With Elias having to withdraw from the King of the Ring Tournament due to injury, Shane McMahon promised to find a replacement for the crooning Superstar for his Semifinal Match against Chad Gable. And he did.
Shane McMahon.
With Kevin Owens as the Special Guest Referee per Shane-O-Mac’s edict (promising to lift KO’s $100,000 fine if he called the contest “down the middle”), Gable would defeat “The Best in the World” in mere seconds with an astonishing rolling German Suplex. However, Shane wouldn’t take it, immediately vamping on the microphone that this matchup was now 2-out-of-3 Falls.
Shane would come at a deflated Gable with intensity, while KO was clearly distressed by Shane flexing his authority. Gable would continually battle through Shane’s obstacles and would appear to close in on victory several times, but with Owens worrying about Shane not lifting the fine, he would begin to make borderline questionable decisions as the official.
Gable found the way to eliminate all the variables though, catching Shane-O-Mac in an Ankle Lock, forcing Shane to tap out and advancing his way to the King of the Ring Tournament Final. Following the defeat, Shane would be absolutely incensed, blindsiding KO from behind and then firing the former Universal Champion in one of the most shocking moments in MSG history.