It’s the go-home show for Fastlane and then the next stop is WrestleMania 34. But first, they have to decide who will be holding the SmackDown titles as they roll toward the Show Of Shows.
Let’s be honest, as awesome as The New Day is, The Usos deserve their big WrestleMania Moment. After all, they haven’t had much of a showing at WrestleMania unless you’re counting the kickoff show.
John Cena has his sights on a big title match at WrestleMania but he’ll have to win a six-pack challenge first. Although it might be unlikely that Cena will pull off a big win at Fastlane it probably doesn’t matter to Shinsuke Nakamura who he will be facing at Mania because he’s ready to put some knees through anyone’s face he needs to.
So let’s get into it as the Blue Team rolls toward their last brand-exclusive pay-per-view event.
Opening Segment
Dasha was in the middle of the ring because Renee Young is sick this week and she introduced Charlotte Flair and Ruby Riott (who did not come alone). Ruby did stop Morgan and Logan from getting in the ring with her so she could have this little interview segment on her own.
Riott told Dasha to leave and then she started giving us a history lesson about when Charlotte Flair became the SmackDown Women’s Champion. Ruby said it was all about Charlotte being bred for success and it came off as a little bitter, to be honest.
Ruby said Flair was a myth and she formed the Riott Squad to destroy the myth. Charlotte said she had to work harder than others because of who she is because she has the weight of expectation on her shoulders. She can’t just succeed to be successful, she has to be transcendent.
Flair concluded by saying she’s as good as Ruby Riott has heard. It’s all on the line at Fastlane and it looks like Ruby Riott wants to take The Queen’s crown.
Charlotte will be “just another bleach blonde failure with a famous last name,” and then Flair stepped to her. Suddenly the Riott Squad got in the ring and then… GLORIOUS… Charlotte’s Robe Warrior tag team partner in the MMC came out.
Charlotte looked very happy to see Bobby Roode who was out to sit on commentary for the next match.
Randy Orton vs Jinder Mahal
I don’t know how I feel about Sunil Singh introducing Jinder Mahal by himself.
Orton and Mahal wrestled around until Jinder took advantage and kept it with a series of headlocks and other strikes. He got a couple near falls on Randy and landed a big knee drop as “Randy” chants broke out in the crowd.
Orton rallied against Mahal but Jinder stepped in the ring to block Orton’s draping DDT which is really the most logical way to block that move.
Then Mahal rolled out f the ring and the Singh brother took a suplex and bounced off the announce table. They returned to the ring and Orton hit the draping DDT that time and started gearing up for an RKO. But Bobby Roode started to get in the ring and he distracted Randy.
Mahal put a knee into Orton’s back and he bounced off of Roode sending him flying off the apron. Then Jinder hit the Khallas and won the match. Randy Orton has lost to Jinder Mahal a number of times in the past year.
Winner: Jinder Mahal via pinfall
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were backstage and Kev reminded Sami how the six-pack challenge is every man for himself. Then he reminded Zayn when he said that he’d lay down for Kevin and let him win the match if it came down to it.
Sami said his time will come but right now they need to focus on Owens because he’s one win away from becoming a Grand Slam Champion and he needs a space at Mania. Then they both hugged and everyone got a good case of the feels.
Backstage Segment
Nakamura cut an interview about whether he was worried about who he will face at Mania and then Rusev and Adien English interrupted him. Rusev said Nakamura’s knee to English’s throat last week might have damaged his vocal chords. That’s like breaking Billy Joel’s hands now there will be no Rusev Day song.
Then Rusev said he will break Nakamura and he accepted the challenge and apparently, this match will be at Fastlane and it will be Nakamura Day as Shinsuke sang it like English does.
“You can’t just make up your own holiday, man,” Rusev said as Nakamura walked off.
Becky Lynch vs Carmella
Carmella actually started this match off with some offense but Becky soon took control for a moment only to have a Dis Arm Her reversed and then Mella applied even more offense. The Princess Of Staten Island was quite brutal as she used plenty of heel tactics.
