WWE Fastlane 2018: Match Card, Latest Rumors, News and Buzz Before SmackDown PPV

Sunday brings with it WWE's final stop on the Road to WrestleMania.

The build to Fastlane has been an exercise in protracted tedium. There are stakes, but only in the most superficial manner. There's a bigger, more consequential pay-per-view happening on April 8; nothing that happens Sunday evening will do anything to derail WrestleMania 34. No title switches. No brand-new plot threads to pull—unless a certain Deadman surprises everyone.

It will just be a reinforcement of what has already been laid out for months.

To enjoy Fastlane, fans should focus less on the stories being told and more on how well they are being depicted. Here's the latest WWE news and buzz as we head into the final SmackDown Live-exclusive PPV of the year.

Credit: WWE.com

WWE Fastlane (2018) Match Card

• Rusev vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
• Becky Lynch and Naomi vs. Natalya and Carmella
• Bobby Roode vs. Rand Orton (United States Championship)
• The Usos vs. The New Day (SmackDown Live Tag Team Championships)
• Charlotte Flair vs. Ruby Riott (SmackDown Live Women's Championship)
• AJ Styles vs. John Cena vs. Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler (WWE Championship)

Credit: WWE.com

Andre the Giant Battle Royal

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Randall Ortman of Cageside Seats), Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are scheduled to participate in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal. This was also teased by Owens on Saturday, when he tweeted the following image from last year's bout:

"

Tape study. pic.twitter.com/7SyStkldr2

— Kevin Owens (@FightOwensFight) March 10, 2018"

It hasn't been clear whether the Battle Royal would even take place this year. This latest rumor, if true, means one of two things: Either WWE is elevating the prestige of the match to include established stars or WWE is burying the duo rather than giving them a singles match together (which it should). Hopefully, it's the former and not the latter; the Andre the Giant HBO documentary, which premieres on April 10, would be an excellent tie-in.

Credit: WWE.com

When Is Carmella Cashing In?

According to Brad Shepard of BodySlam.net, the word going around is Carmella will be cashing in her Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 34, where she will lose (h/t Cassidy Haynes of the same outlet). Apparently, Carmella is at peace with this decision.

"She's down to do it," Shepard said. "She basically knows Asuka is going to be champ and she doesn't have a chance of winning the championship from her, so it's kinda like, 'You might as well make the most of losing. Why not WrestleMania?'"

If true, it's an unfortunate end to what could have been a career-boosting opportunity for the Princess of Staten Island. This storyline has been bad from the outset, when James Ellsworth tossed the briefcase to Carmella at last year's Money in the Bank. Since then, Carmella has never regained her momentum.