5 Reasons why Lio Rush has been added to the Lashley vs. Balor Intercontinental Championship match at WWE Elimination Chamber 2019

Finn Balor had a great showing against Brock Lesnar at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Everyone in WWE was probably impressed by the showing and decided to push him. It was clear from his interaction with Lashley that the former MMA superstar would be his next opponent. This match was set in stone.

And then, all of a sudden we learned that Lio Rush would be inserted into the mix too making it a handicap match at Elimination Chamber 2019. What is the reason for this addition, I wonder?! I will list a few probable reasons in this article and wait for you to leave a comment and tell me your thoughts too.

Who do you think will eventually emerge as the winner in this contest at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view? Is it time for Finn Balor to hold the gold once again?

Sometimes, it's easy to forget that he was once the Universal Champion.

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#5 For Rush to take the pin

This is a possibility in case Balor is going over

WWE wants to build Lashley into one of the top stars of the company. They will not be able to achieve this if he is to drop the title so soon after winning it. One way to protect him could be to have Rush take the pin instead of Bobby Lashley. This could result in Lashley looking strong as he heads into WrestleMania season.

Yes, he was foiled by Finn Balor and lost his championship to him, but he did not take the pin in the match. It can also result in a rematch between Lashley and Balor down the line title, one on one. By inserting Rush into the mix, WWE has effectively extended the program significantly.

Rush taking a pin will not hurt him, really. He's more of a manager on RAW anyway.

#4 To bring eyeballs to 205 Live

This may be the reason for the crossover, to begin with

I am guilty of not watching 205 Live every week, even though I know it's a very good show indeed. I am certain that some of you are too. There's only so much wrestling that one can consume with our other responsibilities in life, right? Plus, 205 Live is a Network exclusive and one doesn't log in to the Network every single day, I suppose.

But by having superstars like Lio Rush and Drake Maverick appear on RAW, I suppose WWE wants us to tune in to the show these talented men put on every single week. When people watch Rush wrestle, they may be tempted to log in and watch him in action on 205 Live. Where he's a lot more unbridled in terms of action.

Let's hope this crossover works. The viewership for 205 Live has been quite dismal.

#3 Rush impressed during his RAW match against Balor

Finn Balor and Lio Rush actually have great chemistry while working one another

Does the idea of Finn Balor vs. Bobby Lashley sound like an exciting prospect to you, dear reader? Speaking for myself, I must say that it does not because of Lashley's limitations within the squared circle.

Now, if you throw Lio Rush into the mix, it's a completely different story, isn't it? Remember the extraordinary match between Finn Balor and Lio Rush last week, when Lashley nominated his hype man to take up his spot?

Maybe he impressed those in the WWE think tank so much that they decided to allow Rush into the match. Rush may be one of the best wrestlers in all of WWE, considering the extraordinary feats that he can pull off.

Having him fly around the ring will just make the match that much more exciting.

#2 To paint Balor as the underdog

Balor is the ultimate babyface in WWE right now

Some may say that despite his size, Finn Balor is the favorite against Lashley if the two men are to take each other on one on one! But then, if you throw Lio Rush into the mix, his chances of winning drastically go down. And therefore, Finn Balor would step into this match as the underdog.

I think we need to look at Balor as a David taking on Goliath, as the build to Balor vs. Lesnar suggested. In every single encounter, Balor is the underdog taking on insurmountable odds. And yet with his heart and his hunger for success, he manages to overcome them every single time.

While Lio Rush may not seem like an imposing threat, his speed and Lashley's strength make a formidable team indeed. Which is why the outcome of this match could be anyone's guess really.

#1 To tease dissension between Lashley and his hype man?

Why wouldn't Lio Rush want to hold the gold, like the man he manages?

Now that Lio Rush has stepped into the match, one assumes that in kayfabe, he wants to win. And why wouldn't he, considering that the Intercontinental Championship has a rich and prestigious history. So there's the added drama of the tension between two partners. Maybe Rush wants to defeat Balor and claim the prize for himself then and therefore pulls the strings and makes it a Triple Threat match?

I genuinely hope that this does not happen, because Rush and Lashley make a pretty good team indeed. Lashley has felt a lot more interesting ever since Rush arrived by his side as his hype man. But imagine if Balor and Lashley take each other out, and Rush picks up a sneaky victory to become the Intercontinental Champion.

I don't think this will happen. But I won't be surprised if it does.

Will Rush be flexing his own abs then?