Our next stop on the thrilling road to Wrestlemania is the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view and in the main event, the chamber match itself, the biggest prize in the history of the company is on line, the unified World Heavyweight Championship. 6 men have qualified for their rightful spot in this hellish contest but only one can walk out as champion and some of these competitors are far more likely to emerge as champion than others. So who will be the ultimate victor and who will fall early on?

6. Christian

Captain Charisma has re-emerged in 2014 after a long spell out and instantly put on a high quality bout against a stumbling Jack Swagger to qualify for chance to headline Wrestlemania by winning the chamber match. Christian then went on to lose to Randy Orton in what was an impressive match and looked brilliant when teaming with Sheamus against the Real Americans, however despite these very strong performances the Canadian veteran has little to no chance of winning the belt. I imagine he will work the early match but will be eliminated before all 6 pods are opened for business, and I have a sneaky feeling Sheamus or Cesaro will be the foe to knock him off. There will be no shame in going out first for Christian though as his character needs no further development or momentum; WWE will have made a very safe booking for the first exit should he be the one to take the fall. Interestingly, Christian may not even step foot in the metal fortress… Remember when Brock Lesnar made himself the number one contender? He’s been overlooked for this match so I wouldn’t put it past him bullying his way into the battle and Christian could fall prey to the beast.

5. John Cena

Now before you all call me crazy for putting the seemingly indestructible Cena in 5th, hear me out on this one. Cena won’t win. Cena doesn’t need to win. Cena doesn’t even need a decent showing in the chamber due to his Wrestlemania match being pretty much the only one nailed to the card thus far; a bout with Bray Wyatt looks certain to be the destiny of the WWE’s leading superstar. Still though, 5th place for a man of his calibre seems bizarre, but to put it simply, other parties in this match need a sterling performance more, leaving John with a surprising early departure. Expect to see him pinned under controversial circumstances though, surely the Wyatt’s will interfere somehow, leaving Cena as bait for the easy pin and fuelling the fire in what will be the biggest confrontation of Bray Wyatt’s career, another ‘kidnapping’ after Cena’s elimination by the deranged family could be fun to watch if creative succeed where they failed in the past.

4. Sheamus

Sheamus is a bit of an odd one in this year’s chamber match up, it is unlikely that he will make it into the final three and his direction seems foggy at the minute, while picking up a handful of victories and looking rather impressive in-ring it is hard to predict the company’s intentions for him. Rumours were rife a few weeks back that Sheamus would face Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania but since the shocking but certainly warranted reaction from the universe to Batista winning the rumble match and CM Punk’s walk-out, plans for Bryan have clearly changed, leaving Sheamus floating about in a world of uncertainty. I predict then that Sheamus will come 4th in this bout but I feel he will pick up a pinfall before he departs, giving him some form of forward momentum leading into the final furlong on Wrestlemania’s road. Interestingly, we could see Sheamus turn heel on Sunday; enraged by his early exit he could brutalise all the remaining competitors before he steps outside the metallic structure.

3. Antonio Cesaro

Wow, what more can be said about this man recently. Cesaro (who has actually dropped his first name) has taken the WWE by storm in the past month or so and fans are getting massively behind him despite his heel persona. Maybe it is his fantastic moveset, the unbelievable matches he has performed with opponents such as Orton, Bryan and Cena, or the fact that the Real American’s (with Zeb Colter by their side) are such lovable heels that Cesaro is getting so over. But no matter what the reason the executives of the company have recognised this factor and are seemingly granting the Swiss wrestler the push he thoroughly deserves. A bright showing in this incredible battle seems to be on the cards then and a third place finish would stand Cesaro in very good stead for the future. His massive assortment of attacks will likely be on show for the world before getting knocked out by Bryan or Orton, but regardless, coming in at number 3 will accelerate Cesaro’s position towards the pinnacle of the wrestling world where he is more than worthy to stand.

2. Daniel Bryan

I can almost feel the anger of you all as I write this, but Daniel Bryan probably isn’t going to become WWE champion for the third time this month. In my dreams he wins and everyone in the area and all those watching at home jump up and down with pure happiness and chant YES YES YES in unison, but in reality we will have this prospect snatched away from us, just like we did at the Royal Rumble. The scene instead will in all probability go down in one of two scenarios. Either Daniel Bryan will be setting up for the win as the universe screams wildly in support of our hero and he will miss the running knee leaving him vulnerable to the Viper who will score the RKO for the win. Or there will be an outside factor, which looms ever more after Bryan and Kane’s exchanges on the weekly shows; the authority could quite simply screw the bearded warrior out of the match, leading to a match with Triple H at Wrestlemania. This would by no means be a bad bout between the pairing, however it isn’t what we want to see is it, we want to see Bryan emerge as champion both at the Chamber PPV and in April on the grandest stage that wrestling has to offer, to chant alongside him like we are excited, marvelled children once again.

1. Randy Orton

‘Here is your winner, Randyyyyyy Ortonnnnnn,’ this is the tune that we are all most likely to hear when this awe-inspiring match comes to a close, it’ll be a sickening punch in the gut once more but as much as we all wish there was another way, this situation is the one that seemingly will greet us like the disgusting taste of a warm beer. Randy has collected a set of losses leading up to this war, defeating only Christian out of all of his adversaries, getting overcome this many times never seems to point towards a PPV loss though. In fact, more often than not, it points directly at a triumphant victory. Orton then will surely win in one of the methods mentioned above; I for one feel it will come from the authority becoming involved in the match up in some way meaning we will be treated to the Wrestlemania main event we always feared but never wanted, Randy Orton versus Batista.

The 2014 Elimination Chamber match then seems to have all the makings for a classic with stunning spots and wonderful wrestling in store for the adoring universe. We can only hope, pray and dream that my prediction will be wrong and the new people’s champion Daniel Bryan or even the rapidly rising Cesaro will conquer their rivals and hold the belts aloft to the tune of a rapturous crowd, healing the wounds that the WWE have wreaked upon us in recent times.