WWE Fastlane 2015 Review – Rambolic Rumble!

So, WWE Fastlane has now come and gone and, well, not much seems to have changed really…In all honesty, it seemed a lot more like an extended version of Raw than a marquee Pay-Per-View. The WWE got rid of Elimination Chamber to put on Fastlane, for what I can only assume is monetary reasons – i.e it’s a lot of money to transport that frankly stupid cage. However, Elimination Chamber was a highly gimmicked and, therefore, recognisable event in in the WWE calendar. Now we have Fastlane, which is wrestling with no gimmick or identity. If we get a Fastlane II, I’d be highly surprised…

What was I talking about? Oh yeah, Fastlane happened, and some things were clarified on the road to wrestling’s biggest event. If it wasn’t obvious, SPOILERS ahead, as I say what I think of WWE Fastlane.

The Authority (Seth Rollins, Kane & Big Show) def. Team Cena minus Cena (Dolph Ziggler, Eric Rowan & Ryback)

• Haven’t we seen this match before but more padded out? Yes, it’s the Survivor Series main event…minus two main eventers Cena and Rusev and a bit of jigging around (Show now bad, Henry and Harper rightfully canned)
• This match should have been Ziggler vs Rollins, as they seemed to be the only two with any popularity with the crowd, highlighted by “We Want Ziggler” chants whenever Ryback or Rowan were in the ring.
• I was surprised by Rowan’s ability against Rollins – very quick for his size and maneuverable. Then he kicked a post and spent the rest of the match waddling like Big Show… *sigh*
• Rowan needs a new gimmick or a heel turn, as “possibly inbred simpleton” is a character which will never get over.
• A couple of good spots. Rollins drop kicking Ziggler off the apron looked good and Ryback catching Rollins, converting it into a vertical suplex before slamming him to the mat with the Shell Shocked looked amazing.
• Big Show and Kane…..I could fill an entire post of how much I despise how the WWE are still pushing Concessions Kane and the fucking New Years Baby as unstoppable heels. All I can ask is…stop, please. Replace them with Sheamus and Orton if you need to, at least they can move and have decent move sets.
• Match ends with Big Show KO Punching Ziggler and him getting pinned…
• Randy Orton Returns! I never thought I’d be excited to see him back, but he got a massive pop as he went after Rollins.
• Overall, not the worst match in the world, but a very over done one by this point. All these guys should be onto bigger and better feuds by now, especially Rollins and Ziggler.

Goldust def. Stardust

• This match has been coming since the creation of Gold & Stardust, and was just a tedious to watch.
• Cody Rhodes is a good technical wrestler, and Goldust can hold his own. The story has good mileage as well, which is odd seeing as this match was boring and gave us nothing really the work on, other than the internal struggle of Cody/Stardust (which is still a stupid name)
• Cody looks a lot better and more athletic out of his weird Goldust suit. It’s only a small change but make him a lot different to his brother.
• However, Cody needs to stop hissing. I know its meant to make him look crazy and bizarre, but when it’s coming from Cody Rhodes, it sounds like a child impersonating a snake.
• This was a slow match, lots of time where nothing is happening.
• Match ends with a sloppy roll up and a backstage scene showing how bat-shit insane Stardust has become, attacking Goldust and confronting Dusty Rhodes.
• Like the Rhodes Brothers themselves, it was a strange match, kept alive by the crowd, chanting “Cody”, and causing more emotional torment for the deranged man in facepaint…well the other man in face paint

Cesaro & Tyson Kidd def. The Usos to win the WWE Tag Team Championship

• Fairly good match, but a waste of Cesaro. The Usos and Tyson Kidd belong in the Tag division, but Cesaro, in my humble opinion, could have challenged Rusev for the US Championship if he wasn’t booked like a singles jobber. It’s sad to see such a talented wrestler floundering while people who are less talented get much more screen time (*cough cough* Miz *cough cough*)
• Highlight of the match was the one legged swing by Cesaro which looked amazing as per usual. Also Jimmy Uso landed a Samoa Drop on Kidd into the guardrail which people seemed to pop for, but to me it looked more botched than planned. Sorry Jimmy
• A good match and new champions, cementing Cesaro into a mid carder where he should at least be challenging with Ambrose and Barrett for the Intercontinental Belt. No, I won’t let it go…

Sting & Triple H Confrontation (I guess Sting “won”?)

• This confrontation had good build up, a good pay off. Triple H is amazing on the mic as ever and acts the perfect heel to Sting’s stoic babyface, who always seems to get a good pop
• This had one large omission – Why doesn’t Sting talk? I know he’s meant to be a broody vigilante, but when Triple H began talking about the destruction of WCW (the company Sting was the face of for many years) and the fact it was people like himself that killed that company, it would make sense for some kind of rebuttal. We know Sting can cut a promo, watching the WWE Network WCW stuff has proven that. Just something to prove he’s got a personality passed make up wearing misery guts for the new fans who may not remember his heyday.
• They have a short exchange of blows, H finds his sledgehammer (wherever that’s been hiding for all these years) and Sting has finally found his bat, and promptly schools the COO.
• Wrestlemania match confirmed, although I think if these guys were both in their heyday, Triple H would win out in the end. Then again I am a WWE Guy, so.

