Before SmackDown Live went on the air last night, it was revealed that Elias would be unable to face Chad Gable for the opportunity to compete in the King of the Ring finals due to an injury. During the show, Shane McMahon named himself Elias' replacement and that played into the ongoing storyline he's had with Kevin Owens.
Now, PW Insider is reporting that the decision to have Shane face Gable was made by Vince McMahon.
While there was talk of a Battle Royal taking place to determine a replacement for Elias, the decision was ultimately made to go with Shane. It led to a solid main event that's resulted in fans really getting behind Gable but it's also led to Kevin Owens really cooling off in the eyes of fans, especially as he's no longer the Stone Cold Steve Austin replacement we were hoping for!
What did you guys think of this change?