Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted March 7, 2019 Awards Moderator Share Posted March 7, 2019 Another PPV has gone and snuck up on us. Fastlane is on Sunday! Card is currently looking like: Bryan vs Owens for the WWE Title Flair vs Lynch in a 'Charlotte can't lose but Becky must win to get her Mania match' match The Shield vs McIntyre, Corbin and Lashley Boss N' Hug Connection vs Jax & Tamina for the Women's Tag titles Usos vs Miz & Shane for the SmackDown Tag titles Asuka vs Mandy Rose for the SmackDown Women's title Revival vs Black & Ricochet vs Gable & Roode for the Raw Tag titles and Mysterio vs Andrade is on the pre-show. Three separate tag title matches on the same show has to be a record, hasn't it? You'd have to assume some pieces are being put into place for WrestleMania here. They may or may not follow up on Kofi losing his title opportunity, we might get some developments in the Shield match, and presumably Miz and Shane will have a falling out at some point so why not here. Also Lynch and Flair's all about Mania. Lots of big names without a match on the card so far though - Orton, Joe, Hardys, Styles, Rousey, Balor etc. Pre-show should be a cracker anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted March 7, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 Bonkers that the Hardy Boyz can reunite a couple of weeks before the pre-Mania PPV, and not even get on the card, while Shane McMahon gets a tag title shot in an angle I assumed couldn't possibly still be running. The amount of names not on the show really highlights how bloated the roster is right now. That Finn Balor can go from what should have been a star-making "stronger even in defeat" match against Brock Lesnar to not even making the card sums up a lot of problems with WWE right now. Speaking of star-making performances, neither Kofi Kingston or Mustafa Ali making the show feels like a huge mis-step unless they have something particular planned for them. No Strowman, either? No Rousey, though presumably she'll be involved in the Lynch/Flair match. I've watched nowt since the last PPV, so any predictions/comments I make are purely speculative. Bryan/Owens could be great, though I get the feeling it's a stepping stone in a larger story. I figure either we're getting Bryan/Kofi at Wrestlemania or a 4/5/6 way for the belt - maybe Bryan/Kofi/Owens/Orton/Ali/Hardy or something like that. Either way, I see Kofi getting the heartbreaking loss at Wrestlemania. But Owens could do with a strong performance, so either a win, or losing in such a way that gives him forward momentum. So I'm wondering if we see Sami Zayn return here to cost him the match - Sami Zayn siding with Bryan makes a lot of sense, ideologically, and a repeat of Owens/Zayn with the roles reversed could be fun. So what's going on with the women's title match at 'Mania? Charlotte's in regardless, but Becky has to fight for it - so is it more or less confirmed to be a triple threat if Becky goes over now? Obviously, Becky is going over, I'm just wondering if there's any prospect of a singles match at Wrestlemania, and that description doesn't look like it. Shield vs. United Nations 2019 is a foregone conclusion, with the only question mark hanging over Ambrose. It makes Reigns look mid-90s Sting levels of gullible babyface, but I'd like to see Ambrose turn on Reigns here, then get a drumming at Wrestlemania to send him on his way. The only other acceptable result here is the Shield absolutely beasting their way through the heels, but McIntyre deserves better. There's no way at least half the people in this match are capable of the kind of show-stealing six-man the Shield made their name on. Surely one of Shane or Miz is turning heel? I've never felt more out of touch with WWE than them playing this angle straight. It feels like a joke I'm not getting, and I just can't predict it. In the worst way. Asuka vs. Mandy Rose is a blessing in that I was worried this might be Asuka's Wrestlemania match. Though I guess this means maybe she's lumped with Mandy Rose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted March 7, 2019 Author Awards Moderator Share Posted March 7, 2019 10 minutes ago, BomberPat said: Asuka vs. Mandy Rose is a blessing in that I was worried this might be Asuka's Wrestlemania match. Though I guess this means maybe she's lumped with Mandy Rose. Don't get your hopes up, I suspect the rumoured Asuka vs Lacey Evans match might still be a thing that will happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIDDUM_N_STYLE Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 I honestly don’t see Ambrose turning, think Braun, Angle, Lio, Elias and Finn get involved somehow and come Mania we get a 10 man tag of Roman and Dean with Kurt, Braun and Finn against Team Change Channel with Seth focusing on Lesnar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members tiger_rick Posted March 7, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 17 minutes ago, BomberPat said: Bonkers that the Hardy Boyz can reunite a couple of weeks before the pre-Mania PPV, and not even get on the card, while Shane McMahon gets a tag title shot in an angle I assumed couldn't possibly still be running. The amount of names not on the show really highlights how bloated the roster is right now. That Finn Balor can go from what should have been a star-making "stronger even in defeat" match against Brock Lesnar to not even making the card sums up a lot of problems with WWE right now. Speaking of star-making performances, neither Kofi Kingston or Mustafa Ali making the show feels like a huge mis-step unless they have something particular planned for them. No Strowman, either? No Rousey, though presumably she'll be involved in the Lynch/Flair match. Can't argue that they've not followed up on Balor but the rest is absolutely fine. Lesnar, Rousey and Mysterio should be above meaningless matches on C PPVs. Hardy's have just reunited and they're already telling stories with both sets of tag titles. Kofi is semmingly being held back for Mania which is great. Ali's not really anywhere at the moment but that's life. Strowman is doing nothing for no-one. That ship sailed. We've seen loads of instances recently of them not chucking everyone on every show. Has the penny finally dropped? I seriously doubt it but enjoy it while it lasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted March 7, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 10 minutes ago, HarmonicGenerator said: Don't get your hopes up, I suspect the rumoured Asuka vs Lacey Evans match might still be a thing that will happen. Ha, I'd actually meant to write "lumped with Lacey Evans" in the first place. Jesus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted March 7, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 1 minute ago, tiger_rick said: We've seen loads of instances recently of them not