The Undercard
Mark Henry defeated Randy Orton via Disqualification. The match was going at a really solid pace, with Orton and Henry exchanging blows back and forth. Orton was able to chop down the monster from the knees down. This is extremely smart and I felt like both men benefitted in this match. You had Orton get the crowd going and saw his dominance, but Mark Henry would not stay down. He stood tall after getting struck by a chair, connecting with a monsterous slam. I liked how both guys stared each other down, and neither man looked weak heading into Elimination Chamber. A match is always much better when you cannot predict who will win. Grade: B
Tamina Snuka defeated Layla. Layla tried to get a few quick covers and rollups, but he offense did not last long. About two minutes after controlling the match, Tamina was able to trip her up and continuously kick Layla. Tamina finished it off with a Superfly Splash. I thought the match was okay, but her feud with Kaitlyn hasn't been on TV nearly enough. Why should we care about her? They have not given us a reason to consistently invest our time into her. Grade: C-
Brodus Clay and Tensai defeated 3MB. It looks like these two big men are going to get a chance to get over with the WWE Universe. The match was a classic bout of Clay and Tensai's, where they were on the defensive for a little bit, but overcame it quickly and hit their finishers. Clay hit the Funk It Splash, while Tensai crushed them with his body splash in the middle of the ring. I am open to see where this goes, but I still need Tensai to get rid of the horrible makeup and embrace the character more and more each week. It will not do him or anyone else justice if he waffles back and forth. Grade: C
Jack Swagger defeated Zack Ryder in a match that was similar to their bout on Raw. Swagger wins with the Patriot Act, after a powerbomb and a suplex. Swagger continues to look dominant, with his new focus on attitude and aggression. His biggest weakness was speaking, so Zeb Coulter is a great piece to add. He will get over more when people are adapted to seeing him with Swagger, so time is still early to see if this will have longevity. Grade: B-
The Miz defeated Cody Rhodes in a pretty quick match. This shows you that anyone can lose quickly when the opponent has a match at a PPV and you do not. Rhodes picks up a win on Raw, but loses to Miz a few nights later in short fashion. I want to see more consistency with their mid card talents, but that is wishful thinking. Grade: C
