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This past week on WWE SmackDown, Elias was found lying on the road with paramedics surrounding him. SmackDown began with a stir of commotion as banged-up car stood in the background while officials identified Jeff Hardy as its owner. Elias was scheduled to compete against AJ Styles in the semi-finals round on SmackDown of the tournament to crown a new Intercontinental Champion.
Update on Elias' condition after SmackDown
Elias was immediately loaded into an ambulance and taken to a nearby medical facility. WWE later confirmed that The Drifter had suffered broken ribs and a torn pectoral muscle.
On the recent episode of The Bump, it was revealed that Elias is no longer hospitalized.
Now that Elias is out of the hospital, he must be looking for the man who forced him out of the Intercontinental Championship tournament. Even though the car was registered under Jeff Hardy's name and Hardy was found unconscious in the bushes, it was made evident later that night in the main event of SmackDown that Sheamus was the one to frame Hardy.
Intercontinental Championship tournament finals on SmackDown
With Elias unable to perform, AJ Styles was given a by that night, progressing to the finals of the tournament that will take place the coming week on SmackDown. Jeff Hardy was slated to face Daniel Bryan in the semi-final round but was replaced by Sheamus after he won a ten-man Battle Royal that night. Sheamus was unable to beat Bryan, resulting in Bryan advancing to face AJ Styles in the final round.
This week, we witness the culmination of the tournament with either Daniel Bryan or AJ Styles leaving the Performance Center as the new Intercontinental Champion. WWE has, however, pre-taped the episode of SmackDown last week but has not yet announced the winner.
Sheamus and Jeff Hardy's rivalry runs deeper with every passing week, and Elias is caught in the crossfire. It will be interesting to see whether Elias is inserted in the rivalry on the upcoming episode of SmackDown. Elias must be devastated at missing out on an opportunity to win his first-ever singles title in the WWE.
Be sure to tune in to SmackDown this week to watch this story unfold. Who do you think will win the Intercontinental Championship and reign supreme on SmackDown?
