Report: Different Main Event Originally Planned For WWE Raw
A Fatal 5-Way was originally on the card
Feb 7, 2022
As has become common in recent years, Monday Night Raw underwent major changes before the January 31 show went on the air from Cincinnati, Ohio.
While the main event match featured an Elimination Chamber Qualifier between AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio, that wasn't the original plan, according to Fightful Select.
Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley were always scheduled to be in the Elimination Chamber Match at the February 19 pay-per-view but the final four spots would have been filled in a main event Fatal 5-Way featuring Seth Rollins, Damian Priest, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens and Austin Theory where the person eating the pin would have been excluded from the Chamber.
WWE instead held a series of qualifying matches, including Styles vs. Mysterio, and Austin Theory and Riddle joined The Phenomenal One, Seth Rollins, Lesnar and Lashley in the Chamber courtesy of wins over Kevin Owens and Otis.
Montez Ford was also Dolph Ziggler's scheduled opponent but management switched Ford out for his Street Profits' teammate Angelo Dawkins once they realised Dawkins was from Cincinnati.
Already set for tonight's episode of Raw is Riddle vs. Seth Rollins, an appearance from Lita and the third stage of Alpha Academy's Academic Challenge.