World Wrestling Entertainment offers the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view tonight from New Orleans (the city that is soon expected to be announced as the sight of next year's WrestleMania XXX) with the Rock defending the WWE championship against former champ C.M. Punk and Big Show getting another opportunity at Alberto Del Rio's world heavyweight title.
Six wrestlers will enter the massive Elimination Chamber to determine the number one contender for the world title. The bout will feature the talents of Daniel Bryan, Kane, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton, the revitalized Jack Swagger and the returning Mark Henry. The Shield will square off with the threesome of John Cena, Ryback and Sheamus. Antonio Cesaro defends the U.S. belt against the Miz, this time on the ppv, and Tamina Snuka challenges Kaitlyn for the divas title.
As this is the final ppv before WrestleMania, there could be some interesting booking decisions made that will point us in the direction of the big April 7 show that has already sold a reported 11 million dollars worth of tickets. With the announcement of Bruno Sammartino's acceptance for the Hall of Fame, it looks like the benevolent senior citizen has done it again as Madison Square Garden is now reportedly sold out for that April 6 induction ceremony.
Sammartino is also scheduled to be inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame on March 2 in Columbus, Ohio. Former Knick star Earl the Pearl Monroe is going in, too, and the whole thing is somehow affiliated with the former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger.
College basketball has its March Madness and we are currently in the Mania Madness period for pro wrestling fans as business is certainly picking up. Rock seems to be set for a rematch with Cena at Mania, but I guess he has to first survive the match tonight with Punk that now has the stipulation that he could drop the belt if disqualified. Lesnar and Triple H are rumored to be ready to go at it again and Punk is thought to be penciled in with Undertaker, unless the Dead Man's health precludes him from working this year's show. Nothing is ever set in stone, but things should quickly begin to take shape starting with tonight's ppv and the next couple of weeks on Raw and Smackdown.
Taker was spotted last Sunday at the Nashville Predators hockey game, but didn't appear on Raw in the same city on Monday night. He supposedly met with Vince, but speculation is that health issues are possibly postponing the start of an angle with Punk until a doctor's clearance is obtained. Stand by for updates.
Over at TNA, they are getting ready for the upcoming Lethal Lockdown ppv on March 10. So far, they have indicated a team captained by Sting will battle the Aces and 8s crew in the huge cage. Jeff Hardy, who recently signed a new contract with TNA, will have an opponent determined in the coming weeks.
The shocking decision last week by the International Olympic Committee to drop wrestling from the Olympics has led to a huge outcry by a whole host of folks in the wrestling community, including Kurt Angle, who is spearheading a petition drive at TNA to get the IOC to reconsider its rather bizzare decision that nobody seems to be able quite understand. Several pro wrestlers worked their way into the profession after Olympic experiences paved the way and many have had great success in both endeavors.