Source: f4wonline.com

Samoa Joe is out of the upcoming Mixed Match Challenge tournament due to an apparent injury.

WWE started a fan vote last night to decide between Joe, Elias, and Jason Jordan for the final spot on the Raw side. Joe apparently won that vote, but Kurt Angle tweeted today that Elias would be taking Joe's spot due to injury.

"Thank you all for voting for @itsBayleyWWE partner in #WWEMMC, but due to an injury suffered on #Raw @SamoaJoe is unable to compete," Angle wrote. "Therefore the runner-up @IAmEliasWWE will be Bayley’s partner. #WWEMMC"

Joe appeared on Raw last night and defeated Rhyno. He did an in-ring interview after the match where he announced himself for the Royal Rumble, saying John Cena will be the first person he eliminates.

In an article on WWE.com, Dr. Chris Amann said Joe felt a pop in the bottom of his right foot during the match against Rhyno. "We took a look and believe he has a plantar fascia rupture, which is a thick tissue rupture under the foot," Amann said, "We will get an MRI to confirm. Treatment includes a period of immobilization in a boot with crutches and platelet rich plasma injections.”

Elias & Bayley are Raw's final team in the mixed tag tournament. Three more SmackDown pairings still need to be announced before the series debuts on Facebook Watch next Tuesday.

Below is a list of updated teams and participants for Mixed Match Challenge:

Raw --
Braun Strowman & Alexa Bliss
Finn Balor & Sasha Banks
Apollo Crews & Nia Jax
The Miz & Asuka
Goldust & Alicia Fox
Elias & Bayley
SmackDown --
Bobby Roode & Charlotte Flair
Rusev & Lana
Jimmy Uso & Naomi
Becky Lynch
Carmella
Natalya
Sami Zayn
Shinsuke Nakamura
A member of The New Day (to be determined by fan vote)

It's strange how the reactions and how they're handling this is almost non-kayfabe entirely. I guess because it's not gonna be live on a Televised kayfabe show, it doesn't matter to them.

KILLdozer wrote: ↑Jan 10th, '18, 17:31 It's strange how the reactions and how they're handling this is almost non-kayfabe entirely. I guess because it's not gonna be live on a Televised kayfabe show, it doesn't matter to them.

It clearly does matter because they're using Facebook which has millions of followers and has the potential to be seen by nearly their whole audience as it pops up in the social media feed. So whether you'll want to see it or not... you will. It's a huge audience potentially.

XIV wrote: ↑Jan 13th, '18, 00:55

KILLdozer wrote: ↑Jan 10th, '18, 17:31 It's strange how the reactions and how they're handling this is almost non-kayfabe entirely. I guess because it's not gonna be live on a Televised kayfabe show, it doesn't matter to them.

It clearly does matter because they're using Facebook which has millions of followers and has the potential to be seen by nearly their whole audience as it pops up in the social media feed. So whether you'll want to see it or not... you will. It's a huge audience potentially.

But Dozer's point is that if they think it is going to be a big thing, you'd think they would have the same face-heel alignments and ... let's say "active kayfabe relationships" as on the main roster.

Yeah, Becky Lynch and Zayn were pretty much literally out of character thrilled to team with each other. Carmella just getting along with the new day like it's usual everyday. None of it makes any sense whatsoever within the usual Kayfabe.

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jan 13th, '18, 19:06

XIV wrote: ↑Jan 13th, '18, 00:55

KILLdozer wrote: ↑Jan 10th, '18, 17:31 It's strange how the reactions and how they're handling this is almost non-kayfabe entirely. I guess because it's not gonna be live on a Televised kayfabe show, it doesn't matter to them.

It clearly does matter because they're using Facebook which has millions of followers and has the potential to be seen by nearly their whole audience as it pops up in the social media feed. So whether you'll want to see it or not... you will. It's a huge audience potentially.

But Dozer's point is that if they think it is going to be a big thing, you'd think they would have the same face-heel alignments and ... let's say "active kayfabe relationships" as on the main roster.

No I see that point I suppose. They’ve done a weird mix of kayfabe and real life with non-kayfabe... like Uso & Naomi, Rusev and Lana make sense from a real life perspective (plus the journey of those will probably end up on totadivas), as does Roode and Charlotte, but then not with others. Lynch being a face should have been annoyed at being put with Zayn and vice versa, I do get that.

Bayley is with Sampson, Asuka would never team with Miz lol. They actually taken it all the way into an entirely different direction now, it's officially become a "for the charity of their choosing" type of thing lol.

Strowman was talking about it with Alexa Bliss....

KILLdozer wrote: ↑Jan 15th, '18, 07:30 Strowman was talking about it with Alexa Bliss....

I know they’re both technically heels, but I still can’t wrap my head around that pairing for some reason.

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jan 15th, '18, 11:15

KILLdozer wrote: ↑Jan 15th, '18, 07:30 Strowman was talking about it with Alexa Bliss....

I know they’re both technically heels, but I still can’t wrap my head around that pairing for some reason.

because someone in WWE really finds it funny that the tallest guy tags with the smallest girl. kayfabe you put the guy that no one can boss around and the girl that likes to boss everyone around. idk, this whole MMC makes no sense to me

cero2k wrote: ↑Jan 15th, '18, 11:24

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jan 15th, '18, 11:15

KILLdozer wrote: ↑Jan 15th, '18, 07:30 Strowman was talking about it with Alexa Bliss....

I know they’re both technically heels, but I still can’t wrap my head around that pairing for some reason.

because someone in WWE really finds it funny that the tallest guy tags with the smallest girl. kayfabe you put the guy that no one can boss around and the girl that likes to boss everyone around. idk, this whole MMC makes no sense to me

I think the Braun/Bliss team is a funny idea, just for the visuals, but your theory about why they are doing it is correct.

Big Red Machine wrote: ↑Jan 15th, '18, 12:06

cero2k wrote: ↑Jan 15th, '18, 11:24

Serujuunin wrote: ↑Jan 15th, '18, 11:15
I know they’re both technically heels, but I still can’t wrap my head around that pairing for some reason.

because someone in WWE really finds it funny that the tallest guy tags with the smallest girl. kayfabe you put the guy that no one can boss around and the girl that likes to boss everyone around. idk, this whole MMC makes no sense to me

I think the Braun/Bliss team is a funny idea, just for the visuals, but your theory about why they are doing it is correct.

*insert hamster and banana meme*