10 Best WWE Elimination Chamber Performers Of All Time

Certain WWE Superstars are tied to particular stipulations over the course of history. The Royal Rumble match, for example, will be forever linked to names like Shawn Michaels, Steve Austin, and Kane - wrestlers whose performances helped build the legacy of the match.

The same goes for Hell in a Cell, and the likes of Undertaker, Michaels (again), Mankind, and so on. When a stipulation becomes established over a number of years, we can't help but associate it with a particular set of names.

Elimination Chamber is - along with Money in the Bank - the youngest of WWE's more iconic stipulations. The first took place in 2002, and there have been 20 such matches since. There's been plenty of action for Superstars to establish themselves as Elimination Chamber pioneers, but not a lot of attention seems to have been paid to these wrestlers.

Well, I think that has to change! It's time to celebrate the 10 best performers in the history of the Elimination Chamber stipulation, from men who jump off high things, to men who do lots of eliminations. It's more nuanced than I've made it sound, I promise.

[Of course, the first-ever women's Elimination Chamber match takes place on February 25 - so in a decade or so, I'll come back and write a women's equivalent of this list. Unless I'm a prisoner of war or lose my arms or something.]

10. John Morrison

The Elimination Chamber seems tailor-made for John Morrison, so it may be a surprise to find out that Mr Nitro/Mundo/Impact/ has only competed in two such matches. It's a little like not inviting the cool kids to your party so that you and your friends remain the cool kids by default.

We've all done it, yeah?

Morrison's first Chamber appearance came in 2010 (the match where Michaels came up through the floor and screwed The Undertaker). The parkour specialist lasted until the final three, giving us a unique combination of Morrison, 'Taker, and Chris Jericho.

His most memorable Chamber moment, however, came the following year - where he

only gave us maybe the coolest, most unique elimination in the history of the stipulation

. Morrison eliminated poor Sheamus by scaling the Chamber wall and launching himself into a crossbody from the ceiling! If that doesn't get you on this list, I'm not sure what does.

9. Batista

Batista's a curious choice for this list, but I still feel he kinda deserves it for being such a remorseless bastard. The Animal has often been the anti-Christ of the Elimination Chamber, a destructive force who doesn't care much for its rules or conventions.

The fact that his most memorable Chamber moment didn't even come in an Elimination Chamber match speaks volumes, really.

That moment was, of course, his defeat of an exhausted Cena in 2010 - striding out with the blessing of Vince McMahon to wrench the WWE Championship away.

In terms of his actions in actual Chamber matches, Batista has competed once as a heel and once as a babyface. In 2005, before he was sick of Triple H's nonsense, he helped The Game defeat Evolution outcast Randy Orton (despite having already been eliminated from the match! Boo!)

In 2008, a now-babyface Batista had one of the best final-two showdowns in an Elimination Chamber match, battling with Undertaker for a shot at Edge's World Heavyweight Championship. He lost, but at least stopped flagrantly hating on the Chamber stipulation for one match. Thanks, Dave.

8. Shawn Michaels

It should be no surprise to see Shawn Michaels on this list, given the fact that he's maybe the greatest wrestler of all time - but let's break down exactly what HBK got up to in Elimination Chamber matches.

In 2002 he won the original (and maybe most emotional) Chamber, just months after making his unthinkable comeback to the squared circle, and defeating arch-nemesis Triple H in the final two. That's a decent start...

In 2003 he opened the match with Chris Jericho, taking part in some 

very nice wrestling 

before both men were absolutely eviscerated by Goldberg.

In 2005 he was the special guest referee of the match and played a part in the elimination of Edge - who accidentally nailed HBK with a Spear, and didn't really seem very sorry about it.

Finally, in 2008, he gave Triple H his win back. This was probably the least memorable of Michaels' appearances, but his stint was typically great anyway. Obviously. It's Shawn Michaels.

7. The Undertaker

The Undertaker's an interesting one because he seems absolutely tailor-made for this sort of match - whether starting in the ring and battling through to the end game, or watching menacingly from inside a pod.

It's therefore strange to think that The Deadman has only been in three Elimination Chamber bouts. He enjoyed a starring role in two matches I've heard people cite as their favourite Chambers - the previously mentioned showdown with Batista in 2008, and the (also previously mentioned) Shawn Michaels screwjob in 2010.

