Date: March 1, 2025
Location: Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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The Big Takeaway —
John Cena turned heel.
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Show Recap —
COUNTDOWN SHOW —
Fans and wrestlers arrived at the SkyDome in Toronto, and they aired a Chamber numbers video.
The panel began with Michael Cole, Big E (celebrating a birthday), Wade Barrett, and Pat McAfee. McAfee arrived moments before they went on the air thanks to traffic, and as a Toronto local, that’s no surprise to hear. They tried to explain the significance of Cody Rhodes’ decision.
Kevin Owens arrived wearing a Bret Hart jacket. He stole some tools from the backstage area and put them in his backpack (to use later).
There was a video package for The Rock, focusing on his role in TKO and his success outside the ring. Cole’s sources told him that Rhodes recently had meetings in Hollywood at the invitation of Seven Bucks Productions (Rock’s company).
Nia Jax and Candice LeRae told Byron Saxton that Tiffany Stratton was ungrateful and they would retire Trish Stratus for good.
There was a plug for Evolve and Kylie Rae was among the few they focused on.
Jackie Redmond and Peter Rosenberg replaced Cole and McAfee on the panel. Redmond made sure to refer to the building as “SkyDome.” She also gave McAfee and Rosenberg a hard time for complaining about the weather. (Currently -9°C or 15°F.)
Redmond had the fans (the stadium is still filling up) sing Happy Birthday to Big E.
Logan Paul sit-down interview
Cathy Kelley interviewed Logan Paul. She asked why this year’s Chamber would be different. He said he was actually preparing for it this year, whereas last year, wrestling was just a hobby. It bothered him when people called him a part-timer because it was true. He was full-time now and there was nothing that could stop him besides himself.
Kelley asked about each wrestler in the Chamber. He had insults for everyone except Damian Priest, whom he had no opinion about at all.
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There was a segment with Big E trying Toronto cuisine at St. Lawrence Market. He bought some food for the panel and chucked peameal bacon slices into the crowd.
They showed the super store located inside the stadium. (I went there on Thursday, the day it opened, and there were no Sami Zayn shirts whatsoever. It made me wonder if they lost a box.)
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Canadian Elizabeth Irving sang the American and Canadian national anthems. The American anthem was booed, as it often has been at Canadian sporting events recently. The fans loudly sang along with the Canadian anthem and chanted “Canada” when it was over.
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ELIMINATION CHAMBER: TORONTO —
Wrestlers were shown arriving earlier. There was an intro video followed by a fireworks display.
Michael Cole, Wade Barrett, and Michael Cole are on commentary. McAfee wasn’t happy about the booing of the American anthem and said Canada was terrible.
There’s no real stage thanks to the large crowd, just a few small video boards. There is a large video board above the ring.
Women’s Elimination Chamber: Bianca Belair defeated Alexa Bliss, Bayley, Liv Morgan, Naomi and Roxanne Perez (29:15)
Naomi and Morgan started the match. Belair seemed to get the biggest reaction coming out. (They all happened to be wearing white as their predominant colour.)
Jade Cargill marched out (to her music) as soon as the bell rang. She managed to get into the ring before they closed the cage for the match.
Morgan acted scared but Cargill made a beeline right to Naomi and attacked her. Cargill beat the absolute hell out of Naomi as the crowd chanted, “Holy sh*t.”
Cargill stomped Naomi in the corner, tossed her into the pods and booted her into a pod. The crowd chanted, “You deserve it,” at Naomi as she tried crawling out of the cage. Cargill slammed the sliding door on Naomi before leaving. Belair freaked out the entire time, helpless inside her pod.
They brought out a stretcher for Naomi and announced she was no longer able to compete.
Belair happened to be the next person in. She immediately checked on Naomi but was attacked from behind by Morgan.
(Cargill looked great. She wore black gear with white/silver hair, which was in contrast to Naomi’s outfit.)
Belair happened to be the next person in (four minutes into the match). She immediately checked on Naomi but was attacked from behind by Morgan.
The match slowed to a crawl so they let Perez in next, just three and a half minutes later. Bayley entered next, only about three minutes later. So five of the six wrestlers were in less than 11 minutes into the match.
Perez powerbombed Bayley onto the hard surface and hit a frog splash for two. Morgan caught Perez with a Codebreaker.
Bliss entered last (so everyone was in 14.5 minutes into the match) and went after Morgan. She got a good reaction coming out, and she ran wild on Morgan, Perez, and Bayley.
Everyone got involved and Bayley gave Belair and Bliss a low crossbody onto the hard surface. Morgan shoved Bayley into a pod but Bayley gave her a Rose Plant. Perez caught Bayley in a crossface but she managed to escape.
Bayley tossed Perez out of the ring, and Morgan suddenly nailed Bayley with Oblivion for the elimination (19 minutes into the match).
