By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Elimination Chamber press event
February 22, 2024 in Perth, Australia at the Southern Oval outside Optus Stadium
Streamed live on Peacock and WWE social media outlets
-Michael Cole spoke as footage aired of various WWE wrestlers arriving in Australia on Wednesday. Footage aired of the ring and set being constructed. Cole said it took over a month to get to Perth due to shipping issues…
-An Elimination Chamber video package aired… Footage aired of Paul Levesque arriving and appearing in front of the crowd at the press event…
-Nia Jax was shown arriving and the fans booed. Rhea Ripley’s arrival was shown and there were loud cheers…
-Cole stood on the stage with Corey Graves. Cole said it was 100 degrees, but the fans were hotter… Byron Saxton checked in from backstage. He said he spoke with Rhea Ripley at the hotel and described her as “joyfully centered”…
-Grayson Waller’s theme played and he walked onto the stage. Waller was applauded by his home country fans. He said he wasn’t used to that reaction. Waller spoke of taking over the press event as a host. He recalled being in the O2 Arena in London and said it was disgusting. Waller recalled John Cena saying they needed to hold WrestleMania in London. A “Cena sucks” chant broke out. Waller said the fans were right and then said they need WrestleMania in Australia…
-Paul “Triple H” Levesque was introduced. The fans chanted “Triple H” and then he called them a rowdy bunch. He spoke of how the crew has enjoyed their stay in Perth and then said it’s time to get down to business.
Levesque played up Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes appearing on The Grayson Waller Effect at Elimination Chamber. Levesque said Cody was traveling to Australia and was unable to appear at the press conference. Levesque had the fans sing Cody’s entrance theme.
Levesque hyped the women’s Elimination Chamber match and said the winner will face the winner of the Rhea Ripley vs. Nia Jax match. Levesque also touted the men’s Elimination Chamber match and said the winner will challenge the next guest.
-World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins took the stage. Rollins danced while the crowd sang his entrance theme. Rollins said he wouldn’t be fighting at Elimination Chamber “unless Grayson opens his big mouth.” Rollins said he would be there with Cody Rhodes. Rollins responded to a fan who called for Roman Reigns by saying that he wasn’t coming because that’s his M.O.
Rollins said he and Cody will have a few things to say about Reigns and The Rock. A “Rocky Sucks” chant started. “He sure does suck,” Rollins responded. Rollins said he didn’t know who would win the men’s Elimination Chamber match. “The truth is it doesn’t matter who wins the men’s Chamber, because whoever I face at WrestleMania will be lying flat on their back.” Rollins said he would leave WrestleMania as the World Heavyweight Champion.
-Cole, Graves, and Waller returned to the stage. Graves asked Waller about working with The Bloodline. Waller assumed he wanted to know what Paul Heyman said to him. He also said they should take a moment to acknowledge the Tribal Chiefs.
-The hosts set up an Elimination Chamber video package. They replayed footage of the set being constructed. Cole said it took over a month to arrive due to pirates. Graves verified that Cole said pirates, so Cole confirmed it for him.
-Kevin Owens took the stage and thanked the crew. He said he hasn’t had much luck with Australians. He pointed to Waller and then said Rhea Ripley beats the hell out of him every chance she gets. Owens told the fans they weren’t supposed to cheer that. He ran through the list of men’s Elimination Chamber entrants and acted like he couldn’t remember one name.
-Randy Orton joined Owens on the stage. Owens told him it was just a bit he was doing. Orton said he was jet lagged and needed the fans to be as loud as they could be. Orton led the crowd in chanting “Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.” Orton said the Australian fans are among the best in the world. Orton spoke about his back surgery and spoke about how good he feels. Orton said there’s probably more metal in his spine than in the Elimination Chamber structure. Orton said it will be his 18th or 19th WrestleMania and he’s not going to Hollywood. He said he’s going to do what he does in front of people who appreciate it. Orton tried to close with an RKO line, but he was interrupted.
-U.S. Champion Logan Paul walked onto the stage. Paul took issue with flying 30 hours to Australia to be booed. He said they could go there. Pauls said it was WWE’s first time going to Perth and he would make sure it was the last. He said that when he found out they were going to Perth, he said they should go to Sydney instead. He said even Taylor Swift went to Sydney rather than Perth. Paul said they were in the middle of nowhere and he’d rather be standing in the middle of the ocean. The fans started giving him the “What?” treatment, so he told them he wasn’t doing it. He said he would be the youngest entrant in the Chamber by a decade and would win the match and go on to become a double champion.
