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WWE Fastlane 2017 Recap & Reaction

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Robert Lentini

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Kickoff Show

Rich Swann & Akira Tozawa defeated Brian Kendrick & Noam Dar.

Main Card

Samoa Joe vs Sami Zayn

The “ole’” chants began right when the match started. Joe connected with a kick of the knee of Zayn and Sami retreated to the corner. Zayn applied a Chinlock but Joe shot Zayn to the ropes and landed a kick to Zayn’s head that sent him to the mat. Joe then applied a Knee Bar but Sami quickly grabbed the ropes and the hold was broken. Joe connected with a couple of jabs but Zayn fought back with a few right hands of his own. Both Superstars were tangled in the corner and the referee broke them up. Joe used this to his advantage and punched Zayn right to the face. Joe caught Zayn with another kick to the head and Sami once again was knocked to the mat.

Joe continued the assault and connected with a chop to the chest of Zayn. Joe followed it up with a couple of jabs and another chop that knocked Zayn down. Sami fought back but Joe hit him with a chop block and Zayn once again fell to the mat. The crowd stated to get behind Sami as he powered to his feet. Sami leveled Joe with a Clothesline and hit a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Sami climbed to the top turnbuckle but Joe joined him and punched him in the face. Zayn knocked Joe to the mat and tried to dive onto him but Joe moved out of the way. Joe then planted Zayn and hit a Senton for a two count. Joe then hit a Powerslam but Sami once again kicked out at two.

Joe then hit Zayn with several jabs to the face and Zayn fell to the mat. Sami tried to roll up Joe but Joe quickly kicked out. Sami then leveled Joe with a kick and once again climbed to the top turnbuckle. Joe once again caught him with a kick to the head and Zayn was perched on the top turnbuckle. Joe went for a Superplex but Zayn blocked it with a frenzy of punches. Zayn tried to Powerbomb Joe off the turnbuckle but Joe blocked it. Joe then applied the Coquina Clutch for the submission victory.

Winner: Samoa Joe

Reaction: This match was solid. Samoa Joe completely dominated the entire match. I thought Zayn would have put up more of a fight but that was not the case tonight. Zayn barely got in any offense and whenever he did it was short lived. Samoa Joe has been awesome since joining the main roster and I’m looking forward to seeing what his role will be at this year’s Wrestlemania.

Bayley was interviewed backstage and she challenged Charlotte to leave Dana Brooke in the locker room. Nia Jax interrupted and stated that she was going to destroy Sasha Banks tonight. Nia then said that if Bayley somehow retains her title tonight, Nia Jax will be the one who takes it from her.

Raw Tag Team Championship Match: Gallows & Anderson (c) vs Enzo & Cass

Enzo and Cass controlled the first few minutes of the match and beat the hell out of Karl Anderson. Gallows finally had enough and charged into the ring but Cass Clotheslined him out of the ring. Cass then launched Enzo onto Gallows and Anderson outside the ring. Back in the ring, Anderson kicked Enzo in the face and connected with a few punches. Anderson posed for the crowd and then tagged in Gallows. Enzo was isolated in the corner for the next couple of minutes as Gallows knocked him around.

Anderson got back into the match and slammed Enzo to the mat. Anderson applied a Chinlock to Enzo in the middle of the ring as Cass tried to get the crowd pumped up. Enzo tried to tag in Big Cass but Anderson hit a Dropkick to prevent it. Gallows was then tagged in and he landed a right hand that sent Enzo to the mat. Gallows went for an Elbow Drop but Enzo got out of the way. Gallows tagged in Anderson and Enzo retreated to the corner. Anderson charged at Enzo but Enzo got out of the way.

Big Cass was finally tagged in and he immediately attacked Anderson. Cass hit the Empire Elbow and then hit a big boot to Gallows on the ring apron. Gallows then hit a boot to the face of Anderson and tagged Enzo. Enzo and Cass hit the Bada Boom Shacka Lacka on Anderson but Gallows broke up the pinfall. Everything broke down and Enzo launched onto Gallows outside the ring. Enzo tried to get back into the ring but Anderson hit a Dropkick on Enzo as he was in between the rope Anderson then pinned Enzo but Enzo got his foot on the rope. Gallows then shoved Enzo’s foot off the rope and the referee didn’t notice.

