The Best Elimination Chamber Matches In WWE History

With the upcoming 2024 Elimination Chamber event about to take place on February 24th from Australia, it seems like the right time to look back at the event's storied history.

Since its introduction in late 2002, the Elimination Chamber has become a hallmark match for WWE, matching the appeal of other unique match stipulations like the Hell in the Cell and the Royal Rumble (fittingly serving as a combination between the two).

Taking place inside a massive steel enclosure not unlike the Thunderdome from Mad Max, the rules of the match are simple. Two wrestlers start in the ring, with a new participant entering the match after an allotted period of time has passed. With lax rules on disqualifications, anything and everything is illegal inside the Chamber — with wrestlers encouraged to take advantage of the Chamber's environment as they see fit.

As one of WWE's most violent, unpredictable, and exciting matches, the Elimination Chamber has been a staple of WWE's pay-per-views for well over two decades. However, as with any WWE match type, certain Elimination Chamber matches far supersede other, lesser Chamber matches.

Here are some of the best Elimination Chamber matches in WWE's history, ranked from best to worst.

Survivor Series 2002

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The original — and also easily the best Elimination Chamber. Debuting at the 2002 Survivor Series, the Elimination Chamber was the on-screen brainchild of Raw general manager, Eric Bischoff, designed to settle the various feuds World Heavyweight Champion Triple H had been embroiled in for the past several months.

In many ways, Survivor Series 2002's Elimination Chamber match was the blueprint for all great Chamber matches that followed. First and foremost, you have a star-studded lineup of wrestlers, heightened drama, unpredictable eliminations, reluctant alliances that inevitably end in betrayal, and an emotional showdown between the final two men in the match (Shawn Michaels and arch-rival Triple H).

The fact that it was the first match of its kind also helped it add a degree of unpredictability, heightening the excitement. Whether it was RVD soaring from the top of a cell, Kane throwing Chris Jericho through the plexiglass, or Triple H landing back-first on the steel walkways outside, no one had ever seen anything like this kind of match before.

Elimination Chamber 2019 (SmackDown)

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Frequently cited as one of the best matches of 2019, it shouldn't be surprising that the Elimination Chamber match at its namesake 2019 pay-per-view event earned a spot on this list. Nearly edging out Survivor Series 2002, the SmackDown Elimination Chamber event had it all, making effortlessly fantastic use of its six outstanding competitors.

If Survivor Series 2002 was a lesson in how to book an Elimination Chamber match, Elimination Chamber 2019 was a lesson in how to use the match as a segue into WrestleMania. Further building on Kofi Kingston's rising popularity as a singles wrestler, the match ended with the epic standoff between Kingston and reigning WWE Champion Daniel Bryan.

As emotional a match ending as Shawn Michaels and Triple H, just when it seemed Kofi Kingston would finally win his first world championship after 10 long years in WWE, Bryan narrowly beat him for the win. Despite his loss, the match perfectly set up Kingston's momentous victory at WrestleMania 35 in front of 82,000 screaming fans.

Elimination Chamber 2021 (SmackDown)

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One of the most exciting, spot-filled Elimination Chamber matches of all time, SmackDown's 2021 Elimination Chamber was nothing short of excellent. With the possible exception of Baron Corbin, the bout possesses almost no flaws or weaknesses whatsoever, shining a spotlight on some of the most underrated wrestlers signed to WWE at the time.

Since the match was introduced in 2002, audiences had grown relatively weary of the same old spots used repeatedly — such as wrestlers diving off the cell or flinging each other through the plexiglass barriers. Perhaps realizing this, WWE loaded this match with numerous unique new spots, like Cesaro chasing Sami Zayn across the steel enclosure or Jey Uso trapping Kevin Owens' arm in the entrance gate, delivering superkick after superkick to KO's exposed head.

