WWE Fastlane 2017 Match Card and Predictions

Fastlane
Source: WWE

We are officially in the Fastlane, folks, and heading down the road to Wrestlemania. With Smackdown Live’s Elimination Chamber behind us we have only one more hurdle on the road to Wrestlemania and this will be where we finally get some clarity on the Wrestlemania card this year. As an avid fan of all things wrestling I want to break down my thoughts on each match for the Fastlane PPV card, let me break down what I think will happen and also what I would prefer to see happen. Let us find out just how close I can get to calling this year’s Fastlane PPV.

Let’s begin here with a match that has not been made official, but considering the last two weeks on Raw we can only assume this will end up getting added to the card.

 

Samoa Joe vs Sami Zayn

Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe
Image Source:
WWE.com

Samoa Joe has been quickly inserted into the spotlight on Raw. I want to first state that the way Samoa Joe has been brought in reminds me of the days when WWE made a huge deal out of a superstar when they would debut. The spotlight was always placed on a new superstar and it really in some ways became up to them on whether they sank or swim.  Joe has been given this opportunity and if anyone right now can take that opportunity and run with it then Joe is that man.

The build up with Sami Zayn is a great way to introduce what I feel WWE has in store for Joe moving forward. This is not going to be a match for fans of Zayn. No amount of Ole chants are going to save the Underdog from the Underground from what I feel is going to be a massive beat down by Samoa Joe. WWE needs Joe to look like an absolute monster and this is where it begins. I believe WWE will go with Joe destroying Zayn here and I am not going to disagree with this style of booking on this one. Sami Zayn is the type of babyface that will always bounce back and get the fans behind him, so a major loss to someone the caliber of Samoa Joe will not hurt him in the least.

 

Gallows & Anderson (c) vs Enzo & Cass

WWE Raw Tag Team Championship Match

Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Enzo Amore and Big Cass
Image Source:
WWE.com

Enzo & Cass, much like Sami Zayn, are the kind of guys where taking a loss does nothing to diminish their popularity with the WWE Universe. There is little to no payoff for either team if Enzo & Cass pull off the win here. The best thing WWE could do here is to have Gallows & Anderson use their knowledge as a team to give Cass a massive beatdown virtually taking him out of the match. The end would see  Anderson & Gallows then destroy Enzo inside the ring and without a partner there to tag in Gallows & Anderson pick apart Enzo and take the win, retaining their titles.

I would love to see Handsome Rusev and Jinder Mahal come down and attack Enzo & Cass after the match setting up a potential triple threat Tag Title match for Wrestlemania where at that time Enzo & Cass could finally realize their dream and win. I do not feel like this will be the way it goes. I would imagine this match is going to end with a botched finish of sorts, such as a DQ finish seeing Enzo & Cass win but Anderson & Gallows retain leaving it open to a return match at Wrestlemania with just the two teams.

 

Bayley (c) vs Charlotte

WWE Raw Women’s Championship

Bayley and Charlotte
Image Source:
WWE.com

I wish I could say I was more excited about this match, but with poor booking of the Raw Women’s Championship coupled with the obvious booking of Charlotte on PPV’s, it seems all too likely to see the obvious happen here. I predict and also feel WWE is going to give Charlotte the win on PPV and win back her championship. I feel this is then going to build to something that nobody has seen coming. There is always a 6 or 7 person Intercontinental Title Ladder Match at Wrestlemania, so what if this year saw Raw’s Women’s division participate in their first Wrestlemania ladder match for the title? I know I for one would love to see the Women get their chance to take on the ever exciting Wrestlemania ladder match.

 

Neville (c) vs Jack Gallagher

WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match

Neville and Jack Gallagher
Image Source:
WWE.com

As awesome as Gentlemen Jack has been to watch on 205 Live and Raw, I just cannot see WWE taking the title off Neville at the moment. Neville’s heel turn has been one of the best that has happened in WWE recently. I feel like Jack Gallagher will get to put on a great display and he certainly will get many great moments in the match itself. Ultimately though I see Neville coming out on top here. The question is where does Neville go heading into Wrestlemania with that title? It would be easy for them to put the entire division in some form of multi man match. However, I feel like the best bet would be a one on one match with Cedric Alexander, allowing for him and Neville to put on the high calibre type of match that we often saw from the Cruiserweights during the Cruiserweight Classic.

 

Roman Reigns vs Braun Strowman

Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman
Image Source:
WWE.com

How awesome does Strowman get each and every week? This is one big guy who is silencing skeptics all over the world and could be one of the most exciting big men to sit at the top of the WWE in a long time. The problem here is we as fans all know that at any moment we could see Reigns be the one to finally be the guy to pin the big man.

While a part of me believes WWE will give Reigns the win here I have to say there is a better way to go about this one. Reigns should look strong in this match because you need guys to look strong who you intend to be in your upper mid card to main event scene. I would like to see the match be back and forth until the very end, then as Reigns looks to be ready to get the win the lights go out and when they come back on The Undertaker stands in the middle of the ring where he goes about taking out both Reigns and Strowman. Undertaker then points to the Wrestlemania sign and walks off.

This would set up a potential Undertaker vs Strowman vs Reigns match at Wrestlemania this year. Undertaker, known for his wins at Wrestlemania, looks to get his hands on two of Raw’s strongest.

 

Kevin Owens (c) vs Goldberg

WWE Universal Championship Match

Kevin Owens and Goldberg
Image Source:
WWE.com

While this match could go many ways, the obvious WWE style booking would see Goldberg squash Owens and walk out as the new Universal Champion to take on Brock Lesnar at Wrestlemania. I feel this is how they will book it, but I disagree with that finish.  First of all, Goldberg vs Lesnar does not need the universal title at Wrestlemania to draw interest. In fact, if they do have the title involved, their fans will not be as interested as that is not the Wrestlemania title moment they are crying out for.

The way to book this correctly in my opinion is to have Jericho come out and cost Owens the match, but allowing Owens to retain. Goldberg would then get upset with the referee as Owens and Jericho fight right to the back. While Goldberg is arguing with the referee Brock Lesnar runs out from the crowd and hits Goldberg with an F-5 to end the night. This gives us two big matches to be very excited about for Wrestlemania. Jericho challenges Owens for the Universal title and wins that night, giving the crowd that feel good hero moment. I know it will mean the next night on Raw Owens will get his rematch and reclaim the title from Jericho, but it is the Wrestlemania moment that WWE needs and what happens after that is totally open for discussion.

I have some high hopes for WWE for this years Fastlane. While I agree on some of the rumoured booking, there are some things I hope they do not do. I hope the WWE decides to throw a curveball or two our way with Fastlane, but until then we can sit back and wait to see what happens on Sunday March 5th.

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