Last night, WWE brought back the Elimination Chamber in a Network Live Special (read: an “online-only” PPV), to the joy of many a gimmick match lover. The chamber has been a favorite of fans since its inception, mostly for its innovative “staggered entry” format (two wrestlers start in the ring, then every "x" amount of time another joins the fray, until all six are in)—and the fact that the chamber is one of the more intriguing weapons in WWE, with its corner pods and steel floor outside of the ring.
To celebrate the return of everyone’s third favorite hardcore match (which will hopefully be used in better fashion than it was last night going forward), we wanted to take a look at the best gimmick matches in WWE* history; from endurance matches like Last Man Standing and Iron Man, to weapon-filled shenanigans like Street Fights and Strap Matches, to the simple brutality of enclosed spaces (hi, War Games). One thing that holds true for the following 15 matches is that they have all gained fans throughout the years for taking WWE and making it just that much more extreme.
*A couple of these matches gained fame in WCW, but since WWE purchased that company, we’ll count them as well.