WWE Fastlane came and went, leaving a large chunk of fans (including myself) with a sour taste in our mouths. What is the point of declaring a New Era when nothing ever changes in WWE?
If a current star, who gives it his all week in week out, can get wrecked in 22 seconds to part timer who hasn’t been in the ring for longer than 5 to 6 minutes in the last 10 years, why should fans tune in every week and bother watching? Clearly, WWE isn’t paying any heed to their declining ratings.
Anyway, enough about my rant on Goldberg for now. Overall, Fastlane was an atrocious PPV. The card was okay on paper but the booking was absolutely terrible. Let’s look into the details as we take a look at the winners and losers from Fastlane.
Winner #5
Cruiserweight Division
WWE’s Cruiserweight Division had its best night since the inception of the division in September. Akira Tozawa and Rich Swann impressed in the pre-show match against Noam Dar and Brian Kendrick.
However, the real plaudits tonight are reserved for the encounter between Neville and Jack Gallagher, which was probably the match of the night. The two Brits left it all in the ring and even got a “this is awesome” chants from the fans in Milwaukee. If this match was anything to go by, the Cruiserweight Division can be on the verge of turning a corner.
Loser #5
Rusev
It’s hard to believe that the man who came out in a tank less than two years ago at Wrestlemania 31 to face John Cena is getting squashed by the Big Show. Really WWE? This habit of part-timers squashing the stars of today is an institutional disease that WWE just can’t seem to cure itself from, or rather, don’t want to.
A man who could potentially retire at Wrestlemania 33, who wasn’t even that big a draw during his peak years, just squashed the man whose undefeated streak on the main roster lasted just short of a year.
Winner #4
Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe has taken to the main roster like a shark to an ocean. His match with Sami Zayn, which was a vehicle to show what Joe could do, actually went back and forth instead of being a squash (like some of the other matches on this card).
Although Zayn and Joe didn’t get a chance or the time to tear the house down, the match served its basic purpose and Joe looks like a killer heading into Wrestlemania season.
Loser #4
Bayley and Charlotte
Where do I begin with this? Well, I guess I’ll start by mentioning that this didn’t do anything for either woman. If you think the decision to have Bayley win the title on RAW was ludicrous, the booking on this one was downright madness.
Sasha Banks had no rhyme or reason to come out when she did. To add to that, the referee didn’t call it a DQ even though Sasha and Charlotte came to blows. I’ve seen WWE Superstars being DQ-ed for much less.
However, all that is beside the point. This match did nothing for either Charlotte or Bayley. Bayley now looks like a Champion who can’t get a win without the help of her ‘best friend’, while Charlotte lost her PPV streak for no reason at all, so close to Wrestlemania. Seriously, who books this stuff?
Winner #3
Roman Reigns
Braun Strowman has been made to look like an absolute monster since the brand split. However, when his match with Roman Reigns was announced for WWE Fastlane, many fans wondered if Strowman would be fed to Reigns before the ‘Big Dog’ challenged the Undertaker.
Spoiler alert, those fans were right. The match itself was actually really good but having Roman win once again, and that too totally clean, may take some of the wind out of Braun’s sails.
As an added note, Roman is the worst babyface of all time. He just can’t get the fans behind him.
Loser #3
Braun Strowman
The ‘monster amongst men’ has been on a roll since the brand split but when the Fastlane match was announced, we all knew that there was a significant chance that his momentum could come to a grinding halt in front of the Roman Reigns steamroller.
Strowman has consistently improved in the ring and still has a chance of becoming one of the – if not THE – best big man WWE has seen in years. WWE should have protected Strowman in the finish but thankfully Braun can be rebuilt easily. Please WWE, don’t screw this up.
Winner #2
Goldberg
Goldberg is WWE Universal Champion. In 2017. Let that sink in for a second.
The man who has only been in the ring for 5 minutes and 9 seconds since his WWE return is now the Champion, heading into Wrestlemania instead of Kevin Owens, a guy who is an integral part of WWE’s future and works night after night wrestling for WWE.
However, my personal feelings aside, it was a huge night for Goldberg. At the age of 50, he holds the WWE Universal Championship, regardless of if you agree with it. As far as I’m concerned, Goldberg is #NotMyChampion.
Loser #2
Kevin Owens
What is the point of having a New Era if a part-timer can squash one of the top talents of the New Era in 22 freaking seconds? Owens held the Championship for 188 days and his storyline with Jericho carried RAW during quite a few episodes.
While I get that the way Owens lost was to set up a match with Jericho at ‘Mania, I just don’t agree with it. Lastly, as a Kevin Owens fan, I’m not only disappointed on behalf of Owens’ but also for the WWE and its future.
Winner #1
Vince McMahon
Why is Vince McMahon top of this list? Well, he had the final say on the booking of this card and clearly, he thought the ridiculous booking during this PPV is what’s best for business. Well, it’s not.
Goldberg will now face Lesnar for the Universal Championship and the best case scenario is that the slightly more active part timer (Brock Lesnar) will leave ‘Mania as Champion, effectively keeping the Championship off WWE television for long periods if he ends up having a long reign.
Only what Vince McMahon wants matters. Nothing else does.
Loser #1
The WWE Universe
WWE fans are a patient bunch. While I agree with the fact that we shouldn’t always get what we want as fans, WWE just doesn’t want to reward hardcore fans who watch week after week.
WWE now clearly caters to the casual fans, hoping to draw them back in, especially when there are big events around the corner like ‘Mania, where they’re hoping to sell more tickets and subscriptions.
However, as hardcore fans who watch 7 hours of their programming a week, WWE don’t bother to reward us for our loyalty and on occasion they deride us for our support, calling us “internet fans”. Spoiler alert Vince, we all have the internet now.
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