WWE Fastlane 2015: GSM's Pick, Preview and Potential for Each Match
WWE will present its first annual Fastlane pay-per-view event live from the FedExForum in Memphis at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday.
As the final pit stop before WrestleMania 31, Fastlane holds major importance and will set the stage for the Show of Shows on March 29. With seven matches being advertised for the show, each contest looks set to be enjoyable in its own right.
In the main event, Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns will battle for the chance to headline WrestleMania in a WWE World Heavyweight Championship matchup. With so much at stake, which of these two hungry stars will grab the brass ring and advance to the main event of 'Mania?
For the first time since Survivor Series, Triple H and Sting will come face-to-face in the middle of the ring. Will Sting utter his first words since coming to WWE, or will the Game look to exact revenge before that can happen?
John Cena and Rusev will collide in a match for the first time—and the United States Championship will be on the line. Will Cena reign supreme as the new holder of the star-spangled prize, or will Rusev's undefeated streak remain intact?
Here I will provide my preview, prediction and discuss the potential for every match on the advertised card.
The Usos vs. Cesaro and Tyson Kidd (WWE Tag Team Championship)
1 of 7
Preview
WWE Tag Team champions the Usos have taken on all comers since capturing the gold in late December. In the weeks following the Royal Rumble, Cesaro and Tyson Kidd, arguably the most exciting tandem in the division today, have stepped up as challenges to the twin titles.
With wins over each of the Uso brothers in singles competition, they earned a non-title tag team match against them on the Feb. 9 edition of Raw, which they won. At WWE Fastlane, the duos will do battle once more—this time with the gold up for grabs.
Prediction
I commend WWE for doing right by the tag team division in recent weeks by pushing Cesaro and Kidd and reuniting the Prime Time Players, but it's going to take a lot more than that for fans to take tag team wrestling seriously again. The titles have changed hands at random over the past few months, most recently on the New Year's Eve Raw.
It still feels too early to give the belts to Cesaro and Kidd, and I see them winning the straps at WrestleMania next month. Thus, this will merely be a filler match until then.
Potential
The first match the Usos had with Cesaro and Kidd on the Feb. 9 Raw was very fun, but it felt like they were holding back a bit in favor of their upcoming encounter. That said, I expect them to go all out on Sunday and deliver a barnburner of a bout.
Nikki Bella vs. Paige (Divas Championship)
2 of 7
Preview
Last month, Paige aided Natalya in her feud with the Bella Twins, leading to a tag team match between the two tandems at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Although the twin sisters emerged victorious in that encounter, Paige scored a non-title victory over Divas champion Nikki Bella on the Jan. 6 edition of Main Event, earning her a future shot at the title.
Prediction
WWE deserves credit for giving the Divas something of a story for once, but it's difficult to care, since we've seen it countless times in the past with the women. The only hype this match has received in the last month has been Paige beating other Divas with the Bella Twins talking trash on commentary; how does that constitute a real rivalry?
Paige is still a credible competitor, but WWE has somehow managed to make her mean less by turning her twice since she came up from NXT. The Anti-Diva has gotten all the momentum in this feud thus far, so Booking 101 says Nikki retains on Sunday.
Furthermore, I can see AJ Lee returning soon to help Paige in her crusade against the Bellas, so perhaps that happens on this show.
Potential
Needless to say, Paige is one of the best women's wrestlers on the main roster today, and to her credit, Nikki has come a long way in the last year. Even though they are capable of having a good match, I don't expect WWE to give them the chance to, especially given how many matches are already on the card.
Goldust vs. Stardust
3 of 7
Potential
After losing the WWE Tag Team Championships at Survivor Series, Gold and Stardust were never the same. Once a cohesive unit, they began racking up losses against every other tandem in the division going into 2015.
Although Goldust attempted to reconcile the relationship on several occasions, it was to no avail. After coming up short to the New Day on the Feb. 16 edition of Raw, Gold and Stardust officially parted ways when Stardust assaulted his older brother.
It was confirmed days later on SmackDown that the two will do battle in one-on-one action at Fastlane.
Prediction
As someone who has begged for this matchup since 2011, I'm slightly disappointed they're not saving their first match for WrestleMania. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we're getting it at all, but they just split up this past week; what's the rush to have them face each other?
There's a fairly good chance this match doesn't see a winner, as neither guy is a shoo-in to emerge victorious. Although I have my money on some sort of non-finish, Stardust is my safe pick.
Potential
As noted, I believe this match will either conclude without a winner or not happen at all. However, if they do go through with the match, I expect it to be a solid midcard matchup filled with fun in-ring psychology.
If given time, these brothers can have one heck of a contest. Besides, when was the last time a pair of siblings had a bad match?
Bad News Barrett vs. Dean Ambrose (Intercontinental Championship)
4 of 7
Preview
On the Jan. 19 edition of Raw, Dean Ambrose defeated Intercontinental champion Bad News Barrett in non-title action. Two weeks later, Ambrose laid claim to having earned a shot at the title, but Barrett refused to give him a championship matchup at every turn.
