5 burning questions leading into WWE Fastlane

On Sunday, March 11th, SmackDown Live presents the last brand-exclusive pay-per-view event. The event is meant to either conclude or solidify rivalries and lay the groundwork for matches that will take place at Wrestlemania.

For all involved, there are a number of questions to be asked. Who will the winners be? Who will the losers be? What could we anticipate from each of the matches, and could any surprises take place on this night?

Any number of things could happen, but the questions that are most pressing are based on the titles being contended for on the show, along with the feuds established in the lead up to the event. Will Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn play a major part in deciding who walks away as the WWE champion, or will it be Baron Corbin, John Cena or Dolph Ziggler that helped make that decision?

The answers to the following questions that come to mind will play a significant part in how Wrestlemania will shape up from the SmackDown Live side of things. Here are five burning questions heading into Fastlane.

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#5 What role will Shinsuke Nakamura play in the WWE Six-way match up at Fastlane?

How will Nakamura's presence be felt in the six-way challenge?

As it stands right now there doesn't appear much of anything slated for Nakamura heading into Fastlane. With his title match assured for WrestleMania, it appears as though the booking for him has been somewhat stagnant.

It would have been ideal to have him involved in a match of significance, but as it stands right now, Nakamura appears to be a fringe player, waiting for WrestleMania.

One would think that even if he isn't involved in a match that in some way he and Styles will cross paths at Fastlane. It would not be the best idea to have him on commentary for the six-pack challenge involving Kevin Owens, John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn and AJ Styles. It would make more sense for him to get involved after the match, perhaps saving the winner from a beat down.

#4 Who walks out as the SmackDown Live tag team champions?

Who will walk away as champions in the latest instalment of this storied rivalry?

The division has for a long time has been focussed on two teams. The Usos and The New Day has had some of the best matches the brand has seen. Their battles eventually resulted in the teams showing respect for each other by the end of their last feud.

The decision a while back to move these two teams away from one another was meant to build up the rest of the division, hopefully. We saw other teams given the opportunity to pursue the titles, the likes of Breezango, Gable and Benjamin and Rusev and Aiden English.

However, to continue to keep these two particular teams away from one another appeared almost impossible. So now the New Day and The Usos are once again squaring off against one another. While we aren't sure what will take place between the two teams, there certainly seems to be the possibility that the Bludgeon Brothers will make themselves heard during this matchup. This two-team rivalry could expand to involve the massive duo of Harper and Rowan as another threat to the titles.

#3. Who walks out Smackdown Live Women's champion?

Since capturing the WWE SmackDown Live women's champion, Charlotte has been under the microscope. Fans perhaps weren't really sure as to the direction of her character, who her allies were or whether she stood alone. Then, the Riot squad arrived on SmackDown Live and attacked all the faces and all the heel on the roster.

For weeks leading up to the official announcement of this match, it was suspected that Charlotte and Ruby Riot were bound to face-off against one another at one point or another. What has been strange is that it has been the champion chasing the challenger, wanting to get her in the ring. Riot is an accomplished wrestler who continues to show just how talented she is. Who will walk away as the winner and who will not be able to walk away at all?

#2 Who walks out United States Champion?

Will Roode retain or will the Viper win the United States championship for the first time?

When the match was announced, it was clearly unique to have a face versus face in a battle for a title. The early belief may have been that Jinder Mahal would be in some way involved, perhaps leading to a triple threat.

However, in the end, it is Randy Orton and Bobby Roode facing each another one-on-one for the United States championship. They are two of the most experienced men on the Smackdown Live roster, and we are sure that the match will see a fairly notable story told in the ring.

At this stage in these men's respective careers, fans are ensured that this won't be a high-flying affair, but it can still be an engaging match. There is little in-ring pomp and circumstance, but they are both technically sound. Orton has never been the United States champion, and since losing the WWE championship he didn't appear to be headed toward a title challenge until now.

#1 Who walks out WWE champion?

Will the phenomenal one walk away still as the WWE champion?

Six different men, six different options. In this type of match, where the champion is just one of those entered in the contest, they are said to have only a 1-in-6 chance of retaining the title.

What is unique about this match-up is that, while there is an established feud between three of the men involved, other elements have been added to it with the inclusion of Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, and John Cena.

The booking is rather different since before Cena's inclusion the only recognized 'face' in the match was AJ Styles. However, despite the best efforts of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn to ensure neither Corbin and Ziggler didn't qualify or even make it to their qualifying matches, those other 'heels' were added, without having to turn.

All of those involved in the match have been champions at one point or another, and all are solid workers that are just as capable of selling a beating as they are administering a beating.

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