The eleventh hour is upon us as WWE Fastlane is just hours away. Looking at the card, there are several matches that appear to be fairly intriuging. However, none of the bouts on the card tonight have as much hype and anticipation surrounding them than the main event of the evening Goldberg vs Kevin Owens for the WWE Universal Championship,
When WWE brought Goldberg back to help promote the latest release of the WWE 2K17 video game, none of us expected to see that being a catalyst to Goldberg going on to eventually squash Brock Lesnar at the 2016 Survivor Series pay-per-view event, in 1 minute, 26 seconds. While many of us were left scratching our heads in confusion, as to why WWE would allow such an outcome would have even been considered, much less executed, when a top star like Brock Lesnar falls victim to a returning 50 year old WCW star from the nineties.
Nonetheless, Brock Lesnar took the loss, resulting in Goldberg coming out looking like a stud. As the weeks progressed, Goldberg would continue to get a lot of hype as we inched closer to Wrestlemania. But, the one appearance that sticks out in my mind right now, the one that appears to be most relevant for this very moment, was when Goldberg stated that he had one more Championship run left in him.
That leads us to tonight, WWE Fastlane. The WWE Universal Champion Kevin Owens is set to defend his title against the man who conquered the conqueror, Goldberg. For nearly 200 consecutive days, Kevin Owens has held the Universal Championship as he continues his reign as RAW’s top-guy. One would think that considering how well Owens has managed to hold onto the Universal Title, that he would easily march into Wrestlemania 33, with the title belt in tow. However, that may prove to be a nearly impossible task, considering the man he faces tonight at Fastlane.
Kevin Owens is a tremendously talented WWE Superstar. In fact, he’s been highly successful everywhere he’s been, from Ring of Honor to Pro Wrestling Guerilla and everywhere in between. Kevin has utilized his brute power and unorthodox style to defeat some of the very best that independent wrestling had to offer. Unfortunately for Kevin, the man he faces tonight is not your average indie performer. In fact, very few major stars have ever found a way to defeat Goldberg.
So, it all comes down to tonight. Kevin Owens goes into Milwaukee’s Bradley Center with the weight of the world on his shoulders. As if being in the main event, as well as defending your championship isn’t enough, Kevin has to do so against someone who is nearly unbeatable. We are honestly curious to see just how WWE officials handle this unique situation. The variable involved in this match are aplenty. On one hand, if Goldberg does as expected and defeats Kevin Owens for the WWE Universal Championship, it ultimately leads us to a big title bout at Wrestlemania, where Brock Lesnar gets another opportunity to crack the code and figure out a way to defeat Goldberg, once and for all. Not only that, but it puts the Universal Title around the waist of The Beast Incarnate. On the other hand, if Kevin Owens somehow finds a way to leave Fastlane with his title, he will be propelled into a whole new light and the Universal Championship wil be the clear-cut top title in the company.
But, how...just how in the world can it possibly happen? One possibility is Chris Jericho somehow gets involved in swerve type of situation, where he ends up coming to the aide of his “former best friend,” only to reveal they never actually stopped being best friends. This would be the only logical outcome that I can possibly think of, in which Goldberg takes a loss, yet does not take a hit to his overall appearance as the more dominate superstar.
At the end of the day, this match is going to require a lot of creative thinking, on behalf of those who get paid to make these type of difficult creative moves. This match will be a balancing act, so to speak. WWE officials must manage to balance entertainment value, along with the element of suspension of disbelief. This bout can easily go from good, to completely hokey, with one wrong move.
While we are certain Vince and his band of minions have spent a ton of time, creatively, going over all of the various scenario’s, situation’s and implications moving forward. The winner of the match has his ticket punched to at least co-headline Wrestlemania. The question now remains, who makes most sense as we move forward? Do we want to see someone like Goldberg end up with the Universal Championship? Do we need another part-time Superstar seemingly holding a major title hostage, only showcasing at his leisure? Or does it make more sense to find the proper way to have Kevin Owens retain the title, while not compromising the integrity of the storyline built around Goldberg and his dominance?
These are the type of matches which make us glad that we are not the one in charge of making these type of decisions. Tonight’s main event has ramifications that could impact the foreseeable future of the WWE Universal Championship.
One thing we as fans have grown to understand about situations such as this one is that we should practically always expect the unexpected. There is a very good chance that Kevin Owens could be taken out in a matter of seconds tonight. But, there’s also that glimmer of hope that somehow, just someone, Owens finds a way to topple Goliath. We shall all find out in just a matter of hours when WWE Fastlane goes live on the WWE Network.
Predictions: Goldberg beats Kevin Owens and wins the WWE Universal Championship (match won’t last more than 5 minutes)
Wrestlemania Implications:
Goldberg vs Brock Lesnar for the WWE Universal Championship
Kevin Owens vs Chris Jericho for the WWE US Championship
Let us know in the comments below who do you think is going to win this one and how?
