WWE No Way Out 2009 - Preview & Predictions

Opening Promo
No Way Out is unfortunately scheduled in-between 2 of the WWE's 'Big 4' PPVs of the year. It is only 3 weeks after the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania follows in the first weekend of April. Also they can't really afford to shake things up too much with this show as they will need to build the champions/challengers up strongly ahead of their flagship event.

So No Way Out is regarded as nothing more than filler. In order to combat this, for the second year running the show is centred around a gimmick match, in the form of the Elimination Chamber. This is a huge steel dome with 2 wrestlers starting and then 4 others coming out of glass pods situated inside the ring every 5 minutes. These matches are usually pretty good, especially if you have the right mix of people in them. The problem is, the card is light on matches, yet there will be 2 contests fought inside the Chamber. To me that is overkill. By the time the second one comes around the excitement won't be there, but hopefully they will have the sense to space them out.

The Card

Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship
Edge (c) vs. Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy vs. The Undertaker vs. Vladimir Koslov vs. The Big Show
This is the Smackdown title, which is the B-Show, but it should be the main event as it has much bigger names in the contest. And it should be a very good match. You can rule out The Undertaker winning the title as there are plenty of other options for him at Wrestlemania. Koslov too can be ruled out as he still looks a bit dodgy at times and switching the title from one heel to another would be strange. They have been teasing Big Show getting involved in something with Edge for a while now and he is in the midst of a babyface turn, but it is unlikely he will win the title. Jeff Hardy definitely won't win it back again after only just dropping it last month. Which leaves Triple H as the only likely contender, but I'd be sure they are saving that for 'Mania.

What is interesting is how they will book this one in regards to making guys look strong. Koslov has been portrayed as very dominant throughout his career so I'd guess that he might get a big elimination in the form of The Undertaker, who can get rebuilt easily enough. Big Show might be made to look weak enough as he has very little momentum. Jeff Hardy will probably get screwed out of it by his brother Matt, which would be fine as it keeps Jeff sympathetic and gets heat on Matt. Triple H most likely will be made to look especially strong, because that's how he will decide on things. He might even eliminate 2 guys all on his own.

So it'll come down to Edge against Triple H or Jeff Hardy, with Edge sneaking a win somehow. Which is fine enough with his gimmick being he seeks out opportunities to win. Should be very entertaining.
Prediction: Edge to retain

Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship
John Cena (c) vs. Chris Jericho vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Kane vs. Mike Knox vs. Kofi Kingston
This is the chamber for the flagship show, Raw, but strangely it is considerably weaker. This one is much easier to call since Mysterio, Kane, Knox & Kingston will most definitely not win due to them either being directionless for the past while or that they are mid-card talents. So that only leaves Jericho, but they been setting him up with something else for 'Mania and him winning, while awesome, would be really odd.

It's going to come down to Cena and Jericho with Jericho unfortunately putting the champion over yet again. Plus Randy Orton has a shot for a title at 'Mania and he needs a babyface to fight with, so Cena is going to retain. I have low expectations for this one due to the bizarre choice of talent that got chosen to be in the Chamber.
Prediction: John Cena to retain

ECW Championship
Jack Swagger (c) vs. Fit Finlay
These two have had a couple of good matches over the past month or so and I am fans of both of them. So I am really looking forward to this contest. Swagger only got the title a month or so ago which means he will probably retain the gold.

Now it is worth mentioning that Christian made his highly anticipated return this past week as a member of the ECW brand. This was strange because it was a surprise, and I'm not sure what to make of it. Christian is far better than being on the C-show, yet at least for the moment it allows the opportunity to re-establish himself as a singles guy without being lost under the presence of Cena or being known as his on-screen brother Edge's lackey on either of the other shows. He came out and confronted Swagger, so it looks like them two facing off for the title seems likely in the near future.
Prediction: Jack Swagger to retain

No Holds Barred
Randy Orton vs. Shane McMahon
This is more or less Shane getting revenge for Orton kicking his father in the head a few weeks back. I'm expecting a crazy match and one which should be very fine indeed. Orton is solid enough and in the past Shane has given it his all in these types of contests, which usually results in at least one major, insane spot.

There should be weapons galore and possibly run-ins. I wouldn't rule out Vince returning and screwing either side out of the victory, or even his daughter Stephanie doing the same thing. But Orton will be winning here as he needs to get built up strongly if he is to look like a credible challenger for the title.
Prediction: Randy Orton

All Or Nothing
Shawn Michaels vs. JBL (If Michaels wins, he is free from JBL's contract/If JBL wins, he owns Michaels name & likeness)
Yes, those are some pretty stupid stipulations. But then again, this whole storyline has been dumb. Hopefully this match will see the end of their program but I doubt it. The bout will probably be decent, though Michaels will have to do most of the heavy lifting. It makes sense that Michaels will win seeing as how he has been treated like crap for months by JBL. Plus it would allow them to have a rematch at 'Mania in Texas, making it an all-Texan affair. If JBL wins, I just don't know how they will pull off him owning Michaels' image. Unless he ends up making Michaels advertise all sorts of rubbish just so that he can get the money from it, but that would just be silly.
Prediction: Shawn Michaels to win

Last Man Standing or Counted-Out?
Well, this card appears to be lacking in depth and it wouldn't surprise me if they threw on an extra match to bulk it out a bit. Maybe a women's match or something just as filler. Of the matches, Orton/McMahon and the Smackdown Chamber will probably be the two standouts. However, it all looks really predictable which makes it slightly unappealing. That is of course unless WWE continue their hard-on for the technique of 'bait-and-switch' in order to create some unexpectedness. But that would probably be counter-productive seeing as people need to look credible and there needs to be some stability leading up to Wrestlemania. On the whole, it probably won't be essential viewing.