One thing is certain at WWE Elimination Chamber on Feb. 19 – someone will be leaving in an ambulance by the end of the night. On the Feb. 6 Raw SuperShow, Interim Raw GM John Laurinaitis announced a rematch between John Cena and Kane. In a move he said the WWE Board of Directors liked, the Interim Raw GM said the rivals will clash in an Ambulance Match.
The rules of an Ambulance Match may be simple, but getting to the final bell will be anything but as there are no pinfalls, submissions, count-outs or disqualifications. To win, a competitor needs to incapacitate his opponent, throw him into the back of a waiting ambulance and shut the door, sending him directly to the nearest medical facility.
Brutal and barbaric, an Ambulance Match at Elimination Chamber may be the only appropriate setting as one of the most intense rivalries the WWE Universe has ever seen reaches its apex.
While some conflicts explode after just one inciting incident, others build slowly and steadily over time. When it comes to Cena and The Big Red Monster Kane, their rivalry has intensified each week for the past few months, with each act of aggression topping its predecessor. In his continued efforts to get Cena to finally embrace the hate, Kane has used those closest to Cena to get his message across.
Kane’s relentless assault on Cena’s friend, Zack Ryder, began on the Jan. 3 episode of Raw SuperShow, when The Devil’s Favorite Demon tried to drag Ryder into the abyss underneath the ring. Luckily, Cena was there to save the day, but that did nothing to quell the monster’s fury.
The next week, Kane chokeslammed Ryder off the loading docks outside the arena, seriously injuring him (WATCH). Then, on the Jan. 23 Raw SuperShow, Kane intensified his attacks, chokeslamming Ryder through the stage and sending the Superstar to a nearby medical facility (WATCH). A visibly furious Cena uncharacteristically snapped, refusing Josh Matthews’ interview request by knocking the microphone out of the announcer’s hand.
The following Sunday at the 25th anniversary of the Royal Rumble, Cena and Kane battled to a double count-out. But it was naïve to think that a ring bell would be enough to stop these two from tearing each other apart. The war raged on outside the ring and all over the arena, with Kane getting the upper hand on Cena, courtesy of a steel chair.
Kane’s constant torment has taken Cena to unchartered territory, revealing a vicious and previously unseen side of the Leader of Cenation, as witnessed on the Jan. 30 episode of Raw. After Eve’s loss to Divas Champion Beth Phoenix, Kane appeared at ringside, terrifying the helpless Diva. An incensed Cena again came to the rescue, continually battering Kane with the steel ring stairs and sending The Devil’s Favorite Demon scurrying through the WWE Universe.
Now, the two powerhouse Superstars prepare to meet at Elimination Chamber, in what will be their most vicious bout yet. A rare stipulation throughout history, the WWE Universe hasn’t witnessed an Ambulance Match since Survivor Series 2003 which, perhaps unsurprisingly, featured Kane. Despite a heroic effort on the part of Shane McMahon during that match, The Big Red Monster’s brutal assault proved too great and it was Kane who slammed shut the ambulance doors on his opponent.
Does the same fate await John Cena on Feb. 19 at Elimination Chamber? Find out live on pay-per-view starting at 8 ET / 5 PT.
