The last stop before WWE Fastlane rolls through Wilkes-Barre, PA as the Superstars laid it all out on the Road to WrestleMania. Daniel Bryan vows to break his silence on last weeks Kevin Owens shocker and Charlotte Flair will address last night’s explosive ending to Monday Night Raw.
Daniel Bryan Promo
WWE Champion Daniel Bryan stands center ring with his “intellectual equal” Rowan. After saying he did not want to talk about Kofi Kingston, Bryan berates the former #1 contender mocking his “waste of copious amounts of pancakes” and his friendship with someone who “consumes a copious amount of pancakes” He discusses The New Day‘s media tour in Mumbai and their absence from SmackDown that evening when he’s interrupted by Kevin Owens. Owens slams The Eco-Warrior on the mic calling the champ “pretentious” and “condescending” promising to “shut his mouth” at Fastlane. Daniel Bryan tells KO that he should shut his mouth considering what he and the WWE Universe consume regularly. After squabbling over who is more low brow in the banter, Owens mocks Rowan referring to him as a “7 Ft Backup Dancer”. This leads to a scuffle between the two and a match announced for later that night.
Jey Uso w/ Jimmy Uso vs The Miz w/ Shane McMahon
The Usos make their way to the ring. The SmackDown Tag Team Champions remind us all that they won their 6th Tag Team Championship at Elimination Chamber. They mock their Fastlane opponents making light of Miz‘ relationship with his Dad and Shane’s high risk offense. Jimmy even talks up Shane’s shoe game but doesn’t have much to knock there. Miz and McMahon take to the ring. Shane warns Jey that if he loses focus, The Miz will capitalize. Miz then promises to make Shane proud tonight and his father proud this Sunday in his hometown of Cleveland. The Miz and Jey Uso have a great back and forth match with a few near falls. Jey nearly avoids the Skull Crushing Finale and hits a few big moves of his own. After Jimmy tried to assist his brother, Shane O’ Mac drives Jimmy to the floor with a diving clothesline. Jey moves to take out McMahon when he’s caught by Miz who successfully executes the Skull Crushing Finale for the win.
Charlotte Flair Interview
Charlotte has requested an interview with Kayla Braxton. The Queen reiterates Stephanie McMahon‘s announcement on RAW that it will be Flair vs Becky Lynch at Fastlane and if Becky wins she will be added to Ronda Rousey vs Charlotte at WrestleMania for the RAW Womens Championship. She invites “her best friend” Becky to SmackDown for a “friendly discussion” asking Braxton if “The Man” will be “Man Enough” to show.
R-Truth (c) vs Samoa Joe vs Rey Mysterio vs Andrade (United States Championship)
R-Truth and Carmella are back with the U.S Title Open Challenge. After a quick refresher on how Truth was able to retain last week and a 7 second dance break, the U.S Champion issues the challenge which initially sees Lacey Evans strut down the ramp and back to where she came from, but is answered by not 1, not 2, but 3 different superstars this week. Samoa Joe enters first followed immediately by Rey and Andrade. Greg Hamilton announces a fatal 4-way and we’re under way. All 4 competitors interact with one another but there is an astute focus on the rivalry between Mysterio and Andrade. Rey hits a couple 619 attempts and R-Truth tries to roll up Rey like he did last week but to no avail. After planting Samoa Joe, Rey counters Andrade with a sick flip piledriver that sets up El Idolo perfectly for the 619. Just as it seems Mysterio is about to claim the United States gold as his own, Samoa Joe destroys Rey and Andrade with a brutal senton and slams Andrade with a twisting Uranage and the 3 count. Samoa Joe is your NEW United States Champion.
We see Becky Lynch entering the arena banged up from her encounter with Ronda Rousey and then The New Day announce from Mumbai that they will in fact be at Fastlane on Sunday.
Aleister Black/Ricochet vs The Bar
A quick promo reminding the NXT newcomers that they ARE DA BAR, sets up this fast paced tag contest that lasts just over 5 mins. In that time, the 4 stellar athletes in Aleister Black, Ricochet, Sheamus, & Cesaro put on a clinic. Before we knew it The Dutch Destroyer landed a brutal Black Mass kick on Cesaro before tagging in Ricochet. The One and Only hits his 630 Senton and pins Cesaro for the win. After the pinfall, Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev hit the ring and help The Bar assault the new duo. The Hardy Boyz make the save and stand tall with Black & Ricochet
Mandy Rose w/ Sonya Deville vs Naomi
For the last few months we’ve seen a heated rivalry develop between Naomi and the new #1 contender for the SmackDown women’s championship. You wouldn’t know it from this match. A lackluster, lethargic encounter saw Mandy Rose pick up a quick pin after a distraction from Deville. As Rose & Deville reached the top of the ramp, Asuka appears and lays waste to the two ahead of her title defense against Rose on Sunday.
AJ Styles Interview
AJ Styles continues his conversation with Kayla from last week. Styles say Owens is in a lose-lose situation because the fans want Kofi so badly. AJ Styles defends the WWE Universe and slams the McMahon’s for not listening to the fans screaming for Kofi Kingston. Randy Orton appears and asks Styles “Are you really going on about how someone other than yourself deserves a title shot? No wonder it took you 15 years to get here” and leaves Styles wondering.
Rey Mysterio vs Andrade is officially announced for the Fastlane KickOff Show
Kevin Owens vs Rowan w/ Daniel Bryan
Owens tries his best to bring down the mighty redwood but it proves not too effective early on. Bryan refers to Owens as a great athlete with a lazy work ethic. After calling Owens a lazy coward, KO goes after the WWE Champion. Rowan throws Owens into the steel steps and Bryan attacks Owens resulting in a DQ victory for Kevin Owens. During the post match assault on Owens, Mustafa Ali makes his return and heads right for the man who took him out, Rowan. After threatening to hit Ali with the same move that injured him ahead of Elimination Chamber, Mustafa slips out and hits a super-kick followed by a big huricanrana into the ring post. Bryan receives a Stunner by KO and Owen and Ali stand tall.
Charlotte Flair/Becky Segment
In a Ronda Rousey-less rehash of RAW, The two hype up their one-on-one encounter Sunday and Charlotte attacks Lynch’s hurt knee. After taunting The Man and taking a few cheap shots, Becky is able to turn it around and lock in the “disarm her” in what could very well be an early insight into Sunday’s Main Event at Fastlane.
