Top 5 Matches in WWE Fastlane history

WWE Fastlane has a history of being one of those pay-per-view events that is thrown in between the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania as a "throwaway" style event to bridge the gap between matches, storylines and angles to lead into WrestleMania. Essentially, this is the last stop on the "Road to WrestleMania".

While many wrestling fans within the WWE Universe may feel this show provides little to no purpose, given its predictable nature on how certain matches would end, that doesn't mean the event is without some great matches. Today, I am here to talk about five matches that are important to check out and leave the proverbial thumbprint on the history of WWE Fastlane. Without any further ado, let's get started with number five on our countdown.

#5 "United States Championship Match" - Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode (Fastlane 2018)

This served as a great undercard match for last year's WWE Fastlane that showcased the brilliance of both WWE Superstars, along with the fact that Roode and Orton have amazing in-ring chemistry together. The match was put together following a top ten list that was put together where Roode and Orton were ranked #5 and #9 respectively.

Jinder Mahal and the Singh Bros made fun of this, which resulted in a brawl where Orton and Roode took out all three men. After this, SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon booked a match between Bobby Roode and Randy Orton for the United States Championship.

Coincidentally, this was the one title that Orton had never won in his WWE career. Roode felt he had something to prove against Orton; he had to beat Orton to show the world that he was the greatest and the best United States Champion of all-time.

The match was well paced and was truly a classic match where both WWE Superstars took each to their very limit and beyond. "The Apex Predator" would catch Bobby Roode off the top rope with a mid-air RKO to finish off Roode and become the newly crowned WWE United States Champion.

Orton had done it and captured every single championship in his career. He would go on to defend his WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania 34 in a Fatal 4-Way Match against Bobby Roode, Jinder Mahal and Rusev.

#4 - "Grudge Match" - AJ Styles vs Chris Jericho (Fastlane 2016)

Our next match on the countdown was a knockdown, drag out contest between two of the greatest wrestlers of all-time. AJ Styles was fresh off his WWE debut at the Royal Rumble, where the following night on Monday Night RAW he defeated Chris Jericho in his first singles match for the company.

The two men would have a rematch on the February 11th episode of SmackDown, where Chris Jericho would even up the score and defeat AJ Styles. In a classic rubber match fashion, AJ Styles would issue a challenge to Chris Jericho for one more match at WWE Fastlane to which Chris Jericho would gladly accept on SmackDown.

The match was everything you'd expect from these two men. It had high flying action, excitement and of course, great storytelling and drama down to the very end. After Chris Jericho applied the Walls of Jericho to Styles, "The Phenomenal One" was able to fight out of the hold and execute the Styles Clash for a near fall. This would eventually lead into AJ applying the Calf Crusher to Jericho, where he forced "Y2J" to tap out.

The match was well received by fans and wrestling critics/journalists. PWInsider's Dave Scherer was quoted in saying the match itself as a whole was " "freaking awesome. AJ did what AJ does and WWE let him do it... And kudos to Jericho for being a veteran stud here".

Chris Jericho would AJ Styles that he had earned his respect following his defeat and would congratulate AJ on the victory. The duo would begin teaming up, but this was very short lived.

Following a WWE Tag Team Title match against The New Day on RAW (March 7th), which AJ and Jericho were unsuccessful in winning the title. Jericho would turn heel on AJ, hitting Styles with three Codebreakers. The aftermath of this contest would lead us into WrestleMania 32, where the two men would have their match with Jericho going over AJ Styles.

#3 - "WWE RAW Women's Championship Match" - Bayley versus Charlotte Flair (Fastlane 2017)

Our next match is without a doubt one of my favorite women's matches from the pay-per-view history of WWE Fastlane to date.

The match was booked based on the events of the February 13th edition of Monday Night RAW, where we saw Bayley capture the RAW Women's Championship from Charlotte Flair with a little assist from Sasha Banks. The following week, RAW Commissioner Stephanie McMahon ordered for Bayley to relinquish the title and hand it back over Charlotte due to Sasha's interference, but instead Charlotte chose to revoke her rematch clause in order to challenge Bayley to a rematch at Fastlane.

Sasha and Bayley would later lose to Charlotte and Nia Jax in a tag team match. Following the match, Sasha told Bayley she would be in her corner at Fastlane to ensure that Charlotte would not pull any stunts. Overhearing this conversation, Stephanie McMahon would book a match between Sasha Banks and Nia Jax at Fastlane, whilst the match between Charlotte and Bayley would take place as advertised.

The match was as good as you'd expect between Bayley and Charlotte, as both women put on a wrestling clinic and arguably had one of the best matches of the evening. Sasha Banks would make her presence known and distract Charlotte to give Bayley the golden opportunity to connect with a Bayley-to-Belly Suplex on the arena floor.

