WWE Fastlane was this past Sunday. After the show was over we have a pretty good idea what the big matches are going to be this year. There’s some questions that need to be answered. WWE has 5 weeks to answer those questions and make Wrestlemania the best it can be. Here are some of the pros and cons from WWE Fastlane.
Pros
Randy Orton Returns
source: wwe.com
Fans have been questioning for months now when Randy Orton was going to return and get revenge on Seth Rollins and the Authority. Orton performed on several house shows leading up to Fastlane, but had not made a TV appearance since November. On Sunday the wait was over and the Viper slithered his way back and attacked the Authority after their victory. Nothing is confirmed as of this writing, but signs are pointing towards Orton to face Rollins at Mania.
New Champs
source: wwe.com
I was pleasantly surprised when Cesaro and Kidd won the titles. I was sure that the Usos would retain and enter into Mania as the champs. Cesaro and Kidd have busted their asses over the past couple months to be the best team in WWE. They are the perfect combination of speed, power, and athleticism. I would like to see Cesaro and Kidd get a decent amount of time with titles.
Nikki Retains
source: wwe.com
I thought this was a solid outing between Nikki and Paige. I like the fact that Nikki cheated to win, which can set up a rematch at Wrestlemania. Nikki continues to improve and have better matches.
Sting and Triple H Face Off
source: wwe.com
I’m a big Sting mark. Growing up Sting was my second favorite wrestler after Shawn Michaels. So I’m excited that he will be getting a Wrestlemania match. This segment did its’ job in setting up the Mania match between Triple H and Sting. I’m glad Triple H was wearing the leather jacket and jeans. That little wardrobe change represents that this not the COO, this is the Cerebral Assassin. We also got some physical interaction and the return of Sting’s famous bat.
Wyatt Trolls and Challenges Undertaker
source: wwe.com
I have to admit there was a little part of me that thought and wanted it to be Undertaker returning. Bray did a great job trolling the WWE Universe. I was originally against Taker having another match, but if he’s healthy and can work he’ll always be a draw. And now that Streak is over I feel like takes some pressure of Taker for having a five star match. This match with Bray probably won’t be a long drawn out match, but it will be good enough to make Bray and Taker look good.
Rusev beats Cena
source: wwe.com
I seem to be in the minority in liking Rusev. I think he brings a different in ring style and presence that’s needed in WWE. He’s not a horrible worker. So besides being “Russian” and “hating” America, I’m not quite sure why smart fans hate Rusev. It was great to see a heel cheating to win. This win has elevated Rusev and the US Title. Obviously we will get a rematch between Cena and Rusev at Mania. I’d like to see a submission or I Quit match to play off the fact that Cena never really gave up.
Great Main Event
source: wwe.com
I said in my predictions post, that Roman Reigns had to have the match of his life and did just that. Reigns added several new maneuvers to his arsenal. Both men were stiff and aggressive with their strikes. They told a great story and had the fans into their match. Reigns proved he can hang tonight and will have to keep proving it from now until Wrestlemania.
Cons
The Crowd
source: wwe.com
The crowd seemed completely dead for majority of the show. There was some crowd noise for the Cena/Rusev match and the Reigns/Bryan match. I’ve been hearing that the acoustics in that building are terrible and that’s why it didn’t sound well on TV. There were several people who attended live who said the crowd was great. I wish that I could say the same while I was watching it. I feel like a better sounding crowd reaction would have made Fastlane better.
Big Show and Kane
source: wwe.com
Another pay-per-view where Big Show and Kane are dominant. Is this the year 2000? I get it they’re both giants and could do some serious damage in a real fight, but they’ve been around for so long now. Give us some new monsters to get behind. Luke Harper is one guy who could easily replace Kane or Big Show as the monster of the Authority. Instead he’s being forced to wrestle on Superstars every week. As much as I respect what Big Show and Kane have contributed to the business, I think it’s time for them to take their ball and go home.
Botched Finish?
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Many people didn’t really like the match between the Rhodes brothers. I didn’t think it was the greatest match ever, but I thought it was good until the finish. The referee said three, but didn’t slap his hand down for three, but he still called for the bell. I like the idea of Stardust being unintentionally cheated out of the match , but it didn’t come out that way. It looked like the finish was changed in the ring and the referee wasn’t privy to it and was afraid to finish the count. I think they should have gone with the finish where Goldust pins Stardust close to the ropes, Stardust puts his foot on the ropes, but the referee misses it. That would came off better and progressed the story.
Intercontinental Title Match
source: wwe.com
I thought it was an okay match, but the finish didn’t really progress either man. I feel like they should have gone with Barrett cheating to win or Ambrose winning the championship. Considering that Reigns was the only babyface that won they could have given us an Ambrose win.
