Change in WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match on Smackdown

Bengaluru, February 13: Rumours hinted some changes in Elimination Chamber match card heading into last night's episode of Smackdown Live and that turned out to be true. These kind of last minute additions or alterations keeps the fans pumped for an upcoming pay-per-view event. WWE stored one such big change on the show for the weekend's WWE Championship match. However, this time around, it was a forced decision for the creative to make due to an injury.

As reported earlier by fightful.com, Mustafa Ali suffered the injury last week and was in no condition to compete at this Sunday's Elimination Chamber match. They further added that the condition in he is now will not allow him to be put inside the unforgiving steel structure. Hence, WWE.com confirmed that he is out of the match.

Due to an injury, @MustafaAliWWE will be replaced by a member of #TheNewDay in tonight's #GauntletMatch. #SDLive pic.twitter.com/wOIIjbQXGM

— WWE (@WWE) February 13, 2019

One of the members of The New Day was allowed to replace him and it turned out to be Kofi Kingston. After keeping the suspense intact, the veteran started the Gauntlet match on Smackdown Live to clarify that he will represent the former tag team champions at Elimination Chamber. He has experienced being at the top before in his career. So no wonder his mates chose him and made a wise decision.

As for Mustafa’s injury, it’s really a sad piece of news as we will not be able to see this young man compete inside the Elimination Chamber. There is no doubt that the former 205 Live roster member could have come up with some death-defying stunts inside the structure surrounded by tons of steel. But his injury could have worsened by doing so. Hence, he was pulled from the card.

Here’s more details on the injury which was actually sustained during last week’s match against Randy Orton on Smackdown, (courtesy fightful.com)

“Ali had been working through an injured tailbone that got hurt again at WWE’s Royal Rumble show. Last week on Smackdown live, Ali’s eye was swollen shut after sitting up into Randy Orton’s boot on the Garvin Stomp. We’re told that an injury was accelerated on Sunday night’s live event and that he’s likely not to be cleared for action all week long.”

Just trying to catch your eye. #SDLive pic.twitter.com/vAnm8wgRhi

— Mustafa Ali / Adeel Alam (@MustafaAliWWE) February 6, 2019

This is how the full match card of Elimination Chamber 2019 look like now:

– Elimination Chamber Match For The WWE Championship: Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. Jeff Hardy vs. Samoa Joe vs. Kofi Kingston

– Elimination Chamber Match For Inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships: Nia Jax and Tamina vs. Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville vs. The Riott Squad (Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan) vs. The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) vs. Bayley and Sasha Banks vs. Naomi and Carmella

– WWE RAW Women’s Championship Match: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Ruby Riott

– WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match: Shane McMahon & The Miz (c) vs. The Usos

- WWE Intercontinental Championship Handicapped Match: Bobby Lashley (c) and Lio Rush vs. Finn Balor

- Singles Match: Braun Strowman vs. Baron Corbin

– WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match: Buddy Murphy (c) vs. Akira Tozawa