Winning one of the most enjoyable Chamber matches ever (as well as being a part of one of the most memorable Chamber moments of all time) is enough to propel 'Taker to this position on the list, despite only making three appearances. His third, less-discussed foray into the structure came in 2009 - the match where Edge lost his title in about two minutes. The Deadman fought his way into the final two alongside Triple H, losing a showdown that both men

probably

thought was more epic than it actually came across. Still, they made up for it at WrestleMania XXVIII.

6. Randy Orton

Randy Orton, as we all know, is a slippery, slippery snake. He's not actually the most devious Elimination Chamber participant - as we'll learn a little later - but he's certainly up there.

The Viper has been in six Chamber matches and has been entrusted with various roles - including brave babyface in 2005, despicable corporate heel in 2014, and Goldberg tackling-dummy in 2003. He is perhaps the most versatile man in Elimination Chamber history, even if he doesn't quite stack up with some of his peers in terms of memorable performances.

Just like in the Royal Rumble and at Survivor Series, Orton can always be called upon to deliver star power and crispness in an Elimination Chamber match. His sole victory is remembered as a deflating one, as it came at the expense of the rabidly popular Daniel Bryan - but I feel Randy deserves a high placing here for his numerous, varied performances over the years.

5. John Cena

Cena has been in six Elimination Chamber matches and won three of them. This may seem like a bad thing, considering the 'SuperCena' criticism that has plagued John throughout his career - but his consistent strength has actually made him a crucial component of Chamber history, fulfilling a key role.

Simply put, when Cena is eliminated from an Elimination Chamber match, everybody loses their minds. It's a big deal.

The most memorable of these moments came in 2009, where Jericho, Mysterio, and Edge all realised that they'd be better off without Cena in the match, and decided to hit their finishers on him consecutively. It was almost like a piece of meta-narrative, where the Superstars realised what we, the audience, are always asking: 'Why don't they just team up to eliminate Cena?'

Even when Cena wins an Elimination Chamber, he rarely 

actually 

wins. In 2006, he battled and bled is way through a brutal Chamber match, only for Edge to cash in the first ever Money in the Bank contract. The same happened in 2010, only with Batista, and less of a concrete storyline reason.

Here's to John Cena, the Elimination Chamber's biggest loser. Despite having won three of them. Erm...

4. Rey Mysterio

Rey's Elimination Chamber record is unspectacular at first glance; three appearances, no wins. That's the same as Wade Barrett, a man we never really associate with the Chamber. So why is Rey such a beloved part of the stipulation's history?

It's simple, really. Despite never being booked to win a Chamber match, Mysterio decides to just

ball out of his mind

when the event rolls around. He and Edge made the final two in both 2009 and 2011, and their incredible chemistry was on display both times. The dynamic was slightly different, with Edge an opportunistic heel in '09, and both men crowd favourites in '11 - but both showdowns delivered in spades.

In 2010, Rey took a slightly more backseat role but still wrestled well before being eliminated third by John Morrison.

For some reason, despite not being the most natural fit at first glance, the Chamber stipulation always worked

perfectly

for Mysterio's brand of high-paced offence. Despite never winning, he more than deserves this high a ranking.

3. Triple H

Uh oh. Here we go, the final boss of Elimination Chamber matches. Triple H has won two-thirds of Chamber bouts he's competed in, winning four of six. If you put Triple H in an Elimination Chamber match, he has a 66% chance of winning. The stipulation billed as the most fearsome, difficult match type in WWE is essentially a playground for the King of Kings.

I'll say it; Triple H probably shouldn't have dominated Elimination Chamber matches to such a degree. If Cena had the Game's record, we'd still be complaining about it on Twitter in 2050 - or whatever Twitter has been replaced by.

In fairness, though, Triple H's dominance has meant that his losses feel huge. His defeat to Shawn Michaels in the first ever Chamber bout was possibly one of the purest outpourings of positivity in WWE history, while his loss to Cena in 2010 helped sell the champ's exhaustion (and the unfairness of the circumstances) during Batista's post-match challenge.

2. Edge

Edge is the best, and he rocks so hard you guys.

No, okay, all bias aside (and I love Edge) the Rated-R Superstar is responsible for maybe the best Elimination Chamber storytelling of all time. In 2009, he entered the SmackDown Chamber to defend his WWE Championship - only to be shockingly rolled up by Jeff Hardy within minutes.