Belair and Morgan battled on top of a pod until Belair whipped her with her braid (which made a great noise and popped the relatively quiet crowd). Morgan wound up with a pretty bad bruise on her back and midsection thanks to the braid.
Belair hit Perez, Bliss and Morgan with a flying crossbody off the pod. They traded moves until Bliss eliminated Perez after a Twisted Bliss.
Morgan gave Belair three amigos and went for a 619 but Bliss caught her. They traded counters until Belair caught Morgan in a cradle for two. Bliss hit Belair with her version of Sister Abigail but Morgan cradled Bliss for the elimination.
Morgan and Belair were the final two. Belair was still down from the Sister Abigail, so Morgan made a cover for two. Morgan used Belair’s braid as a slingshot, bouncing her back and forth into the side of the cage. (That was a great spot.)
Belair fought back and pounced Morgan for two. Belair swung Morgan repeatedly into a pod and powerbombed her over the ropes and back into the ring.
Belair tried a 450 but Morgan got her knees up. Morgan hit a Codebreaker and tried Oblivion, but Belair caught her and hit KOD for the pinfall win.
This match was pretty good and picked up more towards the end. Belair looked great, especially in the final moments. The crowd was happy with Belair’s win.
— As Belair celebrated by the stage, Rhea Ripley entered for a face-off. IYO SKY walked out next to join the stare-down.
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Canadian rapper Nav was in the crowd.
For at least the third time, McAfee brought up the American anthem being booed. He even said that Canada better stop doing that or else.
About 8.5 minutes elapsed between the end of the last segment and the entrances for this match. 13 minutes elapsed between the end of the last segment and the start of this match.
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Trish Stratus & WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton defeated Nia Jax & Candice LeRae (11:40)
Cole said Stratus’ kids were watching her wrestle live for the first time. Stratus and Stratton wore matching white and blue gear. On the way out, Stratton seemed to get a bigger reaction than Stratus.
Stratus hit Jax with some weak-looking strikes and a better looking DDT for two. Jax blocked a bulldog and hit a back suplex for two. A few fans chanted “Canada” (for Trish), so Jax grabbed Stratus by the hair and chanted “USA.”
Stratton made a hot tag and hit LeRae with an Alabama Slam and Jax with a spinebuster. Stratton dropkicked LeRae for two. Stratton tried PME but LeRae tripped her off the top, and Jax followed with a leg drop for two. Stratton gave Jax a back suplex and tagged in Stratus.
Stratus hit Jax with a bulldog off the top. LeRae tried to break up the cover with a springboard moonsault but Stratus moved out of the way and LeRae landed on her partner.
Stratton tagged in and hit Jax with PME for the pinfall win.
This wasn’t much of a match, but a good win for Stratton.
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Travis Scott was shown in the back.
If you’re a Toronto local, the WWE store at gate 5 of the stadium will be open through Sunday.
Andrew Phung (who I met at Smackdown the last time they were here), Robbie Amell and Italia Ricci were in the crowd.
A video package for The Rock was shown (the same one shown during the pre-show).
The live attendance was announced as 38,493.
There was a video package for Owens vs. Zayn.
About 15 minutes elapsed from the end of the last segment and the entrances for this match.
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Unsanctioned Match: Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn (27:36)
The referee wore all black and Alicia Taylor announced that he was only there to count falls or accept submissions. He already had gloves on, just in case of blood. Both wrestlers also wore all black (with Owens sporting a red elbow pad). They also dimmed the stadium lights.
Cole actually mentioned a past grudge match between “El Generico” and “Kevin Steen.”
They traded fists to start, but Owens dropped Zayn gut-first over the top rope and hit a senton. Zayn drove Owens into the metal ring post (no video posts today).
Some fans chanted for tables, but Zayn grabbed chairs instead. Owens used the chair on Zayn, but Zayn ducked a shot, and the chair bounced off the rope and hit Owens in the face. Zayn then took his turn hitting Owens with the chair.
Zayn grabbed an all-black hockey stick out from under the ring (an odd thing to find at a baseball stadium). Zayn grabbed a table, but Owens posted him. Owens used the stick to crossface Zayn and simultaneously bit his forehead.
Owens grabbed a new table and stacked it on top of the other one, but Zayn attacked him with the stick. They fought into the crowd and Zayn hit Owens with a trash can.
Zayn gave Owens a Blue Thunder Bomb variation through a table. Zayn saw another table and slammed him through that one, too. (The second table had a bunch of drinks and cups and popcorn on it.)
Zayn chased Owens down toward ringside with a trash can lid, but Owens hit him with the ring bell. Owens also used the lid and a monitor as a weapon.
They battled on the top rope, when Owens slipped underneath Zayn and shoved him out through the stacked up tables outside the ring. That was nuts, and got a big reaction.