Later on in the match, Charlotte attempted to pin Bayley with a roll-up while grabbing a handful of tights. Sasha distracted the referee to inform the ref of Charlotte's cheating. The pinfall attempt was immediately stopped, allowing for Bayley to make a comeback and connect with one more Bayley-to-Belly Suplex to get the pinfall and the victory over Charlotte Flair to retain the RAW Women's Championship.

#2 - "6-Pack Challenge Match for the WWE Championship" - John Cena vs Baron Corbin vs AJ Styles vs Dolph Ziggler vs Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn (Fastlane 2018)

Number two on our list is quite a doozy. From last year's WWE Fastlane, we have our main event featuring the likes of John Cena, Baron Corbin, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler and AJ Styles for the WWE Championship, as all 6 men competed in a 6-pack challenge. The rules are simple. The first WWE Superstar to snag a pinfall or submission is the victor and the WWE Champion.

The setup began at the 2017 Royal Rumble, where AJ Styles defeated both Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens to retain the WWE Championship. In the meantime, Shinsuke Nakamura had won the 30-men Royal Rumble match to earn a WWE Championship match for WrestleMania 34.

During an episode of SmackDown Live, both Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles teamed up to defeat both Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in a tag team match. Due to the tensions between both Zayn and Owens, SmackDown Live GM Daniel Bryan decided to place Kevin Owen against Sami Zayn in a Number One Contenders match, which resulted in a double DQ.

Due to this result, Commissioner Shane McMahon announced that Dolph Ziggler would face Baron Corbin, with the winner being added to the match. However, both Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn attacked Baron Corbin before the match to prevent the match from happening.

A week later, John Cena earned his spot into the match by defeating AJ Styles. Cena, using his free agent status between RAW and SmackDown Live respectively to "earn" his way into the match. He would have wanted to face Nakamura and Styles at WrestleMania in a Triple Threat match.

Due to all the confusion and multitude of title contenders wanting a shot at the WWE Championship, a decision was made to make a match at WWE Fastlane as a 6-pack challlenge between AJ Styles, John Cena, Baron Corbin, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Dolph Ziggler.

This match was good, yet crazy at the same as you'd expect. We would see Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn turn their backs on each other, as Sami Zayn would roll-up Kevin Owens for a near fall. As a result of this, Shane McMahon who was sitting at ringside during the match, would get involved, resulting in a Superkick from Kevin Owens to Shane O'Mac.

During the concluding moments of the match. we would see John Cena hit an Attitude Adjustment on Dolph Ziggler, but would be hit with a Pop-Up Powerbomb by Kevin Owens. This set up for WWE Champion AJ Styles to connect with the Phenomenal Forearm on Kevin Owens to score the pinfall and the victory to retain the WWE Championship.

AJ Styles would go on to successfully defend his WWE Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania 34, which would also result in a heel turn for Nakamura at the conclusion of their match and set up a series of rematches throughout 2018.

#1 - "#1 Contender's Match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship" - Daniel Bryan versus Roman Reigns (Fastlane 2015)

The number one pick is a match that proved two things. Daniel Bryan can have an amazing match with anyone, and Roman Reigns is underrated in terms of competing in a high quality match with anyone in the WWE.

Now, for all the Roman Reigns haters out there, please hear me out for a moment. Roman Reigns, whether you love the man or hate him, can have a pretty good and solid match with the right WWE Superstar. Does it mean he can have an amazing match with anyone? Absolutely not. However, place him with a guy like an AJ Styles or Daniel Bryan, in this case, and you have struck pure freakin' gold!

As per the match stipulation, Roman Reigns is putting his #1 contenders match up against Daniel Bryan in this contest. If he were to lose the match, Daniel Bryan would take his spot at WrestleMania 31 to face Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship.

This contest was a battle of pure power versus strength, will versus determination, courage versus heart. Roman Reigns was primed and ready for the main event spot, despite not being the clear crowd favorite as Daniel Bryan. More or less, no matter which direction the WWE would go, whomever would face Brock Lesnar would be in for the fight of their life.

Daniel Bryan applied the YES! Lock to Roman Reigns, doing everything he could to make "The Big Dog" tap out, but to no avail. Daniel Bryan connected with a series of YES! Kicks, followed up with the Running Knee as a bold attempt to finish Roman Reigns off.

After a second Running Knee strike by Bryan, Roman Reigns would counter with a thunderous Spear to pick up the pinfall and the victory. Roman Reigns would earn his spot at WrestleMania 31 to face Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship.

At the conclusion of the match, Daniel Bryan would respectfully congratulate Roman Reigns by shaking his hand commenting: "You better kick his ass." Fastlane would end with both mean leaving the ring together in a show of both unity and respect.

What is your favorite match (or matches) from WWE Fastlane? Let us know in the comments below. As always continue to follow and support Sportskeeda for all your wrestling needs!