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

Gallery Links:
WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > February 5th
Screen Captures > WWE Programs > Smackdown > 2019 > February 5th

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

Gallery Links:
WWE Photos > Weekly & Pay-Per-View Digitals > 2019 > Smackdown > January 29th
Screen Captures > WWE Programs > Smackdown > 2019 > January 29th