WWE Fastlane PPV Review: The Shield Match Was Surprisingly Fun
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We've just left Fastlaneopolis, and we're now in the carpool lane for Wrestlemania City. Sometimes, I think Fastlane should be called Carpool Lane. Anyway, Fastlane is traditionally a mediocre PPV, as it's a "stay the course" type of event, desperately trying not to screw up any Mania storylines. 2019's event had some headscratching moments, but the show did build more hype towards Wrestlemania.
GameSpot's WWE fans Mat Elfring and Chris E. Hayner had a few opinions about what happened during the March 10 PPV, whether it was the matches, the stories around the battles, or what happened after the final bell, which usually resulted in someone getting punched. We threw our very important opinions together for every match at Fastlane, presented to you, here.
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of the event, we need to discuss the Kickoff Show, as a whole--not just the match that happened on it. Without a doubt, this is the best Kickoff Show WWE has ever put on. Originally, there were supposed to be two matches, but Mysterio/Andrade was moved to the main card and made a four-way match, which was a solid call. Aside from that, there were a few great backstage segments and superstar interviews that were fantastic. It wasn't just the talking head panel discussing all the matches on the show for an hour. All Kickoff shows should be like this one.
Anyway, here's what we thought about all the matches for Fastlane.
Big E & Xavier Woods vs Shinsuke Nakamura & Rusev (Kickoff Match)
Winners: The New Day
Did I miss something? I'm not sure how this all came together. I'm still exceptionally bitter than Rusev and Aiden English were broken up. They could have been a fantastic tag team. I hated how much this match got interrupted by random stuff, like a commercial and a segment featuring the Miz and his dad. That hurt the match more than anything else. It destroys the flow. Anyway, I always forget how much fun Xavier Woods is in the ring. He's very well-rounded, but since he spends a lot of time outside of the ring, helping out his teammates, we don't get to see him in the ring as much. He also sells like a champion. He's the king of selling spots. Give him a crown. It did feel like this was just burying Nakamura and Rusev more as the New Day gain nothing from this win. However, it was a solid match.
6.5/10
-Mat Elfring
Pointless match is pointless. But whatever, every show has a match that exists simply to give underused superstars TV time. This was that. And what we saw of it was fine. I fast forwarded through the breaks, as I got to my TV a bit late, so they didn't bother me like they did Mat. My issue is why are Nakamura and Rusev a team? Why isn't Nakamura in the world title picture? WWE is too overstuffed with people, leading to amazing talents getting lost in the shuffle and put into novelty tag teams for no apparent reason.
What this match had going for it is it let Xavier Woods show off, which we don't get to see enough. The dude is an awesome wrestler. It makes me hopeful for New Day as a tag team, should Kofi end up fighting for singles titles. However, I'm annoyed that their finisher is no longer called the Midnight Hour. Either way, a fun match and a nice way to kick off the show, even if it was utterly pointless.
6/10
-Chris E. Hayner
Image credit: WWE
The Usos (c) vs. The Miz & Shane McMahon (Smackdown Tag Team Championship)
Winners: The Usos
I do not like teaming of Miz and Shane McMahon. I want this to end. Give me face Miz all day long, but not like this. I want him to shine on his own. This is certainly a solid way to start this PPV though. You know nothing big is going to happen, and the match simply exists to warm up the audience. It did, at times, feel like Rest Hold City (Population: 2). However, this match made Miz look great as one of the good guys, even though his father looked bored, per usual, but that just might be how his face looks. Resting Bored Face. There was also the traditional, "Shane almost kills himself moment" where he collided with one of the Usos in mid-air, which was a unique spot. The finish was fine, even though it looked sloppy, but I would have much rather seen the Usos be dominant champions, not just winning by a roll-up. This match should have been better. They're all better than this.
I just want to add that the Shane heel turn could not have been more predictable, regardless of how Hayner feels. The team needed to break up, Miz needed more of a face push, and the best way to do that is to have Shane go bad. That being said, can we stop with Miz's dad being a part of all these stories?