Owens told Orton that while he was away having back surgery, Paul arrived and they have to put up with him. Owens said they could take care of him in the Chamber match. Paul said Owens looked flushed and offered him some of his energy drink. Owens knocked the drink out of his hand. Owens tried to go after Paul, but Levesque returned and Orton also stood between Owens and Paul.
-Bianca Belair was introduced by Cole. Belair said she had fallen in love with Perth. She said she would come out on top in the Elimination Chamber match and then go on to WrestleMania and extending her undefeated streak. Belair ran through the list of other Chamber entrants.
Tiffany Stratton walked onto the stage and said no one cares what Belair has to say. Stratton said the only good thing about Australia is that once she wins the Chamber match she will be leaving right after.
Becky Lynch made her entrance and played to the Perth fans. Stratton stormed off early on. Lynch told Belair that she loves and respect her, but Belair also took the last title she held from her. Lynch said she won’t be locked in the Chamber with Belair, Belair will be locked in the Chamber with The Man. Belair said she and Lynch have been enemies and friends, but now all she sees in front of her is someone who is standing in her way of getting to WrestleMania.
-A video featured the WWE crew enjoying the ocean and the Australian wildlife.
-Graves announced Asuka and Kairi Sane vs. Indi Hartwell and Candace LeRae for the Elimination Chamber Kickoff Show.
Powell’s POV: A Kickoff Show match?!? Is this a cruel joke on those of us who have to be up way early (or stay up way too late) to cover the show? Eh, we probably deserve it.
-A video package showcased the Rhea Ripley and Nia Jax feud heading into their Women’s World Championship match at Elimination Chamber.
-Nia Jax was introduced and took the stage. Jax said she was born in Sydney, Australia. She said she is now grateful that per parents were wise enough to leave the wasteland for the United States.
Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley walked onto the stage to a big ovation followed by “Mami” chants. Ripley told the fans not to make her emotional because she’s supposed to be The Eradicator. She mentioned it’s her first time competing in Australia in over seven years.
Ripley and Jax ended up jawing at one another. Jax asked the fans if they wanted a preview. Ripley sprayed water on her. Levesque walked out and then Jax headed to the back with him. Jax led the fans in another “Aussie” chant. Ripley’s music played. Waller joined Ripley and they did a “shoey” together by pouring a drink into their shoes and then drinking it.
Powell’s POV: The Aussies can keep their “shoey” custom. A pretty standard press event and obviously not nearly as newsworthy as the WrestleMania XL press event in Las Vegas. In fact, the thing that surprised me the most (well, aside from the shoey), was seeing the Trinidad & Tobago flag guy seated in the crowd. That man is everywhere.
There were several references made to how hot it was in Perth. The good news for the crew is that while today’s high is 98, the high on Saturday is 81 degrees with a low of 68 degrees. They also appear to be missing the rain that’s forecast for Sunday. It looks like it will be a nice night in the open-air stadium.
Join me for my live review of WWE Elimination Chamber on Saturday. We will avoid running spoiler headlines coming out of the event on Saturday for the benefit of those of you who intend to watch the show on delay.
Update on the forecast temps – 87, not 81. I had to convert that. There’s a 50 percent chance of rain but it’s pretty much before 6pm. And I’m not there unfortunately. Domestic air fares are RS in Australia right now.
One weather site says 81, another I looked at says 85, yours apparently says 87. I’ll be blunt. They all suck. For instance, my phone’s weather app has told me that there’s a zero percent chance of rain while it’s raining on more than one occasion.
I wonder if they will allow Ripley and Jax to main event?
Isn’t the Rock supposed to crash the Grayson Waller segment?
Flights cost less for me to wrestlemania from the east coast of Australia than to Perth. Wild. I hope the crowd brings the energy tomorrow. It’ll be nice to watch a show at a decent hour
Tiffy needs some promo work. STAT. Yikes
I just read Triple H confirmed the Rock will NOT be at the event. He wanted to make that clear, so there was no expectation and disappointment.