WWE Fastlane 2015: Breaking Down Biggest Matches on the Card

The WWE Universe doesn’t know what to expect from the first-ever Fastlane pay-per-view, but the company’s dedication to making WrestleMania special should result in this secondary event being much better than expected.

With Daniel Bryan in the main event against Roman Reigns, John Cena trying to take the United States Championship from Rusev and Dean Ambrose doing his best to legitimize the Intercontinental title, there is a lot to get excited about.

Here is the full pre-SmackDown Fastlane card and a breakdown of the biggest matches on the inaugural edition of the show.

Matches	Stipulations
Rusev (c) vs. John Cena	Singles Match for the WWE United States Championship
Nikki Bella (c) (with Brie Bella) vs. Paige	Singles Match for the WWE Divas Championship
Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan	Singles Match to determine the No. 1 Contender for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania
Bad News Barrett (c) vs. Dean Ambrose	Singles Match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
The Usos (Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso) (with Naomi) (c) vs. Cesaro and Tyson Kidd (with Natalya)	Tag Team Match for the WWE Tag Team Championship

Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan Exceeding Expectations

When Roman Reigns won the 2015 Royal Rumble, the WWE Universe was in chaos as many of the fans rejected the outcome of the match. Whether it was on purpose or via a last-second change, the decision to go with Daniel Bryan vs. Reigns at Fastlane was genius.

At first, the storyline between Bryan and Reigns felt forced, but the WWE has done a great job of building to strengths and limiting the weaknesses of both performers. Allowing Bryan to shine in the ring and on the mic was the smart decision, and limiting Reigns' talking segments has helped salvage his character.

Instead of building him as the next version of The Rock, WWE has been wise keeping Reigns’ promos short and booking him as the soft-spoken tough guy.

The ending to the go-home episode of Raw was perfect booking as the two faces finally came to blows. For weeks, WWE has been subtly teasing tension between the men, but with only a few days before they fight for the chance to main event WrestleMania, the two men understand what is on the line.

Despite many fans coming into this angle with a negative attitude, Bryan and Reigns have been booked to perfection with basic wrestling storytelling. After Monday’s Raw, only the most jaded members of the WWE Universe could still hate this matchup.

Rusev and Lana Standing Their Ground

John Cena is the biggest star in the WWE over the last decade, but his current feud with United States champion Rusev and his manager Lana has proved the Russian sympathizers belong in the upper echelon of Superstars.

While Cena has remained the prototypical babyface character he has mastered over the years, Rusev and Lana have not shown an ounce of quit. Lana has stood toe-to-toe with Cena on the microphone, and Rusev is the physically gifted athlete the 15-time champion needs to carry him to an elite match.

It’s unconventional thinking that a gimmick like Russian sympathizers would get over as well as it has in this day and age, but Rusev and Lana have committed to the gimmick and have been booked perfectly since coming to the main roster from NXT.

When Rusev and Cena began their feud in a post-Royal Rumble segment, the hope that this would be an intriguing storyline was not high. After watching how the two men have brutally attacked each other over the last several weeks, there is genuine interest in the Fastlane match.

The expectation now should be that after Cena got the upper hand on the go-home edition of Raw, Rusev should be able to earn a much-needed clean victory over the face of the company. Cena can get the win back at WrestleMania, but giving Rusev a clean victory is imperative.

Dean Ambrose Looking to Legitimize the Intercontinental Championship

The build to the Intercontinental Championship match between defending titleholder Bad News Barrett and Dean Ambrose has been lackluster, to say the least, but the actual match should be one of the best on the entire card.

Add in the fact that these talented fan favorites are fighting for the Intercontinental title, and whether the WWE meant to or not, this storyline is adding intrigue to a secondary belt. I know, it’s a novel concept.

Ambrose is one of the most popular wrestlers in the WWE, but since the return of Reigns and Bryan, he has been cast aside. Bad News Barrett has been booked horribly since winning the IC title, and both men are desperate for a program they can get behind.

If the WWE gives this match 10 minutes or more and the two combatants make it their personal mission to have a show-stealing match, this could become one of the hottest storylines heading into WrestleMania.

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