WWE Fastlane 2017 Sunday, March 5th
Live on the WWE Network from the BMO Harris Bradley Center in Milwaukee, WI
7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00 p.m. PT
Rich Swann & Akira Tozawa vs. The Brian Kendrick & Noam Dar (Pre-Show)
If you have been tuning into 205 Live and caught some of the segments on Monday Night RAW, you’ve seen the growing issues between Akira Tozawa and Brian Kendrick. Kendrick, over the past couple of weeks has gotten the best of Tozawa so if WWE wants continue this feud, Tozawa finally getting one on Kendrick would do so. I am going to give the nod to the baby-face team.
Predicted Winners: Rich Swann & Akira Tozawa
Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax
Sasha Banks & Nia Jax have been back and forth with one another for some time now. There does not seem to be much intrigue in this match and I believe this is just a hold off for both women to keep them in the minds of the fans to setup a potential Fatal 4-Way for the RAW Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. The build has been lackluster but, WWE creative is finally beginning to build Nia Jax as a monster. Jax, on the Feburary 27th episode of Monday Night RAW pinned the current RAW Women’s Champion Bayley clean. That was indeed a bold move having your champion lose clean 6 days off from her championship match. Considering Nia has been getting a small push as of late WWE will likely continue building her and have Jax go into WrestleMania riding a wave of momentum.
Predicted Winner: Nia Jax
RAW Tag Team Championship: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson © vs. Enzo & Big Cass
WWE has really missed the train with both teams. Enzo & Cass made their main roster debut the night after WrestleMania 32 and wrestling fans all over were looking forward to the entertaining duo winning their first championships in the company. That never came and the team slowly fell into unimportant storylines and matches that did nothing to build Enzo & Cass as a team. Also, Gallows and Anderson had tons of hype around them following their departure from NJPW and their arrival in WWE. They followed a similar path of Enzo & Cass not building them as a threatening team within the division and that can/did hurt the teams momentum.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrHQvC7RKXU]
I do not see Enzo & Cass winning the championships now, most likely at WrestleMania will be there time but I do honestly believe WWE has missed the train on Enzo & Cass. Hopefully, winning the RAW Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania could give the duo their mojo that they once had.
Predicted Winners: Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson Retain RAW Tag Team Championships
Cruiserweight Championship: Neville © vs. Jack Gallagher
The recreation of Neville has been something great to watch. Neville has been on the backburner in the minds of WWE creative for years now. Although I do believe he can compete outside of the cruiserweight division, it is still great to see someone well deserving be on top. Gallagher is one of the more talented cruiserweights in the division and that signature headbutt he has is one of the most deafening strikes in WWE.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBCbJa0I4cw]
The “Gentlemen” has been on a role since we first got a glimpse of him outside of the Cruiserweight Classic last summer and has caught the eye of many us of fans. But, there it not anyone in that division that I can see beating Neville one-on-one and it being believable. Possibly, if WWE could not reel in a Kota Ibushi or have Hideo Itami dethrone Neville, then maybe Austin Aries could be that man. Gallagher is an entertaining talent inside of the ring but he will not be the one to dethrone the self-proclaimed “King Of The Cruiserweights”.
Predicted Winner: Jack Gallagher……… Loses and Neville Retains Cruiserweight Championship
Sami Zayn vs. Samoa Joe
The destroyer has been on a rampage since debuting on the main roster. Hopefully, WWE creative continues to build Joe on the current track that he is on. If I were to book it, Joe would be undefeated at least until SummerSlam and could use that to build up another young talent. We all know how talented Samoa Joe is inside the ring, but I do not believe we understood how good he is on promos as well. Sami Zayn is a great talent as well and will probably win the U.S. Championship soon, but for now he is just another stepping stone in the way of The Destroyer. It will not be very long before our new WWE Universal Champion is none other than Samoa Joe.
Predicted Winner: Samoa Joe
RAW Women’s Championship: Bayley © vs. Charlotte
If Charlotte is supposed to be built as this unbeatable competitor at PPV’s then why have her drop the title in the first place? I do not believe that Bayley should be champion right now. WrestleMania was only a few short weeks away and WWE pulled the trigger way too early and spoiled a WrestleMania moment. As it gets drilled in our heads every Monday Night, Charlotte is undefeated at PPV’s and where does that lead us next? Will Charlotte become a five-time Women’s Champion and it hasn’t even reached the full length of a WWE calendar year yet.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dsky-KSbW4]
I am not aware if you guys remember, but on the Dec.19th episode of Monday Night RAW, The New Day took a jab at Charlotte and her multiple title reigns. “Ric Flair could not have become a 16-time champion without losing 15 times. Big E then responded by saying, “And that’ll be Charlotte in a month. “It may have been an out of place remark but none-the-less was true. Between Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Bayley there are a combined 8 championship reigns between those three women and could be 9 reigns come Fastlane. Constantly flip-flopping the championship that many times every month may not be an issue to some but in my opinion it weakens the importance of the championship.