Nikki Bella def. Paige to retain the WWE Divas Championship   

• Probably the best two female wrestlers currently in the WWE facing off in an above average match.
• Nikki Bella has never looked better. I’m very much a Paige fan, but Nikki was a very good wrestler in this match and deserves to have that belt.
• Not the best ending, with Nikki cheating to win, but in the end that’s her character, putting both wrestlers over in a very good Divas match. Looking forward to Wresltemania for these two. I’m just hoping the return of AJ Lee doesn’t get in the way…
• #GiveDivasAChance ? Maybe this match can sway the WWE into believing they can achieve more.

Bad News Barrett def. Dean Ambrose to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship via disqualification 

• I love Dean Ambrose. I love Bad New Barrett. This match was completely ruined by the bullshit booking of these two outstanding athletes.
• What does the WWE have against Ambrose? Coming out of the SHIELD he was more popular than Reigns, but they lock him up in awful feuds, first a hit and run bullshit-a-thon with Rollins, then a losing streak of a feud with Bray Wyatt, not they won’t let him have a straight fight with Barrett in what should be a great match.
• There was promise in this match. Ambrose’s rebound clothesline was countered by Barrett into Wastelands which looked great and when The Lunatic Fringe finally hit his clothesline, it hit hard.
• Barrett tries the heel retention of the title by leaving, but is not allowed by Ambrose. He then traps him in the corner and gets disqualified for not letting him out of the corner. Fuck sake, WWE. LET THEM WRESTLE!
• Ambrose leaves with belt, for some reason, and the match just kind of ends…how sad.
• This match had a lot of promise, but was ruined by bad booking. Best case scenario is to add Dolph Ziggler into the Wrestlemania picture for the IC Belt, try and get it back on track as at the moment, its a comedy jobber belt.
• Also, make it no DQ, because we don’t need anymore fuck finishes for Ambrose and Barrett

Bray Wyatt Officially Calls Out The Undertaker for Wrestlemania

• It’s so good to see and hear The Undertaker’s entrance again after such a long absence. The druids, the music cue and the coffin just prove that The Phenom is still as popular as ever.
• Bray Wyatt is the best performing heel in the industry today. Forget about Seth Rollins or the Authority, watch this promo calling out the biggest superstar of all time with no fear. He knows he’s the next big thing, and with this he’s just proven it. Him coming out of the coffin, although slightly predictable, was a great spot and his speech is as delicate and viscous as ever. This was probably one of the highlights of wrestling this year for me. Outstanding.

Rusev def. John Cena to retain the US Championship

• Shock! Horror! The Reality Era’s Hulk Hogan puts someone over. He didn’t win clean, but hey, it’s progress for Cena and the WWE.
• This was a good match. Both guys are superstars in their own right, one up and coming and the other…well the other is John Cena, the biggest star in the business at the moment.
• Cena did well to put over the strength and power in this hard hitting encounter, with him and Rusev sharing the bumps.
• Rusev looked strong, as in Brock Lesner strong against Cena, throwing him about like a rag doll at points and powering out the STF like I’ve never seen before.
• People have complained about Cena calling spots loudly during the match, but it didn’t effect me too much when enjoying the fight.
• The unclean finish did kind of ruin the end of the match, as it looked more like a blunder by Lana entering the ring too early than a deliberate interference by the manager.
• All in all, a good match that will culminate in a highlight for Wrestlemania.

Roman Reigns def. Daniel Bryan to retain the right to headline Wrestlemania and face Brock Lesner for the WWE Championship 

• I may have an unpopular opinion on this match, but I thought it was great and the right guy won.
• This match was to show fans that Roman Reigns was a worthy winner of the Royal Rumble as apparently Daniel Bryan should have won it…or something. The fans asked for it, the WWE gave it. This is unfair on Reigns, as I don’t know of any other Rumble winner having to defend his right again to headline Wrestlemania.
• This was a great match which told a good story while also being a great spectacle of both the wrestlers in ring prowess. Neither man looked bad coming out of this effort.
• Reigns looked powerful. Bryan looked wily and quick and both men bounced off each other very well. This is a rematch I’d love to see.
• Bryan does an excellent Rikishi clothesline bump (turning himself inside out) to show how powerful Reigns can be.
• Reigns getting out of the many different submissions slapped on by Bryan showed that his power was comparable to anyone in the WWE, which stands him in good stead against Lesner
• People are very annoyed that Reigns kicked out of Bryan’s running knee thingy. Well, there has to be a first, doesn’t there?
• Reigns counters a second attempted running knee with a thunderous spear to get the win.
• Bryan fans won’t be happy, but they never will be until he is ruler of the universe. Daniel Bryan knows he can’t win everything, hence he did what was needed of him in the Rumble and here. He’s an astounding wrestler only held down in my mind by the rabid baying wolves which are his fan base.
• This was a great match to show Reigns as a strong and skilled fighter and did the job of to cement his place at the top of the roster…again

To Sum Up…

Fastlane was a decent Pay-Per-View which did it’s job sufficiently when it came to the matches. Although I feel it messed up in a couple of senses, like Ambrose – Barrett and Ziggler’s matches, it did well in putting over some key storylines for the biggest event of them all – Wrestlemania.

Do I think we’ll see a Fastlane 2? No, if they’re going to continually change this slot then there are a lot better ideas that can go here. For me, another gimmick PPV would be ideal to tide people over and give them something to look forward to between the Rumble and Wrestlemania. In my opinion, maybe bringing back King of the Ring or creating an event where they integrate or merge NXT Talent in with the main roster for an evening to see how they get on together?

In all, Fastlane did it’s job and has produced the hype for Wrestlemania, and that’s all it was there for.