LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – FEBRUARY 27: Logan Paul celebrates during SmackDown at KFC YUM! Center on February 27, 2026 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Sydney Yonker/WWE via Getty Images)
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Plans for the men’s Elimination Chamber match at WWE Elimination Chamber were thrown into flux when Bronson Reed suffered a torn biceps during his qualifying match against Jey Uso and El Grande Americano. WrestleVotes reported that Reed was the planned winner, with the finish changed on the fly to allow one half of the World Tag Team Champions to advance instead.
It initially appeared that Uso would join Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, and LA Knight in the Elimination Chamber match to vie for another world title opportunity at WrestleMania. That now won’t happen.
To open the Feb. 27 episode of SmackDown, Uso was shown being loaded into an ambulance on a stretcher following an apparent backstage attack. WWE did not reveal the attacker.
Drew McIntyre was the first to address the situation in front of the live crowd, denying responsibility. Attention then shifted backstage, where Paul Heyman and the injured Vision approached SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis, with Heyman pleading the case for Logan Paul to be added to the match.
Later in the show, Jacob Fatu made a similar appeal to Aldis, arguing that he deserved entry for a chance at retribution against McIntyre.
Aldis later announced backstage that Paul and Fatu would compete for the final spot in the Elimination Chamber match.
The bout quickly descended into chaos when Heyman interfered, allowing Paul to land a low blow on Fatu. A masked man then ran in attempting to interfere and was revealed to be an unknown individual. As Fatu looks to capitalize on the distraction, McIntyre strikes him with the WWE Championship, enabling Paul to secure the pinfall victory.
The outcome should not come as a major surprise. Paul effectively replaces one member of The Vision with another, suggesting WWE may pivot its original plans for Reed toward Paul as WrestleMania 42 approaches.
WWE also continued the masked man storyline, though the reveal of a non-WWE wrestler suggests a possible red herring. With multiple mystery angles unfolding across programming, this could either pause the storyline temporarily or serve as a placeholder before a larger reveal later on.
As for Fatu, the direction increasingly points toward involvement in the WWE Championship picture at WrestleMania 42, assuming Rhodes emerges victorious on Saturday. That scenario could lead to a triple threat match or potentially something even larger.
While Paul won’t be the favorite to win on Saturday night, his inclusion adds an intriguing wrinkle to a match already loaded with talent and now carrying additional storyline momentum.