5/10
-Mat Elfring
I'll be honest, this is in no way how I thought a storyline between Shane and Miz would go when it first started coming together. Miz is such an amazing heel that it seemed weird for him to be begging to tag with Shane and seeking the approval of his very boring dad. And while it hasn't been my cup of tea, at the very least it keeps Miz in some kind of spotlight while I wait for WWE to finally give him another chance as WWE Champion. That said, this has all happened at the expense of Smackdown's once-flourishing tag team division, which bums me out.
As for this match, it's fine. Nothing special, in terms of quality. And that's a crime. Shane is great at spectacle (and sweating), The Miz is a born star, and the Usos are, pound-for-pound, the greatest tag team currently in WWE. They're all capable of much more than a match that's simply fine. At least their tag team run is over but, really? It had to be Shane to turn heel? It's hard to buy Shane McMahon as a believable badass and Miz is never better than when he's making sure we know he's better than all of us. Instead, we now have to live with the idea that Shane is a monstrous MMA machine. He is not. Whatever, no matter who turned, I was looking forward to Miz beating the snot out of him at Wrestlemania and ascending to the top of the card where be belongs.
5/10
- Chris E. Hayner
Image Credit: WWE
Asuka (c) vs. Mandy Rose (Smackdown Women's Championship)
Winner: Asuka
A part of me just wants to talk about how underrated Sonya Deville is on the mic and in the ring. Why isn't this her title match? Deville was fantastic on the Kickoff show for Fastlane with the few lines of dialogue she had. She's great. I feel the same way about her that Corey Graves feels about Mandy Rose, but with less obsessive feelings.
So, there was a little bit of rebuilding Asuka, but that finish was the worst. Well, I thought it was hilarious, but like in a "I love Con Air on a deeper level than you" type of way. Mandy Rose trips over the ring apron, which Deville had up after looking for weapons, which Rose didn't need. No matter how stupid this is, seeing Asuka's kick to Rose's face in slow motion was tough to watch. Anyway, this match was silly and I did not like it. The women's division on Smackdown is starting to suffer since Charlotte and Becky Lynch left. And why are you trying to break up this women's tag team when there's a brand-new championship for the division?
2/10
-Mat Elfring
Why is Mandy Rose fighting for the Women's Championship? What's more, why is she actually bringing the fight to someone as devastating as Asuka? This is a great example of how far Asuka's stock has fallen, even with the Women's Championship around her waist. Like Mat, I'd honestly be more excited to see Sonya in this match. She's great, and I could truly believe her as a credible threat to Asuka. Instead, we got a throwaway title defense and a bad finish that means absolutely nothing. That is, unless, you're waiting for the inevitable Mandy vs. Sonya match. But if you are, why? What is wrong with you? Who hurt you?
3/10
-Chris E. Hayner
Image credit: WWE
The Bar vs. Kofi Kingston
Winners: The Bar
What in the hell is going on? First, Kofi was added to the WWE Championship match, then it's a handicap match. What does Mr. McMahon have against Kofi? The crowd chant of "this is boring" sums it all up for me. Is the purpose of all of this to make Vince a heel again? I mean, that should be easy to do without this dumb story as he's a McMahon, and they're all traditionally heels anyway (See Shane McMahon earlier tonight, Stephanie McMahon on Raw, or all of the Attitude Era). I like, in a sense, where the story is going. It's Kofi "against all odds," but I'm just not buying into this, even in the middle of Kofimania.
2/10
-Mat Elfring
I'm tired. Honestly, I know "card subject to change" is a thing, but this is kind of ridiculous. We went from Kofi getting a title shot to no Kofi match, to a triple threat with Kofi to this handicapped match. What is Vince McMahon's motivation here? Because they're definitely going to have to explain it at some point soon. This will, assumedly, lead to Kofi getting involved at Mania, sure, but I really need WWE to insert some Vince logic here, so we can at least try to make sense of it. Unless his character is now just crazy old person?
This match, as the crowd chanted it, was boring. It was a glorified squash. Kofi got in a little offense, but it was clearly designed to be a hit job, which is fine if they plan to explain the reasoning behind it all. Is the entire McMahon family turning heel? Who knows. But getting the rest of the New Day, along with Nakamura and Rusev, involved doesn't make it better. I don't know, this was just a lot of shenanigans. Unless it ends with Kofi holding the WWE Championship above his head, will it have been worth it? That said, I so hope this ends with Kofi holding the WWE Championship above his head.
