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WWE's Road to WrestleMania 37 is in full swing. But before we get to the Showcase of the Immortals at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium, there is one final PPV to tick-off. WWE Fastlane 2021 is scheduled for Sunday, March 21, 2021, from inside the ThunderDome at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Since its introduction in 2015, Fastlane has been part of WWE's annual PPV calendar, excluding 2020. Considering the event's proximity to WWE's biggest weekend of the year, the entire Fastlane show is expected to focus on advancing the build towards WrestleMania.
WWE Fastlane 2021 will have an hour-long kick-off show starting at 6 pm ET/3 pm PT (Monday, 4.30 AM in India) streaming live on WWE Network and Peacock, before the main show which begins at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT (5.30 AM in India).
(In India, WWE Fastlane will broadcast live on Sony Ten 1/1HD in English and Sony TEN 3/3HD in Hindi Commentary)
WWE Fastlane 2021 Predictions
Braun Strowman Vs Shane McMahon
Shane-O-Mac and Braun Strowman will finally settle their differences inside the squared circle on Sunday at WWE Fastlane.
Bizarre to say the least, this feud has been solely built on Shane calling Braun "stupid" and mocking his intelligence. It all began with The Monster Among Men demanding an apology from Shane for excluding him from the Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship. Shane refused to issue a genuine apology. Instead, he poked, insulted, and messed with Braun in the coming weeks.
Before the opening bell of their planned match on RAW, Shane bested Strowman, hitting him repeatedly with a camera. He then delivered an elbow drop off the top rope through the announce table and dumped a couple of buckets of green slime on Braun. This took the humiliation to a new level, setting up the PPV showdown.
Ironically, WWE has booked Braun Strowman as the victim while someone who is half the size of Braun has been presented as the bully. Braun has been outsmarted, baited, beaten and humiliated by Shane for the entirety of this feud. Strowman has been the victim of inconsistent booking for some time now. He is lost in the shuffle and has arguably been directionless since being drafted to the red brand in October.
This match has a disqualification written all over it. Either Shane might revert to using weapons or he will receive aid in the form of interference. WWE have sown the seeds for a Wrestlemania showdown between the two and the encounter at Fastlane will likely set this up.
Our Pick: Braun Strowman via Disqualification
Fastlane prediction: Drew McIntyre Vs Sheamus
Drew McIntyre has some unfinished business with Sheamus at Fastlane, before heading to the Show of Shows against the All Mighty.
The old-time buddies have been waging war against each other since the turn of the year. Sheamus got the better of a puffed-out McIntyre in a high-stakes Gauntlet Match on RAW, but McIntyre bested Sheamus to retain his strap at the Elimination Chamber.
Once he dropped the belt, the Scot vigorously hunted his former friend instead of pursuing the WWE Championship. The first match between these two tough men was brutal and hard-hitting. They followed it up with another extremely physical No Disqualification match which ended in a double count-out. The latter involved weapons ranging from kendo sticks, steel chairs, and steel ring steps. Both men ran at each other with the ring steps in their hands, colliding like freight trains and knocking each other out.
This should be a really fun to-and-fro contest. The two have excellent in-ring chemistry and this has been visible in their recent violent encounters. As for the winner, Drew McIntyre seems a lock. Given it has been announced that he will face Bobby Lashley at Raymond James Stadium, there's no way he is going to go down at Fastlane.
Our Pick: Drew McIntyre
Fastlane prediction: Alexa Bliss Vs Randy Orton
The Legend Killer will go one-on-one with the devilish Alexa Bliss this Sunday at WWE Fastlane.
By virtue of extreme mind games, psychological warfare and voodoo curses, Bliss has turned Orton's life into misery ever since he set The Fiend on fire during the Firefly Inferno Match at WWE TLC in December. Bliss laid down the challenge to Orton for a match at Fastlane, stressing that if he wants her out of his life, then he has to take her out of it. The 14-time World Champion gleefully accepted the challenge in a backstage segment with Sarah Schreiber.
Bliss has cost Orton numerous matches and the feud has had some goofy over-the-top bits, like Orton puking thick, black goo multiple times. Intergender matches are incredibly rare in WWE and this is the first time in years that such a bout will be part of a PPV lineup. However, all may not be as it seems, with Bliss promising she will not be arriving alone. Though she clarified it won't be "HIM" that accompanies her.
There's all the chances of this being a weird segment rather than being an actual wrestling match. This will likely lead to the return of The Fiend and finally set up Randy Orton Vs The Fiend for Mania, which WWE creative has been teasing for months.
Our Pick: No Contest
Fastlane prediction: Intercontinental Championship Match: Big E (C) Vs Apollo Crews
The Powerhouse of Positivity battles the "real" Apollo Crews this Sunday, with the Intercontinental Championship being on the line.
