WWE Champion “The New” Daniel Bryan and his intellectual peer Rowan arrived at the onset of this Gauntlet Match that would determine who would enter last in the WWE Title Elimination Chamber Match this Sunday with a very simple and direct message: Bryan was trying to inform the WWE Universe about how he was a martyr for competing in the Elimination Chamber Match this Sunday, but he was soon interrupted by his first opponent in the Gauntlet Match, Kofi Kingston. Kofi was chosen as The New Day member to replace Mustafa Ali after Ali was injured by Rowan in last week’s melee between the Elimination Chamber Match participants.

Bryan and Kingston went at it ferociously, with Bryan trying to wear Kingston down and Kofi pulling out all the stops to take down the WWE Champion. In the clutch, after several brutal exchanges, Kingston survived the LeBell Lock and interference from Rowan (who was quickly neutralized by Big E & Xavier Woods at ringside before the official threw them both out) and then hit a picture-perfect Trouble in Paradise to eliminate Bryan.

Kofi couldn’t bask in the shocking moment for too long though, as next out was Jeff Hardy. The two dynamic competitors went back and forth, but an exhausted Kingston put him down for three with the SOS.

Kingston would then attempt to continue his hot streak against Samoa Joe. The Samoan Submission Machine used his fresh legs to wear down the New Day member, but Kofi somehow countered the Coquina Clutch into a pinning attempt that shockingly defeated Joe. Samoa Joe viciously attacked Kingston after his elimination and once again trapped him in the Coquina Clutch on the outside of the ring. However, Kofi’s next opponent AJ Styles came rushing out to get Joe off The Dreadlocked Dynamo, chased him off and then checked on the downed Kingston.

Even with all the damage he had suffered, Kingston insisted on carrying on with the Gauntlet Match. A hesitant Styles complied after a passionate Kofi aggressively got in The Phenomenal One’s face, shouting “Fight me! I’ve been doing this for too long!” and shoving him in the face. Kofi gave it everything he had, battling through fatigue at every turn, but when Styles applied the Calf Crusher with nowhere for Kingston to go, he was forced to tap.

The New Day came rushing down to pick up what was left of the drained Kofi. Styles then waited for the arrival of the final entrant, Randy Orton, but The Apex Predator never made the walk down the ramp. No, instead, Orton came from behind The Phenomenal One, hitting an RKO out of nowhere to claim the victory in an absolutely unbelievable match.

With The Viper securing his position as the final entrant into the Elimination Chamber Match, is he now the favorite to leave as WWE Champion this Sunday?