Ryan Dilbert's 10-Count: WWE Writing Improving on Way to Fastlane, WrestleMania

1. WWE Creative Gaining Momentum in Midst of WrestleMania Season

Every year around this time, WWE shakes off the malaise of winter and begins to flourish.

Narratives tighten. Stars begin to pop up more often. Electricity flows through the product as a whole.

The company may have changed the name of its pre-WrestleMania pay-per-view from Elimination Chamber to Fastlane, but this annual metamorphosis is no different in 2015. There is more focus and passion in WWE's storytelling right now. It's again the most exciting time to be a fan.

WWE, for example, is building toward Triple H vs. Sting in a masterful way.

Sting arrives only intermittently, his mystique strengthening in the process. After unsettling Triple H with body doubles and control of the video system last week, just the idea of him was enough to madden The Game on Monday's Raw.

Ric Flair warned him not to take Sting lightly. It's clear that the chief operating officer is doing anything but. Sting has wormed his way into Triple H's head, setting off his temper.

Without Sting in sight, WWE hyped his expected collision with Triple H with a smart strategy. Sting plays the vigilante armed with mystical abilities and a powerful presence. Triple H is reverting back to his Cerebral Assassin days, becoming more vicious, his snarl growing bigger.   

The much-maligned creative team deserves kudos for how it's elevating Roman Reigns as well.

After a Royal Rumble win marred with controversy, WWE has worked hard to hand Reigns momentum leading up to WrestleMania. His upcoming bout with Daniel Bryan doesn't just feel like a placeholder anymore after a well-timed escalation of animosity that led to a show-closing brawl.

Intensity also powers John Cena vs. Rusev. With as combative as things have become between them, it's clear there will be plenty of bad blood left over from Fastlane to dive into at WrestleMania.

All this narrative success is a welcome change from what seemed like creative autopilot over the last few months.

WrestleMania season is here. The apex of the WWE calendar is on its way.

2. Intercontinental Championship Hot Potato

Dean Ambrose fans should have confidence aplenty about The Lunatic Fringe's chances of dethroning Bad News Barrett at Fastlane. WWE has not allowed the Intercontinental Championship to sit on one waist for long as of late.

It's the title the company apparently feels most comfortable switching around. Per WWE.com, we haven't seen an IC titleholder keep the belt over 200 days since Cody Rhodes did so from 2011 to 2012. 

The last few champs would have a hard time imagining a reign even close to that length. On the last seven pay-per-views where the IC belt was on the line, there has been a new champion five times.

Event	Winner	Loser	New Champion?
Extreme Rules 2014	Bad News Barrett	Big E	Yes
Payback 2014	Bad News Barrett	Rob Van Dam	No
Battleground 2014	The Miz	Battle Royal Field	Yes
SummerSlam 2014	Dolph Ziggler	The Miz	Yes
Night of Champions 2014	The Miz	Dolph Ziggler	Yes
Hell in a Cell 2014	Dolph Ziggler	Cesaro	No
TLC 2014	Dolph Ziggler	Luke Harper	Yes

It may soon be Ambrose's turn to wear that title and experience all the non-title losses that come with it. 

3. Documentary Director Talks Jake Roberts Project

Wrestling fans have heard Roberts' story of his descending into darkness several times over. A new documentary celebrates the journey he took to climb out of that place.

The Resurrection of Jake The Snake Roberts shows the WWE Hall of Famer struggling with his addictions as Diamond Dallas Page tries to help him forge a new life. Director Steve Yu recently spoke with CineFix about how the project got started and why it will appeal to an audience beyond those who watched Roberts DDT folks to the canvas.

It's an intriguing interview, effectively whetting the appetite for the film that premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in January.

4. Rusev vs. John Cena Will Steal the Show

Expect excellence from Reigns vs. Bryan and some good brawling between Ambrose and Barrett. It will be Rusev and Cena, though, who deliver the best matchup of the night at Fastlane.

Cena's history of excelling against explosive monsters like Rusev points to this latest collision being a memorable one. Cena has thrived against Umaga and Bray Wyatt. He now faces a bruiser with a similar style to that of those two men.

For Rusev, this is a proving-ground match. It's the biggest contest of his career to date, and his resume is full of proof that he steps up when called upon.

As his competition has gotten stiffer, his performances have gotten better. He went from solid action with Big E to a stellar showing against Sheamus to win the U.S. title.

