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Since its introduction in 2015, WWE Fastlane has become the traditional "final stop" on the road to WrestleMania.
Because of its proximity to the Showcase of the Immortals, the matches that take place at Fastlane often have major ramifications for that year's WrestleMania card.
Though the event doesn't have a long history, Fastlane has featured several memorable matches. As the stage for everything from title changes to (supposedly) The Shield's last stand, the show has established itself as a crucial pay-per-view.
Here's a closer look at the five best Fastlane matches in WWE history.
#5 The Shield vs. Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley & Drew McIntyre (Fastlane 2019)
The Shield and superb six-man tag team matches go hand-in-hand. The trio of Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose competed in a plethora of excellent multi-man tag team matches. Specifically, six-man bouts became a staple of their run as a dominant faction within WWE.
The Shield's encounter with Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre at Fastlane in 2019 was special for a variety of reasons. Reigns had recently returned to WWE television after a five-month absence due to his battle with leukemia, and Fastlane marked The Big Dog's return to in-ring action.
Plus, since Reigns' initial departure in October, Ambrose had turned heel and feuded with his former tag team partner, Rollins. The reunited Shield proved that Ambrose regained his status as one of the good guys.
This main event at Fastlane 2019 also remains Ambrose's final pay-per-view match with WWE. After one final Shield match during a WWE Network special, Ambose's WWE contract expired in April. The former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, now known as Jon Moxley, later debuted in AEW at Double or Nothing 2019.
Barring a future reunion, The Shield's final WWE pay-per-view main event came at Fastlane 2019. The trio of Reigns, Rollins and Ambrose defeated Corbin, McIntyre and Lashley. Once again, The Shield's performance in this six-man tag team match was remarkable.
The final image of The Shield standing tall was a fitting way to end the show on a happy, albeit bittersweet, note.
#4 Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Roman Reigns (Fastlane 2016)
As is the case with many Fastlane main events, the triple threat match between Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose at Fastlane 2016 had a significant impact on the subsequent WrestleMania card.
Late in 2015 and early in 2016, Reigns was in the midst of an ongoing rivalry with Triple H and the McMahons. Tensions between the two sides reached a boiling point at the 2016 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The WWE Chairman had ordered Roman Reigns to defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the Royal Rumble Match as the number one entrant.
To ensure Reigns' defeat, Triple H entered the battle royal as the final entrant. After he eliminated Reigns and Ambrose, The Game won the match and claimed his 14th WWE world championship.
This victory set up a Triple Threat match at Fastlane to determine Triple H's challenger for the title at WrestleMania 32. Lesnar, Reigns and Ambrose battled in a dynamic main event to earn the opportuntity.
The match at Fastlane focused on former Shield teammates Reigns and Ambrose teaming up in an attempt to prevent the dominant Lesnar winning the match. At one point, Reigns and Ambrosed even buried Lesnar under a broadcast table.
But The Beast recovered and countered a spear from Reigns into a Kimura Lock. Ambrose saved the match by breaking the hold when he attacked both WWE Superstars with a steel chair.
In the end, Reigns dropped Ambrose with a Spear to win the match and punch his ticket to WrestleMania.
#3 AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho (Fastlane 2016)
AJ Styles' match against Chris Jericho at Fastlane was historic for several reasons. After The Phenomenal One's shocking debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble Match, Fastlane marked the first time Styles competed in a singles match on a WWE pay-per-view.
At the time, there was still doubt about how "good" Styles really was in the eyes of senior WWE officials. Of course, fans around the world had known Styles' ability in the ring for years due to his classic matches in IMPACT Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
But time and again, WWE has demonstarted that the past accomplishments of major independent wrestling stars mean nothing in the eyes of Vince McMahon.
As a result, there was a lot of pressure surrounding this match. Everyone wanted to see whether the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion could transition to the WWE style and win over the WWE Chairman.
Despite the weight placed on Styles' shoulders by fans and critics alike, The Phenomal One had the perfect opponent for his first pay-per-view match in Chris Jericho. Y2J is a seasoned professional with a plethora of classic matches and feuds to his name. He's often viewed as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, so it wasn't surprising when he stole the show with Styles.
Styles and Jericho produced a fantastic match filled with great technical wrestling, exemplary psychology and gripping false finishes. In one memorable near fall, Styles hit the Styles Clash for the first time in WWE on Y2J. Ultimately, Styles forced Jericho to submit to his Calf Crusher submission for the victory.
This Fastlane match was widely praised by fans and analysts alike, and it was a fantastic outing way for Styles' first WWE pay-per-view match to come to a close.
#2 Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman (Fastlane 2017)
Whenever Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman share a ring together, magic happens, and their match at Fastlane 2017 was no exception. With WrestleMania 33 on the horizon, fans were about what WWE had planned for The Big Dog and The Monster Among Men on the grandest stage of them all.
In reality, Reigns was destined to face The Undertaker at WrestleMania in what was meant to be The Phenom's final match in a WWE ring. At Fastlane, Reigns needed to deliver an impressive performance to show that he was worthy of the honor of potentially becoming the second person to defeat The Undertaker at WrestleMania.
That's why WWE brought Strowman into the picture. He has a distinct ability to bring out the best in Reigns, and the two heavyweights delivered an eye-opening match at Fastlane.
The match between Strowman and Reigns featured a variety of incredible spots and near falls. The Monster Among Men drove Reigns through the announce table at ringside with a running powerslam, and he shockingly kicked out of a devastating Spear.
In the closing moments of the match, Strowman uncharacteristically climbed the top rope and attempted to hit a diving splash. But The Big Dog rolled out of the way and hit another brutal Spear for the decisive victory.
This loss was noteworthy because Strowman had never been pinned as a singles competitor. By ending the giant's undefeated streak, Reigns got the momentum he needed ahead of his WrestleMania showdown with The Undertaker.
#1 Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan (Fastlane 2015)
The 2015 Fastlane main event between Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan was vital to Reigns' rise as a main player in WWE.
In January 2015, Reigns had won the controversial 2015 Royal Rumble Match. During the match, the crowd in Philadelphia audibly turned on Reigns and booed every moment of the match. The fans clearly wanted Bryan to win the match, so they were upset when he was eliminated from the Rumble early on.
The uproar caused by The Big Dog's Royal Rumble victory was remarkable. Fans flooded social media with negative comments and threatened to boycott the WWE Network and WrestleMania.
To combat this negative response, WWE acted quickly and announced a match between Reigns and the beloved Daniel Bryan for Fastlane. The winner is this bout would earn the chance to challenge Brock Lesnar for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 31.
Though the match was booked to appease the vocal minority, it turned out to be an absolute classic. Of course, the same disgruntled fans were vocal after Reigns defeated Bryan in the main event of Fastlane. But Bryan did everything he could to legitimize Reigns and prove that The Big Dog was worthy of his main event spot at WrestleMania.
The match included many breathtaking moments. Daniel Bryan nearly made Reigns tap out to the YES! Lock, but The Big Dog broke the hold by reaching the ropes. Bryan also hit his signature running knee finisher for yet another near fall. But when Bryan attempted a second running knee, Reigns countered with a Spear for the victory.
While certain fans may not have been thrilled with the outcome, the match was a wrestling masterclass, and it showed that Reigns was more than worthy of appearing at the main event level in WWE.
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