WWE Fastlane 2017: Booking Decisions That Must Be Made at PPV

WWE Fastlane 2017 is fast approaching, and fans are anticipating a heavy night of action. 

That's primarily due to the main event, Kevin Owens vs. Goldberg. The WWE Universal Championship will be on the line as KO defends against the man who is 2-0 against Brock Lesnar. A win for Owens would put him among the elite in WWE.

But considering how Goldberg has been booked since his return, it's unknown how the company will handle this one.

The Beast Incarnate is not yet booked on the Fastlane card, but that does not mean he won't be on hand. He and Goldberg have a match already set for WrestleMania 33, so the time may be coming when Paul Heyman's client decides to make a statement.

Fastlane could be the night when that happens.

But there's more going on than just the universal title match, though that's the top draw thus far. The key to Fastlane's success is the booking—not just for the main event, but also for the rest of the card. When it comes to WWE, there's no way to know how any of it will be received until it happens.

However, there are a few things the company can do to ensure the night is a hit for everyone involved.

The Queen's Dominance

Charlotte Flair's loss to Bayley for the Raw Women's Championship is still being felt by the WWE faithful.

Bayley was an underdog, and Flair was the favorite because, well, she's Charlotte Flair. The Nature Boy's daughter just doesn't lose all that often. The problem was that their match took place on Raw.

As it turns out, TV is Flair's kryptonite.

Flair is undefeated in pay-per-view singles matches, which WWE is quick to remind everyone of. But when it comes to TV, she's as fallible as any other Superstar on the roster. It's a trend that has continued throughout her career, and now, it's become a focus for WWE.

But should it continue?

The problem is WrestleMania. Flair has proved she can beat anyone put in front of her, and if she hasn't pinned someone, it's likely because she hasn't worked with that person yet. WWE has booked her to the moon—and for good reason.

She's arguably the best of her division.

But the stronger she gets, the less interesting she becomes. If she beats Bayley at Fastlane and regains the title, then she will probably go to WrestleMania as the champion. Despite who she's booked to work or what kind of match it may be, fans may decide it's not worth their time.

Where's the drama with a Superstar who's practically a guaranteed winner on every pay-per-view?

The trick is to get Flair over at Fastlane but keep the belt on Bayley. The only way to do that is if Sasha Banks once again offers Bayley a helping hand, as she did on Raw, only to be caught by the referee this time. 

Flair is robbed of a potential win, and Bayley remains the Raw women's champion.

WWE can then continue to promote Flair as undefeated on pay-per-view, and Bayley can take issue with Banks for getting involved in the Fastlane match. WrestleMania could then be booked as a Triple Threat for the Raw Women's Championship, or Flair could instead end up in a different scenario altogether.

Either way, WWE wins.

Building the Monster

Braun Strowman had one of the best rookie years in recent memory.

The former Wyatt Family strongman stepped out of his comfort zone and became a real player on Raw. He did it without a manager to speak for him, and he did it without trying to pop the crowd as a babyface would.

Strowman played his role, he knew who he was and he knew his strengths. He never tried to be something he wasn't.

Now, he has a chance to become even bigger than he already is. Strowman will face Roman Reigns at Fastlane, and it's a key moment for both men. The reason for that is because Strowman needs a win, and Reigns needs a WrestleMania setup.

That setup will likely come against The Phenom.

Undertaker's confrontation with Reigns at Royal Rumble was beyond shocking. No matter how many times Reigns' positioning as the next top guy is discussed by fans, it remains a big deal when he does something major.

Nothing's more major than eliminating The Deadman in the Royal Rumble match.

Undertaker has been silent since that moment, but Fastlane should be the night when he finally makes his voice heard. He should return at Fastlane and cost Reigns the win against Strowman. That would set up Reigns vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania and leave Strowman in great shape for the next step.

That next step is main event stardom.

A win by distraction is still a win. Even if the match were to end in disqualification, Strowman would still benefit because he would likely come face-to-face with The Deadman. WWE may even decide to go with Undertaker vs. Strowman at The Show of Shows, which would catapult the younger star far above his current spot.

Regardless of how the company chooses to handle the match, Strowman needs a great night at Fastlane to keep his momentum going. The building process is not yet complete, but a win over a top guy like Reigns would go a long way toward establishing Strowman as a force to be reckoned with in WWE.

Next or Nothing

Kevin Owens is next.

The universal champion will have the biggest match of his WWE career at Fastlane when he faces Goldberg for the title. Goldberg has been white-hot since he returned to the company in 2016, and he's taking that momentum to bear on Raw's top heel.

KO is no longer a clown; he's a killer.

When Owens destroyed his supposed best friend, Chris Jericho, he set the tone for his match with Goldberg. Now, instead of the lovably entertaining KO, fans are getting a man bent on destruction. Owens will need every ounce of mayhem he can muster against Goldberg, who is not easily intimidated by anyone.

But how will their match at Fastlane end?

That's where many fans face a serious conundrum. On one hand, Goldberg should continue on his monster run and win the championship from Owens. On the other hand, Owens has a renewed sense of purpose now and should retain the championship.

If Goldberg wins, he will defend at WrestleMania against Lesnar. If Owens wins, he will probably defend at WrestleMania against Jericho.

While either option would work, Goldberg is the man who should leave Fastlane as the new universal champion. Lesnar would have no reason to interfere in the match, as he would want to take the title from Goldberg at WrestleMania. But Jericho would love to see Owens lose his most prized possession—a measure of revenge for their breakup.

Jericho vs. Owens is not about titles; it's much more personal than that.

Goldberg would bring a big-fight feel to the Universal Championship, which is something the title has arguably never had. Even if he were to lose at WrestleMania, the title would have the biggest spotlight it's ever had in WWE.

If the company hopes to build the championship as a legitimate second world belt behind the WWE title, then Goldberg and Lesnar should work for it on a big stage. There is no bigger stage than WrestleMania.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here.