WWE Elimination Chamber 2018 Odds & Predictions: Is Reigns a Shoo-in?

• For the first time ever, Elimination Chamber will include men’s and women’s matches.
• Could we see an upset, even though both matches have heavy favorites?
• Can Asuka survive against Nia Jax?

Now that WWE’s Royal Rumble is in the rearview mirror, the road to Wrestlemania 34 has just a couple more pit stops along the way.

Next up is the RAW brand’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view (Sunday, Feb. 25, Las Vegas) which will, for the first time, showcase both men and women competing in one of wrestling’s most incredible structures. If you’re unfamiliar, Elimination Chamber matches (usually) feature six wrestlers. Two start in the ring, while the rest are held in separate chambers. Every five minutes, one is released into the ongoing match. The objective is to eliminate each opponent by executing a pinfall or submission.

Sportsbooks haven’t put out wagers on Elimination Chamber, and they may not, since it’s not one of the WWE’s “big four.” Let’s fill that void with some bespoke odds and predictions.

Men’s Elimination Chamber Match

This year, the men’s match will actually see seven wrestlers battling it out for a shot at RAW Universal Champion Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 34.

There are only four pods in the ring and we have seven participants, which means things will get started as a triple-threat match. That doesn’t really change much. The only thing that matters is who is left standing.

The Miz gets the honor of being the first participant, but let’s be honest here for a second, it’s hard to get that excited about a match when you already know the ending. The plan all along has been to have Roman Reigns face Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania 34. Unless those plans have changed, and that’s always a possibility, Reigns is going to be the guy who will have his hand raised at Elimination Chamber. There’s not much more to say.

Women’s Elimination Chamber Match

The women’s Elimination Chamber match is your standard six-way affair.

Over the last 12 months, the ladies have competed in a Ladder Match, brawled at Hell in a Cell, and threw each over the ropes in their first Royal Rumble. Now they get to make history once again by fighting within the confines of the legendary Elimination Chamber, with a belt on the line no less. Alexa Bliss will only retain her RAW title if she outlasts the five other women.

There are a lot of things that could happen in this match to increase interest and drama leading into Wrestlemania. One person to keep an eye on is Sasha Banks, who could be building towards a heel turn. Will she turn on her friend Bayley?

Sasha Banks … could be building towards a heel turn. Will she turn on her friend Bayley?

In what should be a fun match to watch, Bliss will most likely walk out with the title, but probably through nefarious means. If they are going to throw a swerve, the logical pick is Sasha Banks as the surprise winner.

Asuka vs. Nia Jax

*If Nia wins, she’ll be added to the WWE Raw Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania 34. 

Like the men’s Elimination Chamber match, this is another one that is pretty easy to predict. It’s practically a foregone conclusion that Asuka will win; the WWE has made her into an unstoppable force. When she does eventually lose, it won’t be on a B-level pay-per-view. Nia Jax has faced Asuka before, losing on both NXT and RAW. She is going to lose again at Elimination Chamber, as this is nothing more than a warm-up match for Asuka.

The real question is who will Asuka face at Wrestlemania 34? There is no guarantee that she’ll be taking on the RAW Women’s Champion as there are rumors of a possible dream-match with Charlotte Flair.