The blinker is on, we’re veering slightly to the left, and we are now officially in the FastLane! (pause for annoyed groan over the cheesiness)
Since the triple threat was made a few weeks ago, it seemed like a forgone conclusion that Brock Lesnar would be taken out of the match by the Wyatt Family and Dean Ambrose was only in the match so Roman Reigns could get the pin and move on to WrestleMania and beat Triple H for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
WELP!
So much happened on Raw to make it seem like we just may get an unexpected detour on the Road to WrestleMania. Could Dean Ambrose be in line for a WrestleMania main event match?
The first subtle hint, well, wasn’t exactly that subtle. Kevin Owens won an impromptu Fatal-Five way match for Ambrose’s Intercontinental Championship in what turned out to be an interesting match. This could very well have been removing one belt form Ambrose to add the possibility of gaining a more prestigious belt.
The next hint came with the showdown between Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman. I could very easily see this as planting the seeds of making Reigns a Paul Heyman guy – or at least the heel that the WWE Universe has been clamoring for. That turn could very well come during the main event in Dallas as Ambrose is just about ready to put the COO away and win his first World Heavyweight Championship.
On that note, after the conversation between Reigns and Heyman, the newly-turned Dudley Boys came out of nowhere to take out the Samoan Bad Ass. Could this lead to more than just a match on SmackDown? Could this lead to alternate WrestleMania plans for Reigns?
However you spin in, the main event of FastLane just got a lot more intriguing. The foregone conclusion isn’t exactly a foregone conclusion anymore. I still say that Reigns ends up winning the match but the range of possibilities for the end of the match has expanded exponentially!
It was also announced that the first ever Vincent J McMahon Legacy of Excellence Award will be given next week on Raw. It’s not a coincidence that this award will be given out next Monday – the first Raw in which there are no more pay-per-view stops on the Road to WrestleMania – this will have big WrestleMania implications.
This is the way I see it – the award is given to a returning John Cena, who will make yet another John Cena injury return – meaning he returns in less than a quarter of the time that he was supposed to be out a la 2007-2008.
Cena comes down and gives an acceptance speech that ends with some variation of “I have done everything that there is to do in this business…with one major exception.” That exception? Facing and defeating The Undertaker at WrestleMania. The seed is planted for the Battle of the Legends match that had originally been penciled in for the mega event in Dallas.
Other notes from the show
- Kalisto and Alberto Del Rio will be going 2 out of three falls for the US Title at FastLane. That has the potential to be a classic.
- Speaking of classic potential – Jericho/Styles III looks like it will take place Sunday as well. This has been a great way to introduce the WWE Universe to AJ Styles. I would love to see Styles and Owens for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania.
- Along with that, if you know me you know how much I hate to say something like this, but…ugh…Miz has looked good in his role during this Styles/Jericho feud.
- If Ric Flair is going to be with Charlotte, please make him the mouthpiece! Charlotte is great in the ring but she still sounds like she memorized her line right before coming through the curtain.
- Did…did Summer Rae beat Paige? Clean? Seriously???
- Edge and Christian come back at Fastlane! A Peep Show/Cutting Edge segment with New Day on Sunday could, dare I say, TOTALLY reek of awesomeness!
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