WWE Elimination Chamber 2019: WWE Championship - Winners, Video Highlights and Results
The Gauntlet match on last week's episode of SmackDown Live created a bunch of hype for the WWE Elimination Chamber match. This will be the first time since 2017 where the title has been defended in the chamber and that match was widely regarded as one of the best matches of the year.
With no clear plans reported for WrestleMania 35, every competitor had a chance to leave the chamber as champion, but the favorite to win was Daniel Bryan.
Daniel Bryan and Samoa Joe were the first two combatants in the chamber, but Bryan spent most of the time avoiding his fellow Ring of Honor Alum. Bryan tried kicking and chopping Joe, but the Samoan would dominate him for most of the match.
Entrant #3: Kofi Kingston
The New Day's WWE Veteran would be the next to enter the match and hit some fast-paced offense on the Samoan Submission Machine.
Bryan would escape the carnage by climbing to the top of a pod, but Kingston would follow him and forced him to get off the pod. Joe pulled down Bryan and Kingston hit the Trust Fall Drop on both wrestlers.
Joe would eventually regain control and would continue his assault before his long-time rival emerged from the pod.
Entrant #4: AJ Styles
The Phenomenal One attacked anything that moved and landed a Reverse DDT and DDT combo on Bryan and Kingston.
After clearing the ring and taking out Samoa Joe, Styles found Bryan climbing up the cage and hit him with a Phenomenal Forearm to the small of Bryan's back.
Styles hit a sunset flip on Kingston and transitioned into a Styles Clash, but Kingston would escape the hold and be eventually dropped by a neckbreaker for a nearfall.
Joe regained control and locked in the Coquina Clutch on Kingston, who attempted to do a hit a reverse pinfall to escape to no avail. Kingston hit a jawbreaker to escape the hold and Styles would hit a Phenomenal Forearm to eliminate Joe.
Entrant #5: Jeff Hardy
The Extreme Enigma would make his way to the ring next and hit a flurry of offense while Bryan and Kingston brawled in the corner, ultimately leading to Bryan trying to break Kingston's arm.
Hardy climbed to the top of the pod and hit a Swanton Bomb onto Styles who was perched on the top rope, but was hit with a Running Knee by Bryan for a swift elimination.
Bryan hoisted Styles onto the top rope Cactus Jack styles and went for a top rope suplex on Kingston, but Styles would hit a German Suplex for a Tower of Doom spot.
Entrant #6: Randy Orton
The Viper entered the ring with all three opponents and threw Kingston into Styles before trading blows with Bryan.
Styles and Kingston traded blows and Styles was setting up for a Phenomenal Forearm, but was caught with an RKO by Randy Orton that led to his elimination.
Bryan, Kingston and Orton were the final three participants in the chamber, with Orton going after Kingston. The Viper went for an RKO, but was countered by Kingston who hit Trouble in Paradise to eliminate Orton.
Bryan and Kington sized each other up and began trading blows fist before the fight devolved into a kicking match. Bryan took out Kingston's leg and hit his patented kicks to the chest, but missed the final one and was hit by S.O.S for a nearfall.
Kingston went for a splash, but was sidestepped by Bryan. The WWE Champion hit several dropkicks in the corner before being countered by a stomp to the chest for a near fall.
The action rolled to the outside where Kingston threw Bryan into the chain wall before being pushed into the pod by Bryan. Bryan set Kingston up for a Running Knee for an amazing nearfall that rocked the Toyota Center.
Bryan stomped Kingston's face in landing nearfall. Kingston hit Bryan with Trouble in Paradise, but Bryan rolled him up for a nearfall.
Bryan pulled down Kingston for the Lebell Lock, but Kingston reached the ropes in time to break the fall. The action eventually made its way to the top of another pod with Kingston attacking Bryan over and over again.
Kingston went for a suplex, but Bryan countered until he was kicked down to the mat, Kingston hit a dive on Bryan, but missed and was finished off with a Running Knee.
Results: Daniel Bryan retains the WWE Championship