Owens gave Zayn a fisherman’s buster onto an open steel chair for a nearfall. Zayn slipped out of a pop-up powerbomb and hit consecutive half and half suplexes. The second one had Owens landing on top of an upright chair, and the chair buckled under Owens’ weight. That looked brutal.
Zayn went for a Helluva Kick but Owens moved and Zayn nailed the referee by mistake. Owens followed with a stunner and a new referee ran down but Zayn kicked out. Owens was pissed so he clotheslined the ref. (A third ref ran down.)
Owens went to the top, but Zayn chucked a chair at his face. Zayn went up, but Owens nailed an avalanche fisherman’s buster through a table. Zayn just barely rolled his shoulder up at two.
A few officials ran down to try to talk them into stopping. Owens got in Zayn’s face and screamed, “It’s all your fault,” but Zayn nailed a Helluva Kick for two.
Zayn grabbed a chair wrapped in barbed wire and the crowd gasped. Zayn hesitated before hitting Owens twice in the back with the chair. Owens fought back anyway until Zayn gave him a drop toe hold, face-first into the barbed wire. Owens sold it like his eye was hurt.
Zayn stacked the barbed wire chair on top of two other chairs and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a close nearfall. The crowd, now on its feet, chanted, “This is awesome.”
Zayn went for a final Helluva Kick but Owens countered into a pop-up powerbomb. Zayn heavily sold his injured neck. Owens wrapped a chair around Zayn’s head and neck and drove him into the ring post—twice. (Cole screamed that this wasn’t worth it.)
Owens powerbombed Zayn onto the edge of the ring and Cole yelled, “You sick bastard!” More officials ran down to plead with Owens.
Zayn tried fighting back but Owens gave him another powerbomb on the apron. Owens rolled him into the ring and covered him for the pinfall win.
— Security followed Owens up the ramp, but he attacked a few guards and went back to ringside. He pulled up the black mats and grabbed Zayn but stopped when Randy Orton’s music hit.
Orton entered (in his gear). Owens was ready for him in the ring, and they brawled briefly until Orton hit an RKO. Orton grabbed a chair to get redemption for his neck, but he tossed it aside and set up for a punt. He went for it but officials ran in to stop him. Owens escaped to the back.
Orton handed out RKOs to four security guards instead. (There was a funny bit where Orton offered a handshake to the last guard who was dumb enough to fall for it.) Orton posed for the fans.
(This was a great street fight, but I’m not sure it ever escalated to a level of violence beyond what they’ve done to each other before in this very company.)
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The announcers plugged stuff, including Stephanie McMahon’s new show, “Stephanie’s Places.” The first place is… Pat McAfee’s studio.
Dion Dawkins of the Buffalo Bills was in the crowd.
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Cole mentioned that Chris Jericho held the record for most eliminations in the Chamber and that he was the person who invited the match. He’s thinking of Money in the Bank.
Logan Paul entered with an American flag.
About 11 minutes elapsed between the end of the last segment and the start of entrances for this match. The entrances alone for this took 15+ minutes.
Men’s Elimination Chamber: John Cena defeated CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, Damian Priest and Logan Paul (32:38)
McIntyre and Rollins started. They immediately tried their finisher but missed. McIntyre tossed Rollins onto the hard surface and into the chains. (One negative of having two Chamber matches on one show is that we’ve seen this already, so it doesn’t have as much impact.)
Rollins fought back and repeatedly drove McIntyre into Punk’s pod as Punk cheered him on. McIntyre removed a turnbuckle pad and gave Rollins a slingshot into the metal piece. Punk cheered this on too.
Unlike the women’s match, they went a full five minutes for the first interval. Priest entered, to not much of a reaction. They gave Priest a chance to shine and he gave Rollins a Razor’s Edge over the top rope into McIntyre.
Rollins superkicked McIntyre and Priest. McIntyre gave Rollins a spinebuster and powerbombed him onto Priest’s back. The crowd yelled obscenities at Paul as McIntyre brought down both Rollins and Priest with a suplex out of the corner.
Less than four minutes passed before Paul entered next. He hit something on each guy for a two count. He posed, but Priest hit him with a bell clap. The crowd cheered as Paul’s face was driven into the cage. The crowd chanted, “F**k you, Logan,” and Netflix tried censoring it.
John Cena entered next (after another short interval). The crowd went nuts for Cena, who delivered his usual offence. He planted Paul with an AA, but McIntyre flew in with a Claymore Kick on Cena.
Before McIntyre could go for a cover, Priest caught McIntyre in a crucifix pin (about 13 minutes into the match) for the elimination. McIntyre gave Priest a Claymore before leaving.
Paul went to the top of a pod and hit Priest with a frog splash for the pinfall elimination (just a minute after McIntyre).
