WWE Fastlane 2017: Match Card, Potential Spoilers, Predictions and More

WWE Fastlane on March 5 is the company's last pay-per-view stop before WrestleMania 33, and fans are surely hoping for a big night of action.

The top stars of Monday Night Raw will be on display, and the storylines they're involved in will lead directly to the WWE's biggest event of the year on April 2. For that reason, Fastlane must be a hit and must work on every level.

Anything less would be considered a disappointment.

But the Fastlane card has been built to impress, so it should give fans what they want. The mix of veteran stars and younger talents has been handled well thus far, which means that Fastlane has a little something for everyone.

The WWE faithful need only look at the matches that have been booked to see that the company is on pace to create a top-notch night of action.

The Match Card and Predictions

Fastlane's Kickoff Match features the cruiserweight stars from 205 Live. Rich Swann and Akira Tozawa will face Noam Dar and The Brian Kendrick in a tag team match that will get the night rolling, and it should provide a real adrenaline rush to start the event off right.

The cruiserweight division is still trying to connect with fans in many ways, but one of the keys to making it work is character development. The more that fans see the guys interact in storylines; the more they can become emotionally invested in what they're seeing. This match, however, will only be a spark to get Fastlane moving in the right direction. Swann and Tozawa should pick up the win here.

Credit: WWE.com

Former Raw women's champion Sasha Banks will face the monstrous Nia Jax. No championship is on the line here, of course, but it's safe to assume that whoever walks out with the win would have a great chance of getting a title shot.

Banks' slide since losing the Raw Women's Championship has not been lost on fans, who have seen her somewhat struggle to find herself again. The question of whether or not she can become relevant without Charlotte has been asked, so this match with Jax is an important step in Banks' career to this point. Banks will likely win by disqualification, due to Jax's aggressiveness during the match.

The Raw Tag Team Championships will be on the line when Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows square off against Enzo Amore and Big Colin Cassady. The former Bullet Club members are finally on top of Raw's tag team division, but their opponents want to realize their goals as well.

Enzo and Cass are the modern-day New Age Outlaws, and they have become an entertaining duo. But they have never won tag team gold together, so it will be interesting to see how the WWE handles this match at Fastlane. Gallows and Anderson probably will not lose on March 5, but that doesn't mean Enzo and Cass won't eventually beat them somewhere down the line.

Neville will defend the WWE Cruiserweight Championship against Gentleman Jack Gallagher. Gallagher has become one of the bright spots on 205 Live, and no one in the cruiserweight division is arguably more entertaining. Neville has done an exceptional job of bringing respectability to the title, and this match should be a fun one from start to finish.

Neville's work to establish the cruiserweight title has not gone unnoticed and should continue beyond Fastlane. Gallagher is hot right now, but his title win won't come at Fastlane. WrestleMania 33 should be the night when The Extraordinary Gentleman perhaps realizes his dream of becoming the new cruiserweight champion.

Samoa Joe's reputation as The Destroyer has been built from the ground up on Monday Night Raw, and that will continue at Fastlane. Joe will face Sami Zayn, who has been fed to one brute after another for the duration of his main-roster career.

That will once again be the case on March 5 when Joe defeats him. Joe has been on a roll, and the devastation he's introduced to the WWE has built him up more than fans could have ever expected. Samoa Joe will come into Fastlane on his feet looking for a fight, and he will leave Fastlane in the exact same way.

Charlotte Flair will attempt to become the Raw women's champion once again when she steps into the ring against Bayley. Bayley's title win on Raw was perhaps unexpected, but it's propelled her to the forefront of the program. Whether or not she was ready for such a spot is debatable, but she has made the best of her time as champion thus far.

Charlotte is undefeated in singles matches on pay-per-view, and that has caused many to believe she will regain the championship at Fastlane. However, Bayley should retain the title and possibly set up a Fatal-4-Way for the championship at WrestleMania that includes Banks, Charlotte and Nia Jax.

Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman will throw down in what will probably be more of a fight than a wrestling match. Strowman is climbing up the ladder in the WWE, and is headed for big things on the main event level. This match is another opportunity for him to prove himself as he builds his career.

Reigns is in the way, of course, but he should do the job at Fastlane. Strowman's potential is obvious, his work has been impressive so far, and it's evident that the WWE believes in him. Strowman should leave Fastlane with a victory and be one step closer to where the company wants him to be.

"

This world doesn't need a HERO it needs Monster!!!!! #monsteramongmen #FastLane

— Braun Strowman (@BraunStrowman) February 27, 2017"

WWE Universal champion Kevin Owens will face the legendary Goldberg in a match for Raw's top title. KO has never been hotter as a heel, thanks to his destruction of Chris Jericho. Goldberg has never been hotter as a babyface, thanks to his dominance of Brock Lesnar.

This match is an interesting one, with major implications for WrestleMania 33. Though Owens is indeed on a high, he should drop the championship to Goldberg. KO vs. Y2J at Mania doesn't need the title in the mix, but Goldberg vs. Lesnar does. Goldberg should walk out of Fastlane as the new champion, set to defend at WrestleMania 33.

Potential Spoilers and More

Time to ante up.

According to Bet Wrestling (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Raj Giri) the betting odds on Fastlane are changing dramatically. Nia is believed to be the favorite over Sasha. Bayley is still the underdog against Charlotte, but the odds are leaning more in the champ's favor. 

Strowman is believed to come out as the winner vs. Reigns, and if the information is right, Goldberg will be the new WWE Universal champion. 

The most alluring part about the Fastlane card is that the company can go in any direction with any match that's been booked. There are no guaranteed winners or losers, and no one's career would be crushed with a loss. 

KO could surprise everyone and retain the title against Goldberg. Owens' inevitable match with Jericho at Mania would take on a whole new perspective with the WWE's second top title on the line. The Undertaker could interrupt Strowman vs. Reigns, but Strowman could be the man targeted instead of The Big Dog.

Charlotte could destroy Bayley, and Samoa Joe could suffer a loss against Zayn thanks to a distraction from Seth Rollins. Every Fastlane storyline has more than one potential outcome, and the WWE can make anything work as WrestleMania approaches.

This is what has historically always made the WWE the best when it comes to storytelling. The key is being able to change course in an instant, and trust the talent to carry the narrative forward. No one in the industry is better at this than WWE.

That fact will likely be proved once again when Fastlane goes live on March 5.

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