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Unfortunately, Mustafa Ali will not be able to compete at the Elimination Chamber. This is a big blow for the former 205 Live star who has grown from strength to strength in recent times. Unfortunately, his fairytale run has hit a roadblock for now. I'm sure he'll be back better than ever, very soon indeed.
And that brings me to his replacement for the match. WWE announced that it will be a New Day member who will be taking his place inside the dreaded steel structure. Much to the delight of the WWE Universe, it was Kofi Kingston.
Why was Kofi Kingston chosen from the abundance of talent that exists in the SmackDown Live locker room? I will attempt to answer this question in this speculative feature article.
I'd love to hear your thoughts, views and comments in the section below about this change in lineup.
#5 A long overdue title shot
None can dispute the fact that Kofi Kingston deserves the opportunity to be Mustafa Ali's replacement. Kingston has been one of Vince McMahon's most loyal lieutenants over the years, excelling in whatever role has been asked of him. And yes, every year he has given us a Royal Rumble moment to cherish and enjoy to the fullest.
Kingston has pretty much done it all in the business, except for holding the prestigious WWE Championship. He's won the Intercontinental Championship and the US Championship on more than one occasion. I would say that his run is enough to warrant him a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame down the line (Corey Graves says these words soon after I write them).
And so, not only is this a reward for years of exceptional sports entertainment action, it is a recognition of one of the most underrated and innovative Superstars in the WWE roster. Kofi Kingston deserves it.
#4 The tag team division does not need The New Day at the moment
The fact of the matter is that Shane McMahon and The Miz are the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, whether you like their act or not. What this essentially means is that The New Day has taken a backseat for the time being in the division. Which is a fair call considering the wealth of talent that exists on SmackDown Live right now.
I had a chance to interact with The New Day in the past and they told me that they would love to exist as a unit and still chase singles gold. I would personally love to see this happen because it freshens up the singles division too. The New Day even told me during the interview that they would like to Freebird a singles title.
I would similarly love to see Big E step up to the plate and compete for singles gold, down the line. Wait, that could happen as soon as Elimination Chamber.
#3 The Freebird rule
We all saw Kofi Kingston put on the best performance of his career on SmackDown Live, this week. But could this be a ploy to have him be written off the pay-per-view and for Big E to step in, in his place?
Big E is destined to be a breakout singles star once his run with the New Day is done and dusted. I was surprised that he wasn't chosen to be the representative for The New Day in the first place.
And therefore, I would not be surprised if there's a medical update at Elimination Chamber that says Kofi Kingston will not be able to compete in the match owing to the injuries he sustained during the Gauntlet match. Big E will be the man replacing him, competing for gold and glory.
Let's hope that Big E can have a good showing if this certainly does happen.
#2 Bringing the same physical attributes as Mustafa Ali
Mustafa Ali is much bigger than the average Cruiserweight. And yet, he is surprisingly agile and nimble on his feet, in a way that many younger and smaller competitors are not. I would have to say Kofi Kingston falls into the same category in terms of his build and what he brings to the table as a competitor.
Maybe there was a special spot planned with Mustafa Ali using the Elimination Chamber match as a launchpad to do something cool! If there's anyone who can make it happen, it is certainly Kofi Kingston. Kingston may no longer be the young man that he once was, but as the Gauntlet match this week proved, he can still go.
I would like to wish Mustafa Ali a speedy recovery for now because it must be supremely heartbreaking to come so close to your dream and miss out. Get well soon!
#1 Rey Mysterio and Andrade are being kept away from the WWE Championship
I don't know why, but Rey Mysterio and Andrade are not in the title picture at this point in time. Maybe WWE is waiting for them to finish their trilogy of exceptional matches. Maybe they're being saved for WrestleMania 35. Maybe the plan is to insert them into the United States Championship mix for now.
But whatever the case may be, these two men have been left out of a title shot. Otherwise, they would have been my two top picks for this match instead. But I'm okay with Kofi Kingston in the match considering what a great performance he put on this week.
So who do you think will walk out as the WWE Champion, come Elimination Chamber 2019? Will Bryan be able to retain his title at the show?
Or is it time for a brand new Champion?