Punk entered last. The crowd chanted for Punk as he went right after Paul. He repeatedly slammed the back of Paul’s head against the plexiglass.
Punk turned around and saw Cena standing tall in the ring. Cena couldn’t help but smile as the two men faced off as the crowd chanted, “Holy sh*t.” Before they could go at it, Rollins flew in and booted Punk. Rollins told Cena that Punk was his.
As Cena and Rollins traded right hands, Paul hit them with a double Buckshot lariat (sort of). He tried for one on Punk but Punk countered it and slapped him. Punk gave Paul a GTS for the pinfall elimination. (Punk made a shovel/burying motion with his hands.)
The final three were Cena, Punk and Rollins. Rollins wound up the target so Cena and Punk teamed up on him and gave him a Hart Attack.
Cena and Punk faced off again. Cena offered a handshake, so Punk hugged him instead. It was sincere, because they backed off before trading strikes. Cena got the better of it and hit Punk with shoulder tackles. Punk hit a corner knee but Cena slammed him.
They traded counters until Punk went for GTS, but Cena reversed that into an STF. Punk reversed that into an Anaconda Vice, but Cena reversed that into a cradle for two. Punk hit a neckbreaker, and the crowd applauded both men.
Punk went to the top but saw Rollins get to his feet, so he hit Rollins with an axe handle. Punk went back to the top but Cena caught his crossbody attempt and hit an AA for a close nearfall.
Cena went to the top but Rollins powerbombed him into the chains and drove him through the pod’s plexiglass. Rollins gave Punk a Pedigree for two. Punk blocked a Rollins superplex and hit a flying elbow drop. Rollins responded with a buckle bomb and a stomp for another nearfall on Punk. (Punk has kicked out of an AA, Pedigree, and stomp.)
Rollins slipped out of an AA but Punk gave him a GTS. Cena gave Rollins an AA and Punk covered Rollins for the pinfall elimination.
Cena and Punk were the final two. They faced off again to the sound of duelling chants, and Cena was no longer smiling.
Cena offered a handshake. Punk shook his hand but hoisted him up and hit a GTS for a nearfall. Cena followed with another AA for a nearfall.
Rollins, who had yet to leave, stomped Punk on the hard surface.
Cena did not hesitate and he immediately pulled Punk into the ring and applied an STF. Punk passed out. Cena wins and is headed to WrestleMania.
(Like the women’s match, this match picked up more towards the end. In this case, the Cena and Punk interactions were the highlight.)
— Cena posed as fireworks went off.
Main Event segment
Cody Rhodes entered with Cena still in the ring. Cena held the ropes open for him. Cena told Rhodes he was coming for his belt at WrestleMania.
The Rock’s music hit. Travis Scott’s “Fein” played and he entered. The music cut back to Rock’s theme and Rock entered with Scott.
Rock and Rhodes came face to face as Cena stood by to watch. (Scott also watched in the corner.)
Rock told Rhodes that he would embrace him, and he would embrace Rhodes as his champion. Rock wanted it all. He wanted Rhodes’ mind and soul. God have mercy, Rock needed his soul. If the answer was yes, the American Nightmare would live forever. If Rhodes’ answer was no, then tonight, the dream died—again.
Rock held his arms out for a hug. Rhodes responded, “I want it all, Rock. My soul no longer belongs to me. And you know why? Because I gave my soul to this ring and these people a long time ago.” The fans, and Cena, cheered.
Rhodes said, “Hey Rock, go f*ck yourself!” (This was not censored.)
The crowd went nuts for that. Cena was amused. Rock was not.
It was a swerve.
Cena hugged Rhodes but had a stern look on his face and he stared at The Rock. Rock did the throat-slash gesture. The crowd gasped.
Cena stepped back and kicked Rhodes in the nuts. Cena grabbed Rhodes’ gold Rolex and punched him with it. Cena hammered away at Rhodes and hit him with the mic and title belt.
A mean-looking Cena posed with the WWE Championship. Rhodes was busted open and Cena hit him with the belt again.
Cena and Scott held down Rhodes, and Rock repeatedly hit him over the back with a weight belt (which read, “Cody’s Soul”).
Cena put his foot on Rhodes’ head as he posed with The Rock. Rock wiped Rhodes’ blood on the weight belt and hit him with it one more time.
Cena left to a mixed reaction. Cena, Rock and Scott posed together in the aisle. The camera focused on a bloody Rhodes as the show ended.
(The initial Cena turned got a huge pop. The crowd was mixed after that, but there was more booing than cheering, and some “You sold out,” chants.)
This was an excellent angle that will obviously have people talking. (Although I could have done without Travis Scott standing between Rock and Cena after Cena finally turned heel after all these years, and without Michael Cole yelling, “What the!” after the low-blow.)
