Instead of just plugging Santino Marella into the Smackdown Elimination Chamber as a replacement for Randy Orton, have a gauntlet match on Smackdown instead.
Have Santino be like the third entrant. He gets a huge pop of course, and beats one, maybe two opponents. Now the crowd is really excited because they think Santino is going to get his big chance.
Then out comes U.S. Champ Jack Swagger, who beats Santino. Crowd gives a collective sigh because the one guy they could get behind has been eliminated. Now it's time for the last entrant in the gauntlet match and it's... Trent Barreta!
Have Cole hate on Trent, saying he's got no chance and doesn't even deserve to be there. Booker sells the fact that it would be a great underdog story if he won. Show a close-up of Swagger smiling because he thinks he's got this in the bag.
Next, you have Trent and Swagger steal the show. Trent gets in some flashy moves at the start to get the crowd behind him and Swagger narrowly avoids being pinned. Then Jack cheats to gain the upper hand and unloads with the heavy artillery, pummeling Trent for several minutes.
Swagger goes for the anklelock and just as is appears Barreta's about to tap, he gets to the ropes. Swagger's clearly frustrated (maybe have him drop the straps on his singlet; I know it's a Kurt Angle rip-off but who cares, I think it would totally fit) and has had enough. He sets up Trent for the gutwrench power bomb. But as Jack lifts him, Barreta is able to counter with a creative pinning combination and get the win. Crowd erupts! Trent quickly slides out of the ring and celebrates. Swagger throws a tantrum. The ultimate underdog has made it into the Smackdown Elimination Chamber and a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.
So the night of the pay-per-view, interview Trent Barreta backstage. Have him talk about how this is a dream come true, opportunity of a lifetime, etc. In the match, have it come down to Barreta and the champion, Daniel Bryan. Bryan has just eliminated the last contender and as he turns he realizes Barreta, who is laying on the opposite end of the ring after getting the crap kicked out of him, is still in the match. Like Swagger, Bryan smirks at the prospect of an easy win. Then he and Barreta proceed to tear the house down.
Trent starts out sluggish, having absorbed lots of punishment throughout the match. But after some stiff offense by Bryan, Barreta starts to fire up. Hopefully, the crowd would be solidly behind the challenger at this point thanks to his ability to survive and also a few high spots sprinkled in throughout the match, and start chanting for him. Trent goes on the offensive and pushes Bryan to the absolute brink, even scoring a 2 and 0.9999 count. Just when it seems like he might actually pull off the upset, Bryan is able to cinch up the LeBell Lock. Trent fights it for as long as he can but eventually has to tap out. Bryan's celebration is hastened by his exhaustion and the fact that he realizes that he narrowly escaped with his title so, he's not elated about the win. He doesn't do his "Yes! Yes! Yes!" but instead, hurries backstage, clutching the title belt.
Barreta meanwhile, struggles to his feet, selling everything that he's just been through and leaves to a standing ovation.
From now on, Daniel Bryan refuses to answer questions about Trent Barreta and gets angry whenever anyone tries to press the issue. This underlying tension would be the basis for a rematch months, perhaps even a year down the road.
Meanwhile, on the next Smackdown, Trent Barreta comes out to another huge reaction from the crowd but is interrupted by the U.S. Champion Jack Swagger who claims Barreta got lucky in the gauntlet match and that he'd never beat him one-on-one. So a match is set up for the two of them that night.
Traditional wisdom would dictate that the match be non-title and that Barreta win. However, I say, let's do the opposite! Have the match be for the title and have Swagger win by cheating. This sets up the rematch which I would save for WrestleMania. The build up to Barreta winning the U.S. Title could be what the build for Zack Ryder winning it should have been.
The benefits of this storyline:
-The Smackdown Elimination Chamber has a storyline that makes it compelling rather than just the other Chamber match.
-The World Heavyweight Championship gains prestige because of how hard Bryan had to fight to keep it, and the excitement of Barreta possibly winning it.
-The U.S. Title gains importance because of a compelling storyline attached to it and the fact that Barreta actually values winning it.
-Talented workers like Swagger and especially Barreta, have something significant to do that actually helps establish them as stars of the future.
-The subplot between Barreta and Bryan gives the WWE something that they can develop at any time should a challenger for the WHC be needed.
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