chucking everyone on every show. Has the penny finally dropped? I seriously doubt it but enjoy it while it lasts. I'm hoping this is the case, and I did consider it. But fucking hell it makes for an uninspiring card. Someone in another thread suggested that Lynch/Charlotte only needed something like a contract signing angle here, and that's the sort of thing I think these C-shows need more of, particularly during Wrestlemania season. It's not so much about not everyone needing to be on every show as not everyone needing to wrestle on every show; everyone should still have some kind of presence. I shouldn't all but forget wrestlers exist when I'm not watching them. But already Finn Balor vs. Brock Lesnar feels like a lifetime ago. Yes, Hardys have only just reunited, but that's all the more reason they should have some forward momentum. Even if it's just a pre-show match. Even if it's just a promo about why they've come back together. Maybe it's just a series of promos of people announcing they intend to enter the Andre Battle Royal. Something. I suspect we'll have some kind of New Day skit regardless, but as much goodwill as there is behind Kofi, he's not a proven commodity at that level, and a strong showing here would have helped him out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Butternut Squash Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 I'd like Asuka/Rose to be a squash so the Raw three way tag gets plenty of time. That has potential to be a belter. I'd imagine Asuka puts her title up at Mania in a women's Battle Royal. She dominates until the final two when one of the eliminated girls throws salt in her eyes and she gets dumped by Lacey Evans. Perfectly consistent with her dominant killer/bumbling idiot personality split. Apparently New Day will be in the house and Sami Zayn is on the fringes so I'm expecting shenanigans. I'm looking forward to Owens and Bryan, especially with this heel/face dynamic. Should be a fantastic match. Heel Shane o Mac sounds like hell. Hopefully Miz turns on him and his dad in his home town. Choke out Shane with his headband and send the silly bastard back to China. The feud has had it's moments but it's about time The Miz moved on. He's beyond this daft old prick. Go home Shane. The Shield match should probably go on last. Nobody is getting a bigger reaction than Roman spearing Lashley or whoever for the win and you're risking putting Flair/Lynch - your mania headliners - in a flat spot. Not sure how I feel about 2/3's of the women's main event facing each other so close to Mania. Andrade/Rey is a great addition. I'd love to see it again a Mania with some stakes to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members I Bent My Wookie Posted March 7, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 I really see Miz being the face here. With the move to a bigger network, Vince is surely looking for that "can do the talk shows, family man, film star, good looking guy" that will appeal to advertisers and regular audiences. In that aspect expect Miz or potentially Orton or Ali to be holding the belt by the time they change networks. AJ has a soccer mom haircut, Bryan looks feral, Joe's an angry barrel, Cenas part time and looks like a Dad watching his kid play Sunday league, Jeff Hardy has way too many drug problems in the past to not highlight. Perhaps even Finn moving in the Shake up could really help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Butternut Squash Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 3 minutes ago, Shy Dad said: I really see Miz being the face here. With the move to a bigger network, Vince is surely looking for that "can do the talk shows, family man, film star, good looking guy" that will appeal to advertisers and regular audiences. In that aspect expect Miz or potentially Orton or Ali to be holding the belt by the time they change networks. AJ has a soccer mom haircut, Bryan looks feral, Joe's an angry barrel, Cenas part time and looks like a Dad watching his kid play Sunday league, Jeff Hardy has way too many drug problems in the past to not highlight. Perhaps even Finn moving in the Shake up could really help. Babyface Miz is a hard act to swallow though. Saying that it would be cool if they revisited the Bryan feud with the roles reversed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted March 7, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 6 minutes ago, Shy Dad said: I really see Miz being the face here. With the move to a bigger network, Vince is surely looking for that "can do the talk shows, family man, film star, good looking guy" that will appeal to advertisers and regular audiences. Roman Reigns has all that, plus being a cancer survivor. Not that having Miz being able to manage it too doesn't hurt, of course, but I doubt he's top of Vince's priorities in that regard. That said, WWE obviously see "wrestling Shane McMahon" as a much bigger spot than those of us on the outside do, so you may be right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members I Bent My Wookie Posted March 7, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 Would they move Roman to SmackDown though? Obviously I'd love it as it would give him a ton of fresh challenges but they still see Raw as the A show and losing Roman's star power with nobody to fill the space doesn't seem likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members BomberPat Posted March 7, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 When does the Fox deal come in? I could see them loading with Smackdown with stars in the short-term, or scrapping the brand split concept completely for a little while to launch that deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members I Bent My Wookie Posted March 7, 2019 Paid Members Share Posted March 7, 2019 October 19th. So unless they do a shake up after SummerSlam it's unlikely any huge names will move in the interim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamTH17 Posted March 7, 2019 Share Posted March 7, 2019 1 hour ago, BomberPat said: Roman Reigns has all that, plus being a cancer survivor. Not that having Miz being able to manage it too doesn't hurt, of course, but I doubt he's top of Vince's priorities in that regard. That said, WWE obviously see "wrestling Shane McMahon" as a much bigger spot than those of us on the outside do, so you may be right. That's entirely correct. In the eyes of Vince, the only achievement greater than headlining Wrestlemania or being in a featured title match or whatever is being in a programme with a member of the McMahon family. You look at the guys that have worked with the McMahon's in the last 5 years for example, and it's only top guys. Bryan, Sting, Roman, Rollins, Angle, Ronda, Undertaker, Styles come to mind straight away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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