2/10
-Chris E. Hayner
Image credit: WWE
Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. Chad Gable & Bobby Roode vs. The Revival (c) (Raw Tag Team Championship)
Winners: The Revival
If you enjoy flips, you'll like 33% of this match. Well, more like 16.5% because Ricochet does all the flips. Aleister does like one faux one. I'm still a bit confused as to these two as a tag team though. There's no theme between the two. However, I'm being nit-picky because that's my only complaint about them. They are the best. Watching this match, I feel like the Raw tag team division is back on the right track. However, Black and Ricochet are kinda on another level.
Look, triple threat tag team matches can be hard to pull off because they can get very chaotic with keeping track of who is legal and working in spots where another team can get tagged into the match. This match should be a blueprint for how to do it correctly. And even though Black and Ricochet didn't win--and this team has been the focus since coming over from NXT--I loved the little moment at the end where they got some attacks in. This was a very, very good match.
8.5/10
-Mat Elfring
Why does Bobby Roode's robe say Glorious, but Chad Gable's says Gable? Shouldn't he have some other adjective? Can someone make a shirt for Ricochet that says "No Fists, Just Flips"?
I'm sorry, that was a dumb joke, and you're here for serious journalism. Let's talk about this match. This match is great because these wrestlers are great. Even the Revival, who I normally find pretty boring, were good here. There were plenty of moments where it was just way too many dudes at any given moment to keep track of what was going on, but these guys all worked hard.
Let me say this, though. Michael Cole, after something impressive happened, said, "That's what Fastlane is all about." No it's not, Cole. Fastlane is about stalling until Mania, which is fine. It just so happens that this year's show has a bunch of impressive-looking matches. The Revival retained, which we all surely expected, and Ricochet still got to get in his big move--the 630 will never not be impressive--so it was a win all around. A fun, fast-paced, and downright bananas match. There might not have been much in the way of psychology, but this was the best outing of the night, thus far.
8/10
-Chris E. Hayner
Image credit: WWE
Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade vs. R-Truth vs. Samoa Joe (c) (United States Championship)
So this match wasn't even a thing until it was announced on the Kickoff Show. I couldn't tell you the last time I cared about a United States Championship match. Ok, I could… It was when Nakamura was doing the whole Nakamerica thing. Anyway, this match had some incredible talent, and the entire match was nonstop action. I felt like I got whiplash at the end of it all. Would you like to know specifics about this match? Too bad. You're not getting any because I was super-into what was going on. Here is the one, singular note I took during the entirety of this match. "R-Truth is a move believable John Cena than John Cena." I love me some R-Truth right now. This was the surprise of the night, not just because it came out of nowhere, but because it was so good. It's actually one of my favorite main roster matches of the year so far. Solid stuff.
9/10
-Mat Elfring
So this is what it's like being interested in a United States Championship match? It feels good. Honestly, I was too wrapped up in this match to take extensive notes, because it was just that entertaining. I have no doubts that Joe is the right person to walk out with the title, but all four of these men put everything they had into that match and it showed. So quickly the United States Championship went from being a nothing title to something worth fighting for and I'm into it. Book this match again at Wrestlemania. I dare you. Because I'll love it again.
8.5/10
-Chris E. Hayner
Image credit: WWE
Sasha Banks & Bayley (c) vs. Nia Jax & Tamina (Women's Tag Team Championship)
Winners: Sasha Banks & Bayley
I refuse to call Sasha Banks and Bayley by their tag team name. I do not like it. Sorry. I've become one of those lame, stubborn wrestling fans. And look, I know Chris is going to say it a lot, but the fun thing about being head editor on this piece is that I get final edit. So let's talk about the match. There were a few moments here that were sloppier than my kid's plate after dinner. Look, he's a one year old, and he's very bad at getting all of his food into his mouth. There wasn't a lot to get excited about. This should have been a match for Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose, The Iiconics, or Riott Squad, and I say that because of how the focus completely shifted after the match. This barely felt like a wrestling match.
