WWE Fastlane 2019 Predictions: Daniel Bryan vs Kevin Owens

Vince McMahon announced on the February 26, 2019 episode of Smackdown that Daniel Bryan's WWE Championship defense versus Kofi Kingston was canceled and he would instead face a returning Kevin Owens at Fastlane.

That announcement has set up an interesting contest between a heel Bryan and an ostensibly babyface Owens, who is playing a character that is motivated by providing for his family but is conflicted about taking short cuts to success.

Bryan has held the title since November and his "New Daniel Bryan" character has been a sterling success so far, with his promos about consumerism and other vices he believes inhabit America and many other parts of the world. One would assume that taking the title off Bryan whilst he is so hot would be a fool's errand.

The original plan reportedly was for Owens to be Bryan's opponent at Wrestlemania but that got switched around after Kingston got over like rover at Elimination Chamber and with his one hour display in a Gauntlet fight on Smackdown.

With Kingston supposedly penciled in to face Bryan at Wrestlemania, that appears to telegraph the outcome of the Bryan/Owens title bout. The real question is how the match will go down on the night.

I expect Sami Zayn, who is cleared to return to the ring to interject himself into the match and assist Bryan in retaining the title.

Zayn would be the perfect addition to Bryan's ultra-Environmentalist stable and his history with both men would make for intriguing stories coming out of the show.

It could also set up an Owens/Zayn clash at Wrestlemania, with the heel/face dynamic reversed from what we are accustomed to seeing from those two.

I expect this to happen and I hope that it will.

Prediction: Daniel Bryan