Winners & Still Tag Team Champions: Gallows & Anderson

Reaction: The lack of a build up really hurt this match. It was still a decent tag match but it felt rather unimportant. I thought Enzo and Cass would walk out of Fastlane with the titles but it was not meant to be. The match had a screwy finish so I wouldn’t be surprised if Enzo and Cass get a rematch soon.

Mick Foley and Stephanie McMahon had a conversation on the phone backstage. Stephanie McMahon was having some problems with her flight and stated that she didn’t think she was going to make it to Fastlane tonight. Stephanie demanded that Foley make sure that the Raw Women’s Championship match and the Universal Championship match go down without any issues. Foley then said that Samoa Joe shouldn’t be ringside for the Universal Championship match and then disconnected the phone in the middle of the conversation.

Sasha Banks vs Nia Jax

Nia dominated the first few minutes of the match. Nia was laughing the entire time and even at one point commented on how easy it was. Sasha connected with a kick but it didn’t phase Nia at all. Nia launched Sasha across the ring and taunted her. Nia slammed Banks to the mat and taunted the crowd. Nia then locked in a Torture Rack and proceeded to do squats with Sasha Banks draped across her shoulders. Sasha countered into a submission hold but Nia fought her way out of it. Sasha then applied a Sleeper Hold but Nia threw her off. Sasha hit a DDT and applied the Bank Statement to Nia in the middle of the ring. Nia quickly got to her feet and planted Sasha on the mat. Nia then hit a Leg Drop to the back of Sasha. Nia then lifted Sasha by the hair and swung her around the ring. Nia went for the Samoan Drop but Sasha countered it into a roll up for the pinfall victory.

Winner: Sasha Banks

Rusev and Jinder Mahal are no longer a team and they both demanded singles competition tonight. Mick Foley told them both to go down to there ring. Jinder and Rusev started brawling. Jinder knocked Rusev over the barricade and returned to the ring. Cesaro then came down to the ring.

Cesaro vs Jinder Mahal

Cesaro controlled the match early and planted Jinder with a Gutwrench Suplex. Cesaro then caught Jinder in mid air and connected with a Backbreaker. Cesaro tweaked his lower back during this move and Mahal took advantage. Jinder landed a Dropkick to Cesaro’s back and connected with several knees to the chest of Cesaro. Cesaro once again went for a Suplex but his back gave out. Jinder then hit a running knee to the face of Cesaro. Mahal launched Cesaro into the turnbuckle as the crowd became restless and a few started a “boring” chant. Cesaro was finally able to hit a Suplex but Mahal was the first Superstar to his feet. Cesaro hit a bunch of uppercuts on Mahal in the corner. Cesaro connected with a  619 and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Cesaro hit a Crossboday for a two count. Jinder connected with a kick to the face of Cesaro but was distracted by Rusev outside the ring. Cesaro then hit a massive uppercut for the victory. After the match, Rusev attacked Mahal and stomped him in the corner. Rusev then kicked Mahal in the face and knocked Jinder out of the ring.

Winner: Cesaro

Rusev vs Big Show

Big Show immediately knocked Rusev to the mat as “USA!” chants echoed throughout the crowd. Big Show connected with a chop to Rusev in the corner and Rusev rolled out of the ring. Big Show followed him and shoved Rusev in the barricade. Back in the ring, Big Show continued to dominate. Rusev fought back and launched his shoulder into the knee of Big Show. Rusev then connected with a series of kicks and punches to the head of Big Show. Rusev then hit three kicks to Big Show’s face but Big Show kicked out at two. Big Show then hit three Chokeslams in a row to Rusev and placed Rusev against the bottom rope. Big Show then hit the Knockout Punch for the victory.