The Seattle crowd rightfully lost their minds, thanks to the guarantee of a new champion - but they probably didn't realise that there were more twists and turns to come. Later in the night, as Kofi Kingston made his entrance for the Raw Chamber match, he was jumped by Edge! The SmackDown roster member locked himself inside a pod, entered the match, and almost decapitated Rey Mysterio en route to the most shocking of victories. (Seriously, watch the spot where he boosts Rey into the side of a pod. It's sickening but brilliant.)

Edge's two other Elimination Chamber appearances were also very memorable. He successfully survived from no. 1 in 2011, defending his World Heavyweight Championship in a mammoth effort. He also played a nice cameo role in 2005, incurring the wrath of special guest referee Shawn Michaels, who Superkicked him into elimination.

While Triple H may have won the most Chamber matches, and our number one entrant may have eliminated the most opponents, Edge's leaner record provides a far more concentrated sense of brilliance.

1. Chris Jericho

Undisputedly, Chris Jericho is

the man

when it comes to Elimination Chamber matches - and he's only won one of them!

Y2J has featured in more of these bouts than anyone else, appearing in eight between 2002 and 2013. He's also eliminated more opponents than any other Superstar, knocking out 10 rivals over the years.

More importantly than that, though, is the fact that Jericho is always interested in telling a compelling story. More than any other entrant (except 

maybe 

Edge), he understands the psychological implications of the stipulation and uses them in both a logical and entertaining fashion.

From forming an allegiance to take out Cena in 2009, to being the first man to go 

through 

a pod in 2002, Y2J's participation in Chamber matches has always seemed fresh and innovative - a microcosm of his career, really.

Ironically, Jericho's only Chamber win wasn't really about him. In 2010 he battled (or weaselled) his way to a final showdown with The Undertaker - only for Shawn Michaels to rise up through the floor and cost 'Taker the title, provoking his wrath and securing a WrestleMania rematch. Not that Jericho was complaining, as he made the cover while looking up at HBK in sheer disbelief.

10. Diva Dodgeball Resulted In Wrestler's Court in 2004

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SummerSlam 2004 also came slap-bang in the middle of the initial WWE Diva Search.

It had made for some pretty brutal television in the weeks prior and was a turnoff to many fans, but managed to find its way onto pay-per-view with Diva Dodgeball, where the remaining hopefuls (minus heat magnet Carmella DeCesare) took on some of the established WWE Divas.

You might assume such a contest would be worked for the benefit of progressing storylines but, in keeping with the 'reality' theme of the Diva Search, the thing was done as a shoot.

And it turned out to be a disaster for the WWE crew, as they were trounced by the rookies, who only had one member of their team eliminated.

Deemed to be such a bad look for the sports entertainment juggernaut, the WWE Diva team were summoned to the infamous Wrestler's Court to stand trial for their pitiful performance.

The Divas chose veteran Ivory to act as their defence, while Val Venis acted as prosecutor and Triple H oversaw as the judge.

As was the norm, the defence's thin case fell on deaf ears and the Divas were forced to provide The Game with vouchers for the Red Roof Inn (in order to avoid a harsher sentence).

9. Steve Austin Bladed Kurt Angle During 2001 WWE Title Match

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There is an art to blading and 'getting colour', something that Kurt Angle found out firsthand at SummerSlam 2001.

At the event, the Olympic Hero was challenging for Steve Austin's WWE Title. The two had a classic bout full of intensity and drama, and it ended up being one of the very best matches of the year.

In order to add to the drama, it was decided in advance that Angle would be busted open during the course of the action.

The trouble was that Angle (still less than two years into his full-time in-ring career) didn't know how to do it effectively.

Austin had made him the blade himself and told him how to do it, but when it came time to pull it off in the match, it wasn't working, as Kurt explained during an episode of the Kurt Angle Show podcast:

"One of the first times I had to bleed, I believe it was SummerSlam ‘01 against Stone Cold Steve Austin, Steve made me a blade. I had it. I put tape around my wrist and put the blade inside of it.

When the time came to do it, I kept slicing my head and nothing was working. I was barely getting a scratch in the surface, and it was hurting. It starts getting painful when you keep trying to gig yourself.

Austin said, 'Sh*t kid, give me that razor!'. He dug it in my head and twisted it. I bled like a sieve. I didn't stop bleeding the whole entire match. It was horrible. He taught me how to bleed.

