alliance at Survivor Series that November; HOWEVER, the last throes of "Attitude" didn't wane until after Wrestlemania X-8 when the era finally gave way to the dawn of....
-The Brand Extension, aka "Ruthless Aggression" Era (Circa April 2002-June 2007)
*Upon inheriting most of WCW's locker room, WWE had far too much talent to go around one roster and thus had to make each superstar exclusive property of either Monday Night RAW or Friday Night Smackdown. Wanting to light a fire under superstars hoping to get noticed, Vince McMahon pushed a brand new initiative in July 2002 and several superstars took it to heart, most notably Jeff Hardy, who with The Undertaker produced what is still one of the greatest WWE title matches in RAW history. A rich five years that saw young names rise to prominence, old names that had been passed over numerous times finally get rightly deserved recognition and names that first emerged in the Attitude Era take the reigns as leaders of the company. This era has a tragic ending with the events following the Benoit incident (no need to delve into that issue again), which coerced WWE into dialing back the aggression, cutting down on the use of blood and smoothing the edges of some of their more violent scenes and stipulations, leading to...
-The PG Era (Circa June 2007-July 2011 or Present)
*Some could make the argument that this era is still going on--The Era where John Cena went from superstar, to face of the company and effectively WWE Champion-In-Residence. The Age of Cena, Orton and Triple H, with sporadic reigns by up-and-coming superstars while the other three were nursing injuries from shouldering the load. The era when support for Cena at large started to wane and "Cena Sucks" chants started to intensify on a weekly basis. By the summer of 2011, disenfranchised fans began to hitch their wagon to superstars, specifically Daniel Bryan and CM Punk who put more of an emphasis on in-ring performance than showmanship and bravado. Somewhere between the "Pipe Bomb" and Vince McMahon being relieved of his duties following Punk leaving WWE with the belt, the company retained the rating but moved into....
-The Authority Era, aka The Reality Era aka "The Future of the Business" (Circa July 2011-Present)
*The last three-and-a-half years have produced more than a few promising "blue chip prospects" that could easily become the new leaders of the company once the Cenas and Ortons of the previous generation do decide to step aside. The question is, which ones will grab the baton, so to speak?
Let's get into it with Part 1 of 6:
The Golden Era
The Participants: Hulk Hogan vs. The Ultimate Warrior vs. "Macho Man" Randy Savage vs. Jake "The Snake" Roberts vs. Mr. Perfect vs. "Rowdy" Roddy Piper
The Breakdown: Ask most kids who grew up in this generation who their favorite superstar was, odds are pretty good that one of the three across the top was at the head of their list. Not for nothing, the matches that Hogan, Warrior and Savage had against each other are bonafide classics. It's truly unfortunate that the trio never did compete in a Triple Threat Match of sorts while everyone was in their prime. Arguments could be made for Ted DiBiase and Ravishing Rick Rude among others, but outside Warrior and Savage, no two superstars pursued Hogan's WWF Title more doggedly during his reigns than the Hot Rod and Mr. Perfect. Each of these superstars had a history with one another and the in-ring chemistry between these six would be off the page. Perhaps the x-factor in this contest would be Jake "The Snake" Roberts. Who would feel more at home inside Satan's Structure than a man who used to be accompanied to the ring by Damien and Lucifer? Much like someone more recently introduced to WWE audiences, Jake could strike with the DDT from "Out of Nowhere" on anyone at any time and inside the Chamber, the results could be devastating and throw a real wrench into the works of how one might expect this match to turn out.
Analysis: I could see a Randy Savage elbow from the top of the Chamber being the high spot of the night. Between a manic Warrior throwing everyone in his path through glass windows, a resourceful Perfect meticulously picking his openings, a devious Snake dropping an unsuspecting victim or two with DDTs on the steel, a "Devil May Care" Piper striking everything that has a pulse and The Immortal Hulk Hogan's refusal to die even in the most dire of circumstances. The chaotic environment definitely favors the Warrior, but when the smoke clears on this classic, I see Hogan neutralizing the Warrior's threat and vice versa--leaving the door open for The Macho Man.
Winner: Randy Savage
Do you agree with this assessment? Who would you have included in this contest? Is someone here who shouldn't be?
Be sure to follow along for the next entries as we explore matches of a similar nature featuring some of the most iconic names of further generations.
-TSR
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