In a relentless effort to get his grasp on the prestigious prize, Ambrose attacked the evil Englishman on the Feb. 16 Raw before forcing him to sign a contract that granted him a championship bout at Fastlane. Will Barrett's reign as champ come to a screeching halt at the hands of the Lunatic Fringe?
Prediction
While it's nice to see both guys getting direction on the road to WrestleMania, I honestly couldn't care less who wins this match. One may argue that two established stars feuding over the belt gives it more meaning, but I respectfully disagree.
Barrett has done nothing but lose since capturing the gold in early January, devaluing the title even more as a result. With the strap seemingly casting a curse on its holders, Ambrose should be as far from it as possible, so Barrett must retain here.
Potential
Although the title practically means nothing, I have no doubt these two can contest a great match. If their initial encounter in January was any indication, this championship matchup should be entertaining.
The Authority vs. Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowan
5 of 7
Preview
Having played a major role in the downfall of the Authority at Survivor Series, Dolph Ziggler, Ryback and Erick Rowan were unceremoniously fired by Triple H and Stephanie McMahon on the Jan. 5 edition of Raw.
Thankfully, they weren't without jobs for long, as John Cena's win over the Authority's Seth Rollins, Kane and Big Show on the Jan. 19 Raw saw them reinstated. Even after the Royal Rumble, the bad blood between the two sides continued to boil.
Rollins, Show and Kane have made life miserable for the recently rehired Superstars and will be looking to put them out of commission once and for all when they collide in six-man tag team action at Fastlane.
Prediction
It's obvious this was a last-minute attempt to get all six Superstars on the card, and although it makes sense from a storyline standpoint, I'm ready for this feud to conclude. It's time for Ziggler and Ryback to break off on their own and Rollins to focus on his feud with the returning Randy Orton.
Speaking of Orton, it's possible he will resurface here, though I wouldn't count on it. Either way, Rollins is the only one with a clear direction going into WrestleMania, so I see him scoring the victory for his team in this match.
Potential
As exciting as Ziggler and Rollins are in the ring together, Kane and Show being involved does absolutely nothing for me. Hopefully their respective roles are limited and they allow the better in-ring workers to shine.
Rusev vs. John Cena (United States Championship)
6 of 7
Preview
During the post-Royal Rumble show on WWE Network, Rusev jump-started a rivalry with John Cena by rudely interrupting his promo. In the weeks since, Rusev has labeled Cena an "old man," claiming he is no longer the top dog he once was.
Cena retaliated aggressively, laying waste to Rusev on the Feb. 16 edition of Raw to send the message that he won't be going down without a fight come Fastlane. Can Cena be the one to hand Rusev his first pinfall loss in WWE and take his United States Championship from him in the process?
Prediction
To me, it isn't a matter of if Cena is going to beat Rusev but rather when. Typical booking would see the streak snapped at WrestleMania, but this is WWE after all, so you can never be so sure.
As much as I dread the idea of Cena beating Rusev, I've accepted that it's only inevitable, but it shouldn't and won't happen here. Regardless of whether he cheats to beat Cena or gets himself counted out or disqualified, the Bulgarian Brute will walk out of Fastlane with his title and streak intact.
Potential
Obviously, this is the first time these two will do battle, so there's no telling how well they'll work together, but it should be suspenseful given its major implications. Rusev has been impressive in the ring since his arrival, and Cena can always be counted on for a good showing, so I have hope that it'll be better than expected.
Roman Reigns vs. Daniel Bryan (No. 1 Contender's Match for WWE Championship)
7 of 7
Preview
At the Royal Rumble, controversy and chaos ensued when Roman Reigns emerged as the victor of the annual 30-man Battle Royal (much to the dismay of the fans in attendance) to earn a shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 31.
Having received help from the Rock, Reigns' Rumble win was put into question by the Authority, who granted Daniel Bryan another opportunity to headline the Show of Shows. With approval from Reigns, a match was made for Fastlane that will see the former Shield member put his title shot on the line against Bryan.
Prediction
Honestly, this is a lose-lose situation no matter who wins. If Reigns comes out on top, there's a chance the fans will revolt against him even more and ruin the main event of 'Mania. If Bryan comes out on top, Reign's Rumble win be proved to have been pointless.
I'd be all for a Bryan vs. Brock Lesnar match on the grand stage, but my money is still with Reigns in this contest. I have no idea where that leaves Bryan, but they already went with the big Reigns push, so they might as well stick with it.
What precedent will it set if WWE gives in and changes the main event of their premiere pay-per-view for the second straight year?
Potential
Reigns may not be the most technically sound Superstar on the roster today, but he's capable of having a very good match with the right opponent. Bryan will bring the best out of the rising rookie, and with what's at stake, the atmosphere for this matchup will be incredibly interesting to say the least.
Read more prediction pieces for past WWE pay-per-views here.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website at Next Era Wrestling and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.
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