From then on, that's how I did it. I just didn't do it as hard as he did. He dug it in real hard, and twisted it really hard. He probably got the blade in there a good half inch right into my skull. I bled profusely. That's how I learned how to bleed, how to gig, and Austin taught me the hard way".

8. British Bulldog 'Forgot' Entire 1992 Classic With Bret Hart

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SummerSlam '92 was a big moment for both Bret Hart and Davey Boy Smith.

For Hart, it was a chance to headline a historic pay-per-view, in front of a record crowd against a beloved family member. For Smith, it was a homecoming and an opportunity to play the hero in front of tens of thousands of his countrymen.

While The Hitman took things seriously and did his due diligence beforehand, Bulldog was less concerned with proper preparation. According to Bret and others, Smith had been MIA in the weeks beforehand, and when they eventually caught up the night before the show he confessed that he had spent the summer indulging in some serious drug use with Jim Neidhart.

Not only was he not in the requisite shape to work a long match, he also forgot what the pair had mapped out just moments after the bell rang.

Thankfully, the Excellence of Execution took charge and basically (with some assistance from referee Joey Marella) carried his brother-in-law to a masterpiece.

That nobody was able to tell just how lost and in such poor condition Davey Boy was is a testament to the talent of Bret Hart.

7. The Hulkster's SummerSlam Streak

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While no wrestling undefeated streak will compare to The Undertaker's WrestleMania one or Goldberg's late-90's WCW dominance, Hulk Hogan can lay claim to a pretty impressive one when it comes to SummerSlam.

The Hulkster has competed at the event six times and has had his hand raised on all six occasions.

He main-evented the first SummerSlam, in 1988, teaming with Mega Powers ally Randy Savage to thwart The Mega Bucks (Ted DiBiase & Andre the Giant) and also triumphed in a tag team headliner the following year, joining forces with Brutus Beefcake to down Savage and Zeus.

In 1990 he saw off Earthquake, while in '91 he teamed with Ultimate Warrior to beat Sgt. Slaughter, Colonel Mustafa and General Adnan in a 3-on-2 handicap bout which, I think, officially ended the Gulf War.

He didn't appear on a SummerSlam card for another fourteen years, re-emerging in 2005 to best Shawn Michaels in a memorable show-closer that was, originally, due to be the first of three matches between the two of them.

Then, in 2006, he beat Randy Orton in what is more than likely going to be the Hulkster's last WWE match ever.

The Ultimate Warrior is one behind Hogan at 5-0, while Charlotte Flair has every chance of beating the record within the next few years, since hers currently stands at 4-0.

Conversely, Booker T has never won at SummerSlam, possessing a pitiful 0-5 record that includes major losses to The Rock, John Cena, Batista and Triple H.

6. John Cena's SummerSlam Streak

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John Cena will make his return to SummerSlam this year, when he takes on Roman Reigns for the Universal Title.

It will be Big Match John's fifteenth SummerSlam outing, and his first for several years.

Before that, however, Cena managed to appear at fourteen consecutive SummerSlams, proving that he really is the ultimate WWE workhorse.

Between 2004 and 2017, you won't find a SummerSlam without a Cena match on the card.

As far as his record currently stands, he has five wins and nine losses, which includes a consecutive six-match losing streak between 2011 and 2017.

The Undertaker currently holds the record for most SummerSlam matches, having competed in sixteen and boasting a 10-5-1 record.

Randy Orton (or perhaps Cena) is the most likely to eclipse that, however, as he currently stands at fifteen.

5. The Original Comeback Plan For Shawn Michaels In 2002

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SummerSlam 2002 was, arguably, one of (if not the) best SummerSlams ever.

One of the show's highlights was the improbable in-ring return of Shawn Michaels, over four years after he had been forced to retire due to a back injury.

On the night, the Heartbreak Kid overcame Triple H in a brutal and compelling Non-Sanctioned match. Great as it was, it wasn't what was originally discussed, as HBK had other plans when he decided to step back into the squared circle.

According to Michaels, he had actually telephoned Vince McMahon and pitched a match between himself and the WWE Chairman.

Worried that he was a step too slow after so much time off, Shawn figured a weapons-and-shortcut-filled brawl with the older and more, erm, deliberate Vince would temper fan expectations.

