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Fastlane falls somewhere between the two most exciting pay-per-view events of the year- the Royal Rumble and WWE WrestleMania. And therefore, many have called it a filler pay-per-view and not a significant one. Many WrestleMania plans are already cast in stone long before Fastlane takes place. It exists just to give the WWE Universe something to watch in March.
That said, this felt like a pretty important edition of Fastlane. Very little was actually throwaway per se and most of the matches had consequences. I'd say that this was an okay pay-per-view, veering towards 'better than average'.
It's time to list out the good and the bad from the show. Voice your comments and discontent in the comments.
Did you like or dislike the final pit stop before WrestleMania 35?
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#1 Best: Clean win for Samoa Joe
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The US Championship used to be one of the most prized possessions in the business back in the NWA days. Because of how the title has been booked on SmackDown Live, it's become an afterthought. After John Cena's memorable reign as Champion, nobody's really done anything with the Championship. We've had underwhelming reigns from Nakamura, Rusev and Bobby Roode, for no fault of their own.
I like that the match went from a throwaway Kickoff show contest to a US title match on the main card. Andrade, Mysterio and even R-Truth showcased that they could all put on a great match when the spotlight shines upon them. But this was the Samoa Joe show and I'm glad he won the match.
This proves that WWE has serious plans with the title and are looking to book Joe as a Champion. He's not been booked as a credible monster on the blue brand.
It's cool to see WWE investing in their Champion.
#1 Worst: Splitting up Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville?
I genuinely thought that Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville have good chemistry with one another. So, I did not care for the finish of the Rose-Asuka match, where Deville accidentally cost Rose the match by pulling up the apron and grabbing a kendo stick. Rose was visibly upset with the proceedings and stormed off. She would not hear Deville's pleas for reconciliation.
I like the idea of Mandy Rose, the star, having muscle in Sonya Deville. This equation is not unlike that of Daniel Bryan and Erick Rowan and adds another dimension to their personas. Also, they are credible challengers for Banks and Bayley's championships down the line.
By having them split up, WWE is robbing the fans of a dream match in my opinion. The finish of the title match also looked quite sloppy indeed.
This match wasn't the highlight of the show.
#2 Best: The WWE Championship match
I know that the WWE Universe was constantly chanting for Kofi Kingston during the course of this match. But for what it was, Daniel Bryan, Kevin Owens and Mustafa Ali put on one of the best showcases of the evening with some exceptional athleticism. I wouldn't be remiss in calling this contest the match of the night.
In some ways, I was glad that Kofi Kingston was not a part of the match, because he deserves a stage like WrestleMania. Even though Mustafa Ali was clearly added to take the pin and little more, the man played his part and impressed the WWE Universe with his athleticism. I daresay that he's at par with Ricochet when it comes to high flying moves.
Ultimately, I'm just happy that Daniel Bryan retained his prized WWE Championship. Considering how often he is pinned, this is genuinely a very good thing.
#2 Worst: The Shield match main events the show
The WWE Championship has not been booked as a very prestigious title in the past. And the trend continues with the title being defended in the middle of the show. The main event of the pay-per-view would be a match with no stakes at all, featuring The Shield in action.
I understand why this match went on last but I'd personally have liked to see the WWE Championship given a lot more prominence. SmackDown Live is always treated as the B-Show, and now it's clear that even a non-title match on RAW is more important than the title match on SmackDown Live. This is not a knock on The Shield or the heels, all of whom gave it their all.
And the worst part is that WWE can't even justify it by saying that a major angle happened at WWE Fastlane, and so this match went on last. This was just another Shield match.
#3 Best: Shane McMahon turns heel on The Miz
Shane McMahon has been a babyface ever since he made his return to the company to take on The Undertaker just a few years ago. We know just how good he can be as a heel, having watched all his heel runs during the Attitude Era.
The Miz came up short against The Usos for his team, and he shared an embrace with his father who was at ringside, watching all the action unfold. And then, to the shock of everyone in attendance, Shane McMahon went heel, attacking The Miz.
Later, the cameras would catch up with Shane McMahon and ask him to explain his surprising actions. Like a true heel, he would refuse to answer and keep us guessing for the action that would potentially unfold.
Shane McMahon could be far better as a heel than he was as a babyface.
#3 Worst: Fighting on just one knee
So Becky Lynch is going to WrestleMania and will be competing in a triple threat match. This is not really a surprise and even a blind man could see this angle coming from almost a mile away.
I did not really like this match because they had Becky fight on one leg, practically making the whole contest a squash match. To keep a babyface strong, even someone as popular as Becky Lynch, she has to seem like a formidable threat against Charlotte Flair.
The Ronda Rousey bit at the end where she came in and had Becky Lynch win via disqualification was actually the one bit of the match that I actually liked. It shows that Ronda Rousey is a changed woman, who will resort to just about any tactic to get what she wants, displaying her heelish side.
I hope Lynch doesn't sell the leg at WrestleMania.
#4 Best/worst: Kofi Kingston vs. The Bar
I know that a lot of you are gutted that Kofi Kingston did not get his opportunity to shine. But I suppose that was the whole point of having him job to The Bar at WWE Fastlane 2019. This is because WWE wants us to see Kofi Kingston at his lowest point. And then have him rise all the way to the top once again.
As one of my friends remarked, Daniel Bryan is in the same position as a heel that Batista and Orton were at WrestleMania XXX, helping the underdog get his moment to shine. This will be the story of Kofi Kingston, one of grit and perseverance. But until we get there, the road will be rocky.
What did you think of the pay-per-view overall? Did you think anything was lacking?
I certainly missed The Goddess at the show, as you'd expect!
