Elimination Chamber 2021: WWE results, who won the Elimination Chamber matches, and did The Miz cash in?

It was another raucous night of action from the WWE as it presented viewers with Elimination Chamber 2021

Sheamus and Drew McIntyre engage in a tense stare down ahead of the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match (Photo: WWE.com)

Last night (21 February) saw WWE's annual Elimination Chamber event emanate from the professional wrestling company’s so-called ‘ThunderDome’ arena at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The yearly event revolves around the WWE’s patented Elimination Chamber match, which involves a huge steel structure and competitors locked inside Perpsex pods.

Two wrestlers start the match in fairly typical style, in a ring surrounded by the inescapable structure, as more are added from the pods at regular intervals.

Sasha Banks locks a submission on to Nia Jax (Photo: WWE.com)

Once a competitor has been pinned, they are ejected from the match, and the bout continues until just one person is crowned the victor.

It's an often spectacular display of athleticism with some of the most daring stunts you’ll see in a WWE ring, and coming just weeks before WrestleMania, can often see storylines and the WWE landscape shift in dramatic ways.

Here’s everything you need to know about Elimination Chamber 2021.

Jes Uso delivers multiple superkicks to Kevin Owens after trapping his arm in the Chamber door (Photo: WWE.com)

Who won the first Elimination Chamber match?

The show opened with the Smackdown Elimination Chamber match, featuring Daniel Bryan, Cesaro, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Jey Uso, and King Corbin, all names from WWE’s Smackdown brand. The winner of this match would become the number one contender for Roman Reigns’ Universal Championship.

Cesaro and Daniel Bryan started the match off in the, delivering some impressive technical grappling as they are often wont to do, before King Corbin entered into the fight.

Corbin drove Cesaro into the side of a pod, ramping up the brutality and taking advantage of the two tired wrestlers already in the ring.

When Zayn eventually entered the match (he tried to hold his pod door shut), he missed a big kick on a rival competitor, instead colliding with the pod that held long-term friend-turned-rival, Kevin Owens.

Cesaro eliminated Corbin with a sharpshooter submission, and when Owens entered the map, Zayn’s attempts at forming an alliance were met with short shrift.

Owens then eliminated Zayn with a Stunner but as Zayn was exiting the Chamber, Jey Uso used its door to pin Owens' in place, peppering him with superkicks before landing a big splash for the pin and the elimination.

A similar big splash fate met Cesaro, and with Bryan and Uso the remaining two competitors, Uso tried another splash finish. But Bryan countered by getting his knees up, and hit a running knee for the pin and the win.

After the match, Roman Reigns made his way to the ring, allowing Bryan his championship opportunity right away. Obviously, Bryan was spent from the gruelling match he had just competed in, and so the contest was moot.

After the ‘match’, Edge – who is guaranteed a title shot at WrestleMania having won last month’s Royal Rumble – came out and declared he will be challenging Reigns at the big show in April.

What other matches were there?

A triple threat match featuring three wrestlers competing for the US Title was up next.

Champion Bobby Lashley, John Morrison and Riddle all put on an entertaining bout, that ended with Riddle – an MMA fighter-turned-wrestler who was once a firm favourite with live British crowds before heading to the WWE – hit his ‘Bro Derek’ finishing maneuver to pick up the win and become the new United States champion.

The WWE’s female competitors were given their chance to shine in a match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles, which saw champions Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax teaming up against Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair, the latter of which won the women’s Royal Rumble match in January.

The match itself failed to really get the audience – beamed in onto LCD boards through the magic of Covid-era technology – going, and saw the champions retain after a relatively short bout.

The fight did set some interesting story points surrounding Belair into motion though; will she challenge her Sunday night tag team partner at WrestleMania? Her decision is yet to be made, and should provide some interesting moments going forward.

Who is the WWE champion?

The final match of the evening saw another action-packed Elimination Chamber, this time featuring Scottish WWE Champion Drew McIntrye. Whoever won this match, would leave the champion.

The match once again saw pods getting battered, the Chamber being used as a weapon, and plenty of high-flying dives and spectacular stunts.

Eventually, McIntyre overcame AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, Sheamus, and Kofi Kingston to emerge victorious.

But after the hard-fought match, The Miz – who held the Money in the Bank briefcase, allowing him a title shot at any moment he chooses – came out to cash in his contract.

McIntyre’s reign as champion finally ended in a match that lasted less than 30 seconds, as the drained fighter was hit with Miz’ finishing moves for an easy win.

The Miz is your new WWE champion.