With as intense as the buildup between them has been, one has to count on their showdown to be hard-hitting and more barroom fight than wrestling match. That favors both men, providing an ideal stage for them to impress as they wallop on each other.

5. Best of Samoa Joe

The Samoan Submission Machine may be headed to WWE. Joe tweeted on Tuesday that he is no longer with TNA:

The next phase of his career begins. Perhaps it sees him return to Ring of Honor or go the AJ Styles route and choose New Japan Pro Wrestling instead. Should WWE scoop him up, some fans will need a primer on what he has accomplished in the past.

Seeking out these matches is a good start:

• Samoa Joe vs. CM Punk—ROH Joe vs. Punk II (2004)
• Samoa Joe vs. Bryan Danielson—ROH Fight of the Century (2006)
• Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles—TNA Turning Point 2005
• Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle (Six Sides of Steel)—Lockdown 2008 
• Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles vs. Christopher Daniels—TNA Turning Point 2009 

He could be facing Danielson (now Daniel Bryan) again some eight years after their standout performance in Edison, New Jersey. Whether WWE would go with that choice or not, if the company does bring him in, WrestleMania plans will need to be changed.

That's an excellent place to first showcase him to a new audience.

6. The Tag Team Division in Transition

Goldust and Stardust are no more. The brothers collided again on Monday's Raw, signaling the end of their alliance. 

With as terrible as The Miz is treating Damien Mizdow, that team can't last long either.

New teams are on their way to replace those, though. The Prime Time Players reunited on Monday's Raw. That moment wasn't done effectively, but it was the right move.

This is just what the paper-thin tag division needs. Titus O'Neil and Darren Young were both at their peak as a duo. They get a chance to return to that with a whole new set of opponents in front of them.

Bringing up The Lucha Dragons will boost the division as well. The speedy, athletic pairing would make good opponents for The Ascension as well as Cesaro and Tyson Kidd. 

The tag division's quality hits peaks and valleys every so often, and it appears that it is set to reach the former after an uninteresting stretch.

7. Throwback Video of the Week: Sting, Ric Flair 

On Monday's Raw, Flair talked about his many battles with Sting. For fans who didn't watch that rivalry unfold over the course of three decades and with two promotions, looking back at one of their earliest clashes is a must.

Sting's energy is vibrant, and Flair's intensity is enthralling as an interview soon turns to a brawl. 

This remains one of the best rivalries in pro wrestling history, one that WWE is smart to use as part of the buildup of Triple H vs. Sting. 

8. Erick Rowan, More Hapless Than Monstrous 

While his former "family" members enjoy the spoils of victory, Rowan is settling into the roster's lower tier. 

Bray Wyatt is on a hot streak, tearing through his opposition. Luke Harper had a brief IC title run and now beats up the members of the company's very lowest tier like R-Truth.

Rowan, meanwhile, is losing and losing often. He is 1-4 in his last five televised bouts.  

Going further back, he's just 4-7 in his last 11 matches. And two of those wins came on the little-seen Superstars.

Rowan doesn't need to mirror Cena's winning percentage to be an impact wrestler, but it feels as if WWE doesn't have any plans to highlight the big man. He's in limbo for the moment, taking lumps and watching others go by him.

9. Inserting Seth Rollins into Fastlane

Thanks partly to Randy Orton not being back yet, Rollins is without a match at Fastlane. That pay-per-view is a great spot to have The Viper return and kick-start that feud, but Rollins will need to be in action for that to happen.

WWE has but two realistic options to find a spot on the card for Mr. Money in the Bank.

Credit: WWE.com

The company can go with a tag match pitting Rollins, Kane and Big Show against Dolph Ziggler, Rowan and Ryback. Otherwise, Rollins and Ziggler can go at it again in singles action

With as many times as they have gone at it, though, there needs to be an added stipulation. A 2-out-of-3 Falls match would be mighty fun if there is enough time on the show. 

Beyond that, there's little that makes sense for Rollins given the current storylines. 

10. Praise for NXT TakeOver: Rival

The wrestling world was watching the NXT Superstars produce another great show last Wednesday. Among the most notable compliments those involved received came from two men who spent many a year toiling on a mat.

Edge praised the Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn rivalry:

Lance Storm tipped his hat to the women who battled in the Fatal 4-Way for the NXT women's title:

He wasn't alone. That sentiment was shared by many as Bayley, Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks showed us once again that women's wrestling can be far more than what it is on the main roster. 

All match statistics courtesy of CageMatch.net.