FastLane 2018: Preview and Predictions

​​We’re at the halfway point on the Road to WrestleMania and we make one final pay-per-view pitstop before we turn our complete attention to the city of New Orleans.

With Raw completing their PPV journey two weeks ago at Elimination Chamber, it’s SmackDown Live’s turn with WWE FastLane.

As the blue brand begins to put the final pieces of their puzzle for WrestleMania, I look at the card for tonight and give my take on matches themselves. Let’s go!

Becky Lynch & Naomi vs. Natalya & Carmella

​We start the predictions with a match that was thrown together within the last week. After some small backstage disputes between Carmella and Becky Lynch, the tag match was made.

There is really nothing else to say about this. I’ll just jump right ahead to the prediction.

Prediction: Becky Lynch & Naomi

I could have just skipped this match and you probably wouldn’t have noticed it. Like with some matches at Elimination Chamber, there’s nothing significant that goes with this.

Now, if you want to bring some meaning to this, Carmella losing does make sense. We’ve had Money in the Bank winners in the past always look bad or have extended delays to cash in. Another loss would just make her eventual cash in bigger.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Rusev

Next on the card, we have the 2018 Royal Rumble winner Shinsuke Nakamura taking on the king of Rusev Day, Rusev. After Nakamura hit the kinshasa on Aiden English a few weeks ago on SmackDown Live, Rusev asked for a match. It was granted, while Nakamura claimed that it will surely be “Nakamura Day” on Sunday.

Prediction: Shinsuke Nakamura

First of all, a Happy Rusev Day to all of you. How silly of me to not start this portion the right way. That being said, it’s extremely frustrating how WWE continues to misuse Rusev. Obviously, the Bulgarian Brute is losing to the man who has the spotlight at WrestleMania.

How WWE isn’t giving the man who has the most popular gimmick today in Rusev Day the spotlight, is beyond me. While I’m all for to continue Nakamura’s big push to the main event (which is rightfully deserved), it's hard to not want more for Rusev.

Charlotte Flair vs. Ruby Riott – SmackDown Live Women’s Championship

The first of four titles to be discussed here on the card as the leader of the Riott Squad, Ruby Riot, challenges Charlotte Flair for the Smackdown Live Women’s Championship.

The Riott Squad (since the SmackDown after the Royal Rumble) have had it out for Charlotte. It's almost got to a point where Carmella almost cashed in her Money in the Bank on the champ. Eventually, Flair had enough and told Ruby she can have an opportunity at her women's title at FastLane.

Short and sweet, right?

Prediction: Charlotte Flair retains title

I’ll be honest, this is definitely not a match I look forward to on the card. It’s not to discredit the two women involved, it’s just another case of “well it’s clear this person will win”. I think it’s clear that WWE would want Charlotte to have another big profile match at WrestleMania. With the number of rumors that swirl regarding the women’s title, it looks like ‘The Queen’ has a clear path to the show of shows on April 8th.

The Usos vs. The New Day – SmackDown Live Tag Team Championship

Did you really think the rivalry of The Usos and The New Day was done? I can’t blame you if you said yes because I thought so as well, but here we are.

To add another chapter to the (never-ending) story of these two teams, the two veteran teams battle yet again for the SmackDown Live tag team championship. Despite how often they squared off against each other in the last year (a lot), they’ve never failed to disappoint the WWE Universe and have given us moments to remember.

After Big E and Xavier Woods defeated Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable to become the number one contenders to Jimmy and Jay Uso, the rivalry was given another day to live.

Prediction: The New Day claim tag gold once again

I personally think the New Day deserves it. Since Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E came together to form The New Day in late 2014, they have never entered WrestleMania as tag team champions. With missing last year's WrestleMania in terms of in-ring action and being the hosts instead, I'm sure they'll find themselves in a high profile match which should involve the tag team titles.