I like both of these teams, but this didn't feel much like a PPV championship match. The teams got seven minutes, and then there was a setup for Tamina and Jax vs. Natalya and Beth Phoenix, probably at Wrestlemania. It stinks when you have this brand new division and champions and the focus completely moves to a Hall of Famer and veteran. I just wanted more of the focus on Bayley and Banks. This match did not do the tag championship any justice. I expected more.
3.5/10
-Mat Elfring
What is a Boss N Hug Connection anyway? The funny thing is Mat hates the name and refuses to use it in these WWE pieces, so I'm going to use it a lot just to bug him. I keep waiting for the Boss N Hug Connection to take their titles on the road to very show, defending them wherever. I'm hopeful the Boss N Hug Connection will start defending them on TV too, bring even more value to the titles.
That said, pitting the Boss N Hug Connection against Tamina Snuka and Nia Jax in their first title defense seemed like a fun idea. Tamina and Nia are monster heels and provide a believable challenge to the Boss N Hug Connection that a team like the Iiconics--whom I love--would not. The women's tag division is still in its beginning stages and the Boss N Hug Connection's first title defense needed to be against someone worthwhile.
As for the match itself, I feel like Bayley is the piece of the Boss N Hug Connection--she's the hug-- that doesn't get enough love. She should. She's one of the most talented women in WWE and, honestly, the best part of this match. That comes with a caveat, though, in that this match was bad. While Nia and Tamina are credible monsters, we still haven't gotten to a place where Nia can carry her part of any given match. In this bout, she did the heavy-lifting for her team and the match suffered because of it. The Boss N Hug Connection deserved a better first defense.
Hopefully the team of Natalya and Beth Phoenix can get a good match out of Nia and Tamina, but I'm not holding my breath. In the meantime, let's hear it for the Boss N Hug Connection, right Mat? Boss N Hug Connection 4 life!
3/10 Boss N Hug Connections
-Chris E. Hayner
Image credit: WWE
Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Kevin Owens vs. Mustafi Ali (WWE Championship)
Winner: Daniel Bryan
Am I watching an episode of Swerved on the WWE Network (Only $9.99!) because I've been thrown through a loop like a million times tonight with all these match changes! Read that first sentence over and over and over again until you've lost all feeling in your legs. Look, I LOVE Mustafi Ali, and not just because he's from Chicago (I was once from there). Ali's addition to this match makes no sense. Hell, Owens's addition to this match makes no sense either. Is the storyline "Vince is losing his mind" because if so, bravo. Otherwise, what is going on here?
Anyway, the match itself is fantastic, when you overlook that the booking doesn't make complete sense. If you love seeing Mustafa Ali do the craziest s*** possible, you'll love this match. This was a match that had me on the edge of my seat, throughout the entire night. However, numerous times, I was reminded that this was Kofi Kingston's match--kinda--when the audience chanted his name over and over again. This could have been the match of the night, if the double-swerve during the backstage segments didn't overly-convolute the story. It's a 9/10 match with a 3/10 story. And obviously, my score below is a poor average of those two numbers.
8/10
-Mat Elfring
You know what's fickle? The WWE Championship picture the past few weeks. Man, what's going on? Throwing Mustafa Ali in this match was a weird choice that only begs the question of what Vince has against Kofi even more. That said, this wasn't a bad match. It was just confusing. In a way, it's a ring full of heels because it's a bunch of guys that aren't Kofi, who the crowd is rallying against.
It's unfortunate because this match was actually very exciting, with these there putting in a crazy amount of work and loading up on exciting moves. At no point did I actually believe Daniel Bryan was going to lose the championship, but at the very least I was super entertained by how this all played out. A special shoutout to Ali, who did some truly amazing things in this match that were downright scary. And this is after even a Ricochet match. He deserved better than to hear "We want Kofi" chants after the incredible things he did. All three of these guys did.
