WWE Champion “The New” Daniel Bryan and his intellectual peer Rowan arrived at the onset of this Gauntlet Match that would determine who would enter last in the WWE Title Elimination Chamber Match this Sunday with a very simple and direct message: Bryan was trying to inform the WWE Universe about how he was a martyr for competing in the Elimination Chamber Match this Sunday, but he was soon interrupted by his first opponent in the Gauntlet Match, Kofi Kingston. Kofi was chosen as The New Day member to replace Mustafa Ali after Ali was injured by Rowan in last week’s melee between the Elimination Chamber Match participants.
Bryan and Kingston went at it ferociously, with Bryan trying to wear Kingston down and Kofi pulling out all the stops to take down the WWE Champion. In the clutch, after several brutal exchanges, Kingston survived the LeBell Lock and interference from Rowan (who was quickly neutralized by Big E & Xavier Woods at ringside before the official threw them both out) and then hit a picture-perfect Trouble in Paradise to eliminate Bryan.
Kofi couldn’t bask in the shocking moment for too long though, as next out was Jeff Hardy. The two dynamic competitors went back and forth, but an exhausted Kingston put him down for three with the SOS.
Kingston would then attempt to continue his hot streak against Samoa Joe. The Samoan Submission Machine used his fresh legs to wear down the New Day member, but Kofi somehow countered the Coquina Clutch into a pinning attempt that shockingly defeated Joe. Samoa Joe viciously attacked Kingston after his elimination and once again trapped him in the Coquina Clutch on the outside of the ring. However, Kofi’s next opponent AJ Styles came rushing out to get Joe off The Dreadlocked Dynamo, chased him off and then checked on the downed Kingston.
Even with all the damage he had suffered, Kingston insisted on carrying on with the Gauntlet Match. A hesitant Styles complied after a passionate Kofi aggressively got in The Phenomenal One’s face, shouting “Fight me! I’ve been doing this for too long!” and shoving him in the face. Kofi gave it everything he had, battling through fatigue at every turn, but when Styles applied the Calf Crusher with nowhere for Kingston to go, he was forced to tap.
The New Day came rushing down to pick up what was left of the drained Kofi. Styles then waited for the arrival of the final entrant, Randy Orton, but The Apex Predator never made the walk down the ramp. No, instead, Orton came from behind The Phenomenal One, hitting an RKO out of nowhere to claim the victory in an absolutely unbelievable match.
With The Viper securing his position as the final entrant into the Elimination Chamber Match, is he now the favorite to leave as WWE Champion this Sunday?
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > February 12th
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Clearly still displeased with his WWE Championship being on the line inside the Elimination Chamber, “The New” Daniel Bryan looked to take out some of his frustrations on fellow Chamber competitor, Jeff Hardy.
However, even with Rowan lurking at ringside, The Charismatic Enigma wasn’t interested in being a vessel for Bryan’s frustrations, coming at the WWE Champion with his dynamically unique offense in this non-title affair. Just when it appeared that Hardy was closing in on victory after connecting with the Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb, Rowan intervened, pulling Hardy out of the ring and throwing him into the steel steps to prompt a disqualification.
Bryan then locked in the LeBell Lock onto Hardy, but Samoa Joe quickly hit the scene to eliminate Rowan and trap Bryan in the Coquina Clutch. Randy Orton hit the ring and threw fists with Joe until Mustafa Ali showed up and cleared house until Rowan viciously hit him with the Claw Slam onto the announcer’s table. Up next, AJ Styles took out everyone except Bryan, who got out of dodge. The Phenomenal One eyed Bryan down, with Bryan insisting backstage that Rowan wasn’t there to protect him; he was there because they are intellectual peers and the planet needed him as WWE Champion. In less than two weeks, however, Bryan will compete inside the chamber, where Rowan won’t be able to assist him.
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > February 5th
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What started off as WWE Champion “The New” Daniel Bryan revealing a new eco-friendly WWE Championship — but not before throwing the old title, which Bryan claimed “was bound from the skin of a cow that was taken from her,” in the trash, and re-introducing his new running buddy Rowan to the WWE Universe quickly turned into something that changed the landscape of SmackDown LIVE.
Bryan stated that Rowan wasn’t the mindless grunt that everyone perceived him as, but an enlightened man of Earth, and that is why he sees through the “façade” of AJ Styles, who would soon hit the scene to call out Bryan for Rowan’s involvement in their WWE Championship Match at the Royal Rumble event. Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, Mustafa Ali and Samoa Joe all hit the scene, and Joe ran down everybody before a brawl broke out between all five Superstars, all eager to get their hands on Bryan’s WWE Championship.
Bryan, who was keeping a safe distance away from the insanity by standing on the announcer’s table with Rowan in front of him, soon took the microphone and refused to defend his championship against any of the Superstars in the ring. However, Triple H appeared on the TitanTron with some news for Bryan and all the Superstars: Bryan would not be defending the WWE Title against any one of the men … because he would be defending it against all of them inside the Elimination Chamber on Sunday, Feb. 17!
From there, the chaotic brawl inside the ring continued, with all five Superstars still going at it and an enraged Bryan and Rowan getting out of dodge while they still had the chance.
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > January 29th
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After last week’s brawl that ended with Samoa Joe putting Jeff Hardy to sleep with the Coquina Clutch, these two rivals squared off once again, this time with higher stakes – the opportunity to compete for a WWE Championship Match later tonight.
The bout was just as heated as their Christmas showdown, with Joe looking to submit Hardy early and The Charismatic Enigma seeking to unleash his rage on the submission expert. Despite being on the receiving end of some heavy-duty shots from Joe, Hardy still landed a Swanton Bomb.
However, Joe rolled to the arena floor after the move connected, drawing Hardy to ringside, as well. Joe trapped The Charismatic Enigma in the Coquina Clutch and nearly won the battle by count-out. Hardy beat the referee’s count, but Joe once again locked his foe in the clutch, and Hardy passed out in the hold.
Joe had one win out of the way. Could he pick up the second later in the night and get a WWE Championship Match?
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > January 1st
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After Jeff Hardy dropped Samoa Joe with a wicked Twist of Fate last week in response to The Samoan Submission Machine’s week of hyperbole and mockery of his struggles with personal demons, the two faced off on the blue brand on Christmas night.
The Charismatic Enigma came at The Samoan Submission Machine with a furious intensity, but Joe’s size and strength advantage would soon factor into play, as he began to wear down Hardy with a smothering ground-and-pound attack. Jeff struck back with his signature dynamic offense, but he lost control of himself once he downed Joe outside the ring, and he repeatedly kneed his opponent into the face, disregarding the referee’s warnings and getting disqualified because of it. Jeff’s assault continued even after the bell when he sent Joe soaring over the announcer’s table. However, as Hardy began to plot his next devious move, Joe caught him in a singular lapse of concentration and locked the Coquina Clutch onto his rival until Jeff completely passed out.
Joe was content to leave Hardy laying for now, but it was clear that neither Superstar was content to let this situation rest for good.
Credit: WWE.com
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WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2018 > Smackdown > December 25th
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