7 surprise replacement opponents in Championship matches in WWE

#3. Edge replaces Kofi Kingston at Elimination Chamber after losing the WWE Championship

A unique night

Edge made history at No Way Out 2009 when he walked into the PPV as the WWE Champion and walked out as the World Heavyweight Champion. It was a unique bit of storytelling.

Edge defended the WWE Championship in the opening Elimination Chamber match of the night. He was eliminated first within three minutes after a pin from Jeff Hardy. Shocked and dejected, Edge left, but he made a big impact before the main event.

Assaulting Kofi Kingston (who was scheduled to compete in the World Heavyweight title Elimination Chamber match), Edge would lock himself in the Chamber and forcefully replace him. In another big surprise of the night, he would go on to defeat all other competitors, including John Cena, to become the World Heavyweight Champion.

Not many could pull it off, but Edge, being one of the best of his generation, made a rare achievement on the night.

It's perhaps the most unique case of WWE replacements on this list.