8.5/10
-Chris E. Hayner
Image credit: WWE
Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch
Winner: Becky Lynch
Oh yeah, I forgot this was happening. In my mind, I was already at Wrestlemania where Becky Lynch beat Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey, then Kofi Kingston and I became best friends. Man, I'm feeling some fatigue here now. Well, what I predicted would happen in this match actually happened--because I am the "smarted mark" alive (not a typo). Ronda Rousey showed up and punched her in the face, and Lynch got the win by DQ. So, she gets a spot in the main even of Wrestlemania. We didn't really get a Charlotte/Becky match, especially because Becky was bouncing around on one leg. This match was not needed. It could have just been on Smackdown or Raw instead.
I'd much rather talk about what happened next. After all was said and done, Elias played a song again--which was the best--then Lacey Evans came out to do nothing, again--which was the worst. Then, Randy Orton RKOs Elias. Then, AJ Styles gives a Phenomenal Forearm to Orton. This all happens in the span on like 15 seconds. Are you confused? Me too! I feel like this weird segment sums up a lot of the weird choices throughout the evening.
Time to rate the Flair/Lynch match, I guess.
This should have happened on Smackdown/10
-Mat Elfring
The storyline is so bizarre… and not in the best way. The whole bit with Becky on crutches has been weird and unnecessary. Ronda Rousey's indecisiveness about whether or not wrestling is real or if she likes it or any other of the many inconsistencies of her character are hard to track. And, honestly, Charlotte doesn't need to be there.
That said, how do you review a match that barely happened? Ronda ran in for the DQ to send Becky to Mania, which I feel like we knew was going to happen. Still, it's time to drop the crutches gimmick and move into what could be an amazing Wrestlemania main event, no frills--just fists.
I guess I should address the super weird Randy Orton/AJ Styles segment that followed the match, right? I didn't like it and I think I'll leave it there. Feuding with or beating Randy Orton doesn't really mean anything anymore. As for Randy… I don't know. It just feels like the shine if off of Viper.
Bleh/10
-Chris E. Hayner
Image Credit: WWE
The Shield vs. Baron Corbin, Drew McIntyre & Bobby Lashley
Winners: The Shield
Ok, Mat. Do your best to try not to talk about how boring you find Bobby Lashley and how it made a lot more sense for Elias to be in this match instead of him. I know I just told myself not to hate on Lashley, but his spear sucks. It looks like he accidentally tripped and bumped into a guy. Why am I so mean to this guy? Maybe it's because I see potential that's wasted? I don't know.
So this match was a nostalgiafest. Look, I was never really into the Shield when they were around, but I very much appreciate the entirety of this match. It was one half greatest hits and one half a new chapter in the Shield saga. It felt good to see them all together again and pull off some of their signature moments.
Sure, the folks they were taking on were one dimensional in a sense, but it really worked for the story. Even though Seth Rollins, on his own, feels like he's a main event guy, especially once Brock Lesnar is out of the picture. Every member got their spots, and it all led to a really nice ending that will get people talking for at least a few days. Who doesn't like a PPV closing out with everyone smiling?
8.5/10
-Mat Elfring
The problem with Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Baron Corbin is Bobby Lashley. But we'll get to that. I'm so glad this match kicked off with a traditional Shield entrance, especially if this is truly the last time we'll get to see it. That's a cool moment were fans, as Dean Ambrose possibly winds down his time in WWE.
Anyway, back to Bobby Lashley. He's so boring and bland. And that's crazy because there were times in TNA or Impact or GFW or whatever it was called at the time where he was truly entertaining. I'm not sure what's keeping from from achieving that sort of character again, but it's just not there and his entire team suffers because of it.
Thankfully, this match serves one purpose and that's showcasing the Shield. And, for the most part, they're all awesome. This was simply a wild brawl, which helped it stand out a main event-worthy. Because as great as it is that Roman's back and the Shield is together, there's no actual stakes at play here. So making it a wild and crazy crowd-pleaser of a bout was key.
And, for what it's worth, this was essentially a Shield greatest hits album, which is all it needed to be. Everything you loved about Shield matches was thrown in, from the rabid pack of dogs tearing apart opponents with punches and kicks, to triple powerbombs. They even surrounded the ring before taking out Baron Corbin once and for all.
If this is the last ride for the Shield, they went out as awesome as ever, even if the match didn't mean much in the grand scheme of things.
9/10
-Chris E. Hayner
Image credit: WWE