McMahon was intrigued and told Shawn that he would consider it and call him back. When he did, he had an alternate proposal; if Michaels wanted to have a big match at SummerSlam, why not do it against friend and former D-Generation X partner Triple H?

Vince managed to convince him and what was supposed to be a one-shot deal turned into an eight-year run that solidified Michaels as one of the best ever.

Michaels eventually got his match with McMahon years later at WrestleMania 22.

4. Del Rio's Pre-Match Bar Brawl In 2013

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Attentive viewers would have noticed that Alberto Del Rio was sporting a black eye during his World Heavyweight Title defense against Christian at SummerSlam 2013.

While ADR tried to pass the bruising off as the result of an in-ring miscommunication, the truth is that he was sporting a shiner because he had gotten into a bar brawl the night before.

According to reports, Del Rio and Drew McIntyre were out drinking at 3am on Sunday morning, when a fellow patron made a rude remark towards the Scotsman's date.

Alberto stepped in, was nailed with a bottle for his trouble and the fight was on.

Del Rio was not punished for his part in the fracas, since he held the title for another few months before dropping it to John Cena.

That SummerSlam weekend someone was punished for drunken behaviour, though, as Jim Ross was fired for 'failing to control' a sloshed Ric Flair during a WWE 2K14 panel he was supposed to be moderating.

3. Jackass Vs. Umaga Was Supposed To Headline In 2007

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SummerSlam 2007 could have looked very different indeed, if the original main event had taken place as scheduled.

Shane McMahon had worked behind-the-scenes to bring in the crew from Jackass to take on Umaga in a handicap match, based on the infamous segment from the October 16, 2006 episode of Raw, where the Samoan Bulldozer stiffly beat down Steve-O and Chris Pontius after the Wildboyz lads failed to properly sell his offense the first time around.

Advertising material was filmed and printed for the planned bout, but then Johnny Knoxville got cold feet and pulled out in the wake of the Chris Benoit tragedy, causing WWE to scrap the match altogether.

Prior to that, plans were almost scuppered due to Steve-O's erratic behaviour, as well as the fact he spoiled WWE's announcement by prematurely spilling the beans in a Myspace blog post.

Umaga's consolation prize was successfully defending his Intercontinental Title in a disjointed triple threat match with Carlito and Ken Kennedy, which went on second.

2. The Finish Of JBL Vs. Undertaker Was Almost Ruined By A Fan In 2004

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SummerSlam 2004 was a strange old event, made stranger by the unpredictable reactions of the Toronto crowd.

The live audience certainly shocked WWE when they decided to boo their babyface countryman Edge and heckle other fan-favourites, leading the announcers to declare that the show was taking place in 'Bizarro World'.

Ah, to live in a time where crowds hijacking the show was the exception, not the rule...

Anyway, one fan took things a few steps too far when he hopped the barricade towards the end of the WWE Title match between JBL and The Undertaker.

Not only did he jump the rail, he climbed on top of the champion's limo. On any other night, that would have been fine (well, not fine, but bear with me), but on this night the roof had been gimmicked to facilitate a post-match stunt.

Indeed, after JBL retained via disqualification, the two brawled onto the roof of the limo, where The Deadman performed a Chokeslam right through it.

Had security not intercepted the numpty beforehand, he would have not only ruined the illusion but also very likely injured himself in the process.

1. Muhammad Hassan Was Booked To Win World Heavyweight Title In 2005

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The brief career of Muhammad Hassan was one of the most interesting and tumultuous in WWE history.

In less than a year, he had become one of the biggest heels in the industry, working with everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker.

It was a whirlwind experience for the man behind the gimmick, Marc Copani, who had only been in the business for a couple of years to that point. Backstage, he was the subject of hazing from many of his colleagues (some of whom resented the huge push he received), but WWE writers and executives were intent on going all the way with him.

The plan was for Hassan to face and defeat World Heavyweight Champion Batista at SummerSlam 2005.

Not only would The Animal be dropping the strap in his hometown and the nation's capital (adding fuel to Hassan's anti-USA agenda), but doing so would have had him break Randy Orton's record as youngest man to win the world title in WWE history.

Unfortunately for Copani, his character was removed from television (and ultimately axed entirely) at the behest of UPN Network executives, who were aghast at an angle with terrorist overtones that aired on the July 7 SmackDown, the same day as the London bombings.

Had that regrettable episode not made air on that particular day, WWE's history books would look very, very different.