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Elimination Chamber is somehow a show that not a lot of people are excited about, as I type this. There is no Universal Championship match scheduled for the show, nor is there a WWE Championship match advertised.
While all of that could change on the episode of WWE SmackDown before Elimination Chamber, it does not seem likely considering how the pieces have lined up. This is going to be a precursor to WrestleMania 36, without too many major players on the show.
But what SmackDown can do is build excitement for the pay-per-view with a bunch of surprises for sure. Additionally, they can also pull off surprises with stars who are not on the show such as Roman Reigns and Goldberg, to build anticipation for the future.
So, with that in mind, here are 5 surprises we could see on WWE SmackDown.
#5 Goldberg appears via satellite, The Fiend attacks him
A lot of fans have been complaining about the fact that The Fiend's end came in a manner that was not befitting of a star of his status. A lot of fans, including some of Sportskeeda's own staff were upset that The Fiend did not care about reclaiming his Universal Championship and instead of attacking John Cena, he pointed at the WrestleMania sign to set up their match. WWE claims to be a brand that listens to its fans, so I wonder if they will do a segment to make things right.
Let's assume that Goldberg appears via satellite to advertise his next big match against Roman Reigns. During the course of the interview, the lights flicker and The Fiend appears right behind him, attacking him with the Mandible Claw. And this could set up a future match at the next big pay-per-view, perhaps at SummerSlam.
#4 Elias joins Sami Zayn's stable as well
Elias has been a sidenote in the whole Sami Zayn, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Braun Strowman feud thus far, and it just seems like there's a certain ceiling that he has hit that he cannot seem to go past. There's only so mean that he can be as a babyface, in my opinion, and he can really come into his own as a heel.
So maybe Elias could join Sami Zayn's stable and in due course of time if/when The Undisputed ERA makes their SmackDown debut, there could be a feud between the two factions. And maybe the match at Elimination Chamber can become a four on one handicap match with Elias being added to the mix with Shinsuke Nakamura, Sami Zayn, and Cesaro, to take on Braun Strowman.
Elias has only been used in very limited roles thus far and it's unfortunate because of the wealth of talent the man possesses. Maybe becoming a part of this group will help him benefit from the star power that the other superstars bring to the mix.
#3 Drew Gulak defeats Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan is someone who always wants to do the right thing and put talented young performers over because he can suffer loss after loss and not lose momentum. Someone like Drew Gulak immediately comes to be as a performer who fits that description perfectly, especially if you've followed his career through 205 Live and NXT, before his arrival on WWE SmackDown.
It is very clear that we're building to a match between Daniel Bryan and Drew Gulak and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it happens on SmackDown and not the upcoming pay-per-view, because it's already quite loaded. Maybe Drew Gulak scores an upset victory over Daniel Bryan on SmackDown and Bryan can regain his momentum by picking up a win at the pay-per-view, provided the match is made official.
Daniel Bryan could have been in the main event picture, feuding with the likes of King Corbin, but he is such a selfless individual, he wants to elevate everyone in the roster as others have done for him in the past.
#2 Sasha Banks attacks Bayley
A lot of times matches in WWE happen for no reason at all, and it does seem like this rematch is happening for no real reason. But at the same time, could it all be a ploy to build up to a major face turn for The Boss? I certainly think so if the rumors of Sasha Banks vs. Bayley for WrestleMania are true.
Sasha Banks is far too talented to be relegated to a sidekick role for the SmackDown Women's Champion, in my personal opinion. It is as baffling as Drew McIntyre being brought on to the main roster as Dolph Ziggler's sidekick and then Shane McMahon's hired thug. Sasha Banks is a star in her own right and she could step out of Bayley's shadow by attacking her when she least expects it and pointing at the WrestleMania sign soon thereafter, making their match official.
Unless someone like Trish Stratus makes a return to action, I can't imagine a bigger match for WrestleMania than Sasha Banks vs. Bayley.
#1 Signs of discontent between Cesaro, Zayn, and Shinsuke Nakamura
It was only a few days ago that we witnessed WWE Super ShowDown and in a matter of no time at all, it's time for WWE Elimination Chamber. In case you want a preview of the event, do catch Gary Cassidy of Sportskeeda in conversation with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com previewing the event.
So, one thing we know is that Braun Strowman will be putting the Intercontinental Championship on the line against not one, but three amazing sports entertainers. But the question is that if the three men manage to overcome the Monster, who will it be that eventually goes on to become the new Intercontinental Champion?
I'm guessing this will be a point of discontent between the three men as we head into the pay-per-view this weekend. The rumblings and the grumblings could start on SmackDown and come to a head at WWE Elimination Chamber.
Maybe this is what costs the heels the big win eventually. Maybe it even allows someone like Shinsuke Nakamura to turn babyface.