Perhaps most importantly, the match ended with an original stipulation added to it. Rather than the winner going on to face a world champion at WrestleMania, the victor (Daniel Bryan) was booked into an immediate match with Universal Champion Roman Reigns moments after the Chamber concluded. Echoing Edge's victory over John Cena at New Year's Revolution 2006, it was a creative way to build the feud between Reigns and Bryan further, culminating in a Triple Threat match with Edge at WrestleMania 37.

New Year's Revolution 2005

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After the slightly underwhelming Summerslam 2003 Elimination Chamber match, WWE returned the Elimination Chamber to its former glory with 2005's New Year's Revolution. Following Randy Orton's forced exile from Evolution and rise to main event status, the table was set for a decisive grudge match to end his feud with former mentor Triple H at the start of 2005.

There are numerous standout reasons accounting for the success of the New Year's Revolution Elimination Chamber. First and foremost, you have Shawn Michaels acting as a special guest referee, adding some additional drama and tense moments between HBK and his chief rivals at the time, Edge and Triple H. Then, there's Chris Benoit and Chris Jericho opening the match with their fierce technical wrestling, full of chops, suplexes, and submission holds.

But of course, there's the final ending with former stablemates Triple H, Orton, and Batista, with audiences unsure at the time where exactly Batista's allegiances lay. It was a dramatic closer to a fantastic feud between Orton and Evolution and instrumental in laying the groundwork for Batista's rivalry with Triple H at WrestleMania just a few months down the road.

No Way Out 2009 (Raw)

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The unforgettable ending is the best thing about the 2009 No Way Out pay-per-view. After losing his WWE Championship in the opening moments of the SmackDown Elimination Chamber, Edge inserted himself in Raw's main event, attacking Kofi Kingston and forcefully taking Kingston's place in the match.

Squaring off against longtime rival, Rey Mysterio, Edge ended up winning the World Heavyweight Championship — the same night he lost the WWE Championship.

Of course, this match's ending is the main reason to watch it, but that doesn't discount the standout wrestlers competing in this match either. Mysterio, Chris Jericho, and John Cena, in particular, all had remarkable performances in this match, marked by several incredible spots on Mysterio's part (including a diving hurricanrana to Kane from the top of a cell).

No Way Out 2009 (SmackDown)

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The SmackDown Elimination Chamber at No Way Out 2009 was the perfect counterpiece to Raw's Elimination Chamber match at the same event. As mentioned previously, WWE Champion Edge lost his title in the bout's opening moments, heightening the match's drama from the get-go. With Edge's loss, no matter what happened, fans would see a new WWE Champion crowned at the end of this match.

As the second man in the match (and the competitor who eliminated Edge), Jeff Hardy had a strong performance, surviving against Vladimir Kozlov and Big Show before meeting his end via a Tombstone piledriver from the Undertaker. (While on the subject, even Big Show and the notoriously horrendous Kozlov had overall decent performances in this match!)

As the final two wrestlers in the match, Triple H and Undertaker had a memorable encounter that directly foreshadowed their later, equally epic match at WrestleMania XXVII two years down the line. Delivering hard-hitting shots and finisher after finisher to one another, either men could've justifiably won the match. As it is, WWE made the right long-term booking decision, having Triple H win, setting up his incredible 2009 rivalry with Randy Orton, while slating Undertaker to face Shawn Michaels in what would become one of the best WrestleMania matches of all time.

Elimination Chamber 2017 (SmackDown)

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Yet another match with an all-star lineup (a recurring trend for this list), 2017's SmackDown Elimination Chamber for the WWE Championship reads like an Mt. Rushmore of talent for the 2010s. AJ Styles and John Cena were kicking off the match, reigniting their entertaining feud that lasted throughout 2016.

Then there was the wildcard Dean Ambrose, the Lunatic Fringe who thrived on chaos and violence and who was bound to upset the balance of any match he competed in at the time (whether he was facing heroic faces, villainous heels, or anything in between).