They showed Naomi watching backstage and it was nice of her to pay attention. She has a match in the Mixed Match Challenge against Braun Strowman and Alexa Blis but it doesn’t seem like anybody cares about that.
Mella latched on a headlock and held Lynch down until they return to their feet and Becky nailed a kick to Carmella sending them both to the mat.
Lynch hit a Becksploder Suplex and soon had a Dis Arm Her locked in and Mella tapped out.
Winner: Becky Lynch via submission
Naomi was back in the locker room and Natalya walked in sarcastically clapping for Becky Lynch. The two had a little back and forth about Nattie being the best and not having any friends who aren’t cats. Then Naomi challenged her to a tag match for Fastlane. So it will be Nattie and Carmella vs Naomi and Becky Lynch. Cool.
AJ Styles Promo Time
Everyone was happy to see Styles and he said that he used to only care about one person but after winning the title for the second time he sees things a little differently. Then he started talking about the grind to get there and all those years he spent “somewhere else” working to get to WWE.
Then he went over the match at Fastlane and how the odds are stacked against him once again.
They played a piece of John Cena’s promo from Raw where he told AJ to challenge him at Mania and AJ said that’s not what he wants to do. He wants his WrestleMania moment and that’s what he’ll fight for.
Styles said “who would dream that this match would happen in WWE?” and then said he’s not just fighting for himself at Fastlane, he’s fighting for both of them because he wants that match against Nakamura.
Then Dolph Ziggler came out with a microphone of his own. “Let me get this straight, we’re gonna do this for us, for we, this is for us. What happened to you AJ? You used to be cool, man.” Then Ziggler said AJ’s not Phenomenal anymore, now he’s just desperate.
“I’m desperate? This coming from the man who’s been in WWE for 13 years and hasn’t reached his potential?” AJ asked?
Then Ziggler came back with how it took Styles 13 years to get to a house Dolph built. Nice comeback, Show Off. Ziggler warned him that the fans will stab him in the back and then talked about how he cashed in the MITB briefcase years ago and became World Champion after being told he would never be champion and the fans didn’t deserve it.
Ziggler said the fact that he’s yet to have one singles match at Mania is criminal and facts don’t give a damn about feelings. Oh, and AJ Styles can take his dream match with Nakamura and shove it.
AJ offered to have their match right then and there and it looks like the main event is coming early.
AJ Styles vs Dolph Ziggler
Ziggler and Styles had a nice little match but just as it was about to heat up, Kevin and Sami stormed the ring. They beat both guys down as the bell rang to end the match.
Then Ziggler and Styles fought back and The Yep Movement left. Suddenly Shane McMahon came dancing out.
Shane McMahon told Kevin and Sami get back in the ring. Then he booked a fatal fiveway to close out the show as he added Baron Corbin to things.
Baron Corbin vs Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn vs Dolph Ziggler vs AJ Styles
Hey, this is the match we should have had without John Cena getting involved!
These five guys took each other to the limit and Styles and Ziggler had already wrestled a match beforehand. But just as Styles looked like he was going to gain an advantage, Baron Corbin started cleaning house.
Corbin destroyed everyone in the ring with a chokeslam backbreaker here and a deep six there. But AJ broke up the pinfall on Kevin Owens.
AJ clotheslined Baron over the top rope and started running a string of moves on Ziggler and Sami but he couldn’t get the pinfall. After taking out Corbin from the apron and sending Ziggler out of the ring, AJ was sent to the floor by Kevin Owens.
Suddenly, Sami Zayn came out of nowhere with a Helluva Kick and scored the pinfall on Kevin Owens.
Winner: Sami Zayn via pinfall
As the referee raised Sami Zayn’s hand, everyone looked on in disbelief especially Kevin Owens. Fastlane could get very interesting.
Dasha interviewed Zayn on the entrance ramp and he cut a promo about being the best in WWE and how it’s finally going to be his time.
