OAKLAND, Calif. – John Cena may have punched his ticket for WrestleMania, but the fare proved steep indeed.
In a grueling Elimination Chamber Match, WWE’s 2010 Superstar of the Year was forced to overcome five other Superstars – Randy Orton, John Morrison, R-Truth, King Sheamus and CM Punk – to capture his third victory inside the structure and secure his place in the main event at WrestleMania XXVII.
John Morrison and King Sheamus kicked off the contest while the remaining four combatants waited within their corner pods, each of which would open randomly every five minutes.
One by one, the Superstars were unleashed within Satan’s Structure, but not without incident. When CM Punk’s time arrived, his pod refused to open properly. As a result, The Second City Savior endured a beatdown from Randy Orton, who quickly pinned him. Before he could leave the callous coliseum, however, Raw’s anonymous GM reinstated him in the interest of fairness.
The first combatant to officially crumble was R-Truth, who succumbed to the punishment of the Irishman. A surprising second elimination came when The Viper fell to a returning and rejuvenated Punk. After inflicting a plethora of pain, The Celtic Warrior finally gave up the ghost in third. With only three Superstars remaining, The Shaman of Sexy offered a valiant effort. However, a knee injury had hobbled him, allowing Punk to pin him after a GTS.
Finally, despite having logged a 3-0 record against Cena in their last three matches, The Second City Savior failed in his final conquest. Instead, the Cenation Commander-in-Chief rose above thanks in no small part to sheer determination and a reservoir of what he called “faith.”
With the challenge of the Chamber behind him, a battered Cena can look forward to recuperating for his WrestleMania confrontation with WWE Champion The Miz, who successfully defended his title against Jerry “The King” Lawler earlier at the same pay-per-view.
For now, though, Cena can be content at not only having survived his fourth stint inside Satan’s Structure, but at having thrived under the most adverse of conditions.
