In what could be an interesting way to set the stage for an epic WrestleMania 35, WWE would be looking to exceed expectations this Sunday with WWE Fastlane.
This will be the fifth event under the Fastlane chronology and will be live from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
There's no denying that the company have been successful in preparing a must-see match-card for the PPV, with 'The New' Daniel Bryan's tussle with Kevin Owens likely to gravitate more attention from the hardcore fans.
The Shield's reunification has welcomed the opportunity for another strong showdown against the forces of Drew Mcintyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin, and while rumors of a startling heel turn by Ambrose are already doing the rounds, this match could be a banger.
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Moreover, Ronda Rousey's astonishing heel turn has now set the stage for an absolute show-stealing bout for WrestleMania 35, but Becky Lynch's willingness to reach to the top of the heap faces another roadblock in Charlotte Flair, as the two rivals lock horns in a jaw-dropping encounter this Sunday.
While many fans would be disappointed to see Andrade 'Cien' Almas slug it out with Rey Mysterio in the kick-off show, this could be a clinical move in order to get the fans excited for the rest of the evening.
Since the card looks so scintillating on paper, will Fastlane outmatch The Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber to become the best show of 2019? Let's find out.
Here are the full match-card predictions and analysis for WWE Fastlane 2019.
#1. Rey Mysterio Vs. Andrade 'Cien' Almas - Kick Off Match
It's a damn shame that this match has been bumped to the kick-off show, but there's absolutely no denying that these two versatile individuals will do everything in their power to get the WWE Universe's attention.
Both Andrade 'Cien' Almas and Rey Mysterio have already churned classics against each other on SmackDown Live and with WrestleMania 35 just around the corner, this blockbuster bout won't be any different.
Since there's no concrete information on where these two will go from Fastlane, there's a possibility that Andrade could take the pin here, especially because it's a kick-off match.
While their placement on the card could be vehemently criticized, these two will still deliver a thrilling encounter and keep us hooked at the edge of our seats.
As far as predictions go, I'm putting my money on the Mexican Icon to outshine Andrade and get the victory here.
Prediction: Rey Mysterio wins in a classic
#2 The Revival (C) Vs. Chad Gable and Bobby Roode Vs. Aleister Black and Ricochet for the Raw Tag-Team Championships
To all the hardcore wrestling fans who were yearning for a serious alteration in the tag-team division - your prayers have been answered at the right time.
The Revival are now set to collide with the former Raw Tag-Team Champions in Bobby Roode and Chad Gable, and the new NXT sensations in Aleister Black and King Ricochet.
It's understandable that with WrestleMania 35 around the corner, the company has raised the bar of tag-team wrestling on the main roster and this is probably the first time in many months that I'm excited for a Raw Tag-Team Championship match.
Now, a notable thing here is WWE's emphasis of pushing Ricochet and Aleister Black as an unstoppable force. Since Gable and Roode cost them the gold this week on Monday Night Raw, I can sense a full fledged heel turn from the former Raw Tag-Team Champions this Sunday.
Hence, preventing Black and Ricochet from getting their moment here would be acceptable considering that they can do a better one at WrestleMania 35.
Considering that Roode and Gable have been included in this jaw-dropping contest, one of them is taking the pin here and letting The Revival walk out of the Quicken Loans Arena with the gold.
Prediction : The Revival retains after pinning Roode and Gable
#3 Asuka (C) Vs. Mandy Rose for the SmackDown Women's Championship
While this has been tipped as a match that has an element of unpredictability attached to it, there's no way the company could let Mandy Rose walk out of Ohio as the new SmackDown Women's Champion.
Regardless of the fact that she got a fluke victory over the SmackDown Women's Champion recently, let's not forget that The Empress of Tomorrow was successful in outshining both Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch in extremely high-profile matches.
The former NXT Women's Champion may not have the right corporate look, but her offensiveness and versatility between the ropes has ascended her to the top on the blue brand.
With the Raw Women's Championship taking much of the spotlight on both brands, it's about time that the company starts giving the women's division on the blue brand the screen time that they deserve.
A genuine reason why I'm choosing Asuka for this one is because of her apparent rumored tussle with Lacey Evans at WrestleMania 35.
Considering that the company has brought a lot of attention to Evans, there's a genuine possibility that she would be the one to outshine Asuka at the Show of Shows.
Prediction : Asuka retains the SmackDown Women's Championship
#4 Sasha Banks and Bayley (C) Vs. Nia Jax and Tamina for the WWE Women's Tag-Team Championships
Trust me, I'm a very huge admirer of what Sasha Banks and Bayley achieved in NXT under Triple H's experiential supervision.
