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WWE Elimination Chamber: Daniel Bryan survives

By Wade Sheridan

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- The road to WrestleMania continued at Elimination Chamber where WWE Champion Daniel Bryan barely survived one of the most brutal matches of his career.

Bryan defended his title in an Elimination Chamber match against AJ Styles, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, Samoa Joe and Kofi Kingston on Sunday.

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The champion started off the grueling main event against Joe and survived the bout by avoiding fights when he could and by climbing the Elimination Chamber cage in order to get away from all of the carnage.

Kofi Kingston of The New Day was the crowd-favorite to win as Kingston put on a memorable performance. Kingston impressively eliminated Orton by delivering a Trouble in Paradise, bringing the final two down to himself and Bryan.

Kingston fought hard against Bryan, shocking the champion by kicking out off his signature finishing maneuver, the Running Knee.

Kingston, after he slammed Bryan multiple times into a glass panel atop the chamber, attempted to finish Bryan with a high-flying Splash. Bryan dodged the high-risk attack, however, and delivered a second Running Knee in order to retain the WWE Championship.

Sasha Banks and Bayley, known together as the Boss 'N' Hug Connection, made history on Sunday after they became the first-ever Women's Tag Team Champions following an Elimination Chamber match against five other teams from Raw and Smackdown.

The IIconics, The Riott Squad, Nia Jax and Tamina, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville and Carmella and Naomi, also competed.

Jax and Tamina, the favorites to win due to their size and strength, eliminated both The IIconics and The Riott Squad. Jax then knocked herself out after charging after Bayley, leaving the other women to team up on Tamina in order to eliminate them from the match.

Banks and Bayley last faced off against Rose and Deville, winning the match after The Boss applied a modified version of her Bank Statement submission hold onto Deville, who tapped out.

Other moments from Elimination Chamber included Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy successfully defending his title against Akira Tozawa; The Usos defeating The Miz and Shane McMahon to become the new Smackdown Tag Team Champions; Finn Balor defeating Bobby Lashley and Lio Rush to become the new Intercontinental Champion; Raw Women's Champion Ronda Rousey successfully defending her title against Ruby Riott; and Baron Corbin defeating Braun Strowman in a No Disqualification Match due to interference from Lashley and Drew McIntyre.

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Rousey, who was dressed as her Mortal Kombat 11 character Sonya Blade, defeated Riott quickly with her Armbar submission hold. Rousey then had a brief standoff with Charlotte Flair before the suspended Becky Lynch arrived through the audience on crutches.

Lynch used the crutches as weapons, viciously attacking both Flair and Rousey with them before WWE security could escort her out of the building.

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