Winner: Big Show

Reaction: These two matches were random and were simply meant to kill some time on the show. This segment went on for around twenty minutes and there was only a moment where the crowd became restless. These matches were ultimately pointless and that reflects poorly on the booking of the show. I would have preferred to have Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe have a longer match and had the length of this segment cut in half. However, credit to Big Show, Rusev, Cesaro and Jinder Mahal for busting their ass to try and make something out of nothing. I have no idea why Rusev is being booked as a jobber. I thought he was going to be a major star in the WWE.

Cruiserweight Championship Match: Neville (c) vs Jack Gallagher

Neville controlled the first few minutes of the match. Gallagher fought back and connected with a couple of Dropkicks that sent Neville out of the ring. Gallagher launched onto Neville outside the ring. Gallagher brought Neville back into the ring but Neville caught him with a kick. Gallagher then picked up Neville and perched him on the top turnbuckle. Gallagher connected with a German Suplex off the top rope for a two count. Neville Suplexed Gallagher into the ropes and Gallagher bounced around until he fell to the mat. Neville launched Gallagher into the ropes and hit a German Suplex. Neville then climbed to the second rope and hit a Phoenix Splash for a two count.

Gallagher landed a headbutt that knocked Neville to the mat. Gallagher fell on top of him but Neville kicked out at two. Neville connected with a Superkick that knocked Gallagher to the ring apron. The crowd started to chant “this is awesome!” as Neville and Gallagher battled on the top turnbuckle. Gallagher connected with an awesome headbutt. Gallagher went for the Suplerplex but Neville shoved Gallager to the mat. Neville then connected with the Red Arrow for the victory.

Winner & Still Cruiserweight Champion: Neville

Reaction: I thought this match was destined to fail because it had to follow the two random matches before it. The match actually turned out to be better than I was expecting and the crowd got into it. I hope to see this match again in the near future.

Braun Strowman vs Roman Reigns

Reigns came down to the ring to his usual reaction. Roman has apparently switched from boots to sneakers. The match started out back and forth. Strowman eventually took control of the match and hit a Splash for a two count. Strowman applied a Chinlock but Reigns battled out of it. Strowman leveled Roman once again by slamming him face-first into the mat. The match spilled outside the ring and Strowman cleared off the announce table. The match returned to the ring and Strowman launched himself at Reigns in the corner but Roman got out of the way. Strowman slammed into the ring post and Reigns immediately went on the attack. Reigns connected with a Samoan Drop for a two count.

Strowman battled back and slammed Reigns to the mat. Strowman once again charged at Reigns into the corner and once again missed. He went for a kick but Reigns got out of of the way and Braun went tumbling outside the ring. Reigns hit the Drive By and went for a Spear but Strowman caught him and hit the Running Powerslam through the announce table. The action returned to the ring and Reigns hit a Spear out of nowhere but Strowman kicked out. Reigns hit two Superman Punches but Strowman didn’t fall down. Braun then shoved Reigns to the mat and climbed to the top turnbuckle. Strowman went for a Splash but Reigns got out of the way. Reigns then hit another Spear for the victory.

Winner: Roman Reigns

Reaction: This match probably had the best build up heading into Fastlane. The match itself was good but there were a couple of things that bothered me. Strowman kept missing wildly with his offense and hurled himself into the ring post several times. Strowman hit the Running Powerslam through an announce table and Roman Reigns recovered in a matter of moments. I know the days of finishing moves being devastating are long gone, but this one stood out as especially ridiculous. The WWE has spent a lot of time building Strowman up as a monster. I’m not sure why they felt the need to have him lose to Reigns at Fastlane. The Undertaker did not show up tonight so it is reasonable to assume that he will confront Roman Reigns tomorrow night on Monday Night Raw.

Mick Foley approached Samoa Joe backstage and threatened him. Foley said that if Joe gets involved in the Universal Championship match that there will be hell to pay.

Raw Women’s Championship Match: Bayley (c) vs Charlotte

Bayley controlled the match early on and connected with a Crossbody off the top rope. Bayley went for the Bayley to Belly but Charlotte blocked it and rolled out of the ring. Bayley chased Charlotte around the ring but Charlotte caught her with a Clothesline. Back in the ring, Charlotte applied a Chinlock and taunted Bayley by calling her “just a fan”. Charlotte continued to beatdown Bayley for the next few minutes and taunted Bayley the entire time. Finally, Bayley had enough and connected with a couple of chops. Charlotte halted her momentum and connected with a Neckbreaker.

