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With 12 days left for the event, WWE announced the first few matches for Elimination Chamber 2021. Bobby Lashley will defend the United States Championship in a triple threat against Riddle and Keith Lee, while Lacey Evans will challenge Asuka for the RAW Women's Championship.
However, Elimination Chamber's likely main event pits Drew McIntyre against five challengers inside the dreaded structure. He will defend the WWE Championship against Sheamus, Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, and The Miz. Not the most thrilling line-up that WWE could have booked.
While Sheamus makes a lot of sense within the current story, McIntyre has faced Orton multiple times in the past - including on this week's RAW. Hardy and The Miz barely feel like contenders for the WWE title on the Road to WrestleMania. Even Styles has challenged The Scottish Terminator recently.
For the purpose of keeping things fresh, something that is needed for RAW, WWE should have considered a few other Superstars to be a part of the WWE title Elimination Chamber Match. At the very least, there should have been qualifying matches on RAW.
Here are five RAW stars who should have been in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber Match.
#5 Kofi Kingston could have attempted a repeat of his incredible performance at Elimination Chamber 2019
One of the greatest moments in Elimination Chamber history happened by accident, with Kofi Kingston taking advantage of a vacant spot in the WWE Championship match inside this structure in 2019. His incredible performance eventually led to a WWE title victory at WrestleMania 35.
In that regard, Kingston will always be linked with the Elimination Chamber. However, he also fits the unspoken criteria of being a former WWE Champion. Every Superstar in this match has held the title at least once in their career, including Jeff Hardy and The Miz.
The New Day member would have been a fresher addition to the world title scene than Hardy, who was the first man eliminated from the Royal Rumble Match. Kingston could have had a mini-version of his memorable surge inside the Chamber two years ago.
Kofi Kingston is currently embroiled in another storyline. One that would have played perfectly into the Elimination Chamber, with this very event and match being the basis of that story. WWE may have missed a great storytelling opportunity.
#4 Mustafa Ali could have had some "retribution' by being in the Elimination Chamber Match
This is the story that WWE could have told inside the Elimination Chamber. Two years ago, Kofi Kingston replaced Mustafa Ali in this match for the WWE Championship, and the rest is history. Ali was quickly forgotten and did not get a fair chance in the main event scene.
This moment plays into the motivations of RETRIBUTION as a group, with Ali cutting solid promo after solid promo in backstage settings. He and Kingston have worked hard at building their feud on social media. Whether it is at WrestleMania or elsewhere, they should have a featured match on pay-per-view.
Having Kingston and Ali fight it out inside the Elimination Chamber, the match that changed both of their fortunes around, would be a fantastic piece of storytelling. One that would have been a welcome addition to a spot-filled match. Both Superstars would thrive in such an environment, with Kingston having done so before.
This story should have ideally been told shortly after WrestleMania 35, but here we are. Mustafa Ali challenging for the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber would have allowed him some redemption - or "retribution" - from being forced to miss it in 2019.
#3 Keith Lee could have had another crack at the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber before going after the US title
The Elimination Chamber should ideally be used to showcase fresher talents on their ascent to the main event. After being off WWE TV for a few weeks, Keith Lee is back on RAW. However, instead of fighting for another WWE Championship opportunity, he is in the United States title picture.
Lee defeated Riddle on RAW and was attacked by Bobby Lashley after the match. This set up a triple threat match for the US title at Elimination Chamber. WWE could have allowed Lashley and Riddle to finish their feud instead, while giving Lee another moment in the spotlight.
His performance against Drew McIntyre on RAW Legends Night was outstanding and worthy of an encore. The former NXT Champion could have had a dominating showing inside the Elimination Chamber opposite the likes of Drew McIntyre and Sheamus before being eliminated in sneaky fashion.
Nevertheless, the future does seem bright for Keith Lee. He seems likely to become United States Champion by WrestleMania. Seeing The Limitless One shoulder tackle someone through a pod would have been a sight to see, though.
#2 John Morrison would have been a much better choice for the Elimination Chamber than The Miz
The fact that The Miz is in the Elimination Chamber Match for the WWE Championship makes no sense on multiple levels. For starters, he is Mr. Money in the Bank. Why would The Miz challenge for the title in this unforgiving match when he can simply wait until the match is over and cash-in on the Champion?
He and John Morrison have been booked like absolute chumps on RAW in recent, not weeks, months. It is tough to take Miz and Morrison seriously as a threat to anybody in the upper echelons of the show. However, if one of them had to enter the Elimination Chamber, Morrison is a much better fit.
Aside from not having the Money in the Bank briefcase, The Prince of Parkour is capable of doing some spectacular things in the Elimination Chamber. Morrison had one of the standout performances in Chamber history back in 2011, even diving from the ceiling onto Sheamus and eliminating him.
The Miz will likely be the first man eliminated from the Elimination Chamber Match, so WWE might as well have allowed John Morrison a few minutes to shine before being put down by a more significant competitor in the match.
#1 Braun Strowman could have made an impact at Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber is a structure built on destruction. It is the 'devil's playground', with big men usually thriving in such an environment. Braun Strowman is an example of this, with his dominant performance in the main event of Elimination Chamber 2018 coming to mind.
While he wouldn't have eliminated five Superstars as he did back then, Strowman would have still made a sizeable impact inside the Elimination Chamber. He returned to WWE on the SmackDown before Royal Rumble, looking jacked as ever. The Monster Among Men then entered the Rumble at No. 30.
However, Strowman has not been seen since. He could have easily replaced Jeff Hardy in this match and gone on an elimination spree, much like in the Royal Rumble. Besides, Drew McIntyre and Braun Strowman are yet to face each other in a big pay-per-view match.
A confrontation at Elimination Chamber would have been a great teaser of the hard-hitting action between both men while simply being a reward for Braun Strowman getting into phenomenal shape. He looks ready for another run near the top of the card on RAW. Ready enough for a WWE Championship shot inside the Elimination Chamber.
