WWE Fastlane Matches 2017: Bold Predictions for Raw PPV Showcase

WWE's Fastlane event is coming up on March 5, and there's reason to be excited. 

That's due to the company's build for the night, which has included a Queen's dominance, a monster's main event rise and a friendship's demise. SmackDown Live definitely has its fans, but the work done to hype Raw's event cannot be denied.

There are some very intriguing stories being told on Monday nights.

The next chapters of those stories will be written at Fastlane, which is the last event before WrestleMania 33. It's WWE's final opportunity to make a statement on the pay-per-view stage before Mania on April 2, so it's a crucial night in terms of timing.

If fans don't buy in at Fastlane, then WrestleMania will be directly affected.

Many fans surely have their favorites, and those favorites could be on fairly predictable paths heading into March 5. But that may not be the case, as WWE has been known to do the unexpected at important moments in the past.

If Fastlane is to be successful, it must not be mundane. It's time for WWE to make some bold booking decisions.

Bayley Will Retain the Raw Women's Championship Against Charlotte

Charlotte is undefeated in singles matches on pay-per-view. It's a stat that can't be forgotten, thanks to the constant emphasis WWE has placed on it. But maybe that's the point.

Much like The Undertaker's undefeated streak, Charlotte is becoming known for her prowess on pay-per-view. The longer it goes on, the more respect she gains, and the more untouchable she becomes. Just as Taker was fallible on TV, Charlotte too is only human on the small screen.

credit: wwe.com

But the big-event stage is Charlotte's yard.

At some point, fans will eventually become emotionally invested in Charlotte's undefeated streak. Even those that boo her and want to see her lose still care enough to pay attention to it. That should continue as time goes on, and anyone Charlotte faces will benefit.

Bayley is on deck next, and maybe the time has come for WWE to set up the home run.

After all, there's not an abundance of female Raw Superstars left that could pose a threat to Charlotte, so perhaps Bayley should pin her at Fastlane. If anyone from the Women's Revolution deserves it, it's Bayley. WWE believed in her enough to give her the championship, and she's over with the fans.

Why not let her break Charlotte's streak?

Or maybe the streak should continue until WrestleMania 33, when the stakes will be higher. It would be a great way to promote the women's match at Mania and would be much more compelling for those fans that are indeed paying attention to the streak. Charlotte is the premier talent in the women's division, and she's earned her place at the top.

But she can't remain untouchable forever.

Despite whether Charlotte is pinned, disqualified or counted out, she shouldn't regain the Raw Women's Championship at Fastlane. There's a bigger story to be told if Charlotte goes into WrestleMania without the title, which means Bayley should leave on March 5 with the gold.

Braun Strowman Will Defeat Roman Reigns

Braun Strowman's rise has been one for the ages.

Some fans may not see that now, but there can be no denying how far he's come in such a short amount of time. WWE is building a new main event star one step at a time, and he's done extremely well thus far.

There's no ceiling for Strowman, who one day could become a world champion

credit: wwe.com

But Roman Reigns is a major roadblock for him right now, and that should not be the case. Working Reigns should elevate Strowman in the eyes of the fans, due to Reigns' position as a top guy in the company.

However, Reigns' critics feel that Strowman's evolution could end now.

Reigns just doesn't tend to lose a lot of high-profile matches. He's been booked strong because that's how WWE wants him. The question of just how much he can do for Strowman is surely being asked, as is the question of whether WWE will book Reigns to do the job at Fastlane.

Considering Reigns is 0-3 on the last few pay-per-views, the likelihood of him losing again is probably pretty slim.

But that cannot be the case at Fastlane. Strowman needs this win much more than Reigns does. Strowman's growth must not be hindered now; he's come much too far to slow down at this point. He's on the verge of doing big things and has been built as a serious threat to anyone he steps into the ring with.

Facing Reigns should indeed help Strowman, not hurt him.

Perhaps The Undertaker's music could play, distracting Reigns and allowing Strowman to get the advantage. Maybe Reigns will be unable to answer the 10-count outside the ring. Or perhaps Strowman should just take him down and leave him for dead once he gets the win.

No matter how WWE handles it, Strowman should come out of Fastlane with a major win on his growing resume.

Chris Jericho Will Return

When Kevin Owens attacked Chris Jericho on Monday Night Raw, he became a changed man.

For far too long, fans watched KO play the clown. Owens was deadpan hilarious, delivering clever one-liners and elementary school humor with his best friend Y2J. The two seemed more like eight-year olds on the playground than they did grown men in a WWE ring.

The ride may have been fun for fans, but it didn't do Owens any favors.

credit: wwe.com

KO is at his best as the punishing prizefighter. That's the gimmick that worked when he first came to Monday Night Raw, and it's the gimmick that earned him the hate of fans everywhere. They respected him for what he could do, but they also booed him for the heel that he was.

But when he began teaming with Jericho, Owens became an unofficial babyface. He pandered to the crowd, he tried to get their laughs and he had befriended one of WWE's most popular Superstars of all time. Owens became a goofy caricature and was far from being the villain that he once was.

Of course, all that's changed now. 

The fact that Jericho is so popular did nothing but make Owens appear more despicable than he ever was. KO has a new lease on life in WWE now thanks to what he did to Y2J, and it's obvious that their entire friendship was constructed merely to get them to WrestleMania 33.

Owens and Jericho will not only tear the house down on April 2, they could very well have the match of the night.

But Fastlane comes first, and that event should bring Jericho back to the fold. Jericho has not been seen on TV since Owens attacked him, so by the time he comes down the ramp at Fastlane, the crowd should be primed and ready. 

Jericho will get a massive reaction at Fastlane, and his presence will likely cost Owens the WWE Universal Championship. Goldberg and Brock Lesnar need the belt at Mania more than Owens and Jericho do, so the timing will be perfect for KO to drop the title.

WrestleMania may be the end for Goldberg and Lesnar, but Owens and Jericho are just getting started.

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