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00:35Well, Sammy's first match since the loss to Drew McIntyre.
00:39Of course, some hope rises again.
00:41You heard from Drew McIntyre.
00:43Sammy's only made the elimination chamber once.
00:46That was back in 2021 and now a golden ticket awaits.
01:24And his opponent from Sacramento, California.
01:28Laying in at 291 pounds, the Samoan Werewolf, Jacob Batu.
01:41Well, can there be a worse feeling than knowing your pathway to the
01:46elimination chamber and then WrestleMania has to run through this man?
01:53Latu who ambushed Drew McIntyre a week ago and now has to take the formal and far more difficult path
02:02to
02:03potentially get back to Drew McIntyre.
02:06This main event to get to elimination chamber to earn a world championship opportunity at WrestleMania 42.
02:15Two weeks to elimination chamber, nine weeks to WrestleMania 42.
02:20Man, things are heating up this time of the year.
02:46Now let's do some work.
03:05dafΓΌr Wiss shit.
03:15One of the best things, I was not sure.
03:17And their opponent, from Atlanta, Georgia, weighing in at 222 pounds, the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes!
03:34We have seen an altered version of Cody Rhodes, a fuming Cody Rhodes.
03:40We heard him tell the WWE Universe, for the first time in my career, I can't in good conscience point
03:47at that Wrestlemania sign that bothers him.
03:51Tonight, Wade is about taking a major step closer to solving that.
03:56But he's running out of time and opportunities. Have to have this one.
03:59Yeah, another man with major issues with Drew McIntyre.
04:02McIntyre, of course, defeating Cody for the WWE Championship and eliminating him from the Royal Rumble.
04:13And once again, a massive spike in energy once QB1 enters the arena.
04:19But can you really be QB1 without the WWE Championship?
04:25But Cody, I'm not so sure. He sees it as his destiny to get back there.
04:30And there's one pathway left for Rhodes.
04:34Win tonight. Win Elimination Chamber.
04:37Head to Wrestlemania.
04:44Randy Orton is in.
04:46L.A. Knight is in.
04:48And now, who will be the next name added?
04:52Will it be Cody?
04:54Will it be Jacob?
04:55Or will it be Sami Zayn?
04:58Here we go. Triple threat rules.
05:00First to score a pin four submission on any opponent wins.
05:03Who will get one of the spots in Elimination Chamber?
05:09There's still major issues between Cody and Fatou.
05:12Cody blames Fatou for costing him in that three stages of hell match with Drew McIntyre.
05:19And of course, they had that epic brawl at Saturday night's main event.
05:22I don't think anything got resolved between those two that night.
05:26Although they may have gained a modicum of respect for one another.
05:30Of course, they have the underdog Sami Zayn, who naively got suckered there by Jacob Fatou.
05:37Welcome to the whirlwind that is the Samoan whirlwind.
05:41And Cody invites it.
05:43Cody says, let's go right here.
05:45And they go.
05:46Well, it's like Montreal all over again for these two.
05:49Flashback to Saturday night's main event.
05:51Let's carry on where we left off.
05:53That was back on January 24th when Jacob and Cody had a scheduled match in Montreal.
05:59And Saturday night's main event.
06:01But they brawled throughout the arena before the match ever officially started.
06:06Drew McIntyre eventually attacked both men.
06:09Look at the pace and the violence they're setting early here.
06:13Oh my god, what a reversal of that Cody Cutter there from Jacob Fatou.
06:17Knew it was coming and had the physical ability to get past it.
06:20But Cody equal to it.
06:22Missing the senton.
06:24And now Cody, he revs the engine and sends Fatou out to the floor.
06:31Just as Sami steadies himself and enters the ring again.
06:35Gonna make the most of this.
06:36As I promise you, the Simone Werewolf will not stay down for long.
06:42Chops echoing throughout this arena here in Dallas.
06:52And now Sami sends Cody out as well.
07:00Sami high fly in.
07:02Takes out Jacob and Cody.
07:06Men's Elimination Chamber qualifying match.
07:09No, Sami.
07:09No.
07:10No.
07:19I'll tell you something to keep an eye on after that hot flurry there from Sami Zayn.
07:23That landing on the dive is the same dive that cost him at the Royal Rumble.
07:28The lower back of Sami Zayn against Drew McIntyre flared up badly.
07:33And Sami wasn't the same again in Riyadh.
07:36Now, I noticed he was gingerly caressing that lower back.
07:39Perhaps he's gone away with it this time.
07:42But something to keep an eye on.
07:43What a great point of analysis as we saw him reaching for that back.
07:47And then we reach back to our recent memory of what happened at the end of January in Riyadh
07:52when Sami lost to Drew McIntyre.
07:57I'll tell you, Joe, there's no hit in the brakes in a match like this.
08:00When the stakes are so high, it's WrestleMania season.
08:03You've got one chance to get back on path to a main event championship spot at WrestleMania.
08:10You have to go for broke.
08:12Well, Sami wants to get there right now.
08:13When unable to.
08:14You know, we hear about it in other sports.
08:17The way there's a tone set and a pace set to regular season games.
08:22And then things really ratchet up in the playoffs.