Not only was the match itself extraordinarily hard-fought and entertaining, but Bray Wyatt's shocking victory also marked a turning point in Wyatt's career at the time. Wyatt — a longtime fan-favorite even when portraying a heel — wasn't expected to walk away from the Chamber with the WWE Championship around his waist. Instead, the win emphasized the unpredictability of the Chamber match and helped make a star out of Wyatt (even if it led to an unbelievably anticlimactic match with Randy Orton at WrestleMania 33).

Elimination Chamber 2023 (SmackDown Women’s)

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Like all the best Elimination Chamber matches, the SmackDown women’s match at Elimination Chamber 2023 had all the makings for a great contest. Balancing a perfect cast of star players, each of whom possessed their own conflicting styles, distinct gimmicks, and flashy entrances, it was perhaps the best way to kick off this past year’s pay-per-view event.

At the heart of the match was a chance to face the Raw Women’s Champion at WrestleMania 39. With technical wrestlers Liv Morgan and Natalya starting it off, the match progressed between lengthy submission attempts, high-flying offense, and brawling outside the ring – you name it, it happened.

Naturally, fan-favorite Asuka would be victorious at the end of the day, but everyone had their starring moment in the show. As with every Elimination Chamber match on this list, it demonstrated how remarkable each and every one of the participants were, whether we’re talking about the unhinged Nikki Cross or the powerhouse, Raquel Rodriguez.

Elimination Chamber 2011 (SmackDown)

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After several consecutive years where a world title holder lost his championship in the Chamber match ahead of WrestleMania, World Heavyweight Champion Edge successfully defended his title at the 2011 Elimination Chamber. Facing a slew of new and returning rivals vying for his championship, Edge had what might be his best performance in an Elimination Chamber at this pay-per-view.

Repeating their epic encounter at No Way Out 2009, Edge and Rey Mysterio bookended the match as the first and final two competitors, demonstrating the undeniable in-ring chemistry that made them such memorable rivals and (occasional) tag team partners.

Add in a young, vendetta-driven Drew McIntyre, a newly-rebranded Wade Barrett, and a surprise last-minute entrance from Big Show, and you have the makings of an entertaining Elimination Chamber bout.

No Way Out 2008 (Raw)

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In an ideal world, Jeff Hardy probably should've won this match, replacing Triple H in the Triple Threat match at WrestleMania XXIV between Randy Orton and John Cena instead of, you know, not even wrestling at WWE's flagship pay-per-view at all. But knowing Hardy's pending legal trouble that would come around the same time, WWE ultimately made the right decision having Triple H go over, avoiding any awkward situations when building up the WrestleMania match.

But like Summerslam 2003, even when the wrong man ended up winning, the match itself is still enjoyable enough, characterized by exciting spots, dazzling in-ring performances, and a slew of fantastic wrestlers all competing for the most prestigious title in WWE.

From the match's opening moments, which saw Shawn Michaels taking on Chris Jericho, Raw's Elimination Chamber was filled with unforgettable, unpredictable moments. Whether it was JBL being a poor sportsman and bashing everyone with a steel chair after his elimination or everyone performing their finishers in succession on the unstoppable Umaga, it's an immensely enjoyable match filled with action and violence galore.

Summerslam 2003

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The main event of Summerslam, 2003's Elimination Chamber had a tough act to follow when comparing it to Survivor Series 2002. Unfortunately, the match didn't quite live up to the standard set by its immediate predecessor.

A somewhat rushed affair, the entire match breezed by in a mere 20 minutes. Once again, the lineup of competitors in the match was nothing short of excellent. All the wrestlers had some score to settle with either each other or World Champion Triple H.

Sadly, poor booking mired the whole affair, with Triple H scoring an upset victory against fan-favorite Goldberg. If Goldberg had won and the match had been longer, no doubt this event would be near the top of the list. But, looking at it plainly, it's only good — not great.