Charlotte hit a Moonsault off the top rope for a two count. Charlotte grew frustrated and slapped Bayley in the back of head while screaming “you’re just a fan!”. Charlotte connected with a viscous chop that sent Bayley falling to the mat. Bayley fought back and landed a Clothesline. Bayley followed it up with several chops and a German Suplex for a two count. Bayley then went for some sort of springboard punch while Charlotte was caught between the ropes, but she completely missed her target.

Bayley hit a Hurricanrana on Charlotte from the top turnbuckle. Bayley climbed back onto the top turnbuckle and hit an Elbow Drop for a two count. Charlotte fought back and connected with a boot to Bayley’s face. Charlotte then hit the Natural Selection but Bayley kicked out at two. Charlotte was in disbelief that Bayley was able to kick out. Bayley went for a quick roll up but Charlotte kicked out. Charlotte launched Bayley off the ring apron and Bayley fell to the floor outside the ring. Charlotte climbed to the top rope but Sasha Banks ran to the ring. Sasha attacked Charlotte and Bayley hit the Bayley to Belly on Charlotte outside the ring. Back in the ring, Charlotte rolled up Bayley and grabbed her tights. Sasha Banks alerted the referee and Charlotte got pissed off. Bayley then hit the Bayley to Belly for the victory.

Winner & Still Raw Women’s Champion: Bayley

Reaction: Was this match a no disqualifications match or am I missing something? Sasha Banks attacked Charlotte right in front of the referee and nothing happened. I am glad that Bayley retained because I’m so tired of the Women’s Championship changing hands all the time. Having said that, this match made no sense to me and the crowd didn’t seem into it at all. Bayley challenged Charlotte to leave Dana Brooke backstage and Charlotte obliged. Bayley then won the match due to outside interference. I thought that Bayley would wind up being pissed off that Sasha got involved in the match but the two celebrated in the ring after the match. Charlotte’s undefeated streak at WWE PPVs is over and she was completely screwed over in the match. The outcome of this match was the complete opposite of what I was expecting. Sure it was surprising but also doesn’t make an ounce of sense.

Universal Championship Match: Kevin Owens (c) vs Goldberg

Owens and Goldberg barked at each other before the match. Owens rolled out of the ring before the referee called for the bell. Owens got into the ring and once again rolled out. Owens casually walked around the ring while Goldberg patiently waited for him. Owens finally got in the ring and Jericho’s music hit. The bell rang and Goldberg hit a Spear. Goldberg then hit a Jackhammer and won the match. Jericho applauded from the entrance ramp as Goldberg celebrated with the title.

Winner & New Universal Champion: Goldberg

Reaction: This was the most predictable outcome imaginable but I was holding out hope that it wouldn’t happen. I know some are tired of me complaining about Monday Night Raw and Raw exclusive PPVs but I’m going to do it again. I’m sorry but I do not find this entertaining at all. I do not think that the Goldberg and Lesnar match needs the Universal Championship. I hate the fact that two part-time performers are battling for the biggest title on Raw. I cannot stand that the Universal Championship isn’t being used to turn a younger talent into a bigger star. I’m not excited about the idea that Goldberg and Brock Lesnar will be closing out a Wrestlemania. Goldberg has yet to partake in a real match. He was in the Royal Rumble for a bit but the rest of his appearances have been promos and short matches like this one.

The Wrestlemania card is starting to form and I’m disappointed in the direction the WWE is going in. It just feels like more of the same. WWE Fastlane was a very poor show in my opinion. The Cruiserweight match was very good. Reigns and Strowman put on a solid match as well. The rest of the show was either predictable or left me scratching my head. I had a sense of dread once the time-killing segments started. Once the New Day came out for a meaningless promo I knew we were in for another short main event. There are clearly a lot of people that are entertained by Goldberg as the Universal Champion. The majority of the crowd reacted positively when Goldberg hit the Jackhammer for the victory.

What did you think of WWE Fastlane? Let us know in the comments below.

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