After numerous failed attempts to capture the workhorse title from Big E, a frustrated Crews unleashed a brutal steel ring steps onslaught on the champion to complete his dramatic heel turn. Big E, who wanted Crews to step aside to make way for other would-be challengers, was badly injured and taken out on a stretcher.
Crews quickly resurfaced, embracing his Nigerian heritage, complemented with new gear and a refined persona. He said he was bringing the "real" Apollo Crews to the fore and on the following week on SmackDown, surrounded by his imposing Royal Guards, Crews demanded another shot at Big E's title.
Big E returned from his injury on the March 12th SmackDown and called out Crews for an Intercontinental Title match. When Crews didn’t appear, Big E successfully defended his strap in an Open Challenge against Sami Zayn. However, moments after the victory, Crews unleashed another vicious attack from behind. Then, in a WWE Network Exclusive, the attacker accepted the challenge for an Intercontinental Title showdown at Fastlane.
The heel has had the upper hand on the titleholder for weeks and has all the momentum going into Fastlane. Undoubtedly, this will be the pair's best match to date. Big E has been a dominant and fighting champion while Crews, trading his smiling nice-guy act for a darker persona, has been refreshing.
A change in character for an elite and physically gifted in-ring performer like Crews will hopefully up his game and finally propel him further up the card. By the looks of it, WWE creative are going to stretch this feud and culminate it at WrestleMania.
As for now, Big E retains.
Our Pick: Big E retains
Fastlane prediction: WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Match: Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax (C) Vs Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair
Bianca Belair and SmackDown Women's Champion Sasha Banks will once again team up to challenge the destructive tandem of Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship at Fastlane.
The pair came up short in their maiden shot at Elimination Chamber when sommelier Reginald botched his attempt to interfere and aid Banks. Amid lacking credible challengers, Baszler and Jax have shined as two-time tag titleholders. Whereas their challengers, Banks and Belair, are two Superstars who are currently at the top of their game. Reginald will have a major say on the result after he switched sides and aligned with Jax and Baszler.
The build-up to this Fastlane bout has been better compared to last time around and this is going to be an engaging in-ring contest. Despite fans being genuinely excited for the stellar Mania showdown between Royal Rumble winner Belair and The Boss, WWE have struggled to really get the program going.
The treatment of the tag titles has been rather unfortunate, as they are yet again being used as a prop to advance the push for a singles title match at Fastlane. Vince and Co. have time and again gone back to the wacky, mismatched partner storyline and with Banks and Belair, this seems to be the case. Either Banks or Belair is going to turn on the other. And even if the faces manage to stay on the same page and triumph at Fastlane, logically it would be a waste of time, as they likely won't be holding on to the straps until Mania.
As for the result, this could still go either way, but we strongly sense a Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax retention.
Our Pick: Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax retain
Fastlane prediction: WWE Universal Championship Match: Roman Reigns (C) Vs Daniel Bryan
The main event of WWE Fastlane will feature two of the blue brand's biggest stars, Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns, with the latter's Universal Championship at stake.
After winning an action-packed and imposing Elimination Chamber bout, the battle-weary Bryan was forced to challenge for The Tribal Chief's Universal Title. Although Bryan caught the champion with the 'Yes Lock', the fresh and oppurtunistic Reigns locked his opponent in the Guillotine Choke to go over.
Royal Rumble winner Edge would then instantly emerge and Spear the title holder before announcing that he will lock horns with Reigns at Mania. Bryan secured the right to face Reigns for the title at Fastlane, courtesy of his rematch victory over Jey Uso inside the Steel Cage on the main event of the March 5th episode of SmackDown. On the March 19th go-home SmackDown, Jey Uso will battle Edge with the winner earning the right to be special guest enforcer for the Fastlane title match.
As per usual, Daniel Bryan heads to Sunday as the ultimate underdog, with the dominant champ ignoring him as a genuine threat. Roman Reigns Vs Edge is touted to be marked in as the biggest marquee match of 'Mania 37. Thus, it's unlikely that Bryan will overcome Reigns and sail to WrestleMania with the title.
It's unfortunate that a seasoned performer like Bryan is being under-utilized as a transitional opponent for Reigns as Fastlane, before his big money Mania match with the Rated-R Superstar. But, this is Reigns' turn to shine. Reigns has single-handedly carried the blue-brand since his return and subsequent reinvention. The Tribal Chief has turned into the promotion's undisputed top draw and is the most engaging and finest heel on the entire WWE roster. The Head of the Table will also have an additional advantage of having Uso by his side, backing him up, irrespective of Friday's outcome.
We are picking Roman Reigns to reign supreme this weekend in what will be a great contest.
Our Pick: Roman Reigns retains
