'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE is almost halfway down the Road to WrestleMania and now plans for Fastlane are in full swing, whilst two matches have been made official for the Show of Shows.
RAW and SmackDown this past week concentrated on trying to build up both Fastlane and WrestleMania, which could be why many fans have been left confused, since the company is planting seeds for WrestleMania whilst ensuring that there's a card at Fastlane.
The following list looks at just five of the most bizarre booking decisions that the company decided to approve over the past week.
#5. Randy Orton has had a rough week on WWE TV
Randy Orton has had quite the week, from being eliminated from The Elimination Chamber match first, to then seemingly being targeted by Alexa Bliss backstage on RAW.
It's unknown why Orton was made to look weak inside The Chamber and eliminated by Kofi Kingston off a roll-up, but since The Viper is expected to face The Fiend at WrestleMania in a few weeks' time, it seems like a bold decision.
The Fiend didn't return at Elimination Chamber and at present, it doesn't seem as though Orton will have a match that he could interfere in at Fastlane. This begs the question of how the company are going to build up this match, since there are now less than 40 days until WrestleMania.
Randy Orton is a former 14-time World Champion and was easily seen as a favorite inside The Elimination Chamber given his experience inside the structure. Unless Bliss was able to use some sort of dark magic to ensure that Randy Orton lost the match that quickly, there is no real explanation for what the WWE Universe was handed in the main event Chamber match.
The backstage promo followed by Orton's reaction shows that Bliss or The Fiend has some supernatural control over The Viper. But since Bray Wyatt's alter-ego hasn't been seen on WWE TV in almost three months, many in the WWE Universe are reaching the point where they are no longer interested in the storyline.
#4. Is Tamina now being pushed after creating an alliance with fellow WWE star Natalya?
The Women's Division on WWE SmackDown has arguably reached the point of no return. The Riott Squad are being wasted, Tamina and Natalya have joined forces, whilst Bayley and Carmella have gone missing and Chelsea Green remains out of action.
Aside from the WrestleMania match between Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair that has been announced recently, there doesn't seem to be any kind of storyline for the women on SmackDown.
Billie Kay was one of the best things about the division. But even without her distracting The Riott Squad this week, Tamina was able to pick up the victory over Liv Morgan. It appears that this could be the beginning of some 50/50 booking in the Women's Division. But how does it make sense to push Tamina now rather than a few weeks ago?
There doesn't seem to be any end game for this feud between the two teams. These women aren't even looking for a shot at the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships, so what is the overall plan here?
#3. Has the feud between Bad Bunny and The Miz been scrapped?
Bad Bunny is now WWE's 24/7 Champion and has been seen several times in backstage segments with Damian Priest, but there has been no continuation for his feud with The Miz and John Morrison.
Instead, Bad Bunny has been seen alongside R-Truth, who has been looking to win back his Championship. The Miz obviously had his hands full with Bobby Lashley and MVP this week, but since The Royal Rumble, it hasn't appeared as though there could be a WrestleMania match between Bad Bunny and The Miz. There have been no seeds planted thus far.
The only way to save this feud and build towards a match at WrestleMania would be if Bad Bunny is the reason why The Miz loses his WWE Championship next week on RAW. But why would the musician involve himself in Miz's match? The two stars haven't crossed paths in several weeks and it doesn't seem as though there is any reason why he would pursue this feud moving forward.
#2. Is Reginald no longer aligned with WWE star Carmella?
Carmella is a former WWE SmackDown Women's Champion and following her recent transformation she was joined on WWE TV by Reginald. Whilst it was made clear that Reginald was Carmella's sommelier and he was there to hand wine to the former Champion, he seems to have decided that he wants to be Sasha Banks' sidekick now instead.
Reginald cost Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair a chance to win the Women's Tag Team Championships at Elimination Chamber. But this week on SmackDown he was still able to come out and speak for Banks when Belair was set to announce her WrestleMania choice.
Banks was annoyed with Reginald for speaking for her before Belair was able to announce that she was challenging her at WrestleMania. But she didn't seem mad about the fact that he was the reason why she couldn't make history.
Where is Carmella? Why isn't Carmella trying to tell her former sidekick to return to her side and stop following Sasha Banks around like a lost puppy? Of all the women in WWE at present, Banks is perhaps the one least likely to ever need someone else to do work for her.
#1. Charlotte's feud with Lacey Evans comes to an end, WWE's Queen steps into a new one straight away
Lacey Evans made the real-life announcement that she was expecting her second child on RAW, which has led to a whirlwind of changes in WWE over the past few weeks.
Asuka's RAW Women's Championship defense was scrapped because Evans was no longer able to wrestle. But though it was set to be an open challenge, nothing happened.
Rather than address the situation further this week on RAW, Charlotte and her father had a lengthy backstage discussion where the feud seemingly ended and Ric Flair was written off WWE TV.
Charlotte and Asuka also teamed together on Monday night RAW. This time, it was The Queen who cost her team the match and a chance to win their Tag Team Championships once more, when she inadvertently kicked Asuka in the face.
There are several women on RAW at present who deserve the opportunity to fight Asuka for the RAW Women's Championship at WrestleMania. But it appears that once again, Charlotte is the chosen one.