In fact, in WrestleMania history, they’ve only challenged for it once which was in a losing effort at WrestleMania 31. Plus, despite how often these two teams have faced each other, it’s hard not to carry the rivalry over to New Orleans and close the story for good.

Randy Orton vs. Bobby Roode – United States Championship Match

Switching gears from tag team gold to singles gold, the United States Championship is on the line as Bobby Roode defends his title against Randy Orton.

This feud started when Orton fulfilled our meme fix and gave Roode an RKO out of nowhere after he successfully defended the title against Jinder Mahal on February 6th. Of course, who would be happy in getting an RKO out of nowhere? Not Bobby, which led to giving Orton a title shot.

Just as that was going to happen, Mahal wanted to be respected after being left out of the Smackdown Live "Top Ten Superstar" list and attacked them both. (This is a very angry feud)

So after all that, SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan was about to give Mahal a shot at the U.S title at FastLane. However, SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon had other plans (because he always does) and gave the opportunity to Orton instead.

Prediction: Bobby Roode retains the U.S. Title

How can you not have a glorious entrance as champion at the biggest show of the year? Roode continues to be a fan favorite with his dazzling robes and high profile entrance. Aside from the glamour, he's still a great in-ring competitor and has made his United States title run a good one so far.

In reality, I do see Orton completing his grand slam accomplishment at WrestleMania. I don't see WWE wasting such a big milestone on a small pay-per-view like FastLane. I would honestly be a bit shocked.

At this point, fans should really be wondering "what will Roode's entrance consist of at WrestleMania?" I know I will be on April 8th.

The Six-Pack Challenge – WWE Championship

(I’ll never understand WWE’s obsession with multi-man matches)

For the main event of FastLane, the WWE title is on the line in a Six-Pack Challenge which champion AJ Styles must defend against Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, and John Cena.

The lead up to this match was all over the place so here’s the quick breakdown of how each competitor made it here.

It all started at the Royal Rumble. During AJ’s 2-on-1 handicap match against Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, some controversy took place in which the referee thought Owens was the legal man (who took the pinfall) and gave Styles the win.

The following Tuesday, Daniel Bryan announced a match between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in which the winner would go on to face Styles for the WWE Title at FastLane. After Styles interfered and ruined the fun, Bryan made things fun again and made it a triple threat match.

However, why stop there, right?! Since Shane McMahon has it out for Owens, Zayn and has been bickering with his partner, Daniel Bryan, he announced on Twitter (of all places) that Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler have been added on to make it a fatal-five-way.

But, that’s not enough! John Cena, who was crushed that he didn’t win the Elimination Chamber match to face Brock Lesnar, wanted to find some way to make it to WrestleMania. So what does he do? He heads on over to SmackDown, tells the world “I want a shot at the WWE Title!”, Daniel Bryan gives him that chance if he beats AJ Styles. What do you know?! Cena wins and makes it a Six-Pack Challenge!

Can you feel how irritated I was writing this portion? To the prediction we go!

Prediction: AJ Styles retains the WWE Championship

Oh, my word, there is NO reason for this to involve SIX men for the WWE title. If I had to make any sense of this, I’d leave it at MAYBE a fatal-four-way with Styles, Owens, Zayn, and Cena. It feels really redundant to have Corbin and Ziggler involved.

Now, the obvious reason as to why AJ Styles will win at FastLane? Oh you know....the fact that you would RUIN THE DREAM MATCH EVERYBODY'S BEEN WANTING SINCE SHINSUKE NAKAMURA AND AJ STYLES ARRIVED AT WWE! How can you possibly ruin the potential match of the night by making it a triple threat match and force Styles to invoke his rematch clause? It would be one of the worst decisions I think WWE could ever make in its history.

As somebody who attended the Royal Rumble this past January, to see Nakamura win the 30-man match and declare Styles as his WrestleMania opponent was no less than thrilling. I could not have been more excited to hear that we would be treated to a match of this caliber. After they had a great match in Japan at Wrestle Kingdom 10, it should be just as fantastic at WrestleMania.