WWE Fastlane 2019 preview

Rey Mysterio vs. Andrade (SmackDown) (Kickoff Show)

The story: Rey Mysterio have been feuding for months, putting on amazing matches. Please check out the above clip from their 2-out-of-3 Falls match. Simply put, it’s the lucha libre legend vs. the future of the entire sport. Last week on SmackDown, Andrade attacked Mysterio after they lost a United States Championship Open Challenge match against the champ, R-Truth, as Mysterio was the one who took the pin.

Prediction: I’m assuming this is going all the way to WrestleMania—definitely not all the way to the Fastlane Kickoff Show—so maybe this match should either end in disqualification or a double count-out. 

The Revival (Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson) (c) vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet vs. Bobby Roode & Chad Gable, in a Triple Threat match for the RAW Tag Team Championship (RAW)

The story: Since sort of debuting on the main roster, Black & Ricochet have been on a winning streak, even going as far as to pin the RAW Tag Team Champions. Roode & Gable, on the other hand, have been upset because they haven’t gotten an automatic rematch, despite automatic rematches no longer existing in WWE. During Black & Ricochet’s title match against The Revival this past Monday, Roode & Gable came out to watch from the sidelines and attacked The Revival once it was clear Black & Ricochet were going to win the titles. And now, we have this.

Prediction: The Revival are riding this championship reign all the way to WrestleMania… where they will, unfortunately, lose to Zack Ryder & Curt Hawkins.      

The Shield (Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, & Dean Ambrose) vs. Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, & Baron Corbin (RAW)

The story: Roman Reigns’ leukemia is in remission, and now the band is back together! Also, Baron Corbin is clearly not on the same level as Lashley and McIntyre—in terms of being a physical specimen, thus the business casual ring gear—yet we’re supposed to buy that they would want to hang out with him. He’s not even “Constable” anymore.

Prediction: The Shield for the last time ever? The Shield wins. Roman Reigns’ first match after beating cancer? The Shield wins.

The Usos (c) vs. Shane McMahon & The Miz, for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship (SmackDown)

The story: At thee last pay-per-view—Elimination Chamber—The Usos answered all of our prayers and won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship back from Shane McMahon and an actual wrestler. Again, there are no automatic rematches, but Shane McMahon’s entire return to WWE has been him abusing his power—and us, for some reason, pretending he’s a better person than Stephanie McMahon—and stealing opportunities from the actual roster members in “The Land of Opportunity,” so here we are.

Prediction: Please don’t let Shane McMahon anywhere near another championship ever again. Hopefully The Usos completely destroy him. Or at least The Miz does after he and Shane lose this match.

Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch, for the fate of the WrestleMania 35 Main Event (RAW)

The story: A lot has happened since the Royal Rumble, but here’s what to know now: If Becky wins, she’s in the main event of WrestleMania… as one-third of a triple threat. If she loses, her Road to WrestleMania ends, and the main event is Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair in a singles match. (Never mind that Becky won the right to be in the match against Rousey at the Royal Rumble and Charlotte won nothing.)

Prediction: If not for the fact that Batista already beat up Charlotte’s dad (and Charlotte apparently didn’t care), I’d say it would be okay for Becky to lose and then beat up Ric Flair to get inserted into the WrestleMania match. Since that happened, Becky has to win. Even though—again—Becky won the Royal Rumble to already make it into that match, and Charlotte hasn’t won a major match since…. SummerSlam, last August. Great decision-making, Vince. 

Asuka (c) vs. Mandy Rose, for the SmackDown Women’s Championship (SmackDown)

The story: Using the age-old art of subterfuge — in this case, a Lacey Evans walk through — Mandy Rose was able to beat Asuka on an episode of SmackDown in a non-tiitle match. Yes, Mandy Rose just pinned the SmackDown Women’s Champion! And now she has a championship match.

Prediction: Hehe, can you honestly imagine if Mandy Rose beat Asuka for the SmackDown Women’s Championship? And I say this as someone who likes Mandy Rose. 

Sasha Banks & Bayley (c) vs. Nia Jax & Tamina, for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship (RAW)

The story: At Elimination Chamber, Banks and Bayley became the inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. As such, they’re defending the titles on RAW, SmackDown, and even NXT. (NXT UK too? Hopefully.) But their first opponents are Jax & Tamina, who weren’t even in the final two of the Elimination Chamber match with them. (That would be Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville, who honestly make more sense challenging here than Mandy does challenging Asuka. Again, I like Mandy Rose.) Jax and Tamina have momentum going into this match though because Tamina just defeated Banks on this week’s RAW (again, using the age-old are of subterfuge).

Prediction: It will take a tag team partner, but finally, Sasha Banks has a chance to successfully defend a championship. 

“The New” Daniel Bryan (c) vs. Kevin Owens, for the WWE Championship (SmackDown)

The story: Much like Vince McMahon replaced Becky Lynch with Charlotte Flair in the WrestleMania main event—despite the aforementioned note that Charlotte has been losing a lot—during Kofi Kingston’s contract signing for a Fastlane WWE Championship match against Bryan, he came in and replaced the guy with a returning (from injury) Kevin Owens. Now, we all love Owens, but that’s so straight up b.s.

Prediction: Bryan’s retaining, but only so #KofiMania can truly go wild on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.”