However, the same cannot be said about their run on Monday Night Raw. Despite the fact that they are now taking center stage in the Women's tag-team division, the company really needs to give them the right antagonist heading into WrestleMania 35.
While Nia Jax has been showcased in dominant fashion, her recent loss to Bayley diminished her credibility big time. There's no way Vince McMahon would endorse the idea of booking Banks and Bayley to lose to Jax and Tamina.
The bout could definitely bring us some old-school wrestling moments, but at the end of the day, the outcome will be predictable.
There's a genuine possibility that Trish Stratus and Lita could play a significant factor in igniting their rumored match with Banks and Bayley for the gold.
Expect Bayley and Banks to be advocated as pure underdogs before they get the job done only to get in a heated confrontation with Trish Stratus and Lita.
Prediction : Sasha Banks and Bayley retain
#5 The Usos (C) Vs. Shane McMahon and The Miz for the SmackDown Tag-Team Championships
It's understandable that the company has booked Shane McMahon and The Miz as a tag-team force on the blue brand only for the Awesome One to turn his back on the SmackDown Live Commissioner.
The Usos certainly possess all the credentials in the world to take McMahon and The Miz to a solid encounter in Cleveland, but the attention will still remain on the challengers.
Since the company is reportedly planning a blockbuster collision between The Usos and The Hardy Boyz at WrestleMania 35, this match will prove to be a final nail in the coffin for Miz and Shane O'Mac's apparent friendship.
Despite the fact that The A-Lister genuinely deserved a WWE Championship match with 'The New' Daniel Bryan, his ongoing arguments with Shane would get more screen time than The Usos.
While there's nothing exciting about this match, I'm still expecting these two teams to give us a solid match which ends up with The Miz turning heel.
Prediction : The Usos retain
#6 The Shield Vs. Drew Mcintyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin
Without a shadow of a doubt, this match is the most predictable on the entire card for WWE Fastlane. The Shield's recent reunification has divided the internet wrestling community, with legions of fans criticizing the decision to reunite The Hounds of Justice without any significant build.
Considering that they will be involved in a slug fest against the forces of Drew Mcintyre, Baron Corbin, and Bobby Lashley, it would be surprising if the antagonist's get the victory here.
While the reunification has opened the doors for tons of speculations and conjectures about a possible heel turn by Dean Ambrose, there's no way Vince McMahon would pull the plug on this so early.
Roman Reigns' epic return to the squared circle will get more emphasis here and I'm expecting The Big Dog to spear Baron Corbin out of the main event picture on Monday Night Raw.
Since the bout will be centered around Roman's sensational return to in-ring role, The Roman Empire will reign supreme and stand tall with his brothers when the dust finally settles.
Prediction : The Shield wins
#7 Becky Lynch Vs. Charlotte Flair - If Becky wins, she gets added in the Raw Women's Championship match
There's no denying that Becky Lynch's journey to the top of the mountain is the best story going on in the entire wrestling world today.
WWE have now settled upon a blockbuster showdown between Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch and have added an interesting stipulation to the bout.
If The Man fails to get the job done, she would not be included in the Raw Women's Champion, and while I'm getting the vibe that the outcome could be very predictable, I don't really see Charlotte losing here.
Another loss at the hands of The Relentless One would legitimately diminish Charlotte's momentum heading into the Grandest Stage of Them All in April.
With Ronda Rousey imploding her anger on Becky Lynch this Monday night on Raw, she could play a dangerous fact in this riveting clash this Sunday.
While my heart still wants Becky to outmatch The Queen, I'm sensing that this match would not end up the way we are expecting to. My money is on Ronda Rousey interfering and destroying the two to gravitate nuclear heat from the WWE Universe.
Prediction : Ronda Rousey interferes and destroys the two resulting in No contest
#8 'The New' Daniel Bryan Vs. Kevin Owens for the WWE Championship
In my humble opinion, 'The New' Daniel Bryan's collision with Kevin Owens for the WWE Championship is the right way to close this pay-per-view.
Amidst Kofi's exclusion from the main event picture, WWE have been very calculative with their decision to go with Owens for this high-stakes encounter in Cleveland.
Considering that Bryan's conniving mannerisms have catapulted him as 'The Villain' on SmackDown Live, his partnership with Rowan would prove to be very clinical in this match.
While this is Owens' first PPV match since his return, it wouldn't make sense for him to decimate the Planet's Champion at Fastlane.
Moreover, recent rumors of Sami Zayn's in-ring return could make things interesting on the blue brand. Expect this bout to bring the house down with Bryan's technical prowess eventually outshining our Prizefighter.