I do believe that WWE will continue with Charlotte’s streak and have her bring that into WrestleMania and Bayley will be the one to break that PPV streak. But, WWE creative could also have different plans and have Bayley walk into WrestleMania as champion and have the much-needed Sasha Banks heel turn happen. RAW has been known for their random interferences in matches so I would not be surprised if Dana Brooke and/or Banks interferes and we see that Sasha Banks heel turn early. As of late, Banks has been slandered by RAW GM Stephanie McMahon & Charlotte Flair of stealing Bayley’s spotlight and that could come to fruition at the end of this match. That may sound like I am jumping the gun but I must think each and every way when it comes to the booking of Monday Night RAW. Both are possible outcomes, but if I must expect one out of the creative team for RAW, Charlotte will be a five-time Women’s Champion come Sunday night.
Predicted Winner: Charlotte Is The New and 5-time RAW Women’s Champion
Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
Roman Reigns is without question, the man that Vince McMahon wants as the new face of the WWE. Reigns have been given chance after chance: main-evented the previous two WrestleMania’s, numerous championship opportunities and taken down superstars who wrestling fans adored. It is not an easy pill to swallow watching this every Monday Night but there is one thing I must give WWE props for and that is the development of Braun Strowman. I’m sure that everyone will agree with me that when we first got a glimpse of Braun Strowman we thought this guy would be another giant who would be forced on us, but Strowman has turned out to be a huge surprise. At times, I do believe that the fans cheer Braun simply because they do not want Roman to win, but over the past couple of weeks I have grown to think otherwise.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oawqb6_TKfg]
Strowman has had Reign’s number and destroyed him every time these two have come to blows on RAW. Surprisingly, that was the last thing I could have expected as I was waiting for Roman Reigns to take down the monster but it has yet to happen. In this match, I am going to take a shot and predict The Undertaker gets involved to kick-start his feud with Roman Reigns which will lead to their rumored match at WrestleMania 33. If the Deadman does not get involved, I do not see neither Reigns nor Strowman losing clean to one another so a crazy finish will for sure be the outcome. Reigns, because he is the “company juggernaut”, him losing clean is not a sight we often see. WWE creative has also done a great job building Strowman up as a monster and hopefully that is continued through Fastlane. A DQ loss or interference will not hurt Braun at all, but I hope all this build was not just to give Reigns momentum heading into WrestleMania.
Predicted Winner: Roman Reigns via. DQ (Undertaker Gets Involved)
WWE Universal Championship: Kevin Owens © vs. Goldberg
I am positive that almost everyone has the exact same feel about this match. I had my problems with the mediocre Universal title reign in which Kevin Owens has had. I was not fond of the way that he was booked throughout his reign as a cowardly champion. People tend to say “well aren’t heel champions supposed to be cowardly” and my answer is yes, but not for almost 8 months of being a coward. Over the recent weeks, Owens has been booked the way he should’ve been booked after winning the Universal title. Although K.O. may be finally being booked correctly, it is hard to go against the plan that has been rumored for months: Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania. Although it is hard, I will not bicker too much about the great chance that Goldberg will be Universal Champion at the end of Sunday night.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayT5AF39cvU]
Do I believe Goldberg is deserving of this run? No, but there could possibly be a greater outcome If Goldberg wins the championship at Fastlane. He goes on to WrestleMania to defend the title against Brock Lesnar and Lesnar comes out on top. WWE could use Lesnar to get a younger talent over, possibly Samoa Joe. This match will have various dynamics to it and many unknowns. Many are wondering will Chris Jericho play a role in Kevin Owens losing the Universal Championship, or does K.O. receive help from the new faction that is slowly forming with Triple H & Samoa Joe. There are many different scenarios that can happen during this match, but ultimately it is hard to go against Goldberg. There has been word for months that Vince McMahon wants this Lesnar vs. Goldberg match to happen and wants a bigger light on the match and there is no other way to do that then throwing the WWE Universal Championship in between the two. Do you guys believe Lesnar vs. Goldberg II would be cared for as much if a championship was not on the line? We may find out come Sunday.
Predicted Winner: Goldberg Wins The WWE Universal Championship
Tune in to WWE Fastlane Sunday, March 5th live on the WWE Network. Start time 7 p.m. EST/ 4 p.m. PST