08:25And you see a level of intensity that just lets you know that a championship is around the corner.
08:31That is what this feels like tonight on SmackDown.
08:34That is what it feels like when you watch these qualifying matches for Elimination Chamber.
08:39Yeah, I'll tell you right now, Joe, I don't care if you're a rookie in this game
08:43or a vet who's been to the top multiple times.
08:45Everyone in that locker room feeling massive amount of nerves because it's WrestleMania season.
08:51Everything is heightened.
08:52The difference is some people are affected negatively by those nerves.
08:58People like Cody have proven in the past those nerves.
09:00They bring out the very best in it.
09:02Well, just when Cody hits that delayed vertical suplex, Jacob Fatou is right there to meet him.
09:09And that is what happens in a triple threat match.
09:11You may have momentum in one direction, but you've got to watch your back in the other direction.
09:17And now this is a fully refreshed Jacob Fatou against two half-beaten opponents.
09:24And you would not want to be Cody Rhodes or indeed Sami Zayn at this point.
09:28Although, up until now, Fatou has eyes only for Cody.
09:32That's just changed.
09:40I mean, and you've questioned, with someone like Jacob Fatou, what was the tactic coming into this match?
09:47What's the strategy?
09:48Or is it simply close your eyes, keep swinging, and do what only you can do?
09:56Massive uppercut from Fatou.
09:59That is just a blur of violence.
10:02So devastating, so effective.
10:04And slowly getting closer to the elimination chamber.
10:10Just the force by which he put Sami into that corner.
10:28Back on January 9th in Germany, Jacob Fatou is mostly responsible for causing the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes
10:37the loss when Drew McIntyre became the undisputed WWE champion.
10:42As he interfered in that three stages of Hellmatch.
10:45Now, here they are in a triple threat with Sami Zayn as Snap Scoop Powerslam to see who can make
10:51it
10:51to the men's elimination chamber.
10:54Cody has been trying to chase down Drew McIntyre.
10:57He has been a man possessed.
10:59And you see it in his face and those eyes right there.
11:03Yeah, Cody now hitting that main event gear.
11:05It's WrestleMania season.
11:07The cogs are whirring in the mind of Cody Rhodes.
11:09Don't want to miss out.
11:11Looking to deliver the elbow, but instead Sami Zayn was trying for Blue Thunder.
11:16Back and forth they go.
11:17Hot pace set here.
11:20Disaster kick to the jaw.
11:21And then a cover.
11:24I don't think you've got a two count on that one.
11:26That is how highly strong Sami Zayn is, refusing to go down after recent bitter disappointments.
11:36Taking everything he has.
11:42I mean, I'll be honest with you, Joe.
11:44A WrestleMania card without any of these three in this match is unthinkable.
11:49But it is a distinct possibility for two of them, pending the outcome of this match.
11:54Sami able to get out of that crossroads attempt.
11:56Perhaps looking for the exploder here.
11:58Fatou just smashes both of them.
12:00Yeah, two birds with one stone for Fatou.
12:02That's part of the problem in triple threat.
12:03You have to drop your guard, focus on one opponent at some point in the match.
12:08Second you do that, a Samoan blur is heading your way.
12:14And now the scene of devastation unfolds.
12:22Able to use the ropes and the running moonsault.
12:26And now trying to advance to Chicago.
12:28And Sami survives with two and change.
12:32And now Cody looking to rev the engine.
12:36In position for the Samoan drop.
12:38But instead, Cody!
12:39Could he land?
12:42Good reversal by Fatou.
12:44Oh, looking for a quick one of Sami.
12:50Cody, Jack, nice.
12:52Fatou, sat on!
12:54Well, once again, Cody and Sami got almost obsessed with beating one another in that chess game there.
13:01Counter for counter.
13:04Apparently, Jacob Fatou don't play that way.
13:07Jacob Fatou, who attacked Drew McIntyre last week.
13:10Cody Rhodes, who attacked Drew McIntyre last week.
13:14And now both of them looking to have a chance to attack all the way to WrestleMania.
13:18It's going to take this victory here, though, to put themselves in position for Elimination Chamber.
13:23Remember, winner at Elimination Chamber in two weeks gets a world championship match at WrestleMania.
13:29Folks, we're only nine weeks away from WrestleMania 42 in Vegas.
13:32Yeah, McIntyre not afraid of making some enemies.
13:35Apparently, he's certainly got plenty of those.
13:37A bizarre olive branch extended to Sami Zayn prior to this match.
13:41Still trying to figure that one out.
13:43Drew McIntyre, as Kathy Kelly was interviewing him earlier tonight, said a big pardon.
13:48He said it right to Sami Zayn.
13:49He wants to see you win.
13:52That was right from the undisputed champ.
14:04Cody's in that compromised position in the corner.
14:08Fatou just patiently comes over to stalk his prey.
14:13Fatou has fought for choice at this point in the match.
14:15And that could be an issue in and of itself.
14:18Get rid of one of these two.
14:19Focus all your efforts on the other.
14:33Oh, pop-up Samoan.
14:37Oh, and Cody makes the save.
14:39Oh, and Cody makes the save.
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