Why Usos Vs. Viking Raiders Didn't Happen At WWE Elimination Chamber 2022

Why exactly did the SmackDown Tag Team Title match not take place.

by Andrew Pollard
WWE Elimination Chamber 2022 Usos Viking Raiders
WWE.com

Despite being scheduled for WWE Elimination Chamber 2022, and all four men being flown out to Saudi Arabia for the match, the Usos vs. Viking Raiders contest ultimately didn't end up taking place at yesterday's premium live event.

For those who missed it, Erik and Ivar were attacked by the Usos as the Raiders made their way to the ring to challenge for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles. Following this attack, the planned tag match was scrapped as the Viking duo were deemed unable to compete.

Some fans thought that this contest may have been pulled due to time constraints, which then seemed odd when WWE ran several lengthy video packages that could've easily had their time delegated to an Usos vs. Viking Raiders bout.

In an update from PWInsider, this match was not scrapped due to any timing issues, and instead the plan all along was for the contest to be teased but ultimately not happen at Elimination Chamber.

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Fightful Select adds that the current plan is to do this SmackDown Tag Team Title match on an upcoming episode of WWE's blue brand show. Of course, as is so often the case, such plans can always change, and fans of the former War Machine will be hopeful that said match is held off on until WrestleMania 38.

Senior Writer
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Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.